Is sleeve good for SERIOUS sugar addicts?

[melissa160 5]

Hi there my surgery is scheduled for later this year and the doctor has recommended gastric sleeve. For those of you that have already had the surgery do you think this is a good option for somebody who is seriously addicted to sugar and carbohydrates?

I realize the surgery is just a tool and it takes a lot of hard work to succeed. However, I am worried that if I am able to tolerate sugar or carbs after the surgery and recovery, I probably will do it.

I have three friends that have done the RNY, and my sister is just eight months out from her RNY surgery. None of them can tolerate sugar very well so they really don't eat it because of the negative effects.

I promise I'm not trying to go into the surgery with a defeatist attitude, but want to be very realistic about the challenges I have faced with sugar and carbs for nearly 20 years.

So, if you were a sugar or carboholic like me before surgery, what has your experience been like after surgery?

[Forsythia 882]

I don't dump. I can, in theory, eat all the sugar I want. Dumping is more likely to happen to RNYers. There are sleevers who dump though. Having said that, I was a huge sugar freak pre-sleeve. I did a lot of work mentally to break myself of it. I occasionally have a cookie or something sweet but the need for it is gone now.

[mi75 1,235]

i don't dump either. i have had some very small portions of foods containing sugar (baked Beans and bbq sauce) and no issues. i have found that it could be pretty easy for me to slip into old habits quickly.

i realize that the commitment i made to get my health back WILL be a daily thing that i will have to be very conscious of but not difficult if i follow my program.

[katesuccess 990]

I had the sleeve, and I'm a true lover of sweets and sugars (okay, also bread and meat!) and I swear I never met a candy bar or baked good I didn't like. I talked to my doc about which surgery to have, and he talked through the differences and advantages/disadvantages with me. I started at 276 on surgery day, and I'm 5'5" so BMI of 46. He said if I were higher weight he'd push me towards RNY, or if I had acid reflux with regularity - same thing. He also said if I did not think I was going to manage to control sugar-eating then I should lean towards RNY as well.

I decided that the pre-op diet had gone well and my mindset was shifting in a way that I thought I could handle the sugar thing. I also feared I'd be one of those who'd have no negative 'encouragement' from dumping, and still be able to eat it! Additionally, because I have a public job with 'on stage' type elements which don't allow for stepping away for an unexpected rush to the bathroom, and which means travel to places where I cannot control what food is served (only how much of it I eat), and my travel occasionally limits my access to reliable or sanitary restroom facilities, I opted for the sleeve.

I'm almost four months out and have lost 55 pounds since the surgery. I have no gastric issues, no dumping, and NO regrets! I sometimes have a mild upset stomach if I eat something like a cookie, which I've done all of twice since surgery -- but Protein bars are fine, I just choose low carb ones. Sometimes I've wished I had gone with the RNY because some people have faster weight loss with it, but again - no guarantee I'd be one of them, so I'm happy with my choice.

Not sure if this helps any - but good luck on your choice. You can work with whichever you choose, and work towards success.

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

there are sleevers who dump. its way more common with bypass though.

i could not tolerate sugar after surgery. even fruit made me feel bad. 13 months PO i eat very little sugar. but i know i an anomaly. there are plenty of sleevers who can eat all the sugar they want. but many more who choose not to.

[JCP 619]

I am really hoping the sleeve will help me kick my sugar addiction. I've had it for years.

[Kindle 8,667]

I have no problems with sugar. Since passing goal, I actually eat a lot of fruit. I've also had ice cream, cake, pie, cheesecake, chocolate, muffins, etc. But fortunately I'm OK with just a bite or two....no desire to eat the whole thing. If you aren't one of the rare sleeve dumpers, avoiding sugar will be all on you (mentally) postop. But then again, surgery isn't going to "fix" anything besides Portion Control. Changing our bad habits and making good choices are things we have to do everyday for the rest of our lives. Glad you are thinking about this and being realistic about your expectations and potential pitfalls so you know what to work on. Good luck!

Edited August 21, 2014 by Kindle

[melissa160 5]

Thank you so much everyone!! I really do think I need physical response to help me. I haven't had any long term success on any diet but the ones I had the most success on were ones that were low carb (south beach, Adkins, primal, etc) and restricted sugar. When I have done something like weight watchers where they allow pretty much anything within a point range, I fail miserably.

I just want to be honest with myself and I suspect if the cookie, candy, ice cream goes down successfully I'll have a hard time saying no and the overall results will suffer.

Like all of you, I want to succeed so I'm thinking I should help myself by choosing rny.

Hope that makes sense.

[moonlitestarbrite 902]

Thank you so much everyone!! I really do think I need physical response to help me. I haven't had any long term success on any diet but the ones I had the most success on were ones that were low carb (south beach, Adkins, primal, etc) and restricted sugar. When I have done something like weight watchers where they allow pretty much anything within a point range, I fail miserably. I just want to be honest with myself and I suspect if the cookie, candy, ice cream goes down successfully I'll have a hard time saying no and the overall results will suffer. Like all of you, I want to succeed so I'm thinking I should help myself by choosing rny. Hope that makes sense.

bypass might be a better choice for you. i have a friend who is a wicked sugar fiend and bypass has worked for her.

[finediva 979]

Thank God I broke a serious caffeine, carb and suger addiction during the first 9 days of my pre op diet. I almost died during the detox and very grateful that I'm not now on trial for a criminal offense. The best part is I now cannot stand the taste of anything sweet, including crystal light. Must say while I'm not missing the sugar, I grieve the lost of my 20ounce cup of coffee in the am.

[snowkitten 371]

It's so funny you should ask about this because I was just thinking about that last night. So I can't tell you what it will be like sleeved since my surgery isn't until Monday but I had an interesting experience last night.

I'm a hard core sugar/carb eater. I started my preop diet about 2 weeks ago and it's a high protein/low carb diet. The first few days were hell. I think my body was seriously detoxing. Then yesterday I got stressed and busy so I did a huge no no... I picked up chinese for dinner (sesame chicken, noodles, and egg roles... in other words, carb central). About 15 minutes later I was shaking, sweating, and throwing up. All the symptoms of the dumping syndrome Ive read about and I havnt even had surgery yet!!

So, this has made me wonder if my craving sugar is actually because I can't tolerate it (I've read this in a study but I can't remember exactly what it said).

This is great because even tho I'm getting the sleeve (for medical reasons I can't get the rny) I know I'm going to be one of the few Sleever who get dumping syndrome with sugar.

Perhaps you can test your body. Do a week high Protein low (30g) carb diet then eat a meal high in carbs and see how you react. It's an idea anyways. Good luck!!!

[Nicolanz 1,484]

I'm almost 2 years post sleeve. Sweets go down really easy for me. As a matter of fact, I was never a sweets person until after I had the sleeve. There was a short period where I ate chocolate or Cookies everyday! I was developing an addiction! I gained about 6 pounds and had to get myself in check! I think the only thing that will stop your sweet addiction is you! Good luck!

[Kindle 8,667]

I don't think you can rely on ANY surgery to physically cure your sugar/carb cravings. I have three friends that have all had WLS.....band, bypass and RNY. Every one of them has reverted to eating sugar and crap food. The bander frequents McD's and Taco Bell. She eats lots of ice cream and has gone to great lengths to figure out how to eat around her band so she doesn't slime or regurge as much as she used to. (But she still does)

The RNY had a rough recovery, so she didn't fall off her diet plan until almost a year after surgery. She's not doing too badly, but she does eats all kinds of deserts and chips and breads.

My bypass friend is the worst....she is 8 years out and her diet staples include coke, mashed potatoes, packaged saltine and crackers, donuts and ice tea with plenty of sugar. I almost never see her eat Protein. She is a huge sugar /carboholic and she eats all of this crap despite dumping and/or vomiting at least a couple times/week.

There is a reason these surgeries are not the easy way to lose weight. The physical surgery WILL NOT fix your addictions and cravings. Sure, you might feel too crappy to eat those things for a couple months, but once you are healed, your appetite will return as well as your bad eating habits if you haven't done the mental work, too. And unfortunately, the mental game goes on forever.....

[melissa160 5]

I totally agree, I don't think the surgery is a silver bullet. You definitely can't rely on it alone. I am kind of hoping that dumping will help me be strong. Maybe that is not a possibility. But I have a ridiculous aversion to puking. Someone has the stomach flu and I put myself in a bubble for a week. I would not touch sugar with a ten foot pole if puking came with it. My sister (8 mths post rny) thinks my aversion to puking will help me eat the right foods, chew slowly and thoroughly and not overstuff myself. I hope so.

I know it's hard work. I watched 3 best friends and my sister go thru it. Still got to make good choices, exercise, drink Water, and battle head hunger all the time. I'm ready for that.

Just really scared that I'll eat the sugar stuff before the Protein and suffer. Just trying to be realistic. If I could quit sugar, I would have by now. It's not for lack of trying. But I know I'm singing to the choir as we all have our struggles.

Thanks again everyone!!!! I so appreciate your help.

[rosehips 121]

I totally agree, I don't think the surgery is a silver bullet. You definitely can't rely on it alone. I am kind of hoping that dumping will help me be strong. Maybe that is not a possibility. But I have a ridiculous aversion to puking. Someone has the stomach flu and I put myself in a bubble for a week. I would not touch sugar with a ten foot pole if puking came with it. My sister (8 mths post rny) thinks my aversion to puking will help me eat the right foods, chew slowly and thoroughly and not overstuff myself. I hope so. I know it's hard work. I watched 3 best friends and my sister go thru it. Still got to make good choices, exercise, drink Water, and battle head hunger all the time. I'm ready for that. Just really scared that I'll eat the sugar stuff before the Protein and suffer. Just trying to be realistic. If I could quit sugar, I would have by now. It's not for lack of trying. But I know I'm singing to the choir as we all have our struggles. Thanks again everyone!!!! I so appreciate your help.

Hi, I had the sleeve 8/2012 so wow it has been 2 yrs. i lost 120 lbs over the first year & now i have gained 5-10 back, i lose the 5 & regain it. I am an active sugar addict, recovered alcoholic for 10 yrs.

the nurse at my surgeons office told us in a group class "i have never seen a person keep their weight off that returned to their trigger foods". I took this to heart for a long time. At 4 months I had 2 bites of chocolate cake & was scared to eat anymore in case I dumped. I did not. Over the next 6-8 months I had no interest in Cookies candy cake. I would take a few bites at say Easter & then I would gladly give away whatever I had to my husband. Time went by, my appetite has increased & I can eat a lot more. Sugar now talks to me all the time. I am completely readdicted.

I am now going to OA & was able to stop all the sugar & re lose the 5 lbs. Then I ate something & off I went again.

You might chose to google Dr. Robert Lustig. I watched his video THE SKINNY ON OBESITY & ADDICTION TO SUGAR. It basically explains we are trying to get more dopamine.

As others have said it is not the difference between RNY, sleeve or bypass. It is going to be you & your fight with your addiction. We are works in progress. I love being 110 lbs smaller. My energy rocks, except when I am on sugar. I am fighting the best I can. I highly recommend the sleeve as it is less invasive. My mom had the bypass & she does not dump & can eat anything.

I wish you all the best, watch his videos, you might learn something that will help you