I'm debating about the sleeved

[Aspire2inspire 4]

Hello to everyone. My name is Stephanie. I'm debating about getting sleeved. I have always been an obese female. I had hip surgery on both hips when i was younger. I have screws thats inserted. When i gain weight, my knees swell. Last year on 2/24/14 I weighed 293 pounds. Im currently am 245 pounds. I also have a thyroid issue. I'm debating about getting the surgery due to life issues. I was doing so well with exercising until my vehicle engine went out. I want to consider the sleeve because of my future. If i don't get control of my weight before i hit my 40s, I may need a hip replacement for both hips. One big issue is that I eat just to eat. Im not hungry most of the times.I know i'm an emotional eater. So i'm not sure if the sleeve will work for me. I also am hypothyroid. I did lose 121 pounds back in 2009 but i gained back more than half when i was in nursing school. Im only 20 something pounds away from my total lost 121. I don't know what to do though. To get the sleeve for my future mobility or continue to workout. Any suggestions??? Thank you in advance.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

Surgery is a personal decision. However if as you say you are an emotional eater you may still need counseling to address those issues. You may also want to rethink your exercise plan. If car trouble derails your working out perhaps developing an at home workout plan might be a good idea.

Personally speaking I am happy I had the sleeve. It has been an easy process and experience for me but not everyone has it as easy.

[JamieLogical 8,708]

If you get sleeved, you will still have to work out. It's not an alternative to a healthy lifestyle, it's just a tool to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

As for being an emotional eater, I would say that applies to 99.9% of all sleeve patients. We didn't get to be morbidly obese without emotional eating! There is still a lot of work involved to "get your head right" even if you get sleeved. The only thing the sleeve does is limit physical hunger (it removes part of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone ghrelin) and restricts the amount of food you can eat in one sitting. It doesn't solve "head hunger" and it doesn't force you to eat the RIGHT foods or prevent you from "grazing" (snacking all day long).

You should definitely take a hard look at your triggers for eating. How much you eat. When you eat. And what kinds of food you eat. The sleeve is a powerful tool, but it is only part of the equation.

[Bluesea71 698]

It is very possible to lose weight with the sleeve without exercising. I hate to admit it, but I'm almost a year out and I'm yet to start a formal workout routine with any regularity. With that being said, I AM active and will go on a 11 plus mile hike once a week. Just have never joined a gym or lifted weights, etc. . I suspect that as you lose weight and moving become easier for you, you will naturally find yourself becoming more active. I know I'm becoming more motivated to work out now that I can see my ab muscles!!!! I am now 9 pounds away from my goal weight of 145.

Your head hunger is the bigger issue. People do eat and regain around the sleeve. All you have to do is watch one episode of "My 600 pound Life" to know it can be done. I think sometimes we can get a distorted sense of reality reading the Bariatric pal forum. These boards are filled with people who are committed to the process and are succeeding. There are plenty of people out there who aren't successful and never lost all of their weight or gained a lot of it back. These people aren't likely to be seeking out support on these boards. I guess you need to decide which statistic you want to be. The whole journey is a process.

Edited February 24, 2015 by Bluesea71

[JamieLogical 8,708]

Well, just like with any "diet", some people lose weight more easily than others. I have read about others who have managed to get to or near goal without any formal workout routine, but they seem to be the exception, not the rule. I work out 5 days a week and my loss is still VERY slow. Every body is different and handles this process differently. Exercise (whether formal workouts or just an active lifestyle) should be a part of every healthy person's life. I would like to believe that most sleeve patients are in this to get healthier, not just lose weight.

[Bluesea71 698]

Well, just like with any "diet", some people lose weight more easily than others. I have read about others who have managed to get to or near goal without any formal workout routine, but they seem to be the exception, not the rule. I work out 5 days a week and my loss is still VERY slow. Every body is different and handles this process differently. Exercise (whether formal workouts or just an active lifestyle) should be a part of every healthy person's life. I would like to believe that most sleeve patients are in this to get healthier, not just lose weight.

Jamie - Let me just state that I absolutely agree with you. The decision to have this surgery should include a decision to make a complete lifestyle change with BOTH diet AND exercise. I have always been an active person. Even when overweight I was hiking long trails in Yosemite 7-8 times a year. I've just never been one to feel comfortable in a gym - something I'm aiming to do soon though! It sounded like the poster was dealing with some mobility issues and I wanted to assure her that she would still lose weight with the sleeve even if she didn't exercise. But you're right - exercise will make your body look better AND increase your weight loss. If I didn't walk/hike, I would be a big pile of mush and have zero tone. Unfortunately I have noticed many of the pounds I have loss have included muscle mass. My weight loss has also been incredibly slow. I'm sure I could have lost my weight faster if I did indeed, include more exercise in my routine. And as we all know, exercise is KEY for long-term maintenance, so I better get my arse in gear!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I do not agree that all obese people are primarily "emotional eaters". however, since you know that about yourself, consider addressing it first.

the thing with the sleeve, once you are say a year out... it is possible to graze, snack and stuff yourself back to your pre surgery weight. Most people DON'T do that, but it is a pretty big step to have part of your stomach removed and you want to maximize your chance of success!

I personally found becoming thin wonderful joyeous, a dream come true, but also... stressful at times. i am not primarily an emotional eater, however, it was a pretty nerve wracking experience. Just becoming slim can be an emotional trigger... sounds crazy but it is true for some.

[BLERDgirl 6,417]

I completely agree with @CowgirlJane. I think stating that 99.9% of us are emotional eaters is a gross overstatement. I do think it an issue for many, but certainly not all. There are a myriad of reasons why someone may be morbidly obese. For me it was more a combination of disordered eating, health issues from my severe allergies and premature menopause. Whatever the reason is, you need to deal with it before WLS. The surgery is just a tool or jumping off point. Personally my goal is not to be thin. I want to be smaller and I want a BMI within normal range, but I want a strong, healthy body more than anything else.

[JamieLogical 8,708]

I withdraw my 99.9% comment. I'm prone to exaggeration. My point was that emotional eating is something that needs to be addressed independent of the surgery. WLS will not "fix" emotional eating, it is something many (not all) of us have to deal with in addition to having the surgery.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

I read somewhere that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. After dieting for over 30 years and exercising the last 10-15, I would agree.

Each of us has to look at our reasons for eating the way we do. I think we can all agree that everyone (thin or obese) can eat when they're not hungry. That's not a characteristic unique to obese people.

I am a volume eater. It takes a lot of food for me to reach satiety. And yes, I do eat sometimes when I am not hungry.

The lap band never worked for me in providing satiety. The bottom stomach always seemed to be saying - hey, I'm empty and still hungry - feed me. But I couldn't eat anymore due to the pressure/restriction of the band. I am hoping the sleeve addresses those hunger signals.

I have to adjust my exercise plan as I have arthritis and pain in my knees. But I will still do something. Just not pounding on the treadmill anymore.

Each of our journeys is unique and should be tailored to our needs and what works for us to be successful (for example - I don't now nor ever will eat yogurt or cheese).