Is it possible to lose too much?

[staceface09 5]

I am curious if someone gets a band to sleeve revision, if it's possible if the can end up losing too much weight? Or if they may have problems stopping their weight loss once they get to their goal?

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

First, you should know I've never been banded. Have just been sleeved.

But yes, some people who've been sleeved do lose too much weight. But that's a rarity, not commonplace.

And actually, based ONLY on what I've read online the last two years, it seems to me like at least some people who revise from a lapband to a sleeve have a harder time losing all their excess weight than those who are "virgin-sleeved."

If this is true, I'm not sure why (I've never seen any well designed studies about this phenomenon). Those who've been banded / sleeved should chime in on this.

But when I've read previously banded folks complain about slow weight loss after being sleeved, I've wondered if it's because people who were banded and didn't lose all their excess weight or who regained after having their bands removed have had more experience learning how to "cheat the band" (e.g., eaten more than their stomachs would handle by stacking food up in their esophaguses, eating slider foods because that's all that would stay down if the band made them throw up a lot) and fall back on those behaviors after they have been sleeved.

[staceface09 5]

I just got finished reading something about that! I wonder why that is? It probably does have something to do with making poor nutrition choices, but even with the sleeve being a restrictive procedure, you have no choice but to only eat a certain amount of food, right? Because your stomach only holds so much? With mine, since I am banded, if I drink with my meal, it totally defeats the purpose of my band and I can end up eating a pretty normal portion. Is it similar with the sleeve? As in drinking and eating together?

Edited December 6, 2015 by staceface09

[Babbs 14,681]

I just got finished reading something about that! I wonder why that is? It probably does have something to do with making poor nutrition choices, but even with the sleeve being a restrictive procedure, you have no choice but to only eat a certain amount of food, right? Because your stomach only holds so much? With mine, since I am banded, if I drink with my meal, it totally defeats the purpose of my band and I can end up eating a pretty normal portion. Is it similar with the sleeve? As in drinking and eating together?

Yes, you can only eat a certain amount AT ONE TIME. But make no mistake, if you're eating again as soon as you feel like you could, or what they call 'grazing', you can still stall weight loss or even start gaining.

Heck, at 15 months out, I could easily consume 2,000 calories in a day if I spread out my eating enough. I once consumed a 750 calorie sandwich by picking at it all day, quarter by quarter.

[Scottyd1264 73]

Hello,

Your question is one thats been on my mind.. i had the band and lost 55 pounds, it slipped and had to be removed. I have gained 20 pounds back. My weight is 177 and I am 5'4, I have been approved for the sleeve.... I am so worried that I am going to lose to much weight.. Say I lose just 40 pounds I'll be 137, that's to skinny for me.... But if I don't get it I will continue to gain....

I dont know what to do .......

[liannatx 897]

Are you at goal weight? I think that you will certainly lose some during the clear and full liquid stages. But at a lower weight the calorie deficit wont be as dramatic, and the loss shouldn't be either.

I would think that once you are on solids you should be able to reach a calorie goal that would maintain your weight. If you don't need to lose any more you could use full fat foods like milk, cottage cheese, meats, etc... A little healthy carbs, some non-sugarfree foods, and it wouldn't be too hard to keep the calories up.

The Sleeve itself is not mal-absorptive and only works with what you eat calorie and nutrition wise.

[KristinaF 5]

Hi all, I'll add my band to sleeve experience with all the others. I had my lap band for seven years, I lost 150lbs. Went from 291lbs to 140lbs. No problems or issues, I was very lucky. January of this year, I noticed that my weight started climbing. I went in for a fill and after a few days, I noticed that I didn't have any restrictions. Went back for another fill a few weeks later. The NP pulled out my fluids to check my levels and noticed that my CC's weren't matching with what was in the computers. Long story short, after several months and a fluoroscopy, it was discovered that my band was leaking in an area that couldn't be fixed. Talked with the surgeon and I decided to revise to the sleeve. I was was revised on October 29th. I had gained 60lbs with my band leaking. Since being sleeved almost 6 weeks ago, I have lost almost 35lbs. My surgeon told me that revision patients generally tend to lose weight slower than virgin WLS patients, then he said since I had lost so much weight and don't have much to lose to get back to goal, I'm going to lose even slower, BUT I will get there. Apparently, I was one of the few people in the WLS department at my hospital that lost that much weight with the band, as he put it "you rocked that band and you're going to rock the sleeve, it's just going to take a bit longer to get there". I'm fine with that, slow and steady is okay be me. I'm just happy to have been able to get sleeved, we are switching insurance companies in January and my company dropped bariatric surgery coverage, so having my band leak was a blessing in disguise. I got in just under the wire. I'll get back to goal, no doubt in my mind.

[staceface09 5]

I was almost to my goal weight, I was at my lowest weight last year of 165 but I started gaining a little weight because I had horrible heartburn so I was drinking a lot of milk and milkshakes ????

In September I weighed 175, and then I shot up to 203 from then until now. That's almost 30 pounds in a little over 2 months!!!!! I've Also been battling depression but I seriously can't control my appetite anymore! I used to be able to distract myself if I felt the urge to snack for no reason but not lately. Then I went in to my bariatric doctor to get a little Fluid out because of the heart burn and it's gotten worse. I don't know how much more weight I've gained. I'm afraid to weigh myself.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Well ... by your own description you've got some other issues going on (depression, for one) that no amount of WLS will fix.

I'll almost guarantee you that your heartburn is being exacerbated by all those sugar carbs you're drinking. Milkshakes are full of sugar, and sugar causes heartburn -- at least it does for me! Stop all the sugar, and you'll surely get some heartburn relief. Too much coffee and any carbonated beverages at all also make my heartburn flare up horribly. Also make sure you're using the correct antacids for your heartburn -- my doc gave me a proton pump inhibitor antacid shortly after surgery that resolved that problem for me; I'm now back on my old-fashioned ranitidine.

But more importantly, as the saying goes, they operate on your stomach, not on your head. And since you're medicating your uncomfortable feelings with food, you will always be able to figure out how to do that, no matter how many weight loss surgeries you get.

I would strongly recommend you start seeing a therapist who deals with eating disorders and can help you change how you use food to numb yourself.

Good luck!