10 years out From Sleeve

[BriarRose 432]

Soo. I started my weight loss journey over 10 years ago. I am 5'2" I had surgery and was, if I remember correctly about 320 pounds. (and I had lost weight before surgery..) I was 54 years old. I lost over 100 pounds. I got down to 180 pounds. I could never get lower than that. But my doctors were pleased and so was I. Over 10 years I managed to gain weight and this past July, got mad at myself when I realized I weighed 220 !!!! I told myself that I needed to reverse the trend, and get back to a healthier weight. My initial goal was to lose 10 pounds in a year. Well, I lost 10 pounds in 4 months and then lost another 12 in the last 4 months, and for the first time in about 6 years am just under that 200 pound weight at 198. ( I will claim those last 2 pounds ! )

I refuse to do any drastic dieting, just "going back to my sleeve eating." More Protein, less carbs, more vegetables. occasional treats. Cut out the popcorn and chips which are my slider foods.... and although I really cannot exercise with my other physical issues, I am moving more and feeling better. I would be happy to be in the mid 190's for this coming July - but focusing more on making sure I don't backslide again....

I am posting because .... well, how do you explain to anyone that you have already lost over 140 pounds and gained back 40, and now have lost 20... 10 years later and it's all connected ? And at my age, no one really notices.... although I did go buy new jeans/slacks for work because darn it, I didn't keep the smaller clothing !!!

Anyone else as far out as I am ? Having issues ? Getting back on track this late in the game ?

[Recidivist 1,141]

Thanks for posting this. there are very few people on this board so long after their surgeries, and many of us wonder what it will be like in the long term. Your post is a valuable reminder that this is a lifetime change in our lifestyle and relationship with food.

[catwoman7 11,209]

I'm not as far out as you (I'm at almost five years), but yes - I've gone up and down. I got down to 135, which was admittedly too low for me - gained up to 150, which was perfect - stayed there for a long time - then my weight gradually drifted up to 160, which I'm currently trying to lose (and I should add it's taking FOREVER - I now understand those normal weight or slightly overweight people who b***h and scream about how hard it is to lose five or ten pounds. I used to roll my eyes at them when I weighed over 300 lbs - now I get it!!). I'm doing the same as you - Protein first, then veggies, an occasional treat - weighing/measuring, tracking everything. I'm trying to average around 1500 kcal/day - so nothing drastic. It IS coming off, but at a snail's pace. But I'm OK with that since I still look fine and it IS coming off.

[IAmGrace 79]

What is a slider food?

[biginjapan 647]

28 minutes ago, IAmGrace said:

What is a slider food?

Slider foods are often simple carbs (chips, pretzels, crackers, popcorn, Cookies, most Desserts, etc) that go down real easy!!! So easy in fact, that you'll finish off a whole bag of _____ and wonder where they all went. They have a lot of empty calories and no real nutritional value, so what you end up doing is eating foods you shouldn't, instead of foods you should. That's why it's easy to regain, no matter what surgery you had. You have to be careful in your food choices forever. That's not to say that once you are in maintenance mode you can't have a treat now and then, but if you had any kind of food addiction before surgery, you have to think about whether or not eating these foods will take you back down that (weight regain) path again.

[mi75 1,235]

I'm 6 years post VSG. Had some early regain but got it under control and have maintained decently. It takes a lot of work for me though, and because of another diagnosis I have to follow a pretty severely low carb diet.

I too have slider foods like popcorn, crackers, etc. I had to literally give them up and walk away. A few times a year my hubs and I will PLAN for a few days where we eat what we want (pizza, Pasta, etc) and we have absolutely NO guilt about it but after the very specific amount of days, we hop back on our plan and just keep going. We don't obsess over the scale during the few weeks afterward knowing it will go up a tad.

My original surgeon was AMAZING but I changed jobs and insurances about 2 years post op. So I have to see a different guy now. I usually check in every 18-24 months with him and am due this summer. My original surgeon told me that if I could maintain within 8-10 lbs of my very lowest post op weight that was considered a success. While I AM within that range, I really do still have about 25 lbs to lose to be considered normal BMI, and I am still bound and determined to get there.

Next Monday, because my surgeon and another doc are focused on this metabolic 'thing' that I have, and they want some very specific things to happen for it, I'll be starting a 3 week 'pre op' style diet with shakes, 1 small meal, raw veg, broth, and sugar free Jello. While I KNOW my sleeve is still working, and I have GREAT restriction, I am looking forward to seeing what both my weight and my labs do after that 3 weeks!

[Stella S 612]

How did I turn into the person griping about 5 lbs!?? I appreciate your post also curious about 75 pre-op diet. Ups and downs 5 years out. Still learning from you all. . 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

[2010LSmeme 4]

Hi. I started out at 203 lb. 5 ft 2
I had my vsg in 2010.
Dropped weight way to fast.
Not by choice. Lowest weight was 110 lb. happy weight was 125-128.
I am sad to say I am now at 156. Not happy at all.
I blame myself and also my husband. Me mostly.. I feel right into the spot where he made me feel guilty because i was small and he gained. He started to offer and push more food. Remember this is your body. Your life. Don’t fall for it. Stay strong.
I am officially back on track today.

[BriarRose 432]

We all have to find a comfortable place to be - at my age and stage of life I am good where I am right now for right now. You have to find your way too and figure out where you are comfortable weight and health and ... husband wise ! ( I divorced a couple years before I started my journey on weight loss ). I wish you the BEST IN YOUR ADVENTURE NOW !!!

[BriarRose 432]

November. Maintaining my weight loss between 173 and 174 for the most part. Weighing every morning to keep myself on track and maintain. I am comfortable in my own baggy skin, enjoying making wholesome Soups with the cooler weather. Back in the office 2 days a week, working from home rest of week. And going out to homes to see families. Staying masked and wearing PPE. Vegetable garden has fresh micro greens and lettuces, brocolli and cauliflower, kale and rainbow chard growing. Carrots too !

Stay healthy, and wear your masks !!!

[BriarRose 432]

January. 2021. Whoever thought we would still be doing COVID almost a year later ? So tired of this. Maintaining my weight between 172 and 173. Not concentrating on weight loss at all, mostly concentrating on staying heathy. Covid is rampant here. Doing as many of my own ranch and household repairs and things on my own... miss having my handyman able to come a few times a year. But the chickens are doing ok, vegetable garden planted and harvesting and replanting.... working too many hours, but that is the nature of social work and therapy today. Happily wearing my size 16 petite clothing. Jeans a bit big in places, but NOT buying anything until I can actually try things on again !

[Midgmylv 0]

I am 9 years out. I’m 5’10” and the lowest I’ve been able to get was 162. All of the sudden I noticed I was 175. I knew I was eating the same as I always have. So I looked back at my online chart from my physicals over the past 5 years and realized I have gained about 2 lbs a year. It crept up on me apparently. Back to the drawing board.
I have been doing intermittent fasting, warm lemon Water in the morning, and adding Protein Shakes back into my diet.

[Beachladee3 74]

Thank you for writing this! I had sleeve surgery in 2018 and all went well. I was at 160 and happy. The pandemic has me so bored, I feel myself indulging more and more in slider foods. I never used to be able to tolerate slider foods but now I can and its not good! Back to basics seems to be the correct route.

Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

[BriarRose 432]

So, it is March.... and in a couple days I turn 65 years old. No retirement for me. Will still be working as a social work supervisor and hoping to touch a life in a positive way one kiddo, one family at a time.

Still maintaining my weight - right at that 173 point. Maybe a pound or two up or down... but I will say this Eating my own cooking for a YEAR straight (thank you very much covid) I have learned this - even one meal out will put 3 pounds on me overnight from the salt content.

Adult daughter and I ordered a family meal from Panda Express. It was pouring rain, and our power was out and we were tired and hungry. So we ordered it delivered. I got Chowmein and green bean chicken. Low calorie. Also ordered their "steamed veggies". Daughter got rice and two heavier calorie dishes.... I ate small portions of veggies, chicken and green Beans and chow mien. Ate it again for lunch and dinner that night. I gained 5 pounds. HOW ? looked up sodium content. I use very little salt at home. I grow herbs and enjoy using fresh or dried herbs and lemon juice, vinegars, lime juice, a bit of olive oil .... freaked me out. And took a good week to come off of me.

I would much rather indulge in chocolate or something FUN. Staying away from fast food for good.

Got both vaccines in me - thank goodness. With my work, I am in and out of people's homes and the vaccine is another tool in the tool kit of health these days.

Be safe out there !

[BriarRose 432]

January 2023

I got very ill in September of 2022 - had a tear in my hiatius - a hiaitial hernia tear - that was bleeding into my chest area. No symptoms until I was so weak and tired that I couldn't function well. Ended up needing transfusions and emergency hospitalization to figure out what was wrong. 5 days in patient with no food or Water, just IVs. Lots of testing and then came home on lots of Iron pills and Vitamins. Three weeks later had a gastric bleed.... more hospital stay of 4 days and endoscope and found out that I have some, well, a lot of issues in my "normal sleeve anatomy" - lots of areas that were bleeding. No actual ulcers, just ... issues. Now will be doing weekly iron infusions - no more oral iron; and meds to help heal my stomach lining.

I lost 10 pounds in the hospital, but was warned to eat well and drink lots of fluids and to put back at least 2/3 of what was lost in the hospitalizations as a good portion of that is blood building. I craved macaroni and cheese. Not something I even usually like much ! So I ate that and high Protein, lots of water and saw my doctors on a weekly basis. I, of course gained weight back as I healed. But decided to be VERY VERY careful in what I ate as directed by my doctors to not piss off my gut - and then added in what I knew to do for my over all health. My 13 year old tool was still there and of the appropriate size - I had NOT "stretched out" my sleeve in 13 years. I was assured by the gastro doc that it was fine !

So I took the 2 total pound weight loss from surgery and then post op required gain.... and have lost 6 more pounds in 3 months. I am out of the 30s BMI for the first time in ...... more than 40 years. Yes, BMI of 29 on the Smart BMI for my age.

I am doing much better, will probably need monthly iron infusions on a regular basis; as the oral iron is not working for my irritable gut. But I am a seemingly healthy almost 67 year old, now wearing a size 14 petite slacks to work ! The last time I did that .... I was about 23 years old.... I have almost lost half of me.

Edited January 14, 2023 by BriarRose