Should I get gastric sleeve?
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It depends. I've met quite a few people who've lost a considerable amount of weight, only to gain it back, and ended up getting lap-band surgery to try to get a hold of that.
Me - I went to a lap band surgeon, and was told they wanted me to lose 90 pounds before doing the surgery. There were legitimate reasons for that, but I won't go into that right now. I was mad at first because I thought "If I could do that I wouldn't be here". Well, 90 pounds later, and with a lot of help from them, and following the instructions. I then got full of myself,
I lost about 140 pounds, then "life happened" and I gained back to the point I am now - at a 60 pound loss. If I'd had some sort of surgery, there's a good chance I wouldn't have gained back that much. Of course, there's no way to be certain, but the odds lean that direction.
I'm glad I didn't gain all of it back, and am really kicking myself....but it is what it is. I've proven to myself I can lose a considerable amount of weight by diligently logging my food, and keeping an eye on the data that MFP and Fitbit provide. I am pretty glad I haven't had any sort of surgery as yet, but still have that nagging feeling that once I get to where I want to be, that if "life happens" again, what will happen with me and my weight. I feel like I'm doing the right thing for me right now, but that may change.
Ultimately, it's a decision for you to make, and it should be made after many discussions with a doctor. Nobody here can really tell you what to do, only give you feedback on a variety of experiences.
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PeachyCarol wrote: »I was verging on qualifying for it, and I had a good friend successfully go through a gastric bypass. She had a very good experience with it, so I'm not anti-surgery at all.
After "living" (via the internet) through the experience with her, I just didn't see the point in having the surgery. I realized that the fundamental changed needing to be made would still need to be made. I just wouldn't suffer adverse physical consequences if I overate if I didn't have the surgery.
I decided to tackle my inner demons and learn new habits and here I am, 28 pounds from a total of 95 pounds needing to be lost.
To the OP, you've tried losing weight before, but have you REALLY tried? Have you figured out why you overeat?
Have you logged your food? Have you used a food scale?
I had a conversation once, before I started on MFP, with my doctor where I swore up and down to consuming a certain number of calories. When I started actually logging and weighing my food? I found out that I was WAY off in my estimation. There was a reason I weighed as much as I did and there was a reason I wasn't losing weight.
I was eating way too much food.
Learning that I could accurately assess how much food my body needed to balance my energy expenditure (I've upped my exercise, so I get to eat more now than I did when I weighed more and I still lose) was a turning point for me.
Why don't you try it for yourself too?
You have done well and are a positive success story. I agree if one is going to have to make a fundamental change for the surgery to work than why not make the fundamental change before the surgery and see the results.
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I only know people who had problems. My friend, had this surgery, had complications. She was unable to have a normal life for 18 months. In that time she lost 45 lbs. She has stopped losing. I lost 45 lbs in 5 months, felt great the whole time and am still losing. I have been able to exercise and increased my strength and stamina. When she made the decision to have the surgery, I was very tempted to try it. I am so glad I did it using CICO or eating less and moving more. You may be one of the fortunate ones to have no complications but you may hate yourself for not giving CICO a real chance.0
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cupcakecomatose wrote: »
Yes I'm eating about 1,500 calories a dayLiftng4Lis wrote: »Are you eating at a deficit?
No, you're not. That's physiologically impossible for you to be overweight enough to qualify for gastric sleeve and yet you've been consuming just 1500 cals for a year and have not lost any weight. I'm not trying to be cruel or mean, just real with you. You're consuming much more than you think.0 -
My mother was morbidly obese, and she learned that our insurance would pay for her to go to an inpatient program for those suffering from disordered eating, be it overeating, anorexia.... It was really helpful for her. She ended up losing a great deal of weight both there and continuing at home with the help of her doc. She had developed ongoing friendships with other people who were suffering as well, and she got a lot out the suggestion to attend over eaters anonymous meetings. It changed her life both mentally and physically.
If you decide against the surgery, this may be a viable option for you as well. Good luck with whatever you decide.0 -
mommarnurse wrote: »cupcakecomatose wrote: »
Yes I'm eating about 1,500 calories a dayLiftng4Lis wrote: »Are you eating at a deficit?
No, you're not. That's physiologically impossible for you to be overweight enough to qualify for gastric sleeve and yet you've been consuming just 1500 cals for a year and have not lost any weight. I'm not trying to be cruel or mean, just real with you. You're consuming much more than you think.
Not so fast. I am a short 5' 2.75", obese, 53 year old woman and my TDEE on my rest day is less than 1500 calories. If OP is a shorter person, it is possible that she is not consuming as much as you think.
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It's a mixed bag. Half the people I know who had the surgery gained it all back. Half have kept it off. As pointed out before, you have to change your lifestyle0
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You are going to get a lot of opinions here from people who have no first hand experience, or who have only heard the bad stories.
I had gastric sleeve surgery two years ago. The key to being successful with this tool is realizing its a tool, and not a crutch. I have lost over 200 lbs, and I am still slowly losing. I am super healthy, and my quality of life has improved SO much. I have made all the necessary lifestyle changes to stay successful, including therapy, because in my opinion and experience, if you don't get it right on the inside, it won't matter what you do on the outside. I believe that surgery is right for some and not right for others. Like others, I know people who haven't been successful, and that is mostly for one reason only - they did not do what they were supposed to do. It isn't easy to lose weight unless you are ready to, with or without surgery. Surgery is NOT a magic pill, there is still work involved, but in my case, the tradeoffs were worth the results. If you have any questions feel free to PM me, also, these two MFP groups are very helpful -
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1052-vsgers
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/637-gastric-bypass-vsg-lapband
This is well said and very inspirational.0 -
In some very rare circumstances, a gastric sleeve or other such procedure might make sense. Unless you have consulted with numerous medical professionals who all feel this is appropriate, I would highly recommend you think twice. In your shoes, I would think twice even if I was repeatedly told I should do it unless I was facing an imminently life threatening condition.
For the vast majority of us, controlling our portions and upping our activity should be enough to lose weight. For the relatively few, this might be impractical or too slow given the need for rapid weight loss. While MFP posters are sometimes qualified to help you lose weight, we are generally not qualified to give the type of advice you need to make a decision to get the surgery. Talk to your doctor. If he or she recommends it get a second and third opinion before actually doing it.0 -
Gastric sleeve is major surgery, it's not like getting a fitted dress. This conversation should be had with your doctor.
I'm all against, by the way.0 -
I was thinking about the surgery, so I joined a Bariatric Weight Loss Group on Facebook, which is 99% full of people who have had the surgery. That group certainly made me change my mind. 90% of the people have complications. Hair (excessively) falling out; teeth falling out, lots of people develop ulcers, gallstones, they are tired, cold, can't eat, can't drink enough water, can't get enough protein in, can't tolerate lots of foods, etc. There are lots of other issues I am forgetting.0
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VSG was the best decision I have ever made. Yes there is some hair loss at month 3 but I am not bald and it grows back healthier than ever. It thins somewhat but would I rather be obese and miserable or have flat hair for a month or two. Do your research as far a Dr's. Yes it is just a tool...but what a tool. A lifetime of struggles and obesity gone ... happier than ever. No complications. Life is good!0
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I am always super interested in the people here who say that they "know someone" or are in a group with someone who has had this type of surgery and failed. I'm in a number of real life groups with people (incuding myself) and we all had super success.
Sure there are occasional complications but nothing like the scope of what people say they see here. I just distrust the motives of people on this forum, because they are so anti the surgery. It's like people believe here that if you aren't suffering or feeling the pain you aren't doing it the correct way.
The one thing to make note of, is that you must follow your doctors instructions. You must supplement your diet with vitamins, and get bloodwork drawn to make sure that you're getting the nutrition you need. You also must exercise and stay moving on a daily basis. And you cannot return to old eating patterns or the weight will return. Stick to the program and you will have fabulous success!0 -
happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »I am always super interested in the people here who say that they "know someone" or are in a group with someone who has had this type of surgery and failed. I'm in a number of real life groups with people (incuding myself) and we all had super success.
Sure there are occasional complications but nothing like the scope of what people say they see here. I just distrust the motives of people on this forum, because they are so anti the surgery. It's like people believe here that if you aren't suffering or feeling the pain you aren't doing it the correct way.
The one thing to make note of, is that you must follow your doctors instructions. You must supplement your diet with vitamins, and get bloodwork drawn to make sure that you're getting the nutrition you need. You also must exercise and stay moving on a daily basis. And you cannot return to old eating patterns or the weight will return. Stick to the program and you will have fabulous success!
I work with two people and am related to five people who have had weight loss surgery. Two of those people had major issues that required additional hospitalizations. One had problems following the post surgery recommendations and suffered from symptoms of undernourishment. 4 did not have unusual issues. But to me, it sounds like a very HARD way to lose weight. I have lost over 50 pounds and have not felt like I am suffering or feeling pain. I am happy it is working for you, but I have to be honest, I think you did it the more difficult way.0 -
happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »I am always super interested in the people here who say that they "know someone" or are in a group with someone who has had this type of surgery and failed. I'm in a number of real life groups with people (incuding myself) and we all had super success.
Sure there are occasional complications but nothing like the scope of what people say they see here. I just distrust the motives of people on this forum, because they are so anti the surgery. It's like people believe here that if you aren't suffering or feeling the pain you aren't doing it the correct way.
The one thing to make note of, is that you must follow your doctors instructions. You must supplement your diet with vitamins, and get bloodwork drawn to make sure that you're getting the nutrition you need. You also must exercise and stay moving on a daily basis. And you cannot return to old eating patterns or the weight will return. Stick to the program and you will have fabulous success!
You must have missed my post
My friend had a gastric bypass, and she did very well with it.
I just decided that after seeing that there was a lot of hard work involved on her part coupled with some drastic life-long restrictions, that I personally was capable of the hard work part on my own. I figured that if I were going to have to do the same work anyway, I might as well do it without the invasive surgery.
If someone else makes a different choice, that's cool -- as long as they realize that any form of WLS is NOT a shortcut to putting in both the mental and physical work need to lose weight and to maintain a new healthy weight.
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happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »I am always super interested in the people here who say that they "know someone" or are in a group with someone who has had this type of surgery and failed. I'm in a number of real life groups with people (incuding myself) and we all had super success.
Sure there are occasional complications but nothing like the scope of what people say they see here. I just distrust the motives of people on this forum, because they are so anti the surgery. It's like people believe here that if you aren't suffering or feeling the pain you aren't doing it the correct way.
The one thing to make note of, is that you must follow your doctors instructions. You must supplement your diet with vitamins, and get bloodwork drawn to make sure that you're getting the nutrition you need. You also must exercise and stay moving on a daily basis. And you cannot return to old eating patterns or the weight will return. Stick to the program and you will have fabulous success!
The surgery creates pain and suffering, even when successful, while calorie counting does not (if it does, you're doing it wrong). Since I am very close to the people that I know who are going through these complications, I am experiencing it with them. I would never tell anyone not to go through with it. I just want to make sure people know that it does NOT make weight loss easier or simpler. They need to know this if they are to make the right decision for themselves. My only motive is to make sure they don't put themselves through it if they aren't sure it's absolutely necessary.0 -
happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »I just distrust the motives of people on this forum, because they are so anti the surgery. It's like people believe here that if you aren't suffering or feeling the pain you aren't doing it the correct way.
On the contrary, at least as far as I'm concerned, and I may sound repetitive, I know - I think these kinds of operations is the hard and painful way, providing unecessary suffering, and that the correct way is to eat less and move more, which the operation forces you to do.0 -
cupcakecomatose wrote: »this is something I've been debating with myself for a while...
I've been struggling with my weight my entire life. The last time I was at a normal weight was when I was 5.
I've started a lifestyle change and I've been eating clean and exercising regularly for about a year and I'm very comfortable with it, but I'm not losing any weight. I lost 10 lbs, and then that's it. Once a couple years ago I lost 30lbs, but gained it all IMMEDIATELY back!!
Percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL) was 42%, 53%, 61%, 73%, 67%, 61%, 59% and 57% at 6 months, 1–7 years.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1743919114000454
So achieving normal weight isn't the average experience. Reinforced by "However, 34.3% of patients who had sleeve gastrectomy as their primary procedure and 50% of those who'd had it after a failed gastric banding still had a BMI above 35 kg/m2 after 5 years." http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Obesity/40490
The definition of "excess weight" is a bit of a moving target too.0 -
Not rocket science! Cut calories! This is what you need, not a temporary surgical fix that will result in future problems.0
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PeachyCarol wrote: »happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »I am always super interested in the people here who say that they "know someone" or are in a group with someone who has had this type of surgery and failed. I'm in a number of real life groups with people (incuding myself) and we all had super success.
Sure there are occasional complications but nothing like the scope of what people say they see here. I just distrust the motives of people on this forum, because they are so anti the surgery. It's like people believe here that if you aren't suffering or feeling the pain you aren't doing it the correct way.
The one thing to make note of, is that you must follow your doctors instructions. You must supplement your diet with vitamins, and get bloodwork drawn to make sure that you're getting the nutrition you need. You also must exercise and stay moving on a daily basis. And you cannot return to old eating patterns or the weight will return. Stick to the program and you will have fabulous success!
You must have missed my post My friend had a gastric bypass, and she did very well with it.
I just decided that after seeing that there was a lot of hard work involved on her part coupled with some drastic life-long restrictions, that I personally was capable of the hard work part on my own. I figured that if I were going to have to do the same work anyway, I might as well do it without the invasive surgery.
If someone else makes a different choice, that's cool -- as long as they realize that any form of WLS is NOT a shortcut to putting in both the mental and physical work need to lose weight and to maintain a new healthy weight.
That's kind of where I'm at now after attending a lot of bariatric surgery support group meetings as a pre-op patient & talking to others attending who are at various stages (some pre-op, most at various post-op stages) and was surprised to hear from many that their hunger returned (even with at least 80% of their stomach removed for VSG patients) or that the mal-absorbtion of calories only last for about 18-24 months (for RNY bypass patients) when I thought that would last a lifetime. At least they have the "stomach-is-full" restriction when they eat as directed so they get satisfied on a small amount of food which is a feature that has me considering it but now I feel like I get "full enough" with what I presently eat while still loosing weight. If that changes, I might give more consideration regarding surgery again but don't plan to make any decisions regarding bariatric surgery until next summer after I've had plenty of time to see how things go here.
Background: I was supposed to have bariatric surgery this summer but couldn't get all the insurance requirements out of the way in time--I still don't have them all done & won't until the end of the year but with finishing the required 6-month diet attempt I've lost over 48 pounds (& not hungry or feel deprived), got my diabetes under much better control (A1C from 11.2 down to 6.8) and recently started wondering IF my weight loss continues and IF I'll be able to get off my insulin injections by continuing to do what I'm doing now, maybe bariatric surgery won't be necessary like I once thought is was for getting myself into a healthy condition.
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