So, is it worth it?

LadyCara
on 8/1/15 10:54 pm

Firstly, I am NOT trying to be a brat with this post. I am looking for honest answers to help me along with my choices. I am reading about how hard it is to keep weight off after 6 months-1 year. If you are having to fight to keep the weight off, weight everything, measure everything, catalog everything, how is this different than what you would have had to do BEFORE surgery? In other words, was it worth having an expensive surgery with possibly complications if you are still having to do the same things post surgery you were doing pre surgery to lose weight? What has changed? How has the gastric sleeve helped you? Does it make the struggle somewhat easier than pre-surgery? I mean before I shell out thousands of dollars and get cut on, I need to know what the benefits of this tool will be. I know it will be work and I'm up for that...but how does the VSG help you in that process?

 

Thanks!

Julia HasHerLifeNow
on 8/2/15 12:43 am
VSG on 10/09/12

For me it is easier indeed. For starters I lost the weight. Never did that before surgery. Hunger is pretty much gone so its easier to just say no to certain foods. I don't journal and rarely do I weigh and measure. I just eat the right stuff and it seems to be working in maintenance for me. I weigh myself daily and if I see a creep up of the tiniest amount I have a protein day with veggies and things fall back into place. I am almost three years post op and my restriction is still great. I make sure I get my water and my protein quota every day and the rest just seems to naturally work. I am not a huge fan of exercise unfortunately but it is important and it is part of my plan. Dragging myself to the gym is hard but once there its nice. 

Bottom line is that it is/was totally worth it for me.

View more of my photos at ObesityHelp.com 5ft0; highest weight 222; surgery weight 208; current weight 120

     

    

Bufflehead
on 8/2/15 3:54 am - TN
VSG on 06/19/13

I do all those things -- weigh, measure, log my food, count calories, etc. But now it's just part of my life, it doesn't bother me that I have to do that. Yes, some people get through life at a normal weight without having to do those things, but I didn't get dealt that particular hand of cards, so I have to play with what I've got. Life isn't fair. Anyway, the difference for me is that I can now do what I need to get to and sustain a normal weight, whereas before, I never could. I could lose a lot of weight (never enough to get to normal though) and then I would re-gain and then some. The surgery gave me a tool I needed to keep working even when things get hard.

I think that if you don't want to put hard work in, and you expect things to be easy, this is not the surgery for you. Yes, it is relatively easy (in some respects) for the first six months or so, but at some point the vast majority of people have to work. It is so, so worth it though. I went through pretty much my entire life being morbidly obese. Now I never have to worry about fitting into chairs, booths, or airplane seats (I used to have to buy two seats!). I can shop in "normal" stores. I don't feel like everyone is looking at me with pity or horror. My health is great, no more high blood pressure or creeping arthritis or plantar fasciitis. I am active (I just got done jogging for an hour as I type this!) and have so much energy.

Whatever the secret is for weight loss surgery, it's a real thing. There's a reason why the success rates with surgery are orders of magnitude better than for just trying to diet and exercise more without surgery.

 

Grim_Traveller
on 8/2/15 4:10 am
RNY on 08/21/12

^^^^^ Exactly what she said.

6'3" tall, male.

Highest weight was 475. RNY on 08/21/12. Current weight: 198.

M1 -24; M2 -21; M3 -19; M4 -21; M5 -13; M6 -21; M7 -10; M8 -16; M9 -10; M10 -8; M11 -6; M12 -5.

Gwen M.
on 8/2/15 5:24 am
VSG on 03/13/14

I think that what has changed for me is that I finally have the space to get my brain sorted out. VSG has given me breathing room not to fight with a diet while I lose weight and I'm using that room to really focus on changing my lifestyle and how I think about and treat food. Dieting in the past has been super complicated and unfulfilling, so I've just quit. The early days of VSG are relatively easy, which has given me space to work on all the things that will sustain me once the weight loss becomes more of a challenge. (Like my life right now - where I know the only thing that's kept me from gaining 10lb a month is all the head work I've done.)

Could I have done all that lifestyle and mindset change without VSG?  Who knows. What I do know is that I didn't. 

VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)

Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170

TrendWeight | Food Blog (sort of functional) | Journal (down for maintenance)

Kathy8429
on 8/2/15 5:53 am

I'm 2 years out. 

The sleeve for me is just one of the tools that make my new life possible. in the first few months the weight just falls off. Which is good because I was miserable and angry because I'd lost my biggest coping mechanism. But as life goes on I realized how great it was to be a more normal size. It's not a magic wand that allows me to eat whatever I want, sit in a chair, and weigh 140 lbs. I've had to learn that I need a whole set of tools. Exercise, moving, continuing to monitor my food, 

i feel amazing everyday. It would have been great if I could have gotten to this point without the help of this tool, but I needed the help, im glad I did it

mljohns
on 8/2/15 5:56 am
DS on 01/27/15

I'm only 6 months out so I haven't reached my goal weight yet. However, I have met my "medical" goals. I was a type 2 diabetic on an insulin pump with concentrated insulin. I have always been a very good dieter and able to exercise regularly. Due to the insulin, no matter how well I ate and how much I exercised the weight just kept going up. It's devastating to eat 1000 calories a day and still put on weight. The last time I had insulin was the day of surgery. I've lost 89 lbs total. My labs show i now have an A1c of 5.4-non-diabetic. I have an appointment this week with my Endo and anticipate getting the "official" in remission notation on my health charts. Is it worth it? Hell yeah!

    

        
happyteacher
on 8/2/15 7:10 am

Absolutely without a doubt, yes. Look at your statistics for guidance on this along with testimonials. Typically the regain is 5% of what you lost originally. So in my case I lost 150 pounds, which would indicate that I (assuming I was typical) would regain 7-8 pounds. That is exactly where I am at. Do I like the regain? Duh, not so much. But compare that to the 143 pounds that I no longer carry around. When you read the posts about regain and working to keep it at bay, it is all within the context of the surgery. You could ask any poster and if they compared fighting regain post op compared to when we used to fight regain pre op there simply is no comparison. So yes, it is totally and uttery worth it. 

Surgeon: Chengelis  Surgery on 12/19/2011  A little less carb eating compared to my weight loss phase loose sleever here!

1Mo: -21  2Mo: -16  3Mo: -12  4MO - 13  5MO: -11 6MO: -10 7MO: -10.3 8MO: -6  Goal in 8 months 4 days!!   6' 2''  EWL 103%  Starting size 28 or 4x (tight) now size 12 or large, shoe size 12 w to 10.5   150+ pounds lost  

Join the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker group for recipes and tips! Click here to join!

Loser2542
on 8/2/15 8:09 am

Honestly, at nine months out, I can say I do not know. Ask me again in another 10 years, I may have a better answer. Had you asked me the first month, I would have said no. At the 6th month point, I would have said yes. Lately, it's been more of a struggle but I still have hope that I will succeed in reaching my goal and staying there. I guess that is what the WLS has given me, hope for the future.

I wish you the best with whatever choice you make.

Monica

 

  

HW: 388 SW: 240 CW: 172      Surgery Date 11/07/2014     VSG with Dr. Chengelis

diane S.
on 8/2/15 11:11 am

after 5+ years I am totally glad i did this.  I was age 58 and had tried so many time to lose weight only to regain it. its far easier to lose and keep weight off with this powerful surgery but that does not mean it does all the work for you. it enables you (and indeed for awhile forces you) to eat less and hopefully change habits.  changing habits for the long term is the key.  Look at the meals Frisco posts.   he used to eat a large pizza for a meal.  we all have to change our way of thinking about eating and what is an appropriate amount of food.   and yes the sleeve is a major help both with volume and the hormones of hunger.  gl and go for it.    diane


      
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