"Weight Loss May Be Fleeting With Lap Sleeve Gastrectomy"

talkincat
on 9/4/15 5:46 pm

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Obesity/52959

 

I saw this article posted elsewhere and thought I would see what people here had to say about it.

 

I just had the procedure on Monday of last week and I'm doing pretty well with it, but I have to admit that long-term outcomes where my biggest reservation going into it and this kind of research finding definitely gives me pause.

psychoticparrot
on 9/4/15 6:46 pm

I knew the procedure was a comparatively new one when I had it done, so I've not been surprised by conflicting reports. The doctors who did the research did their followups on their own patients. Who knows what the SOP was at that clinic? Perhaps they sized the sleeves on the generous side. I wouldn't let one study worry me.

The good news (at least to me) in that study is that even if there is some weight regain, it's not to the original high, extremely unhealthy weights. And as we know from some long-time sleevers on this forum, what generally messes up their weight loss is the insidious return of old, unhealthy eating habits, which a return to the high-quality-protein-first rule will reverse. 

 

psychoticparrot

  "Live for what today has to offer, not for what yesterday has taken away."

talkincat
on 9/4/15 6:53 pm

I'm not overly worried about it.  I already had the procedure, so I'm going to do my best to get the best results with it!  And I think you're quite correct that the results from patients from one clinic shouldn't necessarily be extrapolated too far.

KathyA999
on 9/4/15 1:31 pm, edited 9/4/15 4:01 pm

Didn't read the article, but how do they define "fleeting"?  I'm just over five years out and have maintained my weight loss.  It can be done!

Height 5' 7"   High Wt 268 / Consult Wt 246 / Surgery Wt 241 / Goal Wt 150 / Happy place 135-137 / Current Wt 143
Tracker starts at consult weight       
                               
In maintenance since December 2011.
 

psychoticparrot
on 9/5/15 6:20 am, edited 9/5/15 6:24 am

The researchers didn't title that article -- some editor at MedPage Today wrote that. Got our attention, didn't it?

Here's the title of the original study in JAMA: "Long-term Metabolic Effects of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy."

Not to denigrate what the researchers did, it's always good to take statistics with a grain of salt. There are many ways to interpret the numbers.

"There are three kinds of lies -- lies, damned lies, and statistics." Mark Twain

 

psychoticparrot

Cicerogirl, The PhD
Version

on 9/4/15 9:43 pm - OH

Weight loss may be fleeting with ANY type of weight loss surgery for people who don't commit to truly changing their eating habits.  (Even with the DS, people can regain.) Unfortunately, the reality is that a lot of people who have WLS do regain some of their weight. Your long term outcome is dependent on YOU, not your surgery.

Lora

14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained

You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.

(deactivated member)
on 9/4/15 11:07 pm

THIS!!!!!!

To the OP:

I have had regain. I can tell you with 100% certainty that my regain had absolutely nothing to do with my WLS. My regain was because I ate the wrong foods. Period!

I can also tell you that I am quite certain that without my VSG I would have gained back every last pound of the 108 pounds I lost and then some. Instead I gained about 30 over a 2 year period. Frankly, that's a hell of a lot better than what it could have been. Plus, losing 30-35 pounds is much less daunting than 110. And once back on track and on plan (protein centered, no sugar, no  processed/packaged foods, and no white flour) the weight started coming off at a good clip.

Tirza T.
on 9/5/15 4:48 pm
VSG on 01/17/12

Ditto! You took the words away from my fingertips! I concur  100%. My regain was about my poor choices. At least the sleeve  shielded me from regaining all, although had I not stopped myself I could have undone all my hard work eventually.

        
Female, Height 5'6"
HW&Surgeon Consult Weight: 330 lbs. SW: 294 CW:
cappy11448
on 9/5/15 4:52 am

Just thinking out loud,

 

I'm glad you posted this.  It is food for thought, and I'm trying to make sense of it from my personal experience.  I'm wondering what the spread of data was.  I assume some people maintained their weight loss, others gained a little back, and some gained a lot back.  (I have a friend who had surgery about 8 years ago and is back at the very high weight where she started. When I asked her why, she told me she didn't follow the rules!  She drank liquid with meals, eats poor quality foods and grazes.)  I know others who've maintained their weight loss for more than 5 years. 

We already know that the sleeve is a tool, and we are the ones who have to make it work.  If we stick to the plan, we can maintain. 

Even in the worst case, maintaining 56% weight loss is so much healthier than our original weights.  77% would be better, but still worth doing the surgery. 

I think we can choose to be the ones who maintain the weight loss if we stick to our plans.  I guess only time will tell. 

I think studies like this should be used as motivation.  We cannot fall into a belief that the surgery fixes our problems.  Its only a tool to help us manage our obesity.  It doesn't cure it.

best wishes,

Carol

    

Surgery May 1, 2013. Starting Weight 385,  Surgery Weight 333,  Current Weight 160.  At GOAL!

Weight loss Pre-op 1-20 2-17 3-15 Post-op 1-20 2-18 3-15 4-14 5-16 6-11 7-12  8-8

                  9-11 10-7 11-7 12-7 13-8 14-6 15-3 16-7 17-3  18-3

     

(deactivated member)
on 9/5/15 9:21 am

Wise words, indeed. Makes me think about the importance of  being prepared for maintenance.

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