5 yrs plus VSG's

anyone out there 5yrs or more out of VSG surgery?  looking for experience, any longer term complications or problems that have developed?  success rate?  what maintenance looks like now?  level of physical hunger?

I posted a simular question awhile back.  Someone responded that was 4 years out.  (had had surgery with Dr Aceves from Mexico. )  She gained back 15 lbs but after that maintained.  She was very happy no complications.  (I talked to her on the phone)

hmm...interesting...I wonder if people don't access this site once they are further out? 

Don't forget doctors have only been doing VSG in the US and Canada 3 to 4 years,  About 5 to 6 years in Mexico and Europe.  Some countries they still don't do it yet.   It's a pretty new surgery. 

true.

There was a post maybe two our three days ago. There was a post a few months ago from someone that was seven yrs out. You can try entering it in the search bar here see if it will bring anything up.

Most longtimers hang out on the VSG maintenance group and not on this forum, you may want to go over there and review past posts.

Success rate-very individual. Not enough data collected ....per person
AVERAGE is I think 61% of eventual weight loss at 5 years. According to ASMBS...any WLS with over 50% EWL is considered a viable/a successful weight loss surgery

Personally....I never measured my foods, counted calories, carbs, proteins, yada yada (NOT advisable!!). I figure Im too old to be encumbered with record keeping/numbers.........restriction & exercise alone got me to 100% of EWL by 13 months.. by 2 yrs out - regain after bein injured. exercise takin a nosedive and on massive steroids, dropped to ~85% ...now 90% but goin for 100% AGAIN...now that I made up my mind ;-) and JUST DO IT! ha!

Here's a BMI calculator you can play with to see what 100% EWL would be like for you, what 61% EWL will look for you....unless yer an old goat like me that only wanted VSG to get rid of comorbidities.....AIM for 100% !!! YOU CAN DO IT TOO!!
http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/information/post+op +planner.php

On where are all the 5+years out VSGrs
..Some hang out in the forum mentioned...but even there ...maybe a FEW 5years n over. Some pop in here and we send em over there, a very few you'll find on the DS forum if they didn't revise by their 2-3 year......I have posted many many VSGrs links 6years +out...but won't anymore....I leave em alone!! lol
Since there is so many many advantages to VSG...less required vits/mins..less surgery & recovery time, less short term and long term (10, 20-30 years out) complications, only annual labs post 1year... VSGrs 5+years out..DON'T NEED US MUCH HERE!! Sleeve it and leave it!

They get sick of the soap opera...can always leave n pick it right back up where ya left off....the plot remains the same. The maintenance forum you'll tweak mostly psycholological aspects of maintaining.. if you don't have a shrink/therapist or IRL support they'll be the ones to help tweak it once VSGrs are close to goal/further out.

On long term complications related to VSG:
What youll find is there a wealth of information here on OH, the NET re: long term complications in VSG...especially for anyone researching partial gastrectomy..which involves removal of PART of the stomach as well. usually bottom half, top half, or bottom 1/3 (VSG similar) as leaves the pylorus INTACT. Partial gastrectomy done since 1880 sumthin!! for ulcer (I once found the surgeon's name that did the FIRST partial gastrectomy in 1880s.. in a book I was reading....escapes me now!!)

and in modern times ....partial gastrectomy for prevalance of stomach cancer /ulcer

VSG as stand alone ~12 years now.
So VSG has been around...just didn't become official until Jan 2010.

People lived and are living long lives with PG & L/VSG.

Some long term complications in partial gastrectomy...very similar to VSG......are mostly related to chronic (no stores) /poor compliance w/ VIT/MIN supplementation due to the small amounts of nutrients from foods we get...tangent alert!!...then we get on this hi protein kick...as if amino acids are all our bodies need to maintain function...sure its great for losing weight...but at what costs long term is the question. Even Atkins modified his hi protein hi fat diet back in the 80s to include HI FIBER veggies n legumes! and reduced sat & trans fats .

So here's my list based on MY research into partial gastrectomy long term.

osteo problems /osteomalacia, osteopenia, ^ fractures- calcium & Vitamin D3 deficiencies, long term usage of PPIs, high intake of protein (meats) grains...phosphorus leeching calcium from bones.

bacterial overgrowth...less parietal cells---less HCL produced in/by the stomach OUR only safeguard from BAD bugs from getting into our bodies. Then ya throw in a PPI/H2 blocker even LESS Hcl, protection
Bad bugs from contaminants in drinking water, meats inc fish,sea/lake foods & produce, IV antibiotics-antibiotic usage, antibiotics in store bought poultry-meats we eat.....next thing we know g/i problems, skin problems, yeast overgrowth problems (candida)-thrush skin breakdowns.

anemias- low iron intake....where even iron infusions don't take

neurological- pernicious anemias Vitamin B12 deficient

stomach cancer/ulcers- cancer ^ in smokers AND ^ long term PPI usage (iulcers from bad bugs)

eta: edited to add ...acronyms used for clarification:
EWL= eventual weight loss
WLS=weight loss surgery
ASMBS= American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
BMI= body mass index
IRL=in real life
PPI= proton pump inhibitor
H2 Blocker=Histamine 2 receptor blocker
HCL=hydrochloric acid
PG= partial gastrectomy
LSG= laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy...you'll find this term/acronym mostly in published research vs. VSG
DS= duodenal switch ...vsg stomach (pylorus INTACT)+ I think ~1/2 of duodenum +small intestine some large intestine resected=malabsorption component.

There ya have what an almost 4 year post VSGr knows about long term anything...I depend on you young ones...to "feed me" NEW information from what YOU've learned now! I check it out myself...and reach my own conclusions.

Back to the soap opera.....like grains of sand...so are the DAYS OF OUR LIVES...lolol

thanks so much everyone - I don't understand all of the acronyms, etc...in your post but I will ask you later about it...where is the VSG maintenance board??