Regrets?

I have been doing a lot of research lately about healthy living. Plant based foods etc. I am worrying myself sick about the what if's. I just wish there was more data out there about your health 10-20 years down the road with VSG. I don't want to trade my current health issues for a different set of health issues. I currently have sleep apnea, diabetes and high cholesterol. Just so confused if i could turn all these health issues around with plant based foods etc. I guess what i'm searching for is people that have tried these options and decided on VSG anyway. Regrets? Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks.

Think of it this way...the VSG is a fully-functioning stomach with all working parts operating as nature intended.  It's simply a smaller stomach is all.  I wouldn't foresee any health issues down the road as a result of the VSG.

The most common regret I've seen is those who didn't lose the weight they'd hoped to because they needed to alter their metabolism along with the reduced stomach.  We see them getting revisions to the Duodenal Switch because we have the same kind of stomach .

My sister is in charge of dietary for a nursing home company.  She see a lot of older people who had weight loss surgery when they were younger.  She said they are generally the healthiest people that she takes care of.   People who stayed obese are the least healthy,

Well, its hard to say what your health will be like in ten to twenty years with out the surgery. I like to think that if every thing is a trade off what are you getting in the long run.

Other thing to think about is, what do you think your life will be like in ten to twenty at your current health rate with out  the surgery? Even if you improved your outlook, longevity and even mental health is the surgery still worth it?

Also you should weight what could be the potential complications with the plant based foods. Stevia has less information about long term effects than the VSG or RNY. People eat that stuff by the pounds.

I am 8 months after surgery and I have to say I don't regret it. I can't have soda, I didn't really need soda. I can't have sweets (or shouldn't) I switched to a small piece of dark chocolate once a week. I don't eat pasta, breads, fried foods, high calorie foods, greesy foods, pre processed foods. But at the end of the day I found that trade offs are what you need to do. I get steak tacos instead of a burrito, or if I get a burger I get it with out the bun and only eat half (its two meals in one) I LOVE Fried chicken, I found that oven fried is the BEST, NO MESS way , it uses a third/quarter of the oil mostly fries in its own juices.

See its all about the trade offs. a small bowl of egg drop soup (make it myself so I know what's in it) can last me two or three days. a 'small' salad the same thing, I get the dressing on the side so that I switch up the flavors.

I could stress about the piece of cheese cake I couldn't try or the cake I made that I won't eat. But I turned my love of food into cooking, I still cook for every one, and I sample everything as I go, allowing me to eat what they are eating and still enjoy my self. If they enjoy it then I'm enjoying it.

But I have also found the most important answer in all of this, Try it. if you really want to see what your results would be with plant based foods or if you would like them, first consult your doctor and run over the options then find something that could work. try it for a year and see. if after six months you aren't really getting anywhere then you have your answer. Also, Plant based foods can agitate diabetes and high choloresterol. 

Partial gastrectomies have been done since the late 1800s. Not for weight-loss, granted, but they've been done to treat cancer and perforated ulcers. I'm sure if they had any detrimental effects on general health we've have heard about it by now.

Humans are intended by nature to be omnivores, not vegetarians. (Just look at our teeth if you doubt me.) Eating a plant-based diet really doesn't supply us with everything we need.

Your profile doesn't say how much you want to lose, but as long as you qualify for WLS you qualify for a DS (duodenal switch), and you REALLY need to consider it. The DS has the very BEST long-term, maintained weight-loss stats, AND the best stats for resolving or preventing co-morbs like diabetes and high cholesterol. (Weight loss often resolves sleep apnea.) I read a lot of the VSG board, and the biggest regret I see people there having is not going with the full DS to begin with. (Well, other than the Number One regret people of all surgery types express---not doing it sooner!)

Partial gastrectomies have been done since the late 1800s. Not for weight loss, granted, but to treat cancer or ulcers. If they caused any major health problems, I think we'd have heard by now. (*grin*)

Your profile doesn't say how much weight you want to lose, but if you qualify for WLS, you qualify for the DS---and I think you really need to consider it. The DS has not only the best long-term, maintained weight loss, but it's also the best at resolving or preventing diabetes and high cholesterol.

I read a lot on the VSG board, and the regret I see most often is not getting surgery sooner. The regret I see second most often is not going with the full DS to begin with. We have several posters on the DS board who started out with just the Sleeve, but then had a second surgery when they failed to lose enough weight or experienced significant regain.

Well I can say I have a BIL that had a partial gastrectomy for cancer which is the same as the VSG. That was over 20 yrs ago and he's a healthy happy 70 yr. old! No one is promised a long life, you could get hit by a truck tomorrow. Know all you can about your surgery and then trust your choice and your surgeon, worry just takes years off your life!

I do worry to much lol. I'm trying to change that but it's not easy! My husband hardly ever worries about stuff but i do enough for the both of us. 

I am 5'2 and 212lbs so i think the sleeve is perfect for me. I have my 4th appt. with the surgeons office tomorrow. 2 more and the the big submit so I'm guessing I'll have my date by May.

I know now with a lot of self reflection that i need this tool in my journey. I grew up on meat and potatoes and could never totally cut those things out of my life completely. Is there any such thing as the pre-pre op jitters  lol

Sorry about the double post---I got an error message on the first one, so...

Yes, there is such a thing as the pre-op jitters, and you've got 'em! (*grin*)