Gastric sleeve fail

Hi guys. I had sleeve surgery on the 30th april - i feel like it was a waste of time and money. I am able to eat more then the avrage person and not throw up.

I havent lost weight for 3 weeks now. I am unsure what is going on.

I have lost 30kg in pre op fase as i was required to be 175kg before theyd do the surgery. I am now 168. So i havent lost much at all.

I'm sorry you were not given good advice before surgery.

None of the available surgeries is a miracle. You have to follow certain rules for the rest of your life to be successful. The main one is to only eat a weighed amount of food. At your stage it should be around half a cup of solid protein - chicken, fish, beef, pork and then a vegetable if you still have room.

I don't think anyone would have told you to eat until you vomit or to use the surgery to "police" how much you eat.

Check out the daily menu thread on the RNY board - lots of experienced VSG folks there who could put you on the right track for success.

You are early enough out of surgery to make this work for you, if you are determined to listen to others' knowledge and advice

I lost 30 in 3 months after surgery, then gained 5 in 3 months and didn't lose. My start weight was 270 and I'm now at 235. I've been put on Topamax to help me lose weight, but I haven't seen a change. For me I keep a log of what I eat to hold myself accountable, because I have cravings. I have a binder of information given to me prior to surgery that I refer to when my weight isn't going down and it helps to remind me to start with the basics of eating healthy, eat 3 dairy snacks, drink plenty of water, and exercise. If I'm still struggling I get in contact with the dietician for advice and guidance. Wish you well on your journey.

There are two main ways the surgery helps you lose weight. First, it resets your metabolism so that your body co-operates with you to lose weight, instead of fighting to hold on to every pound (starvation mode). Second, when you eat a high-protein meal, your smaller stomach will be satisfied with less. This only works with high-protein meals, though. I could eat candy bars all day long if I chose to, but I usually can't eat more than half of a veggie burger.

Surgeons have different schedules for how quickly you can progress to new foods. I'm guessing you're still eating things that are relatively easy to digest. Once you're able to eat high-protein foods, you'll almost certainly feel more restriction.

Do not chase the feeling of fullness. Stick to your meal plan. Stop eating when you feel your hunger diminish; don't wait until you're full to stop! Over time you will learn how much of different kinds of foods it takes to make you feel less hungry (usually the serving size on the nutrition label is a useful guide). A half-hour or so after you finish your meal, if you're still hungry, then you might consider eating a bit more.

Most people experience a weight loss stall at about 3 weeks after the surgery. This is perfectly normal. Stick to the program and the weight will start coming off again.

Make sure you're drinking enough water. Especially for the first year or so, your stomach is as likely to grumble from excess acid as from hunger, and drinking water really helps. When I feel hungry, if it's not my usual mealtime, I drink some water first. A little while later, if my stomach is still rumbly, then I assume it's real hunger and I eat something.

It's my understanding that some of our hormones are stored in fat. As you start losing weight, those hormones are released, and can affect your mood. This may be part of the reason you're feeling discouraged.

Once more for good measure: Do not chase the feeling of fullness.

Great advice and information!

Did your surgeon provide guidance on what you should be eating. Not sure what you were expecting. but you're barely one month post op so to say the sleeve has failed might be a little premature.

Tell us what you're eating and we can provide some advice.

Hey,

It takes time. Especially for women. It's also possible that your surgeon didn't take enough of your stomach. Have you changed your lifestyle at all. It's a tool. It's not the end all.