questions for post-ops 2 years out or more
You guys must get so tired of being asked the same questions from every newbie that comes on the board! I am trying to make a decision before I see my doc as to which surgery I want. I'm leaning towards a sleeve but I wouldn't have the option to convert to DS down the road, an RNY would be at the bottom of the list, I'd have to fight to be approved for the DS and I am quite concerned about the complications. I'm trying to get a sense of how I would manage without a malaborption component, I guess I am very afraid of failure down the road.
I know most of you, like me, have experienced many failures in the past and I'd like to get a sense of what is different for you after surgery compared to when you lost a lof of weight from dieting. I keep reading that you need to work your tool, follow the program - just do what you're suppose to do! I guess what I'm struggling to understand is if I couldn't maintain doing what I was suppose to do successfully loosing 110 lbs by dieting, what is different doing it after surgery.... my apologies but here goes....
a) I read somewhere that the benefit from the ghrelin reduction disappears over time, at what point if any did you notice an increase in appetite?
b) Is the quantity of food you can eat still significantly reduced from before your surgery?
c) Do you find you're back to struggling to make good choices all the time? What is the different with that struggle now compared to when you lost a lot of weight by dieting before surgery?
d) How many of you exercise regularly? Same question as above, what is different this time about maintaining an exercise regime that you may not have been able to sustain before surgery?
thanks so much
Milauran
I know most of you, like me, have experienced many failures in the past and I'd like to get a sense of what is different for you after surgery compared to when you lost a lof of weight from dieting. I keep reading that you need to work your tool, follow the program - just do what you're suppose to do! I guess what I'm struggling to understand is if I couldn't maintain doing what I was suppose to do successfully loosing 110 lbs by dieting, what is different doing it after surgery.... my apologies but here goes....
a) I read somewhere that the benefit from the ghrelin reduction disappears over time, at what point if any did you notice an increase in appetite?
b) Is the quantity of food you can eat still significantly reduced from before your surgery?
c) Do you find you're back to struggling to make good choices all the time? What is the different with that struggle now compared to when you lost a lot of weight by dieting before surgery?
d) How many of you exercise regularly? Same question as above, what is different this time about maintaining an exercise regime that you may not have been able to sustain before surgery?
thanks so much
Milauran
Hi, Milauren!
I'm only 20 months out, but I'll tell you how it is for me so far:
a) I read somewhere that the benefit from the ghrelin reduction disappears over time, at what point if any did you notice an increase in appetite?
I never lost my appetite completely as many do, but it is WAY less than it used to be and I don't need to eat much to feel full. I haven't really noticed an increase in appetite yet.
b) Is the quantity of food you can eat still significantly reduced from before your surgery?
Yes. I can eat perhaps 4 oz. of dense protein now, probably double what I could eat right after surgery. Still WAY less than I used to be able to eat. I had a 32Fr. bougie, and I'm so glad that my doctor started out with a very small stomach to allow for the stretching that does occur over time.
c) Do you find you're back to struggling to make good choices all the time? What is the different with that struggle now compared to when you lost a lot of weight by dieting before surgery?
My downfall has always been sweets, and I still have to be careful not to have candy, ice cream, etc. around the house because those things go down very easily. The difference is that I don't have the strength of cravings I used to. I had people over for dinner and made a really nice cake for dessert. The next day, I threw the leftovers away without a moment's regret, whereas before I would have had a piece for breakfast, one for a snack, one for lunch, et****il it was gone. I just didn't really want it. Plus, I know that I still need to focus on getting my required protein in first, for my health, and once I eat that, I don't have room for too much else. I also am a grazer (which is a no-no for pretty much all WLS). To combat that, I really try to go for protein rich snacks like pumpkin seeds, jerky, a piece of cheese, etc. So far that's worked quite well. I don't feel deprived. I do allow myself treats now that I'm at goal, but I'm careful not to let the weight creep back up. If I go up a couple of pounds, I rein it in a little. So far, that's been much much much easier than it used to be.
d) How many of you exercise regularly? Same question as above, what is different this time about maintaining an exercise regime that you may not have been able to sustain before surgery?
Not a regular exerciser--and this is something I wish I could change! I am a lot more active than I used to be though, up and down stairs, walking more, etc.
I, too, have lost weight and regained it many times, and regain is a huge fear. But so far, I'm successfully maintaining, and I've NEVER been able to do that before. You do have to keep your focus on putting the right foods in your mouth as you can gain if you eat junk. But if you are an overeater (as I was), the sleeve can be a brilliant tool.
Good for you for asking lots of questions!
I'm only 20 months out, but I'll tell you how it is for me so far:
a) I read somewhere that the benefit from the ghrelin reduction disappears over time, at what point if any did you notice an increase in appetite?
I never lost my appetite completely as many do, but it is WAY less than it used to be and I don't need to eat much to feel full. I haven't really noticed an increase in appetite yet.
b) Is the quantity of food you can eat still significantly reduced from before your surgery?
Yes. I can eat perhaps 4 oz. of dense protein now, probably double what I could eat right after surgery. Still WAY less than I used to be able to eat. I had a 32Fr. bougie, and I'm so glad that my doctor started out with a very small stomach to allow for the stretching that does occur over time.
c) Do you find you're back to struggling to make good choices all the time? What is the different with that struggle now compared to when you lost a lot of weight by dieting before surgery?
My downfall has always been sweets, and I still have to be careful not to have candy, ice cream, etc. around the house because those things go down very easily. The difference is that I don't have the strength of cravings I used to. I had people over for dinner and made a really nice cake for dessert. The next day, I threw the leftovers away without a moment's regret, whereas before I would have had a piece for breakfast, one for a snack, one for lunch, et****il it was gone. I just didn't really want it. Plus, I know that I still need to focus on getting my required protein in first, for my health, and once I eat that, I don't have room for too much else. I also am a grazer (which is a no-no for pretty much all WLS). To combat that, I really try to go for protein rich snacks like pumpkin seeds, jerky, a piece of cheese, etc. So far that's worked quite well. I don't feel deprived. I do allow myself treats now that I'm at goal, but I'm careful not to let the weight creep back up. If I go up a couple of pounds, I rein it in a little. So far, that's been much much much easier than it used to be.
d) How many of you exercise regularly? Same question as above, what is different this time about maintaining an exercise regime that you may not have been able to sustain before surgery?
Not a regular exerciser--and this is something I wish I could change! I am a lot more active than I used to be though, up and down stairs, walking more, etc.
I, too, have lost weight and regained it many times, and regain is a huge fear. But so far, I'm successfully maintaining, and I've NEVER been able to do that before. You do have to keep your focus on putting the right foods in your mouth as you can gain if you eat junk. But if you are an overeater (as I was), the sleeve can be a brilliant tool.
Good for you for asking lots of questions!
You posted this to people 2 years out or more so I hope you don't mind that I'm answering at only 10 months out. But you only had 1 response and you would probably have wanted more. I think many of those folks are out enjoying their skinny new lives! LOL!
a) Hunger is NOTHING like it used to be. I remember the grinding guts, miserable, starving feeling and that is gone completelly. Now its more like an empty feeling when I need to eat. And it I'm busy or doing something I'm enjoying, I can skip eating completely and never feel deprived.
b) Yes, the quantity of what I can eat is significantly reduced and has not gotten any more since the swelling of surgery went away. The only kinda weird thing is that some days I can eat more than other days. And it depends on how dense the protein is.
c) Sometimes I do struggle with food choices. I do sometimes eat something I shouldn't but I don't dwell on it. This is real life, for the rest of my life and I'm doing fine! My biggest struggle is to not graze on nuts since I can eat a lot of those bad boys and never feel the restriction. This is usually in the afternoon at work so it's mostly environmental. I have figured this out and pretty much have it under control.,
d) Yes, I try to exercise regularly. This was a promise I made to myself and to my surgeon when I started this whole journey. No matter your weight, we all need exercise to stay healthy. Period. No shortcuts, no magic pills, we all have to stay active. Use it or lose it. It's a harsh reality that took me a long time to accept and I sometimes skip when I shouldn't. But I can tell you that I feel better when I exercise. It's like the more energy I expend, the more energy I get back. Why have I sustained this since surgery? I guess because I owe it to myself to do it all this time. I do not want to fail again!
I hope I've been of some help to you! Much good luck to you on your journey!
Kim
a) Hunger is NOTHING like it used to be. I remember the grinding guts, miserable, starving feeling and that is gone completelly. Now its more like an empty feeling when I need to eat. And it I'm busy or doing something I'm enjoying, I can skip eating completely and never feel deprived.
b) Yes, the quantity of what I can eat is significantly reduced and has not gotten any more since the swelling of surgery went away. The only kinda weird thing is that some days I can eat more than other days. And it depends on how dense the protein is.
c) Sometimes I do struggle with food choices. I do sometimes eat something I shouldn't but I don't dwell on it. This is real life, for the rest of my life and I'm doing fine! My biggest struggle is to not graze on nuts since I can eat a lot of those bad boys and never feel the restriction. This is usually in the afternoon at work so it's mostly environmental. I have figured this out and pretty much have it under control.,
d) Yes, I try to exercise regularly. This was a promise I made to myself and to my surgeon when I started this whole journey. No matter your weight, we all need exercise to stay healthy. Period. No shortcuts, no magic pills, we all have to stay active. Use it or lose it. It's a harsh reality that took me a long time to accept and I sometimes skip when I shouldn't. But I can tell you that I feel better when I exercise. It's like the more energy I expend, the more energy I get back. Why have I sustained this since surgery? I guess because I owe it to myself to do it all this time. I do not want to fail again!
I hope I've been of some help to you! Much good luck to you on your journey!
Kim
Hi Milauran!
I don't blame you for wanting to hear from those further out. if you have any sense that you might need malabsortion at some point, you should go over to the DS forum and read/ask there.
then, keeping in mind that restriction only works perfectly fine for some, make up your mind about what you need.
good luck! I think being pre-op is the hardest part of the whole process!
Jackie
I don't blame you for wanting to hear from those further out. if you have any sense that you might need malabsortion at some point, you should go over to the DS forum and read/ask there.
then, keeping in mind that restriction only works perfectly fine for some, make up your mind about what you need.
good luck! I think being pre-op is the hardest part of the whole process!
Jackie
once upon a time I had a group to talk about Binge Eating Disorder, and later one about Clean Eating.
PM me if you are interested in either of these.
size 8, life is great
While waiting for the two-year out post-ops to wander by, here are some "2 year surgiversary" posts that will give you an idea of what life is like for people farther out. Update from a 2 Year Post-op2 year surgiversary
Two and a half years post op
Two Years, Y'all
Just Passed my 2 year surgiversary
Two and a half years post op
Two Years, Y'all
Just Passed my 2 year surgiversary
HW - 225 SW - 191 GW - 132 CW - 122
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Starting BMI 40-ish or less? Join the LightWeights
Next month will be 2 yrs out for me.
a) I read somewhere that the benefit from the ghrelin reduction disappears over time, at what point if any did you notice an increase in appetite?
I had no hunger at all the first 6 months. Honestly if it was still like that, I would probably be deathly sick from lack of nutrition. At around 6 months I got some hunger back. It's nothing like it used to be before surgery. I can even ignore it if I wanted to.
b) Is the quantity of food you can eat still significantly reduced from before your surgery?
I can only eat about 3 oz of food at a time (unless it's soap or something like that).
c) Do you find you're back to struggling to make good choices all the time? What is the different with that struggle now compared to when you lost a lot of weight by dieting before surgery?
I did find that at about 6 months, I got some cravings back. I'm staying steady in my weight and if I'm at a birthday part, I will have a piece of cake. The difference is, before I would pick the biggest piece there is, plus ice cream, then go back for 2nds when nobody was looking. Now, I usually just eat what my son doesn't. He usually doesn't finish off his piece, so I'll have his. I feel completely satisfied with that small amount. I also don't go for the ice cream now, and certainly don't go for the 2nd piece of cake.
d) How many of you exercise regularly? Same question as above, what is different this time about maintaining an exercise regime that you may not have been able to sustain before surgery? I started exercising at 4 months post op. I quit when I hit goal and kept going past it. I was afraid of getting too thin and felt like i was having problems stopping the weight loss. I didn't really need to worry. My body just thinks I should be at around 124 instead of 130 (which was my "dream" goal). When I hit 125, I got worried cause I was still losing pretty steadily. I got down to 117, but was able to bounce back to about 124 and have kept it here for about a year. I have not gotten back to exercising, but I really want to so I could build up some muscles and not look like a tiny weakling. LOL
a) I read somewhere that the benefit from the ghrelin reduction disappears over time, at what point if any did you notice an increase in appetite?
I had no hunger at all the first 6 months. Honestly if it was still like that, I would probably be deathly sick from lack of nutrition. At around 6 months I got some hunger back. It's nothing like it used to be before surgery. I can even ignore it if I wanted to.
b) Is the quantity of food you can eat still significantly reduced from before your surgery?
I can only eat about 3 oz of food at a time (unless it's soap or something like that).
c) Do you find you're back to struggling to make good choices all the time? What is the different with that struggle now compared to when you lost a lot of weight by dieting before surgery?
I did find that at about 6 months, I got some cravings back. I'm staying steady in my weight and if I'm at a birthday part, I will have a piece of cake. The difference is, before I would pick the biggest piece there is, plus ice cream, then go back for 2nds when nobody was looking. Now, I usually just eat what my son doesn't. He usually doesn't finish off his piece, so I'll have his. I feel completely satisfied with that small amount. I also don't go for the ice cream now, and certainly don't go for the 2nd piece of cake.
d) How many of you exercise regularly? Same question as above, what is different this time about maintaining an exercise regime that you may not have been able to sustain before surgery? I started exercising at 4 months post op. I quit when I hit goal and kept going past it. I was afraid of getting too thin and felt like i was having problems stopping the weight loss. I didn't really need to worry. My body just thinks I should be at around 124 instead of 130 (which was my "dream" goal). When I hit 125, I got worried cause I was still losing pretty steadily. I got down to 117, but was able to bounce back to about 124 and have kept it here for about a year. I have not gotten back to exercising, but I really want to so I could build up some muscles and not look like a tiny weakling. LOL
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