Hello from a researching noob in FL

Hey everyone, my name is Chris.

 

I'm just writing up a post to introduce myself... I've recently gotten back onto this forum, I think I was registered as ChrisFL years ago (2010) but no longer have access to email to get my password

 

Anyway, heres my story in a nutshell

 

I'm considering WLS, specifically the sleeve (hence, this post in this subforum) :)

I've always fought my weight, forever. My brother was very overweight, and I found this website after he died due to complications of his Open RNY actually.

I've been able to drop weight, but like almost everyone elses story, I cant keep it off me... Heres a photo story:

My heaviest weight, around 21 years old, 2007. 345 pounds

I looked into WLS, father said absolutely not and he would pay for any other attempt, so I did nutrisystem and went from 345 to 245 for my college graduation. May 2008.

I gained weight immediately once I got my first job, and bounced between 265 - 300. 

 

I met my now wife, lost some weight, and we got engaged so I did phentermine at MediLoss and went from 270 to 225 for our wedding day. April 27, 2014

After our wedding I stopped the pills and ballooned... I'm now at 300 pounds and actually dont have a picture, I dont take any of myself. I hate seeing them... I hate how I look and how I feel.

This is a pretty recent one, I imagine I'm around 300 in it (brewing some beer, January 17 this year, my birthday)

 

Anyway, I've begun looking into surgeries. Before when I wanted to have the surgery, I zoned in on sleeve. I dont want to have vitamins and such for the rest of my life... I also hate to permanently remove my stomach... But, I guess thats a price I've put myself in to be skinny, which I want more than anything for my wife, but even more so for myself.

 

My wife and I work out 5 or 6 days a week. I do heavy weight lifting with my heart rate elevated. Under my fat I know is a very muscular guy, and I want to show the world to him.

EVERYONE needs vitamins after surgery, regardless of which one.

If you're not totally sure which type to have, it's a great question to ask a surgeon at your initial consult. S/he will probably have some insight based on your medical history and goals.

As Julie said, you will have to take vitamins and such for the rest of your life after WLS.  It's non-negotiable.

I put off having WLS for years because the RNY scared me.  The rerouting of your intestines and the malabsorption was scary.  When I heard about the sleeve, I knew it was the surgery for me.  I was a volume eater.  The sleeve created the restriction that I needed.

Only a portion of your stomach is removed.  Your stomach still functions as a stomach.  It's just smaller.

Research all surgeries available, talk to your surgeon and determine which one is the best fit for you.  Many people will advise you to avoid the lap-band since there seems to be complications that can develop. 

Hi Chris, My sleeve surgery is in 3 weekes and I had same concerns that you have. My Surgent told me that I don't have to be on every day to day Vitamin supplements because after sleeve your body dose absorb since the intestines are untouched and you will be checked once or twice a year and if you are low on something then they tell you to fix it by taking the vitamins that you are low on. He said if you don't take vitamins for 2 or 3 weekes its not a big deal. The only part that it worries me is that you can gain all the weight back if you don't eat the way they tell you to eat. They say every body loose the weight in first year or two. I don't know how hard its going to be to keep yourself at that weight. But i am ganna do it and hope for the best I know that with todays modern life we don't need to eat as much as we do so its just healther to eat less and if my stomach is ganna help me do that i am down. 

I'm really surprised that your doctor told you it's no big deal if you stop taking your vitamins for weeks at a time. Our intestines are untouched so we don't have problems with absorption but since we eat such small amounts of food, we need to take vitamins and minerals to supplement what we aren't getting from diet alone. People have lost teeth due to vitamin deficiency after weight loss surgery; I'm sure you don't want to be one of them? Besides, is it really a big deal to swallow a few pills a day? Or if you have an aversion to pills, they now make daily vitamin patches. As for gaining weight back, of course you can gain the weight back if you don't follow the diet plan you're given. Weight loss surgery is not a quick fix; it is a lifelong commitment. If you look at the successful vets on this forum, they still track everything they eat, years after surgery. You shouldn't have this surgery and just hope for the best. You need to make a commitment to the lifestyle changes or you aren't going to be successful. It's not easy, trust me. I'm a month out and although I'm thrilled with my weight loss, every single day it's a struggle to get my protein in, my water in, my vitamins in, and to track my macros but I do it because I want to be successful. I hope that you are ready to make the same commitment. Good luck to you!

My surgent didn't say don't take them he ment if i miss  taking the vitamins for short time its not a big deal so you don't have to be afraid and think you have to be on a everyday to day intake (which is a smart thing to do)or you will have problems, He was comparing sleeve with Bypass. On Bypass patients they have to take them day to day and make sure not to miss. I am committed to the change I know it will be very hard in the beginning  I think those would be the easy times because you have no choice you can't eat. But when the body gets used to the new stomach thats when I am worried about 2-3 years post surgery. Will I get full and satisfied like how it is in the first year? I will never want to be this weight again. so I ment I am going to everything my doctor ask me to do and hope for the best. I am sure I can do it. You are a month out I hope it gets better and easier. 

Early on it is easier in the sense you really can't eat a lot but at the same time that makes it difficult because a person needs to eat enough to meet their nutritional requirements, like 60+ grams of protein. I also worry about what will happen when I'm further out and can eat bigger portions because I didn't become morbidly obese by making healthy choices. That is why I'm seeing a therapist now. Surgery changed my anatomy but it didn't change what goes on in my head and I think that it's important to have someone to talk to and someone who can give you coping strategies for now and for the future, especially  when your restriction is less. This forum is also a great support for me. I'm glad that you are committed and I hope your surgery goes very well. 

You might want to read this post if you think vitamins are optional.

Hey Chris,

I think many of us understand the struggle and the fears that come with it. I was sleeved in December and I can honestly say it is the best thing I have ever done for myself. You have done a great job getting weight off but clearly the struggle is to keep it off and that is where VSG is the best tool you can have. I have lost 50 lbs in 10 weeks and feel better every single day. The freedom that comes with throwing that weight off for ever is amazing. However it;s a tool and you have to keep working on it and eat the right things. Vitamins are non negotiable, every person who had any sort of WLS will need them for the rest of their lives. I only take 2 multivitamins and calcium chews every day and B12 twice a week, it's no big deal, but your body will need it.

Thanks everyone for the posts :)

Had no idea actually that VSG needed vitamins, as well. I have no issue with taking vitamins, either. I for years took them (big daily packs), like 8 pills a in a baggie every day. Doesnt bother me :)

Going to an information seminar tomororw for Dr. Wizman in Margate, FL. Hopefully my wife can go, she has something at same time but shes trying to work it out.

We'll see.

I think I will definitely need to involve myself with some local support groups like OA or something. Probably meet with a therapist or something to handle the mental side of everything.

The one thing about VSG that pushes me back toward RNY is the long term data, as far as success rate over long period. I saw a presentation online from a surgeon that said (if I recall correctly) only 20-25% of patients keep 70% of their weight loss off after 5 years. That statistic is scary, REAL scary.