In the process of having a VSG.....few questions

How much weight can I expect to lose the first year?

What happens if I overeat once the procedure is done?

On average, VSG patients lose about 70% of their excess weight. Take your current weight, subtract your "ideal" weight (many people choose the high end of the "normal" BMI scale for their height), and multiply by .7. It's entirely possible to lose 100% of your excess weight if you follow instructions and work your tool.

Once your nerves have healed (a few months post-op), you'll be able to tell when you're getting close to full. Just like if you were to overeat with an intact stomach, you'll find yourself throwing up-- or wanting to! Some folks also get the "slimies" where they burp up foam or bile when they eat too much, especially early on. This is why it's incredibly important to weigh and measure your portions.

All of these questions about "how much weight will I lose?" caused me to look at my own weight history. It's pretty interesting! I lost about 25 pounds pre-op, then I lost almost exactly 100 pounds in my first year post-op.

Then I lost nothing for an entire year. Then I gained 10 pounds. Then I lost 30 pounds in the third year. Approximately, at least. Since I've lost about 160 total and all of those numbers don't add up :P

So, anyway, that was interesting to see! Sometimes I forget just how far I've come when I'm feeling annoyed that I'm not at my super ultimate goal yet.

Sparklekitty pretty much covered it. I wanted to add one thing.

Remember that 70% is the "average" weight loss. In my case that's 80 pounds, technically still obese, so I decided NOT to be average.

Before I had my surgery I didn't understand why so many people don't lose their weight but now I can see how easy it could happen. Following my "plan" means eating three or four times a day. No snacks.

I get really full and satisfied on a meal of 3-4 oz of food between 800-1100 calories a day. But I could graze all day on high calorie, low protein foods (chips, cookies , ice cream etc) easily eating 3,000 calories and never feeling full.

The surgery isn't magic it's just a tool.

They are totally correct. Sticking to 3-4 meals a day will help you loose about 70-80 lbs (but it really depends on how much you have to loose). Loosing those last pounds is about controlling your calories. No grazing and no snacking. Sticking to a 1200 calorie diet and watching what you eat will make all the difference.

As to overeating. Overeating will lead to what I call "the foamies." Mouth fills with saliva and you know you are about to vomit. It happens. It is a learning process. So often we think we are full in our stomach down in our tummies, but really you have to get used to feeling full in your chest. Eyeballing your food and knowing how much you can eat before you eat it. Eating slow and savoring each bite. Ordering child's plates or an appetizer for your meal. Knowing that you can't eat a three course meal. Also, know that you can't take large bites of food. Small bites are the order of the day.

I'm four years out from surgery and I still very, very occasionally vomit. I don't like it. But I take it as a good sign that I haven't stretched my sleeve. And that I still need the occasional reminder not to overeat. It happens. Sometimes 30 minutes after I have eaten. Sometimes right away.

As the poster above said "the surgery isn't magic, it's just a tool"

Many folks, myself included, maintain at 1200; to lose, it's common to bed to stick to 900 or fewer calories.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/information/post+op +planner.php

Why are you the third new account to ask about overeating today?

Hi Gwen, I had VSG last year and I work along with people who are also in the process of surgery. I like to introduce them to Obesityhelp.com as they can learn a lot from people who have been through it already. I go through a list of concerns and questions and overeating just so happens to be the magic question. So to answer your question, they are not robots just patients looking for some support and kindness.

It's funny, I've been a member of OH for around 3.5 years now and I've never seen so many posts that are effectively exactly the same in style and subject in such a short amount of time. So it's definitely unusual. Most new-user posts that I've seen in the last 3.5ish years are different. (But this looks like your first comment to this forum, so maybe you weren't aware of that.)

FWIW, I didn't think they were robots because robot generated spam looks completely different. :)

haha yes understandable!