Would you do VSG again?

Hi Everyone,

I'm considering getting VSG done before the end of the year. I love reading OH and seeing all of your stories. For those of you that have done VSG, would you do it again? Also, if any of you tried other diets before VSG but were not successful at keeping the weight off, what do you think happened as the result of VSG that allows you to be successful at keeping it off?

Thanks for your input! You all are so inspiring to me.

Paige

I would do it again in a heart beat. In time, after 2 years, it's given me a new perspective on eating habits. Still can't over-eat and feel so great (and I can actually breathe without people stopping to ask " are you okay?") I do stuff. I live my life and no, I don't exercise . . .never did and didn't want to attempt a habit I knew I'd never stick with . . . .but I take the stairs, park where-ever without looking to where I'll have to walk and even went tubing (hoping to do rafting and skydiving next year on my 60th!)

Seem to be able to keep it off because I do weigh myself daily and don't stress about numbers within a 3 pound range. I don't take my shoes off at the doctor's office nor dress light. It's so amazingly freeing to finally be at peace with myself, and I attribute it to having the VSG. I'm back to me.

Heard all of the comments from people at work before and after . . . negative stuff mostly .. . .and didn't care. Even run into people at work now who still look me up and down and say "wow. you're keeping the weight off" and I smile and then look at them like they have seven heads!

My fave is when people ask me how I lost the weight and I tell them I had a VSG. Usually I get the comment that amounts to "taking the easy way". Geez . . .as if. I did the freakin' work and do it every day with a smile and a prayer.

Yes, I'd do it again. I thank the heavens I have a family who was behind my choice and didn't question it . . . but even if they weren't supportive, I would have had the same outcome. My body, my choice, my success achieved each and every day. I should mention that I had body dysmorphia (saw myself as weighing far less than what I actually was before starting my VSG journey).

When you do do this, even the bumps along the way are learning opportunities. You can do this if it's what you want. No one can stand in your way .

Joanne

Oh yeah, the old "easy way out" comments. Gotta love those. I wouldn't call getting a major surgery easy by any stretch of the imagination ...but even if it were ... why is that a bad thing? I mean obesity is a sickness ... and when you are talking about a person with a BMI over 35 ... or in my case a hair away from 50, losing weight could very well save their lives.

And we all know that we STILL have to make good eating choices. I could still decide to eat like crap and GAIN weight, the surgery doesn't do anything about that. I still have to make sure I eat protein and stay away from all the delicious carbs my mind tells me to eat. The only thing the surgery does is tame the hunger and reduce my portion size ... food choice ... that's all on me.

Thanks, Joanne! What you said really resonates with me and I am so happy to hear from others that maintenance is completely doable. Has it feel hard to keep the weight off?

Can't wait to see pictures of you rafting and skydiving!

Paige

Keeping it off hasn't been hard but I attribute it to older, wiser, and don't want to do this again (I'm lazy and this stuff was hard at first). Also, it's just hubby and I .. along with 3 dogs and a cat, so I'm pretty mu*****ontrol of food coming into the house along with the cooking. Still can't even consider drinking anything until 30-45 minutes after a meal. Restaurants are a breeze . . . if I don't want to bring 3/4's of my food home, I just order a cup of soup. I have two different shaped snack baggies (square and rectangle) that I measure out and place portions into them. I used to mark calories, protein and carbs on them, but now I don't need to do it.

Many people exercise, but I haven't. I'm neither ashamed or encouraging others to do the same. We all need to find what works best for us, that we can actually stick to it. In my 59 years on earth I've never been a faithful exercise type person and I didn't want my body to get used to something I'd have no intention of keeping up with. I do take my smoochie poochies on a long, brisk walk in the morning, even when it rains or my legs are hurting. . . . I go straight out upon waking and looking all crazy . . . but it brings them such joy!

My son and daughter-in-law were trying to figure out what I wanted to do for the big 6-0, and I'd like to go white water rafting (Delaware Water Gap). I'd already been skydiving twice and when I found out my daughter-in-law wanted to, I said her and I could add that in!

A thousand times yes. I wish I could go back in time and have this surgery 15 years ago. I think nearly everyone here can say they tried dieting first and failed. I mean if it were that easy the surgery wouldn't exist.

For me I think the reason the dieting failed and the surgery works is the hunger I had to deal with. For me, at the start of dieting it was ok ... and then it got worse so I started to bargain with the calorie counts ... like I could have this sandwich but the next day I would have to have less calories. Then I would get mad about it and raise my daily calorie count because the hunger was so bad ... then go back to lower calories because I wasn't losing any weight. It was an ongoing constant struggle. My best diet attempt was 6 months solid of restricted calories ... and that was about 1400 daily. I lost a grand total of 30 pounds, was constantly hungry and I was becoming obsessed with food ... something I had never experienced. If I wasn't cooking or eating I was PLANNING on cooking and eating ... every hour of the day.

Finally I just gave up, I was miserable and had only lost a fraction (20%) of what I needed to lose. That's when I started seriously looking into VSG. I started watching Youtube videos and reading blogs. I am loath to say this is easier ... I mean I DID have 80% of my stomach surgically removed ... and all the risk and pain that goes with it ... but its working when regular dieting didn't ... so in that sense it IS "the easy way"

Thank you, Miranda. Hunger has been my issue as well when dieting and I feel like I am hearing myself when I read your post. Are there any favorite YouTubers or blogs that you read?

I'm pretty confident that this is the right decision for me.

Congratulations on your amazing success!

Paige

Well, there really isn't just one ... but all of them put together. It was story after story of success. Sure there were a few speaking about failures too. But the failures all seemed to have more problems than I did. Heck even the ones that have regain looked like a success story to me since most of them only regained a fraction of what they lost. But if I am pressed to pick just one, the youtuber whose story sounded most like me was VSG BrittBratt, if you want to go check her out.

Thanks! I will check VSG BrittBratt out!

YES, YES, YES !

I would do it again tomorrow if I had to.

Having VSG literally changed the course of my life. Just a few weeks into my post-op life I have my mobility back, and even have a zip in my step. I haven't had to use my asthma inhaler since the day of surgery, and have had absolutely no nagging back, knee, or hip pain while sitting or walking.

My sleeve helps me control the size of portions I eat, and I've learned to make healthier choices as a result of having had this surgery.

I only wish I hadn't wasted so many years yo-yo dieting, starving myself to lose a few lbs. and then ultimately gain it all back + some.

VSG is the best thing I have ever done for myself.