400 pounder... should I sleeve???
Check out my two year post. I started out at 387.
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/4463597/2-years-out-Fr om-wheelchair-to-aspiring-aqua-exercise/
http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/4463597/2-years-out-Fr om-wheelchair-to-aspiring-aqua-exercise/
IMO no matter what type of weight loss surgery anyone has, it is the persons commitment and focus that gets those pounds off by using the tool given to them.
Working on your behaviours and changing lifestyle and habits is the hard work that has to come from YOU. Remember WLS is JUST A TOOL. no matter which one you have...
I was 550lbs if not more 2 years ago (sept 25th 2009) i will be having the VSG in the next few weeks. I have changed my lifestyle, worked on my behaviours... and know when I get my VSG I will get to my goal and stay there!!
Working on your behaviours and changing lifestyle and habits is the hard work that has to come from YOU. Remember WLS is JUST A TOOL. no matter which one you have...
I was 550lbs if not more 2 years ago (sept 25th 2009) i will be having the VSG in the next few weeks. I have changed my lifestyle, worked on my behaviours... and know when I get my VSG I will get to my goal and stay there!!
I'm still realtively new at this, but I can tell you the "only lose 100 pounds with VSG" is BS. I started at 425 pounds, 5'11" tall, size 60 pants, 4X-5X shirts. I had VSG April 12, 2011. Surgery weight was 384. Post surgery weight was 391 (water weight). Today I am just over 7 months out and weigh 290, wearing size 46 pants, 2X shirts. still got a long ways to go, but I am over half way there. My doctors goal for me was 200-225 pounds end weight. My personal goal is 175-200. He did tell me it will be difficult for me to get down that far as I am a big guy. Broad shoulders, wide hips, built like a lineman. He also said from carrying 300-425 pounds around for many years my skeleton is denser than more normal sized people, and while "big boned" is BS, I am "heavy" boned because of the dense bones my body needed to support my weight. But he said he wishes me the best in getting to my goal. He just wanted me to be aware that if I get down in the 200-225 range and see the scale plateau and not move for a long time, that could be why. But he did assure me that in that range I would look, feel, and be much more healthy and happy.
So 7 months in and I have already lost well over 100 pounds (135 to be exact), and still going strong. In almost 32 weeks since surgery, I have lost weight every single week but 4. One week I had a 3 lb gain (impossible on my diet, but was eating too much sodium so doc figures it was water retention), and 3 weeks I have had a 0 loss or gain, same weight as the previous week. The other 28 weeks I have lost every week. Some weeks are just a pound, some have been as much as 6.
So 7 months in and I have already lost well over 100 pounds (135 to be exact), and still going strong. In almost 32 weeks since surgery, I have lost weight every single week but 4. One week I had a 3 lb gain (impossible on my diet, but was eating too much sodium so doc figures it was water retention), and 3 weeks I have had a 0 loss or gain, same weight as the previous week. The other 28 weeks I have lost every week. Some weeks are just a pound, some have been as much as 6.
I was sleeved on 11/2. On 10/25 I was 341. Today I am at 308.
I made my decision based on input from people I met in support groups. I talked to several people who had had the band and similar profiles to mine and they were unhappy. They weren't losing weight fast enough. When I looked at the statistics of how much the average wight loss was for each procedure, I was unlikely to ever get to my ideal weight with the band.
I know how hard it can be to go out in public and feel confident being near 400 lbs. My advice, and I cant say this strongly enough - Go to the suppport groups. Everyone there has been where you are Everyone is there to support you and share their experinces with you.
One thing to be sure of - no surgery is going to take the place of self control. Whichever surgery you choose you have to be ready to commit to doing the things you have to do to lose weight and get healthy. You are not going to be able to eat anything you want after surgery and keep losing. With a rny or ds you will get dumping syndrome when you make the wrong choices, but I have heard people say that gets less over time. One woman in my last group meeting said her sister-in-law had an rny and still eats snicker bars. Surprisingly (/sarcasm), her sister-in-law is not losing anymore.
If you need more time to make a decision, take it. This is a permanent, life changing experience. You deserve the time to make the decision that is best for you.
I made my decision based on input from people I met in support groups. I talked to several people who had had the band and similar profiles to mine and they were unhappy. They weren't losing weight fast enough. When I looked at the statistics of how much the average wight loss was for each procedure, I was unlikely to ever get to my ideal weight with the band.
I know how hard it can be to go out in public and feel confident being near 400 lbs. My advice, and I cant say this strongly enough - Go to the suppport groups. Everyone there has been where you are Everyone is there to support you and share their experinces with you.
One thing to be sure of - no surgery is going to take the place of self control. Whichever surgery you choose you have to be ready to commit to doing the things you have to do to lose weight and get healthy. You are not going to be able to eat anything you want after surgery and keep losing. With a rny or ds you will get dumping syndrome when you make the wrong choices, but I have heard people say that gets less over time. One woman in my last group meeting said her sister-in-law had an rny and still eats snicker bars. Surprisingly (/sarcasm), her sister-in-law is not losing anymore.
If you need more time to make a decision, take it. This is a permanent, life changing experience. You deserve the time to make the decision that is best for you.
Yes! All of that is post-op. Here's the thing -- if you try your hardest and follow all the rules you're supposed to, there's no way you can fail at losing a significant amount of weight. You might not lose ALL of the EW you want to, but for me, I'd rather take that risk and keep my intestines normal than lose more in the long run. (Plus, there is a much higher risk of gaining some of that back after the RNY, I've read.)
For me, I'm only 25, and otherwise pretty healthy, so I decided that I'd be better off taking the less drastic option. It's been working out so far.
The other thing to think about is that you can still have the DS done if it turns out the VSG isn't enough for you. That's not something I ever want to do, but it's nice to remember that is still an option.
For me, I'm only 25, and otherwise pretty healthy, so I decided that I'd be better off taking the less drastic option. It's been working out so far.
The other thing to think about is that you can still have the DS done if it turns out the VSG isn't enough for you. That's not something I ever want to do, but it's nice to remember that is still an option.
(deactivated member)
on 11/20/11 11:07 am
on 11/20/11 11:07 am
This is so nice to hear. I'm 28 and I have the same concerns. I have health issues like beginning diabetes (recent), sleep apnea, PCOS and some pretty severe depression and the LAST thing I want to do is have some ridiculous complications and end up adding MORE health issues that add to my depression and whatnot. I DO want to lose a ton of weight, but I don't want torisk losing my intestines for it (my mom knows someone who lost a significant amount of her intestines and has to be on an IV daily). I also don't want to stay in my miserable state. Now that I know I can keep my organs somewhat normal AND lose a significant amount of weight, I'm so much more happy with my choice. After talking to that nurse I was completely discouraged but now that I heard what you guys have to say, I am so freakin excited!
Hey hun, My doctor wants me to lose 22lbs because by me dieting now it'll shrink the liver, my insurance purposes, and start dieting the RIGHT WAY.. But like i said doing all the research, SOME people can MAYBE lose over 100lbs, not all of us can, cause our bodies is of course different.
But try to lose SOME weight. Remember having this WLS is only a tool. I realize regardless that we lose weight from this, theres still fat around our hearts, our lungs is still weak, AND we're still weak to lose weight emotional, mentally and phycially. So TRY your best to lose SOMETHING, ANYTHING is good.
When you do lose weight from the surgery, you still wanna to workout and eat healthy. Regardless of this weight surgery, we still have ways to go. Eating healthy, and working out is also the key here... I would love to keep in contact with you, please send me a friend request.. Lmao, i need all the support i can get. And i know u MUST feel the same way...
But try to lose SOME weight. Remember having this WLS is only a tool. I realize regardless that we lose weight from this, theres still fat around our hearts, our lungs is still weak, AND we're still weak to lose weight emotional, mentally and phycially. So TRY your best to lose SOMETHING, ANYTHING is good.
When you do lose weight from the surgery, you still wanna to workout and eat healthy. Regardless of this weight surgery, we still have ways to go. Eating healthy, and working out is also the key here... I would love to keep in contact with you, please send me a friend request.. Lmao, i need all the support i can get. And i know u MUST feel the same way...
(deactivated member)
on 11/20/11 10:58 am
on 11/20/11 10:58 am
I definitely want and NEED support. Right now I just have my mom and she doesn't really understand. I took her grocery shopping with me today and I was trying to buy things and she kept trying to stop me from buying anything with ANY sugar in it... and I mean ANY, including yogurt, juice, vitamins, protein bars, powder, fruit, etc. I'm pretty much on my own besides her...
Starting tomorrow I am going to be doing shakes, protein bars, water, crystal light, greek yogurt, maybe oatmeal, and some lean cuisines if I am desperate. I'm also going to start all of my supplements. I'm going to stick with that until the dr tells me to do the liquid only diet and I'm sure I'll lose something.
I know that my liver was slightly enlarged so it will be good for me to shrink my liver too.
Thank you for being so welcoming :)
Starting tomorrow I am going to be doing shakes, protein bars, water, crystal light, greek yogurt, maybe oatmeal, and some lean cuisines if I am desperate. I'm also going to start all of my supplements. I'm going to stick with that until the dr tells me to do the liquid only diet and I'm sure I'll lose something.
I know that my liver was slightly enlarged so it will be good for me to shrink my liver too.
Thank you for being so welcoming :)
Most Active
Recent Topics
