Looking for Gastric Sleeve Veterans (5+ years post op) :)

Hi there

 

I have been looking on forums trying to find people who are 5+ years post op, i am considering gastric sleeve surgery, she curious as to how the long post op people are going and if they have any major complications etc

Cheers :)

You found one here--I lurk and read mostly.

Truth?

You got it:

You've heard "honeymoon stage"? TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF IT. I don't just mean for purpose of weight loss. I mean this is the time to work out lifestyle changes that replace food issues with long term ways that are non-food related. Because, life will return to "the grind"--and you will need to be different in "the grind" if you are going to maintain all your successes.

I lost 100% ewl in 18 months; going from 256 lbs to 123 lbs. I regained 10 lbs in 2 years--but that was great because I wanted my range to be between 125 - 135. (hey, I know winter comes )

When I lost the weight, I became severe anemic. I went onto Rx iron; and it came up. Since then I had an ablation to stop female monthly; and am no longer anemic and no more Rx iron needed.

Around the 3.5 - 4 year mark I went through some very stressful times, and turned to the old way of eating and stress handling and food as comfort, distractor, consoler. This has caused me to gain up to 159 lbs (where I am today). I will tell you ALL my regain is due to poor life choice / food issues. I also struggle with some past eating disorder issues (addiction transfer is real.) Not easy to say, but it is truth. I will be getting back to my behavior counselor within the month, to relearn and apply the lessons I did when I was first out of surgery. When they figure out how to do a lobotomy to fix the mind as a support to WLS, I'm first in line

All that being said, though, I still have good restriction. (considering). If I eat a "slider"--hey, I could go all day. If I stick to dense protein, I can eat between 4 - 7 oz depending on what it is. If I eat too many raw veggies, I still slime. The signal of "full" is not strong--but that might be because I have ignored it and am desensitized to it. I still get hiccups if I eat a few bites too much. Leftovers are still my friends.

On the health side: I take 1 multi vitamin; 1000 mg calcium citrate (taken in 2 sep doses) and one probiotic. I did this faithfully, except for the last year. My bloodwork has been great. Except this past year my calcium and D dipped (still in normal range, but not my previous "normal"). I am back onto the vitamins and I have visual proof how important they are for me.

I wear a pedometer, and I walk between 10000 and 12500 steps each day--and no pain in hips, knees, ankles (like pre-wls). My blood pressure went from borderline pre-surgery to perfect normal. Even with my 30 lb regain, it is still perfect normal. My resting pulse rate is praised as well.

Weight / sizewise: I went from 256, size 26 down to 123, size 6; goal weight 130 size 6; rebound to 159 size 8 (I'm 5'3").

To sum up--if I had to do it all over again, I would. It remains one of the best decisions I've ever made and am thankful for my tiny tummy.

Oh thank you so much for your reply, it's so good to hear from someone who is 5 or so years down the track, yes I can see regain is going to be a big ongoing issue, whatever i choose it will be a ongoing battle, why im looking at bariatric surgery is because my doctor told me that the battle is easier to control than going it alone without baritaric surgery, but I kinda need to hear that from people who have had the surgery and not the stats doctors throw around!   I cant get my head around doing it if its going to be ridiculously insane and completely ruling my life to the point of crazy obsession trying to keep it off (the experiences ive had in the past on Weigh****chers, sureslim, raw food, juicing etc) I just cant keep it off! The big hunger monster rears its ugly head!, I have a big problem with my appetite, im a big eater, not so much terrible choices but find it hard feeling "full" and take alot to fill me up!

I am currently in therapy and even though it is not directly going into my weight issues it is going into the things that could be surrounding it etc, i find it very useful, im going to continue it for as long as i can afford it.  I am from New Zealand and we have some good support forums over here but i cant find anyone long term post op.

What does it mean when you "slime" I think here they call it the "frothies" I am a big vegie/fruit eater and i know this will be very difficult post op but hoping i can still get some in.

I cant thank you enough for your reply as it's good to know that there are some longer post op people out there that are not suffering horrible consequences from the surgery I really appreciate you taking the time to reply :)

I get frothies too. (I would call that the foamies--like cotton mouth white foam saliva) Happened more early out. Slimies--super thick saliva. When I eat raw veggies, they do not process so quick , so the saliva sits in tummy. Eventually it will result in the thick saliva coming back up--mouthful at a time. Not Fun. Lettuce doesn't do this to me, but things like raw carrots, broccoli, cauliflower; and only if it is in large quantity. If I cook the veggies, it doesn't happen; only with raw.

Does this happen if you blanch the veggies?  

I am also five years out and have a similar experience to the other poster. I had a regain of 30lbs between years 2 and 3, but through dedication to excersise and cleaning up my diet, I was able to drop the regain, but it took me 8 months. I have been maintaining steadily for more than a year at my current weight 145-150.

 

Good Luck, this was the best decision I had ever made for myself!

 

Heather

Thank you so much for replying Heather, Im feeling so much better now hearing from people who are alot further along in this, it looks like regain is a real issue but either way with or without surgery it will be a forever battle and it's great that im learing this now so i know what to expect etc Im also really happy to hear people say that they still dont regret it who are further along and not having these serious complications having part of their stomach removed etc I know i have to weigh it up in the sense that being obese has even more serious complications!  I am from New Zealand and I am finding the overseas forums as alot better and heaps more informative, Im so glad I signed up! :)

It is very important to take full advantage of the first year, honeymoon period, to give yourself the "space" for a slight regain later. 

Hello Spangebabe for submitted this forum. I am at the end of my 6 month weight loss insurance required classes. I have seen so many sleevers say they have had problem after surgery. I am like you considering the sleeve but read something just last night the almost made me change my mind. Pretty much what I read was the trade of unhealthy weight issues for health complications following surgery. The gas I can handle, taking vitamins I can handle, one of your post said something about thick saliva after raw veggies, I can handle that. What I can’t handle is intestinal issues, or some kind of deficiency for the rest of my life. Sorry I am rambling. I complete my classes in April so I will keep moving forward. Again thanks for submitting this forum.

Thank you SO MUCH for this question and for everyone's honest responses!! I am awaiting a surgery date and this is SO HELPFUL to me. All the best to all of you :)