Questions for long term Vertical Sleeves....

I am a 57 year old female with 110 lbs to lose, osteoarthritis in knees, ankles and back.

1. I have very thick hair down to shoulders..... will I lose a lot of hair? If so, will it come back?

2. At my age,and weight of 235, will I lose weight quickly?

3. I'm a teacher, how long do you think I will be out of work from surgery?

4. Do you get hungry? How often do you eat?

5. Is there a way of knowing if your stomach is stretching? How can I avoid it happening?

Everyone is different. I can share my story with you but its not really an indication of how you will do. Just how my body worked. So, I was 48 when I had my sleeve and I have very fine wavy hair cut very short. It is also not very thick at all. I did not notice any abnormal hair loss at all.

I was 208 on the day of surgery and am 122 now. I lost fairly slowly compared to others. I lost about 80% in the first year and the rest very very slowly over year two.

I was off work for two weeks full time and then three weeks I took at 50%. Not because I wasn't feeling well, I was just fine. But it is a good idea to rest and take it easy after major surgery plus you will need to learn your new eating habits. There are a few teachers on here who may chime in. I am not a teacher btw. 

I don't have any physical hunger but sometimes get a feeling of empty. Hard to describe but its like my body tells me to fuel up. I eat three or four times a day and have a snack usually in the evening when I get the munchies. I try to concentrate my eating around natural eating times. But no, I don't get truly hungry.

Your new stomach will relax once healing is done and the swelling goes down. It may settle and expand a bit. I don't know if you can tell that it is stretching or just healing. But one way to preserve your tool and the restriction that it provides is to determine its capacity or ask your surgeon what the capacity is in volume, and eat less than its capacity each time thus not putting any pressure on it and ensuring that it will not stretch too much. 

Pre weigh and measure your portions and stop after you consume that. Don't take seconds!

Best of luck!!!

Hi Yellow Rose!

I am 51 and have lost 110 lbs (want to lose another 10 - 20) in the past 18 months!  My BMI is now NORMAL and I'm wearing a size 12 rather than a tight 24!

1)  I have very thick hair too, past my shoulders.  I did lose some but it didn't show to anyone else.  It's just a bit more than comes out in a daily hairbrush... but I really noticed it in the shower.  It began a few months after surgery and only lasted a few months too. Yes, it comes back!  Make sure you keep your diet balanced and check in with your doctor.  Not everyone experiences hair-loss and for me, it certainly wasn't worth the worry.

2) I started at a higher weight than you are (about 268) and I think I've lost pretty quickly-- looking back.  It depends what you expect.  Of course, while you are losing, it never seems fast enough!  I wanted to wake up from my surgery and be young and thin... but those were not realistic goals!  Everyone loses at a different rate and it also depends on how you stick to the plans your doctor gives you.  I think it is nearly impossible not to compare yourself to others but try very hard not to.  This is your journey!!  Try to enjoy it and don't be discouraged by plateaus!!  Use the time (however long it is) to get your head into the game too. (That is the part of our body that got us into trouble in the first place.)

3)  I am also a teacher.  Remember that each person also heals at his/her own rate.  I've had other surgeries and for me, this one was surprisingly easy to heal from... (laparoscopic is so much easier on the body!)  Ask your doctor for a recommendation for time out of work.  Make sure he knows how long you are on your feet during the day, and that there are few breaks to rest.  Take the time you need and don't ru****  I think you'll be very surprised.   Pain-wise, my biggest hurdle was the gas trapped inside after the surgery, and walking that off in the hospital wasn't fun.  After a few days home, I decided to switch to Tylenol and I still felt a little better each day and I was so excited to be over the scary part, it started to become fun!  Be a POSITIVE thinker and put that spin on everything possible!

4)  Some hunger is actually boredom (head-hunger) but we do think we are hungry.  Be careful not to fall into that trap.  Stay active and out of your kitchen... The best suggestion I have is to document every bite, lick and taste.  Keeping track of your food makes you accountable and more aware of everything -- including your water intake.  I suggest you use MyFitnessPal or SparkPeople... because it's so easy and private and on your phone which you carry around... but if you're more traditional, even paper in a notebook works!  Personally I eat 3 meals with 3 snacks between and fill the rest of that in with sipping water.  Again, I suggest you stick with the plans your doctor or hospital suggests for you.  LOW CARB is key.  Eat protein first... don't drink anything with your meals... etc...

5) I'd guess we all live in fear of this.  Don't eat more than the proper serving-sizes/measurements for each stage of your healing.  Again, stick to your plan.  If you don't know of a plan (my doctor didn't give me one, so I understand) there is tons of info on this site to figure it out -- or just ask!  Great, helpful, educated, experienced people here to reach out for support!!  YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  :)

Hope this was all helpful!!  Best wishes for success!!!  

xo

Thank you for the posts! Yes, they were so helpful!! Hope to hear from others too! :)

I needed the metabolic boost, so I got the DS with my sleeve stomach, but I can definitely answer these:

1. The hair loss is a symptom of telogen effluvium, which occurs because of the trauma of surgery.  Basically, the hair growth cycle is rebooting itself, and the shedding is being replaced by new growth about to emerge.  Your thick long hair will start to get a chia-pet effect with the new growth.  It occurs 2-3 months post op and lasts 3-4 months and goes away.  Any additional protein or hair supplements will benefit the new growth, but will not stop this process, so don't waste your money on anything 'extra'.

2. It depends on what you define as quickly.  Most lose that much weight within 12-14 mos.

3. I'm a corporate trainer, and like you, my job while not necessarily strenuous, it's very active.  I took off 2 months after my DS and was very grateful for the first 6 weeks, for I was very listless.  Some people are more resilient, but plan on at least 4 weeks off work if you want to be closest to your old self.

4. I wasn't "hungry" for a good 6 months.  I had to set reminders to eat something and take vitamins.

5. Your stomach is going to stretch.  There is no way around it.  You can expect it to triple or quadruple in size over the years.  It will not come close to it's original size though.  I'm talking 8oz capacity instead of 2oz...so still not much.  I'm 9 yrs out, and watching me eat - I'm a light eater but not so light that you'd know I had wls.

Hi!  In regard to your questions, my answers, based on my personal experience are below:

1.  I didn't lose any hair.  I was told (and I'm not an expert) that the best way to avoid hair loss was to get in the required amount of protein.  I'd consult with a professional on that.

2.  Everyone loses at a different pace.  I was at a similar weight and a few years younger than you, and have lost nearly 110 pounds in 10 months - I'm a few pounds from goal.  I do exercise (brisk walking or Wii) 6 days a week plus a few days a week of strength training, which I think has helped.

3.  I was out 3 weeks, but was able to do so given my situation.  Many are out for only 1 week, some for 2.  Check with your surgeon's office.

4.  I have never been hungry since the surgery.  I now eat every 2.5-3 hours because I no longer use the protein shakes and am working on increasing my caloric intake.  When I was on protein shakes, I would eat every 4 hours.  A dietician will assist you with your program and frequency of eating.

5.  I weigh and measure everything and really listen to my body.  You will be able to tell when you've had enough food.

Lots of good luck!

1. I have very thick hair down to shoulders..... will I lose a lot of hair? If so, will it come back?

I didn't lose any hair.  In fact, because I eat more protein than before surgery, my hair is long and thicker than it's ever been.  However, your MMV.  I didn't lose any hair postpartum, so I just have a mess of hair that is waist length.

2. At my age,and weight of 235, will I lose weight quickly?

Everyone loses differently.  Age does have something to do with it, but it's more about how willing you are to stick to a certain diet or if you're someone who feels better being moderate. I lost about half my body weight (130 pounds) in nine months.  I met every goal my surgeon set and then some.  I also was extremely diligent and laser-focused on losing the weight as quickly as possible.

3. I'm a teacher, how long do you think I will be out of work from surgery?

If you're on your feet a lot, you might need three or four weeks off.  I work from home, but I felt completely fine after the first week.  I took two weeks off, and I spent the second week shopping and cooking freezer meals for my hubby and toddler so I was on my feet for hours at a time with no issue.

4. Do you get hungry? How often do you eat?

Yes, I do.  I eat every three hours or so.  I can go a whole day without eating when I'm busy, but I get lightheaded and lethargic at some point.  Hunger isn't the emergency it used to be.

5. Is there a way of knowing if your stomach is stretching? How can I avoid it happening?

Your sleeve will stretch somewhat.  Try under eating your capacity.  Track everything, and only eat when you need to feel satisfied.  I honestly wouldn't worry too much about stomach stretching.  Just stick to your plan, and you will succeed.