Regrets??????

Thank you....I am just so afraid bc of the band, but it does seem they are totally different....you just confirmed that....so appreciate it.

Im 14 weeks post op today. I don't have one regret about having the surgery. I have lost 55 lbs, (hit 199 this morning). I have never lost that much at one time in my life and I think the best thing about having surgery to do this is that I am not obsessing every minute about what I CANT eat. I of course have to plan my meals and I eat 5 to 7 teeny tiny meals a day so I feel like I am always putting something in my mouth but the crazy thing is that I don't even want to eat. and before when I would go in a "diet" I was consumed with thoughts of when, what and how much I would get to eat at my next meal. Basically now, I live my life without feeling like a druggie waiting for my next fix. AND everytime my husbands asks me where I want to go to eat, I get to tell him he has to choose because I cant eat anyway, im not choosing!! lol

This board is full of happy sleevers who are very active, so you'll be overwhelmed by support here.  These people are great!

That being said, there are many who did not see the results they hoped for and have made their way to being revised to the RNY and Duodenal Switch.  The last thing you want is to consider a third surgery, so in your heart of hearts, decide if restriction is all you need, or if you need a metabolic kick to your body that the RNY and DS offer.  WLS is definitely NOT a one-size-fits-all kind of thing, so thankfully, we have choices.

Let me start by saying that I am very happy I had my sleeve because the good outweighs the bad by a lot.

But in the spirit of honesty: 

1. the first few months after surgery are "not fun".  It was always manageable, but it was hard work and not pleasant getting used to the new tummy and eating such tiny amounts.  I could only eat 1 to 1.5 ounces per meal for the first two months. In week 7, the swelling went down and I could eat more, but those first few weeks when you take a tiny plate, and put a tiny amount on it and still can only eat half of it --- that was not fun.
2. I miss the satisfaction of being satiated.  I am almost 2 years post op, and I can still only eat 6 to 8 ounces per meal.  I miss the days when I could eat a large meal and feel that comfortable, calm feeling of being full.  Now I get full, but I don't feel satisfied.  there is always a nagging desire for more.  but if I eat more, it makes me uncomfortable, so I have to stop.  thank you, restriction!

But on the plus size, I went from 385 pounds with a BMI of 60 to 157 pounds with a BMI of 24.  No more sleep apnea, better energy, no more pain in my back and knees.  I can go into a normal dress shop and buy clothes off the rack and they look GOOD!  What a delight!  when I travel, I can do the strenuous walking tours without any problem.  All-in-all well worth the effort.

best of luck,

Carol

I am so afraid of missing the ability to eat large amounts of food.  I don't know any other way wo white knuckling it.  It looks like you have been very successful!!!! Congrats on that....and thanks so much for the info.

I don't have regrets but I did have to deal with some negative experiences:  

1.  Severe acid reflux that I never had before.  Almost 2 years out and still taking a PPI for it.  Not sure if I'll ever get off it.  

2.  Hair loss - it was EXTREME in my case and I wasn't prepared for the extent of it (more than half my hair gone and VERY slow in coming back).  

3.  Continuing body image issues.  I find that I liked some of my fat areas better when they were fat rather than the way they look now.  But I'm thrilled with my increased health :-)  

4.  I don't know if you'll see this as a negative but I want to be very clear about this:  VSG will NOT take away your desire or ability to eat crappy food.  It may blunt it for awhile, even months.  But eventually you will be able to eat exactly what you ate before...just not as quickly.  I can still eat an entire box of Girl Scout cookies.  It just takes me a whole lot longer to do it now.  This surgery is NOT a cure -- you have to put a lot of other tools in your toolbelt in order to make it work. 

Does the PPI control the reflux?

Yes

Sounds like a horrible LB story, I've heard the term torture device used many times when referring to the band and I don't blame you one bit for turning stones.

Here are some major stones that I know to be true about the VSG. I'm not asking you or anyone to believe me, just do the research because it's pretty much all here. The VSG is not a standardized procedure, the only thing it really means is a partial gastrectomy. The surgery itself can vary widely and results are all over the place.

Sure, just like any WLS patient compliance is a major variable.  

What I have learned about this process in the last 6 years is that WLS in general is NOT really about the WL, it just happens that "we" are so fixated on the WL itself and it is such a huge undertaking from just the decision to inquire about WLS and going through the approval cycles, having surgery, the recovery, the food progressions, the lifestyle changes, the education required..... and than the WL phase, we can't see to much farther than that.  

WLS is much more about keeping the weight off that you lost.  

You will read about the wide range of eventual capacity here, from 3oz. to 16oz.+ for a procedure that uses restriction/capacity as a major component.   The power of the surgery, aftercare/education, compliance are the three major parts to this. Mix it up any way you want, if your short in one area you must make it up in another.  

Right from the start it is very helpful to research individual VSG surgeons statistics and pick one that has similar results as your goals.  

frisco  

Thank you for all of the information.  I want to hear it ALL.  It looks like you are doing very well.  That is awesome!