Undecided Pre-Sleever for 50 lb weight loss

Hello, new here and I am hoping for some great advice. I am currently in my 6 month dietary eval with my nutritionist *****commended me to have VSG, I have already consulted with my primary doc and the surgeon.  I am not your average case being only 4'9" and 173 lbs. I have a muscular build and I am about 50 lbs overweight, I am 52 and in perimenopause (yup). I have high blood pressure, high blood sugar, asthma, and fatty liver. My BMI is 37.

I have resistance from my relatives in going forth with VSG due to potential complications (I come from a family of nurses). It is scaring me, but I also know it will help me since I am a volume eater.  Looking at a surgery date in September if insurance approves.  Any advice would be welcomed.

There are lots of us shorties around here. I am 5 ft 0 and was 208 on the day of surgery. I am in the 120-125 range now. What potential complications is your family worried about? They aren't worried about your high BP, diabetes, asthma and fatty liver? And that is just the beginning!

I had no complications and no issues of any kind following my VSG. Just good steady weight loss, resolution/remission of the diabetes, high BP and high cholesterol as well as zero knee pain now.

Choose a surgeon with an excellent track record, do your part and follow the plan and there is no reason to worry about possible complications from the VSG - not any more than being hit by a bus.

There IS however reason to worry about the co-morbidities you already have and what those WILL evolve into. That is not a potential complication, that is a certainty. If you don't do something about the obesity, it will eventually take its toll on your health.

So, whether through the VSG (best thing I ever did for myself) or another means, you must do something and ensure that it is sustainable.

best of luck!

Thanks Julia, it's good to know you can relate to where I am coming from.  I am not a petite build, but in no way should I weigh as much as I do.  My relatives tell me to eat less, quit eating junk, exercise.  REALLY?  I never thought of that!  I am moving forward with it.  I'm glad I found this website.  I do have a bariatric surgeon in place and I am expecting surgery in September.  I am exercising now and trying to follow my nutritionist's plan.  Thanks again.

It's really common for friends and family to be concerned. "My body, my call" is a good mantra to have, even when it's hard sometimes! You and your doctor know your medical situation best, and THAT is who should make the decision.

As far as surgeries go, my doctor told me that VSG is a less-complicated surgery than RNY, so generally you don't have to worry quite so much about surgical complications. You may want to ask your doctor for some stats about surgeries s/he has performed to get a better picture of how many patients had issues; this could help reassure your family members as well.

Also-- check if the hospital where the surgery will be performed is accredited as a bariatric-surgery facility. Accreditation is a SERIOUS audit process to make sure the facility is in compliance with a TON of details, procedures, and statistics, so if they've got the stamp of approval you know they have their ducks in a row. (I work in healthcare accreditation professionally, so I know what a big deal it is!)

Hang in there, and do what you feel is best for you, your body, and your health. You can do this!

My wife is 5'2 and started at 197.  She had asthma, diabetes, bad cholesterol, etc and was borderline at 36-37 BMI.  She was completely off her diabetes meds before leaving the hospital.  Wont find out about the cholesterol until a few more months.  She is 7 weeks post op.

If you are comfortable with the surgery, then go for it.  The complication rate is pretty low.  There are some bad stories on here but most have no problems.  For my wife and I, the rewards greatly out weighed the risks.

Another reason she had the surgery, me. I was quickly catching up to her weight wise.  She was not about to have a husband that weighed less than she did.

BTW, a 50 lb weight loss may not sound like much but having to lose 30% of your body weight does.

I cannot speak regarding the amount of weight you need to lose; however, from personal experience, the co-morbidity issues are the things that your family should be worried about!  I had several co-morbidity issues before the sleeve and now that I am 9.5 months post-op (and lost 78 lbs.) all of these issues have been resolved.  I know for a fact that I am the healthiest I have been in 25 years and this should be true for you also if you have the sleeve.  I will be 60 years old in September and I honestly feel the best I have felt since I was in my early 30's!!!  If your surgeon thinks you are a candidate, then the only two people you should listen to is yourself and your surgeon.  Best of luck!

I'm a little over 3 weeks post-op.  I didn't tell many people because after the first person I confided in explained, "WLS is for people heavier than you" I just decided to keep it to myself.

It hasn't been an easy road, and I did initially regret the decision immediately post-op (this seems to be routine) -- I am feeling much better these days and beginning to accept that I did what I had to do.  It's too soon for me to try and coax you to the post-op side, but I don't think it's silly that you're considering the VSG.  The reality for me is I could always lose weight.  I could not keep it off.

I think I did the right thing and didn't have many traditional comorbidities (only one self-diagnosed: bad circulation).  

Same here, I can lose weight but I cannot keep it off.  I have literally tried everything except hypnotism or acupuncture.  I've lost as much as 30 lbs on my own years ago which is why I am now willing to go this route, but I must be unsure since I am still questioning.  Can I ask why you regretted immediately post op?

It's hard for me to encourage you to take my immediate post-op regrets too seriously.  I'm on an emotional roller coaster of questioning.  I think a big part of it was I was obese, but otherwise healthy with no comorbidities when I chose to have the surgery.  In fact, I paid out of pocket as insurance wouldn't cover me (I'm 5'4 and was 196).   I rationalized the VSG as a preventative measure and it just felt like the right choice.  You couldn't tell me differently really.  The few people that knew what I was doing were not terribly supportive.  They thought I was making a permanent, drastic mistake.

Immediately post op in all of the discomfort and inability to drink even half a thimble due to swelling, I began to wonder if "they" were right?  Did I rush into this without thinking through the ramifications?  What if I have a leak?  Will I ever be able to drink liquids quickly again?  Will I ever be able to eat more than half a cup at a time? --you get the picture.  I just started to feel very despondent.  Then I got a mild fever and was afraid I had complications.  (Nobody explained to me that you might get a mild fever when your immune system goes into overdrive.)  It's now over three weeks out and I'm able to drink more comfortably, but still struggling to get my proteins in.  I was feeling pretty good, then I watched my husband eat a 6 inch subway sandwich last night and wondered if I'd ever have one again  or if I'd ever go out to eat with friends and not look like  a weirdo ... You get the picture.  

The reality is lots of people on this board have helped me understand that this is both a process and a lifestyle decision.  I don't regret my decision now, but I will say to you that it is not an easy way out.

Unrelated, but here is a post I put up the other day to someone looking for last minute advice:

I'm three weeks out.  If you're like I was, you'll be a bit scared before surgery, but then suddenly feel calm.

As for advice, I have a mix of advice and observations:

1) Ask for nausea meds as early as you feel you'll need them.  Don't wait to see if it passes.  It probably won't, and why be miserable?

2) I didn't have much pain, but the nurses encouraged me to continue taking my pain meds just to make sure I was absolutely comfortable getting up and walking to speed the passage of gas.  I'm so glad they did.  I learned there are no heroes.  Not even me :(

3) You will probably receive something called an incentive spirometer which is a little apparatus that you breath through to challenge your lungs.  Use it.  After anesthesia your lungs get a bit lazy, and you are at risk for pneumonia.  Use the incentive spirometer as often as you feel up to it.  (I was told 5 times an hour I was awake, but basically used it ten times a day.)

4) You may come down with a low-grade fever in the immediate days following surgery.  Don't panic.  I completely freaked and thought something was wrong. Nobody ever told me (but in hindsight it makes sense) that your body temperature may spike as a precautionary measure to fight off infection.  My temperature got all the way up to 100.5 and nobody seemed worried but me.  They never explained why.  If this happens to you, I hope you don't go through the stress I did!  (BTW-- using your incentive spirometer and walking around can make your temperature drop close to normal.)

5) You will probably be given four little plastic shot glasses once you're able to drink, and told to slowly work your way through four ever hour.  I was told I couldn't be released until I made my way through all four.  I had a really tough time getting through a single one at first.  Finally I made it through just before I was discharged from the hospital late the afternoon of the second day.  I was freaked out I'd be dehydrated.  What I didn't realize is how quickly the swelling goes down to allow you to sip, sip, sip to stay hydrated.  I tell you this so you don't stress.

6) You probably won't get all of your protein in right away but that's ok.  And I couldn't even stomach the bariatric protein-enhanced liquids in the hospital.  It happens to many, I understand.  My nurse told me not to worry and just concentrate on liquids first, then working my way up to the daily protein requirement over the first three weeks.  The important thing is to keep trying and don't give up.

7) Finally, you may regret your decision and think WTF have I done in the first few days.  I did.  It seems to be the norm on this board, and I didn't realize it before I went through my own personal sadness spiral.  If that happens to you, just tell yourself it's part of the process and work through it.  I feel better now that I'm on pureed foods.  Less pathetic anyway. :)

Best of luck to you.  I know you'll be fine, and I hope you have a comfortable recovery.