I need help! Advice Please!!

Hi All,

I am new to the group. This is my first post. I'm about 80% certain I will be going through with VSG this summer. But i won't do it unless i'm 100% in. I need your thoughts.

I'm a 40 yo man, 6'1, 293lbs at my highest. I am a formerly thin college athlete who never felt comfortable in his newfound fatness but also i've never been able to shed pounds without picking up twice as many as i lost.

Alas I am at forty and I have major health concerns such as HBP, prediabetes, sleep apnea, depression, high holesterol, tendonitis, etc etc etc. I know from my dad who is 59 that if i follow him and cant shake the weight, these conditions will end up taking away my health. He's a shell of the man he used to be.

I have to nip this in the bud now and i've proven countless times before that i cannot do it myself. after months of research I went in for my first consult in December and spent the last month seeing all types of specialists. In this time, I've alrady lost 5 pounds. If it continues i'll be on track for a 30 pound loss by surgery date this summer. If i lose 30 before surgery i'll only have another 80 to lose. Right now my BMI is about 38.

I'm starting to think i'm too light to make such a permanent and drastic move. Did anyone here face this decision? Is VSG worth it to lose 80 pounds?

I'm afraid to not do it and end up not able to lose on my own AGAIN. but i'm afraid i will lose too much if i do.

Any thoughts?

I was in the same boat as you were 7 years ago. My type 2 diabetes was getting worse, as were my other markers for metabolic syndrome. Didnt want to end up like my mom and brother on insulin and many other health issues.

It is a life long commitment, for our surgeries are a tool, not a cure. Do your research, learn everything you can to make your best decision.

7 years later post rny, type 2 still in remission! No regrets here

Thanks Spice. It's been a looong few months. But I needed that time to research and decide. Def going vsg! Waiting on insurance approvals now.

Welcome to our LW Board!!!! We have had some successful women posters who have had the VSG. All of our men posters seem to loose faster than the women and they keep it off longer.

I was 55 when I had my RNY and not active at all. I sat on the sidelines for everything. I've never had a single regret (well maybe the first week) after my RNY. I'm 9+ years out now and still a normal BMI and under my original goal weight. I'm a tiny thing (described by others) at only 4'11". Before WLS it didn't matter how little I ate I couldn't keep the weight off.

Being over 6' tall I would think this would be a good choice for you if you can't keep it off on your own. At the age of 40 you will be far more active and you are way to young not to be happy with your body.

Only you can make this decision for yourself. Good Luck and keep us updated!

Thank you so much Ron. Finally done with all my specialist visits and I needed that time to research and decide. I'm gonna go ahead with the vsg. I'm doing good in the diet and exercise department right now but I don't want to be disappointed a year from now because I lost momentum again. I need this and I'm excited to put in the work to make it successful!

My personal experience was not that I couldn't take it off, I couldn't KEEP it off.

I think this tool really helps with that. I am more and more grateful each day that I had WLS (RNY) and highly recommend it.

Omg. Same here. I know so much about exercise and dieting. And I've been successful several times. But each time i gain even more back. At my best I lost over 40 pounds to get to 210 lbs with 18% body fat. That was incredible. But then my depression and anxiety issues worsened and I couldn't function. The same anymore. And I'm just afraid I'll start yet again, be successful, again, and ultimately fail. I don't wanna have to go at this alone again. Can't wait to get this done!

See my signature for my pre-op and post-op losses. I was on a diet approximately every 3 years from 17 to 61. Several times I got to goal, but I always regained with more weight added. I finally decided that I needed more help (another "tool"). I have been maintaining at my current weight for 14 months now (previously I never maintained for more than a few months at most - usually only for a few days).

Having a VSG is the best thing I ever did, and essentially no one loses "too much", unless there is something else going on other than just WLS.