Suppport Group update

So tonight was lapsf support group up here in the boonies. We talked about the three main habits to lose and keep weight off which were food journaling, exercise, and keeping ghrelin at bay by eating regular protein meals. Dr. says the 12 to 48 month time is the critical one for maintenance and encouraged the above for maintenance. Confirmed that the vsg stomach empties faster and suggests five smaller meals a day for some.

I asked what is the critical range of weight fluctuation when one should be concerned since we all go up and down a pound or two here and there. He said five pounds either up or down. He also said that the 5 or 10 pound rebound is common but not inevitable. Said exercise is more critical in maintenance than weight loss phase as those further down the road can eat more and are more interested in foods. He said if you have a really bad trigger food that is a major problem you should maybe avoid it forever like an ex smoker should never have one cigarette. (for me that would be peanut butter cups). There was an interesting handout on protein counts of a wide variety of meats and fish and calories and fat in each.  Diane

Thank you Diane, I missed the support group last month so having a dose of Dr. C is always welcome.  I wonder why he said that 12-48 months is critical, did he elaborate on that at all.  Is he seeing regain around that time frame.

i don't know why this is the time frame. It may be that he has more and more patients 3 and 4 years out now so more chances to find issues. Didn't ask about the five year study. Maybe its some indicator from that study. I too was hoping that after two years I would be "home free" but deep down I know I will never be home free and will always have to address this issue. Its ok. anything not to be so fat again. took my pictures of the Great Dog Chippie with me in them from 2007 and a month ago. I am half as wide as I used to be. Chip stayed svelt the whole time. boy has he become a food beggar.    Diane

It's a little...just a teeny bit...discouraging that our docs seems to be expanding the "critical time" for regain. I do remember that I heard two years from them when newly sleeved and then three years and now we're up to four--and there are just not that many of us beyond 4 years out. I'm not complaining, and I agree that regain is not inevitable, but it does suggest that we can probably never let our guard down. And that exercise (blech!) is probably inevitable...

Thanks for the report, Diane...

Lizanne

I really hope you can find some kind of exercise that does not feel "exercisey" to you!!  Or that you can see the benefits sooo much that it carries you through the "doan wannas"

For me, I suspect the best I can hope for is that exercise becomes like flossing my teeth--I don't LIKE doing it, but I don't feel complete until it's done!

I think I have tried most kinds of exercise and the only thing I really liked and did just for fun was folk dancing--different dances from all over the world. When I was a senior in high school, a bunch of us went to the International House at UC Berkely every Friday night for folk dancing. It was really fun, and I even voluntarily took a P.E. class in in it college, but they stopped doing it long ago. So I do step and floor aerobics, the dancier the better, at home. I probably wouldn't hate Zumba either but I do hate going to the gym so I'm hoping some Zumba DVDs come out that aren't outrageously expensive.

And now I'm adding the strength stuff, which so far is more like pulling wisdom teeth without anethesia than flossing. I'm hoping that's because I'm so new to it and my muscles HURT. But I will persevere!! You really have inspired me on the strength training, Brandilynn!!

Lizanne
edited to correct typos!

I am with you Lizanne, I too feel a little let down that the "safe time" seems to be more and more elusive.  I am really starting to wonder if there is ever going to be a "safe time".  I met a lady the other day that had a 32 F bougie done as part of her DS many years ego.  I know that they did larger size stomachs back then, but her doctor was forward thinking and made hers much smaller.  She told me that after the fifth year she could eat a great deal more than even at four years out.  That really through me as I was told and am still hopeful that the sleeve stops stretching after a certain time period.  She has remained thin, but swears that it has more to do with the melabsorbton part of her surgery than the size of her stomach.  She told me that she can eat more or less a normal sized meal now, not like a Thanksgiving meal, but what most people would consider a full meal.  I know that our surgeon and some in Mexico make a tighter sleeve, I just hope that and our vigilance is enough in the long run.  I guess only time will tell.

That IS discouraging that her sleeve stretched beyond 4 years--that's one thing I didn't think I had too worry about too much....though I do remember Dr. Jossart saying one rather ominous thing to me. When I had my hiatal hernia repaired, about 1.5 years after surgery, he took a little tuck in the top of the sleeve as part of the repair and said I might find that I couldn't eat as much (I couldn't tell any difference). At the time he said, jokingly (I thought), "Oh, this will keep you from needing to have your sleeve tightened for a few years..." I call bait and switch if they keep dilating! Because absolutely we've all been told that it doesn't after the initial period...

Lizanne

I believe you can have it tightened if need be down the road.  If I found I had significant stretching I'd definitely for the tightening thing.

Yes, I think they use that Stomaphyx, but I imagine it's pricey and not covered by insurance, so I'd just as soon keep mine from stretching if at all possible!

Lizanne