Considering the Sleeve
 

Hi 3FC :) I am an oldie! I joined this forum a few years ago & had spurts of posting in the Calorie Counting forum :hug:

Well, I am back, in this WLS forum because I am seriously considering having the gastric sleeve surgery. I am 32, going on 33 & I have been morbidly obese for the greater part of my life. I have tried all kinds of diets from Atkins, calorie counting, Body by Vi, Green Smoothies, South Beach, among many other methods. I have never taken weight loss pills.

For the last couple of weeks I have been researching weight loss surgery & if it would be right for me. I have a BMI of 69.82 & I'm around 417lbs at 5'6. Like I said I have always been overweight, & I am ready for a change. I just want to feel healthier & have more energy. I am tired all of the time, with no energy no matter how much exercise that I get. Recently I attended a WLS seminar, & found it very informative & helpful. I turned in my new patient packet & I am waiting for the initial call to schedule my consultations.

I was wondering if anyone here has gone through the sleeve & what advice could you give me regarding the surgery? Should I go through with it? What should I expect if I do go through with the surgery? I am nervous, as I have never had any kind of surgery before!


Anyway, I won't make this too long, just wanted to reach out for some kind of aid.

<3

I am planning to have surgery later this month in Mexico. My insurance covers it, but I would have to fulfill their requirements which include a six month waiting period. I have to do a psych exam, complete a diet plan made by a nutritionist, then have all of that reviewed by a board who can approve or reject my surgery. I could wait the six months, but I've seen so many other people do that then be denied by the insurance. I'd rather just do self-pay in Mexico using my FSA. It's only going to be $3000.

Cranky1 I have just started paperwork to have the sleeve surgery in Mexico. Please keep us posted on your experience and I will try and let you know about mine. I just realized the last time I posted I weighed 179 pounds, so sad now 210.

I am going to have the sleeve. I was planning to use my insurance. I know that will be a long process, so I'd love to hear how it goes in Mexico. I may opt for that rather than wait.

I had VSG in December of 2014. I did go through the six months of nutritional appointments, therapy, etc. and I'm SO GLAD that I did. There is a lot to know, a lot to learn, and a ton of head stuff to work on before surgery. Therapy is the single best thing I did for myself prior to surgery. WLS is a tool, and if you don't deal with the issues surrounding food it won't work. 90% of it is in your head, lol!
That said, I'm really happy I had VSG. I've lost 140 lbs and not had any complications thus far. (I'm 32, was 30 when I had surgery.) It's hard work, lots of hard work, but worth it. I log my food, make healthy choices, stay low carb (high protein, really), don't drink alcohol, exercise regularly, and drink plenty of fluid. It's no different than any other "diet", except that I don't experience as much hunger.

Good luck! Keep us updated! :)

I am having the sleeve done on June 6th 2016 and would love to share your experience as to how things went for you.

Originally Posted by RHONDA MARIE CLARE:
I am having the sleeve done on June 6th 2016 and would love to share your experience as to how things went for you.

I know you have to be really excited!

Originally Posted by cyndie:
I know you have to be really excited!

yes, indeed, I am

I am looking into the sleeve as well. I have a consult with my surgeon next Friday. My biggest fear is that I go through the surgery and it doesn't work!

Hello guys,

Because the sleeve gastrectomy procedure is still relatively new, most health insurance companies in the United States don't cover this procedure. Costs for this procedure range around $20,000 in the United States, though significant savings may be made elsewhere. For example, the same procedure performed in Germany may cost 65% less than it does in the United States, while costs in India for the same procedure are roughly $7,500. In Costa Rica, costs may range around $9,100, while in Mexico costs range from $5,000 -$13,500. Recent studies have shown that nearly 50% of the patients who engage in sleeve gastrectomy procedures in Mexico come from the United States.@Placidway

And remember, the sleeve is only a tool. It doesn't do the work, you do by being compliant with your docs instructions. If you consider going to another country, be sure you can get follow up care here. Many won't treat if they didn't do the surgery for they don't know exactly how things are in there.

Had my gastric sleeve surgery on May 19, 2016 in Mexico. Everything went well and I have had no complications. The best advice I can give for Mexico is research your Doctor before you go. My Doctor and his staff was great.

Originally Posted by jackie58:
Had my gastric sleeve surgery on May 19, 2016 in Mexico. Everything went well and I have had no complications. The best advice I can give for Mexico is research your Doctor before you go. My Doctor and his staff was great.

I am so glad you had a positive outcome. Could you message me your Dr.'s name and contact info?

Thanks.

PS. Keep us posted on your progress!

Hi Cyndie,

Tried to send you a private message but it would not allow me. Would be happy to help you in anyway I can.

I have to change my ticker at the bottom of my post should be: s/c/g: 214/195/145

I am really shocked at how well I have done so far. I was sleeved on May 19 and have had very little discomfort, only felt like I did a ton of sit ups after surgery. I felt the hardest part of the process has been the pre-opt diet of two weeks (full liquids), but I am so glad I did this because I think that is one of the main reasons I have had such an easy time. Started walking in the park on Monday after surgery on Thursday, the first time out I walked 2 miles and I am now up to 2.75 miles today.

Let me know if I can answer any of your questions, good luck.

I am so inspired by how well you are doing. I had EDC procedure this morning. My doctor says it is required for surgery/approval. They look in your stomach with a camera. The procedure was simple, but my neck is very bruised from where they held it. :)

I don't know why it wouldn't let you message me. I checked my settings and I THINK I have them setup to receive messages.

I can't imagine walking 2 miles. I think it would take more than VGS surgery to accomplish that! My knees are horrible, but maybe with the weight loss they will improve.

I wish you continued success!

Everything is still going great since surgery. I am now walking 3 miles a day and feel better than I have felt in years.

Originally Posted by jackie58:
Everything is still going great since surgery. I am now walking 3 miles a day and feel better than I have felt in years.

So inspiring!

I had the sleeve surgery on June 2, 2016 so I am starting my 8th week out on Thursday of this week. The first 3-4 weeks were much tougher than I had anticipated with the liquid and baby food diet and the very low calorie count I was able to get in. I have had a great deal of trouble with reflux making it tough to eat or drink anything but that is not something that happens to everyone, it is getting better and my surgeon says it should be well under control by 3 months out. I was depressed for a couple of weeks post surgery and not someone prone to depression so it was just a tough time. I have wonderful family and friends who were very supportive and understanding so made it through it. I have found that I am never hungry which is a very odd thing after being morbidly obese most of my life. I am 52 and have been overweight since high school with many years of ups and downs and different diets. I have lost weight here and there but always gain it back and gain back more. (common story) I can eat more variety of foods now so I have more energy and feel much better than those first weeks. I can't eat more than 1 cup of food for a meal and find that it is easy not to graze during the day because I'm not hungry. I do feel a sensation when my stomach is empty but that is easily remedied with water or one of my planned meals. It is not an unpleasant feeling, it's just something I notice and address. I don't feel as deprived now that I can eat more variety of foods and don't really mind the limited amount because I am full and satisfied. I have lost 43 lbs and am excited about how far I can go with this over time.

I am also considering the sleeve and seeing my doctor about it next week. I hope you all and others will keep sharing your experiences on this thread!

I have 1 friend who had the sleeve done and 1 who has been waiting to lose the amount they required her to lose in order to have it. The 1 friend who had it initially lost 40 lbs and has gained it all back. The other friend has been fighting to lose the same 5 lbs for over a year in order to be approved. Like others have said in this thread, if you don't address what causes the problem, the sleeve won't "fix" the weight loss issue. I am doing the old WW points plan. I like it because it is not too restrictive, in the sense that, I can eat whatever I want, I just have to know how many points it is and stay within my daily allotment of points. I wish you all the best on your journeys.

Originally Posted by Lyn2007:
I am also considering the sleeve and seeing my doctor about it next week. I hope you all and others will keep sharing your experiences on this thread!

Lyn! Long time no see! :D I still check in on your blog periodically, I love seeing your journey. You've always been such a great inspiration to me.

I know I said it above, but I had the sleeve done 12/15/14. Like EmeraldBerry, I have friends that have had WLS and not succeeded. I have had remarkable success with it (so far.) I think the biggest difference I've noticed is that there are two mindsets: People who think it's going to solve everything and is "the easy way", and those of us that understand it's still a TON of work. When I had WLS I was naive enough to think I'd never have to be on a diet again. :lol: Yeah, right. I'm still on a "diet" every day of my life. Forever. I have to make the right choices, follow my plan pretty religiously, and exercise regularly.
The one true benefit of WLS is built in portion control. I can only eat 3 oz of solid protein (or 5 oz of yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.) without making myself sick and in pain. HOWEVER, if I chose to I could easily eat 1000+ calories of empty carbs in a sitting. Simple carbs pass straight through my sleeve and I have nearly ZERO restriction with them. That's where making good choices comes in. If I stick to plan and eat the right things, my tool works. If I see it as a solve-all, and eat whatever I *feel* like eating I will be right back where I started in no time at all.

I hope this doesn't come off as a Debbie Downer. I LOVE my sleeve, and having that surgery was the single best thing I've ever done for my health. I just had to make sure that I was at the point and in the head space where I was ready to do the hard work it required to succeed with it. Its success level is directly proportionate to how much work one is willing to put into it. :)