18 months post op

Kim M · Dec 5, 2013

Well I went for my my checkup today which is now every 6 months. My surgeon told me I was the poster person for VSG surgery. Don't know what he meant. I have lost all of my weight and am now figuring out maintenance. I had to ask to be weighed as he said your labs are great and you look good. I was 135 at the end of the day with clothes. Which is the weight I have decided I want to stay at. My stats HW 310 SW 266 CW 135. So I asked him about the sleeve and if it can stretch out as I feel like I can eat more. He said ABSOLUTELY. If you overeat enough, it will stretch out. He said the surgery is your jumpstart what you do with it from here is up to you. He compared it to putting your kid through college, but how they choose to use the education is up to them. I still have restriction, but not like before. I eat too much on occasion and then I can feel the restriction. So I still weigh my food, stop when I am full and stay away from carbs and sweets. This is what works for me. I know others have been successful doing it other ways. I need to exercise more as he explained my metabolism has slowed down as there is less of me that it needs to burn. I was not a grazer before surgery, but know I think it might be better to eat more meals or snacks rather than 3 meals a day. Don't want to lose the restriction. Just thought I would share my update.

Cheyenne · Dec 5, 2013

Kim M said:
Well I went for my my checkup today which is now every 6 months. My surgeon told me I was the poster person for VSG surgery. Don't know what he meant. I have lost all of my weight and am now figuring out maintenance. I had to ask to be weighed as he said your labs are great and you look good. I was 135 at the end of the day with clothes. Which is the weight I have decided I want to stay at. My stats HW 310 SW 266 CW 135. So I asked him about the sleeve and if it can stretch out as I feel like I can eat more. He said ABSOLUTELY. If you overeat enough, it will stretch out. He said the surgery is your jumpstart what you do with it from here is up to you. He compared it to putting your kid through college, but how they choose to use the education is up to them. I still have restriction, but not like before. I eat too much on occasion and then I can feel the restriction. So I still weigh my food, stop when I am full and stay away from carbs and sweets. This is what works for me. I know others have been successful doing it other ways. I need to exercise more as he explained my metabolism has slowed down as there is less of me that it needs to burn. I was not a grazer before surgery, but know I think it might be better to eat more meals or snacks rather than 3 meals a day. Don't want to lose the restriction. Just thought I would share my update.

Sounds like you have done super!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

lsales4363 · Dec 5, 2013

I am really happy to hear you had such great results with the sleeve. I am having the sleeve surgery on Monday. I know they say that the RNY statistically has better results. Thanks for giving me hope and encouragement that I can see my results with the sleeve. Congratulations.

Karenina · Dec 6, 2013

Thanks for the update. You're doing so well!

fkrebs · Dec 9, 2013

Kim, you've been one of my inspirations. I'm very glad that you are doing so well and I know you'll figure out the maintenance part out as well. Keep up the great work.

Frank

favcolor · Feb 18, 2014

Hi Kim. I just found this site and oh my gosh we re so very similar..awesome! My surgery was May 2012 at 256lbs. Now 135 but I'm bouncing between 142 and 135..so disappointed. I had the gastric bypass and really not much trouble. I think I have become to relaxed...and given in to some old stress/boredom eating habits. I thank God I'm aware so I can deal with it. I really believe a support system is essential. Anyone who reads this plz let me learn more from you. By the way I
'M 66 years old and very young in spirit. Elaine

dancinbr · Feb 19, 2014

favcolor said:
Hi Kim. I just found this site and oh my gosh we re so very similar..awesome! My surgery was May 2012 at 256lbs. Now 135 but I'm bouncing between 142 and 135..so disappointed. I had the gastric bypass and really not much trouble. I think I have become to relaxed...and given in to some old stress/boredom eating habits. I thank God I'm aware so I can deal with it. I really believe a support system is essential. Anyone who reads this plz let me learn more from you. By the way I
'M 66 years old and very young in spirit. Elaine

Hi Kim and Hi Favcolor,

You both are to be congratulated.

As far as support you must join us and stay with us and post often. This is terrific food for the mind and spirit. Surround yourself with success; it rubs off.

Also, you must have local support groups too. I attend my local group once a month. However, you can probably attend once a week. If you are struggling do so now. Get back to your psych and nutritionist and get reinvigorated with the combination of their expertise and your local support group.

Come to us often. Post often.

I am sorry I missed your initial post. I scan all the new posts usually each day so I can say hello and cheer people on.

You are a leader of the pack. I know a few in my local support group that are 5+ years post op and they have had lapses as you are indicating. But they came back to the support group and got things back on track and we all cheered them on. This is about life. This is about joy. This is about happiness. You made it. Now, let keep going forward with success.

Ralph

Kim M · Feb 19, 2014

Hi Elaine, Congratulations on your success. Why are you disappointed? Maintaining an exact weight can be hard. I give myself a 3 pound fluctuation and anything over that is a gain. The head hunger will always be my issue. What I have learned about myself is I do best when I stick with the same routine of eating. This is very clean for me. Any refined carbs trigger me. Some do moderation really well I am just not one of these people. I want to be, but when I have tried the cravings come. My goal from the beginning is to regain my health and find peace with food. Well my health is good, finding peace with food is not a constant. I have it some days and other days not so much. I set intentions for the day and always pre plan what I will eat for the day. I just need this kind of structure. If you are not happy with some old habits creeping back in, press the restart button and do what works. I know what works and so do you. Together we can do this. Keep coming back to post. I love your spirit. Feel free to pm me anytime.

polo4058 · Apr 25, 2014

Elaine,
I am 74 years young and happily married. the rny surgery which I had 11/12/2012 has been a huge success. I am down to 155 and staying
about that. we eat out most of the time. I MUST share my meals with my wife because I simply can not finish what I am served. I don't
care if it is breakfast or any meal.
my a1c is at 6.3 I have gone from 3 oral meds for diabetes to none. I have completely eliminated my blood pressure med also. I feel great
and I have so much more energy.
it is as though I have some kind of gauge that makes me stop eating. I shouldn't say this, but I eat anything I want and I eat all day.

I don't eat breads,salads soups as appetizers because then I can not finish my half portion of the main meal.
I golf 4 or 5 times a week. I have no aches or pains. that surgery was absolutely the right thing for me. I had one doc tell me
that I was too old for him for the surgery. I looked for one who would operate and I followed hi instructions to the letter.
after two weeks out from surgery I asked him if I could golf. he told me to wait one more week.
I could go on and on but wont.

dancinbr · Apr 25, 2014

polo4058 said:
Elaine,
I am 74 years young and happily married. the rny surgery which I had 11/12/2012 has been a huge success. I am down to 155 and staying
about that. we eat out most of the time. I MUST share my meals with my wife because I simply can not finish what I am served. I don't
care if it is breakfast or any meal.
my a1c is at 6.3 I have gone from 3 oral meds for diabetes to none. I have completely eliminated my blood pressure med also. I feel great
and I have so much more energy.
it is as though I have some kind of gauge that makes me stop eating. I shouldn't say this, but I eat anything I want and I eat all day.

I don't eat breads,salads soups as appetizers because then I can not finish my half portion of the main meal.
I golf 4 or 5 times a week. I have no aches or pains. that surgery was absolutely the right thing for me. I had one doc tell me
that I was too old for him for the surgery. I looked for one who would operate and I followed hi instructions to the letter.
after two weeks out from surgery I asked him if I could golf. he told me to wait one more week.
I could go on and on but wont.

Fantastic Polo4058

And fantastic to you Kim.

I had my surgery just before I turned 70.

Here are my achievements to date:

Medical/Physical Maladies that have been resolved to date

• Diabetes resolved – off all meds, avg reading 110
• BP normal again – I am still taking bystolic 5mg. Resting pulse is around 60 and BP near or below 120/80. Without the bystolic my resting pulse is still in the 60s. However, my BP goes up to the high 130s/high 80s.
• Sleep Apnea resolved – I am not snoring nor do I believe I am stopping breathing. I will confirm this later this year. The air pressure from the CPAP machine was making me very uncomfortable; lots of burping
• Legs no longer swollen
• Waist size has shrunk – Wearing size 44 pants comfortably and just made it into 42 pants.
• Feet are smaller – I was able to put a pair of dress shoes on that I haven’t been able to wear.
• I stay under 1200 calories a day. Most days around 1000 calories.
• I have a lot more energy
• I can dance, dance and dance
• I can walk up neighborhood hills aggressively without having to stop; no longer breathless.
• My incontinence due to my prostatectomy has been resolved.
• I am able to sleep in my bed again. I had been sleeping In an upright chair to be comfortable.
• Dramatically reduced backaches; almost completely gone.
• I can bend over and tie my shoes now!
• I can see my toes again 
• I can do dance steps again that I couldn’t do. The belly is gone!
• Now wearing size 42 slacks comfortably and looking forward to size 40 slacks. Just got into 40s but they are snug.
• Starting to sleep on my side again! This has happened in years!
• Intimacy much improved !!! 
• Fit in to a small diner booth !
• I can run up and down stairs several times without becoming breathless
o Also, I am now officially overweight; no longer obese.