Sleeve advice pls

[melarnz]

Hi

I'm sure most of you have been where I am now. BMI of about 53, 2 young children (5 and 8) and want to lose the massive amount of weight I have put on. I have tried everything, from shakes, hypnotherapy to counselling.


I feel this is my last chance at health and happiness. However, I wanted to ask some questions and get honest answers. I did ask the lady from the surgeons office, but I'm unsure if she is wholly telling the truth. After telling me I could easily die in 5 years time, she said the sleeve is not a tool to weight loss, it is a cure to being overweight. Is this true?


She said the band is a tool, but it's impossible to regain all the weight with a sleeve.


So I guess my questions are this


How do u cope with the 'head hunger' after surgery?
Can you put the weight again?
Do people generally lose all there weight without much effort/choice after surgery.


Pls don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for an easy solution, but I can't afford the surgery, so
I will literally have to sell everything I own, scrimp, save and take a loan. I just want to make sure it's not another really expensive weight loss 'thing' that I've tried and failed at.


I would really appreciate your honest views and stories.


Thanks


Mel xxx

 

[melarnz]

Any advice would be grately appreciated!

 

[Jackiesnewstart]

The woman is selling you an operation if you went to see your NHS you may find that you qualify for surgery all of the operations are a tool and you can cheat if you want to but you would only be fooling yourself I was going to have a sleeve but on the day of the operation changed to a bypass I have never been happier. I have lost 5 1/2 stone and its the best thing I ever did the NHS look into why you are the size you are do you have an eating disorder, binge eating etc and if you do will look to treat it we all have a reason as to why we became overweight if your head is in the right place your body follows it. I do have to admit you do not feel the same hunger with the bypass and you do have to remember to eat, it is strange. Please do more research if you do have an NHS go talk to them or other people on this site you are in a very vulnerable place right now do not let anyone make a fast buck out of you you deserve more.

 

[bichonbabies]

Hi and welcome, I know very little about a sleeve. I had a band and yes it's a tool. You can cheat the band. Chocolate slides down, you can over eat anything with a lot of sauce. I love carbs and have a savoury tooth so the band was my best option. I can't eat pasta, chips bread rice and pastry all my faves and I have lost 4 stone since 31st august. It's ntot been easy it's a step learning curve but really teaches you a way of eating the right things and quantities. I ate huge, embarrassingly huge portions prior to my band. Head hunger is hard to deal with and adjust to. I have sat and thought I can't possibly have eaten enough food I'll have a dairy milk that will be fine. It does still take will power. It stops the hunger and limits the amount you can eat. It's much less evasive and also cheaper. See loads of providers, read all the diaries on here. Also do loads of research. I know a lady who had a bypass lost all her weight and then stretched her pouch too much and has put lots of weight back on. Sometimes I think a sleeve would have been a better option as you don't need fills. The thing I can say is it's the best thing I have ever done. I wish I had done it years ago. It was money well spent and if I had to I would do it all over again tomorrow. I have done diets and put no effort in whatsoever and just lied to myself. I haven't done that with my band. I swim and I hate water I don't even like the bath. Walk and have a run and I have n technique and look a right nob! My neighbour laughs and I don't care. I try and it's the first time ever
Good luck and sorry to jump on your thread just wanted to offer a bit of support x

 

[los in it]

hi all
I was planning on having a band but it may look like im going to be a sleever!
so like you I don't know a great deal about it all my research has been on the band
ive been told that the sleeve gives longer lasting better results and its taking over from the band (at least in my health authority)
ive off to overdose on you tube clips and blogs as well as reading entries on here
good luck with your research

 

[pooh71]

Hi Mel I had a sleeve nearly a year ago and the first six months we're great. The weight drops off easily. After that you have to work at it. You can eat more than the early post op days, and you have to still make the right food choices. Any food can still go in your mouth, so it's making sure you put the healthier options in! It is a great weightloss tool but it's not a miracle cure as I'm sure you'll appreciate. I love my sleeve and have no regrets. I still have a long way to go and have had challenges, but it does keep you on track! Good luck x

 

[Salliebeth]

Hi Mel, just thought I'd offer my view and experiences - although there are lots of more knowledgable people on here than me!!!
I had a sleeve 1 month ago, and it is the best thing I have done!! Although I have not been quick at loosing weight according to the scales, I bought a coat today in size 24, and I was size 28 pre-op and it fits!!!! So even though my cheap rubbishy scales aren't showing much, something must be happening somewhere!!!
I must say I was really lucky post op, and didn't have any pain (I did keep on top of taking my painkillers) as I thought I had a really low pain threshold!!! And my recovery so far has been far better than I expected it to be.
Head hunger is a funny thing!!! I was desperate to chew a chunk of meat fairly soon post op - my mouth was feeling gunky from soups and milkshakes, and I was really missing the chewing action. I am now on soft food, but chew everything really well - even though it is all soft, and I can honestly say since I woke up from the op my tummy has never felt hungry (apparently in the bit of the stomach they remove is the area that produces hormones to say you are hungry). I now listen and feel if my tummy needs something in it, rather than eating out of what I can only describe as habit!!! So now when I give the kids a biscuit after school, I don't have one, as my tummy feels full. It does take a bit of getting used too!!!!
I would advise you to go and see your GP, and see if you can go down the NHS route rather than selling, scrimping and saving everything you have!!! I don't think we could of afforded for me to have it done privately, so I am deeply grateful to the NHS for giving me the chance of a 'normal', healthy and long life with my hubby, 2 kids (8 & 5yrs) and the rest of my wonderful family. I am feeling truly blessed!!!
Hope this hasn't been too much of a ramble - feel free to ask any questions, people on here are fantastic and really supportive!
Good luck, love sal xxx

 

[Jackiesnewstart]

I was trying to say NHS gp if you have one but the GP bit kept disappearing bl oody spell checker !!!!!!

 

[Madcatwoman]

Hi Mel, I'm a sleever 9 months post op. I agree with Pooh, it was great for the first 6 months, but since then, the weight loss has slowed down, but it is still coming off slowly. I can eat more now, and I rarely dump, but do feel sick if I eat too much sweet food. It is a tool, but a good one, and I don't think I will ever be able to eat huge portions , but if you are not careful you can eat every hour! Providing you stick to 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, keep protein high and carbs low, it will be a success. I notice that your bmi is 53, mine was the same when I was referred. Surely you would be eligible for an operation on the nhs?
By the way I started at 288 lbs and am now 198lbs. BMI from 53 to 35. Not as fast as some but I am happy. Good luck with whatever you decide to do xx

 

[Smallerme]

If that's how it's being sold then they're being completely dishonest. Regain is possible with any weight loss surgery. There's also no long term data on the sleeve so they don't have the results to look at like other surgeries. None are anything other than a tool.

Have you checked to see if there's a local WLS support group in your area and talk to people who've had all types of surgery? Even the most drastic types you can regain easily as you can simply eat round them by eating wrong types of food very frequently.

That said I've come from a similar starting point to you and feel the sleeve was absolutely the right choice for me. I'm nearly 4mths out and still have good restriction. You have to commit to choosing different foods. Plus points for me is even when head hunger gets the better of me it's difficult to over eat. Last night I was peckish all night but in total I had a jar of cockles and 1/2 pack of blueberries.

I do eat some treat foods but the difference is I can eat a single, normal sized packet of crisps, I can't eat a multipack. The tool of less hunger and lower capacity is giving me what I need in the way of time to adjust my head.

Get some independent advice from someone who isn't selling you a product.

 

[melarnz]

Thanks so much for your help. U guys have given me lots to think about xxx