For those who have said it or thought it.... Gastric Sleeve Surgery is not by any means the EASY WAY OUT!!!!
I really am getting tired of people saying it directly or indirectly by saying something... 'im doing it the hard way'.... let me explain a little....
In the first few months, you cant eat much, you have to learn to eat all over again and it takes a while for your body to be able to tolerate certain foods agian, so yes, initialy the weight drops off, but please bare in mind, you have just undergone major surgery, your hormones are all over the place, you are in discomfort and pain and your body is not happy at the adjustment. So whilst losing the first few stone is easy the rest of the stuff that has come along with surgery is not. From there you begin to stall, you have to work hard to continue losing weight. the sleeve may have made your stomach smaller but thats is all it has done. You now have to make the right food choices and burn off the excess calories. You may not be able to eat much at once but you can eat all day and you can eat high caloried foods. If I want a burger it may take me over an hour but I can eat it!!! If I want icecream... no problem... it goes right through, I can eat as much icecream as you like! I have spoken to many people who have had this surgery and have stopped losing after losing the initial few stone, because they did not change the food they ate, just thought they could eat less and lose weight. We have to work with the sleeve... it does not work by itself. Blowing my own trumpet here... but I have done well, I have passed goal weight, passed the weight the doctors expected. But this has by no means been easy!!!!!! I am a nice size 10 - 12 (uk) and I am happy with my size. I have to work hard to stay here. Only a couple of weeks ago I put on 6llb in one week!!! The difference is I noted this and spent the next couple of weeks working hard like anyone on any kind of diet would to lose this. I am on a lifetime lifestyle change, My head was not operated on... I will like most people make wrong choices and put weight on but I will never let myself go back to the way I was before, its just as hard as anyone without the surgery. RANT OVER!!!!
I understand my mom has also gone through it and she is good now so there are many advantages and disadvantages of gastric sleeve surgery.
ReplyDeleteThis blog is fantastic; what you show us is very interesting and is really good written. It’s just great!!
ReplyDeletethank you very much. :-)
DeleteHi, I had a gastric sleeve just over 2 years ago. I lost over 16 stone, and have put in over a stone in weight. It is very, very hard to keep the weight off....
ReplyDeleteI am so proud of you for reaching your goal...I still have 3 stone to go but now know I can't get there!!! Anyway I'm proud of my success but just don't wanna put anymore on...good luck with your journey!! x
16 stone... WOW.. thats amazing, you must be so pleased. I have regained twice now. It is so hard to keep on track once you have got passed a certain stage. My first regain was around 13 llbs. I looked at the photos of my lowest and decided I would be happy to get half way back rather than all the way back and lost 7 llbs. I was happy there, but then my scales broke and after months of weighing the same everyday my clothes eventually told me there may be something wrong. Got new scales and had regained 10 llbs! so 16 llbs heavier than the lightest I had been. I have now lost 9 of those llbs, but its hard. Have to stay below 1200 net calories low carbs regular exercise and have to record everything in MFP. Its so much harder to stick to 1200 cals this far out as I can eat so much more than that and slider foods can be so dangerous. I do realise now that I have gained and lost twice that if I could have just stopped and looked at myself and had a little will power in the first place I would never have got myself into this mess!
DeleteGood Luck with that last 3 stone, look how far you have come, you can make it.
Jacky, I can't tell you how much of an inspiration you have been to me, I have read your whole blog with tears in my eyes. Thank you for telling it how it is. I have to lose three stone before I can go on my two week liquid diet pre op. Mine is being done by the NHS. I am only a few days into the diet and, even though I have lost four stone already before I was referred for surgery, I am afraid and fed up at the thought of 'dieting' forever. I have to get the idea out of my head because I'm not dieting, I'm eating healthily for life. I also MUST stop thinking that once the op is done the sleeve will do the work for me. I knew that wasn't true and you have reiterated it for me. I am about 22 stone now, I'm 45 and married and I live in Warwickshire. I'm in a wheelchair due to a muscle wasting disease but I so want to stand again, walk is more than I dare dream of. I'm going to book mark your blog and when it all seems too much, I'll look at your face on your wedding day. Thanks again, you have helped me so much.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Alison. This is the exact reason I have written this blog. I was reading other peoples stories that helped me with any desisions I have made.
DeleteFor further help with Healthy Eating for life rather than dieting you can find some great help and support on facebook in this group...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MariesDietBuddies/?fref=ts
and for all your surgery support join us at...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/133793263374621/
You will find a truly wonderful inspiration a lady called Marie Eaton in these groups, she was in a wheelchair and can now walk. If you need to talk whilst on your journey, you will find me in both groups. You will also find Marie and the rest of the admin teams in both very helpful and supportive.
Success is more than achievable with the help of the sleeve as long as you can change that mind set. You can do it x
Thanks so much Jacky, I'll look those groups up and it would definitely be interesting to talk to Marie. It's very unlikely I'll walk because my condition is unrelated and the steroids etc I take helped me to get out of control, and I mean helped, it didn't exactly fight the hunger :( but just to stand to transfer from bed to chair and chair to car. It's my dearest wish to drive again. Again thank you, I read some of your blog to my husband (who's a fitness fanatic - go figure) and he said it was obvious you would be a winner from day one. I'm going to do it too! X
DeleteAwwwr, please say thank you to your husband for me. I am sure he is going to be a great support in your journey. I look forward to meeting you in the groups and sharing your journey with you. x
DeleteGreat post! I really wish that I hadn't held that attitude about it being the 'easy way' for as long as I did, because maybe I'd have made these changes years ago. You are dead on, it is not the easy way. Anyway, I can so easily get on my soapbox about all that, so instead I'll just stop here and thank you for your rant!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jacky for sharing your own experience and tips with us. I am read your post carefully. Now my all doubts are clear about weight loss surgery through your blog. This is helpful and gives a positive thought for Weight Loss Surgery Miami. Thanks again for nice post.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! I totally agree with you on this. I was sleeved recently in Perth, Australia (18 July 2014), and I know I can eat custard and icecream all day long if I wanted to. Thankfully, I am sticking to the healthy eating and lots of exercise. I am a total of 14.5kg down now and have just under 40 to go. I have followed in your and so many other inspirational footsteps by setting up a blog for me to report to. I figure it will keep me on track, so you can check it out if you are ever bored. www.twentysixbites.blogspot.com.au
ReplyDeleteLove your blog and gives me hope that my sleeve will be a success. Surgery scheduled for May 1st.
ReplyDelete