failed

I had the verticle sleeve 3/14/2011 so it has been just over 2 years.  I wish I never had it, I lost only 20 lbs!  I have lost over 50 with diet and exercise in the past, but decided to get the surgery because I just could not seem to lose even when I was faithful, and when I did lose it would take weeks to lose a few lbs.  This year I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and some other autoimmune disease.  I wonder if this has to do with me not losing, all I can say for the thousands I still owe, it was not worth 20lbs loss.  I am more heartbroken now because I had such hope of getting my life back!

I'm sorry to hear that you regret having surgery. Was there something that you would do differently if you could? Is there a different decision you would have made? I'm just curious as a person that is still probably two months way from having surgery. I'm wondering if there are any do/don'ts you learned along that way that you would be willing to share.

I've seen people on this board come to talk a lot about getting on track after being a couple of years out... don't be afraid to reach out for support!

It is not just about hunger, you should know that.  I do not get hungry anymore, no hunger pains because of the surgery, that part is great.  The problem is I was never one to be too hungry all the time, I was/am a psychological eater.  I had no problem after surgery eating what ever I wanted, I was told I could never eat rice again, I never had a problem with it. I could not eat a lot at once but I would graze.  Sugar did not bother me either, like that said it might.  I think if I had the by pass and I physically could not eat what I wanted  I would be small now, I was just really against bypass, I wanted to leave what God made, just make it smaller.  I really don't know what advice I can give because it did not work for me, and for others I have seen that they have had success.  I just feel like I have no hope of ever been small again, I know that is a bad attitude but two years out it looks pretty hopeless for me.

Based on these comments I am wondering if you misunderstood what they were telling you.  It is not that you will not ever be able to eat the sugar and rice it is that you should not!  It sounds like you were not educated on what you should be eating and how you should be eating.  With this surgery you have to make a committed decision to change your eating habits and if you were eating sugar and carbs (rice) you were not eating properly.  The surgery did not fail, your eating habits failed.  If you ate this way with the bypass, you would eventually put the weight back on also.

You said you lost 50lbs through regular diet & exercise. Did you eat rice and sugary things then? The VSG is a tool, not a miracle worker. You also have to use it as a tool. Carbs and sugars and junk food will only make you gain weight. The sleeve did not fail you, you failed the sleeve. Maybe try again, get your head on straight and in the right mind set. Maybe talk to someone, track your food. Stay low in carbs, exercise, up your water and protein. It will work if you work with it. Good luck and i am sorry to hear about your other medical issues. I hope things get better.

To me it seems you did not have the proper education about the sleeve nor the guidance by a dietician or doctor after the surgery.

Yes they say sleevers can eat anything they want, but they do not recommend that we do that. This is why we are provided with a eating plan after surgery that consists of calories, how much protein, fat and good carbs we are to consume daily and of course fluid intake. 

As for the psychological aspect of the surgery this is up to you to get assistance with, either by counseling, or support groups with people who are or have gone through the surgery.

Mostly all of us are emotional eaters but the Sleeve is a tool not a miracle cure and it is up to us to look for the help and assistance we need to change our mind set or yes YOU will fail not the sleeve. 

Maybe if you go back to the beginning and change your mindset start to follow plan get some help with psychological eating you can turn this around it is never to late.

Good luck we are here for you.

I am so sorry to hear that this has happened to you.  It does sound as if you had other medical issues that are going on as well.  Not knowing your situation, did you follow a strict high protein, low carb diet?  Did you use these boards to help you with support?  Did you exercise at all, walking counts.  Unfortunately, this surgery is just a tool and we all still have to do the work to get the weight off and to keep it off. 

Like I said I am sorry that this was your experience but I stand strongly behind this surgery as being great!

I am sorry to hear this.

Did you work with the doctor or dietician's and did they ever say why you only lost 20 lbs.

What was your starting weight and what was the eating plan like.

I had mine this year in Feb and I have autoimmune diseases and a heart condition in which I take medication to slow down my heart and so far I have lost 50lbs so far, so mine do not slow down the weight lose.

my surgeon gave me a diet plan to follow after surgery, it was clearly 3 meals a day, no snacks in between, 1/2 cup of food at a time, 1/4 cup of it being protein, then 1/8 cup of fruit/vegetable, and the other 1/8 cup being carb.

Grazing was not part of the process.  that's what got us here in the first place.  Also, no drinking a half hour before or a half hour after eating so the food stays with you and doesnt get flushed through.  You were given a tool, not a miracle.  You didnt use it. I'm sorry.  maybe it's not too late.  read the paperwork they sent you home with.  If you didnt bother to read it and just tossed it when you got home from surgery, then just google around and find a plan and work that sleeve.  It wont make the choices for you, it just helps you.

"You were given a tool, not a miracle. You didnt use it. I'm sorry"

This exactly! You needed to be ready to get your head hunger under control. Go back to square one. 70-90 grams of protein, fluids, under 40 carbs a day, track on MFP, and MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES! It sounds like whatever they told you NOT to eat, you did it just to prove them wrong. The tool didn't let you down. Sorry to say, but you let yourself down. Now pick yourself up and do the right thing!