Hi -

this is my first post

I was a college athlete that needed to eat four large meals a day to avoid losing weight. That was 30 years ago / 100 pounds ago. My weight is border line on the bmi guidelines for doing the sleeve. I'm thinking of / discussing with my primary Dr getting the sleeve to fix sleep apnea, high blood pressure, etc. I'd also like to get more active. I'm certain dropping 100 pounds will give me a few more years on the planet.

My concern with doing this operation is that they chop out 2/3s of your stomach. Does anyone end up too thin? Does anyone have trouble drinking enough water to be active on a hot day?

Thanks!

Hi Kevin, I got the sleeve at a BMI of 31 and haven't had any issues getting too slim or not getting enough water down. I'm extremely active, I work out 5+ times/week with a min of 1 hr high intensity cardio followed by weight training. I can down 6 oz of water in one glug. I can eat pretty normally (none of my friends or family know I've gotten sleeved. I prefer to take doggie bags or to just leave some food on the plate. I probably could eat the whole thing when I get a chicken salad but prefer not to because it feels uncomfortably full. It's brilliant portion control but it's definitely not too restrictive for liquids. Tea, for me is much easier to drink than cold water. Cold water just makes me burp a lot. Tea lids right down. I hope this helps answer some of your questions.

I got sleaved to help 1. Permanently get my weight to a normal range, 2. To alleviate the weight off my knees -I'm very arthritic at my young age, and 3. To try to help my fertility; they say your hormones function better when you're slim because they're fat soluable. We've been having issues getting preggers so I'd say all of you related health issues are just as relevant as the original over-weight issue.

Hi Kevin, I was sleeved five months ago. Every person's path is different from what I can gather. I certainly can't eat as much as slim_again and find it difficult socially because I can only eat a very small amount in one sitting. I play golf in Australia and struggle with fluids if I am sweating a lot. For me I need to be taking small amounts constantly. Liquids other than water are much easier to swallow (small amount of anything in it apparently changes the surface tension and makes it easier). So I still play in the heat but I have to be very diligent with my fluids, including making sure I am hydrated the night before. Hope this helps and good luck

slim_again –

Thanks for your comments. “none of my friends or family know” – I was thinking of telling my wife I’m on a business trip when I’m getting the surgery! I don't want anyone to know either. Sounds like you're extremely active. That’s great! I can't wait to enter a (sprint) triathlon weighing 100+ pounds less than last summer. My latest weight gain followed not being able to train due to knee issues. I’m sure slicing off 100+ pounds will help. You're also right on the health issues. I've had medical people suggesting I weigh less for 20 years. You would think one of these people would have suggested the sleeve to me. Don’t know / don’t care what side of the fence you're on politically (I'm apolitical), but when Chris Christie shared with everyone that he got a lap band, I started looking into this. My primary doctor didn't object (I’m at the low BMI end of things; but I have multiple weight related medical issues), mentioned the sleeve which I never heard of, and referred me to a surgeon. Good luck with the family planning!


saphy –

You're right that everyone gets different results. Thanks for the tip on adding something to the water. Even though you need to be cautious in the Aussie sun, I’m hoping you now enjoy, or will soon enjoy your golf more than you did pre-sleeve. Good luck to you too.

Kevin, ironically, I shared a surgery room with a woman who was having the lap band removed at the same time as getting sleeved. There was so much scar tissue throughout her abdomen that her liver was attached to her stomach. Dr Q is quite conservative and while he removed a good portion of the scar tissue around her stomach, advised her to come back in 6 months hopefully to have a decrease in scar tissue around her stomach. We watched the surgery videos of both of our surgeries with him the next day. Her abdomen was full of white weird tissue.

I know there are different results for everyone with gastric surgeries but after reading about all of the issues, failures and risks associated with the sleeve compared to lap band, it was an easy decision for me. As well, I feel lucky in finding the doctor that I did, my doc has trained others in performing this surgery and was chief of surgery in a hospital for 3 years prior to becoming a specialized sleeve surgeon. He also limits the amount of ppl he does (I felt he is less geared toward profit and more towards safety) than others. I wish you the best of success in whichever direction you choose, just don't listen to others who might nay say about low(er) BMIers getting resolution with weight issues. Your health is worth the effort!

slim_again – once I got past the "permanence" issue, I was on board for the sleeve. I can't handle any foreign objects, inside or out (watches, ring, ...); so, I think the sleeve is better for me. Also, my big old stomach hasn't done me any favors
Hope you're doing well!