AnneElliot

@savyourdvine1 here's the thing, yea its a damn money making machine. They took 80% of your stomach and were paid to do so. You can hate it! You can regret the he'll out of it. But you need to live with the fact that you made the decision to enter that operating room. You walked in. So you and only you will live with the consequences!
So be mad, trust in God but own up to your decisions and live thru this shit!

Congrats Jacquelene!! I am so happy for you, sounds like everything is going great so far.

Anne. my anxiety was is large part due to my agoraphobia from horrible events that have happen to me in my past that I have since worked though and I am now in a better place then I was back in 09. When I got the lapband done tho we went through a place that treated us as cattle, that is how it felt, hurry up in and hurry up out. Not to mention every time I went to get a fill it was with a new Dr. because the old Dr. had left.
Dr. Suh my doctor now is pretty great and I know I will have him through out this whole process, so I will not have that same anxiety issues that I did then. However I am still curious what anxiety you are having post op?

Please reconsider this decision, if you have significant anxiety! Take the lapband out but give yourself time. I have severe anxiety post op from the sleeve. This decision is not reversible.

I researched for almost 2 years as well. I listen to countless people giving advise and enjoying their new found life. To be honest my choice to do this was never about feeling or looking beautiful. It was about saving my life. I feel like I traded in one situation for another one because I couldn't see clearly the course. However, as I said in my previous post..... All the glory overshadow the people that are hurting, dying, in and out of the hospital, one surgery after another and even divorcing. Now, that I'm on this side I can clearly see I made a drastic mistake. My question is at this point..... why the opposition? At the end of the day.... people are going to do what they choose to do. I choose to reveal the ugly not just the glamorous.

I'm sure there are those that love their decision to do the sleeve. However, their are those that don't agree with your views on things. My thing is... if I had known about the good the bad and the sooo ugly... I would have never done it! So you see my response isn't to those who are excited with all the glory like yourself, but those who need to know... all that glitters isn't gold. In fact the glitter is soooo loud it drowns out those that are suffering and dying. I'm blessed not to be amongst those that are suffering, however, a voice still need to be heard, so people will know what they're walking into. I choose to be that voice!

Honestly it is not worth risking a natural remedy. In the big scheme of things you only take a PPI for a very short time. I took some maybe every other day for like 3 to 4 months. I'm 19 months out and I haven't taken any in over a year.
GERD when you let it get out of control is painful and mimics hunger. Most of the people post-op that are claiming to be starving are suffering from GERD and by not taking a PPI they are just self sabotaging.
If you are really concerned about taking a PPI, then have RNY or no surgery at all. Having your body chopped up isn't exactly a natural solution to obesity.

I think it's fantastic your in therapy. Emotional eatingis one of the factors that lead to regain postop.
I have not found a substitue and its unnerving. I wish ai resolved my issues with food preop, this surgery would be unnecessary

I think it's fantastic your in therapy. Emotional eatingis one of the factors that lead to regain postop.
I have not found a substitue and its unnerving. I wish ai resolved my issues with food preop, this surgery would be unnecessary

@HurricaneU You can research to the ends of time. But reality is a whole other ball game. Did I know I could get acid reflux post op. Oh yea! Experiencing the pain on the hand is totally different thing. Not knowing what more I can do to stop it is maddening.
When you research it. It's still not real. It's only real when you're in it and there's no going back.

I am two months post op.
I was thinking about why ppl suffer early on and then say it's the best thing ever. I think its because the human mind simply accepts it's new reality. There's also the shame associated with admitting that you made a irreversible mistake!
I was desperate to lose weight we all are. But we should not let BMI or a number on a scale lead us to these measures.
Think of other reversible procedures or simply implement what you would had to do post op anyway, eat healthy and excersise.

Yes! On this site I am the minority. But I deeply regret my decision to do this surgery.
Eating is a FULL TIME job. You eat so slowly and have to time when you drink! Its so unnatural. You still have to eat healthy and excersise!
You have to drink a lot of Water, getting dehydrated is so easy. We simply have no stomach to hold Water.
Acid reflux is a constant reality. This is painful and there's a high probability most ppl will have an issue with it. If not immediately but possibly at 3 or 6 yrs post op. I didn't do this surgery to be on medication for life!
This the only irreversible surgery. Even the gastric bypass can be reversed if your life is at risk.
I would say try another hundred diets before tearing away a vital organ. We don't know how our aging process will be impacted...what if we need a heavy use of NSAIDs or face stomach cancer?? That's just me and something I wish I did. It's all too late. I can see how irational to think I will be healthy by taking away 80% of my vital organ.
Furthermore! Isn't it so scary that regain happens to most ppl! I lost most of my stomach and I can still regain? That can only mean that our stomachs are not the problem! Think about other reversible procedures where you have restriction and can still learn the same healthy food habits we should learn anyway.

All the best

@hopekate I pray that you take this very seriously. I have spoken to several ppl that never had GERD pre op and had it so badly post op post op that they needed a revision. With revision your at a much much higher risk for complications.
Some ppl, their GERD improve immediately postop but in 3 or 6 years it comes back with vegenence!
Think of reversible procedures like the Gastric Ballon and Lapband. You will lose the weight and be in a position to have the Nissan procedure.
A small hatial hernia does not cause the significant issues your facing.
The nurses and surgeon won't live in your body! There's a lot a lot of research that says the sleeve is creates a high pressure system that leads to acid reflux.
I worry that you're getting bad advice. I can't believe your surgeon is suggesting a procedure that could be revised!
Sorry for the rant. I was tested for acid reflux pre op. My surgeon refuses to do this procedure with anyone with acid reflux!

I researched the balloon a little today. I kinda like the idea of it but it is such a new concept that insurance doesn't cover it yet. I do think they offer some financing options like care credit and the like. The balloon is inserted and inflated during an endoscope and later removed the same way. The balloon takes up about 1/3 of the stomach but there is a dual one available as well. There is a liquid diet a few days before and after. The procedure only last about 20 minutes under local anesthesia. The first few days after procedure sound very rough such as gas, bloating and many people vomit for a couple of days but then it seems to get a lot better. It is suggested to take a week or two off work. It is removed 6 months later. During that 6 months while you are losing weight you are going to classes learning about nutrition and exercise.

Going to give it some thought and pray about all of it.


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Thank you for your honesty! You've given me a lot to think about. All I hear is sunshine and rainbows but before I do this I need to explore the bad parts too.


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Anne, you sound miserable, but you didn't say what went wrong.
Although you can't have your original stomach back, it can sometimes be possible to convert to a bypass (if that would help your problem, good for GERD many times).
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There is plenty to be said that is bad about carbonated beverages, but I wanted to address this one in particular. Depending on the surgery, the stretchy part of of the stomach (the fundus) is removed (sleeve) or bypassed (bypass). Therefore it is not possible to stretch the stomach again.
However! Once the scar tissue has fully healed, the stomach that remains does regain some pliability. I would liken it to a garden hose in the winter versus the same hose in the summer. On a properly performed surgery, when people say that their stomach has stretched, most likely what has happened is that the pylorus (for sleeves) or the created opening to the intestine (bypass) has been weakened and/or stretched and food can move from the stomach or pouch into the intestine quicker allowing for more food to be consumed.
To make the myth worse is the fact that doctors/surgeons will put the above into "laymans terms" for their patients. Thus perpetuating the belief that you can stretch your sleeve by eating poorly or too much or drinking carbonated beverages.

I am two months post op.
I was thinking about why ppl suffer early on and then say it's the best thing ever. I think its because the human mind simply accepts it's new reality. There's also the shame associated with admitting that you made a irreversible mistake!
I was desperate to lose weight we all are. But we should not let BMI or a number on a scale lead us to these measures.
Think of other reversible procedures or simply implement what you would had to do post op anyway, eat healthy and excersise.

Yes! On this site I am the minority. But I deeply regret my decision to do this surgery.
Eating is a FULL TIME job. You eat so slowly and have to time when you drink! Its so unnatural. You still have to eat healthy and excersise!
You have to drink a lot of Water, getting dehydrated is so easy. We simply have no stomach to hold Water.
Acid reflux is a constant reality. This is painful and there's a high probability most ppl will have an issue with it. If not immediately but possibly at 3 or 6 yrs post op. I didn't do this surgery to be on medication for life!
This the only irreversible surgery. Even the gastric bypass can be reversed if your life is at risk.
I would say try another hundred diets before tearing away a vital organ. We don't know how our aging process will be impacted...what if we need a heavy use of NSAIDs or face stomach cancer?? That's just me and something I wish I did. It's all too late. I can see how irational to think I will be healthy by taking away 80% of my vital organ.
Furthermore! Isn't it so scary that regain happens to most ppl! I lost most of my stomach and I can still regain? That can only mean that our stomachs are not the problem! Think about other reversible procedures where you have restriction and can still learn the same healthy food habits we should learn anyway.

All the best

Honestly...I will be 4 weeks on Tues. and I wish I tried other ways first. I wish I did not do this...I am not in control..my sleeve is..and though I am 70 lbs down since I started in this journey 6 mos. Ago...so far it has NOT been worth the anguish. I think Dr.'s are waaay to eager to perform this surgery..telling us its our only hope. Don't fall for it until you have REALLY tried living this way.

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@Newme17 Bear in mind, this is not your run of the mill acid reflux. I am in treatment from my doctor. It's barely controlled with two 40 mg PPIs a day.
Taking PPIs long term is not good.
There are ppl on this forum that had to revise to Gastric Bypass due to very severe acid reflux that is as a result of the sleeve...it's a high pressure system.
This is a reality.
Hearing both ends is important.
All the best.

@anneelliot I really respect your honesty and I'm sorry you are having acid reflux ! I know that sucks s I have had it in the past. With almost three weeks till surgery I am tempted to try it in my own once again but then I reflect on the last ten years of a really valiant effort and find my BMI is up from 36 to 40? And there's so much I want to accomplish.

It is hard to know from reading individual experiences what your experience will be. I can't relate to AnneElliot because I do not have the side effects she is dealing with. I have no acid reflux, I am easily able to get in my fluids and I don't spend hours and days eating, planing and tracking food because I created meal ideas and options before my surgery and now I just pick one of my pre-planned weeks and make it work. HurricaneU asked what I struggle with most at 6 weeks post op and for me it is not drinking when or within 30 min of eating. Sometimes it feels like food gets stuck and I need a sip of Fluid to wash it down and so I drink but then I get full and can't finish my food. Now here is another opinion as to why I picked sleeve surgery instead of others
1. I know 4 people who have had bypass and the dumping syndrome and complications from that have been awful. One person I know died due to complications, now that was 10 years ago and I hope we know more now but it is still scary stuff
2. I also know 2 people who had lap band and again infections and complications made that journey difficult. I have lymphedema and infection was a major risk factor on any choice I made, even the sleeve.

One major factor for me was feeling hungry, the sleeve helps with that I believe more than the other surgeries. I did not want a surgery that so dramatically altered my ability to absorb nutrients like bypass. My surgeon won't do any surgery except bypass or sleeve anymore due to complications and I trusted him. The reality is that this surgery is life altering and not something for anyone to take lightly. It can have complications that effect your life. You have to be ready to have a completely different relationship with food. I lost 80 pounds on my own pre-op and another 20 pounds since and I feel more in control since surgery. I don't crave the types or quantity of food I had before. At my two week post op my surgeon said i didn't have to go back on blood pressure meds, that is just one example of a major win and being worth it to me but each person has to decide why you are doing it and if it is worth the journey. Good luck


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It's not as daunting not as it sounds. You will have a new normal, but it will take some time to figure out what that is. For me, the first six weeks were critical for understanding how to eat. Back then, 80 grams of Protein seemed like so much and it could be hard to get that much; and for the first two weeks, getting enough Water required that I really pay attention. It was easy to have too little. By three months I definitely had the hang of it all and by four months it felt very normal. I eat three meals a day and two Snacks. My stomach is tiny and I can't overeat in a single meal; I could, if I wanted to, snack all day, wash it down with water, and overeat that way. That's why I ensure that I eat regularly and plan snacks. Getting enough water is not an issue anymore. By two months post op I could drink 8 oz of water at once; some people can't, but I could. I can eat out, can go to any event and not feel awkward about what I'm eating. My blood sugar and insulin are normal. I can, for the first time in my life, run a mile. I can fit in the roller coaster seats and on airplane seats. I can buy clothes off the rack and know they fit. My Migraine headaches are gone (caused by HBP). I can go to the beach without being self conscious.

I chose sleeve because I wanted to retain the ability to absorb nutrients and because it's not reversible. Dieting is reversible. WLS is not a diet; it's a tool for loss and maintenance. You will have to accept that your relationship with food will need to change forever, but as with any toxic relationship, having healthy boundaries is essential. Every single day I am grateful for this tool and the minor issues-- taking Vitamins, having heartburn-- are a great trade off. Wishing you luck and peace with your decision!


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Yes! On this site I am the minority. But I deeply regret my decision to do this surgery.
Eating is a FULL TIME job. You eat so slowly and have to time when you drink! Its so unnatural. You still have to eat healthy and excersise!
You have to drink a lot of Water, getting dehydrated is so easy. We simply have no stomach to hold Water.
Acid reflux is a constant reality. This is painful and there's a high probability most ppl will have an issue with it. If not immediately but possibly at 3 or 6 yrs post op. I didn't do this surgery to be on medication for life!
This the only irreversible surgery. Even the gastric bypass can be reversed if your life is at risk.
I would say try another hundred diets before tearing away a vital organ. We don't know how our aging process will be impacted...what if we need a heavy use of NSAIDs or face stomach cancer?? That's just me and something I wish I did. It's all too late. I can see how irational to think I will be healthy by taking away 80% of my vital organ.
Furthermore! Isn't it so scary that regain happens to most ppl! I lost most of my stomach and I can still regain? That can only mean that our stomachs are not the problem! Think about other reversible procedures where you have restriction and can still learn the same healthy food habits we should learn anyway.

All the best

@TammyLee66 severe acid reflux! I am on the highest dosage of PPIs. I never had acid reflux pre op. If I could tear out my throat and live I would do it lol.
I changed my diet completely. As alkhaline as possible. The consequences of severe acid reflux are serious and this us a direct cause of the sleeve.
Take that year and try anything else. I wish you all the best. Good health is within your reach and its not tied to the numv5on the scale