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This 100%! Life's too short to worry about things that may never happen. I totally get it. It's perfectly normal to be concerned about the unknown, but if we focus too much on all the things that MIGHT happen, we can become paralyzed with fear. The reality is complications from bariatric surgery are rare, while the upsides like looking and feeling better are almost universal. I think that's the trick, at least for me when facing the unknown. Thinking logically about all the good outcomes vs. the possible bad outcomes and the likelihood of those things happening helps to keep me focused.

So glad to know you did talk to your surgeon! One of the reasons people responded to your post the way we did is because we see way too many people on this board who ask people here for advise when they have a medical issue after surgery. The reality is even if someone here had a similar issue, that does not mean you are having the same issue. While most people here are really grateful they had bariatric surgery, the risks of complications can be high. We're not doctor's here and we just want people to be safe. As to your multivitamin, It's likely there is potassium in it, since almost all of them I've seen have potassium iodide as an ingredient. If yours does not, then it might be a good idea to switch to one that does have that in it. Just because it's combined with iodide, does not mean that the potassium is not bioavailable. Certainly follow your doctor's advice regarding your hydration and magnesium supplementation needs. I did want to point out that 70 oz of water per day sounds a bit low to me, especially since you live at altitude. All patients at my bariatric clinic are told to try to hit 100 oz and we're down on the plains at roughly 1000 ft. I also wanted to mention that magnesium is a common sleep aid, so while the effects of a lotion may be different for you, higher doses of magnesium might make you sleepy, so are typically best taken later in the evening. I agree with @Arabesque that an electrolyte drink might not be a bad idea. I started taking one pretty early after surgery and still use them quite a bit now that my exercise routine is quite strenuous. Just keep in mind, the point in your case is to help you retain water, not really replace lost electrolytes. This means your sodium levels will rise above normal and if you're not used to them, they can cause some weight retention. (It's just water, which is what you want.) If it freaks you out because the scale stops moving for a while, keep this in mind. I should also caution you that if you have edema, upping your sodium intake might not be a good idea, so it would be best to check with your doctor first. Best of luck! I hope you get it figured out.

So ladiesssssss surgery went well without complication. I have very minimal pain. The only pain that I feel is from the auxiliary fat removal the under arm fat that's really the only pain that I feel and even that pain is minimal. My breast although they're sitting up in my neck right now 😂😂😂, they look to be very perfect for my body frame. He done very well. They will settle in a few months. He has a good eye. He done well. I will say I'm very impressed by the whole process the doctors are great, they are very technology forward here. The doctors and nurses are very smart, attentive. and precise. Medellín Colombia as a city is very beautiful their malls I love their mall. They have more stores more quality clothing than the mall that I've been to in the US. I'm really impressed. In all ALL is WELL!

I'm 5 weeks out from surgery and the gas is what they used to "blow up" your abdomen like a balloon so that they can see everything while rearranging things in there. That goes away with time and I found that walking did the best. I also tried to move a lot, not just walking but raising my arms and doing tow pointing while sitting and things like that to move the air out of my abdomen. Also, try and use an abdominal binder, did they give you one to use on discharge? Sometimes that helps. I splinted my tummy with a pillow when I coughed. I had a tough time doing the sipping but got better over time, and even eating real food was a blessing. But as others have said, dehydration is the worst complication so keep sipping. The continued desire for food is called "head hunger". The brain is telling you that you are hungry, but how can you be, there is very little room in your stomach now, it is mind over matter. Time to find a hobby to keep your hands busy and out of the fridge. If you continue to have "head hunger" I would recommend BariNation that you can become a member of and join the support groups and member meet-ups to ask questions or get some group therapy where your people are. I'm a member and am in groups all the time, I started with them before surgery so I knew what to expect, and thankful for the wonderful support from my new friends. It is forty bucks for a month, and to me it is worth it, I spend less now in food. Just a thought to help you through the rough patches that are surely to come, especially the time when you are eating and having rapid weight loss, and hormone changes that cause your emotions to fly about. I find the support groups and meet ups to be so helpful.

It sounds like your going to be very busy so maybe you wont be so focused on food. A part of my success is attributed to meal prepping- I meal prep every single week. Sometimes I meal prep meals for grab or go or I will meal prep items for those tempting nights at home where I want to eat cereal or something that is not so great instead of cooking. you will get quicker at meal prep too, I used to take 2+ hours now I can whip up my meal prep in 1hour. I also learned to not complicate it. Easy meals can be just as delicious! I bulk prep chicken breast, and ground beef, hard boiled eggs, wash and cut up veggies/fruits, make sure to have Greek yogurt and cottage cheese on hand, It does make life easier when your prepared! Also having better choice snacks stocked up in the fridge/pantry helps too! Cheese sticks, jerky, flavor packets for water (if you like that) protein shakes, protein powder, protein bars (recommend Built bar or fulfil bar), unsweetened almond milk. skinny syrups for coffee...theres more its just off the top of my head these things lol

Hi, NeonRaven! Thank you so much for your reply and sharing your experience! I find it so helpful to hear how other NHsers have experienced the process since it seems so much more elongated from the U.S. process. And you make such a good point about the London privilege - now it makes more sense why I’ve seen more internet presence and response from London NHSers. (And quite a few from the far north of England as well!) About three or four years ago during my annual diabetic review, my nurse had suggested bariatric surgery and that gave me a lot of hope - she was able to refer me for Tier 3. I had my dietitian appointment yesterday and it went really well! It was about 30 minutes and went over the Tier 3 lifestyle changes, continued lifestyle changes (balanced meals, regular exercise, blood sugar monitoring, weight maintenance, etc), medications, and then any questions I might have. She was very positive and said she would be recommending me to go forward for surgery when the MDT meeting happens 🥲 (once I meet with the next consultants - psychologist, anaesthetist, bariatric nurse, and surgeon - how soon? No one knows.) Needless to say, I am so relieved, so happy, and so excited to be moving forward even if it’s one step. I’ve found out that my hospital trust now does their “one-stop” clinic as separate virtual appointments, rather than in-person. (So, perhaps it will be quite some time before that MDT meeting?) And then the endoscopy and ECG will be done at the pre-op assessment once a surgery date is confirmed. I am so glad to hear your NHS experience has been so good and positive. I am so sorry to hear about your mother's complication and her passing, but it is so hopeful to hear she was able to put her diabetes into remission (that’s one of my big hopes!) Congratulations on your weight loss and wishing all the health and success! 💕 PS - funny enough, I have not had any group sessions whatsoever in this process. I am wondering if I’ll have a group session with the bariatric nurse?

Hi! Sorry to have found your post so late! There's not a lot of NHS patients on here as this is mostly an American website. I had my surgery in October 2024 on the NHS. I remember the dietician appointment was a video call with other patients before any surgeries were finalised. I will admit that I don't feel like I got much out of it. The main message is eat slowly and prioritise protein first when eating a meal. The session with the psychologist (a ten minute phone call) was probably the least helpful as she just said I need to practice mindfulness and learn others ways to cope with stress other than eating. (Gee, thanks! Where was that advice when I was a fat 8 year old? 🙄) I had a higher BMI than you currently do and the privilege of living in London, so I think I was bumped up a few tiers and fast tracked (I don't know if this true in general, but London seems to get the lion's share of the funding so hospitals are less strict. My Gloucester based friend has a BMI of 44, but because she has no comorbidities, she can't get any weight loss referrals because her BMI isn't 50+) But I digress. Once I had the surgery, it was a year and a half from the initial referral, it's mostly been smooth sailing. I had the gastric sleeve and had no problems. So far, I've lost 39 kg and more fatty liver has improved significantly. My mother had the gastric bypass (also on the NHS). She had a complication, St Anthony's private hospital did the surgery, but the NHS covered it but once they operated again, she had no problems. She never shared exactly how much she weighed with me, but she went from a size 28-30 to a 22 and reversed her diabetes. She passed away in 2023, but if she hadn't, she would be much smaller I'm sure. I've had a great experience so far with my procedure and weight loss. I really do recommend going the NHS route if you are able to do so. Well done on making this decision to change your life! You've got this. Sometimes, just making the decision to get help is the hardest part!

I can't respond to the particular complications you have (only a doctor can) or how bypass might affect them (ditto), but major complications are pretty rare with bypass. The most common complication (and it's considered minor) is dumping, which 30% of patients get (I've never had it - and neither have a lot of others I know), but that can be controlled by not eating a ton of fat or sugar at one sitting, which none of us should be doing anyway. The next most common complication (also minor) is stricture, which is easily fixed by doing an upper endoscopy and using a balloon-like tool to stretch it out. This happens to about 5% of us, and as being the second most common complication, it gives you an idea how common complications are (I had a stricture, btw). You probably hear about them more because people are more likely to post or talk about them because they're looking for advice or support. People generally don't mention that things are going great unless someone specifically asks them how things are going. So it might appear that complications are more common than they actually are. Other than that stricture early on (and they happen very early on, if they're going to happen at all), I've had zero issues, and I had my surgery ten years ago. we were told that it was OK to take NSAIDs on a very limited and very occasional basis, but I haven't taken any since my surgery. I've taken Tylenol for any pain, and when I had hip replacement surgery two months ago, they found a non-NSAID alternative to aspirin for me since I had to be on some kind of blood thinning agent for six weeks. As far as your other prescriptions, it could be that there are non-extended release versions available - but again, a doctor would know that. Sounds like you'll be having a long conversation, and hopefully it'll provide some answers to make a decision. as far as having the surgery "late in life", there are many of us who had it in our 50s and 60s (I was 55 when I had mine), so you're definitely not an anomaly! I wish I would have had mine years earlier than I did. The thing probably saved my life (I weighed almost 400 lbs). I am grateful every day that I had it. good luck with your appts and decision.

The doctor responded to my question in writing a few weeks ago that there is no good answer because there is no way to know, but saw the value of having access to my stomach to monitor, i don't think she had a chance then to review the EGD pathology report and now suddenly I have a meeting with her. The program coordinator couldn't explain to me why it was so early. 15 years ago I had a bladder cancer scare, and the urologist reacted the same way after they got a pathology report. In that instance they had access to my bladder and did a scope and did not find anything really abnormal. I know the risk is rare, and I look forward to learning about the alternative ways to monitor. And I hope you're correct. RYGB in general would be something I'll have to warm up to because of the increased complications associated with it. The great news is there is a lot of data on it, and surgeons are very familiar. Sinceit's not novel, and if I move I will surely find a doctor familiar with it vs SADI-S or even BPD/DS. For example in my area very few surgeons do either of those two. My insurance doesn't cover SADI-S or OAGB. My preferred surgery is SG. If I'm not a good candidate for it, then I'm glad I'm waiting because I need to do some deep thinking. Dumping sounds terrible. Arthritis runs in my family, and at time even at my age my knuckles and joint hurt. Nevertheless the nephrologist advises against NSAID but they are not off limits with RYGB they would be mostly off limits. I'm not SG or bust really, but I just had a relative share they have precancerous cells in their stomach. That two of my father's siblings with either stomach cancer or precancerous cells. It is a little too close to home. I may be, however, more at risk of dying by slipping in the bath tub, or driving on the highway than getting stomach cancer in my remnant stomach. So I have to be realistic. If I do nothing and get kicked off of Zepbound my weight will return, and my heart will enlarge, and I could die of heart failure or a stroke (in the last 5 years 3 close family members had strokes, and my grandfather die of a stroke years ago). Those are conditions I have now. The enlarging heart may not get worse, but it likely will. My cardiologist is why I aggressively started losing weight to lose 40 lbs since my bariatric first appointment weight-in in February. I've now been taken off one of my four hypertension meds, but I'm still on three. My other concern about RYGB is how will it impact my ability to take sustained released meds. all this I'll talk to my surgeon about in my meeting Tuesday. I've been considering bariatric surgery since 2018, and i put it off. 2022 after a few health scares and being diagnosed with mild but concerning LVH I started seeing a dietician and working out. Later I battled shame to start Wegovy in 2023 and worked with an obesity specialist's practice. In 2005 due to insurance I switched to Zepbound. After my cardiology follow up in January I went for my first bariatric consult. I briefly considered ESG, but after researching decided against it and insurance doesn't cover it. I witched Weightloss clinics and aggressively started tracking and living in a calorie deficit. I'm under no illusions about being able to keep this weight off w/o surgery long term. I don't know if the co pays next year will be even higher already $500 $360 with a coupon, or if my financial situation will change. ifI do nothing, the I'm not sure if I'll make it to my mid sixties if I go back to 315-320. So I have to do something, the question is what.

TBH, I'm in a similar boat, I meet with the surgeon next week for my second meeting with them. We'll discuss surgery types. In my hometown all the hospitals only do two (SG and RYGB). So I don't really have a choice unless I got to hospitals out of state, and I'm concerned about getting medical care if I have complications and have to drive a 45 to an hour plus to get to the hospital, also the state south of me won't do telelhealth across the boarder, but they also don't have many in-person appointments because normal practice is telehealth. One hospital that does SG, RYGB, SADI-S, and BPD/DS basically said I was out of luck. My situation is a bit different because I am concerned about stomach cancer because it runs in my family. The idea of a remnant stomach freaks me out, at the same time my EGD found H. Pylori negative gastritis (antral and oxyntic mucosa with mild chronic inflammation). To be frank I didn't know how that impacted anything, and all the GI doc did was put me on a high does of a PPI. I don't have GERD, like most people I have heart burn from time to time and Pepcid complete works and i'm done. Surgery is hella scary, but these surgeries are amazingly safer than a lot of surgeries. I am more scared of the recovery and any complications, than dying from the surgery. At the same time, although I've fished my program's requirements save for the final exam I and waiting until this fall to have a procedure. If Tuesday I learn they was to do the RYGB I may very well back away and continue Zepbound. Not being able to scope my stomach is a fear of mine because the GI had no idea what as causing the gastritis and his report suggested that I was on my way to ulcers. So Joy. The human body is complicated. Take your time, it's your time, your life, your body. If you feel rushed tell them so, and if you're scared tell them so. It's okay to be scared, it's okay to be that annoying patient (I know I'm that patient) that asks questions and needs to feel settled. It's also okay to change your mind, and change you mind again. It's a big freaking deal. And living with obesity is also a big freaking deal. Only you can make the decision that's best for you right now. You'll be fabulous if you have the surgery, and you'll be fabulous if you defer.

there really isn't malabsorption at all with sleeve. There is with bypass - that's why we take more vitamins than sleevers. But the vitamin thing is really second nature after a while - you just go on autopilot. major complications with either surgery are pretty rare. With sleeve, the most common one is GERD, but not everyone gets it, and for most who do get it, it can be controlled medically (e.g. pantaprazole, which you said you're already taking). Some people with severe GERD do revise to bypass, but it's not a huge percentage that have it that badly. But yes - it IS a potential issue. The most common issue with bypass (besides dumping, which about 30% of us deal with (I never have), but that can be controlled by not eating a bunch of sugar or fat at one sitting, which we shouldn't be doing anyway). The second most common is a stricture, but those are an easy fix. They just do an endoscopy and stretch it out. I had one. Happens to about 5% of us, according to the PA in my surgeon's office (if they're going to happen, it'll be within the first three months after surgery - it's very rare for them to occur after that). if you need more time to think about this, though, then take it. It's a big decision. But as SpartanMaker said, you almost never hear anyone say they regretted it. The only regret most people have is that they didn't do it sooner. I had it at age 55. I wish now that I'd done it at least a decade earlier. P.S. I had GERD prior to surgery, so I went with bypass. I know the chance of having it get worse (for those who already have GERD) with sleeve is only 30%, but I didn't want to risk it. Besides, sleeve was still pretty new when I had my surgery, and I was a little afraid of it turning into "lapband 2" - but it's been around long enough at this point that I wouldn't have had that particular worry. It works well and it's safe. But I still would have chosen bypass for myself because I was afraid I'd be one of those whose GERD would get worse.

I started the surgery process a couple months ago, and just had my second nutrition appointment....and now I'm getting very overwhelmed and having second thoughts. I have my psych appointment next week and my endoscopy in two weeks and I'm thinking about cancelling them cause I feel like this is really rushed and that this is such a big decision I should take some time to think it through and everything. I'm very worried about possible complications and things going wrong. I have had GERD in the past (this was several years ago and I did weigh more then) and have been on pantoprazole for years. I am tapering off, so it might not be an issue, but my doc kinda pushes the sleeve and I'm worried about getting bad heartburn afterwards, even tho he said there's a 50/50 chance. I've read accounts of people getting crazy bad heartburn afterwards, or just being ravenously hungry all the time, which would be absolute torture for me. Also, I'm on depression, anxiety, and ADHD meds and I just learned about possible malabsorption issues, or even the difficulty of taking pills after surgery. I'm worried enough about remembering everything you're supposed to do post-surgery and not getting totally overwhelmed, it will pretty much be impossible if my depression gets worse.... I wish there were less permanent options available, the idea that you can't go back if anything goes wrong is terrifying....I know the chances of something going wrong are low, but I don't want to rush into anything and regret it afterwards.

I had been part time following the pre ops diet and cutting down on my food sizes a few weeks before I got news of my operation date : may 26, the same date 5 years ago I knew I was going to gain weight because of pregnancy complications. So the first two and the half weeks I just did more pre- ops eating (modifast in 4 different flavors) . They are quite tolerable. I usually had a normal (small sizemeal) in the evening with the kids. Now starting last Sunday, (18 may) I am on a full water fast for 5 days. Meaning my fast ends today at 19:20. I have my modifast oatmeal ready should I really need to eat something at that hour. Tomorrow Saturday I shall be on liquid pre ops meals as prescribed. Sunday will be another day on liquid only in preparation for my operation on Monday. I tell you what this is my body and I am determined to get it back. The operation is not a magic pill. It is just a tool in my toolbox. The way I think about food and how and why and when I ingest it- that to me is the magic. I am focusing very much in discovering my cues and knowing what triggers my eating habits. I am learning to say no all together when I am invited to that snack moment at work to eat what so ever what when I truly know I do not need it. - I am learning to say ’No’ and knowing it will be okay. I take it a minute at a time. We shall get through this and we will not turn back. I want to be able to jump into every photo without cringing I want to feel good and run about with my kids without feeling pain, exhausted and above all guilty. I am doing this for my boys and then for myself. We will be alright guys. We got this.

My surgery is on Monday the 12th, I am excited and nervous as well, but I have a huge community to help me. You will be going through grief of loss or the grief of having to follow a regimen diet. I attend a group every day, just to grab nuggets of information and knowledge. I am a member of Barination, and they have certified licensed and professional mental health care providers, dieticians and nutrition specialists and lots of discussions with physicians and groups or teams from around the country. I would strongly urge you to visit them and see what they are all about. You can find lots of YouTube videos from Barination that are free for all to view. They have one that is on what to expect as a pre-op and immediate post-op patient. Once a Bariatric patient, always a bariatric patient. I wish you well on your surgery on the 9th. Keep us up to date how you are doing and we can provide you with knowledge and understanding of the feelings you are feeling. Start that feelings journal now and write anything that is in your mind, and re-read them for learning and keep them to look back a year out to see where you were before, and where you are a year out. I started that 2 weeks ago and I have come to realize that I still have that head hunger. I'm not hungry but bored, so I think about food to fill the void. That is head hunger. It is a real thing, so as you begin the liquid diet, remember that the #1 problem or complication you will have is dehydration so sip, sip, sip!! If you have protein water, that will help you feel more full than just drinking water. Hope I helped a little bit, hang in there, this is a life-long journey.

Goodness I cannot believe that my 15 year surgery anniversary will be in October! A friend of mine is considering weight loss surgery so I went looking for this forum again and thought I would do a quick update! I had a VSG in Mexico (Mexicali) in October of 2010. I had zero complications and went from a surgery weight of 276 down to about 125ish. Size 24 to size 0. I had plastics in 2013ish (breast, arms, and tummy). I gained up to about 150/160 and stayed there for many years. Over the past 6 to 7 years I have gained weight thanks to nursing school and the pandemic 🥴 but I'm happy with where I am! I am currently at 170 and in a size 8. (Lots of weight/skin in leg area). My surgery continues to be the best thing that I ever did for myself. The only drawback is that I have GERD, and cannot skip a day without Omeprazole. My labs are fantastic. I can eat pretty a normal size meal but still have some restriction if I go over that. I'll try to remember to come back incase anyone has questions but really I don't think about the surgery or food much anymore 🤗

Please talk to a doctor ASAP. This is not normal and you could be having a serious complication. Now is not the time to be looking for advise on the internet.

Hi all, my name is Kevin, and I'm new to this board. I just signed up because, for the first time, I think I have a story to share. I've been reading on this board for months as I've been weighing surgical possibilities, and now it's weird being on the other side. I did my gastric sleeve with Renew Bariatics in Tijuana about 4 months back, and I'm at -82 lbs to date. If you're undecided or on the fence—believe me, I'm there. I wasted YEARS jumping around, attempting every diet, every exercise craze, every miracle pill. Nothing held. I'd lose 20 lbs and gain 30. I was at my all-time high last year at 312 lbs, and it started affecting every area of my life—my knees hurt all the time, my energy level was zero, and quite frankly, I just didn't know who I was anymore. I eventually made the decision after my first doctor quite kindly suggested WLS. Insurance here in the US would take an eternity with all the pre-reqs, so I investigated Mexico (fairly skeptically at first). But Renew Bariatrics would keep coming up in every search, and I started watching videos, reading testimonials, even stalking threads here. I ended up deciding to go for it. The Tijuana experience was much better than I expected. The hospital was clean, the staff were nice and genuinely professional, and they were very organized. I went alone (which intimidated me), but I never at any point felt in danger. My coordinator was responsive and the time to prepare me ahead of time, like what to bring and how the day would go every time. Surgery day was actually a blur. I was terrified of heck, but the surgical team made me feel comfortable and at ease. I had no severe complications—only some expected gas pain for a couple of days. The hardest part? The adjustment in my mind afterward. Eating slowly, learning to stop when full, and knowing that food wasn't going to be my crutch anymore took work. Still does. But here's the thing—I got my life back. I can move again. I sleep better at night. I walk into rooms upright. I've still got a long way to go, but this has made such an amazing difference, and I'm glad that I pushed the limits and gave it a try. If you're considering Renew or just need to talk to someone who's gone through it, go ahead and comment or contact me. I recall how valuable it was reading actual people's posts when I was still on the fence. Happy to return the favor. Thanks for reading my long tale—I'm happy to be here!

actually, RNY CAN be reversed, but it's a complicated surgery and they only do it if someone has severe medical issues that can't be resolved any other way.

I took 3 weeks off work after my arm lift/mommy makeover surgery. I felt like I would have good to go back after 2. Barring any complications, you should be totally fine at 8 weeks. Your scars will still be prominent, but easily covered by clothes.

From ACS I understand it has more complications. SG also is the most convertible procedure if I ever needed a revision. I’m also concerned about too much malabsorption. I’ll talk with my surgeon, but if RYGB is my only option I’ll need to reassess my personal risks.

Well of course people who work in a medical environment may come across people with issues. I mean if you have an issue you seek medical help. If you’re doing fine you don’t. I bet they have just as many if not more people coming for medical help or advice with lots of other surgeries as well. And how many are directly related to the surgery or related to pre existing conditions? Unfortunately a high number of obese people have a myriad of pre existing health concerns which often were what drove them to have the surgery. Side effects, hiccups or complications aren’t common. I know lots of people (friends, family, friends or friends, etc.) over the years who’ve had bariatric surgery and they’ve been fine. Tell them you’re doing well & your medical team is very happy & you’d rather they didn’t share negative stories because they’re not being helpful or supporting a decision you made for your health & to improve your life.

Firstly, congratulations on coming through it all and doing so well. I am like you, major complications post op resulting in almost four months of hospitalisation and multiple procedures has left me feeling anxious about any further surgery, even going past the hospital on the bus can make me feel queasy! I had my first consultation about plastics a few weeks ago and the surgeon I picked was based on asking on a local/private Facebook group, doing some internet searches and checking out reviews and medical file searches where possible (to make sure no reports that showed red flags). As I live in Europe I has had to make sure that the surgeon and his staff speak fluent English and the other main thing was I wanted a surgeon working out of a different hospital to the one I had by sleeve done at, I wanted to be sure I had none of the same team involved. I was very happy when I met the surgeon, he was honest with his opinion in that he told me that I did not need a breast lift and implant and he did not think my tummy area was worthy of surgery at this point so at least he is not operating just for the money. He has put me forward for approval for an arm lift and I am waiting for the health service to review my file and send their decision. I am a bit afraid they may say no as I had to submit pictures and only after did I realise that maybe I didn't take 'bad' enough pics. I would have preferred to submit a video of the wobble Anything else I would have to pay for myself so, given the sh*t show of my sleeve, I don't think I will do any other surgeries out of my own pocket. I would love to do something with my calves they are terrible and depress me a bit as I feel they take away the look of all the weight loss but nothing can really be done for them.

I had gastric bypass surgery and did everything alone. I live alone, no husband, no kids, no local family, and I didn't tell anyone other than healthcare providers that I was having surgery. I took a taxi to the hospital. Hospital policy does not allow taking taxis/rideshare or public transportation home, so I hired a home healthcare service to pick me up from the hospital (I was in for one night), take me home, and pick up my prescriptions. After that, I had no additional assistance. The most limiting thing after surgery was not lifting more than 20 pounds for (I think) the first 6 weeks, and also not bending over, like when cleaning or doing laundry, so I had to be careful with household chores, but other than that, I didn't have any problems. I went back to work (desk job) after a week and I was fine. I will say I had a very easy recovery with no immediate complications, but you won't know how your recovery will go until you get there. I would recommend to anyone without support to have a backup plan. Is there a friend or family member who could come if needed? Could you hire a home healthcare service if you needed help? Also, if there is any physical labor your normally do, like cleaning or landscaping, consider lining up someone to do that for a while.

Hi Bugg. What you are feeling is totally normal. I had similar or kind of similar fears. I was sleeved in 2017. Best decision ever. I lost 40kgs and have maintained with variations of about 5kgs on and off. I had no health complications and feel so healthy. I still drink water in 2-3 swallows only then rest. It is not a big deal and I am used to it now. With the total weight loss, most people lose the most weight in the initial aftermath and you will likely gain some of it back. I maximized the most weight loss I could experience in the initial phase. Last but not least, remember you don’t anyone an explanation about your private health information. People don’t go around explaining their blood pressure, asthma, yeast infection treatments etc. That applies to your bariatric treatment. You share what you fell like sharing with whoever you want to share with. It’s your private health information. Good luck with your treatment.

I second everything said by @Bessieboop1981 I was also sleeved 8 weeks ago, and have found it hard at times to deal with the head hunger and the change to my body and lifestyle (former chef and pastry chef) Food has been a HUGE part of my life for a long time, and now it is not so much! But that doesn't stop the desire! The physical pain of overeating is very real post surgery, I can not eat much at once, and sometimes grieve that, but I do know that after trying to lose weight my whole adult life, this is the only thing that will help to control the volume I eat. That is what I was after, the handbrake to stop me overeating, but it is only a tool, the fact is you need to be ready emotionally. The physical risk factor of Gastric Sleeve is minimal, however, as said above, all surgery has risks including serious complications and even death and this has to be weighed against the potential benefit. Only you can know if it's worth it to you. I also wish you well!