ANY regrets getting the Vertical Sleeve?

[pumpkin07 32]

I am considering getting the vertical sleeve surgery. I weight 220 and I'm 5'2". I am 46 years old. I've been fat 20 years now, and I'm so tired of it. I think I eat out of habit I guess. My doctor suggested the sleeve, but I am scared. And right now I'm finishing up a big work project so I'm waiting until at least summer for that reason.

I am wondering what specific regrets any of you have. Like what was different than you thought? I think the fact that it is not reversible scares me. Also not being hungry, managing a different kind of diet, not knowing what the slimes ARE (I keep reading about them)....I'm just very afraid to make a mistake.

So please give me your insight if you have a minute. I want a real world view. What will my stomach feel like short-term and long-term. Will it always hurt and be gasy or whatever. I just want to know what to expect.

[carolyn24seven 11]

Welcome to the VST boards! Please continue to do your research until you are satisfied with your decision.

I was on these boards for 3 months lurking and 3 months actively posting before I could make up my mind.

This is the best thing I could have done for my healthy life.

I was so tired of dieting and loosing only to re-gain and FAIL all the time.

I needed this tool. I needed it to be permanent. I needed to be in control of whatever I did.

My weight loss is amazing to me. I have soooooo much energy. My life is so good.

Granted I am only 3 months out~~but, I am in such a better place now. I know I will never go back to that dark place again. I have the confidence to go into my life, healthy and cheerful at my great prospects.

Yes, there are some tough/rough times in the first 6 weeks. They are all worth it. The two weeks before surgery are difficult also. (more mentally than physically) again, all worth it. All just part of the process.

I never got the slimmies or foamies. I never threw up at all.

I never had huge gas pains.

I am eating 1/4 of what I used to eat. I eat what ever I want. I am very healthy. My husband is just amazed that I do not need much food to stay as healthy as I am. (He, of course is a naturally thin man) {wonderful, but, thin man} I have had that "cross" to bear all my married life. I have struggled with the shame of my weight for so darn long, I cannot tell you how great it feels to be "doing something about it" that is a permanent solution. It will take me working the sleeve as my tool to accomplish this life I want. Having the sleeve on "my" side is the answer to my prayers for control of food issues in my life. It is almost the magic pill we have all been dreaming of.

Keep reading the posts here. Go thru as many of them as you can. Please take the negative ones with a grain of salt. Search your own heart for the right answers for you. If you are finally fed up with your situation, be positive in your actions, for a better life.

I wish you the very best. You are on a great journey into yourself no matter what you decide. Enjoy.

[thinoneday 445]

I am considering getting the vertical sleeve surgery. I weight 220 and I'm 5'2". I am 46 years old. I've been fat 20 years now, and I'm so tired of it. I think I eat out of habit I guess. My doctor suggested the sleeve, but I am scared. And right now I'm finishing up a big work project so I'm waiting until at least summer for that reason.

I am wondering what specific regrets any of you have. Like what was different than you thought? I think the fact that it is not reversible scares me. Also not being hungry, managing a different kind of diet, not knowing what the slimes ARE (I keep reading about them)....I'm just very afraid to make a mistake.

So please give me your insight if you have a minute. I want a real world view. What will my stomach feel like short-term and long-term. Will it always hurt and be gasy or whatever. I just want to know what to expect.

Let me tell you sweetie, the hunger issue is there. . .you will know that you are hunger, slimes??? I'm still wondering about those myself, haven't had any yet and i'm 3 weeks out . . mistakes? honey we all make them, that is what makes us human. . . you won't gulp anymore , that's for sure, you can't, you will chew your food, because if you don't you'll never forget after you feel how horrible that feels. . .it feels like a major piece of unchewed meat got caught in the esophygus and is travelling VERY slowly down. . it hurts and is very uncomfortable. . . gasy? I don't find myself gasy. . . actually now i burp like a lady, small and daintie burps, not these big man burps anymore. . . the only regret i have had is that you can't eat how you did before (but that is why I ended up at 332 lbs right) but to only be able to eat 2 - 4 oz, that doesn't leave for alot of variety, it's on 1 food only, and that gets REALLY boring, but they assure me that at 5 months out i'll be able to eat a regular diet again. . . that will be interesting. . . i like the weight loss thing, you really lose weight fast, but you tend to feel funny cause your not consuming any more then 565 - 600 calories a day. . . but i guess we are so used to eating hordes of food, that it seems ridiculous to only eat such a small amount. . . all i can say is be really sure you want this surgery, trust your surgeon, and have a support group to help you out with this, you are the only one who can decide if you want this or not. . . good luck with your decision and keep us posted. . .

[Chancie 65]

Hi pumpkin and welcome to the boards!!

As Carolyn said- do your research!! I researced for a long time and I'm a self pay patient, so when I finnally did make up my mind. the process was FAST.

I am one that had alot of difficulties........... Started with having to spend 5 days in the hospital because I had sever nausea, vomiting, dry heaves...

I had the "slimes" and vomiting for the first 3 months.... and I still vomit to this day if I eat tooo fast!!

Would I do it again??? In A HEARTBEAT!! It is the best thing I have done for myself.

In 10 months I have lost 164 pounds!! Thats amazing in my eyes!

I don't know why some of us have the nausea and vomiting...and some don't- but it is all woth it in my book.

Plus- alot is old habits I am trying to break... I use to "inhale" my food, now I have to take it slow and sometimes I forget'. You do have learn alot of things all over, chewing your food well ( something else I didn't do ) not drinking while you eat, taking your time.......... Things that I did for a lifetime- that now I still have days I forget.

I wish you the best of luck in your decision!

[Tiffykins 672]

I am considering getting the vertical sleeve surgery. I weight 220 and I'm 5'2". I am 46 years old. I've been fat 20 years now, and I'm so tired of it. I think I eat out of habit I guess. My doctor suggested the sleeve, but I am scared. And right now I'm finishing up a big work project so I'm waiting until at least summer for that reason.

I am wondering what specific regrets any of you have. Like what was different than you thought? I think the fact that it is not reversible scares me. Also not being hungry, managing a different kind of diet, not knowing what the slimes ARE (I keep reading about them)....I'm just very afraid to make a mistake.

So please give me your insight if you have a minute. I want a real world view. What will my stomach feel like short-term and long-term. Will it always hurt and be gasy or whatever. I just want to know what to expect.

Hey pumpkin, and welcome to VST.

I have zero regrets about revising to the sleeve after having the band.

As for how your stomach will feel, it's different for everyone, but my stomach feels normal. I do not have gas all the time, I rarely burp, or expel gas. I haven't thrown up in months, and I slimed a few times but nothing like what I did with the band.

Sliming happens early on when you are trying to learn to eat slowly, and really get in tune with your body. I take big gulps of water/liquid no without issue. I can drink through a straw now. I couldn't before because it put too much air in my tummy. But, now, I guess I would have to say I feel pretty normal. I burped a lot for a couple of weeks post-op when I was on Clear liquids. It all dissipated, and now I rarely ever have any type of gas issues.

I'm 7 months out and am never hungry. Literally, my stomach never growls, I never think about eating. It just hasn't returned for me, and I'm hoping it stays that way because it's a pretty awesome feeling. I don't suffer from head hunger because my mentality with food has changed. I do allow myself to have "treats" occasionally, and do not deprive myself if I want something. I can literally eat anything and everything I want just in smaller portions.

I honestly don't regret anything. Even getting the band taught me a lot, and going through the revision definitely taught me even more. I'll throw out my 2 cents that I don't believe any of the WLS are truly reversible. The band can be removed, or unfilled, but your anatomy is forever changed with that thing wrapped around your stomach.

Research, research, and research some more. I did a lot of geeky research on gastrectomies for cancer and ulcer patients considering those surgeries have been performed for decades upon decades. There are long term results published for the VSG, I can give you some links if you would like.

[shanda7182 5]

No regrets @ all. Only regret is not having it 4 or 5 years ago! Im with Tiffykins, I dont think of food the same. I do still have some hunger but its about a 1 on a scale of 1-10, nothing like before. Im enjoying the results!! You will too!

[i1Linda 15]

ZERO regrets! Wish I did it earlier.

Initially, I could feel every sip or bite hitting my stomach. Kind of an odd feeling. Now that I am 5 months post-op, eating is really normal; I just can't eat much. Went to dinner last night for my Birthday at a fancy steakhouse. I had about 2 oz filet mignon and about a tablespoon of each of the yummy sides, a couple bites of creme brulee for dessert and a martini. I felt really full and satisfied. Pretty normal, just not much volume.

[Pmil 0]

No regrets till date.... Not for a single moment did I think that I made a wrong decision. Sometimes feeling nauseating is nothing that I cannot cope up with and won't regret my decision coz of that... It is now a total different world where I don't think food all the time...The little portions which I eat now sometimes makes me think that maybe I should have controlled my portion size long back .....Anyways, now it is not too late. If I follow the guideline of post-op, I am gonna succeed... I won't crew up this time....

[deedee 5]

As others mentioned, I have no regrets, but there were some things I don't think I was completely prepared for. One thing was the frustration I felt over the first three months when I wanted to have a couple more bites and couldn't...it sounds ridiculous, but I actually would get so upset at times. Another thing, again pretty ridiculous, is my handling other people's reactions. Whether they knew (remember) I've had surgery or not, I found people want to go on and on about the "new me." This made me very uncomfortable on many occasions, but like the frustration over the small amounts of food, I got through it.

I guess I just wanted to point out that although I have NO REGRETS about getting the surgery and wouldn't change it for anything, there have been little moments of frustration, sadness, awkwardness, etc. Good luck on your research and I hope you come to a decision that best meets your physical and emotional needs.

[janep 2]

I don't regret the surgery. Just over 3 months and 54 pounds down. However, I did get have to find what I could and couldn't tolerate. At first eggs and milk made me sick - I can do both now. I burp a lot - but they are dainty burps and I don't think people around me really notice - I get acid reflux at times which is new to me - but my Prilosec pretty much takes care of that. I would do it again even with the burps and reflux. I can eat small amounts of whatever I want and for the first time in my life I feel like the weight loss is permanent and I won't go back to being that fat person I was before.

[Keys Pirate 70]

Research, research, and research some more. I did a lot of geeky research on gastrectomies for cancer and ulcer patients considering those surgeries have been performed for decades upon decades. There are long term results published for the VSG, I can give you some links if you would like.

Tiff, I would LOVE to see those long term VSG links! Thanks!!

[thinoneday 445]

Well since my last confession, I now have no regrets, I'm like DeeDee though, wish i could eat a few more bites here and there but can't which makes me mad. . . when my family is enjoying their mashed potatoes and pot roast, there i am with my 4 oz of cottage cheese. . . oh well it was the potatoes and pot roast that made me the way i was anyhow right???? Soooooo, I will just grin and bear it . . . more power to me. . .

[MINI-Me 196]

Tiff, I would LOVE to see those long term VSG links! Thanks!!

Me too! :thumbup:

[LAN2k 18]

There are long term results published for the VSG, I can give you some links if you would like.

Hi Tiff- I would appreciate having the above mentioned links as well. Thanks.

LapBandTalk Click to visit the largest Lap-Band community online!

[bigdd 0]

I am considering getting the vertical sleeve surgery. I weight 220 and I'm 5'2". I am 46 years old. I've been fat 20 years now, and I'm so tired of it. I think I eat out of habit I guess. My doctor suggested the sleeve, but I am scared. And right now I'm finishing up a big work project so I'm waiting until at least summer for that reason.

I am wondering what specific regrets any of you have. Like what was different than you thought? I think the fact that it is not reversible scares me. Also not being hungry, managing a different kind of diet, not knowing what the slimes ARE (I keep reading about them)....I'm just very afraid to make a mistake.

So please give me your insight if you have a minute. I want a real world view. What will my stomach feel like short-term and long-term. Will it always hurt and be gasy or whatever. I just want to know what to expect.

I had mine done nov. 10. Its the best thing I ever did..My only regret was not getting done a couple years ago. My gasy feeling only lasted maybe 2 weeks at best. Im not sure what the "slimes" are lol ..I never had any.

I was a little afraid about 2 weeks before the operation also thinking about once its done there is no going back. But I hated being fat also for more than 20 yrs so I did it. Like I said its the best thing I ever did and I feel wonderful and I still have lots to loose.

Darrell