I am considering vertical sleeve surgery. Currently, I am waiting for insurance approval before setting a date with my surgeon.

I have been spending some time reading the pre and post surgery posts at this forum. And I have a question for people who have gotten the surgery done.

To be honest with you, reading some of post surgery posts are making me scared. It seems that quality of life is not much better after the surgery then it is before. Before you have to deal with problems related with being over weight, after the surgery you have to deal with so many issues relating to having almost no stomach.

IS IT REALLY WORTH IT???? After going through the surgery, recovery time, any complications, and the new life style you have to keep...If you had to do it all over again, would you still do the surgery?

The first few days, I regretted it. That's only because I was in so much pain and discomfort and pretty much thought it would never end. Few weeks out now and I forget sometimes that I even had the surgery.

Thanks for posting this thread, it made me reflect on my decision to have this surgery. As many others have already replied, I'm grateful I did this for myself. I also have a Doc in the family and he thought this was the best gift I could ever give myself. My health was going down the drain I was taking 16 pills a day and now I only take 3-4! Life is good. My weight loss is not as fast as others but I'm losing slow and steady which is fine with me..today. Good luck and remember this is your health, your body, your life, don't let others make the decision for you. Good luck on your adventure called life! Hope to see you on the road of Happy Destiny! :)Sheryl

Totally worth it! I am only 5 days post op and I know that it is the best gift I could have ever given myself. When look at what my life ahead has to offer vs the quality of life I was having before surgery there is is no comparison!

I am just 24 hours out of surgery. My discomfort and pain was minimal..but I am overwhelmed with water issues, liquid issues, and food issues...I am only able to take 1 sip of liquid every 5 minutes. I have gotten 3 rounds of hiccups and mild stomach discomfort. I believe the seriousness of what I have done to my body is finally impacting on me.

Any words of encouragement would be appreciate.

I am into week 7 and would do it again in a heartbeat!! I've had zero problems! Basically no pain from day 1. I wasn't sick at all, ever. There is no food that I've tried that I can't eat. I'm losing weight at a healthy, steady pace. I feel great and have taken four bags of clothes to Good Will. I put on a pair of 34x34 jeans yesterday that I hadn't worn in years. You know how we keep clothes 'just in case'- the first bag of clothes I donated contained a pair of 40x34!!! Yippee! Life is good!!!

Battling a binge eating disorder my whole life and loosing the battle at 50 with

70 extra pounds on me ...I had surgery....best decision EVER......it was hard at first...post surgery recovery...tired...adjusting to different eating...the surgery was scary before ..yes...but went great....If i wanted to I could eat anything I wanted but just in MUCH smaller portions....I have no appetite...4 months out...hunger is a different signal now...it's more like I feel weak and need to eat....you can't eat anything you want because you have to lose weight...so you are on a diet but it's easy....with excercise and comitment you WILL lose the weight...for the first time in my life I am succesful and don't feel the fear that I won't get to my goal....I cannot binge even if I want....a quarter of a bagel and cream cheese and I'm done....I mean DONE...can't fit more in...I still need to deal with the reasons why I binged..that's not gone...nor is the emotional need to eat...but I am learning to deal with that and I do other things now instead of eating to relived stress...like excercise....No question..best decision ever...two kids...husband...they are proud of me and hug me and fit their arms all the way around..and then some...doesn't get better than that....remember...NO RISK...NO REWARD.....that's life....SEAVIEW

I am 4 days post op and besides the sharp, tearing-like pain along my left side, I am recovering great!!

Donna4545---you nailed it with your list of non-worries. Reading your reply further gave me optimism about life after the sleeve.

You cannot have it both ways." -- Anonymous

How's that for short and meaningful?

You cannot lose weight...if you continually overindulge.

You cannot become physically fit...if you are completely inactive.

You cannot expect success...if you don't follow the program.

You cannot know how much you are eating...if you don't track your food.

You cannot finish your weight loss journey...if you don't ever get it started.

You cannot improve your health...if you don't choose to eat some healthy foods.

You cannot follow your plan...if you haven't bothered to make one.

You cannot maintain your weight loss...if you return to old behaviors.

You cannot find victory...if you always find excuses.

I only wish I had done it sooner!!

I was looking at your ticker in your signature, and you're actually five pounds under your targeted weight? I'm impressed. Very much so.

Thank you!

really, the sleeve is what made it possible. Living with the sleeve and being thin is like a dream come true. I wish I was younger so I could enjoy it longer. I wish I had done this years ago.

I'm sort of freaking out. My weight has stayed exactly the same now for five days. I'm still on the clear-liquid diet. I'm exercising. I've only lost 40 pounds, and I need to lose 100. Am I overreacting, since it's only three weeks post-surgery? I don't even start pureed food until August 12. I need some encouraging words, please...

Everyone has stalls. Try not to worry about it. 40 lbs is amazing.

The rest will come off because it's not possible to not lose weigh with the sleeve.

Oregandaisy is 100% correct. You have to play the waiting game. The weight comes off very fast initially and as you get closer to goal it gets slower. I took a year to lose my 1st 100lbs in total. But when it's gone it's gone, no more yoyo dieting thank God.

Jane x

The first month kind of sucks -- after that, it's all good. :blushing:

I'm not even 1/5 of the way to goal and I wouldn't go back to my old stomach ever. I feel so much more in control and better about myself that the weight loss almost is just a side benefit!

Take care of yourself during the first month or so -- stick to your surgeon's recommendations, stick to your post-op diet and try to work through the mental stuff that comes along with making a big change, facing our weight problems and having major surgery.

Being in control of my hunger & eating and having actual limits that I can reach and FEEL is such a nice change from the bottomless pit I used to feel like! I have more energy, I'm cooking great healthy meals, my husband is losing weight too and everyone is always excited to see me and find out how much I've lost.

Going through all the pre-op hoop jumping, surgery, recovery and post-op diet restrictions is truly a small amount of time to invest in improving the rest of your life.

I cannot tell you how extremely happy I am with the results of the sleeve procedure. I got the band in 2006 and struggled and was pretty miserable with only marginal results (44 lbs) It has been a completely different story with the sleeve which I got in April. Although I do think that the misery with the band prepared me well for accepting any discomfort from the sleeve surgery without regrets.

And I will say that although I was more uncomfortable after the sleeve revision surgery than with the band, it was very short-lived. And I haven't had one episode of nausea since the first hours after surgery (where they managed it with meds) and I haven't had one episode of serious pain from eating more than I should. It is easy to know when to stop eating with the sleeve whereas with the band I could overeat by a single tiny bite and not know it until a few minutes later when I experience terrible pain for hours.

I'm one of those who wishes this surgery had been available 30 years ago! I am the happiest I have been since I was in my 20s. I not only would do this again, I am hoping that my husband will do it too. He's taking meds for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. and I don't want to lose him!

The only piece of advice that I could give someone considering this surgery is that they make sure that they get the best possible surgeon in the best hospital they can afford. This is not minor surgery. The side effects can be as minor as mine were, but they can also be life-threatening if not done properly. You're wise to consider all your options and do lots of research. But your success is almost guaranteed with the VSG and with the band it's a crap shoot.

(I accidentally put RNY when I meant VSG! Duh.)

Edited August 5, 201016 yr by BJean

Guys, heart felt thanks to EVERYONE who replied.

My surgery is on Monday in three days. Your emails helped me get my mind made up 200% and gave me a tool to get my family to accept my decision as well. (my mom/dad are still not there yet, but my siblings are). :crying: