I've heard some here and there that most sleevers go through a period of regret or "buyers remorse" at some point after surgery. I've heard comments from a few people that wonder what the heck they were thinking when they made the decision to have it done, and then later glad they went through it. I know that this is usually just a temporary thing that patients go through, then come out of the stage and are very happy they went ahead with the sleeve. My surgery is Thursday (Nov 3rd) and I'm very much looking forward to getting on with things after surgery and my new way of living and eating. Can any of you touch on this and give me an idea of when this was for you and what all was involved? Like was it from the pain of surgery? The limitations immediately following surgery? How other people are affected or the psychological side of it? I know that there may be a brieft period where I ask myself the same things and may regret it, just would like some advice on pushing through this if it happens to me. But for now, I'm very excited about it.

Thanks!

Mark

Good luck to you Mark,

No buyers regret for me!!! I love my sleeve!

I think there are a couple of periods after surgery where people go through this. I was fine with it right after surgery because I expected the pain that was to follow. It was the diet afterwards and not being able to eat real food for so long that got to me. I knew from reading that eventually I would be able to eat more but the way I felt at the time was that I would never be able to eat normally ever again. Truth is I am 6 months out and I can now eat like a "normal" person and not an obese person. I feel like I can eat more than most people on here but that is still a 1/8 of what I was able to eat in one sitting pre sleeve. The biggest thing that I think got to me was meal time with my family. Again, not being able to eat normally. We now sit down to dinner and I am able to have a meal with my family and be completely full after one chicken thigh, some green beans (6 or 7) and one perogie. Good luck on your upcoming surgery! Hope this helped.

I felt a twinge of depression a few days after being sleeved. The pain wasnt bad at all, but the not eating food was depressing to me. I cried over macaroni and cheese. I just wanted to chew again so bad! Of course I didnt and before I knew it, I was able to drink protein drinks, yogurt and soups. I progressed within a few weeks to soft foods and then on to anything at 8 weeks out. I was only sad during the liquid only part and that was only for a few days of it, just before the soft phase. I am three months out (almost) and I can honestly say I barely remember that. My daughter laughs at me about the mac and cheese incident and I guess it was funny to a 13 year old. I laugh now too. I dont regret the sleeve at all!!! I love my sleeve. It keeps me full and in control. I dont have a hard time eating at all. I cant eat as much as some sleevers on this board but I dont need to! I get full in about 6 to 8 regular bites. I cant eat a whole chicken thigh yet but as I said, I dont try to stuff anything in there. When I feel full, I eat one more bite and if I get the feeling again, I stop. I can eat almost a whole 3 oz fish filet, If I eat slow. Its more like 2 1/2 ounces but thats fine for me. I think I am up to almost 1/2 cup at a sitting of most things except bread and starchy stuff.. I stay away from that. I eat mostly protein. I hope this helps you in some way.

I've heard some here and there that most sleevers go through a period of regret or "buyers remorse" at some point after surgery. I've heard comments from a few people that wonder what the heck they were thinking when they made the decision to have it done, and then later glad they went through it. I know that this is usually just a temporary thing that patients go through, then come out of the stage and are very happy they went ahead with the sleeve. My surgery is Thursday (Nov 3rd) and I'm very much looking forward to getting on with things after surgery and my new way of living and eating. Can any of you touch on this and give me an idea of when this was for you and what all was involved? Like was it from the pain of surgery? The limitations immediately following surgery? How other people are affected or the psychological side of it? I know that there may be a brieft period where I ask myself the same things and may regret it, just would like some advice on pushing through this if it happens to me. But for now, I'm very excited about it.

Thanks!

Mark

Not a minute of regret - no second thoughts. Before or after!!! Getting the sleeve is the single best decision I've ever made - other than marrying my husband!!

I was sleeved last week. Oct 25th. So tomorrow will be one week. I don't regret my decision at all. But this drinking Protein and Water all day long gets to me. With work, I am able to get in 60G of my protein. But I think only once could I get my 64oz of Fluid in. I hate having to drink fluids all day. I don't think I ever got 64 oz of liquids in a day before surgery!

And I use to like the Protein drinks. Now I hate them! LOLOL But I know this will all pass and I'll be able to add in some foods.

Anyway, here, so far, no regrets! Just some frustrations!!

Good Luck to you!

I can't say I have ever truly regretted the surgery, but there are some tough emotional times you will go through. Recovery is hard. Not eating is hard. Having your stomach turn every time you think about food in the begginning is hard. You may sit and grieve over the fact that you had to remove most of a major organ in order to lose weight. All these things can happen after the sleeve.

I guess it depends on how you handle these emotions when they surface. Sometimes I miss eating the way I used to - for about a second and then I realize that the surgery forces me to do what I am supposed to do. In that second I now in my heart that would NEVER have lost the weight on my own. Never ever.

I am really happy with my weight now. I don't even weigh myself anymore - don't need to. I am perfectly happy and I let my pants size be my guide.

Good luck---

I used to use food (frequently) to ease anxiety, or almost as a type of sedative. I used to overeat and the effect was usually one of extreme relaxation, even when I ate to the point of not being able to move comfortably. I can't do that anymore. Pre-surgery, I could eat and get comfortably full, emphasis on the word comfortable. Not any more. When I get to the point I think I should stop, it's because I don't want to feel uncomfortable, which is how it feels now when I get full.

I miss being able to use food as a stress and anxiety reliever. It was the most effective thing I've ever used, even though the long-term effect was not healthy. But at the same time, I knew losing that escape route was going to be one result of surgery, and I will have to find new ways of coping - healthier ones.

Nope love my sleeve. One common theme you find is the ones who have problems say they would do it over again.

Hello all,

Tomorrow will be 2 weeks out for me. I have my good and bad days. Today not so good, No energy and dizzy spells. I cant say I regret it, its taking some getting used too. I will glad when I feel better.

Thanks for the input everyone! I really appreciate all of the experienced insight you all have given and I will keep all of this in mind if I hit one of those regret periods and keep the end result in mind.

I'm 2 years out now and can fully atest that in the first 3 months I totally regretted having done the surgery. . .but it was because i couldn't eat like before, now i had to change my habits and actually eat like a lady not like food was going out of style. . .it was terrible. . . you have to remember that one day i was eating like a pig and then almost overnight, every thing changed and i couldn't do that anymore. . it's a real life altering surgery. . you have to relearn to eat food (chew slowly, wait between bites, etc) you have to learn to sip and not gulp your liquids, you have to learn to "listen" to your stomach to see if your really hungry or is it just head hunger? You are constently relearning after the surgery and i think this is what most folks are NOT ready for. . .but after a while i got really used to it and now, at 2 years out, am really glad i had this done. . . I can eat, drink, do whatever i want but only in smaller amounts. . i don't really exercise as in the sense of the word. . i don't go to the gym and jump around til i'm dead, i do my own forms of activity like walk, yard work, house work, etc. . . for me, i'm living my life as i want to live it now, cause i can, minus 150 lbs. . . life is so much easier! Good luck

I had 2 meltdowns within the first month of being sleeved. I sat at the table and just bawled. It was the whole diet/food/not chewing thing. I got over it pretty quickly both times and now I have 0 regrets. The first few months are rough but it's all worth it in the end especially when you have the positive feedback from the scale that you're losing weight like Alice down the rabbit hole.

I have but one regret...that I did not do this sooner!!!! :biggrin:

surgery date : 12 Oct 2011