I am scheduled for my sleeve surgery one week from today! Tell me, would you do it again? What do you wish you'd know when you were pre op?

Thanks for replying! Joan

It's the best decision I've ever made. The hardest thing is not being able to drink when you eat, but would it have been a deal breaker.... Hell No !!! I love my sleeve !!!

I four days post op and I'm still getting to know my sleeve all kinds of things are happening in my abdominal cavity. Because of this it bring horrible gas pains. But yet the best decision of my life. Down 9.6 lbs

There are some days that I have brief thoughts of "why did I do this again?". But then I look in the mirror or step on the scale and reality hits that I have come so far in just 5 months. It is one of the hardest things I have ever done but totally worth it! Just think of where you will be one year from next Monday. Good luck!

I am ~5 months out. I have lost enough weight that I feel like a new person. I still have lots of weight to lose but the joint pain that kept me a couch potato has left. The fat around my middle that mad it hard to tie my shoes is nearly gone. The cheekbones that were hiding beneath my chunky face are reappearing. I love my sleeve. I only wish I had done this years ago. I have no regrets except that I have not always made the best of everyday since surgery. Take the gift of your tiny tummy very seriously. Don't squander the magnificent early months post-surgery where hunger is nearly non-existent and exercise plus reduced caloric intake can produce amazing weight loss. This rapid weight loss window is not infinite but it is magical. Enjoy it and use it wisely. You will be delighted by your progress and changes. Good luck.

Would I do it again? Hell YES! I was self pay and it was a bargain at twice the price. BEST thing I have ever done for my health!

What did I wish I had known pre op? I wish I would have know how bad the constipation can get if it gets out of control. If you don't have a BM with 5 or so days after surgery you need to get things going. I was on full liquids for 3 weeks. Isopure and Protein shakes. Don't let anyone tell you that no solids in, no solids out. When you are consuming nothing but protein you will need to poop.

The first few months post op you will be getting a lot of protein and very little to no Fiber. No bueno. I became so constipated that I was writhing in pain to poop. don't let this happen. Be proactive and throw some Miralax into your shakes or take some MOM.

Other than that, surgery and recovery were markedly easy.

Good luck, you will love your sleeve. Just remember to walk and sip, walk and sip. It will help so much!

I will be getting my sleeve the same day as you! Will be thinking of you - good luck! So exciting!

I will be 4 weeks this Thursday, so while I'm very early in my journey, would I do it all over again? Hell yes!

I already feel better. I've already lost 35 pounds - more than I would have without the sleeve. I'm off all meds except for one for my Thyroid - I'll be on that the rest of my life.

I was self-pay and I'd pay all over again to have it done.

I have had moments of frustration and self-pity, but I wouldn't change a thing.

I bet in a month, you'll be saying the same thing.

I wish you the best of luck!

Hell, yes! I love my sleeve! I was self pay too and I'm delighted. It's not all easy - some days I feel STARVING and can't eat, but the weight is coming off, and that's the whole idea. I agree with the constipation thing. I still have a Protein shake every morning for Breakfast and I add benefibre (3 teaspoons!) every day. Sometimes I add Benefibre to my evening drink as well. Haven't had a problem.

I'm as happy as a clam during high tide

Not one regret.. I was happy the minute my surgery was scheduled and ever since.

Love, love, love my sleeve! Best thing I have ever done for myself - the gift that just keeps giving :-)

Was it easy? No, neither physically nor emotionally. But was it worth it? Yes, a million times over.

My life is transformed, starting with my health, my confidence and my whole outlook. I feel like I have been a second chance to live the life I should always have lived - and I will not do anything to jeopardise that.

Things I wish I'd known- as with others, don't get constipated, keep drinking. But the biggest thing is to remember that this too will pass. No matter how long a phase or a stall may feel, it will pass. For me, the first few weeks were the toughest adjusting to the new "normal".

But I would willingly go through it all again to feel this good.

Good luck!

I too love my sleeve. I feel better than I have in a long time. Sleeved 09.27.2013 down 72 pounds. I've never lost this much weight on my own!!! Just wished I'd done it sooner.

I am over joyed I made this decision. It is like a miracle to me. I have lost weight before, worked very, very hard with hard core cardio for an hour every day and watching everything I ate. I would always loose weight but at some point the weight loss would stop and I would become discouraged and eventually give up and regain. With the sleeve you can not believe that the weight keeps coming off. Sure there will be stalls but the fast weight loss keeps your motivation going. I didn't feel it was hard like the other posters. What was hard was dieting in the past with just so-so results. Now with some hard work you get great results. I am 9 months past my surgery date and 15 pounds from my wedding weight. I feel and look like a new person. The only thing I wish I knew before was how great life could be and I would have done it years ago. Good luck to you.

I was so worried pre-op that I almost backed out the morning of surgery. I am SO GLAD that I didn't. Best decision I have ever made. Like previous posters, before the sleeve I too could lose some weight but eventually it would slow down, then stop. Frustration sets in and then I would gain everything back plus 10 or more pounds.

I was very fortunate in that I didn't have any complications, very minimal pain, very little gas pain and I was able to drink fairly easily right away...I actually thought the surgery may not have worked because I had so little side effects. I do have to say I believe I was VERY mentally prepared for this...which I think made it easier...even on the pre-op diet it was like I had switched a switch and that was it...this was going to be my way of life for the rest of my life...not sure how I got there but probably was just so tired of being overweight and not feeling well because of it.

It has been 6 months and I am down about 70 lbs and am about 25 pounds from goal. My self-esteem has sky-rocketed...for the first time I can remember I am not embarrased to have my picture taken and I feel cute again. It took a long time before people even started to notice that I was losing weight (prob about 50 pounds) but now everyone is always complimenting how I look...it feels really nice. I don't ever want to go back to the way I was - and I think this time I will be able to keep it off...thanks to the sleeve!

I have not been strict with my choices for the last month and a half and don't plan to be over the holidays...which may be making a BIG mistake...but I would like to just hold my own through December and then start again in January being very conscientious with my food choices and stricter with my exercise routines. Now that is not to say that I am making crazy stupid food choices - just not as strict. I plan on going back to my Protein shakes for lunch and dinner with a sensible dinner for the first week to get back in the swing. I definitely notice the difference in hunger on the days that I have more carbs than I should...be warned

One piece of advice I would give is to try the Premier Protein Shakes (I just love the chocolate and add a heaping tablespoon of instant coffee-deelish They aren't quite as sweet as some of the others...

I wish you the best of luck...you will just love your sleeve! Take the advice of others and really put the work in during the first 4 - 6 months...had it not been for vacation and then the holidays I would have worked hard the first 6 months instead of the first 4.5 months...but I am not complaining!

At 4 months I am very happy with it, and I haven't had the easiest time, but you get through, and it is definitely worth it. Remember that the first few months, especially the first month, can be really really difficult. Strange things hurt, weird feelings can come up, etc. you can really start to doubt yourself those first weeks.

For constipation: try to limit the hard painkillers in the hospital to a minimum and get off of them as soon as you can. They make it worse starting off. Add Benefiber to your water/liquids or other Fiber supplements, you will need it. Get all your liquids in as soon as you can after surgery.

I am a year out, and I would definitely do it again. I wish I had known that hunger will return, and that it's still a lot of work. I have to track everything I eat, and I have to keep really low calories to lose. I'm still so happy with my success so far, and I have made lifestyle changes that I think are permanent.