I am a little over half-way through the process my insurance company (CIGNA) requires before Gastric Sleeve surgery. My family and friends are on board. My Doctor is on board. I'm tired of being overweight.

I am a researcher. I love to study and I have probably over-studied the Gastric Sleeve, but I have a couple more nagging questions. Can you help me out?

1. If you've had the Gastric Sleeve, would you do it again?

2. What was/were the thing(s) that surprised you the most after you had the surgery?

Edited January 13, 201511 yr by His Fairest

1. Would do it again. I wish I could've had it done 20 years ago.

2. What surprised me is how little food I need to attain health. I also was surprised at how wonderful it feels to be full on a healthy quantity of food.

Good Questions!

1. If you've had the Gastric Sleeve, would you do it again?

I would have to say yes. I spent a year gaining and losing the same 15 pounds! It was time. I really did not want to go the surgical route. I also knew that if I could have done it on my own, I would have. I am down 55 pounds and enjoying being lighter. For me it was the right move.

2. What was/were the thing(s) that surprised you the most after you had the surgery?

a) Lack of post-op pain-- I took the IV pain meds 3 times to sleep, not for pain. After 2 c-sections, this was nothing!

Incredible gas pain-- Had no idea gas pain could be so intense. If I didn't know it was gas, I would have thought I was having a heart attack as I had a band of pain around my entire chest.

c) The amazing effect of walking-- it took the gas pain away almost instantly. I knew walking would help- but not that much.

d) The ability I still have to eat bad stuff-- for example I can eat chips and not get full. I chew them to dust and then swallow and it was a little scary the first time I did it and found that out. I thought I would feel full quickly but I did not. I don't keep chips in the house and don't eat them when I am out. chocolate also slides down without a problem. I stay away from it as I don't want to eat too much. I do have some dark chocolate as very small amounts are satisfying.

1. Hands down YES

2. The feeling of restriction. I've read a lot about others experiences but was surprised to feel full after an ounce!

Glad you have changed your life. An ounce, eh? Wow.

1. Would do it again. I wish I could've had it done 20 years ago.

2. What surprised me is how little food I need to attain health. I also was surprised at how wonderful it feels to be full on a healthy quantity of food.

Wow. Awesome that you're liking it. I've been hearing about how little food you eat after. That should save me some serious money that I usually spend eating out. Congrats on your successes.

Good Questions!

1. If you've had the Gastric Sleeve, would you do it again?

I would have to say yes. I spent a year gaining and losing the same 15 pounds! It was time. I really did not want to go the surgical route. I also knew that if I could have done it on my own, I would have. I am down 55 pounds and enjoying being lighter. For me it was the right move.

2. What was/were the thing(s) that surprised you the most after you had the surgery?

a) Lack of post-op pain-- I took the IV pain meds 3 times to sleep, not for pain. After 2 c-sections, this was nothing!

Incredible gas pain-- Had no idea gas pain could be so intense. If I didn't know it was gas, I would have thought I was having a heart attack as I had a band of pain around my entire chest.

c) The amazing effect of walking-- it took the gas pain away almost instantly. I knew walking would help- but not that much.

d) The ability I still have to eat bad stuff-- for example I can eat chips and not get full. I chew them to dust and then swallow and it was a little scary the first time I did it and found that out. I thought I would feel full quickly but I did not. I don't keep chips in the house and don't eat them when I am out. chocolate also slides down without a problem. I stay away from it as I don't want to eat too much. I do have some dark chocolate as very small amounts are satisfying.

I've been wondering about the pain level. I've also had c-sections. I figure if I can go through that, then I can go through this.

Congrats on your new life.

Yes and no. I'd get another surgeon. I do have problems out but whatever, its not like it can be reversed.

Yes I would do it again, 1 week out today. Im surprised by how much energy I have. Pain isnt near as bad as I thought it would be. I do missing being able to guzzle fluids. I normally drink a ton of water, tea ect. so sipping slowly is not quenching my thirst.

I didnt read the comments but heres mine..HELL YEA!!! ABSOLUTLY!! my relationship with food is I eat to live an not live to eat!! 6 months out an living!

1. If you've had the Gastric Sleeve, would you do it again?

2. What was/were the thing(s) that surprised you the most after you had the surgery?

1. YES

2. As time goes on, I have to remind myself I actually had the surgery. My worries about what would change were unfounded.

heres my two cents, if you asked me about two weeks after surgery id have said no, im 5 weeks out now and though it is hard the results are amazing, and not just the weight. through this process i have seen my other health issues just go away. i had poor circulation ( venous insufficiency) in my legs but that is all but gone now, my asthma is a million times better, my sleep apnea has become almost an afterthought, my back pain is much much less than before. my knee pain is so lessened that i ride 7 to 10 miles on a stationary bike now. i had owned three canes, they have been retired. as hard as it was or well is. you cannot deny results.

my biggest surprise is a tie between how little i can actually eat, and these few weeks how fast you lose and how much, i know its still the honeymoon but man those days of 2+ pound loss are so much fun. That and seeing the dramatic changes in my body already.

Wow. Awesome that you're liking it. I've been hearing about how little food you eat after. That should save me some serious money that I usually spend eating out. Congrats on your successes.

If you do eat out often, you may need to find someone to split it with (which is great) or expect leftovers.

My grocery bill is a fraction of what it used to be. So many benefits outside of health.

1. In a heartbeat

2. Hmmm many surprises over the last 13 months. Maybe the most surprising is my tastes have literally changed and I crave things I was never keen on and have aversions to things I used to love. Also being grossed out by what/how much/how fast those around me eat sometimes. Oh and the fact that I had an inner athlete! Who knew?

I had very little pain (much better than my c section) and a comfortable recovery and no throwing up or anything, though there were some foods that gave my stomach issues early on and a few (rice notably) that still do.

1. I would absolutely do this again. I'm two years out and could have never lost and kept this weight off.

2. I was surprised at how difficult the recovery was for me. I had a mild post op infection and I never got a quick increase in energy. It was very gradual and took months. The most shocking thing for me was how little I need to eat to lose and maintain my weight loss. I need less than 900 to lose. I was also pleasantly surprised that the sleeve makes that possible with a reasonable amount of effort.

I'm a month out now, and like you I did a lot of research pre and post op. Over nutrition, exercise, people's experiences, etc.

1) I would absolutely commit to doing this again. Personally I experienced pain from the gas in abdominal cavity after surgery only for a day and a half. It was incredible intense and bad, and thankful very short lived. Only the day of surgery did my stomach reject Water, just like the first week I started to introduced carbs in. My stomach is very clear when it isn't happy, but if I eased back and gave it even a few days it would be fine personally. My incisions are even fully healed over.

2) I was not expecting the swings in energy. If I am getting everything I need, I'm like an energizer bunny. I can go jog a few miles and be sad I'm holding myself back. And really love it, which I never thought anything like that would be my thing.

Reversely if I don't get what I need. Skip a meal on accident. Had trouble with a shake (look up tons of recipes now), or have to adjust my intake. I pretty quickly feel it. It's not hunger, it's more my energy levels will plummet if I don't follow my schedule. And then I'm now where near as motivated to go do stuff.

Overall, it's your body and you will figure out what's the best for it. You might react completely different.

1) Absolutely. I had so well prepared myself that it was relatively easy to adopt to different foods, different ways of doing thing. I wasn't even scared going under that I had made a mistake. Never once have I wished I hadn't done it. It is just such a relief to be freed of weight gain worries. Course I am only 4 months out, but it has become such a lifestyle it is like it never happened - I just eat a lot less than I used to and keep getting healthier.

2) Wish I had been prepared for additional hormonal changes. Although I had be menopausal for years, it appears I have had a reversal of all that.