So I'm in the fist stages of starting this journey and would love advice from anyone who has had the sleeve. I have struggled with my weight since I was a teenager. At 41 I can no longer work out the way I used too due to knee issues. I am currently at the highest weight I have ever been. I have went back and forth with getting the sleeve for a few years now. Honestly just figured I would work my butt off as usual and get the weight off. Since I'm severely limited with exercise that's no longer an option. My question is how many of you regret getting the sleeve? I feel like I'm truly never going to be able to enjoy certain foods ever again? Is this truly the case? or do you get to still indulge once in a while? Not sure if I want to give up everything if this is the case. But I do really miss my clothes too lol Please let me know the good, the bad and the ugly!

On 07/02/2019 at 18:55, mariev213 said:

So I'm in the fist stages of starting this journey and would love advice from anyone who has had the sleeve. I have struggled with my weight since I was a teenager. At 41 I can no longer work out the way I used too due to knee issues. I am currently at the highest weight I have ever been. I have went back and forth with getting the sleeve for a few years now. Honestly just figured I would work my butt off as usual and get the weight off. Since I'm severely limited with exercise that's no longer an option. My question is how many of you regret getting the sleeve? I feel like I'm truly never going to be able to enjoy certain foods ever again? Is this truly the case? or do you get to still indulge once in a while? Not sure if I want to give up everything if this is the case. But I do really miss my clothes too lol Please let me know the good, the bad and the ugly!

Okay so I’m almost 5 months out from sleeve

I started at exactly 40% BMI (which means I couldn’t lose any weight in the months leading up to surgery because i needed my insurance to foot the bill).

Here are but a few of the positives:


I lost 7 pounds on the 10 day pre-surgery diet and I’ve lost another 62 pounds since surgery day on February 6th.

I’m 5’7” and I’ve gone from 253 pounds to 184 since January 27th.
I went from a size 22 to a comfortable size 14, and the good news is I figure I have another 30-40 pounds I’ll lose before I’m finished.

I’m 50 years old and I’m in better shape than I’ve been in since I was 28

I can now work a 12 hr shift (ALL of it on my feet) and not be in agony at the end of the day.

I can shop in the non-plus size section of any clothing store.

I don’t chronically worry if I’m going to “fit” into any space.

I no longer feel as if people are watching or judging me based off of my weight.

The negatives:

Eating and drinking have to be planned to an extent.
Every morning I know what I’m going to have for the day because I planned it out BEFORE I woke up in the morning. There really isn’t ever anymore free-styling food. Best have a plan.

I have to be somewhat careful of when I time my food/liquids or it hurts.
Nothing brings you into focus faster than accidentally taking a huge swig from your water bottle right after you’ve eaten lunch.
Don’t worry.... all of us have done it and while it hurts like the dickens, it won’t cause any lasting damage.

I have to convince friends and family that it is “okay” to eat with me or around me.
So many people in my life still apologize to me when they order somethings “sinful” at a restaurant. Yesterday a coworker brought a box of Doughnuts in and then apologizes for the next hour.
Here’s the deal.... the cravings for these kinds of things almost completely disappear and you find yourself not caring in the least that there’s a box of Crispy Kremes on the back counter because you’re trying your best to figure out how you’re gonna drink another 24 ounces of water and eat a boiled egg in the next 2 hrs.

Holidays and special occasions are going to be a bit different.
Anyone who tells you any different probably never had family who likes food, or something else weird like that, but the reality is that it WILL be different.
Honestly though, now that I’ve gone though a few things like this, I’m HAPPY that things are different. Now instead of hanging around eating and drinking and all of the self-loathing that goes along with its, I can focus more on people and the party and not be chained by the food.

Yes.... if it’s a special occasion , have a bite or two of cake. Who cares if you eat a tiny bit?

Thursday on the 4th I’ve got a wedding to attend and I fully plan on grabbing a slice of wedding cake and grabbing a glass of wine. I’ll more than likely eat 1-2 bites of cake and drink ALL of the wine, but it will be so much fun to dance in my size 12 dress that I can now fit into and not have to always keep an eye out for the person taking pictures so I can run and hide.
This time I won’t care if someone takes a photo of me because I will be having a blast and looking great!

Thank you for putting this into perspective for me. I’m just starting to get cold feet. But I’m done with this diet roller coaster and want to get off the ride!

No regrets, wish I had done it sooner.

Another way to look at it is this - if you don't have the surgery you could go back to a diet like Weight Watchers and lose 30-40-50 lbs, struggle with the same issues of learning to eat highly nutritious food, the weight will come off slowly, you will get disgusted and eat off plan, then beat yourself up over it. And start over. How many times do you want to start over? I know I did it for decades.

Yes, some foods might be off the list but they become less important to you. Food is not an enemy, nor is it a friend - only you can give it that power. I could eat some bread, pasta, rice but it really isn't a big deal to not eat it. I take a bite once in awhile of toasted bread and move on. I am not physically craving anything unless I super indulge on sugar carbs for a couple days - but as soon as two days without it pass I get over it. Have I had wine - yes a glass, cake - 4 bites of cheesecake at a bridal shower - it wasn't as good as my homemade cheesecake LOL

The weight will stay off easier, maintaining will be easier.

Yes! Believe it or not, many food cravings simply disappear.

Then there also be the times that you suddenly “need” some random carby food.

This is when the “tool” of restriction will help immensely.

This last weekend I had the most horrible meal. Was visiting family and some distant cousins (who had zero idea I had surgery) brought some margarita mix.

We’d also had a big dinner planned with birthday cake and ice cream.

Well I got blindsided by the margaritas and before I knew it, I had drank 16oz (yes, your brain will start to automatically add up everything you eat or drink without conscious effort) and then made bad food choices (my step mothers pasta salad is AMAZING)
Ended up eating half of my husbands slice of cake and a stole a spoonful of ice cream.
Afterwards I felt really full and slightly ashamed, but it was my first big slip up in 5 months and when I got on the scale this morning I’d lost 1.4 pounds since Saturday am.

My normal is 1-2 pounds weekly now so I’m pretty sure my body just got right back on track.

I am 5 weeks post-op, and I also agree that many of the cravings go away. Through the liquid diet period you get used to people eating "fun stuff" around you and not being able to. If a craving for a specific item turns up, you can have a bite - you probably won't be able to eat more than that anyway and if you do you will likely regret it.

With that said, you still have to know and accept that there are limits to what you can eat. If you aren't mindful of that you will stretch your pouch back out and balloon right back up. If you think you really have a food-addiction you might want to get that sorted out first. Having the surgery and not following the diet seems pretty pointless. In my case, I think I do have a food addiction. I sometimes convince myself its okay to cheat. I have to really keep that in check if I want this surgery to work. But having a small pouch makes it easier.

I think that even if you can't do full on exercises now, some weight will still come off from the calorie intake, just not as much. When you slim down a little, maybe your knees will be more cooperative!