I’m 95% sure I want to move forward with sleeve surgery but, I’m scared. The bulk of my fear is that I’m going to do irreparable damage to my body... or that I’m going to go through all of this and nothing will change, I’ll fail and still be this heavy (or will lose very little weight).

1. Did you feel the same way?

2. Are you glad you did it?

3. Do you have any regrets?

4. What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you had surgery?

1. Did you feel the same way?

Yeah, it took about 1.5+ years of indecisiveness and 3 postponements on my part before finally going through with it (read: I chickened out 3 times total during the process)

2. Are you glad you did it?

Hecks yeah, 100000000000000%

3. Do you have any regrets?

Only that I chickened out those 3 times and that I didn't do it earlier.

4. What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you had surgery?

I've often been asked this, but TBH, there is nothing that I found out afterwards that would have changed anything or made me regret anything I did beforehand or during....sorry not much help here.

Hope you find the decision that you are happy with ❤️

I’m 95% sure I want to move forward with sleeve surgery but, I’m scared. The bulk of my fear is that I’m going to do irreparable damage to my body... or that I’m going to go through all of this and nothing will change, I’ll fail and still be this heavy (or will lose very little weight).

1. Did you feel the same way?

Absolutely. I really didn't have confidence that the surgery would work for me. I wasn't overly afraid of complications, but I did fear that I would have the surgery and lose only a few pounds.

2. Are you glad you did it?

I'm super-glad I did it. I had no major complications. I haven't had any real problems adjusting to my new way of eating. Best of all, I lost all my excess weight, reaching a normal BMI for the first time since I was 10 years old.

3. Do you have any regrets?

I regret waiting so long. However, for various reasons, I know the time was right when I did it. I might not have been as successful earlier because my circumstances were different.

4. What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you had surgery?

"Hey, it's really going to suck for the first week or two after surgery. Don't worry, almost everyone has a tough time at first. But your tummy will heal and before you know it, your new way of eating will be second nature."

1: Have to admit I made the decision pretty quickly. Woke up one morning & said enough. I was in surgery just under 6 weeks later. So I didn’t have much time for nerves or second thoughts.

2: Super glad I did it.

3: Not a single regret. Sure there are little things that can be annoying (like when my restriction kicks in after 2 or 3 bites sometimes when I’m out) but they are my experiences & quirky to me. If I could go back in time I’d still do it. Two other friends decided to have the surgery after I did because of my experience.

4: I was pretty well prepared before my surgery so there wasn’t anything I really didn’t expect (except that diarrhoea experience on day 3 - embarrassing ?) & there hasn’t anything that would have changed my mind. I had a friend who had the surgery about 16 months before I did & she shared lots of great advice. I also did quite a bit of reading & I was very glad I stumbled upon this forum.

As long as you understand it’s not a magic cure & that you have to put in the work, make the changes & make them a permanent part of your life you’ll be able to best take advantage of the benefits of the surgery. How much weight you actually lose is not as important as finding the point that you can maintain your weight & live your life as you want to.

Good luck.

11 hours ago, GooseyGirl said:

1. Did you feel the same way?

2. Are you glad you did it?

3. Do you have any regrets?

4. What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you had surgery?

1. No. I feel like a new person- in a good way.

2. Absolutely

3. that I didn't do this a long time ago

4. What are you still doing thinking about it? just get it over with and say hello to the rest of your life!

1. Did you feel the same way? Yes, I was not totally sure about getting the sleeve, but I ignored my doubts and went through with it anyway.

 2. Are you glad you did it? No. I do regret it.

3. Do you have any regrets? Yes. I now have a hiatal hernia and GERD that affect my quality of life. The hiatal hernia came AFTER the sleeve - I didn't have one beforehand.
I didn't realize at the time that I had the sleeve that the shape of the sleeved stomach makes it prone to herniate, that if it does herniate that it can cause very significant symptoms even if it is a "small" hernia, and that permanently fixing a hiatal hernia after the gastric sleeve is not easy (hence many surgeons will tell you to just convert to a gastric bypass if you get a hernia after the sleeve).

 4. What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you had surgery? I wish that someone had simply explained to me the problems that hiatal hernias can cause, that the gastric sleeve makes it much harder to surgically fix a hiatal hernia than it is if you still have your normal stomach, and that your quality of life can be ruined if you are one of the unlucky ones who has a lot of symptoms from it.
I wish someone had told me that there was a real risk that I might end up being forced into converting to a gastric bypass because the sleeve caused problems.

I know that pre-op people don't love hearing about regrets or the problems, but the truth is that I was better off before the surgery. Sure, I was fatter, but I was pretty healthy in spite of that and my weight was not affecting my quality of life.
I desperately wish I could go back in time and tell my surgeon not to do it. The surgery works for a lot of people, but some people are worse off after it. If you aren't SURE you want the surgery, and especially if you are not willing to accept the risk that you might end up with health issues that force you to convert to a gastric bypass later, then I would advise not rushing into it. Wait until you are sure.

Edited April 19, 20215 yr by SleevedK

1. Of course. If anyone isn’t second guessing something like this then they are a more decisive person than I am that’s for sure! I was paranoid about everything.

2. Incredibly glad. I feel like I have a new lease on life. I was never going to be happy at the weight I was. It was ruining my life and a constant source of frustration and misery. If I could have done it on my own, I would have. And I couldn’t.
3. No regrets. And I don’t regret not doing it sooner either. I was at the right stage of my life to fully embrace these changes and commit to the program.
4. Nothing- I felt very well prepared, but I read everything on these forums, online, watched YouTube videos, etc. I’m an over planner. Take each day and phase of the preop and post op as they come- time flies!

1. Did you feel the same way? For the most part I feel the same but I am only 30 pounds down so far (6 weeks post op)

2. Are you glad you did it? I am very glad I did it. Wish I had done it sooner

3. Do you have any regrets? Absolutely not. I tried everything and could not do this on my own. Drastic measures are needed at times.

4. What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you had surgery? I think I was told everything beforehand. I don’t think I realized how much my life would revolve around my surgery and the fact that I had surgery for a short time (getting in fluids and protein, constipation and fiber, etc) but it was all worth it. I am 6 weeks out now and cleared for regular food (within reason) and I am hopeful and excited for the future.

No regrets, I had the band for about 5 years and then had it out due to complications. I have absolutely no regrets!

Everything SleevedK said is true! Same here.

On 4/18/2021 at 9:54 PM, GooseyGirl said:

I’m 95% sure I want to move forward with sleeve surgery but, I’m scared. The bulk of my fear is that I’m going to do irreparable damage to my body... or that I’m going to go through all of this and nothing will change, I’ll fail and still be this heavy (or will lose very little weight).

1. Did you feel the same way?

2. Are you glad you did it?

3. Do you have any regrets?

4. What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you had surgery?

1. No, I can definitely say I feel healthier and though I have experienced some regain, my body has changed for the good.

2. Yes 100%

3. I was miserable for about 8 months after surgery because my body decided to hate everything I put in it, and for awhile there I was surely tested HOWEVER, I had a great team with my bariatric doctor whom helped me through. Of course this a person by person basis but something that drove me close to regret.

4. I was sleeved in 2015. I WISH they would have told me about the possibility of getting severe GERD and hernias. That conversation wasn't thoroughly discussed and as it may be my fault, I'm now finding myself needing revision which health insurance that won't cover leaving me to fund my revision on my own. Life is a little miserable right now because nothing seems to help but again, this is all a person by person basis. I wish I would have pushed for RNY at the beginning but I still don't regret getting WLS.

Best of luck to you!

Edited January 12, 20224 yr by newsam1154

On 4/19/2021 at 4:59 PM, SleevedK said:

1. Did you feel the same way? Yes, I was not totally sure about getting the sleeve, but I ignored my doubts and went through with it anyway.

 2. Are you glad you did it? No. I do regret it.

3. Do you have any regrets? Yes. I now have a hiatal hernia and GERD that affect my quality of life. The hiatal hernia came AFTER the sleeve - I didn't have one beforehand.
I didn't realize at the time that I had the sleeve that the shape of the sleeved stomach makes it prone to herniate, that if it does herniate that it can cause very significant symptoms even if it is a "small" hernia, and that permanently fixing a hiatal hernia after the gastric sleeve is not easy (hence many surgeons will tell you to just convert to a gastric bypass if you get a hernia after the sleeve).

 4. What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you had surgery? I wish that someone had simply explained to me the problems that Hiatal hernias can cause, that the gastric sleeve makes it much harder to surgically fix a hiatal hernia than it is if you still have your normal stomach, and that your quality of life can be ruined if you are one of the unlucky ones who have a lot of symptoms from it.
I wish someone had told me that there was a real risk that I might end up being forced into converting to a gastric bypass because the sleeve caused problems.

I know that pre-op people don't love hearing about regrets or problems, but the truth is that I was better off before the surgery. Sure, I was fatter, but I was pretty healthy in spite of that and my weight was not affecting my quality of life.
I desperately wish I could go back in time and tell my surgeon not to do it. The surgery works for a lot of people, but some people are worse off after it. If you aren't SURE you want the surgery, and especially if you are not willing to accept the risk that you might end up with health issues that force you to convert to a gastric bypass later, then I would advise not rushing into it. Wait until you are sure.

I'm so sorry for what you have been dealing with. I recently had surgery, and I 100% regret my decision. I was relativity "healthy" by medical standards, but I was just FAT! I wish I would've just accepted myself and my body the way it was. The complications aren't worth the weight loss in my opinion.

On 4/18/2021 at 9:54 PM, GooseyGirl said:

1. I was not apprehensive about the surgery because I did a LOT of research and found very little evidence that it was going to cause real harm to me. The risk was significantly overshadowed by the potential reward.

2. I am very happy I did it. I am down close to 100 pounds, am off all meds, have more energy and look 1000% better than I did.

3. I have no regrets at all except maybe that I waited too long to get it done.

4. I cannot think of anything that I wish I knew now but didn't know then. It really was pretty seamless in my life

On 4/18/2021 at 9:54 PM, GooseyGirl said:

I’m 95% sure I want to move forward with sleeve surgery but, I’m scared. The bulk of my fear is that I’m going to do irreparable damage to my body... or that I’m going to go through all of this and nothing will change, I’ll fail and still be this heavy (or will lose very little weight).

1. Did you feel the same way?

2. Are you glad you did it?

3. Do you have any regrets?

4. What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you had surgery?

A new 2022 study was just published about results 6 months out. 20% of men /40% of women end up with reflux. This is not the reflux you think you know. This is a sip of water needs meds /and or tums. If you’re just fat, but relatively healthy - this isn’t for you. I regret it. If you’re going to die without it - then YES - get it.

If you have kids, jumping and playing with them gets risky - so does most exercise. Yes, you might get lucky and be part of the 60% - but those aren’t great odds….and many get reflux a few years later, and this study is only 6 months out.

Many are ok taking the PPI medication because it seems to do the trick and doctors just want you out of their hair.

The meds are a huge cancer risk and makes many nauseous. I’ve been nauseous for 17 years!

I’m thin, but have been sickly the entire time. I so miss the “fat” me. I had to leave a profession I loved, am always exhausted, need iron infusions, etc.…search “iron infusions”, “vsg revision”, . “gerd”in here.

I find the people who are most happy with vSG are people who were losing their life to obesity. if you’re just “fat”, but can walk, work, love, play, etc. - don’t do it.

Many people have GERD or will develop GERD with or without the surgery. People that are obese have a good chance of developing GERD as they age. My question would be would you rather be obese or of healthy weight and have GERD? I would rather be healthy weight and have a treatable GERD problem over obesity and all the many health issues that come with that that I no longer have like Type 2 diabetes, High blood pressure, high cholesterol etc

Let’s not pressure anyone into a surgery with risks. This isn’t “treatable” GERD. Many convert from a VSG to a bypass because the “gerd” is that bad. (A simple search here will show you what kind of GERD this is.) in fact, I don’t thing they should call it GERD at all. It’s like calling a “cluster headache” just a headache.

I do agree with one thing - if obesity is killing you - get the surgery (the risk makes sense). If it’s not, then pass.

For some weird reason, men aren’t experiencing this sort of GERD at the same rate or intensity - (Google 2022 study). Best of luck with whatever you choose.

This is one time when you need to look at overall statistics- not individual experiences. Not even mine. If you’re OK with a 40% chance of horrible acid reflux (I never experienced it until after surgery) because your health is failing you - then I completely understand that. But it’s not a “pop a few tums” sort of GERD. Google long term PPI use.