I’m very early in the process and am questioning if I should be doing this.

To be honest with you having the sleeve was the best and worst thing I have ever done. I am about 7 weeks post op. Let me explain. I have lost about 60lbs and been able to get off some meds. I really needed the surgery in fear I was headed for a heart attack, diabetes or name any other bad condition. The surgery it's self was not painfull at all. The hard part begins after surgery with the stages of liquid diets, then soft foods, then more regular type food. Some foods are 6 months out advised. It's not easy inconjuction with the vitamin supplements needed throughout the day. I can probably eat about 4 ozs of food right now and it is difficult to get in all your fluids for the day. You have to be vigilant and dedicated. Would I do it again? Yes because it's for my health and I don't need to eat the amount of foods and choice of foods I was eating. Ultimately it's up to you and how much you need it from a health standpoint. It is great to get on ghe scale and see hard work pay off. Hope this helps you in some way making your choice.

@corinne2022 Do you have co-morbidities? For me it was diabetes, high blood pressure, and knee/ankle arthritis pain. Surgery has helped.

It is a big decision & many people question if they are doing the right thing. May be continue with the process a little longer as you will find out more information. Also do a lot of reading from reputable sources. (Lots of information here too of course.) I was lucky I had a friend who’d had the surgery a year earlier so she was a font of information & experience.

Yes, the first couple of months after the surgery can be difficult. You are literally relearning how to eat. In fact the initial stages after the surgery when your diet is quite restricted to support your healing is much like how a baby is introduced to solid food: liquids, purées, soft food then solid. You’ll be working at breaking habits, cravings, addictions (sugar, salt,) & any emotional dependencies on food you’ve likely had for years or your entire life. But honestly, it does get much easier.

You’ll never go back to eating exactly the same way as you did before but that is how you ended up with a weight problem. Many do eat some of their old favourites BUT they eat them rarely & in small portions. Or they eat healthier variations of the food. My sleeve doesn’t limit me or restrict me from doing anything I enjoy or want to do.

All the best what ever you choose to do.

10 hours ago, corinne2022 said:

I’m very early in the process and am questioning if I should be doing this.

It is a very big decision emotionally, physically and financially. You should not take this lightly. It is something that you will not be able to undo once it has been done.

I found it helpful to write down a list of pros and cons. What do you have to lose and what do you have to gain?

Are you happy with where you are at now? For me I know that I was literally killing myself with food. I couldnt walk far at all. Even two and half weeks later I can walk further and am in less pain. For me it is all about health.

What will be the reason that is most important for you? ?

I think most of us have had doubts and concerns prior to having the surgery. I see questions like this all the time on this forum. There are a few that are adamantly against having the surgery and regret having it. From their comments I feel that it was more due to their commitment to the process than the surgery itself. If you think the surgery is going to solve all your weight problems then it is not for you. If you want to be healthier and are willing to use the tool to lose weight and become more healthy, then it is for you. You have to be willing to put in the work though. You have to be willing to mentally invest in the process and realize that you cannot simply rely on a physical restriction to control your weight. You have to be willing to track foods, calories etc. You have to be willing to get some exercise and you have to be willing to resist the cravings that put you in your current situation. With all these things, you will be successful, but if you are not committed it is not going to work. This is not a magic pill that makes you skinny. It takes a lot of work.

I canceled my first surgery because of concerns I had with the program I was in and doubts I was having in general. I found another program and the psychologist (for the program) and I discussed my concerns I had and she assured me - that once I had clearance if I was still questioning if the surgery was the right choice I could take up to a year to decide on having it (based on their program and my insurance requirements). She also reassured me that if I didn’t want surgery she could work to refer me to the medically supervised weight loss program so I could continue to work on progress.

Knowing I have choices is helping me be less anxious. I always advocate for listening to your instincts. Get the answers/information you need to feel confident in the choice you are making. Talk with your therapist or the program psychologist… your PCP or specialist if you have a good relationship with them… nurse navigator in the program (or all of them if need be) to help set your mind at ease so you feel confident in what ever your decision is.

Hi! I'm in the beginning process, and I was skeptical about getting weight loss surgery. Because so many people was talking negative about, but then I pull myself together and decided what was going to be better for me and my health, not base my decision off of other people opinions and not letting people dictate to me when it comes to my health. Plus I have psuedotumor cerebri and I was told by my physicians that will be helpful to get the weight loss surgery.

For me it was the best thing I've ever done and my only regret was not doing it sooner.

That said, you need to be both physically and mentally prepared to do this, it's major surgery and a massive life-changing event - if you don't think you're ready, you probably aren't.

I had my surgery 1 month ago today. I almost canceled. I was self pay and it was a lot of money that I didn't want to spend. When I went to my preop my sugar was 250. My body let me know it was tired and that It needed the surgery. I've only lost 16lbs but my sugar is slowly going down and my blood pressure is normal. My BMI is on the lower end 35 before surgery. So I won't lose a whole lot fast. For me I was in a lot of pain after surgery. And I usually have a high tolerance for pain. I couldn't get comfortable to rest. Getting up and down out of the hospital bed was awful. But once I got home, I could rest in my recliner and that's where I slept for a few days. Some don't have pain after surgery but some do. They say it's from gas pain. But my surgeon thinks mine was from my hernia repair. Everyone is different and everyones victories will be different. But most of us only have one regret. We wish we had done it earlier!

17 hours ago, Tufflaw said:

For me it was the best thing I've ever done and my only regret was not doing it sooner.

That said, you need to be both physically and mentally prepared to do this, it's major surgery and a massive life-changing event - if you don't think you're ready, you probably aren't.

I agree with this 100%. I kick myself for toying with it for so many years and not just taking the plunge and getting it done. I am down 106 pounds and my health is 1000% better now than just 8 months ago. I am off all my meds and am feeling better than any time in my memory.

For me the one regret I had was waiting so long to do it. Yes, gong through the consultations sucked. I had to meet with a nutritionist and psychologist twice. I needed cardiac and pulmonary clearances. I had two separate sleep studies. I had a few rounds of blood work. Then came the terrible two week protein shake and liquid diet. But I stuck it out and had my sleeve surgery on the 16th. My surgery went fine. I had very little pain and soreness after. The reward has been the energy level I have now, lowering my blood sugar to where I am no longer a pre-diabetic and coming off my Metformin and lowering my high blood pressure to come off of my high blood pressure medicine. I'm enjoying the soft/pureed' food stage (this is where I am going to insert a reminder that everyone's post surgical plan is different and I am following what my doctor's office instructed me to do), because I get to discover how to put foods together that I can have and make them taste great. The journey has been worth the reward for me.

I am just beginning my journey too. I have my initial appointment scheduled for July 13. I am nervous too. It is a big decision and one you should not take lightly. I am happy to be here on these forums and being able to see how each person is navigating their journey. Maybe have a talk with a counselor to help you figure out if you are ready to move forward.

My only regret is not doing it sooner as well. But you have to wait until you are ready. My suggestion is to go through all the insurance hurdles while you are deciding. If you still aren’t ready you don’t have to schedule surgery. Sure you may be out a few copays but that’s about it. It takes about 6 months with most insurance to get through the process and once you are ready the waiting is not fun. But take that time to really reflect on why it is that you need the surgery and learn as much as you can. Speaking with the bariatric therapist about any of your concerns is also a great idea. They can probably help you decide if you are ready.

I think for every person there comes a time that the decision becomes an easy one. I had no choice. I had hit rock bottom. The longer I put it off, and tried other methods, the more I gained weight. For me, nothing was worse than having comorbities and hating difficult situations like fitting in an airplane seat, rides at a theme park, getting tired from a short walk. I was nervous as much as the next person but I knew it was my last hope to live thin and healthy.

I almost backed out after being scheduled for surgery so I understand. I am 6 days post op and I am happy I didn't. I had to keep reminding myself why I was seeking bariatric surgery in the first place - which was my HEALTH!!!