To ask if anyone has had a gastric sleeve?

[Newname71]

So I’m due an inheritance in a few months and was debating getting a new car. I’ve just been chatting to a friend who had a gastric sleeve and it’s got me thinking. We’ve both struggled with our weight for years and she bit the bullet 12 months ago. She looks fantastic and had a really positive experience. She doesn’t regret it at all and would do it all over again.
Has anyone had one? Was your experience positive? Do you regret it?
It’s a huge commitment and I don’t want to (potentially) go into it having only heard one persons experience.

I've got one. It's great.

Join some facebook groups on gastric sleeve surgery there are lots of people happy to talk on them.

To be fair though, I think now that the injectables have been invented I'd try those first. You know, ozempic, etc.

I know someone who had one and while the op was a success they're miserable and in a downward spiral!
My advice is research deeply into the pros and cons. Take the counselling and psychology seriously.
If your life is miserable and you think this will be the answer to everlasting happiness - it won't!
If you use food as a comfort/coping mechanism, what will you do when you can't do that anymore?
When you have loads of loose skin how will you feel about that? What will you do about that?
There are loads and loads of positive stories out there, and it does work to get the weight off, but it's something you really really need to think long and hard about.
Good luck with whatever you decide x

Try Mounjaro instead. Less drastic!

I don't know anyone who regrets it. Everyone wished they done it years ago.

I had it done five years ago and am still 11 stone lighter.

I had one 2 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made. I look and feel great and I’m much more confident in myself.

However, it’s been HARD work. It’s NOT the easy way out. I had mine here in the UK and even with close support from a dietician and my surgeon there’s been times when I’ve felt alone.

The thing I’ve found the hardest is I was an emotional eater who liked big portions. That doesn’t go away magically with a sleeve. Do your research, not only into the hospital, surgeon and what happens to your body after but also look into counselling. Make sure you have family and friends around who know it’s going to be tough.

Please don’t go abroad for surgery. The extra money is worth it just for the aftercare alone.

Get Ozempic. I’ve lost 30kg and my BMI went from 30.5 to 22 in the space of 18 months and it cost me £250 a month. Much better much healthier and much easier.

Well some context might help how overweight are you? As in overweight? obese? Morbidly obese? I think if you have anything under 10 stone to lose I’d look into diet changes and ozempic first!

I had a bypass rather than a sleeve and don't regret it ever. I had therapy to work on my issues with food and binge eating before having surgery so was well prepared. I was morbidly obese with a BMI of 49, and this is now 26. I eat well, exercise well and I'm very healthy.

Try mounjaro or other injection first. Less drastic. I’ve lost 52lb on it so far, from April

Ive known of people who have had success and people who have eventually gained all the weight back. I think its key to do research and look at both sides of things.

I am using mounjaro and its feeling like the first time I feel like I can actually lose this weight.

But I think with either method the key is addressing the main issue, why you gained weight in the first place. If you have issues surrounding food and they arent addressed, either method will have you struggle so its important at the same time that you address your relationship with food. Because with those I know who gained it back, this was the reason, they never dealt with their years and years of food struggles and so they were still there once the weight had been lost and it slowly but surely piled back on.

I had a sleeve (in turkey) 25 months ago and it’s genuinely the best thing I’ve ever done. I’ve lost almost 6 stone, with another 3 to go and I don’t regret it for a second. I do recommend that you have some therapy to sort out your brain before you go. I did counselling and hypnotherapy and feel it gave me a real fighting chance. You still have to work at it, but I’ve tried everything and never been able to lose the weight and with the sleeve I am. Good luck whatever you decide.

15 months not 25!

My dad had one about 4 years ago - he is less than half his original weight now but has found it harder in some aspects than others.

As a family we tend to focus gatherings around food, the rest of us manage not to overeat but he's always piled his plate up. Now if he tries to do that he feels very sick. He also can't drink any liquid with a meal, he can't drink any carbonated liquid so no cola or beer and a small glass of wine makes him feel drunk quickly now.

He has some excess skin but not tons, I think the biggest change outside of diet for him was that he feels perpetually cold having spent his whole life feeling hot, now he's in layers even inside to keep warm.

I would second the poster above to recommend taking the counselling with it seriously to try to address the reasons behind the overeating, it isn't a magic wand.

Would you consider mounjaro weight loss injections first? There’s lots of threads on here about the weight loss injections and people are having great results without having to go through a risky surgery. Might be worth looking into

I would 100% go for the injections over the surgical option now they exist and can be bought easily.

i cannot believe this is still an option given the weightloss injections are now available. Why do a risky op when theres a safer and less costly option?

Hi @Newname71

I'm 13 weeks post gastric sleeve today and I've lost just over 4 and a half stone (including what I lost doing the liver reduction diet prior to surgery) and I feel fantastic! I've had a great recovery and I don't regret a thing (I know some people don't have as easy a time as I've had though)

I waited nearly 3 years to get my sleeve done on the NHS so there was plenty of time to do my research and get my head around what I was actually getting myself in to

I have friends who have had it done privately and they didn't receive the same level of psychological support as those who have it done via the NHS, so that's something to be aware of

I would say though, that if you only have a few stone to lose, surgery may be too drastic a solution (I have/had 12 stone to lose) and I know some people on the Facebook groups find it difficult if they don't have that much to lose

Please feel free to PM me if you want any more info

because the injections aren't a permanent solution. if you stop taking them you put the weight back on

Granted, surgery will only get you so far and it is possible to gain weight through bad habits post-surgery

It's a permanent "solution" but if you have issues it's very hard to sort out I believe
If you have surgery outside the UK the NHS will not "fix" someone else's work
Lots of ppl find it hard to maintain a healthy weight, they keep loosing
Foamies is an unpleasant side effect
You will have to think about your approach to eating for ever, you can't go out for meals with friends and family ( might be possible for some, much later but still involves a lot of planning
In my opinion any drastic surgery you should have to speak with a psychologist, first so you are aware of the mental impact.
It's a huge decision that should not be taken lightly

That’s not true. Some people put some weight back on.

a sleeve is very very permanent however - I’d rather take a jab once a week than a sleeve for the rest of my life!

Get the car.

Thanks all, for your advice and opinions. I have about 8 stone to lose. I do have issues around food, I’m an emotional eater.
I’m starting to think that the sleeve may be too “permanent” for me.
I think I’ll go and speak to my GP and see if there is any help I can get with my issues around food and I’m going to look into the injections.

😊. This is exactly what DM said

Nope. Go with Mounjaro. A less risky method.

With a gastric sleeve I have heard that it's difficult to get all the nutrients that you need so I wouldn't go with that without trying the non invasive method first.

Thanks, I think that’s what I’m going to do. 😊