Did anyone regret a sleeve?

[SuffolkUnicorn]

As above really got my second consultation next week and was wondering if anyone ever regretted having the procedure. The cost is just over 10k and in a UK hospital

also after the operation how soon can you get back to normal

my operation is in london and obviously will get my partner to drive me back will I be able to take the journey back to Suffolk or do I need to find a hotel to stay in for a few days

Who are you going with. How long is the journey back to Suffolk

Im at 6 months now. I dont regret it (largely)

I regret that I needed it and there are times I think 'should I have just stuck to Ozempic, or should I have got a balloon instead'

I have been one of the unlucky ones who needs medication for acid reflux, Im on a double dose. Its one of the more common side effects of the sleeve.

I didnt want a bypass because I was worried about non absorption of nutrients and too much messing about with plumbing

Another side effect of losing weight quickly (by any means) is gall bladder problems. I look forward to that!

However I suffered no pain, journey home of 2 hours was bearable. Healing was quick, didnt need painkillers.
Constipation has been very difficult, dont skimp on the laxitives

I have struggled to eat as much as I need to due to the GERD but this is improving. It takes me ages to eat the smallest meal.
My hair started falling out at 3 months, right one cue, then loss seems to have slowed in the last few days, they say it starts growing back at the 9-12 month period.
My health, outlook, physical wellbeing has improved immensely.

I havent had any emotional fallout, I suspect that my 'emotional eating' was nothing of the sort and Im just greedy (I am, I just love food), so I didnt have an emotional reaction to not being able to eat as much. I used that excuse for many years. I think mine was very driven by hormonal cravings, which now disappear because of the way the sleeve works

Im meticulous about my nutrition, I calculate everything and even though I cant eat much I plan around what protein I need, batch cook everything, prioritise protein and veg, virtually no fruit and little carbs. Lots of fluids as much as I can do (which needs to increase). I weigh and log everything, not everyone does this.

Im just going to have my 6 month bloods done to see if I am deficient in anything, I suspect I might have iron deficiency as I dont take the iron that Im meant to, I want to see if I really need it first. I pay for my supplements as they are all in one and expensive, I would rather do this than have a whole host of tabs that I'll forget to take.

My weight loss is unbelievably slow. I average around 900-1100 cals a day. Im losing half a pound a week (if that). Ive lost 4 stone in 6 months but more overall because I lost weight in the months leading up to the op. My BMI has gone down from 47 to 31, nearly in the overweight category!!!!

I need to do exercise, I just dont do any and that is really bad.

Nine years later and I regret it massively. I’m in constant pain.

Lacking in detail

What does that mean?

Thankyou everyone so far I’m just reading through your replies

I had one 10 years ago.

Pros - very rapid weight loss in the first year enabling me to have children.

Cons - severe vitamin deficiencies. Hair loss. Awful loose skin. Didn't solve my weight problem completely, it's still a work in progress.

Overall, I'd recommend it, but don't expect it to be a magic wand.

Statistics:

Start: 30st

Lowest weight: 13st

(Then had 4 children, put 1st back on for each)

Now: 17st

(Finished child-bearing and breast feeding, so losing again and hoping to get to a healthy BMI)

Were you on bariatric supplements and did you have a problem with absorption?

The sleeve is not as you say anything magic, people still need to eat less and maintain a calorie balance in order to keep it off so its a life long job for sure

I was on bariatric supplements for the first few years. I can't stomach iron so have had a few infusions in hospital. B9 and B12 deficiencies were the worst - at one point my B9 was 0.3 (should be between 3-15)!

Absolutely not. Best thing I ever did.

8 stone down. Feel fantastic. Maintained 2 years. No drastic side effects (feel sick when I eat alot of sugar but I don't think thats a bad thing tbh)

Was that solely due to the sleeve, did something change about how you absorb the vitamin?

My supplements are meant to be all in one, other people have to take b12 injections for life but my supplements are for life anyway

I don't regret it at all. I am still obese and have loose skin. Weirdly I didn't have acid reflux until I had Covid at Christmas and now take Omeprazole daily. I do still get the foamies if I over eat and snacking has to be controlled. Would I do it again yes in a heartbeat. I was 27 stone and struggling and now I am 16 stone and can do so much more.

It is not a miracle cure and yes I have put weight back in from my lightest which was 15 stone. Yes I would love to get rid of the loose skin but I am with my husband who has loved me throughout and I have a good job and I have run (slowly) two half marathons since my op which would never have happened before. It will always be a battle with food but it is easier to lose weight at 16 stone than 27.

Its a bit of a myth that WLS causes loose skin.

If you are (as I was overweight for decades, and am old, and have very little skin elastin, lots of stretch marks and peri menopausal) the type who will have loose skin if you lose weight, it doesnt really matter what method you use or how quickly it happens.

You need to wait a year or two after losing the weight for the skin to stabilise, so it may look different some time down the line but ultimately the younger you are the more likely it is to look ok. In my support group some of the young girls are in their bikinis and havent had plastic surgery, their skin is just ok

I had one 15 months ago. I don’t regret it at all. I’ve lost 8 stone and don’t have loose skin, as such. A bit of creping under the neck and arms but this seems to be tightening up. If I stay at this weight, I’ll be happy but I would like to lost another 7-14lbs. I can eat whatever I want, but have gone things like steak. I genuinely prefer fish and seafood. I eat from a small plate so it seems like a lot to me. I prioritise protein and veg / salad but can eat most things. I try and keep hydrated, but I need to really watch that.

I was a size 18-20 and I’m now a size 10. I don’t have any pain or reflux, my urge incontinence has gone - in fact, far too many benefits to list here. If I eat too much sugar, I feel a bit sick. If I eat too much, I feel uncomfortable, so that stops me and I might have to go to the loo quickly. I had some hair loss, but it has all grown back now. I had the foamies once early one, through taking medication. I was sick a couple of times in the early days, but I know my limits now and tend not to push it. I sometimes have constipation, so I take a dulcosoft occasionally, drink more fluids and have more greens. Constipation is happening less frequently,

I know some people struggle with it, but I have had only positive experiences from mine. If you want to ‘cheat’ you can (I often have some kind of treat most days) but I eat smaller amounts. For example, if I am out and I want cake, or fancy fish and chips, I can have it. I share the portion with someone else and just take the end of the fish and a few chips, or I share the cake and have a few mouthfuls. I am happy with that. The thing with a sleeve is that it’s not like being on a diet where you want to eat less and feel deprived if you can’t have have stuff. I can have what I want, but a small amount, and I am more than happy with that. No cravings or hunger pangs.

I spent the last decade being utterly miserable about my weight and now I feel alive again.

I'm nearly 2 years post sleeve on the nhs. I was at the lower end of the bmi they do surgery on and they have now toughened up the criteria so not sure I'd qualif now. I have an underactive thyroid and find weight loss very hard.

Anyway... I would do it again in a heartbeat. Even though I'm still not slim. I a 14 to 16 my loss was slow. Non of this I'm full after a few bites shiz for me. I have to make loads of effort and had to while losing. But without the surgery there is no chance of me having lost 70 odd pounds. So although different from how I expected it's been life changing.

Thankyou everyone I’ve got my second consultation next week

I had mine 5 years ago and one of the best things I have ever done. Lost over 7 stone and no loose skin or complications. I can eat anything in, in small portions and have a much happier life now.

I'm 5 months in and feel great. Recovery was straight forward for me. Included what I lost on the LRD I'm 6 and a half stone down, I sleep better, I can enjoy long walks again and I have energy.

I've started to have some hair loss, but I was expecting that And the pluses still outweigh this.