Has Anyone Ever Regretted Having Surgery? Be Honest?

[Texarkolina 201]

I definitely regret surgery so far. I was sleeved June 26th and I survived the first few days of severe nausea and went home on the 28th. I was walking getting most of my liquids and Protein in and feeling pretty good. However, the last few days I've been having pain from my breastbone to the center of my back. I had the pain all night the last few nights. I haven't been able to drink or eat hardly anything these last couple of days. I've stopped walking, I have no energy, and I feel really weak. I went for my one week check-up today, actually ten days, and I've lost 26 pounds. The doctor said I'm losing too fast and I'm slightly dehydrated. He prescribed Prevacid for the pain. He said it sounds like my gallbladder. If the Prevacid doesn't work I may have to have my gallbladder removed. I'm so scared I'm going to have to have another surgery. It's way too soon. My body hasnt healed from the sleeve yet. So yes, I'm definitely regretting my sleeve for now. I cried all the way home from the dr. wishing I didn't do this to my body. I started at 271 and I'm down to 245. Yes, I've lost weight, but at what cost?

Sorry to be so negative.....I'm praying this will pass and I will start getting stronger.

Thank you for being honest. I am very nervous about my upcoming surgery and am looking for posts where people share their not so great stories. It helps to have a good range of what might happen rather than just the great stories. I am sorry you are having a hard time and hope you are feeling better soon.

[Back~To~Amy 307]

Karen-

I'm sorry you are going through a rough time. I only ever regretted the surgery when my pain was out of control early on. I'm only 32days postop, but I've already figured out that the only thing the surgery did was limit the amount of food I can take in. It didn't fix my mental issues with food. The fact that my brain still craves food and it still craves a lot of it. I'm trying to take this journey one day at a time and learn to deal with and come to terms with my mental issues with food. As you progress to having less food restrictions, it does get easier. Good luck to you!

[RawrrAshleex3 137]

Mews talk to your dr!!!!!! I thought mine was just acid but it's a leak. Hopefully though they can just up your ppi (:

[Supersweetums 1,164]

MEWS, yes, talk to your DR as soon as you can. That is NOT normal at 4 months post op.

I am almost 20 months post op and I do not regret having the surgery at all! The first month is the absolute hardest, so you cannot look at it as the way the rest of your life will be. I can guarantee you that you will be able to eat normally again. I have a normal, healthy diet now...and can still indulge without the guilt. I do have the odd moment when I am eating something really good that I wish I could just eat a little more. Then I remember something that someone else said at a support group meeting...

"If I could, I would...and that is what got me to the point of wanting surgery in the first place". Plus, I always remind myself that did I spend $10K (self pay), fly alone to Mexico (when I had never flown in my life), and have 80% of my stomach removed just to fail and let food rule me again. Not a chance!

The reward of being a normal size, being able to buy whatever clothes I want, and feeling good about myself is worth much more than the indulgence of food ever did. All the food ever did was A) make me gain weight, and make me feel guilty and miserable because I would always eat too much, feel bad that I did, then eat more to shove down the bad feelings.

Give yourself time, it gets so much easier and you will not barely even remember the first few weeks after a while!

[Mews 37]

Mews talk to your dr!!!!!! I thought mine was just acid but it's a leak. Hopefully though they can just up your ppi (:

My surgeon just doesn't seem bothered by all of this. He keeps going "are you taking small bites?" "Are you eating slowly?" All of that stuff that I heard relentlessly during the pre-op period. This has angered me to no end as I'm very careful about what goes in my belly at the moment. It's like he doesn't think that I actually am following the rules and that maybe, just maybe, something is really wrong. I'll be seeing him on the 16th but I doubt I'll get any reaction from him other than what I've been getting every single other time I've gone to see him with this complaint. This is why I went to see my PCP but everybody is on vacation now and it's so difficult to get an appointment. I'm trying, I really am.

[RawrrAshleex3 137]

If your dr won't listen, you need a new one. You pay him, he should be listening!!! I hate people like that, it's ignorant, disrespectful, and shameful that he can do something like for a living then act like that. I count my blessings that I have an amazing dr who cares so much

[reshiapooh96 31]

Mews, I had a Dr. just that way. He made me feel like a cry baby and that I was just making excuses. I have the band but looking into converting to the sleeve. In 3 weeks, I will be 3 yrs out and a lose of 50lbs. 5 of which I"ve gained back. He said that I want my cake and eat it too, and that I needed to expect some sort of consequence. He refused to give me an unfill although I was basicly sitting up all night in bed due to acid reflux. I was too tight and still gained.

[I_did_it! 33]

I am four weeks out and I have had quite a few regretful moments, and shed many a tear since surgery day. I have bad reflux, and throw up almost daily, oh and my belly button is still oozing...gross! I get very sad that I can't eat some of the foods I love, mainly bread right now, since I am not allow to have it for 3 more weeks. I also get really annoyed when I eat with others and I am done in like 3 or 4 bites and they continue to eat for like 10 more minutes...urgghhhh! I am also incredibly tired, despite the Vitamins and Protein. It is all very frustrating. I just keep trying to tell myself that it will get better, and that all of these people that are "loving their sleeve" can't be wrong. I do however long for the day when I can eat at least a little bit more.

[rhondarina 13]

I'm more than 6 months out. I don't regret anything. I never regretted it at any point. Some people have issues some people don't. Fortunately, I never had any issues. But I think topic headings like this are more likely to bring out the people with issues than not. I know its a concern of anyone's before they have surgery, but try to put everything into perspective.

[Just Keep Swimming 7]

My regret began with my waking moment from surgery. The first 2 weeks have been the hardest. Had surgery on June 29th. I notice that with each new day, regret is becoming further from my thoughts as I focus on the fact that I am running up and down stairs (4-5) with no pain in my knees and I am alternating legs. I used to take one step at a time always leading with my right leg. You can do this! I noticed buyers remorse mentioned above. Although hard - focus on the positives of why you chose this and keep it going. You can do this. Keep coming back to this website for encouragement and validation that you aren't alone. The people here have been my saving grace! They will be yours too!

Keep it up!! You CAN do this!!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

It was hard the first few months - just adjusting to everything, feeling a little emotional, hating the way everything tasted weird, feeling tired, but i never regretted it for a minute.

Now, I am 7 months out, i feel great, food is food and tastes fine - it is no longer the center of my world so I am not overly concerned with it. (The funky taste I had for months seems to be much better now though)

And, at 100+ pounds lost, I am living a much better life!!

No regrets here!

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I feel sad for people who are struggling several months out. IT is a risk we all faced and some got luckier then others.

What I will say in terms of the lesson learned - don't rush this. Be sure you are really confident in your surgeon - not just his skills, but his "infrastructure" so you know you will get support over the long haul. One of the many things I liked about my surgeon's practice is that several of the people working there - including one of the surgeons - has been sleeved. Working with a nutrtionalist is MANDATORY which seems kinda weird, but now I so much see how important it has been for my success. That is the person I called or emailed in those early months when things were hard. My own personal cheerleader and eating coach...lol. I just felt like they offer a total solution, not just a cut your stomach out and wish you luck.

I realize that some people need to go outside the country etc. - which I think is a very good choice for many people - but even in that case, make sure you are confident that you will get help if the going gets rough.

[sassypants 674]

I do and don’t at times for me I have other server medical issues that wouldn’t of got better (still may not) and treatment is pretty intense and on hold for months.

weightloss is a hope that my body helps I don’t really want to discuss my other medical reason but its not heart problems high blood pressure or diabetes I never had any of them.

For me what I am over is being sick I have been sick as in actual puking for many years for a couple of reasons and i am just over the constant puking and pain.

I had gall stones for years and was told I was too fat to have the op so I dealt with that for over 5 years till a baratric team (same peeps who did my wls) said they had no issues with doing it.

I was at the point I was barely mobile and in hospital for biopsies and blood tests and appointments several times a month so for me this is helping to save my life.

It’s a different life and in some ways I feel I replaced some problems with others but I hope these die down and I become more normal.

The only problem I have it’s the constant you must drink you must eat you must take meds oh you must drink and on and on I feel I spend my entire day forcing Fluid and what little food I can take into me and its hard.

I haven’t yet managed to eat 3 times a day and only once i ate 4zo of food that took almost 2 hours i can do about 1oz of Soup or something ok and maybe not puke it up.

so its hard going and yes would be easier to be how I was and just eat or drink when I wanted but I WANT a life and a good one not one stuck at home not able to do anything or go anywhere.

If I have to have treatment for my other things it will be easier to do and go to hospital being smaller.