Any Regrets?

[Daisee68 2,493]

@@Rogofulm @@JamieLogical - Thanks so much to you both! I needed that encouragement!!

[nodak 1]

What causes contractions, it has happened twice, 5 weeks out, is it not chewing, or eating to fast, or that 5th bite ?

[Sylvia13 64]

I just had my 6 weeks check up, which included a visit with my nutritionist. While I've been generally pleased with my decision, I was definitely starting to focus on the all the early struggles. My nutritionist did a great thing toward the end of our visit. She had me tell her all the good things that I have experienced so far. Well, I surprised myself with how many things I've come up with. I left my appointment really happy with everything and very happy with my decision. That was a real lesson for me that things get tough, it's important to remember the bigger picture.

[ksiramat 4]

Well, I have fairly mixed feelings but do somewhat regret it.

I was a rare case with the sleeve, with a high level of complications that continue to this day, 2.5 years later. This is combined with the fact that I was on TPN (total parenteral nutrition/IV nutrition) for months after my surgery. This was during the time when most of the weight loss normally occurs, but TPN isn't designed for weight loss at all since they're trying to get your body to overcome your complications, so I lost that loss period.

Overall, I lost and maintained a loss of 40 lbs or so out of about 100 I wanted to lose. Now I'm desperately trying to lose extra by working out daily, carefully tracking all food intake, etc., but my sleeve was made with a large bougie and doesn't give much restriction, so I am pretty much where I was before surgery, except I am restricted from binge eating at one sitting.

Do I regret it? I suppose I have to weigh the fact that my 40 lb loss has been stable and I've been able to jump off the yo-yo diet platform for years against the ongoing complications I have from my surgery. So, I have mixed feelings. Since the surgery is over now, I can't say I completely regret it. I appreciate the restriction that I do have. Would I do it over again? Probably not...

[rosepose 105]

@@candy32980

I don't think the sleeve has been around long enough to know quite yet what the long term effects are. I also believe you can lose just as much successfully with the sleeve as with the bypass, but it MAY take a bit longer.

Actually the sleeve has been around for decades just not as a weight loss surgery. It's the same surgery they do for stomach cancer and perforated ulcers (more so before they discovered ulcers could be treated with antibiotics of course) so long term side effects are extremely well known (and few) they just haven't been studied in a weight loss capacity for long.

[rosepose 105]

This may not be the most popular reply and I am very early out - 4 weeks tomorrow - but right now I have a bit of buyers remorse. I know things will get better and I hope to be able to come back here in a couple of months and say no regrets, but don't fool yourself, THIS IS HARD. And no matter how much I read about it, I still wasn't prepared. This feeling of buyers remorse is very normal I am told. And the first couple if weeks weren't so bad but at 4 weeks in I am a bit overwhelmed with following all the rules and thinking about following all the rules at every moment of every day. I don't want this to deter anyone from the WLS path; I just wanted to say it's not all roses in the beginning. This too shall pass...

I'm four weeks out now and I have to say it is not always easy and all the "no pain on day 2" stuff had me with really off expectations. Fortunately my surgeon very straight forward and explained that some people experienced that and others had a much harder time. It was good to have that honesty. It made me much better prepared for the suck fest that the first couple weeks occasionally were. Let me be be absolutely clear - I do not regret this decision and I do not have complications - but this is NOT easy or magic and like I said to my doctor when he asked me if I was excited just before the surgery "No! I want it to be six weeks from now already." I have been losing steadily and I'm pleased with that but surprisingly it's taking a far back seat to the process of healing and learning how to eat without vomiting or pain. I'm learning how much I can eat and what. It's all improving steadily and I have every hope that at 3 months I'll be fully back up on energy and mood. I'm glad I made this decision, but this is major surgery and that is not something to take lightly.

[rosepose 105]

Does anyone regret their decision to have WLS? Does anyone wish they had not done it? If so, why? I have seen so many people talk about their only regret being that they didn't do it sooner but I am curious about the other side and perspective.

Thanks! And for all those that are happy with their decision, go ahead and post about that too. Motivation is a good thing!!

I am only 4 weeks out and I have no regrets or complications and I am losing weight steadily but I've been one of the people who has way more pain than others as well as mood swings from the hormones released from rapid fat loss so I'm not in the honeymoon phase just yet though I'm hoping I'll be there soon. I do have a little advice though - research your surgeon. I did and I am so grateful for it. Mine had done over 1000, none of which had to be converted from laparoscopic to open, and I am absolutely sure that doing this contributes to a better outcome.

[azsqwurl 21]

@@azsqwurl have you checked out this thread? http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/276681-How-about-some-NSVs!?!?

How about some NSVs!?!?

Finally got around to looking at those. Very motivating! Thanks so much for sharing!!

[mrsjec 10]

Yes. I am to the point I regret having lapbad. I lost almost 100 pounds the first year and 4 months. Now I have gained 14 (new office job) finally went in for my first fill. But my regret is when I see myself naked. Rolls of skin that gross me out. I sometimes wish I had stayed fat. I had curves and boobs. Now I have rolls and flaps.

[NORCALRN 60]

not really, even with my ongoing complications. regret is something i do not want to feel. moving on, working on health, I only had 65# to lose and went to Mexico..but that is not why i had such serious issues - so if you or someone is contemplating..go for it. If you have diabetes, high bp, etc, this surgery may save you in so many ways down the road. do your research, feel confident about your choice......it is all up to you!

[nodak 1]

I am almost 6 weeks out. My weight loss is very minimal and between the issues I have had, I can't even say...well at least I'm losing weight. Has anyone else have this happen. Daily calorie intake is between 600-900 aday.

[beccaconaty87 52]

Parisshel if you don't mind me asking what was the complications?

[parisshel 1,892]

Parisshel if you don't mind me asking what was the complications?

I don't mind. I developed a heart arrythmia (atrial fibrillation) around 18 months post op. The band surrounds the vagus nerve which controls, among other things, heart rhythm. I ended up in ER with my heart completely out of rhythm, beating at a rate that was close to having me have a stroke, and blood pressure also sky high. It took seven hours to bring everything around using medication, and now I'm on medication for life.

I had my band's restriction loosened so as not to touch on the vagus nerve and just went back in last month to get a bit of fill as I'm gaining weight and hungry all the time. Immediately following the small fill, I went back into atrial fibrillation.

That's pretty conclusive evidence that there is a correlation, at least with my particular anatomy.

If you google gastric band, or lap band + atrial fibrillation, you will see a lot of people who have now experienced this. There are several on this forum right here.

So yes, I regret what I did. Living with a-fib is no picnic, and the side effects of the three medicines I now have to take have greatly compromised my quality of life: extreme fatigue, memory loss, inability to do any sports that might raise my heartrate...wish I had chosen a different path.

[rosepose 105]

Parisshel if you don't mind me asking what was the complications?

I don't mind. I developed a heart arrythmia (atrial fibrillation) around 18 months post op. The band surrounds the vagus nerve which controls, among other things, heart rhythm. I ended up in ER with my heart completely out of rhythm, beating at a rate that was close to having me have a stroke, and blood pressure also sky high. It took seven hours to bring everything around using medication, and now I'm on medication for life.

I had my band's restriction loosened so as not to touch on the vagus nerve and just went back in last month to get a bit of fill as I'm gaining weight and hungry all the time. Immediately following the small fill, I went back into atrial fibrillation.

That's pretty conclusive evidence that there is a correlation, at least with my particular anatomy.

If you google gastric band, or lap band + atrial fibrillation, you will see a lot of people who have now experienced this. There are several on this forum right here.

So yes, I regret what I did. Living with a-fib is no picnic, and the side effects of the three medicines I now have to take have greatly compromised my quality of life: extreme fatigue, memory loss, inability to do any sports that might raise my heartrate...wish I had chosen a different path.

Would a sleeve revision correct the afib?

Edited July 22, 2015 by rosepose

[parisshel 1,892]

Parisshel if you don't mind me asking what was the complications?

I don't mind. I developed a heart arrythmia (atrial fibrillation) around 18 months post op. The band surrounds the vagus nerve which controls, among other things, heart rhythm. I ended up in ER with my heart completely out of rhythm, beating at a rate that was close to having me have a stroke, and blood pressure also sky high. It took seven hours to bring everything around using medication, and now I'm on medication for life.

I had my band's restriction loosened so as not to touch on the vagus nerve and just went back in last month to get a bit of fill as I'm gaining weight and hungry all the time. Immediately following the small fill, I went back into atrial fibrillation.

That's pretty conclusive evidence that there is a correlation, at least with my particular anatomy.

If you google gastric band, or lap band + atrial fibrillation, you will see a lot of people who have now experienced this. There are several on this forum right here.

So yes, I regret what I did. Living with a-fib is no picnic, and the side effects of the three medicines I now have to take have greatly compromised my quality of life: extreme fatigue, memory loss, inability to do any sports that might raise my heartrate...wish I had chosen a different path.

Would a sleeve revision correct the afib?

Unfortunately, no. Once you have afib, you have afib. In fact, afib begets afib. In other words, once the electricity in your heart becomes chaotic (which is basically what afib is), it will constantly create new "bad" pathways in your heart. According to my cardiologist, it is unlikely that even removing the band will make the afib disappear, as the band has already done its damage. All I can do is keep it loose and off the vagus nerve, and continue with my meds (or, in the future, ablation or pacemaker if the afib worsens).

I would not do another WLS in any case. I'm out of the game. For me, these are "Flowers for Algernon" situations. When I was doing my research, I was convinced WLS was the gold standard for permanent weight loss. Now my thoughts are different, especially concerning the lapband (since I had a bad experience with it) but also with other surgeries. There really is no tinkering with major body parts that is going to come out ok in the longterm, imho. We are seeing wonderful transformations in the short term, yes...but my sense is longterm we are going to see some health-complications from all WLS that have yet to reveal themselves. I would not even consider going under the knife again.