Why Getting Sleeved was the Biggest Mistake of My Life

[ShellygirlSD 10]

I'm so happy to read all the responses to this post as a person going in for there last pre surgery appointment before insurance approval on Monday I've been reading threw lost just getting support and looking at everyone's positive life changes. This post was totally freaking me out but like many of you pointed out most of us did not make this decision in 2 weeks and have been on researching and going threw the process for months to years ..hence why a psych evaluation is usually necessary for this surgery just to see if you understand and are actually ready for such permanent changes, but anyway thanks to the community for clearing my fears

[Clementine Sky 708]

The OP pricked me with worry and self-doubt but motivated me to once again lay out and examine all the reasons for why I've decided to have the VSG next week. My BMI is "only" 31; I'm in my early 30s; and though I'd been researching the surgery for months I only decided to go to Mexico to have it 18 days before my scheduled surgery date. So she hit close to home for me on several points.

My reproductive gynecologist was actually the one who first suggested the VSG to me back in April because she had other patients in my age range and size with PCOS who'd benefitted from it both in terms of problems abating and fertility being increased. She'd referred me a few local surgeons who will do the surgery on patients with BMIs under 35, but since I'm in Los Angeles the prices were staggeringly high. The least expensive surgeon I consulted with was $29,000. My insurance will not cover a cent of it. That's why I ultimately decided to go to Tijuana after obsessively reading through this forum and others for weeks, verifying credentials for the surgeons I short-listed, and reading books I downloaded from Amazon about the surgery. I already lined up a support group. I acted quickly simply because of my work schedule. It's either do it now or wait an entire year. I'm writing this to explain why I think it is possible to make a comprehensive, informed decision relatively quickly, though it's more stressful.

I wanted to share this research in case anyone else here is also struggling with PCOS and considering VSG:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3334389/

Here is an excerpt of the conclusion:

"Bariatric surgery is a powerful tool that should not be overlooked simply because a woman is young or presents with PCOS and MS rather than diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction and severe chronic hypertension. Although surgery has both short and long term risks, the potential benefits may be greater in these PCOS women than in older women who are already more advanced with respect to vascular disease. Every woman with PCOS and MS deserves to at least be offered education and counseling regarding the role of bariatric surgery in reducing their illness. More importantly, young women undergoing bariatric surgery should be specifically included in research to improve knowledge of long term outcomes. Bariatric surgery should be considered along with other medical and lifestyle alterations as first line therapy in PCOS women with obesity and MS."

Go to:

[Ms. Nunya 126]

To be honest, this post has me somewhat doubting my decision. I am thinking things through and researching even more now. I think I'm more anxious now.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

Don't let it make you anxious but do let it make you think hard. I am a very happy sleever and feel like it saved my life, but it is not something to be taken lightly either.

To be honest, this post has me somewhat doubting my decision. I am thinking things through and researching even more now. I think I'm more anxious now.

[lachellove 486]

I hate that I read this an hour before surgery... I came here to post for last minute support and ... Smh..????????????????

[JamieLogical 8,708]

To be honest, this post has me somewhat doubting my decision. I am thinking things through and researching even more now. I think I'm more anxious now.

That's very unfortunate. Most of what the OP says is complete BS. Her "facts" are woefully inaccurate and I hope you've read through the rest of the posts in this thread to get a clearer picture.

WLS is simply a tool and if you don't use it correctly, you will not be successful. That is the TRUTH. But if you go into it with your eyes open, you follow the plan, and you use your tool correctly, you can have tremendous success and much-improved health. So please please please, read through all the posts in this thread and as many posts as you can on this entire site. Make sure you've read and understand any/all materials that your surgeon and nutritionist have provided for you.

[JamieLogical 8,708]

I hate that I read this an hour before surgery... I came here to post for last minute support and ... Smh..

Trust in the decision that you and your doctors have made. Don't let one bad apple spoil the bunch. If you've done your research and you know all the things you will have to do to be successful post-op, there is no reason to question yourself now.

[lachellove 486]

I hate that I read this an hour before surgery... I came here to post for last minute support and ... Smh..

Trust in the decision that you and your doctors have made. Don't let one bad apple spoil the bunch. If you've done your research and you know all the things you will have to do to be successful post-op, there is no reason to question yourself now.

Thanks you are right .. Everyone is different. Off to surgery I do

[JamieLogical 8,708]

I hate that I read this an hour before surgery... I came here to post for last minute support and ... Smh..

Trust in the decision that you and your doctors have made. Don't let one bad apple spoil the bunch. If you've done your research and you know all the things you will have to do to be successful post-op, there is no reason to question yourself now.

Thanks you are right .. Everyone is different. Off to surgery I do

Hope all goes well!

[Catherine Davis 36]

My surgery is tomorrow - and I've been a basket case for two days. My big fear is of something going wrong and me not being able to care for my kids. I keep reminding myself that they are the reason I am doing this. Logically, the benefits of my diabetes improving and me being around to help them grow up does outweigh the risks of the operation. But my fears of something going wrong are hard to ignore, and my husband is scared of something going wrong too. I've been praying a lot for things to go well. ????

[Peanutbutterlady 10]

I don't think this is a real sleever none of the post makes sense. Then her profile says "lap band" group. Yet they speak on the sleeve?

I call troll.

Just sayin

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

My surgery is tomorrow - and I've been a basket case for two days. My big fear is of something going wrong and me not being able to care for my kids. I keep reminding myself that they are the reason I am doing this. Logically, the benefits of my diabetes improving and me being around to help them grow up does outweigh the risks of the operation. But my fears of something going wrong are hard to ignore, and my husband is scared of something going wrong too. I've been praying a lot for things to go well. ????

Best of luck with your surgery. Trust the process. The chances of a smooth surgery and recovery are on your side.

[shaqkhi 7]

I can understand how this thread would freak some one out especially close to procedure date...hope for no complications and be confident in your assessment of

1.)what is best for you( you know what you have been through, and why you need to / choose to do this)

2.)the best surgeon ( you have done the research)

3.) what you need to do to be a success and is determined to work with your sleeve... It's not a magical wand.

Me being at the research and preparation stage I'm happy I got a window into things that I might regret as a result of going through with this surgery. It underscores the relevance of a forum like this that facilitates dialogue around the good the bad and the ugly, the happy side and the downside. I appreciate it ! It helps me to be grounded and forces me to come to terms with the reality that this surgery is not an easy fix. It encourages my to stop the romanticizing Of the "tool " and open myself up to journey ahead .

Quite frankly I know it's not an easy fix I had to defend this position with close friends but sometimes I flirt with the idea that after this it's going to be sooo easy... So today I'm thankful I'm reminded that this is a journey and hopefully once I finalize my plans ... It will be a journey that I make my sleeve and I

[SweetPotato 142]

I have PCOS and hypothyroidism, been researching VSG for about 3 years and finally got ready to take the plunge. already on the low carb, high Protein diet (eating Protein first) and swimming/weights 3+ times a week for at least 1.5 hours. This is not something that all of us just jump into...

[Crushed in Texas 0]

On 7/30/2015 at 5:32 PM, Guest deleted_user said:

Let's start with some stats about me: Female, age = 27, height = 5'3", was sleeved 3 years ago when I was 24. Highest weight ever = 210 and weighted 198 on surgery day, reached 147 pounds eight months post-surgery and for the past year have been gradually gaining weight, currently at 172.

Now why the title of the post?

I wasn't that heavy to begin with: If you're not that overweight (below 250 pounds or so, for someone with my stats, for example), I highly do not recommend getting sleeved or having any other gastric surgery for that matter. It seriously is not worth it because you can probably lose the weight gradually without the aid of such a drastic permanent surgery and have better results maintaining your success in the long run - I will explain why shortly.

On a side note, please realize that this surgery is permanent. Going in, I was so fixated on losing weight that I didn't have the wisdom or foresight to really understand that fact. After losing weight and even looking like you were never obese, guess what? You will forever eat restricted portions and have acid reflux (which many people develop after surgery and have to be on medication), along with any other side effects/complications the surgery caused.

I was/am young: If you're in your 20s or somewhere below 45, I also do not recommend this surgery since our bodies can lose weight easier when we are at a young age. So please reconsider. And now for the grand finale and the biggest reason that enticed this post, and I'm quoting this article to effectively get the point across:

We all know that there are 3,500 calories in one pound of fat. That means that by reducing your food by 500 calories per day, you should lose one pound of fat per week, right? Wrong! Actually, much of the weight you'll lose will come from muscle tissue, not fat! Why? Because your body tends to use ("excess") muscle tissue for needed energy before it reclaims fat deposits.

For example, starting at 198 pounds post-sleeve, I lost 18 pounds the first month after surgery - Do you think that was all fat? Definitely not!

The answer to long term success is to take your time with fat loss, and either preserve or build muscle tissue by integrating scientific weight training, mild aerobics, dietary manipulation, supplementation and other technologies into your lifestyle.

Here is an example from the article linked above: Let's say a person cuts calories without exercise for 6 weeks - Their starting weight is 200 pounds with 30% body fat. Their lean muscle mass is at 140 pounds and they have 60 pounds of fat. Now after dieting for those 6 weeks by cutting calories and not engaging in exercise/weight training, the person's end weight is 170 pounds, losing 30 pounds; a great accomplishment in 6 weeks, right? No, it's not, because the person is still at 30% body fat - now having 51 pounds of fat (leaving them with 119 pounds of muscle). The general idea here is that if a person cuts 500 calories per day from their diet, but fails to exercise, they may lose 30 pounds in 6 weeks, but their body fat remains at 30%. They lose 21 pounds of muscle and only 9 pounds of fat. That's 70% of the weight coming from your lean muscle mass! They will yo-yo back up to 200 in no time (within 1-2 years according to information compiled during the Congressional investigation into the fat loss industry). However, in doing so, they will be 35% body fat instead of their original 30%. Why? They never regained all of the lean tissue they lost as a result of their crash dieting earlier.

We all know that as we age, we lose muscle mass, and that muscle mass (though it weighs more) looks much better on our body than fat. So 2 people can be the same height and have similar body shapes and weigh the same, but because of their different body compositions, one can look significantly thinner (and ultimately enjoy better health) vs. the other.

I feel so sad realizing how big of a mistake it was to get sleeved - especially 3 years later and when it's way too late. I know exactly how it feels to be desperate, to have tried every diet out there and failed, to be so done with counting calories and not losing enough, then failing to maintain and gaining all of the weight back with interest. But the truth is, I am happy I realize my mistake and I am willing to admit it. In a society that is so poor on nutritional knowledge and a corrupt food industry, it is incredibly difficult to manage our nutrition and fitness alongside our busy schedules. But guess what? There are no shortcuts to being successful in life, and that's what the sleeve harshly taught me. You want to live with only 15-20% of your stomach and eat 4-6 ounces of food at a time? Forever? Sure, that's how I am living currently and will forever unfortunately, but is it truly a permanent solution? You'll never need to diet again? Obviously not, I lost 51 pounds after getting sleeved, then gained 25!

Rules are rules and when you go over your caloric intake, sleeved or not, you will gain weight, especially when you have an extensive past history of yo-yo dieting (most of us gastric patients fall under this category) and you have ruined your body's normal/healthy muscle-to-fat ratio. I've seen some people who are sleeved go from 210 pounds to 120 pounds in 10 months - Is that great? I don't know... Think about it. Their body composition is probably terrible! So many people on here (including myself) say things like, well, at least I look good in clothes… You’re thin on the scale but you will have loose skin and won't look or feel good about yourself. It's like you always put your life on hold because you're obese and now you are doing the same because your body is ugly (I’m talking about myself before anyone else here).

You're in your 20s but people who are 40 look way better than you! Why? Because it's not about LOSING, it's about GAINING muscle mass. It's what will help you burn more calories, even in your sleep. Lose weight by controlling your calories (increasing your Protein intake, adding complex carbs, and limiting fat) - and maintain your success in the long run. Muscle looks better and will carry you through old age - You don't want to look frail with loose skin when you're only 30 or so. It may be the difficult way and it may be hard to accept because you're frustrated and desperate - I WAS THERE! And sadly, I am still there now. But maybe the natural way is the best in the long run. I know how it feels to be desperate and just wanting to live a normal life - I decided to have the surgery and 2 weeks later, I was in Mexico and sleeved - Stupidest and most stubborn decision I ever made.

What I am pleading here as advice to you is to think twice about what's right for you and your body - the only place you will ever have to live and the greatest instrument you will ever possess... Develop the right habits and gain muscle because if you don't and you get sleeved, you will eventually gain all of the weight back. 2/3 of your arms for example are your triceps - so many sleeved women complain about this area - well guess what? Getting sleeved didn't help - probably lost 70% muscle of whatever total weight you lost in your arm, resulting in loose skin and a terribly fat-looking arm. Weight training and developing good nutritional habits truly is the answer. Don't eat out or have any junk. Start with tips and tricks from websites like eatthis.com - and cook simple meals and eat freely without pain or embarrassment (I can't even burp, I do this weird whooshing sound - awkward) and trust me, you will be successful and you will look better than anyone who got sleeved and did just that. I understand some people on here did this whole sleeve thing the right way and worked out as early as they were able to - I am not attacking you - Good for you! This is just my humble opinion and advice for those considering and thinking like me, that this is an easy way out or they won't ever need to diet again, or they don't need to workout, etc. If I can help one person visiting this forum realize what’s in this post before getting sleeved, then that would bring me so much happiness. I wish I would have run into a similar post, truly thought about it and gave the dream of a healthy life one last sober try remembering the sad story of that person – but I will redeem myself – for once and for all.

I'm so glad that you posted this. Bariatric sleeve surgery ruined our entire family. As a result of my husband having the surgery done (he's 5'11" and weighed 250), we had to watch him vomit, binge/purge, and now, he's lost so much weight that he resembles someone with a terminal illness. His hair is significantly thinner and he looks like he's aged 10 years. He's less than a year out from the surgery. He's 50, and a retired special ops soldier. He NEVER attempted to lose the weight. Our daughter (8 years old) now has severe body image issues. We cannot sit down to a meal of any type without him eating less than half of what our daughter eats. Our lives were not centered around food before, but EVERYTHING is now focused on "what will he eat...WILL he eat?" I no longer desire him intimately. His mood swings are off the charts. He tells me that he has not lost enough weight, and cites Army regulations for a man half his age. I have no idea how he passed the psych part of pre-op, other than lying. He has a long history of mental issues, and service related brain damage. I. Cannot. Live. With. This. Man. He is ruining our daughter's childhood, and our marriage. Absolutely selfish. If so many want to buy into the "this is the most wonderful thing", and get angry when the few speak the truth, we can't help that. My husband has already had cardiac issues, Vitamin deficiency issues, kidney stones...I cannot begin to imagine what his life will be like in 2, 3, 4 years. I won't know first hand, because I won't be here. My daughter and I deserve a stable environment. I don't think he'll live beyond that.