Hi @Scochrane86 - my surgery was only three months ago. If I had it to do over again, I would do it in a heartbeat. I had never had any kind of surgery before, so I didn't really know what to expect from recovery. For me, recovery ended up being easier than what I had let myself imagine. I was uncomfortable for a few days and I couldn't sleep laying down for a couple weeks, but it was completely manageable.

Navigating social situations (that all involve food) was a bit of a learning curve after the surgery, but I'm developing strategies for that now.

I've had a few stalls in my weight loss over the past three months. For some reason, I just thought progress would be linear and I'd be losing weight daily. Getting past the head games of weight loss is the same struggle it was before surgery. The sleeve is a great tool, but you still have to put in a lot of emotional energy to make all the good choices you need to make in order to lose the weight.

Like many VSG patients, I'm now experiencing some hair loss. I had very fine/thin hair to begin with, so the loss is very noticeable on me. I've had to learn all about wig wearing (I'm rocking one in my profile picture).

Even with those few drawbacks, I wouldn't hesitate to have the surgery again given the choice. This group has been a great resource (along with a few larger Facebook groups). Don't hesitate to ask if you come up with more questions.

Like @NicoleL874 said, my only regret is having waited so long. I actually have what I feel is good quality of life now. I have energy like I haven't had in decades. I have nice clothes that fit. I'm no longer a slave to food. Every aspect of my life has improved dramatically. I went from being infertile to conceiving a child (surprise!) with my wife after 10 years of nothing happening.

The worst aspects of the process mainly involved the red tape involved with getting the insurance approval. I remember waking up in recovery very briefly and telling the nurse I had to throw up. I was up and walking within hours at the hospital and home the next day. Pain after I went home was very manageable. I found that my upset stomach the first week home was caused by the pain meds. Quit taking them after five days, no more upset stomach. A Tylenol here & there occasionally for a few more days and I was good.

Seven months out, my only problem is a bit of pain in my stomach if I eat too fast. Which goes back to what Nicole was saying about preparing for mental changes. You can't look at food as being the most important thing in the world any longer. It's sustenance. It's fuel to power your mind & body. That's not saying you can't enjoy it or that you shouldn't enjoy it, just that you need to realize that food isn't your ultimate motivation.

I can eat anything. Steak was the last big "unknown" for me and last week, I ate a nice sirloin at a local steakhouse. No problem. What I've found is that many of the comfort foods I used to gorge on while wallowing in self pity no longer are important. McDonald's was my go-to many days. I would order a large Double Quarter Pounder meal with a Coke and a McDouble on the side. Now, I don't even want McDonald's. I tried it one day, a McDouble which I used to really love. It was meh. I tried a Coke about a month ago. Meh. Pasta? Meh. Bread & rice? I really don't care. Don't miss it.

So after all that, I will reiterate: My only regret was waiting so long.

I'm 4 weeks out today and it is hard at the beginning. Recovery was pretty easy, but having surgery is still slightly overwhelming. Then nearly 3 weeks of just clear liquids and protein shakes was crazy making. Now I'm eating soft foods which is a huge improvement, but portions are so small it's kind of a bummer versus before. And I miss veggies! And I hate the chewable vitamins! But no, I don't regret it as I think long term this will be a great thing, but it's not easy and for a few fleeting moments I thought things were simpler before. I think as you adapt to great change, there is always growing pains.

I have not one regret. I am only 5 1/5 months out, even through the tough parts I would do this all over again in a second!

I am about 2.5 years out from surgery, 3 years out from the beginning of my process. I have no regrets other than the five years of considering surgery but not pursuing it. You can read more about my story here:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10376334/two-years

I hit the pre-surgery process really hard and was quite successful, losing 100 pounds prior to surgery (leaving me 80 pounds to lose post surgery). I was worrying that maybe I could just continue on the path I was on and not need the surgery. Two+ years out, I now know that that would not have been successful. I have been regaining over the past 6-9 months and I know the surgery has helped me to not do as much damage as I would have without. Life happens and when I don't have the time or motivation to do what I know I need to do, the surgery is a backstop (or choke collar as someone in the mists of this group called it) to keep me from falling completely into past behaviors.

So the surgery has been a Godsend for both the initial weight loss as well as the physical tool that I will have for the rest of my life to help me remember what needs to happen to be a healthy weight.

As far as you are worried about the recovery, the actual pre-surgery liquid diet/surgery/first month recovery is honestly a blur. I can only give details about it because I wrote it down. Honestly, it will come and go so quickly that I advise people to not have it so high on their worry list. Of course, I had an easy recovery, and I attribute that to coming in to the surgery in the best physical shape I could. Hit the process hard for the time you have remaining before surgery. Any pounds you lose going into surgery will be that many pounds you don't have to lose in the 'honeymoon' period for about 9 months after surgery. I hit my goal weight about 7 months post surgery and it made it so much easier.

I tell new pre-surgery folks who come here to read as much of the past pages of the group as you can. Realize that what you will read will give you an idea of the breadth of experiences of a lot of surgery patients. No one can predict what your experience will be, but I will bet a lot that you will fall somewhere within the experiences of the group.

So welcome, hang around and ask any questions you have. We are a friendly folk and eager to help!

Rob

I was sleeved 11/23/16 .. don't regret one single moment of it! Best decision I ever made. We all still have some struggles, some stalls and some cravings and anyone who's says they don't .. probably not telling the truth!
Just going into surgery with the right attitude, know your reason for doing it and go from there. Set small goals, when you hit them celebrate. Always do measurements and monthly pictures so you can see your progress and never solely rely on a scale, because some days you will love it and others you will want to throw it!

Good luck to you!!

No regrets.... 4.5months out ( low bmier)
Surgery went ok but a day after I collapsed. They think from an over dose of pain killers ( which I was never in pain but was told to keep pressing the button every 15 minutes just in case)... so I did and well it didn't agree with me.
Def no issues with discomfort or pain on coming home and no problems sleeping.
Didn't like the liquid phase so much but no one does lol.
I lost my weight fairly fast and have stalled for ages now. I don't get on the scales as they lie a lot.
I get a little frustrated when I can't eat the yummy stuff everyone else can.
I have to Remember to keep on track as well it's a journey of learning every day..

Do you regret getting sleeved? No, it was the best decision ever.
Was recovery, or anything after the procedure worse than you thought? The pain was very minimum and recovery was quick.

Right after surgery for a couple of weeks I had some issues with fatigue. I was probably sleeping 14 hour nights for a couple of weeks. As quick as the fatigue came it went away.

I was what I consider to be a slow loser. It took me 16 months to lose close to 100 pounds but I just kept plugging away everyday with eating right and exercising (walking) and I'm now at/below my goal weight. SW - 233, CW 130 +/- 2 pounds.