By now, maybe you’ve learned a bit about gastric sleeve surgery—like how and why it works. But gastric sleeve is a life-changing procedure, and many of those changes aren’t listed in the medical literature. So here are a few things no one tells you about sleeve surgery.
“I was right”
The vast majority of people considering gastric sleeve have been overweight most of their lives and have tried every kind of diet and fitness plan out there. I mean, who jumps straight to bariatric surgery without exhausting the “normal” weight loss methods?! But as you probably know, diet and exercise simply don’t work for a percentage of the population. To add insult to injury, bariatric surgery patients in the U.S. are often required to submit to both psychological counseling and sessions with dietitians and/or exercise professionals before surgery.
That didn’t sit well with Amber Adams, who knew she wasn’t crazy—or lazy. “I already exercised on a regular basis, and I knew the scientific way to lose weight,” she says. “My body just didn’t want to cooperate with all of the textbook methods that were supposed to work.” She was right. After gastric sleeve with Endobariatric, she lost 90 pounds.
“Relationships will be different”
Renee, who lost over 100 pounds after her gastric sleeve, was warned that her marriage would be affected if she lost weight. And it might even end altogether. Ha! “My marriage is stronger, and my relationships with family and friends are healthier,” she attests. “I’ve learned to take care of me so that I can be there for others.”
If you’re a parent, there’s no denying that your kids will soon have a whole new mom or dad than what they’re used to. Instead of spending all your time on the couch, you’ll be dragging the kids outside for bike rides, taking trips to the amusement park, and planning more active fun than they’ve ever experienced. Hmmm, I wonder if they’ll like the change?
“Thinner people get promoted”
It’s not just weight prejudices that keep obese employees from earning more money. Often, battling your weight saps your confidence and leaves you with little drive for work. Amber says she used to invest so much time and energy into how she was going to lose weight that it stifled a lot of other plans she had for herself. “Now, I have a lot more confidence, especially in the workplace,” she confides. “I’ve been able to move onto some more career goals, financial goals, and other things that I’ve been wanting to accomplish.”
“Everything is easier”
The big things aren’t a surprise. Post-surgery, you’ll rack up wins like fitting into an airplane seat or buying non-plus-sized clothing. But the things you didn’t realize were difficult—that suddenly aren’t—can have the most dramatic impact. Amber says things like tying her shoes and even shaving her legs are so much easier now that she’s lost 90 pounds. “And it just dawned on me recently how much more I enjoyed summer this year because I didn’t sweat buckets like I normally do,” she reveals.
“I’m nicer”
Tonya, who had gastric sleeve surgery at Endobariatric in July of 2016, is more pleasant to be around these days, she admits. Before surgery, her increasingly serious health woes impacted her attitude. “I never felt like getting up and going places with my family,” she says, “and while at work teaching, I found myself becoming more easily upset with my students because I was tired all the time.” Fast forward to post-surgery, and life is much different. “The greatest moments are when my family asks me if I want to do something, and I can jump up and go. And my students at school are seeing a much happier teacher.”
“You’ll inspire others”
If you’re not comfortable in the position of “role model,” you might want to rethink gastric sleeve. It’s impossible for people around you not to notice your transformation—and consider how gastric sleeve surgery might change their own lives. Charity, an Endobariatric patient, says, “I’ve sent at least 15 people since I had my surgery.” Kim, a nurse from Colorado, decided on gastric sleeve after witnessing the results of six colleagues’ successful sleeves.
Nine of Amber’s friends decided to have gastric sleeve with us, but her husband’s decision was most shocking of all. He’d never shown much interest in losing weight until eight months into his wife’s sleeve journey. “He just looked at me one day and said, ‘I think I want to go too,’” she recalls. “I was so proud of him and so excited that he decided to do that, and so far, he’s lost 70 pounds.” (The biggest blessing for Amber? He quit snoring like a freight train.)
“I have more time and money”
It makes sense that when you lose weight, you’ll improve or even resolve many medical conditions. But you don’t realize how much time you’re spending on doctor’s visits or how much money you’re spending on medications until you have more of both. Kim, the nurse from Colorado, says her doctor has taken her off blood pressure, cholesterol, and half of her diabetes medications—and she’s not even done losing weight. Melinda, who lost 46 pounds in just the first six weeks, has already seen a major improvement. “I was taken off my high blood pressure medication after only two weeks post-op,” she says.
Ready to find out what else nobody tells you about gastric sleeve surgery? Contact us today for more information on beginning your own journey.
