There are many things surgeons can tell patients definitely will happen after gastric sleeve. You’ll have some degree of pain, usually on the “mild discomfort” side, but honestly, it could edge into “ouch” territory for a short while. Then there’s the shock at how quickly we get you up and walking after surgery and the surprise at how full you feel after eating just a bit of food.
But other things are nearly impossible to predict because, as we always say, everybody is different. Actually, every body is different. So two patients could have the exact same surgery performed by the exact same surgeon, and one may experience some wacky stuff while the other doesn’t.
Weird Thing #1: Your face might look like a teenager’s.
And by that, I mean that you might have pimples for the first time since high school. This is not directly related to the surgery, but rather to hormone imbalances that can occur when your body is adjusting to all that weight loss. It’s temporary, I promise. A trip to your dermatologist can make it even more temporary.
Weird Thing #2: You might need to stock up on sweaters.
It’s not uncommon for gastric sleeve patients to be cold a lot of the time. Many of my patients have been hot their whole lives, so being cold is a new and wondrous development! The reason you were likely hot before—excess body weight—is the same reason you’re cold now. As the fat tissue under your skin thins out, you may find yourself reaching for warmer clothing and blankets as your body perceives temperatures in a new way.
Weird Thing #3: You could be a tad moody.
Mood swings can happen for several reasons. Gastric sleeve is a huge change—for the better, of course, but change nonetheless. And processing the ways in which your life will be different can be difficult for some patients. Another potential cause is a new, lower carb diet, which can take a few days or weeks to get used to. (Side note: I always advise patients to start this new way of eating before sleeve surgery to minimize any moodiness afterward.) While adjusting to fewer carbs, you might experience lower energy, which can lead to frustration and even grumpiness. All of this will pass, but get in touch with us or your primary care physician for guidance in the meantime.
Weird Thing #4: That time of the month might be multiple times a month.
If your menstrual cycles are off kilter a bit after surgery, it’s likely a temporary thing. There are two reasons behind this side effect, with the first being stress. You just had surgery, after all. And while it hopefully felt like a breeze to you, your body isn’t as easily convinced. The second reason is potential hormone fluctuations due to rapid weight loss. Talk with your OB-GYN about any irregularity in your cycles.
Weird Thing #5: You might need new shoes.
Not only will your tummy and thighs shrink, but—surprise—your feet might get smaller, too. Gastric sleeve helps you lose a lot of weight, and that weight will come from every corner of your body. Unexpected places like fingers (you’ll probably need rings resized) and, yes, feet shrink, too. The good news? It’s a great excuse to freshen up your shoe collection!
Visit our website www.endobariatric.com and see for yourself what we have done here in Endobariatric for thousands of patients with more than satisfactory results, you can check it with the images that we have on “Before and after” of our patients with surprising changes.
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If you want a more personalized experience and you have Instagram and Tik Tok, follow me (Dr. Alvarez) to see my day both in my daily routine and in the operating room, add me! We will have a great time! My username in both is: gmoalvarez.
“Changing lives…one sleeve at a time”.
