I'm 66, had sleeve surgery 6 years ago, about 6 weeks after I turned 60. I can honestly say it's the best thing I've ever done for myself. My surgical group was concerned with my mental progress as well as my physical progress. To join the program, I had to attend a 3 hour seminar where the various surgeries were explained and there was a Q&A with post-surgical people. Once deciding on the surgery, there was a process. I had to lose 10 pounds on my own within a month (I think it was) to show I could stick to something challenging. I didn't make it my first try; it was over the holidays and I only lost 4 pounds, so I had another month to lose another 10 pounds, and I did it. I had to go for a psych evaluation (and the only person in the area who did this was an old boyfriend.. no thanks, I drove 2 hours to see someone else), started an exercise program, and attended a few classes focused on mindful eating and the dietary/eating "rules" for my post-op lifestyle. For 2 weeks prior to the surgery, I was on a liquid diet (basically broth and protein shakes) but I did it. I had no real issue with the surgery itself (it was done laparoscopically) and stayed 2 or 3 nights in the hospital, can't remember which. Post-surgery, I was on clear liquids, then full liquids for 2 weeks, then soft foods and worked up to a normal diet. Every time before moving to a new stage of the diet, I had a nutritionist appointment where they monitored my weight loss, my body protein/fat ratio, and did bloodwork to monitor B and D levels as I couldn't swallow pills. I did a lot of walking in the first few weeks, initially around Sam's or BJ's where I could use a cart as a walker if need be, as well as around the neighborhood/town. Once I was back on solid foods I went back to the gym at least 4 days a week, where I rode the recumbent bike for an hour (and read my book!). After a while I added light weights to my workouts- just curls- to try to tone up the new saggy skin under my arms. That wasn't very successful, but I did gain some strength.
I chose the sleeve instead of the full bypass because gastric bypass patients have a higher incidence of dumping syndrome than do sleeve patients. I knew that I wouldn't lose as much with the sleeve but felt that I just didn't want to deal with dumping (my sister had that before they found out she had stage 3 colorectal cancer- ugh, just UGH). There have been some complications, and at just shy of 5 years post-surgery, I had to have more surgery. The opening in my diaphragm through which the esophagus passes had enlarged and about half of my sleeve was in my thoracic cavity, and there was also a stricture in my esophagus. Basically everything I could eat caused extreme pain and came right back up again. I had hiatal hernia surgery and they stretched both my esophagus and pyloric valve (at the bottom of my sleeve) and so far, so good.
I lost 142 pounds up until covid, when my gym shut down for almost a year and we all got a little lazy. I gained back 17 pounds over about 18 months, but have managed to lose 7 of those already, by remembering to follow the mindful eating techniques, pay attention to my signals of fullness, and starting to work out again. Unfortunately I am dealing with a knee issue that prevents me from using the bike, and walking isn't as effective for me as the bike was. However, I am determined: I didn't let them cut out my stomach just to gain the weigh back. My back feels better, my blood pressure is not an issue, my blood sugar is not an issue, my knees thank me daily. I can tie my own shoes, reach the little lever on the floor of the car to pop open the gas cap door, buy clothes in a regular store. I don't get up every morning feeling like a failure, don't go to bed every night hating myself. I am healthier and in a better place mentally than I have been in for my entire adult life. I can honestly say I have no regrets... this has been the best thing I've ever done for myself and I wish I'd done it 15 years sooner.
