Gastric sleeve surgery, also known as vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), is the most often performed bariatric surgery in the United States today. Every year, over 150,000 people choose this option to help them lose a significant amount of weight. But how effective is it, and what do real patients have to say about their experiences?

Today, we will look at some reviews and testimonials from those who have undergone gastric sleeve surgery and how it has affected their health and quality of life. Then we will provide some details about non-surgical endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), which offers very similar weight loss results but without the risks and complications that come with a surgical procedure.

Whether you are actively pursuing an effective intervention to help you get your weight under control or are just curious as to how these procedures work, these gastric sleeve reviews should provide some helpful information.

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Is Getting A Gastric Sleeve Worth It?

The answer to this question depends on who you ask and their experience with the surgery. According to a Polish study published in 2021, most individuals who have had gastric sleeve surgery are pleased with the health benefits, and they do not regret their decision.

Many reviews that can be found online mentioned that the recovery was brutal, but after they began to heal, things improved. A major benefit of Suture Sculpt ESG is that it makes the patient’s stomach smaller without removing any portion of the stomach or making any incisions, so the recovery time is between three and five days, and while some experience some discomfort (nausea, cramping, vomiting), there is no pain.

Another point that was mentioned was that some did not experience the weight loss results they were aiming for or had issues with weight gain after a few months. As with any medical weight loss intervention, gastric sleeve surgery is a tool to be used to help with some of the challenges individuals face when trying to lose weight, but it will not do the work for you. In fact, many individuals regain weight after having surgery, and research has shown that it is mainly due to their lifestyle choices.

Following are some real gastric sleeve reviews written by people who underwent the surgery:

Positive Gastric Sleeve Reviews

“I was fed up with constantly losing and gaining weight (yo-you dieting) and wanted a real solution to understand my eating habits and maintain weight loss. Gastric sleeve surgery helped me learn that eating a healthy diet is a lifestyle commitment that you need to dedicate yourself to. My starting weight was 240 pounds, my surgery weight was 217 pounds, and now I weigh 125 pounds.”

“A few years ago, after I was done having children, I had a breast lift and a tummy tuck, but I was still heavier and wasn't happy with the way I looked. After seeing my friends' gastric sleeve results, doing some research, and consulting with my doctor, I decided to go for it. It was the best decision I ever made. The days after surgery were tough, and I dealt with major nausea and pain, but once that passed, everything started to improve! When I started my weight loss journey, I weighed 227 pounds but weighed 198 when I had my surgery. Now, after three years, I maintain a weight between 139 and 143 pounds. Weight loss surgery is a tool, not a miracle. You have to be committed and make healthy choices.”

“I used to be a size 3XL, and today I can wear a Large, and I was a 42 in pants, and I am now a 34. At 41 years old, I used to have to hold my breath to reach down and tie my shoes, and I had chronic tingling in my legs and toes. I relied on four different types of hypertension medication and was diabetic. The surgery was the best decision of my life because today I have none of those health issues. Gastric sleeve surgery helped me by limiting how much I could eat at one time.”

“Since my gastric sleeve surgery, life has become more comfortable, joyful, and exciting. Not constantly feeling hungry made me realize just how much of my mental energy was consumed by thoughts of food, planning my next meal, or choosing another restrictive diet to try. It seems that people are much kinder to you when you have a lower BMI, and small victories start to feel like major triumphs, like fitting comfortably into an airplane seat, not sweating excessively when it’s warm, and shopping for clothes in regular sizes.”

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What Are The Downsides Of Having A Gastric Sleeve?

There are some individuals who have had negative experiences and unexpected outcomes with gastric sleeve surgery.

Recovery Post Gastric Sleeve Feedback

“It has been an uphill fight, but I have lost 50 pounds in 7 months and am down to 200 pounds. Gastric sleeve surgery is much more difficult than anyone ever tells you, and the three months right after surgery are a killer.”

Hormone Shifts And Constant Hunger

“I had gastric sleeve surgery, and I regret it. I have been on a diet since I was 12 and never have been able to maintain a healthy weight. I started my pre-surgery diet at 312, and the day of my gastric sleeve surgery, I was 292. I did not have any issues during the surgery, but it never seemed to have worked, I was still hungry all the time. The recovery was tough, but I did begin to lose weight, and after about 5 months, I had lost 45 pounds, and then the weight loss just stopped. My menstrual cycle became erratic with prolonged and heavy bleeding that got so bad that I became iron deficient anemic. I was starving all the time and miserable. I saw both my OB/GYN and my surgeon, who both told me that bariatric surgery can cause major hormone shifts in women and that my body would eventually get used to it. This went on for almost a year, during which I tried everything I could think of, but nothing worked to help stop the awful cravings I was constantly feeling, and no matter what I did, no more weight would come off. I became so frustrated that I totally gave up and stopped trying, and I regained all the weight I lost during the next 3 months.

I became so desperate for help that I planned to convert my gastric sleeve to another form of bariatric surgery but was rejected by the only surgeon near me who could perform the procedure because he had not done my original sleeve. I felt hopeless.

Someone told me about prescription weight loss medications, and I have been using semaglutide, and finally my cravings and hunger are manageable. I regret having a gastric sleeve and wish I had understood how the metabolic processes in the body worked, so I would have expected some of the complications I had after my gastric sleeve surgery.

I felt like it was my fault that I wasn’t losing weight and that I was hungry all the time. If I could go back in time, I would not do surgery because it is permanent and forever. At least with the semaglutide, if I had a problem with it that I couldn’t live with, at least I could stop taking it. It doesn’t work that way when they permanently remove part of your stomach.

My smaller stomach and the medication have helped me begin to have a normal relationship with food, and I am losing weight slowly but steadily.”.

Heartburn: Acid Reflux (GERD) after Gastric Sleeve Review

“Since my gastric sleeve surgery, I have had killer heartburn that makes me think my stomach has ruptured or I am having a heart attack. I had never had heartburn this bad in my life and was trying to figure out why it was happening. I was taking a prescription called Omeprazole and thought I could stop taking it once my surgery was over, but I guess I will have to be on it the rest of my life.”

“Since my gastric sleeve surgery, I have had the worst acid reflux! I can't lay on my back and sleep or even watch television, or it gets so bad I can’t stand it.”

“I regret getting my gastric sleeve because it gave me horrible GERD. It was so bad a year ago that I chose to have a revision to gastric bypass, and I still have so many issues that I can’t eat any citrus, have caffeine, or eat spicy foods, etc. I also have chronic fatigue that is caused by the medication that I have to take for the GERD. Before my surgery, I didn’t even really know what heartburn felt like because I had never had it before. I am worried because these anti-stomach acid medications have a bunch of side effects, and I will have to take them forever.”

Gastric Sleeve Pain: Patient Review

“I regretted having gastric sleeve surgery the moment it was over. I was in a lot of pain, and I couldn’t believe I had done this to myself. I want to lose weight, but I didn’t count on feeling this bad.”

Mixed Reviews

“My only regret about my gastric sleeve surgery is that I did not do this sooner. I gained and lost large amounts of weight (75 or more pounds) many times and was an expert in yo-yo dieting. I finally had the surgery because I wanted to be able to lose weight and keep it off. The surgery did help me lose weight, but it made my mild GERD so much worse, so I will probably end up having another surgery and converting to gastric bypass.”

“I wouldn’t say I regret having gastric sleeve surgery, but after 5 years, I have developed GERD and Barrett’s esophagus. (due to acid damage to my esophagus, which can turn into cancer). My GERD is mild, but it is chronic and bothers me. I have to take medication every day to keep the acid reflux mild, so in the next year or so I will probably have a revision to bypass.

Sometimes I think I should have done the bypass to begin with because now I know that developing GERD is common after the sleeve. Now I have precancerous lesions. I am torn right now as to what to do because I don’t want to have a bypass to fix this problem and get more problems from having the bypass.”

What Is The Hardest Part Of Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

From reading all the reviews above, the hardest parts of gastric sleeve surgery are the recovery and the side effects of acid reflux. The positive reviews from patients who were successful in losing weight revolved around the benefits of improved health and emotional well-being resulting from their loss of excess weight.

Some patients indicated that their side effects were so severe that they didn’t think they could lead a normal life after gastric sleeve surgery. Many said they would more than likely seek a surgical revision to convert their gastric sleeve to a gastric bypass to improve their quality of life.

Is There A Way To Reap The Benefits Of A Gastric Sleeve Without The Surgery?

Yes, there is! You can see a common thread through most of these reviews, which is that it was not the surgery itself but losing weight that brought about the positive changes in their lives.

The Suture Sculpt endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) procedure can reduce the size of your stomach and help you lose weight similar to gastric sleeve without using surgery. It helps you control your portions and stay full longer, just like a gastric sleeve does. but is much less invasive and does not require any hospital time or a long, painful recovery.

Take a look at some of our Suture Sculpt ESG testimonials and before and after pictures, and see the results of real patients who lost weight without surgery. Set up a consultation with one of the experts at Batash Endoscopic Weight Loss Center today to learn how this endoscopic procedure can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight without the side effects or pain of surgery.

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