Gastric Sleeve Clinics (Sleeve Gastrectomy)

Getting to Know the Gastric Sleeve

The gastric sleeve involves removing up to 80% of your stomach. Reducing your stomach size, limiting the amount you can eat, it also changes the levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) that is produced. This leaves patients feeling fuller for longer, inducing weight loss. Over a two year period, patients can expect to lose around 70% of their total body weight. 

Gastric Sleeve Recovery

You can usually leave hospital one to two days after your surgery. As you might expect, it is normal to feel very tired at first. You may be able to return to work as soon as one week after your surgery. This is entirely dependent on the type of job that you do. You can expect to be driving within four weeks, but should check with your doctor and motor insurance company first. You should feel comfortable doing most everyday activities within four to six weeks.

For three to six months afterwards, you may also get symptoms such as:

• Aching
• Dry skin
• Feeling cold
• Fluctuations in mood
• Thinning hair
• Tiredness

Private Gastric Sleeve Aftercare Programme

Your healthcare team will explain what you need to do during your recovery. This will include:

• Pain relief
• A review of any medicines you’re taking for weight-related conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure
• A carefully controlled diet plan for the first four to six weeks, moving from liquids to pureed, soft then solid foods, plus advice on eating and portion sizes
• An exercise plan to help speed up your weight loss and improve your fitness
• Blood tests to check if you need extra vitamin and mineral supplements

Gastric Sleeve Lifestyle

It’s important to follow a healthy diet, lifestyle, and adapt your eating habits. By doing this, you will maximise weight loss and reduce the risk of weight-related comorbidities. Our HCPC Dietitian, Chris, will help you.

Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to avoid dehydration and constipation. Chew your food thoroughly and avoid drinking and eating at the same time – this will reduce your risk of dumping syndrome. This is a collection of uncomfortable symptoms that occur when food enters the small intestine too quickly. Symptoms of dumping syndrome include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sweating and diarrhoea.

Gastric sleeve surgery will not change how well the stomach can absorb food, but it can change the absorption of iron and vitamin B12.

You should avoid getting pregnant for the first 18 months after gastric sleeve surgery so your weight can stabilise.

To maintain the benefits of your weight loss surgery, you’ll need regular check-ups for the rest of your life. These will become less often as time goes on.

What are the Potential Risks and Complications of Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

Most people have gastric sleeve surgery without complications, but all surgeries carry risks. Your consultant will explain them to you before you proceed in your initial consultation.

Gastric sleeve surgery complications can include:

• Blood clots
• Infection
• Internal bleeding
• Leaking
• Acid reflux
• Nausea and vomiting
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Folds of skin due to rapid weight loss
• Stomach ulcers
• Stricture – the connection between the stomach and intestine narrows
• Adhesion – scar tissue forms between two or more organs, resulting in them sticking together
• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism
• Infertility
• Changes in mental health
• Weight gain or recurrence of obesity-related illnesses

Anaesthetic complications can include:

• Unexpected reaction to the anaesthetic
• Chest infection