About Us

This website is a personal and honest account of our life-changing experience with gastric sleeve surgery.

We’re James and Kirsten, a couple who’ve been together for more than 15 years. After years of struggling with weight, health challenges, and the emotional toll that came with them, we decided to take control of our future and we did it together.

Through Gastric Sleeve Journey, we share what it’s really like to go through this process – the preparation, the surgery, and the recovery – as well as the physical and mental changes that follow. Our goal is to provide real-world insights, encouragement, and practical help for anyone considering or living with a gastric sleeve.

Meet James

I’m James, and my decision to have gastric sleeve surgery came after years of battling serious health issues.

My journey began over a decade ago when I suffered an acute attack of pancreatitis caused by a fatty liver – a condition that landed me in the high-dependency unit for a month. Since then, my weight fluctuated drastically, anywhere between 14 and 30 stone, as I tried and failed countless diets.

In 2022, I received a diagnosis that changed everything: my fatty liver had progressed to stage 1 liver failure. Then in January 2024 it had progressed to stage 2, I knew I couldn’t keep risking my health. That’s when I chose to undergo gastric sleeve surgery.

Now, three months post-surgery, the results have been transformative – my liver function has improved, my energy levels are higher than they’ve been in years, and I finally feel like I’m building a sustainable, healthy future.

Meet Kirsten

I’m Kirsten, and I decided to have gastric sleeve surgery alongside James not just to support him, but to reclaim my own health and quality of life.

For years, my weight fluctuated between 12 and 18 stone, and it gradually began to take its toll. Short walks left me breathless, my joints ached constantly, and I started avoiding things I used to enjoy simply because I was tired or in pain.

When James made the decision to go ahead with surgery, I realised it was the right time for me too. Facing it together made the process far less daunting, we researched clinics, prepared for the operation, and supported each other through every stage of recovery.

Three months after surgery, the change has been remarkable. I can walk comfortably without pain, that constant fatigue has disappeared. For the first time in years, I feel confident, capable, and in control of my health.

James & Kirsten

James and Kirsten

Our Journey

Gastric Sleeve Journey was born from our desire to share the truth about life with a gastric sleeve – not just the highlights, but the challenges, doubts, and small victories along the way.

Here, you’ll find a complete account of our experience, from the early research and liver-reduction diet to recovery, food stages, and long-term maintenance. We talk openly about the mental and emotional changes, the social adjustments, and even the differences between male and female recovery, since going through this together has given us two unique perspectives on the same surgery.

Whether you’re preparing for surgery, newly post-op, or just curious about what to expect, our aim is to help you feel informed, supported, and less alone. You’ll find practical guides, recipes, exercise updates, and honest reflections on what life after gastric sleeve surgery is really like.

By sharing our story, we hope to make this journey a little easier for others – and to show that lasting change is possible.

About this content

This blog is written by James and Kirsten, a couple from the UK who had gastric sleeve surgery together in March 2024.

We started this blog because we couldn't find any sources of content that details before surgery, the surgery and then life post surgery - so we decided to write one ourselves.

Everything on this site is based on our own experience and the research we have done along the way. It is not medical advice. Gastric sleeve surgery is a serious procedure and every patient's journey is different. Please always consult your own bariatric team or GP before making any decisions about your health or treatment.

Some posts on this site may contain featured or sponsored content, or affiliate links. Where this is the case, it will always be clearly stated at the top of the article. Our opinions are always our own.

Publish Date: 23 July 2024 | Last Reviewed: 7 June 2026 | Next Planned Review: 7 December 2027