The Questions We Get Asked Most Often
Two years on from our gastric sleeve surgery at Weight Loss Riga in March 2024, we get a lot of questions – from people considering surgery, from people early in their recovery, and from people who have been following the blog since the beginning and want to know where things stand now. This post brings together the ones that come up most often, answered as honestly as we can.
Did the surgery hurt?
The surgery itself is done under general anaesthetic so you do not feel it happening. James had an adverse reaction to the anaesthetic that was flagged pre-op and managed in theatre, so recovery from that was part of his first day. The post-operative discomfort varies by person – both of us had soreness around the incision sites and a feeling of tightness and pressure rather than sharp pain. By day three we were moving around comfortably. The first week is the most uncomfortable; after that it improves steadily.
How much have you lost?
James lost over 12 stone in the first year. He was around 30 stone at surgery. Kirsten lost over 8 stone in the first year from around 18 stone pre-op. Both of us are now in maintenance. The losses have been maintained and, if anything, we have continued to make small improvements through consistent exercise and nutrition habits in year two.
Do you regret it?
No. Neither of us regrets it for a moment. That is not a performance – it is genuinely how we feel. The quality of life improvement has been significant enough that even during the hard stretches – the deficiency crisis at month eleven, Kirsten’s Crohn’s flares, the moments when the adjustment felt overwhelming – we have never wished we had not done it.
What is the hardest part?
Honestly, the psychological adjustment. The physical restrictions are manageable once you adapt your habits and find food that works. The harder thing is the emotional dimension – the grief around the relationship with food changing, the head hunger, the moments when your mind still expects your old body and your old capacity. That part does not resolve as quickly as the physical side.
Can you eat normally now?
Mostly, yes – with some important differences. Two years post-op, we can eat a wider range of foods than in the early months. Portions are still significantly smaller than pre-surgery. Some things still cause discomfort – food eaten too fast, things that are very dry or very dense. We eat protein first at every meal. We still take supplements every day. The fundamentals from the first year have stayed in place because they need to.
Would you recommend it?
For the right person, with the right support, and with realistic expectations about what it involves – yes. It is not a magic solution and it is not without difficulty. But for people with a BMI that qualifies and comorbidities that weight is worsening, it is one of the most effective interventions available. James’s blood pressure and pre-diabetic markers resolved within three months of surgery, and his liver function – the primary reason for surgery after ten years of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – had already returned to normal within three weeks. Those improvements alone would have justified the decision.
Sources
NICE CG189 – Obesity: identification, assessment and management
BOMSS – Guidelines on the peri-operative nutritional management of bariatric patients
NHS – Weight loss surgery: who can have it
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: 2 March 2026 | Last Reviewed: 7 June 2026 | Next Planned Review: 7 December 2027