Regular Health Checks

Regular check-ups have been essential to keeping us on track. We see our GP every few months for full blood panels covering iron, vitamin D, calcium, folate, B12, and protein levels.

These checks have caught early issues we wouldn’t have spotted ourselves – things like low iron, fatigue, and even calcium fluctuations. Our GP has been incredibly supportive, but if yours isn’t, you can get private bariatric blood panels done through clinics in the UK for peace of mind.

It’s easy to think surgery fixes everything, but in truth, it replaces one kind of management with another. Instead of counting calories, you’re monitoring nutrients – and that vigilance never really stops.

Physical Side Effects We’ve Dealt With

These are the side effects that have genuinely affected us since surgery. Everyone’s experience will differ, but this is the reality we’ve lived.

Constipation & Dehydration

This has been one of the hardest ongoing challenges. We both struggle with it, even now.

Kirsten takes a prescribed stool softener daily, while James relies on suppositories each time he needs the toilet. The reduced stomach capacity and dehydration make it near impossible to reach fluid goals some days – especially since protein shakes and energy drinks don’t count towards hydration.

It’s not glamorous, but it’s part of daily life after surgery and something most people underestimate.

Cold Intolerance

Before surgery, we both carried a lot more body fat – a natural insulator. Once that went, the cold hit like a shock.

James wears a heated jacket from autumn through winter, and nearly every blanket in the house is electric. Kirsten jokes that we live in a “battery-powered house”. It’s funny now, but it’s one of those small realities people don’t warn you about.

Loose Skin

Both of us are now in a healthy BMI range, having started from over 45 BMI. With that loss came loose skin.

Kirsten’s is more severe – mainly around her stomach and back – while James’ is concentrated on his stomach, thighs, chest, and face. It’s not just a cosmetic issue; it can cause rashes, soreness, and difficulty drying properly after showers. We’re currently looking into surgical options to remove it, but for now, daily care and moisturising are essential.

Dumping Syndrome

This affects James badly. We’ve even made a list of foods and the reactions they trigger. Around 90% of foods on that list cause diarrhoea within ten minutes of eating.

It’s unpredictable and makes eating out challenging. Thankfully, chicken – one of the most versatile foods – is safe for him, which has been a saving grace.

Gallstones

James has had several gallstone attacks, usually around 2am. They’re excruciating and last 6–8 hours. NHS 111 advised that if an episode lasts longer than 12 hours, he’ll likely need his gallbladder removed.

It’s a common side effect of rapid weight loss, and while unpleasant, we’ve learned to manage it with hydration and diet monitoring.

Fatigue & Weakness

Fatigue was a huge issue early on. James especially pushed himself too far – waking at 6am, walking before work, full office days, then the gym afterwards. That pace contributed to his health decline in early 2025.

Now, we’ve learned to slow down. Recovery isn’t just about losing weight – it’s about respecting what your body can handle with such a small energy reserve.

Hair Loss

Kirsten lost large clumps of hair in the first year, with bald patches forming at one point. Biotin and time helped, and by the 18-month mark, her hair had returned to normal thickness. James, already experiencing male pattern baldness, didn’t notice any significant change.

Dry Skin

James struggles with this, especially in his beard, eyebrows, and scalp. It comes and goes but can get bad enough that he needs to shave his beard completely to manage it. Kirsten, interestingly, hasn’t had this issue at all.

Nausea & Overeating

This happens anytime we eat too fast or too much. For James, overeating doesn’t cause vomiting – his stomach is only around 13% of its original size after the second surgery, and without enough liquid in the stomach, he can’t actually be sick.

Instead, food sits in his throat for up to an hour, creating a ticklish, blocked sensation that’s horrible to deal with.

Kirsten does vomit when she overeats, so we both try to eat slowly and stop the moment we feel full – not easy when the line between “enough” and “too much” is so fine.

Changes in Taste

This one’s daily. What tastes amazing today might be unbearable tomorrow. We’ve been caught out by this countless times – loving something one day, batch-cooking it, then completely going off it the next. Now, we only prep a few days’ worth of meals at a time to avoid waste.

Cold Sweats & Hypoglycaemia

James experiences this when drinking energy drinks too quickly or going too long without eating. It’s a sugar crash – shakiness, cold sweats, and dizziness. We know relying on energy drinks for calories isn’t ideal, but the alternative (severe calorie deficiency) is worse right now.

Chicken and energy drinks have become a short-term solution while we work on finding a sustainable long-term plan. It’s not perfect, but it’s honest – and that’s the reality of life after surgery.

Emotional & Mental Health

The physical recovery is only half the story. Mentally, this journey has been one of the most challenging experiences of our lives.

Anxiety & Food Fear

We both have this. The fear of gaining weight or seeing the scales go up can be intense.

When that happens, we tend to “take advantage” of not feeling hunger and stop eating until the number drops – even though we know it’s not healthy. It’s a control mechanism that’s hard to break when your entire life used to revolve around food.

Mood Swings

In the early months, this was a daily battle. James, who was rarely irritable before surgery, became short-tempered and emotionally volatile. Kirsten adapted more quickly and helped balance things, but even now, mood swings can appear – especially when calories are too low or fatigue sets in.

Over time, these emotional spikes have eased as hormones stabilised, but they’re still part of the new normal.

Identity & Adjustment

The physical transformation comes faster than the mental one. It’s strange to look in the mirror and not fully recognise yourself. Clothes fit differently, people treat you differently, and yet, you still feel like the same person inside.

For us, time, talking openly, and finding a shared rhythm as a couple helped. The best advice we can give: don’t rush your mental recovery – it takes far longer than your physical one.

Long-Term Health & Ongoing Care

We’re 18 months post-surgery now, and life feels balanced – though not without effort. Our supplement plans (covered in detail here) have been critical in keeping our energy, focus, and health stable.

We still see our GP for blood tests every six months, check vitamin levels, and adjust as needed. The long-term goal is maintenance – not perfection.

The key takeaway? Surgery gives you a tool, not a cure. The rest is habit, consistency, and listening to your body even when it doesn’t make sense.Final Thoughts

Living with the side effects of gastric sleeve surgery is about adapting, not enduring.
You’ll learn what works, what doesn’t, and sometimes you’ll make choices that aren’t ideal – but that’s okay. Perfection isn’t the goal; staying healthy and feeling human is.

For more information on long-term aftercare and bariatric nutrition, visit:

• NHS: Weight Loss Surgery – Aftercare
• British Dietetic Association: Bariatric Surgery Nutrition

Please Note: This is our personal experience of gastric sleeve surgery. Every patient’s journey is different. Always follow your medical team’s guidance before and after surgery.