Over the past few weeks, we’ve been hard at work giving GastricSleeveJourney.com a full content refresh.
It’s now been 18 months since our gastric sleeve surgery, and with that extra time, reflection, and experience under our belts, we felt it was the perfect opportunity to revisit every page and blog post we’ve written so far.
When we first launched this site, our goal was simple: to share an honest, lived experience of life before and after gastric sleeve surgery. But a lot has changed since then. We’ve learned more, lived through more, and gained a deeper understanding of what recovery and long-term maintenance really look like.
So, this November, we decided it was time to update everything – from the Pre-Op guides and Aftercare pages to older blog posts that now have 18 months of hindsight behind them.
What’s Changed
Here’s what’s new across the site:
- Updated and expanded guides: Every major page – from Aftercare and Supplements to Alcohol and Exercise – has been rewritten with clearer advice, added medical context, and more real-world examples based on our own experiences.
- More practical takeaways: We’ve focused on making every post genuinely helpful. That means more step-by-step tips, product insights, and relatable “what actually worked for us” sections.
- Personal reflections woven in: Our journey has had highs, lows, and everything in between. We’ve added more of those real moments – both the successes and the setbacks – to make the content more authentic and supportive for anyone going through the same thing.
- Rewritten blog posts: Some of our earliest posts were written just weeks after surgery, when everything was still new. We’ve revisited those with fresh eyes to include what we’ve learned since – how things have changed, what surprised us long-term, and what advice still holds true today.
Why We Did It
When you’re fresh out of surgery, everything feels intense and immediate. Our early posts captured that perfectly – the excitement, the fear, the adjustment. But after living with the sleeve for 18 months, our understanding has deepened.
We now know which side effects stick around, which habits truly help, and how things like nutrition, supplements, and exercise evolve over time. We wanted our site to reflect that – not just the moment of surgery, but the lifetime that follows it.
Ultimately, our mission has always been to create the resource we wish we’d had before surgery: one that’s honest, practical, and grounded in lived experience.
What’s Next
With this refresh complete, we’re moving into the next chapter for GastricSleeveJourney.com. Over the coming months, we’ll be adding:
- New long-form blog posts exploring life 18+ months post-op
- Expanded “Living With the Sleeve” content, including skin removal research and long-term nutrition updates
- More personal reflection pieces on topics like fear of food, body image, and balancing health with happiness
If you’ve been following our journey since the start, thank you – your messages, feedback, and shared experiences have meant the world to us.
And if you’ve just found the site – welcome! We hope our updated guides and stories help you feel informed, prepared, and a little less alone wherever you are on your own journey.
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: 29 October 2025 | Last Reviewed: 7 June 2026 | Next Planned Review: 7 December 2027