Back in the year 2011, I weighed a good 99kg, I had read enough about bariatric surgery and weight loss procedures. I went to my surgeon in Lebanon and discussed the option of surgery. I did not have diabetes or any other metabolic syndromes. He convinced me that sleeve gastrectomy would be the best weight loss procedure for me, as it is a much simple procedure from the traditional gastric bypass. He enumerated various advantages like the simplicity of the procedure, fewer complications, fewer vitamins and sustained weight loss. It appeared like a “holy grail”.

It was in June 2011, I had the surgery done, fortunately without any immediate post-operative complications. I lost 12 kgs in one month and I was over the moon. Two years down the line I felt the best at 55 kgs and had my tummy tuck done. It was at that time immediately after the surgery I first had some burning in the chest. My doctor told me it may be due to medicines and tightening. Later I saw a gastroenterologist who put me on some PPI. The story went on for a couple of weeks. Slowly at the end of one year, I started feeling hungry again. I needed vitamins for my hair loss and iron injections for anemia. I wondered about the myth that sleeve does not need replacements but overall I was doing well. But then this burning became worse. I had started piling on weight as I used to eat more to relieve the burning sensation.

After a year of on and off medications, I was back at 66 kgs. The burning became persistent. I even began to throw up food, if I had a full stomach. It was then when I first met Dr.Ritu, to whom I was referred by my Gastroenterologist. She did an endoscopy and a contrast study. She explained that half of the stomach has become dilated and there is a twist. I had developed a new onset hiatal hernia. Since I had already taken enough medications the option to relieve the reflux was to do a gastric bypass. I thought “öh!!! I am back where I started

I wondered about many unanswered questions

• Does hunger come back after sleeve gastrectomy?
• Does stomach regain its size?
• Do I need vitamins after sleeve as much as I do after bypass?
• And most important, I never had reflux and acidity before surgery, Why now!! Was it never considered as such a big problem as it has become.

I had a gastric bypass done, but I knew even that was not a panacea. I had a smooth recovery after the surgery again, but I have to wait for another 5 years to see what happens next.

Author bio

Dr. Ritu Khare and Dr. G. Srikanth are amongst the best gastroenterologists in Dubai. They as a team have been performing many sorts of gastroenterological surgeries that also include different types of bariatric surgeries. Both of them are renowned in the Middle East for offering advanced laparoscopic procedures for the treatment of cancers related to the pancreas and other gastrointestinal organs.