Gaining a New Life: A Guide to Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Weight Loss Surgery for Patients, by Patients

Amazon Customer: I enjoyed the book, very informative

United States on Jan 13, 2023

mrs krista parker: There’s many better books about on this subject

United Kingdom on Aug 02, 2020

L B.: I actually gave this to my family so they could understand the process and they found the Q&A section most useful. A thin book with a big focus on the 'before'.

United Kingdom on Sep 20, 2019

Mobile H.: Answered most of the question I had in mind.
Very easy to read. Lots of tips to helps us go through the surgery and after.

Canada on Sep 15, 2019

Miss Maggie: It's good, I probably should have read this BEFORE my surgery. She writes like a Q&A which is good. Great for people having or considering the sleeve especially vs. the bypass. She explains all the different types of surgeries. At the time of the writing/release the sleeve wasn't as popular, now it's #1 over bypass, my practice 98% of surgeries are sleeves, no lap bands have been done in over 4 years. I highly recommend this book to anyone considering either surgery because she shows the pros and cons of both. Your surgeon will tell you these things but it's better to hear from a peer sometimes.

United States on Jun 03, 2018

DiscoveryJ: I was really pleased to find this book. It answered many of the questions I've wanted to know but struggled to find through normal websites. The fact this book is written by a patient makes it all the more impressive. A surgeon will give you the facts but there's nothing like a patient telling it how it is in lay-mans terms.
And for those in the UK like me, don't be put off. I've read reviews on other similar books complaining they're too focused for the American market. This isn't the case here. Yes, there's a chapter on getting surgery on insurance but I just skipped over that. The rest is totally relevant and easy to read.

United Kingdom on Sep 06, 2015

Tess McGill: This was a helpful and thorough overview from the perspective of a patient, not a physician. The author provides excellent notes on comparing different procedures and what's required to be a successful 'loser'. I would recommend this for anyone considering WLS or post-op as a companion guide.

Canada on Nov 16, 2014

Grammyoftwins: I found this information being shared by a "Sleeve patient's" point of view very valuable! The Author answered many of my questions. She sets realistic expectations for how you'll be feeling very soon after surgery as well as a year plus out post surgery! I'm only 1 week post surgery so I can't argue anything beyond this point but she's very accurate with her comments on pre-surgery & 1week post surgery. I especially found her comment on needing antacids or reducers like Prevacid causing hunger like pains as is been experiencing that issue & sure enough the dissolvable Prevacid Tablets resolved a lot if not all of the problem! The books a quick read & very inexpensive if you get it electronically & very worth the read! I'll likely read it again as time goes on. I just think it's great to read a book based on an actual patients actual experience on the same exact surgery that I've just had!!! Highly recommend as it answered a lot of my questions, worries & concerns!!! Thank you for writing this little book!!!

United States on Oct 14, 2014

landcruisers: This book is very well written and contains lots of wisdom coming from the real life experience of the author. She does not try to venture too deeply into the topics best discussed with your physician, psychologist or nutrician consultant, such as lengthy descriptions of the surgical procedure, the psychological intricacies of eating addictions or details around the Kreb's cycle of glucose metabolism. Rather she explains in each section what most people should expect, some of the things that can happen along the way and the times you should seek the guidance from your medical team. She also avoids the trap of giving too much of her own experiences and opinion, instead she uses the 80/20 rule of 'here is how it goes for most people, but here is what can also happen.' She does not avoid her own experience yet acknowledges that aspects will be different for others. If you are looking for some keep it simple, no-nonsense guidance...this is the book for you.

United States on Apr 21, 2013

Amazon Customer: I read this book in a few hours. Very easy to read. I am in the research phase of the process and I found this book to be very much like orientation week at college. Lots of information aboutt how things are done, and some support from someone who has been there and done that. Think of this book as a primer for gastrectomy. I think it is perfect for someone like me who has made the decision to have WLS, but is stil exploring options.

This is not a chronicle of her emotional journey, although she does touch on it. This is not a cookbook, although she does mention different ways of eating. What this is, is a short primer for people considering the vertical sleeve operation. It is a bit repetitive, but I think that is to drive home thepoints she is making. If you purchase it on Kindle. $3.99 is not a bad price.

United States on Mar 03, 2013