Mohammad’s Gastric Sleeve Journey

Mohammad’s story

Finding personal strength and support to make an inspiring change

In a world always on the go, sometimes the heaviest weight we carry isn’t just the pounds we see on a scale: it’s the mental and physical burden of health issues that hold us back.

Mohammad’s struggles with weight should be familiar to many, along with the many health challenges that came with it. He tried diets and exercise, and even a weight-loss medication, but his bathroom scale simply wouldn’t budge.

It was as if a new chapter of his life had just begun.

He found the courage and determination to contact 360 Sleeve and had a gastric sleeve. Mohammad lost 170 lbs, and as the weight came off, so did his obesity-related health issues, including diabetes and sleep apnea.

Today, Mohammad is living life on his terms. He embraces every moment with newfound energy and vitality.

Individual results vary. This is one patient’s experience, not a promise of yours: your surgeon talks you through what to expect at a free consultation.

What to know

The topic behind Mohammad’s journey, in general terms: what usually matters, what your surgeon looks at and questions worth asking.

Type 2 diabetes

In the STAMPEDE trial, five years after a sleeve, 23% of people had an A1C of 6% or lower, compared with 5% of people on medicines alone. In the Finnish SLEEVEPASS trial, 10 years after a sleeve, 26% of people who had type 2 diabetes were in remission.

Remission means blood sugar stays below the diabetes range without diabetes medicines. It is not a cure, and diabetes can come back over the years, which is why blood sugar checks continue after surgery.

Sleep apnea

Many people preparing for bariatric surgery have sleep apnea, and many have never been diagnosed. Guidelines suggest screening everyone before surgery, because sleep apnea affects anesthesia and breathing afterwards.

After weight loss, sleep apnea often improves, and some people no longer need CPAP. Keep using it until your doctor tells you otherwise.

Medicines before surgery

Many people try weight-loss medicines before surgery, and Canadian guidelines describe them as an option for long-term care. Tell your team about every medicine you take, including weight-loss, diabetes and blood pressure medicines. Some need to be paused or adjusted around surgery and anesthesia, and doses often change as you lose weight.

Questions to ask

• What could change for my diabetes, and what is unlikely to change?
• Who adjusts my medicines after surgery?
• Do I need a sleep study before surgery?
• Would a different procedure suit my diabetes better?