Is surgery really my only option?

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  • cndraycott
    cndraycott Posts: 16 Member
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    You're awesome! Thanks for all your great support! You're right, in fact EVERYONE is right. I'm gonna do this my way, and hopefully I'll be looking at least a little bit better by the time my friend's wedding rolls around in September.

    Yay! Thank you so much. Everyone's kindness almost makes me want to cry!
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
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    I think surgery is for people who A) need the weight off quickly for health reasons (like they might die if its not off fast). B) For people who don't have the patience to do it the long way...which I think is the case a lot. They lose motivation, don't have support etc, and surgery seems like the only answer.

    But it can certainly be done with out surgery. And MFP is a great place to do it. :)
  • Dtho5159
    Dtho5159 Posts: 1,054 Member
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    Nope not dreaming.. Look at the success stories on here. There are several who have lost 100+lb naturally. I in fact need to lose 130ish total and Im already down 41. It will take time but it will be worth it in the end!
  • TMLPatrick
    TMLPatrick Posts: 558 Member
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    You can totally do it without surgery.... but be prepared to work very hard. Eat better and exercise and don't expect overnight results.... be prepared for a lifestyle change.... not a diet.

    The place you need to start for motivation is here: http://bendoeslife.tumblr.com/page/269
  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
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    You can do it - I have lost 80 so far - and eating lots and better than for a long time..... The people that has surgery has to deal with the same restrictions we do - and some not so good other effects - and some gain back as well if they did not change their lifestyle. In my book you should try the MFP way first, and give it a good go!

    And also if you need some support you are welcome to friend me :-) having some people cheering you on helps for me..
  • justnname
    justnname Posts: 162
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    You can do it with out the surgery.

    Think of it this way, even with the surgery you will have to eat healthy and exercise.

    The surgery has lots a side effects and may cause future problems.
    My aunt had the surgery about 5 yrs ago, she cant take some medication because her body won't absorb it.
    My Cousin had the surgery 8 yrs ago and has gained about 70lb back.
    Both of them lost the weight fast so they had to have surgery to take off the extra skin

    It is a long hard road, but with support and the right attitude you can do anything.

    If you need so support friend me.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    You can do it. Will it be quick and easy? Absolutely not. But, it IS possible to lose the weight without surgery. :)
  • RBXChas
    RBXChas Posts: 2,708 Member
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    It's only normal to consider surgery. It's not the "quick fix" everyone thinks it is, but for many it appears to be the only option. For some it may actually be. I've never had surgery and have never been hugely (no pun intended) overweight until now, after having a baby and eating whatever I wanted during my pregnancy. So now I have nearly 100 pounds to lose, whereas prior I would have only had to lose maybe half that. I can't help but feel like I have SO MUCH to lose, that it's going to take forever, but I just try to take one day at a time.

    Aaaanyway, point being, I can't tell you from my own personal experience, but three members of my immediate family have had weight-loss surgery. My sister had lap-band surgery, and both my brother and my father had gastric bypass surgery.

    My sister is only slightly taller than I am but always weighed between 230 and 250ish. She had the surgery a few years ago, but little has changed. I think the only difference is that she has to watch how much bread she eats, as it tends to get stuck and make her sick. If she has the band filled too much, she can't eat or drink much and ends up getting sick. Then she'll have them take out saline (or whatever it is that fills the band), and it's as if she never had surgery. Finding the right amount of liquid to have in the band is a delicate balance and can change depending on what's going on with your body (e.g., if you're pregnant, you may have to remove liquid to make sure you are taking in enough calories). For her, she had the surgery in NYC, since that's where she was living at the time, and the cost of her surgery included lifetime adjustments. Now she lives way far away and thus doesn't have that option, so if she wants to mess with the band, she has to make an appointment with a doctor where she lives and pay for it. As such, she hasn't had it adjusted to find that balance and has just pretty much acted like she doesn't have it.

    My brother and father had more success with gastric bypass. Each had a pretty dramatic initial weight loss, but it has been hard work to keep it off. My dad sometimes wishes he hadn't had the surgery, since he has only kept off so much of the weight and now can't enjoy many foods without getting sick. My brother will gain a lot of weight very quickly if he's not careful - he only loses and keeps it off if he eats a low-carb diet. So while it helped him get from 400+ pounds to under 250, he has to work like the ****ens to stay around the 200 or so he should be (he's a tall guy).

    So my conclusion is that weight-loss surgery is expensive and not always easy to recover from, and the results are not magical. Yes, they help with quick, massive weight loss, but then you still have to work hard to maintain your loss and/or to get to your goal weight. For some people, that's really what they want, but it is possible to do it without surgery.

    My humble opinion is that for most people, surgery doesn't always teach you the necessary habits to maintain the loss. While doing it the "real" way isn't as fast, you are just starting the work sooner, teaching yourself good habits, and I think you are more likely to keep the weight off when you worked so hard to lose it all (over a longer period of time)!

    I'm not judging those who have the surgery, and I think in my dad's case, he wouldn't be alive today if he hadn't had the surgery (he would have been content to eat himself to death). However I think most people are better off losing weight the old-fashioned way, and it's worth giving a real shot before resorting to surgery.

    Good luck with your decision, and I hope we see more of you here!
  • sarahnicolexoxo
    sarahnicolexoxo Posts: 230
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    I think surgery should be your last option! You can lose weight with exercise and eating right as everyone has told you. A LOT of people on MFP have gotten those surgeries and guess what? They are here because in the beginning they wanted a quick fix and they gained it all back. (I know some people NEED the surgery to get a great jumpstart by Doctors orders.) We are here to support you. YOU can do it!
  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
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    Good for you for not wanting surgery and being willing to be patient. It probably will take a while, but it CAN be done. I see billboards all the time advertising the lap band, and sometimes, the amount of weight that the pretty person in the picture lost is LESS than I've lost on my own! I say- go for it, and don't give up. You will definitely get there. :flowerforyou:
  • 123456654321
    123456654321 Posts: 1,311 Member
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    You're awesome! Thanks for all your great support! You're right, in fact EVERYONE is right. I'm gonna do this my way, and hopefully I'll be looking at least a little bit better by the time my friend's wedding rolls around in September.

    Yay! Thank you so much. Everyone's kindness almost makes me want to cry!

    Use all the tools this site gives you and it's possible you COULD be down near 50 lbs by the end of September. Anything is possible bb. You just need to work hard and and stick to it! Good luck!

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