PLS POST SUCCESS WITH BARIATRIC SURGERY

frenchgrapes

I had to quite reading - too much hateful stuff from people who don't know what they are talking about - and just answer the question.

I had the sleeve surgery 15 months ago. Best decision ever in my life. I have PCOS - never could lose weight, just gain. Finally, when reached 280, with the prospect of gaining the usual 10 pounds per year, with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes issues and about to add a second prescription diabetes drug to the diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure meds already taking, I asked my doctor if there wasn't something else out there for me to try. Starvation, living at the gym, and pumping me full of drugs wasn't doing anything but killing me slowly.

I'm also allergic to the water pills you need to take with high blood pressure meds. Off blood pressure meds the day of surgery. Dropped water weight immediately - about 20 pounds.

The sleeve surgery removes the hunger hormones from your stomach. Smaller stomach, no hunger hormones, and a high protein diet helps the body use up its fat stores which equals weight loss. You must meet the protein needs or you'll lose your hair and your muscle. You must also exercise to not only assist in burning calories but to help retain and maintain muscle and give your sagging skin some help.

The people who think the gastric sleeve is the easy way out are misinformed. You must still exercise regularly, you must still live on an eating plan with particular attention to protein and keeping hydrated. You don't wake up one morning a size zero and the world suddenly loves you because you are thin. People who hated you when you were fat because you were fat may like you now but they are still jerkwads. Your friends who liked you when you were fat may have a hard time figuring out how to relate to you as a thin person. Chances are they thought themselves superior to you because you were fatter than them. There are always the people who will run you down saying that you cheated, copped out, had it easy, etc. because you had surgery to help you lose the weight. And, there is the never ending rude questions about how much you have lost like it is suddenly not rude to ask a person such a personal question.

I am very pleased that I did what I did and that it has worked out very well for me. I am no longer on medications for anything. I've had absolutely no complications. I swim 1-3 times every week, do yoga at least once a week, walk on an indoor track or on my treadmill on the days I don't get some other type of exercise, and ride my bike when it is pretty outside. I also don't have severe rosacea anymore - an unexpected benefit. This is a permanent lifestyle - watching what I eat, exercising and engaging in activities good for my body. It isn't a diet that is over when I lose x amount of pounds and then can stuff my face with high fat and fried foods and soda pops.

Talk with your doctor about what is best for you. Do not let anyone who isn't a medical doctor or a person who hasn't had weight loss surgery influence your decision. You have to do what is best for you. Them that don't like your decision are selfish and small minded and need to keep their hatefulness to themselves.

Off my soap box. Back to not participating in the message board side of this board.

Sunshine2plus2

As much as I have been on here offering advice and words of encouragement when I see post about weight loss surgery (even though I have no problem with people having this done if it is what they deem necessary to aid them in their weight loss) I do like to post on these thread to offer the OP a different view if they haven't heard from or seen other examples. I started at 560 lbs. unable to walk, hell I could barely stand for more than 30 seconds at a stretch and was home bound for over 2 years... I had a computer chair I would roll myself around the house on to get to the kitchen and bathroom. When I hit rock bottom I had spent 3 days in my recliner with a loaded handgun. It had literally come down to get busy living or get busy dying... On that 3rd day I choose life and have worked my Butt off to regain my life. Even from the beginning surgery was never going to be an options because I knew it wasn't my stomach causing my issues it was all in my head... Something was severely broken for me to be consuming 10,000 calories a day and waiting to die.. If I could not fix what was broke in my head then no weight loss surgery would permanently fix this problem so I wanted to get to the heart of the problem first. So my first stop was therapy to address my food addictions from there I had to get a script form my doctor to begin aquatic therapy because I needed water displacement to allow me to stand so that I could stay upright long enough to begin exercising. I spent 17 months in the pool and lost 170 lbs. in the water before I could get fitted with braces (severely bad knee's) to allow me to walk out of the pool on dry ground. I worked with a nutritionist to understand my eating habits and continued to loose weight.. Fast forward 45 months and 311 lbs, down I have almost completely regained control of my life.. (short of 2 knee replacements I am getting in a few months) Was it easy?? Um No!! but I proved it is possible with alot of hardwork... That all being said if anyone feels this method just isn't something they feel they can tackle then by all means do something because the last thing anyone needs to do is to do nothing!!!.... Best of Luck Op sorry wasn't trying to hyjack your thread just offering another view point..... :drinker:

Wow Congrats to you! I love hearing stories of people who lost lots of weight without surgery!! I myself lost 138pds (no surgery) but I had another baby and gain some so here I am again!! Keep up the awesome work and good luck with knee surgery!

Juliew518

Congrats!

I had to quite reading - too much hateful stuff from people who don't know what they are talking about - and just answer the question.

I had the sleeve surgery 15 months ago. Best decision ever in my life. I have PCOS - never could lose weight, just gain. Finally, when reached 280, with the prospect of gaining the usual 10 pounds per year, with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes issues and about to add a second prescription diabetes drug to the diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure meds already taking, I asked my doctor if there wasn't something else out there for me to try. Starvation, living at the gym, and pumping me full of drugs wasn't doing anything but killing me slowly.

I'm also allergic to the water pills you need to take with high blood pressure meds. Off blood pressure meds the day of surgery. Dropped water weight immediately - about 20 pounds.

The sleeve surgery removes the hunger hormones from your stomach. Smaller stomach, no hunger hormones, and a high protein diet helps the body use up its fat stores which equals weight loss. You must meet the protein needs or you'll lose your hair and your muscle. You must also exercise to not only assist in burning calories but to help retain and maintain muscle and give your sagging skin some help.

The people who think the gastric sleeve is the easy way out are misinformed. You must still exercise regularly, you must still live on an eating plan with particular attention to protein and keeping hydrated. You don't wake up one morning a size zero and the world suddenly loves you because you are thin. People who hated you when you were fat because you were fat may like you now but they are still jerkwads. Your friends who liked you when you were fat may have a hard time figuring out how to relate to you as a thin person. Chances are they thought themselves superior to you because you were fatter than them. There are always the people who will run you down saying that you cheated, copped out, had it easy, etc. because you had surgery to help you lose the weight. And, there is the never ending rude questions about how much you have lost like it is suddenly not rude to ask a person such a personal question.

I am very pleased that I did what I did and that it has worked out very well for me. I am no longer on medications for anything. I've had absolutely no complications. I swim 1-3 times every week, do yoga at least once a week, walk on an indoor track or on my treadmill on the days I don't get some other type of exercise, and ride my bike when it is pretty outside. I also don't have severe rosacea anymore - an unexpected benefit. This is a permanent lifestyle - watching what I eat, exercising and engaging in activities good for my body. It isn't a diet that is over when I lose x amount of pounds and then can stuff my face with high fat and fried foods and soda pops.

Talk with your doctor about what is best for you. Do not let anyone who isn't a medical doctor or a person who hasn't had weight loss surgery influence your decision. You have to do what is best for you. Them that don't like your decision are selfish and small minded and need to keep their hatefulness to themselves.

Off my soap box. Back to not participating in the message board side of this board.

Hazel2005

I am trying to change her mind here
maybe even save her life

The manner in which you are trying to change her mind is coming across as an attack. With all due respect, you have stated your opinion, we all know how you feel as does this particular member, and we know how she feels. I believe it is time to let it go - on both your parts. Quite frankly, it's like a read version of my two children trying to yell over the other. Getting beyond ridiculous and hurtful.

tapirfrog

I keep seeing people saying it's a "cop out." Relax, it's not a copout. The person going through surgery will have a lot of pain, just like you. They'll be forcing themselves to adapt to a new way of life, just like you. You don't have to be mad that someone else is taking the "easy" way out, because it's not. They're getting their freakin' bodies cut open to do this. That's not the easy way out.

There is no easy way out of weight. Don't you worry -- we're all suffering, no matter how we deal with it.

LisaLamb1

I wish OP the best of luck with this journey and look forward to hearing your results and successes. I've never worn any shoes but my own, so i can't tell you how to walk in yours.

Hazel2005

[/quote]

They are risking their lives and health
No doubt there is discomfort
But is it worth risking your long term health rather than just digging in your heels and doing some hard work?
[/quote]quote



Again, while everyone is entitled to an opinion and you are definitely passionate about yours, do you have the same passion when it comes to your own health? By this I mean, have you quit smoking yet?

FiveElevenClimb

I am your age!
u only feel attacked because your side of the argument is not convincing me to change my opinion!
I DO feel it is a cop out when statements are made like
"the surgery decreases your appetite so you have a calorie defeceit"
because we all have an appetite
we all suffer the pangs of calorie defeceits
we all get hungry
to me a surgery is like a magic pill

all that being said that is all just my opinion
not fact

so i would not let it get you down

I am not going to change my opinion or stop arguing that i feel it is dirty and dangerous

but that is not attacking you
i have my opinion you have yours

you want to get emotional call it being attacked and use your age and your conditions as a defense that is on you.

I am telling you i am inyour age range and have had similair problems and have found alternative means to take care of myself and i do not advocate or support the surgery.

Your ignorance and arrogance are appalling. Just leave the poor woman alone, at this rate you are bullying her. You are pretty much imposing your opinions on others and blatantly disrespecting those who have made the choice to go through with it. You are the reason why people, like my sister, are too nervous or ashamed to say that they have had the surgery. You are the reason why people think it's a cop out, easy, that there are no benefits. You, my dear, should be ashamed. You are just one mean person, aren't you? The world needs happier, lenient, open-minded people. Not someone who had a bad experience with a surgery, ignores the facts, and says that just because of that one time, it should never be done. Haha.

I am ignorant because I disagree?

If I am ignorant than you are controlling

Just because I don't agree and can't be persuaded that upsets you and resorts u to defensive name calling?

Another argument based on emotion!

The surgery is a cop out, dangerous, and dirty.

Quite honestly I think it is for lazy people that don't want to address their real life emotional issues, don't want to work out on any level, or suffer the temporary discomfort of becoming accustomed to a healthy diet.

My opinion again, go ahead and hoot n holler. I am not trying to sell roses here so u won't get a phony pitch from me about what a wonderful option wls is.

I don't think it is so much what you are saying, but how you are saying it. There is such a thing as tact.

mfernando6

I just want to thank people for their opinions and kind words, but this post has got to stop. I honestly wish that I could just delete it. I had a lady email me informing me that she was in tears by what people were saying and she has now deactivated her whole account. Trust me I appreciate peoples opinions even if they weren't in favor of me having surgery, it just shows that you care. However, attacking each other is not cool.

mfernando6

As much as I have been on here offering advice and words of encouragement when I see post about weight loss surgery (even though I have no problem with people having this done if it is what they deem necessary to aid them in their weight loss) I do like to post on these thread to offer the OP a different view if they haven't heard from or seen other examples. I started at 560 lbs. unable to walk, hell I could barely stand for more than 30 seconds at a stretch and was home bound for over 2 years... I had a computer chair I would roll myself around the house on to get to the kitchen and bathroom. When I hit rock bottom I had spent 3 days in my recliner with a loaded handgun. It had literally come down to get busy living or get busy dying... On that 3rd day I choose life and have worked my Butt off to regain my life. Even from the beginning surgery was never going to be an options because I knew it wasn't my stomach causing my issues it was all in my head... Something was severely broken for me to be consuming 10,000 calories a day and waiting to die.. If I could not fix what was broke in my head then no weight loss surgery would permanently fix this problem so I wanted to get to the heart of the problem first. So my first stop was therapy to address my food addictions from there I had to get a script form my doctor to begin aquatic therapy because I needed water displacement to allow me to stand so that I could stay upright long enough to begin exercising. I spent 17 months in the pool and lost 170 lbs. in the water before I could get fitted with braces (severely bad knee's) to allow me to walk out of the pool on dry ground. I worked with a nutritionist to understand my eating habits and continued to loose weight.. Fast forward 45 months and 311 lbs, down I have almost completely regained control of my life.. (short of 2 knee replacements I am getting in a few months) Was it easy?? Um No!! but I proved it is possible with alot of hardwork... That all being said if anyone feels this method just isn't something they feel they can tackle then by all means do something because the last thing anyone needs to do is to do nothing!!!.... Best of Luck Op sorry wasn't trying to hyjack your thread just offering another view point..... :drinker:

You are truly an inspiration. Congratulations on your success.

chocl8girl

I just want to thank people for their opinions and kind words, but this post has got to stop. I honestly wish that I could just delete it. I had a lady email me informing me that she was in tears by what people were saying and she has now deactivated her whole account. Trust me I appreciate peoples opinions even if they weren't in favor of me having surgery, it just shows that you care. However, attacking each other is not cool.

Juliew518

Absolutely agree with you 100 percent. You are an adult and are capable of making your own decision. I've been through the surgery. It's not easy. But it was the best thing I ever did.

I just want to thank people for their opinions and kind words, but this post has got to stop. I honestly wish that I could just delete it. I had a lady email me informing me that she was in tears by what people were saying and she has now deactivated her whole account. Trust me I appreciate peoples opinions even if they weren't in favor of me having surgery, it just shows that you care. However, attacking each other is not cool.

knwitall

No experience here. I did consider it once and went to a class about it but decided it was too much for me. A girl at work had it done and well i'm glad i didn't do it. She's constantly throwing up and can hardly eat anything. But best of luck for you.

Da_Big_Kahuna

Had VSG in Oct 2011. I was at 365, A year out I was down to 253. Been maintaining since then but I'm want to start another losing cycle.

2nd best decision I made after marrying wife #2 ;-)

Good Luck with the surgery!

CoraGregoryCPA

Best thing I ever did! I've achieved so much more because of my surgery. Good Luck

TS65

I had WLS back in 1994. The one thing I can tell you is to remember, it's just a tool. If you don't use the tool, you will gain your weight back. There are ways to "eat around" the tool. DON'T GO THERE. Follow the rules:

1. don't drink with your meals;
2. Eat all your protein first, then if you have room eat veggies;
3. No snacking

There's a great WLS site - www.livingafterwls.com - it was a godsend for me! Lots of support, recipes, etc.

whatascene

A few things to be aware of: No one gets heavy without having some sort of food addiction.

I just want to point out that you can gain ten pounds in a year by eating (on average) only 100 extra calories per day. Multiply that over 5/10 years unchecked and you've packed on 50-100 pounds. Not through a food addiction, but through just a basic lack of awareness. There's this huge misconception that everyone who is heavy got heavy somehow overnight by being a food addict who was eating a box of ring dings and a quart of ice cream every day. I gained all of my weight very slowly over 20+ years. Sure, I didn't stop the gain or take the trouble to reverse it until recently, and that's where I failed. I wasn't the kind of person that gained ten pounds and immediately sought to get those ten pounds back off. But I don't (and didn't) have a food addiction, I simply didn't pay close enough attention to precisely how much I was putting in my body. And since I gained about 100 pounds in 20 years, I was likely only overeating by an average of 50 calories per day. Anyway - just wanted to point that out.

OP - good luck with your surgery. I've known 2-3 people who have done various versions with extreme success. One was an uncle who truly did save his life by doing it. I wish you well.

I think that's a valid point, but food addiction is relatively new to the psych field. And I also wanted to point out that it's much more prevalent than you think, mainly because it's happening and no one notices because they aren't "drunk" or "high". Many times when people reach such a large and I'm mean a LARGE weight, the reason they keep going is that lack of motivation to change their diet because of what food brings them. Along the weigh of gaining, there's always an excuse why not to start losing, which the most is not wanting to change the lifestyle around what they eat. (I'm not talking about overweight, and not even obesity, I'm talking morbidly obese). Food is comforting. I love comfort food and it makes me feel better after a bad day, I'll be honest. It's easy to turn to it. People just don't really get it when they're addicted, so they watch themselves get bigger and bigger and don't want to stop because of what food brings them. I'm not judging here, this is a serious problem that goes often unrecognized. Bare in mind too, that when a person reaches a really high weight, you have to eat that amount of calories to maintain that weight, and then to gain, you have to increase it. That extra 100 calorie a day thing over years is a myth. The bigger you get, the higher amount of calories you have to take in, and then add more to gain. So there's more going on than just an accidental extra calorie intake, it's increasing over time.

Anyway, good luck OP! I hope everything goes smoothly and you can finally reach your goals!

MyOwnSunshine

I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned this, since I haven't read all 8 pages...

there is a very helpful group called "VSGers." The group is not particularly active, but most of the members are also friends, so we provide a lot of support to each other on the news feeds.

The main forums are not necessarily supportive or understanding of those who decide on WLS. Feel free to friend me.

GrnEyz80

My sister had lap band & I have 2 brothers that had gastric bypass. My sister had a lot of problems keeping food down for the longest time. She lost down to her ideal weight but she didn't make the lifestyle choices necessary to maintain & she learned to "bypass" the benefits of the band by drinking fluids with the junk food to make it pass from her stomach quickly so she could eat more. She has gained all the weight back......

I had a classmate that did the band and also learned a way around it. So it is still about the lifestyle/food/activity change. She would eat ice cream a lot because "it melted and wouldn't fill her up" The most she lost was like 20 pounds because she ate so much crap. Good luck with your surgery. I hope it works for you and you meet your goals!

Juliew518

Like I mentioned in a previous post, I had an RNY in December 2008. I have been very fortunate and have not had any problems. I had a very very good surgeon who is internationally known for doing this surgery, and I am sure that had a lot to do with it -- along with just being fortunate. Yes, I had some co-morbidities and those are gone. I also had some other medical issues that were not weight-related and they went away also.

That said -- the surgery is not easy. It is not a cop out. And it is not for everyone. So just let it be.

Like I also said in a previous post -- I totally reinvented myself after the surgery. I ended up going into a new line of work, moving to a new town -- and basically started over. I do not in general share my surgical experience and no one in the town I live in now except my doctor knows I have had the surgery. A lot of my reticence to share has to do with the hatred, bigotry, prejudice and ignorance that comes along with it as witnessed in this thread.

I didn't want to be "that girl who had a stomach bypass." I'm happier that way. I eat relatively normally and don't have trouble with too many foods -- and if I know of a food that gives me trouble, I just pretend to be a picky eater. I started getting in a bit of trouble because I started grazing (goldfish and maple cookies were my downfall) which is why I joined this group.

When I first had my surgery I cruised the blogs on ObesityHelp.com, but to be honest, I just couldn't get into the OCD of it all. And to be honest, looking at some of the threads here, it seems there's a bit of OCD going on here too. Too each his own.

Yes, I have a small stomach now, but I have a bigger more fuller life. After the surgery, I changed mentally as well as physically, and really just don't care about my weight anymore. I'm too busy living my life. Because of the surgery, food is no longer a "go to" when I am stressed. And that wouldn't have happened if I had done it the "old-fashioned" way. I would still be obsessing and yo-yo-ing if I hadn't had the surgery.

Yes, I am aware of what I can and cannot eat -- but it's just part of me now. I don't think about the surgery and like I said I have not had any complications. I did have a little problem with vitamin D but it is under control with supplements and doing a bit of outside activity in the sunshine.

So, please people, quit judging. It's a hard decision and it is a life changing one. I am glad I did it for many reasons.

For the record, I have a very very very good friend who is extremely overweight, has diabetes and many other serious medical problems. He has lost a leg, part of his other foot, has almost lost his sight, and his joints are failing. He can't comb his hair because he can't lift his arms up to his head. He's got a beautiful home that he bought less than ten years ago that he can't enjoy because he is confined to three rooms, the living room, kitchen and bathroom. He sleeps in a hospital bed in his living room even though he has a beautiful bed in the master suite upstairs. He barely eats anything but with all of the medications he is on he is constantly bloated. Because of his fear of walking due to his diabetes (he lost his leg because he took on an exercise regimen, got a blister on his foot which then got infected and gangrenous) he doesn't move around. He has asked me about the surgery and asked me if I thought he should have it. I told him I would go to the doctor with him if he wanted to discuss if with the doctor, but I would never tell him to do it or not to do it,-- it is too big of a decision, and it's something each person has to decide on their own after a lot of soul-searching and tons and tons of research. I told him I'd share my experience, but would never advise him either way. He knows I have been successful, and he has chosen not to do the surgery. Ultimately, he has chosen not to have the surgery and has also chosen not to try and get better. The point I am trying to make is you can't make that decision for anyone else or make them feel bad for the decision they make. .