Good call telling the wife, mine has been great in supporting my decision and helping post surgery. I do believe if she reserches it WLS have a better chance of keeping it off. I know Ive lost 100 lbs 3 seperate times. I had to to have another tool to even think about going through the work of another round of weight loss. So for me anyway this is more about post loss versus losing it. I was also just diagnosed with type 2. .I can tell you right now eating is a chore post surgery...which is good for me, changing that live to eat mentality to eat to live.

Yes, with the addition of strained soups and yougurts....no chunks. Although I need to focus on staying hydrated and getting my protein in. I got a little behind on the hydration today after a yougurt treat...and with the small sips its tough to catch up.

Congratulations on losing wt and getting your a1c to a better level. Be careful about using the word permanent. 50% of WLS pts gain all their wt back. Anyone can out eat WLS. 20-30 lbs are pretty much automatically lost but every pound after that is based on your choice to adhere to the new 70%protein,25%veg-no potato, 5%whole grain carbs lifestyle. You have 6 months to a year after surgery to make your new habits permanent before actual physical hunger returns. If you accept the process and let go of your Kryptonite foods you will do well. But in reality it really is a permanent diet if you want permanent results. Good luck.

Congratulations on making the decision to get healthy! My procedure was 7 months ago and I had kind of the same reaction from my mother, when I told her. I'm single and I needed her on board for after care. She watched my dad literally eat himself to death, (actual cause of death on his certificate was Morbid Obesity at 54) so that, along with a little education from my bariatric nurse helped. I had 100 lbs to lose, much less than many folks here, but significant enough to be causing a slew of health problems. Today, after a 78 pound loss, I'm 3 pounds from healthy BMI territory and off all pre-op meds except prilosec. I exercise regularly and feel great. I log every bite on MFP. If I don't I'll not hit my protein requirements and be too far off track. It is possible to fail at weight loss after WLS, but if you follow the plan it will work permanently! For me, it's kind like wearing a shock collar, I get a little unfocused and BAM! Unpleasant consequence, (whatever I ate too fast\too much of must come back up). Corrections are happening less often now that my habits are changing. BTW, I lost most of my weight over the winter so when I got back on the bike this spring I'd lost 70% of my goal. Dropped my Street Glide in a very slow turn which hasn't happened for YEARS. Apparently all that weight was helping me counter balance! Just a couple of bruises and wounded pride, but something to pay attention to if you ride!

I just was sleeved this past Monday (6 days ago) and I feel great. I think we all struggle with this decision and for me, I felt like people would think I was taking the easy way out. I told everyone via Facebook the morning of surgery, before I left for the hospital. Everyone seemed supportive, at least those that responded. I had the support of my husband and a few good friends going in to it.

No regrets. You've made your decision. When are you looking at surgery?

Congrats on getting the ball rolling to give yourself a real chance to change your life! Having support from your significant other is so important. It's great that you told her right now so she can educate herself on the sleeve and be ready to help you do what you need to do to be successful.

My hubby was a little weird about it when I first told him, but over the 6 months I had to prepare for surgery he got over that. Now that I'm losing weight he is so happy to see how much more energy I have, how much better I feel, and so on. It really is life changing. Your 4-6 month wait will be here before you know it!

Bikermike I understand the situation you are in because my significant-other said the same thing when I told him I was contemplating doing this procedure. He is a firm believer that you can eat anything and as much as you want, as long as you are willing to exercise just as much. He felt that I should just be exercising more. We had long talks as I pointed out that I don't care to spend hours in the gym exercising, watching what and how much I eat seems difficult for me, and my obesity-related health issues seemed to be getting worse and multiplying. He will support me but I know he would prefer I not have the surgery. In the best of all worlds, I would prefer not to have the surgery too. In reality, I need to take this action to be the best healthy me that I can be.

I am very lucky to have a very supportive family and doctor. My sister and mother have both had RnY surgeries. My sister has been quite, but my mother has been suggesting the surgery for a number of years (but not pushing). She is five years post-surgery and has kept all of her weight off, and as she is a retired Human resources/training and personal development PhD, she is writing a book about the post-surgery experience.

My Primary Care Doctor was the first one to start pushing me toward the surgery, and *I* was the one who saw it as a failure and an easy way out. As an active and athletic fat guy, I had enough successful weight losses in my past that I felt I should be able to stick to a plan and make it happen myself (ignoring the actual data of my losses and regains). When my hips started to become arthritic and between the weight and my hips I had to give up most of the sports I was playing, I realized that something more permanent had to be done to slow the hip deterioration and get the weight off permanently.

My wife has also been incredibly supportive, and the kids (12 and 15) understand that Dad needs to make some real changes to his life. they are mostly concerned about where their food will come from, as Dad does almost all of the cooking! I plan to still cook yummy stuff, just a lot more healthy, and I am sure they will adapt!

I managed to get insurance approval twice! The first time, I had my first consultation scheduled when my employer let us knwo that they were dropping the HMO I was on, so I would have to start the process with the new HMO. In hindsight, it was the best thing, because I had not mentally gotten behind the decision to go through with the surgery. the second time around, i was almost through the monthly appointments with my PCP when I gained enough weight to get approval without the supervised process. Not the best way to do it, but success nonetheless.

The switch really clicked in my mind at the all-day RN-led bariatric class. None of the things she told us would have to happen seemed unreasonable, and when she told us to that food and exercise logging were both important and mandatory for the program, I found MFP and this great community and it has made everything go very smoothly! I have adapted well to her suggested 1500 cal, lots of protein pre-consultation plan. I have dropped 25 pounds with no major hunger issues or cravings.

I am learning to like protein powders and the other adjustments needed (no coffee, etc.). It is all feeling like I was finally *ready* and I am committing to be one of the weight loss surgery success stories!

Rob

I have been quite surprised at how supportive my family has been. I didn't tell them for 18 months LOL
I had my referral sent in, and I told them after I went to my orientation and had already signed all the papers.
That was in January.
I am hoping to have my surgery this summer, and it could possibly interfere with our family vacation. I was concerned that they would be upset about that, but so far, they aren't.
They said it is what it is,and no big deal (missing vacation) So that's good!

I am still glad that I waited 18 months to tell them. I needed that time to research and learn what I needed to learn before involving them in my journey.

Good luck to you!

Congrats on your decision. I, too, had the ole' "Diet and Exercise is the answer" from family and friends. My Dad, 91 yrs young, has always been able to drop weight easily just cutting out certain foods and daily walking. "Why can't you?" Well, because I can't! I could only get so far, but my blood pressure still required medication. My a1c has been on that 'line' for many years. My sister developed diabetes when she was about my age. My Dad also has diabetes, however they both are able to monitor with diet.

I was kind of lucky because chronic stomach ulcers run in my Dad's family. (I said I was lucky, not his family - hee hee.) His father and older brother had such sever bleeding ulcers many, many years ago the only method to stop the bleeding was to remove the ulcer - yep, that meant part of the stomach! (This was probably 60 years ago...) So, I got to thinking and... when we were all gathered last Thanksgiving I started asking my Dad about the family history with ulcers. He went on and on about how chronic they were, "Grandpa and Uncle Bill both had to have part of their stomachs removed! Bill had to do it twice!" Fortunately, medicine had come a long way when my Dad developed his problem - no stomach surgery. As Dad was telling his tale, Mom just kept saying, "Poor Uncle Bill -- He just couldn't keep the weight on... no matter what he ate!" That was just the sentence I was waiting for; I had heard it several times before - "Poor Uncle Bill" I said, "Well basically that is what I am having done. I'm having part of my stomach removed so I can lose weight and possibly not develop diabetes & maybe get off of BP meds. The difference is, I am going through months of preparation to insure it is right for me." Tables turned immediately! "Oh, really? <pause> "Well good... good for you! If that will help."

Like I said, I WAS lucky; my family just laid out their own foundation of acceptance to my new venture!
I am 19 days post-op and feel great! Mind you I did lose about 40 lbs. prior to surgery. I can't believe how easy it is to go up and down the stairs now. I don't even mind! I already think I will not be needing my BP meds. When I have had it taken recently, both times it was very low. My nurse said if you start getting light headed, or feel faint call you primary doc immediately. I did start feeling like that so I stopped taking the medicine a couple of days ago and my BP is normal. I have an appt with my primary doc this week to discuss this.

Pre & post-op shakes are good; use your creativity. If I could give you a bit of advise - don't "target" you surgery. I thought mine would be in early February, but I was told wasn't going to be until late May. Fortunately, I was moved up to late April. When I kept getting moved back it was very discouraging and I didn't even want to have the surgery. It was like, "Just forget it!" I hope you have better luck in that area, but all the tests that needed to be sent in to Insurance, then the Ins Co wanted additional things. Doctors go on vacation, and I discovered I wasn't the ONLY patient to be scheduled! There were many components that delayed my surgery that I hadn't thought of.

Best wishes. I doubt you will regret your decision! You are taking steps to save your life, that is a pretty good reason to me.