Bariatric Surgery coming up

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Megume
Megume Posts: 74
in Motivation and Support
So.. I jumped through all the hoops, and now have my bariatric surgery scheduled for June 13th.. thus far. I'm incredibly anxious and excited.

I am by no means using this as 'an easy out'... having this surgery is only a tool to help me get to my goal. The work that is involved afterwards is insane!! But if I can stick with it, I know that it will change my life.

I am going to be having the Sleeve Gastrectomy.. as opposed to the RnY Bypass or the Lapband. There just seemed to be too many complications with the band, and The bypass seems way too invasive for my liking. So.. what will happen is they will go in laproscopically and remove 75-80% of my stomach, leaving it looking more like a sleeve than a big food bin.

Exercise is incredibly important with this surgery.. even if your stomach is smaller.. if you're not working off what you're putting in.. it's not going to do anything.

So, if you have any questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer. Support is always welcome, and I think I may start a blog documenting my experience coming up to, and after the surgery.

Replies

  • YogaRunner
    YogaRunner Posts: 652 Member
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    A blog on your experience is a great idea and could be helpful to so many other people. I wish you all the best as you take on this step in your journey. If you need any help or support with exercise, please reach out to me. I'd love to support you.
    Risa
  • JenniferH81
    JenniferH81 Posts: 285 Member
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    I'm sure you know this, but be careful. There's been a lot of people who have gotten this done and gained it back by keeping their same eating habits.

    I remember an watching the show jillian michaels had for a minute, where she was b*tching about the surgery, saying it doesn't solve the emotional problems behind the weight gain. but then again that's my most hated part behind biggest loser. trying to analyze everyone saying there must be a cause for it.

    however now I'm rambling on about nothing, so best of luck to you, keep us updated. :D
  • janemartin02
    janemartin02 Posts: 2,653 Member
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    HI!Just want to wish you the best of luck.It looks like you did a lot of research,which is awesome.I worked in a hospital and the big surgery was the bypass.I know for a fact alot of the people who went thru it had no idea what they were doing.They wanted a quick fix.
    I think the documentory is also a great idea.
    Take care
    jane
  • Megume
    Megume Posts: 74
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    Lol, no.. emotions do play a huge roll in it, that's for sure, including your eating habits. That's why, most of the hoops I had to jump through were meeting with dieticians and a therapist to help me start sorting these things out.

    Exercise has never been an issue.. for almost 8 years, I was a semi-professional, competative weightlifter who as what happens to most big atheletes, became injured. That was both emotionally, and physically devistating to me and was a major cause of my weight gain.

    so.. with these tool, I really feel that I can get things back in line and be successful. Thank you for the support!!
  • poisongirl6485
    poisongirl6485 Posts: 1,487 Member
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    Good luck to you. My mom had the lapband put in a couple years ago, and has lost about 70 lbs and is still losing. She does have a lot of issues though with vomiting, and she constantly has 'eyes bigger than stomach' problems...with the lapband you can only eat like 1/2 cup of food at a sitting b/c of the size of the pouch, so if you scarf it at once, there's no time for it to digest in that small pouch and it can create a lot of pain if the food has nowhere to go and gets 'stuck.' Hence the need to vomit. I just wish she'd LISTEN to my father and myself and not take more than she can handle, and slowly chew her food before trying to swallow it. Durrr.

    Anyway, I wish you luck. If anybody tells you it's the easy way out, punch them in the throat because they have no idea what they're talking about.
  • soze
    soze Posts: 604 Member
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    I know you've researched this to no end and probably have been told absolutely everything under the sun about it. Still I would want to encourage you not to.

    As other posters have pointed to this only treats the symptom, not the root cause. I met a woman about a month ago who had that done. It caused her grief. She said she wasn't the only one either. When she said she had it done I couldn't believe it. She was at least 150 lbs overweight. So while she lost initially she gained it all back because the root problem was still there.

    I wish you well and much success.
  • marci355
    marci355 Posts: 292
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    Congratulations! Welcome to your new world! (almost) I hope you have a safe and uneventful surgery and easy recovery. I am also a bariatric patient. I had the RNY almost seven years ago. My pouch is still the original size and I was bypassed 140 cm. (which is a bit more than normal). I love my RNY! This has NOT been an easy journey, even without any complications. When your small intestine is bypassed, RNY people get dumping syndrome (nausea and vomiting) and believe me I still dump like a dump truck! So I imagine that is what you are trying to avoid by having the VSG. You're probably smart to do that, cause there is still a lot of stuff I can't eat. I heard one can have a lot of success with the sleeve. In fact, there's quite a few sleeve peeps on here. I'm sure they will ring in here shortly.
    It took awhile, but I did finally figure out (thru trial and error) just what I can eat and what I can't. I am now lactose intolerant, but other than that I've had a lot of success with my RNY. I stay away from sweets, anything greasy or fried and no milk products. I've maintained my 100 lb loss, with the exception of a 24lb gain from drinking beer and NOT eating. I know, stupid!!!!! But I'm now on my way back down and will hit goal again. No beer and I went back to the gym. Add me as a friend, if you like. I'll help whenever I can, if you have any questions. You're gonna love your sleeve! Congrats!!!
  • pchatelle
    pchatelle Posts: 10
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    I hear if you get HCG injections, for a few weeks after the surgery you won't feel like you are starving to death during the liquid diet portion of the recovery. This is a bold and somewhat brave step you are making, I hope you make the most out of it.
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
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    megume, hi and best of luck. Did you have to meet the 3 criteria for the surgery? I at one time considered it, but 20 K is more than I have , so that was out. But at the time, I did have high blood pressure and was over 100 lbs overweight. Also, had sleep apnea , which , thank God, are all gone. I m now in perfect health, thank you Jesus

    Did you have to weight a certain weight to qualify for lap band versus gastric by pass? How many lbs oveweitght does it take to qualify?

    Thanks for the information, again best wishes on your choice........Lloyd
  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
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    I have to give you props.. cause I was way too scared to do it so I gave myself the choice of trying one last time after all my previous failed attempts to lose weight before going that route. I do have friends that have had surgeries and it works wonders for them coupled with thier hard efforts. Good luck, I hope it works out the way you are hoping :)
  • marci355
    marci355 Posts: 292
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    And.....you are right! It is merely a tool, to help us get to where we want to be. Yes, we have to change our eating habits. Yes, we have to exercise just like everyone else, but do NOT let anyone tell you that "you took the easy way out". Thats bull****! There is NOTHING easy about weight loss surgery. Was it worth it to me? You bet!! This surgery is not for everybody, thats for sure. Could I have lost a 100 lbs and kept it off, when I yoyo'd my whole life? I doubt it. The only gain I have had, was from drinking beer, during a very dark and stressful point in my life. (whole other thread)
    But it makes us nuts, when everyone says to us, they know a friend, someone's sister, third cousin twice removed,blah, blah blah.....that gained all of their weight back. Hmmmm....some pretty bold statements from people who have never walked even one day in our shoes. Like I said.....these surgeries are not for everyone. But if you looked up the actual stats from some reputable sources, you would find the success rate is very high for RNY, the DS and the sleeve. Lapband's however much less so. A lot of people have a revision to get rid of their lapband and convert it to the DS or RNY. What I am trying to say folks, the chances of a surgery patient maintaining their weight loss (with the appropriate changes to exercise and diet) are much greater than for a 'normie" who has probably gained and lost the same 40 to 60 lbs their whole life. Let's not be critical of someones choice, when what you really have is just a difference of opinion.
  • Megume
    Megume Posts: 74
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    WoW! Thanks for all the support!! :D

    To answer your questions @lloydrt... yes, I did have to meet certain criteria to qualify for the surgery, and to get my insurance to pay for the procedure. It's different for everyone, depending on insurance so I can't really tell you what they might be for you. It isn't so much a certain weight.. but the BMI. For me, I had to be 35 or higher.. I clocked in at a whopping 41. Made me feel like a doughboy, that's for sure, lol. Then I had to prove that I had expended my options as far as working out and dieting which sucks.. but it is statistically proven that only 2% of people who 'diet' will actually be successful. I had to see a dietitian, and a therapist as well as a physical trainer. Then, go through a six week presurgical 'class' to become more educated. It's a lot to go through to get what I want, but I need it and I know it will be worth it.

    Oh!! and for those of you who asked, this is the blog I just set up. I'm still working on trying to figure out how to make it more 'jazzy' so bare with me.

    http://downsizingmegu.tumblr.com/
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
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    thanks for your reply meg. I am lucky ,so far I ve lost 120 lbs, and I am really concerned as well, knowing 90% of people who lose weight put it back on........its got me concerned. I ve yo yo d in the past, this time its got to work or else.........My body can only handle so much high blood pressure, as well as being 55 now, I dont have lots of options. Also, my metabloism is changing and its not as easy as it used to be losing weight.........Ive yo yo dieted for about 10 years and going back to being obese isnt an option anymore......its got to work this time, failure isnt an option

    best wishes meg, I hope all goes well for you.......Lloyd
  • marci355
    marci355 Posts: 292
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    thanks for your reply meg. I am lucky ,so far I ve lost 120 lbs, and I am really concerned as well, knowing 90% of people who lose weight put it back on........its got me concerned. I ve yo yo d in the past, this time its got to work or else.........My body can only handle so much high blood pressure, as well as being 55 now, I dont have lots of options. Also, my metabloism is changing and its not as easy as it used to be losing weight.........Ive yo yo dieted for about 10 years and going back to being obese isnt an option anymore......its got to work this time, failure isnt an option

    best wishes meg, I hope all goes well for you.......Lloyd
    LLoyd,
    I am 56. I had my RNY when I was 49. Up intil then I yoyo'd all my life. Truly, this surgery was the best thing I have ever done for myself! You are right....only 2 to 5% of normal dieters are able to keep all the weight off long term. That is exactly why I wanted this "tool", to keep me gaining all of it back and maybe more. If you ever have any questions. (you too, Meg!) I'll be happpy to be there for you! Marci -
    P.S.- Rock on you two!!!! I'm really passionate about WLS, or can't you tell??? LOL....

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