Got my date, but second thoughts...
creepykbear
Posts: 69 Member
So - I got my date for gastric bypass - 3-2-16 (hooray!)
But now, Im really having second thoughts.
First - I've always been overweight. I'm 45. I started this process in June feeling like I had no hope. Through visits with my surgeons office, diet and exercise I've lost 120 lbs (yippee!). I started at 420, CW 300. The diet I'm doing is low carb, lowish fat. For the last 3 months I've slacked on exercise and been kinda in maintenance, which is basically what I think will be lifelong post surgery and recovery living. I've not been tracking, but still doing shakes, meat & veg mostly, and reasonable amounts. I'm still losing about 10 lbs a month.
Through this lifestyle change I've come to the realization that sugar and bad carbs are my triggers - and I likely won't ever be able to eat them again except if I can have a once in a while treat and not go back for more. So my husband has candy and cookies in the house, and I'm fine - not once have I slipped, or had the overwhelming urge to eat it or snuck it or any old habits. I've also developed a crazy habit of looking forward to exercise - something I never thought would happen. It relieves my stress (wow, so that's what those people talk about).
I'm going to talk to the NP at my surgeons office tomorrow, because I'm just not sure what to do. If I don't have the surgery in March, I won't be able to do it again till Nov because of work. But, if I can actually do this on my own - and I'm in a different mindset, place in life, etc than I have ever been before - then I feel like I should at least give it one more try.
I"m worried that I'm going to basically put my body through all this, be sick and hurt for 2 months, spend 4,000 + miss 6 weeks unpaid at work in a busy time, miss an opportunity for possible advancement at work, and potentially have complications (my husband and I both work in hospitals, so we see bad stuff). All to just lose weight I could potentially really lose on my own - just 6 or so months faster. Then I'll still have to do this plan forever anyway because I know that regain could happen.
Any advise? lol
But now, Im really having second thoughts.
First - I've always been overweight. I'm 45. I started this process in June feeling like I had no hope. Through visits with my surgeons office, diet and exercise I've lost 120 lbs (yippee!). I started at 420, CW 300. The diet I'm doing is low carb, lowish fat. For the last 3 months I've slacked on exercise and been kinda in maintenance, which is basically what I think will be lifelong post surgery and recovery living. I've not been tracking, but still doing shakes, meat & veg mostly, and reasonable amounts. I'm still losing about 10 lbs a month.
Through this lifestyle change I've come to the realization that sugar and bad carbs are my triggers - and I likely won't ever be able to eat them again except if I can have a once in a while treat and not go back for more. So my husband has candy and cookies in the house, and I'm fine - not once have I slipped, or had the overwhelming urge to eat it or snuck it or any old habits. I've also developed a crazy habit of looking forward to exercise - something I never thought would happen. It relieves my stress (wow, so that's what those people talk about).
I'm going to talk to the NP at my surgeons office tomorrow, because I'm just not sure what to do. If I don't have the surgery in March, I won't be able to do it again till Nov because of work. But, if I can actually do this on my own - and I'm in a different mindset, place in life, etc than I have ever been before - then I feel like I should at least give it one more try.
I"m worried that I'm going to basically put my body through all this, be sick and hurt for 2 months, spend 4,000 + miss 6 weeks unpaid at work in a busy time, miss an opportunity for possible advancement at work, and potentially have complications (my husband and I both work in hospitals, so we see bad stuff). All to just lose weight I could potentially really lose on my own - just 6 or so months faster. Then I'll still have to do this plan forever anyway because I know that regain could happen.
Any advise? lol
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Replies
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I think it's natural to have second thoughts. Having surgery is a major decision. I have lost a lot of weight in the past, only to gain it back. After doing that over and over, and every time starting off thinking, "this time I will do it", I finally had to face the fact that I really needed the extra tool of WLS to help ensure my success and good health. Like I have said here before, I asked myself, "can I do this on my own?", and my honest answer was "maybe", and maybe just wasn't good enough for me. I had my surgery about a month before I turned 50, and it's the best decision I have made. One thing that stands out in what you said is that you slacked on exercise and been in a maintenance mode. Be honest with yourself. Ask yourself if that's enough for you. Ask yourself if you really think you can do this all on your own. You are the only one that can answer. Maybe waiting till November might give you some more time to really think it through. What ever you decide to do, remember it's YOUR choice and no one else's, and you will make the best choice for yourself. Good luck to you!0
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Hi there! So, you and I are so alike! I was 387 at age 40 - I committed to eating right and working out lost 120 lbs and maintained it for five years! I was like BAM I got this, but I couldn't move the dial anymore and honestly 260-270 still wasn't healthy enough for me. No matter what I did I couldn't move the dial anymore and it got frustrating for me and slowly ever so slowly I crept back up to 272 - that was it, I knew I needed help. It wasn't my eating and working out habits, I had a true metabolic issue and I needed help. This morning, ten months post surgery I woke and weighed like I do everyday and I was 176 and slipped into my size 12 pants (ME!) and I am so happy I did this! I am able to eat more now and a wider variety than I did before surgery my current daily allotment is 1250 calories - I stay away from simple carbs and gluten for the most part. I have a history of PCOS and think they just don't mix, but honestly I just don't miss them. I do have cake (a bite) for celebrations, a glass of wine (on occasion - I know I break the rules) and I live a fuller life - for me it was the right decision. But only you know what is best for you, I hope you figure it out and wish you the best in whatever you decide
No matter what you always have a support team in us! 0 -
It's pretty easy to have second thoughts, and ultimately, only you know what's right for you.
That said, like @garber6th says, you should be brutally honest with yourself. Will you continue to get the weight off, and will you continue to keep it off? If you can't, are you OK with where you health will stand as-is?
WLS isn't an easy way out. It's a tool to help you retrain bad habits permanently. My only regret in getting my sleeve is I didn't do it 10 years ago.0 -
I lost 100 pre-surgery and was at a similar decision point. garber6th wrote something very similar to what she wrote above and it really resonated with me. I looked back on my history (you can see my weight chart since 1999 in my profile pics), and each major weight loss episode resulted in regain (a common story, I know). I couldn't honestly tell myself that this time was guaranteed to be different, even though it felt different.
I also saw that my compliance to my diet and exercise was getting a bit harder. The steady weight loss started to get jaggedy. It helped me to choose the surgery path.
After the surgery, I was astonished at how much easier it was to continue my loss. I knew I had 9 months or so before it got harder. I am glad that I continued on the surgical path.
In hindsight, even in maintenance, I don't spend much time thinking about the non-surgical path. Maintenance has been difficult, a lot of my old habits and behaviors are trying to reestablish themselves, and I find that the sleeve provides another benefit; my weak days are *so* much better than my weak days pre-sleeve. I get a physical reminder that helps pull be back toward the right path.
I hope you spend a lot of time weighing your options and come to a decision that feels right. Anything you want to know, feel free to ask, either here or privately. We all want the best for everyone here.
Rob0 -
If I could go back to 2010, or 2009, and find my current LCHF way of eating, I don't believe I would have her had weight loss surgery. I have found a control over food , that you described, that surgery didn't give me. Plus health that didn't come from weight loss! I've lost weigh and still felt terrible many times! Until I changed what I put in my mouth, every bite, I wasn't going to achieve the health benefits I've now achieved!
This decision is yours to make. I just wanted to throw in another perspective for you! I'm here if you would like to pm me about it! Best of luck!0 -
November isn't really that far away in the grand scheme of things. If you wanted to try and see how far you can get before then, it isn't a terrible idea, especially if you are having cold feet. But also, I think missing 6 weeks of work is probably overkill unless you have a job that is very physically strenuous.0
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Thanks everyone for your comments. I went and saw the NP at my surgeon's office today. The surgeons are moving practices, so how that's going to affect my insurance in the future I'm not sure about. She said my approval should be good for a year.
I work 12 hour night shifts - sometimes walking 6 miles a night and standing for about 6 hours, bending, reaching etc - so my job is fairly physical. Until I got to the point I'm at now I came home everyday and basically passed out from tiredness, though I've been getting a lot more energy. That's why I feel like I need the whole 6 weeks off likely.0 -
That seems legit. You might be ok at 4 weeks but you just don't know. Better to be prepared!0
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