Can not have bariatric surgery

lupajudy1234
lupajudy1234 Posts: 1 Member
edited November 2024 in Motivation and Support
Hi all. On July 6 ,2018 I went into the hospital to have gastric bypass. Two years earlier I gave up after in’s denied me and wanted to prolong the process. I was determined this time and completed the six months of insurance requirements . Once the surgery started , my doctor had problems taking down a Nissan fundo plication I had done previously, in his attempts I had two stomach tears and he felt my esophagus was about to tear. He repaired a couple of hernias I had and closed up. He adamantly suggests I do not try to do any further surgery even if I could find someone to try. Which I won’t be doing. But now here I am back at square one. Counting calories. Terrified I am going to fail again. Hope my determination carries me along. Looking for someone else to talk to that went in to have surgery but couldn’t have it completed!!!! Anyone?????

Replies

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    My surgery worked. But I sympathize with the hopeless feeling. I suggest weekly goals and frequent non food rewards when you successfully break an old habit.

    I recommend this course.

    https://www.selfmanagementresource.com
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    Solid advice from everyone here so far. You can do this!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    edited August 2018
    The good news is, calorie counting works!
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,544 Member
    Calorie counting worked for me, down 100+ lbs.
    Believe me, nothing special about me. I was a wreck.

    Calculate a moderate calorie deficit, use a food scale whenever possible and keep your food diary no matter what. Trust the process. Defend the process. The process is more important than the numbers.

    Work on being patient. Calorie counting works over time. Most people let the time issue wreck them. Thinking about the total you need to lose tests your patience. You don’t really need to think any farther than the next 10 lbs. Thinking that this week’s loss is too small, “I only lost X” is a patience issue.

    “I only lost X” is also turning success into a negative. Failure to credit ourselves when successful is a big problem in weight loss. Don’t let your brain wreck you. Good luck. Never give up.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,810 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    The good news is, calorie counting works!

    This ^^

  • siobhanaoife
    siobhanaoife Posts: 151 Member
    You can do this. I've lost 160+ without surgery. Surgery, with regard to losing the weigh, is a hack to make it easier. Just find a different hack, or hacks, to make it easier. Detailed accurate comprehensive logging of all your intake is a very powerful tool, and MyFitnessPal makes it about a zillion times easier than in the dark ages when people did it on paper.

    Other tools you might consider:
    - counseling. You'd be expected to do counseling if you had the surgery; do it anyway. A huge amount of difficulties with healthy eating come from emotional issues that you can resolve and/or support in other ways.
    - fitness trackers. Measure, measure, measure your activity and set small incremental goals. This isn't because you're going to exercise off your extra weight, it's because it creates a positive and progressive relationship with your body and your health and fitness.
    - ongoing support. Support groups, daily check ins on online forums, accountability buddies, keeping your MFP diary open and hooking up with some MFP friends, heck even going to Weight Watchers meetings or Overeaters Anonymous meetings, whatever you can get that's regular interaction about the positive work you're doing.

    Hang in there. Yell for help when you need it. Keep moving forward. You can do this.
  • ArleneSchrader1
    ArleneSchrader1 Posts: 20 Member
    I developed NASH from being overweight and diabetes, the liver doctor said I can't have surgery. I have found that I have to count carbs for my diabetes. Doing that and seeing a nutritionist really helped me. With the nutritionist, I am able to eat the foods I love in smaller portions and upped the vegetables to stay full. I had lost 30 pounds, but when I ran into super stress I gained 4 back. I stopped coming here to note my foods. But with the help of my family, I am getting back on track. Hope my little story can help you to feel motivated.
  • mariluny
    mariluny Posts: 428 Member
    You can do this!

    The hardest part about loosing weight is in your head. It’s so easy to be side tracked.

    I started this journey in 2014 at 250 lbs and I managed to loose 80 lbs in a out a year, which i was very proud of. It was probably the hardest thing I did in my life because deciding to eat or not eat something is 100% on your shoulder. I never really learned about portion size before then, i was never exposed much to fruits and vegetable as a kid, i was binge eating based on emotional issues. I did gained about 50 lbs back after a bad breakup and bad decisions but i’m now back on track, 7 lbs down!

    My tips for you would be:

    Start slow, start by looking at what you eat now, what are the calories, when are you full, are you actually hungry, can you increase or decrease certain food to have a more balance diet with what you already eat/like?

    Try to be more active. To this day, I am still a very lazy couch potato, i hate exercise. But I started walking everyday during my lunch break and now I would never stop. It’s a half hour that I really enjoy, no sweat involved but at least I’m moving. I go on nature walk or small hike a few times a year with my family and friend on the weekend now, etc.

    What work for someone else will most likely not work for you. Some people swear that fat and/or carbs are the devil, other swear by it, some people like intermittent fasting, other eat half of their calorie in the form of protein bar... find what works for you, no other way than trial and error, and you’ll be fine. Eventually you’ll see a pattern in the food that keeps you full, you just have to pay attention.

    Finally, try to eat now like you would at maintenance. I’m loosing weight and i’m eating chips right now. When I cut them out, i obsess over it and binge on them. 1000 calories later I really regret it all. So now if I want chips for a few days, i eat them. I buy a small bag and either make it work in my calorie allowance of the day, and if I can’t make it work in my calorie deficit, I make it work in my calorie for maintenance. I won’t loose, but I won’t gain either. On the long run, being able to fit anything in your diet is quite important!

    Good luck!
  • thisPGHlife
    thisPGHlife Posts: 440 Member
    I know this send like a setback but in the long run it works in your favor. Most of the surgeries are permanent or you have to go in for another major surgery. You are avoiding having to try to figure out you're new eating lifestyle while also recovering from major surgery. The surgery also isn't magic and still takes a lot of work. Many people who get it have issues with trying to get all they're nutritional needs meet while also eating meals small enough to not hurt themselves. Having to get regular B shots is not uncommon. For you, if you're short on B vitamins, you can have a small snack and not worry about if it's too soon to eat.

    Also, you are in complete control of what you eat. As @mariluny said, it's 100% on your shoulders. That can be scary but it's also freeing. If you decide that having your Friday night dinner be pizza and a salad, you can do that. Other people don't get to say what is off limits. There size of your stomach doesn't determine what off limits, although eventually in might because you'll be doing so well you will naturally be able to eat less.

    As long as you are eating nutrient dense foods overall, moving more, treating yourself once in a while, and maintaining a calorie deficit, you can do this. It's going to be harder than you think but also easier than you think. Just remember that you're creating the lifestyle that you want. If you focus on the life you want to live, you can find a way. I believe in you because your stronger than this setback. If you weren't, you wouldn't be here in this forum.
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