I'm scared!

Hi Everyone!
I am brand new to this--this will be my first post.  I will be finished with all my tests within the next week and am hoping to have surgery for the sleeve in the early part of April.  Last night I went to my first support group meeting and I have come out more scared than ever.  Maybe some of you can alleviate some of my fears.  Having been on every diet known to man, and some that I think were brought here by aliens I am not afraid of hard work.  BUT what scares me is that everyone at the support group was talking like I was at a Weigh****chers Meeting--giving tips on how  to take the weight off and keep it off .  I'm like helllooooo Weigh****chers didn't work for me, so how is this going to work this time?  I am scared to death that all the little tips that I did before and didn't work will happen all over again and I will again be a failure!!  Also, I have a fairly busy social schedule and alcohol is involved every now and again.  In the summer my husband and I like to sit on our deck, have a ****tail or two and discuss the week. No more?????  I would say I don't LOVE to exercise but I do LIKE it and feel so much better after I do it.  Anyway, the people at the support group really made it sound like this was harder than anything I've done up til this point...can it get harder than what I've been through?????  HELP!!!!

If I were you, I would make sure you do your homework quick and before surgery.  Know EXACTLY what will be expected of you and the lifestyle changes that will need to happen.  Then make an informed decision about what you want to do.  It isnt a magic cure...though it did feel magical at times.  There are some changes you have to make.  Dont get scared.  Get informed.  KNow what is expected of you and ask yourself honestly if you can do it.  I can tell you that nothing worked for me and this has.  It has taken time and sacrifice and learning on a daily basis.  Some sail through it without a problem.  Others have constant issues.  FOr me it was a lot of learning about things to do with food that most people already knew.  I urge you to visit with your doctor and make sure you know exactly what they expect.  BEFORE you have the surgery.  Set yourself up to succeed!!  Good Luck! 

I would repost this in the VSG form.. but lets see, I can try to help a little. I am 5 weeks out from VSG and its ALOT easlier to not eat. Not sure why they were talking about WW, was it RNY people or what? I have little to no hunger so eating to me is like a chore at this point in my journey. I have heard that the hunger will return later, but right now its fine. Also, it is hard to get anything but protein in at meals, so I cant fill up on crummy things like carbs... Its VERY easy to stay on plan using my sleeve. I would check out the VSG forum all together if I were you, lots of helpful information, my journey has been incredibly easy in fact- I dont regret it a bit!

Hope I helped!

 Thanks Cindy!  I have reposted in the VSG forum.  Also, thank you for some cheery news!

 Um...yah...it IS hard work.

Any weight loss surgery will give you a year to a year and a half of "big loss time" where you'll more than likely lose 100 or so lbs.   It'll be like magic. You'll have to do some minor work - follow your plan, exercise, eat properly etc...but it will fly off.

The challenge is DEFINITELY to keep it off long term. It's NO MAGIC PILL.

It's going to be a life time still of :
-making proper eating choices
-watching for self sabotage behaviours
-exercising
-limiting yourself
-watching the emotional eating, mindless eating, and the like.
-fighting with your body image issues

It's still going to be UP TO YOU.  It's still going to be a TOOL.  There are people that do not do well with surgery because they don't understand these points and don't commit to full lifestyle changes.  If you go back to doing what you were, you'll often get the same results.

That said, if you work at it, it is amazing. You'll be far healthier, happier and mobile. 
I went from huffing over going up a flight of stairs to doing three half marathons, teaching basketball, coaching swimming and playing floor hockey.

It's been an amazing ride for me but it has also been a A LOT of work.

Dawn

Dawn,

Very well stated!  Agree 100%!!!  And...AWESOME JOB!!! :)

Best,

They were giving you tips on how to get the weight off and keep it off because the surgery isn't some magical thing that just makes the weight disappear and stay gone forever.  the surgery is a tool that will help you eat less.  You'll get full on a smaller amount of food than what it takes to make you feel full now.  Also, you'll produce less of the hormone that stimulates hunger so you'll have less of an appetite.

However, you must use the tool properly or you will not get the desired results.

It's kind of like, I could give you a hammer and some nails, but if you just let them sit there, they would not build anything.  You would have to put some working into using them, and you would have to use them correctly, if you wanted to build anything.  Your surgery will be like that.

If you're not sure how the sleeve will help you lose weight, then you need to have a good long talk with your surgeon.  If you were surprised to learn that you would have to do certain things to get the weight off and keep it off, you need to have a good long talk with your surgeon.

I suggest reading the forums as much as you can. Read all the material your Dr gives to you in detail. I am having RNY in May and I have started with the new eating habits to make sure I can wrap my head around them. Maybe you should try that.

How active is your husband? Instead of a night out on the deck what about a nice long walk together discussing your week? You can come back sit on the deck with a nice glass of crystal light margarita mix. I think of it as not so much depriving myself of a few great drinks or tasty desserts, carbs or my hardest to wrap my head around GUM as I get a chance at a long and healthy life. Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels I say nothing tastes as good as living feels!

You really need to know what you are getting yourself into with this. Yes people gain the weight back, yes it is true people even go to WW after surgery to try to maintain and have the help. This is just a tool we need to do somework in the beginning and after the honeymoon phase is over I believe in my heart it will be just like before POSSIBLY. Some people have such horrible experiences eating a bad food they might be considered the lucky ones in some peoples eyes. But it is all how you look at it. But you can always find a way to gain the weight back.

Also the liquor my Dr told me I have a food addiction no liquor for 1-2 years after surgery. He said I am taking away the ability for you to give into your food addiction for the time being. If you go out with your girlfriends and have a glass of wine 1 glass will make you drunk....you will feel good. That once a night could easily turn into alcohalism and you will start buying wine for home and drinking a glass after the kids go to bed just to feel better and yes 1 glass will still get you drunk. He said 1 glass but I wonder if it will but I really don't want to try to find out.

For the social drinking who says you have to go out and drink liquor? I am sure they have someone that doesn't have liquor in it and if not bring something yourself. Put it in a nice glass pitcher make it something appealing to the eye so you don't feel like your being deprived and of course you will make it tasty.

You can do this with the right knowledge beforehand, the right Dr, and of course with the help from OH.  Good Luck....start trying out some new protein sources it sounds like your surgery could be right around the corner!