Before & After
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Surgeon TestimonialChristine Gupta, M.D.Initially, I was surprised by how young she is. I was also a bit worried that she hadn't been practicing as long as some of these others at Carmel (RoseMarie Jones, for example). However, Dr. Gupta was extrememly professional and upfront. She explained all the options and the benefits and risks. The office staff was great. I've only met Dr. Gupta once, and I'm currently awaiting the hospital's call with my surgery date. I cannot wait!!! Overall, my experience so far has been great. Dr. Gupta is very professional, maybe not so personable, but certainly professional. I'm very much looking forward to her being my surgeon. Jasmine M.'s JourneyClick Here To View
Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.i'm a binge eater. I eat alot at one time and often. I grew up with the idea that food and control go hand and hand. Binge and purge was sort of a way of life, or a phase I came in and out of. I would diet, lose a few pounds, gain back twice that. |
5 Things You Don't Know About Being a WLS... on August 18, 2010 12:54 pm
Happy Humpday OH'ers!!!
I'm working on writing posts on here more often about "life after bariatric surgery" since I get so many questions from you wonderful people. So, please try to comment and let me know if you like what I'm writing about or if you have any questions I'm not answering.
5 Things You Don't Know About Being a WLS Graduate
1. We don't think of ourselves as "WLS Grads." Admittedly I can't speak for the whole universe of WLS-Grad-dom, but I'd say a significant portion of those several years out from bariatric surgery don't walk around in their daily lives like they are still bariatric patients. I get many emails from people who say things like, "You're the only long-term post-op that ever replied to emails!" Relax. This isn't because they don't care about your questions/concerns. It's because they've achieved the success you're trying to reach. They no longer have to think about being "bariatric," and they get to just be "normal." :)
2. We gain weight back. (Again, I'm speaking in generalities here.) Most of us gain weight back. It's true. We do. Before you burst into tears, hear me out. People gain weight. It's life. It's not just you or me or any of us OH'ers. It's just the way it is. We go up, we go down. That doesn't necessarily mean we've fallen off the wagon for good. I have, count em, TWICE re-gained 20 pounds of my 200 pound loss. Each time, I just do what any other non-bariatric person does, I eat less, I exercise harder, and I lose it. No magic here. Just hard work. :)
3. Some of us become "normal." Before you get all excited about the idea of being normal, listen up to what that entails. After about 18 months of living the bariatric lifestyle, I plateaued (sp?!?). After 2.5 years, I pretty much stopped losing weight the way I'd been losing it all along (which was following "the rules" blindly and watching the weight fall off). My body became about as close to normal as it will ever be. I can eat ANYthing I want and as much as any non-bariatric person. I eat from regular spoons, drink from regular water bottles, and could go through any fast food drive-thru I wanted to. The super-secret-only-for-your-eyes-reason I lost 200 pounds and kept if off is because I actively CHOOSE to be smart with my body. I choose not to go through those drive-thru's, to eat whole grains, to incorporate tons of fruits and veggies into my diet, to exercise daily. I am active with my choices. This is absolutely key.
4. We have loose skin. It's a fact. When you loose oodles and gobs of weight, the skin has to go somewhere. So what? You can still walk up a flight of stairs and wear smaller clothes and fit in an airline seat. If the loose skin really bothers you, there are many companies willing to finance reconstructive surgery. I had my reconstructive surgery in January of 2007. I'm STILL paying off that operation, and I don't regret it a bit, even when I write that gigantic check each month that I can barely afford. Okay, I'll admit, I miss the money, but still. It was worth it, honest.
5. We love food more now. Post-operatively, many of us discovered a passion for all things food and fitness. Now, I love to cook, visit new restaurants, and try new foods more than I ever did back when I weighed 343 pounds. Why? Because obesity doesn't mean you love food. Obesity often doesn't have a thing to do with food. It has to do with your head and your relationship with eating. Now, I can appreciate food, it's flavors, the way it can sustain and fuel my body for walking up those stairs, for running, for making love, for someday carrying a child. Today, I'm a foodie. Before, I was just an eater.
What are your expectations for being a WLS grad? Do you have any points you would add to this list? If you're a post-op, how does being a graduate differ from your expectations?
--Jasmine
Read more by me on my blog, Eat Move Write.
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