Caidkin

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

For reference I had my gastric bypass on July 2nd, 2012.

I researched WLS's to death... to a fault at times. My biggest concern when considering WLS was possible complications, pain and recovery. (I have a Blog or whatever on my OH profile talking about this if you feel like you would like to read) Although directly after the surgery I felt like this WLS was going to define me. How could I keep up with this lifestyle. It was so overwhelming. The protein, the water, my heart wrenching breakup with food. How can I do this? How can I keep up. The vitamins? Ugh. It was like my life was no longer about living, but about adhering to this lifestyle. Of course I considered this prior to surgery. I just figured, well I'll have to do it and I'll just have to deal. Now in the reality, gawd could I actually do this? It's 4pm... how much protein do I have in, what about water? On top of this lifestyle I have a very stressful job, a husband, and two active young children. So is this my life now, WLS and the rest just flies by? What did I do? This surgery is going to be my life and my definition.

Then there is the mind F@#K of the surgery. Is everyone looking at me? Do they wonder what I did? What do I say? How do I answer questions? WHOA... my clothes are falling off of me. My face is sooo much thinner!!!! My ass is looking nice but I still instinctively avoid mirrors. I still pick up the 3x off the shelf and try it on. My mind cannot accept that my body is in an XL. I'm still me, but my body... is that me? This whole process, is this just me... my life now?

So at almost 4 months out, I am NO veteran. I do not have the time or the wisdom that years out provides, but I do have some newbie insight.

This WLS process, because it IS a process, a journey, does NOT define me. The first few weeks were hard, no doubt... but at the same time it was fun and amazing wrapped up in one skinny ball. I did feel at times it was taking over my life, but then everything just blended together nicely. Protein is no big thing now... it's just part of my day. I've worked it out the best I know how. My water and vitamins are easy peasy (thanx to nurse Kelly and her vitamin schedule.) I follow my body's lead. I've experienced a couple stalls and they were just what I needed. My mind goes through a lot accepting my new weight loss... so the stalls give me some time to wrap my brain around how I'm shaping up. Then I start loosing again. Honestly some days my life is so normal and I feel so normal... I remind myself I re-routed my organs. I eat like a normal person now and not like an empty pit. I go to lunch with my friends, I eat dinner with my family and I attend parties where there is food. I eat like the person I always wanted to eat like and life it absolutely fantabulous!

I know everyone’s experience is different and I'm not downplaying possible complications, head hunger and the mental process this is... but I'm saying for me... i am still me. A better and more confident me. Not a fat person who had WLS... just me... a cooler version of me, a better mom and a happier wife.

Good luck to all considering this journey! I hope my insight helps someone, somewhere :) Sometime!!!

Post Date: 8/22/12 9:30 am
I am ONLY about 2 months out. I had my surgery 7.2.12... so I am NO vet or PRO. I am still in the "honeymoon" period..but I wanted to tell you about my journey thus far. The thing that worried me the most about the surgery was the surgery it's self and possible complications. I had wrapped my head around the "journey" during the 2-3 years I researched WLS's... but the lingering anxiety of the surgery/recovery/possible complications made me crazy sauce.

I am here to tell you that I have had the most positive experience of my life thus far. My surgery was mostly seamless. I'm not saying it was easy... I mean it was tough stuff. I had major surgery. I slept mostly the whole first day I was so out of it from the drugs. That night I was in a lot of pain and couldn't sleep because of many factors. The hospital was so noisy and the nurses have to check on you so often, it's almost impossible to rest. The next day I was still out of it and still had a lot of pain. I DID NOT like the morphine at all.. so I tried to not use it. I had buyers remorse and sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. One of the nurses were so nice, he sat down and talked me down.. then I demanded a shot of aderal.. which made it all better. Day three, I felt sooo much better and got to go home.

This started the liquid stage and my new journey out in the real world. I was nervous and still unsure of what I had just done to my body forever and ever and ever. The liquid stage drove me batty. The days seemed like weeks. I ended up hating pudding.. I just couldn't eat one more drop of pudding. I literally wanted to tell anyone off that was eating anything other than pudding I was angry and agitated. Probably didn't help that I was PMSing as well. Finally I tried a bowl of strained "cream of mushroom" soup which saved my sanity. Finally some flavor. AHHHHHH... then bam!!! it was the pureed stage.

I had bouts of exhaustion. When I first got home it was everyday, then every couple days... then every 5 days. I would just have to sleep.. that was it, sleep.

Since the pureed stage, it has been smooth sailing. I am now on the soft foods stage. I have not wavered from my diet plan.. and it has been easy. I'm not hungry, I am satisfied. I am down almost 25 pounds. I was a "lightweight" so I am very happy with my weight thus far. Then out of the blue something miraculous happened. I had energy. Energy like I have never experienced before. My energy for as long as I can remember has been caffeine driven. This energy I have is pure, natural energy. I'm not off the hook, but I feel good. I don't feel run down. I feel like... yeah, lets do this. Ya know??? This has so far been the best thing about this surgery. More than the weight!!! I just feel amazing. I want to scream it from the roof top... :)

Also a side note.. I suffer from a severe Panic disorder, from the age of 16. I have been through different medications throughout my time and I'm very proactive with my disorder. I was so worried about how my meds would be absorbed and possible depression from the surgery. I'm happy to report, my XR cymbalta has had NO issues being absorbed correctly. Other than the initial buyers remorse.. I've experienced no major depression. I think being prepared and having my doctors/Psys ready and available in case something did happen made all the difference.

So I know many have complications and I am by no means discounting their experiences... but.. I am here to tell you a (so far) success story. I don't post on here often because honestly.. I have no issues. I think there are so many successful ppl out there that we don't hear about because they don't need anything. We hear all the bad on here, because that's what this board is for... support.

So good luck in whatever you decided... Hope my story helped in some way.

Just starting my journey.  I had been lurking for years and believed that the lap band would be the best choice for me.  After lots of research and lurking I realized I could not handle the lap band.  It has such a high failure rate.  I eventually decided to go with the RNY.  My beggining weight and height was 5'2and 235 pounds.  I'm a 33 year old mother of two and wife to a wonderful husband. 

I had the RNY on 7.2.12.  The first couple days were rough, but I had zero complications.  After the first week it has been smooth sailing!  I feel great... So far so good!!