3 weeks out, and how I came to choose to have WLS

Aug 17, 2010

Weight: 339
8/17/10

I was always against WLS until I heard about the VSG because at the time I had only heard of the RNY and the lapband, and knew about the complications inherent in those surgeries.  A few years ago I had lost 150 pounds and then several traumatic events put me in a depression and I gained back all 150 plus an additional 8.

I started trying to slow the weight gain, and even when I had lost all of the weight back except 10 pounds, I was still thinking that I could start going back down on my own.  I kept thinking at least I still kept off 10 pounds.

I stopped looking in the mirror, stopped going out, hid in the house, and stopped getting on the scale. My therapist watched me regain all my weight in a matter of a year or so.  She talked to me again about surgery, and it was only because she is a fantastic therapist and able to approach subjects with me the right way that I was able to even listen to her at all and not blow her off.

I still kept on contemplating going back to diet and exercise and freaking out about how it was going to take me another 3 years to get the weight I gained off and trying not to be depressed.  Well my therapist gave me (in December 2009) a little sticky yellow note paper with the lapsf.com website on it, with the words vertical gastrectomy written on it and the phone number and the recommendation of Dr. Jossart.

At the time I was over my head with things to do, but I promised her that once I got things straightened out in my life I would look into the information she gave me. I kept that sticky in my purse notebook for six months as a reminder of my promise.

After New Years 2010 I decided for my resolution I was going to do my best to dig myself out from under my long to-do list.  Although looking into that WLS information wasn't first on my list, I wanted to keep my promise to my therapist so it was still on the list.

So I worked hard for 4 months and got my to-do list pared down, then finally went to the website.  I started reading about the VSG on the lapsf.com website and I got really excited! Finally a WLS that didn't have tons of complications like the band, and no malabsorption, which I feel I did not need because I've always made good healthy food choices.. just huge portions.

I have always felt that my stomach has been greatly stretched out (confirmed by my surgeon Dr. Cirangle) and that it has hindered my ability to lose weight for many years.  I just had no idea there was anything that could help with that alone!  So I started reading more about the VSG and once I found out about it, I knew that this was finally a surgery I could feel comfortable having.

After that I right away made a consultation appointment for 5/26/10.  They stuck me with Dr. Cirangle who I had read was really great so I was OK with that, even though my therapist had recommended Dr. Jossart.  I went into my next therapy appointment proud and excited to tell my therapist that I had taken her advice and had a consult appointment!!

I told her that I was pretty overwhelmed with life but I wanted her to know that I was finally taking her advice, and I told her how excited I was to do the VSG, that I had already made up my mind that it was exactly what I wanted.  I had my surgery on 7/27/10 so between my consult and surgery date were 2 months of whirlwind activity.

I had to lose 20-30 pounds (ended up losing 28 - 21 of which were in the 3 weeks before surgery because initially I was slacking off on that), I had to secure loans, apply for credit cards, get lab tests done, read a gazillion OH posts to learn everything I could in the time I had, etc.

Now here I am 21 days out today, and 21 pounds down.  If it weren't for my therapist telling me about the VSG being an option, I'm not sure I would have had WLS at all.  Big thanks to my therapist!  Had I known about the VSG sooner, I'm not sure if I would have done it sooner.  

It's hard to know what would have happened, because by the time I had heard about the VSG I was totally ready for something to help me out.. I was just out of ideas!  I wish I had heard about it when I had only another 50-80 pounds to lose instead of 200 - 230 to lose.

But then I was doing so well with my weight loss then, that I might not have thought that I needed surgery.  All I know is that I've been miserable gaining the weight back and I'm so ready to have it come off again!

0 Comments