Question:
WLS is great, but is it also hard?
Many of you have said the surgery is the best thing you've ever done; is it also the hardest thing you've ever done, or not that hard? — sjwilde (posted on March 17, 2003)
March 17, 2003
The actual surgery itself was definitely NOT the hardest thing I've ever
done. Not even close, as it wasn't that bad. The hardest thing was the
realization/decision that I was too far gone to diet my way back down and
this was my best option.
— Monica H.
March 17, 2003
Coming to the conclusion that this was the answer for me was hard, but once
that was done and I was confident about the decision, it was easy from
there. I really think Optifast was the hardest thing I have ever done.
Fasting for 12 weeks with nothing but the Optifast was difficult. Plus our
group leader had never been overweight, was married with no kids and made
plenty of money, so he couldn't relate to the women in my group who worked,
had kids and households to keep together. (I finally told him at the end
that one thing that held our group together was that we didn't like him! He
was a jerk, and looking back, just there for easy money.)
— koogy
March 17, 2003
This has been one heck of a ride--not easy by any means. Just the changes
you go through mentally-AHHHHHH! Your body changes overnight but your head
doesn't. I would do it over again though.
— TP
March 17, 2003
it was very hard to realize that you have come so far that this was the
only solution.
— Alexandria D.
March 17, 2003
It's kind of like child birth. It hurt like hell but you forget about it
after a while. If you would have ask me the first few days about the
surgery I would have told NOOOOOOO don't do it. I felt like I has been hit
by a mack truck. But I felt better hour by hour and day by day. I've lost
60 lbs which is great for me (I'm 5/2 and started out at 223). So in
retrospect I'm extremely glad I had the WLS. It's not a pancea though;
it's only a tool. You have a window in which to lose your greatest amount
of weight. You will still have to watch your carbs, focus on protein,
exercise and drink water.
— Wanda R.
March 17, 2003
For me the hardest part was making the decision to have the surgery. First
of all I have four children and I was scared to death of leaving them
motherless. Second of all it was me admitting failure, that I was unable
to do it on my own. I researched this surgery for about a year before I
made that phone call for an appointment. Now, I know this was the best
decision I ever made. I didn't know it was possible to feel this good!!!
Read my profile for more.
— Linda A.
March 17, 2003
Yes it is hard! Just realizing what you have done is permenant is hard.
It really hits you hard at times like when you go out to dinner, everyone
else is eating these big mounds of food and you can only eat a few bites
and you're done or when you're getting sick in the bathroom because you ate
that one bite too much. Those are times when you know this is hard and
this is for good.
— thumpiez
March 17, 2003
I've had surgery before so the pain, scar, hospital stay wasnt bad at all.
The hard part was growing up obese in a thin world, having to justify your
sugery to your family and friends, admitting to yourself there was no other
way to loss the weight, the vicious cycle of eating and losing and gaining
over and over again. The best part -- the surgery is done I'm healed and I
have my life in control. Yes! the surgery was the best thing I have ever
done just for ME! Open rny, 3months post op, lost 60 lbs!
— debmi
March 17, 2003
The surgery wasn't the hardest thing I've ever done. The day to day
issues sometimes get to me. Realizing what you've done is a permanent
situation is something I sometimes struggle with. Going out to eat is
hard. Well meaning comments by people like "your husband must be
thrilled". He says he was thrilled before too! :) Realizing I can
only eat small amounts forever sometimes gets to me, but then all I have to
do is remember how thankful I am for my health improvements an end to all
the pain I was in prior to the surgery in my right leg and I realize it's
all worth it. You sometimes play little head games with yourself that
you're "undernourshing" yourself. But then it's time for labwork
again that that argument goes away. The battle is really in your head.
It's a battle with expectations--a battle for each pound--a battle to
continue to exercise and many other I can't remember right now. But it's
all worth it.
— Cathy S.
March 17, 2003
Yes this was and still is the hardest thing I have ever done. This was my
first surgery and didn't know how much pain I would be in and now it is the
daily trials. The eating that one extra bite and getting sick just because
it tasted so good. I would do it all over agian though. It have also been
the best thing I have ever done.
— spring A.
March 17, 2003
I don't know about the hardest, but it is hard. The physical adjustments
the first few months are hard. The mental adjustments when you're no
longer obese are hard. After you've lost the weight, and it's no longer an
issue, the realization that your body is permanently changed, and you'll
always have to be vigilant about your labs and vitamins in order to
maintain your health is hard. Maintaining the weight loss I find very
hard. It's still easier though than trying to make it through the day when
I weighed over 300 pounds.
— mom2jtx3
March 17, 2003
Sandra, I will tell you that the waiting was VERY DIFFCULT (and I got
apprv'd in 2 days) and it is now HARD 7 mos out. But, the first 6 mos, IT
WAS A BREEZE, SURGERY A BREEZE, COPING A BREEZE, EATING, ETC. But,
everyone is different. Then like a light switch, it GOT REALLY HARD right
around mos 5-6. Now, its SO MENTAL! Good Luck to you. Heather (Open RNY
8-15, 305/205/150)
— heathercross
March 17, 2003
— Jazzy
March 17, 2003
6 weeks post-op and no, WLS was not the hardest thing I've ever done in my
life. Pre-op was hard, I wrote letters to my loved ones and paid off my
credit cards not expecting to wake up (although in retrosepct why didn't I
charge them up instead?) The surgery itself was definately not the
hardest, I mean I went to sleep and woke up RNY(ed), cranky and itching
from the pain killers. And from day one until now it has been very hard...
everyday I look in the mirror and I'm reminded how I failed to do this the
"traditional way" And everytime I wish for a beer with a
basketball game, or I go to the gym and wish for an oxygen tank... I think
this is my own personal hell. But it is definately not the hardest thing
I've ever done. The hardest thing I've ever done is live for one day being
morbidly obese. To suffer the crulties of my fellow human beings. The
hardest things I've ever done in my life were: passing store windows and
not having to courage to look at myself, asking a tiny flight attendant for
an extender on an airplane, having to get off of a roller-coaster because I
didn't fit, listening a co-worker tell me I didn't get a promotion because
of my size, being in a bathing suit infront of my high school gym class,
never trusting the man I was with beacuse I hated myself, and seeing the
pain in my Mother's eyes because she knew I was never gong to live to see
my grandchildren-and the list goes on. Those were the hardest things I
ever did in my life. Everthing else was downhill from there.
— Leah S.
March 17, 2003
WLS is deinitely NOT the hardest thing I've every done. In fact, I would
rate it only "somewhat difficult". The only time I experience
any difficulty is when either (1) I want to overeat and my pouch makes it
uncomfortable to do so, or (2) I want to eat sweets and I know I will feel
sick if I do so. Overall, I only feel restricted occasionally at this
point (13 months post op). And I'm glad I feel restricted - that is what I
needed! But, overall, my life is MUCH MUCH MUCH easier than it was 120
pounds ago!
— Kathy J.
March 17, 2003
Definitely NOT the hardest thing I've ever done. But then again, I haven't
had complications. I feel like a normal human being, not an overeating
machine. I'm 3 months post-op, lap RNY, and I feel GREAT! I haven't puked
once, although I've been uncomfortable several times. It's self induced
misery. I know I can't eat fast, or eat too much, yet if I do it anyway
(like an idiot) I feel icky for a little while. I'm tellin ya... I'll NEVER
eat chinese food, cocoa pebbles (don't even ask), smoked salmon, or cookie
dough (again, don't ask) EVER AGAIN! I've lost almost 70lbs total since
last April, 46 since surgery. I'd do it again in a SECOND!
— Diana L.
March 17, 2003
Like some of the others, I'd already had several surgeries, so that wasn't
THAT bad. Not that I'm making it a hobby. Having to take supplements
doesn't bother me at all. I never had a problem putting things into my
face, it was keeping 'em out that was the problem. And I took a gazillion
Rx for the comorbs. I lived a half life, always hungry from dieting, always
weak because my knowledgeof nutritoin was thinking 1/3C grated cheese &
2 croutons on my salad was a balanced meal. This life is very different
than that. But the main thing is that, even with the few limitations, IT
WORKS. Satarving and agining wt is harder than anything since I had my
surgery. Much harder. Being nutritionally sound, feeling satisfied AND
maintaining my weight... well, it feels so good, it oughta be illegal.
— vitalady
March 17, 2003
I never had surgery before, and had an open RNY. I wish I would have known
what to expect! The pain was aweful in the hospital (thank God for
Demerol)! Then, after about 2 weeks, I started feeling myself again. Now,
4 months out, I feel better than I ever have in my life and surprisingly
it's like I didn't even have surgery - I just eat less and fill up faster
(I don't dump). You will, however, be on a diet for the rest of your life,
though! Surgery is not a miracle pill, you'll still need to eat right and
exercise - surgery just makes it a little easier~
— jengrz
March 18, 2003
Original poster here. Thank you all for your comments. I'm printing them
out and am going to discuss them with my therapist as I make my final
decision about surgery. I've had other surgeries and know I can handle the
pain and discomfort afterwards. I'm so glad to hear people say that the
benefits far outweigh (!) the difficulties, although it can be hard in many
ways. I'm self-pay, so writing out the checks to the surgeon and hospital
might well be the hardest part!
— sjwilde
March 18, 2003
Hi, in my experience, the surgery itself was not the hardest I have ever
had, my hysterectomy was worse (it was done lap also). After surgery,
living with the new digestive system has been up and down. I have been
extremely fortunate that I have not had any complications (thank you LORD
:)) But the hardest part is going out to dinner and now that I am just
about 6months out, my appetitie is back a bit and sometimes I have days
that I feel like I could eat like I did before, and that feeling of not
wanting to eat is gone :( But I would do this again IN A HEARTBEAT, I have
lost 90 lbs so far, and am physically feeling AWESOME, and am working hard
on the psychological piece. Good luck, and God Bless - Leslie
— Leslie A. J.
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