Question:
I Need Help with a Reply to Friend who is Uninformed about WLS Proceedure & Recovery.

I asked my friend (who is overweight too) about another friend of her's who just had the surgery 1-2 mos ago. Can you please help me reply- I do not want to be negative, but I need the basic facts, because what she is telling me is wrong and I know this, but I would like the input from those who remember more facts than I do. Here is her actual response to my questions: "How is Your Friend Doing?" Hey. I saw her Sunday. Not doing too well. Basically starving to death and had to go back to work on Monday. I wonder how she has made it so far this week. She is always run down and exhausted due to lack of nutrition. All they will let her take is B-12 which isn't helping much. I guess her incision is okay. She is big time bummed no soda ever. diet and flat only. so she can't even have that to keep her energy up. She is down over 40 but it has been a hell of a price to pay. I got to thinking about you. It would be dangerous to have a baby after having this done. There is no way you can 'eat for two' when you can't even eat for one. "Friend's Name" was optimistic the first week but I think it is really getting to her. I still see it as too high a price to pay but it crossed my mind the other night. Then something snapped me back to reality. I just don't see it in my future.    — Karen R. (posted on June 8, 2000)

June 8, 2000
It sounds like your "friend" is jea lous (sp). She is not getting all the facts to this surgery and she doesn't want you to have the surgery. No you can't eat as much as you use to which is the purpose of the surgery but you are not starving yourself to death. The purpose of the surgery is to limit you on how much you eat. If you overeat or eat the wrong thing you will throw up. This surgery is a tool to help those who which to better their life by losing weight. Also she is giving you her opinion on how she think her friend is doing. But I bet you her friend is not having a problem with the way she is feeling. Also if you plan to have a baby they recommend you not to have one for 12 to 24 months after surgery until your weight stablizes. If you get pregnant before then, then you see a high risk ob. Babies have been born healthy with people who has had weight loss surgery. As with all surgery there are risk so I am not trying to glorify this surgery. Having this surgery has been a life saver for me. I could not have loss weight without it. Please research the different type of surgery before doing it. Talk to those people who has had it. You will see that the good outweighs the bad. If you have doubts don't do it. See where you are now and then ask yourself do I want to be this big next year or do I want to be able to lose weight and feel good about myself next year. That was the turning point in my life.
   — Sharon T.

June 8, 2000
You don't HAVE to be malnourished with these surgeries. The elements lost with RNY are stated right in the physiologiy book you can borrow at a library. It's just a matter of replacing those elements in the CORRECT supplemental form. It's actually easier to supplement than to spend all your time guessing about food, anyway. That way, you can lose your wt and be healthy, too. Although we are not "beautiful" people, we did turn out healthy at 5 & 6 yrs post-op. Please check our pix at www.vitalady.com . Being sick is not a necessary part of these surgeries. It's normal to be afraid of anesthesia and pain, but life after surgery need not be miserable at all. I'd do this again annually if I had to!
   — vitalady