If I'm Losing, Do I Need Surgery?

Hi there,

During the wait for my first appointment at St Joe's, I have lost just over 50 lbs in about 6 months.

This has my family questioning the need to surgery. If I need to lose about 200 lbs to be close to my goal, and knowing that there will be stalls and surges, simple math says that I can get this done in 2 years.

I don't know quite what to do. My heart tells me to seek the nurse's and other professional opinions, as well as your and my family's opinions, and make a decision.

Either way, seeing that a surgery won't happen for about a year, I think I should continue in the system, take the advise and keep working on my diet and exercise, and make a decision closer to the surgery date.

I know I would be using health-care resources, but need to keep my options open.

What are your thoughts? Please let me know as your advise would be appreciated.

Thank you,

Bob

Ps there's some weird symbols here.. Sorry, I can't fix this on the iPad.

Congratulations on losing 50 lbs - that's terrific!  If this was me, I would stay in the program, but continue doing what you're doing - if you lose more weight, that's a bonus.  For myself, while losing has never been easy, keeping it off has always been the challenge, a challenge that I never seem to win.  That's why I'm doing this on Friday - I need help to lose this weight, but I need even more help to keep it off, and this new tool is going to help me finally be successful.  Remember, you can pull out of the program at any time, so don't make that decision too soon.

Hey Bob,

Congratulations on your current success.  I have some questions for you that may help you in your decisions:

1.  How many other times have you worked on losing weight?

2.  If they were truly successful, would you be the weight you currently are?

3.  What do you find that is different this time versus any other time you have worked on this?

4.  Do you think you have a mindset that is different now?  i.e. different mindset that what you are doing now is doable for life?  It will not just be losing the 200 lbs, but the day to day business of keeping it off afterwards.


Keep in mind that you can change your mind anytime before the anaestiologist puts you to sleep in the OR. 

WLS is a tool in your toolbox.  You will still need to permanently change your eating habits.

Good luck in your decision.

Judy

Personally I would keep your place in line until you have done some serious soul searching and decided what is the right path for you.  There are people who can do it on their own, and maybe you are one of the ones that can do it. 

I know that I needed to lose over 200 lbs and managed to lose close to 60 lbs in the first 6 months after orientation.  I was really proud of myself and feeling like I had this in the bag... then apparently I got too ****y and for the past 4 months or so have been fighting the same 10 lbs. over and over and over again.  If it wasn't for this surgery and knowing that i have timelines etc., I think that personally I probably would have done the yo-yo again like I've done every other time I've lost weight.

I know this is the right path for me.  I need the help this tool will give me.  The path to surgery has led me to start exercising, cut out pop and most of my junk food and really made me aware of what I eat.  It has been a HUGE laerning experience for me so far.

I hope you come to the right decision for you and dont' worry about what your friends and family say.  Do what you need to do for you.

All the best,

Laura

I think many people are able to lose significant amounts of weight, but the most difficult part is in keeping it off. This is where the surgery gives you a means of accomplishing something that most people cannot accomplish on their own - it allows you to lose more, more quickly through malabsorption, alters your hunger hormones to reduce hunger and cravings, and radically reduces the size of your stomach to be satisfied on much, much less. If you are one of the 3% of people who can lose dramatic amounts of weight on their own and keep it off, congratulations. But if you're like the vast majority of people with more than 100lbs to lose, the surgery gives you a means to accomplish something in the medium-term and long-term that is otherwise nearly impossible.

You will ultimately need to make the decision for you. I know that for me, I was pretty good at losing weight....50 here , 75 even at one point....but then I would gain it back and more.

After gaining it back numerous times, I decided to go the surgery route. I still yo-yo in my weight but am 130 lbs lighter and it is no longer a constant worry about my health.

Only you will be able to decide if you can keep up the long term weight loss of 200 lbs. I would keep going with the process and leave the door open as you can always cancel and stop the process if you are successful on your own.

Good luck to you!

Dawn

Thanks for the advise. I hope if I tell my story to the folks at St joes, they won't kick me out.

Te only one time I lost weight was so I found find a girlfriend... Worked hard at it, and found my wife... And then gained 100 lbs or so in 14 years.

What has changed now is that I joined OA, found serenity. Happiness and joy. I found some of the reasons why I ate, why I want to eat and what I can do to prevent it. In addition to the weight loss, I don't get so angry with my loved ones... OA is giving me a physical, spiritual and emotional recovery.

Eating a low carb, moderate fat diet helps too... Who knew I could give up grains and even eat steak and not really feel hungry? My wife, why went to the orientation, leaned over and said that I basically eat like I already had the surgery (except I still eat some higher fat foods). With every other diet, I was famished, and obsessed over the food.

The final decision will have to be yours re WLS. All of us have been thru the diets, the losses and the regains. I think it is great re the 50 lbs. I am still preop and have managed 30 since Feb. My goal for pre op wt loss is to be as healthy as I can for surgery.

Not sure where you are in the process of referrals but it can definitely be more than a year. For me it was 8 months for orientation. By the time I get through all my appointments it will be a year and I have not had a referral to the surgeon. We were told that at anytime after orientation we can decide to put things on hold for up to a year without having to restart from the beginning again.

Think it is great that you are making positive changes. I would keep going with the process. You can always change your mind up to the day of surgery.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Leslie

FYI (and I know that all the centres have different rules) The Windsor Bariatric Centre only lets you put the process on hold for 6 months. My friend just went through it, having put everything on hold after her first 4 appointments. When she called back, deciding she wanted to go through with the surgery, they made her go back and redo the NUT class before assigning her second round of appointments.