Could really use some responses!

 

John Hagen

Hey everyone hope everyone is having a great day! So I have my appointments with the Internal Medicine, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Registered Nurse, Social Worker, Dietitian, Psychiatrists coming up on April 24th, I'm just stressing but really been second guessing myself or I guess thinking am I really able to do this. Like I'm just wondering because i'm a conviniance kinda  girl someone who stops at a  drive threw every other day, eats chips when I get home from work at 11 pm and love ice cream, I know I have to change as I weight 290 lbs have PCOS, I'm insulin  resistant have a lot of health risks in my future with family history bad back at this point may not be able to concieve a baby, I battle anxiety and depression etc...the list goes on. I guess I just need some reassurance that I'm not the only one thats lived like this before and that I can be successful its possible. And the 1 in 200 death ratio scares the heck outta me. Thanks for reading

 

Ok first of all stop take a deep breath in and slowly let it out.  You need to relax take a step back.  You will do this and pass everything with flying colours.  Do not 2nd guess yourself cause when surgery is all over and done with you will look back and laugh at yourself lol.  All the worry will make things worse for yourself.  I used to do the same things you are doing now and i do not miss those days at all.  The surgery will be done and over with before u know it.  And when you start the optifast then u know the time is closer to a healthier lifestyle and you will learn and it will take time to eat to a better life.  I started out at 331 and down 146 and it really does feel great more energy than i know of what to do with.  You will also be there too and will enjoy life to the fullest.  So keep us updated please.  I hope this will help out a little.

Tc

Anna

drive threw king here, loved cookies, pizza, drank one case of diet canada dry ginger ale a day...  now, no drive threws, lost over 110 lbs, went from size 55 waist to 34/36, no pop, no pizza.  u can do it if u need to!  

I've been having the exact same issues as yourself, PCOS, insulin resistance, bad back, anxiety etc. I know how you feel! I idea that I may never be able to have a child absolutely breaks my heart. When I think of the challenges of having surgery and forever changing my body, I picture myself holding my own little one and how much happiness and joy that will bring. It puts things into perspective! This is not an easy road, but battling health issues and remaining childless is not a future I want. I'm sure you don't either. You have taken the first steps, keep on going!! It will be worth it!!!

Food for thought (no pun intended) ...

We all need to ask ourselves - where is the line between convenience/laziness

and food addiction?

 

Many of us were seriously addicted to food and satisfying momentary cravings - which were never really satisfied by the food anyway, before our WLS.

The surgery and especially taking the followup seriously gave my head a shake, truly it did.

I began to realize just how mindless much of my food intake had been. BEING MINDFUL of every bite I put in my mouth is now no longer work, but a pleasure, because I see the results every day.

 

If we accept our own responsibility in this, and approach it as a long-term project which will use all our problem-solving skills, we can embark on a new healthier life - and that is the bottom line.

 

I was similar to you at my starting point - weighed 320 lbs and loved my convenience foods and eating in general.   I was scared that I might not be able to make all of the necessary changes required to be successful with this surgery, and of course I was also scared about the risks of having the surgery itself.  In fact, it took me a couple years after learning about the surgery to even get the referral to the registry.  I kept thinking that I could do it myself if I just tried one more diet.

Eventually, I was more afraid of the complications of being morbidly obese, and that outweighed (no pun intended) the fears of surgery and being able to adapt to the new lifestyle. 

I'm now 6 months out and down over 120 lbs.  It's required a lot of hard work, but I feel great and have absolutely no regrets.

Keep going through the process and learning as much as you can, and remember you can change your mind at any time!  Good luck to you!

It is definitely a life changing process. I was a convienience eater in my late teens and early 20's when I gained all of my weight initially ( I have actually maintained my pre-op very high weight since the age of 24, so 20 years ). Since that time I developed the love of cooking, a real foodie at heart, and a damned good one at that! When one is a foodie there is a whole lot of taste testing that goes on!! Although I changed many of the high fat/high sugar ingrediants that I was accustomed to using when I was diagnosed with diabetes 6 years ago, there was still a lot of picking, which causes the calories to add up without really being noticed. I started to become more aware of the picking when I began this process, and I also started eating more regularly throughout the day ( I was often forgetting to eat during the daytime and would get all of my calories from dinner time to bedtime ). So, I did make many changes before I was sent through to have surgery, and I'm glad that I did. However, like you, I questioned whether I could adapt to surgery, wondered if it was too extreme a measure for me, was terrified that I would die on the table, you name it and I thought of it.
Fast forward to almost 2 weeks out of surgery, and I am so happy that I did go through with it. After only 2 days on Opti I felt sooooo much better in terms of health and I still feel really good. I am losing weight with the knowledge that, if I follow the program, I won't gain it back and am looking forward to a new and improved future. I still cook btw, have been doing a ton of cooking for my family since 2 days after coming home ( I'm home from work and bored to tears ). I'm also looking forward to cooking and tasting some of the great post wls recipies that I have found online.....and that will come in time.

We are VERY similar!!! send me a message - I will tell you about my process for making the decision. Oh and your appt are on my birthday!

I have my appointments also on the 24th at HRRH.  I am looking forward to speaking with the professionals there to help allay my concerns.  I know I can do this and so can you.  Not that we won't have doubts and fears, but every one does about any new challenge.  I hope to see you there and maybe we can have a chat. 

Elaine.

 

Hey! You copied my bio! 
We all have our own journeys.  it's not a race or a competition. 

Be honest with yourself.  Why are you going to the appointments? What do you want for YOU?

You are in good company :)