Just Getting started

Hello all.  I am a newbie here.  Today was my first encounter with the surgical staff.  I met with a PA at Ft. Carson (Evans Army Hospital).  I am kind of on the verge of being eligible with a BMI of 38 and possibly 1-2 comorbidities.  I am excited about this new possibility but I also feel like a huge loser/failure for having to approach weight loss this way!!  I just feel that I am not getting any younger (42) and I am close to having DM, HTN, and definitely have sleep apnea.  I don't want to wait until I am super sick.  I have had short term success with weight loss but not permanent.  Reading your posts, I can say that I realize this is not an "easy way out".  I need something more permanent.  I'm not afraid of the hard work, I've done that many times before.  I am hoping this will help me not to be so hungry so that I can stick to it.  Also, knowing I have made permanent change to my body I think will motivate me.  Success is motivating anyway!  Even if I only lose half of awhat I need to lose, knowing its possible I believe will make a difference.

I would enjoy hearing some of the reasons you guys made your decisions and how to overcome feeling like I've copped out so that I can move on to feeling empowered and motivated!!  Also, I keep hearing how this is too dangerous and I should not consider it.  With a death rate of 0.5% for surgery vs a fairly strong garantee of early death with DM, HTN, heart disease, etc if I stay fat-  I think the odds are in favor of surgery.

My "lightbulb" moment was when I went to refill prescriptions and discovered the co-payments had gone up ridiculously.  I knew that the only reason I was taking these was because I was fat! 

Unlike you, I did NOT feel like a huge loser/failure for having to consider WLS.  Rather, I felt proud of myself that I could accept the fact that if I had could have done it on my own by now, I would have!  (I was 59).  I'm hoping YOU can change your thinking a little bit and not carry the burden of guilt about not being able to maintain on your own.  Okay?  Please try?

In a sort of slightly over-dramatic way, losing a significant amount of weight feels like new found freedom.  Not only do you shed the pounds, you shed the co-morbids!  Unfortunately, obesity does lead to some very serious health issues. 

Is it easy?  Oh hell no - double, triple, hell no!  Can anyone guarantee you won't have complications - nope.  WLS is a "for the rest of your life" commitment.  But I am greatful every freakin' day that I had the surgery. 

Keep reading, do your homework - and do what you need to do when you're ready.  Best of luck to you!  (and you can always PM me anytime!)

Sandie

Thanks Sandie.  I know you're right, if I was gonna lose the weight on my own I would have already!  It's just I'm a pretty successful gal in every other aspect of my life and it really ticks me off that I couldn't get a handle on this.  I suppose pride will not rid me of HTN, DM, etc.  I see you are a few years out.  It's good to hear that you are still glad you did it.  How much did you lose?  Did you need to have plastic surgery after for loose skin?

My pleasure!  I lost 120 pounds, gained 16 back which is fine with me, my doctor, my surgeon and my friends!

"Needing" plastic surgery is a matter of health and preference.  I needed a panniculectomy for excess skin below the belly button due to rashes (plus it was unsightly!).  Insurance paid for that because I had documented!  documented!  documented! 

For the rest of the excess skin I "dress creatively".  BUT, I have recently gotten to the point that I am getting more comfortable with very short sleeved tops at the gym.  It's a process that you can't put a time limit on I don't think. 

Luckily - there was no excess skin under my chin.  Well, my butt (which used to be so large it had it's own zip code - is kind of a saggy-pancake now!  And don't even get me started on "the girls" - my WLS friends and I call 'em "tube socks with marbles at the bottom".  How much excess skin one will have depends largely on age, ethnicity, and condition of the skin prior to WLS.

I personally support anyone doing whatever makes them feel better after experiencing the WLS process.  Heck yeah - go out and be the best YOU that you can! 

Sandie

 I had been considering WLS when someone asked me when I was due....I wasn't pregnant. That and chairs getting to small, feet hurting more, etc. I just wanted to be a more active participant in my kid's like and my own life.

I have all those issues too.  It's just hard for me to get past the comorbidities as my primary goal for weight loss.    I am an ICU nurse and I see people die all the time from complications of these things.  I can't even wrap my mind around what it will feel like to be lean, strong, and healthy.  I look forward to not needing motrin every day because it hurts to move and maybe even looking good naked-but that is very far down the line! LOL.  I see that you are just getting started.  Are you having any trouble so far?  Do you feel hungry?  Still glad you did it?

I am soooo glad I did it. People say all kinds of things about Mexico, but the surgeon I went to and hospital he works in were amazing. Best health care I ever had. I feel amazing already. I only had pain the first 5 or 6 days, and even then it was only about 3 or 4 out of 10. Everyone keeps telling me that they can't believe I had surgery, and neither can I.

I don't feel very hungry at all. I have had no trouble getting my fluids in.  Sometimes when I make dinner for the family (my choice, my husband says he is willing to do it) the smell of the food makes we want it, but not even because I am really hungry for it. I guess that is what they refer to as head hunger. During the two weeks of preop dieting I was so grouchy and starving half the time and the smell of good food made me want to eat so bad I am sure I would have sacrificed my first born for a cheeseburger. Not so know. I feel very in control.

It must be hard as an ICU nurse. You do see all of the really bad stuff. Perhaps if you worked in a different nursing environment like the diabetes clinic or something like that you would see all the people getting really sick and dying from their comorbidities. 

Good luck with your decision!
Jenn 

Please research ALL forms of WLS before making your decision, especially since you're borderline diabetic. The DS (duodenal switch) not only has the very best long-term, maintained weight-loss stats, it's also the very best at resolving or preventing diabetes and high cholesterol. Yes, I realize that you're a "lightweight" in WLS terms, but talk with Southernlady---she had her DS with a BMI of 35, because of its great results with diabetes.