Hearing Horror Stories 'bout Surgery
As the time comes closer for my surgery (just waiting for a date), People seem to be coming to me w/ lots of horror stories about surgery, most of them are just telling me that everyone they know that has had surgery has gained the weight back, so.......I am just wondering how far out from surgery some of you are, and what is the most important thing in keeping the weight off, is it what you eat, exercise, support from others, there has got to be some key ingrediant for success, right? I have lost weight before and felt great, looked great and still something was missing and I gained it all back and then some. This time I need to get it right!!
I'm 13 months out. To me the most important thing in keeping the weight off and being successful is to FOLLOW THE RULES......I didn't always do that and I have been stuggling lately......
1. Follow the rules
2. Eat Protein first, eat only protein is best.....
3. Stay away from carbs.....
4. Exercise everyday for 60 minutes at least, you can break this up into two times or whatever....
5. Drink water, no pop, etc.....
6. Don't test the waters......In my case I tried a donut, a piece of cake and never got sick......So now I know I can eat those, DANG.....Some people get very ill though, which is a good thing because you won't want to do that again....
7. Go to support group or one of the coffee get togethers, it's so important.....
My advice is make sure your mentally ready for this journey......The first year your pouch teaches you what and how much to eat.......You will be successful if you follow the rules.....Every Doctor is different, but mine at 0-3 months I was only eating 1-2 T. at a meal.....3-6 months was 1/4 c. at each meal....6-9 months was 1/2 c. at each meal.....9-12 months was 3/4 c. - 1 cup at each meal......
Anyone can gain the weight back, this is only a tool......The first year is the easiest in my opinion, it's when you get to maintaining your weight is when it gets hard......The key is eat only PROTEIN.....I've learned this recently.......
Good luck........I wish I would of done this years ago......But mentally I should of been a little more prepared......But I'm working on it......
If you want PM me any questions.......This is a great board with lots of support......
Kelly
1. Follow the rules
2. Eat Protein first, eat only protein is best.....
3. Stay away from carbs.....
4. Exercise everyday for 60 minutes at least, you can break this up into two times or whatever....
5. Drink water, no pop, etc.....
6. Don't test the waters......In my case I tried a donut, a piece of cake and never got sick......So now I know I can eat those, DANG.....Some people get very ill though, which is a good thing because you won't want to do that again....
7. Go to support group or one of the coffee get togethers, it's so important.....
My advice is make sure your mentally ready for this journey......The first year your pouch teaches you what and how much to eat.......You will be successful if you follow the rules.....Every Doctor is different, but mine at 0-3 months I was only eating 1-2 T. at a meal.....3-6 months was 1/4 c. at each meal....6-9 months was 1/2 c. at each meal.....9-12 months was 3/4 c. - 1 cup at each meal......
Anyone can gain the weight back, this is only a tool......The first year is the easiest in my opinion, it's when you get to maintaining your weight is when it gets hard......The key is eat only PROTEIN.....I've learned this recently.......
Good luck........I wish I would of done this years ago......But mentally I should of been a little more prepared......But I'm working on it......
If you want PM me any questions.......This is a great board with lots of support......
Kelly
Yes, you will hear people make comments out of ignorance. You on the other hand, see it differently. You have done your research. You understand the risks of doing surgery but also understand the risks of NOT doing it. Many people have only "heard" things about surgery or failure rates, or complications....so in order to engage in a conversation with you about how knowledgable they are on the subject they will "discuss" it according to what they have HEARD. Ignore these comments. They don't help and they are based on misunderstandings.
Yes, people can and are successful with WLS. Yes people can be are are unsuccesful as well. The difference is in getting your mind around the fact that this is a TOOL. Surgery will NOT make you lose weight...although the first few months it will seem like it. It only ENABLES you to be successful at your efforts. If you don't get to a point where the efforts are routine, you will stop losing and you can gain back. It's persistance that leads to success. There are rules, as Kelly said, but those rules are very different. The rules start with your program, but you learn your own rules. Someone may tell you that you will not be successful if you don't follow THEIR rules. That is not how it works. You need to journey down your own path and create your OWN rules, then stick to them. The WLS will help you to enforce your own rules.
Good luck.....
P
Yes, people can and are successful with WLS. Yes people can be are are unsuccesful as well. The difference is in getting your mind around the fact that this is a TOOL. Surgery will NOT make you lose weight...although the first few months it will seem like it. It only ENABLES you to be successful at your efforts. If you don't get to a point where the efforts are routine, you will stop losing and you can gain back. It's persistance that leads to success. There are rules, as Kelly said, but those rules are very different. The rules start with your program, but you learn your own rules. Someone may tell you that you will not be successful if you don't follow THEIR rules. That is not how it works. You need to journey down your own path and create your OWN rules, then stick to them. The WLS will help you to enforce your own rules.
Good luck.....
P
Hi
It is fairly normal to hear these things from people before surgery, I'm 6+ years out and even 7 years ago, I heard the same stuff. I found the best way to deal with it, was to ease your fears with RESEARCH. The more you know about the surgery....talking with people who have gone through it, coming to OH for support, etc., the better you will feel.
I know about 300+ people who have had surgery and yes, I do know people in various stages, from having gained all their weight back, some weight back, many who have gained a teeny bit back and lots and lots who have maintained their weight loss.
I agree with Kelly on the points she gave, with a couple exceptions, but remember that this journey is a personal journey. You do what works for YOU.
This is the best decision I have ever made for myself and am very happy with my results, even through all the ups and downs of this crazy journey. I would absolutely do it again in a heartbeat.
Best of luck to you
Peggy
It is fairly normal to hear these things from people before surgery, I'm 6+ years out and even 7 years ago, I heard the same stuff. I found the best way to deal with it, was to ease your fears with RESEARCH. The more you know about the surgery....talking with people who have gone through it, coming to OH for support, etc., the better you will feel.
I know about 300+ people who have had surgery and yes, I do know people in various stages, from having gained all their weight back, some weight back, many who have gained a teeny bit back and lots and lots who have maintained their weight loss.
I agree with Kelly on the points she gave, with a couple exceptions, but remember that this journey is a personal journey. You do what works for YOU.
This is the best decision I have ever made for myself and am very happy with my results, even through all the ups and downs of this crazy journey. I would absolutely do it again in a heartbeat.
Best of luck to you
Peggy
To me, the most important thing (besides "the rules") is to stay in touch with your WLS - attend support group meetings, coffee get togethers, and keep coming here. Keep it at the front of your mind, because after a while it IS easy to slip back into old habits, especially if you don't dump much. I have a couple of friends who had surgery several years ago... They both struggle, because they don't participate. One has maintained her loss, but never lost as much as she wanted to. The other lost weight, but gained 60% or more of it back - she admittedly never went to a follow-up appointment with her doctor, a support group meeting or anything.
Don't make the mistake of thinking WLS is just to lose the weight, and then you're done. This is about modifying your relationship with food FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
With all due respect to my dear, dear friend Kelly, I wouldn't recommend eating ONLY protein - we need veggies and fruit, and even a limited amount of the less evil carbs. The thing you DON'T want to do is get comfortable eating those nasty carbs that make you crave more and more - candy, cookies, cakes, pies, desserts, stuff like that. You can modify most recipes to be WLS-friendly, but when you eat those things that you "pig out" on pre-op, it's a slippery slope.
As for the horror stories? (sorry for all of you who have heard/read my analogy before)... You only hear about the planes that crash, not all the thousands of flights that go off without so much as a hiccup. It's a warped view, skewed TOWARDS the horror stories. Focus your attention on all the success stories, but do keep in mind the very real risks. Just keep your perspective intact. This survery SAVES WAYYYY more people than it hurts!
Don't make the mistake of thinking WLS is just to lose the weight, and then you're done. This is about modifying your relationship with food FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
With all due respect to my dear, dear friend Kelly, I wouldn't recommend eating ONLY protein - we need veggies and fruit, and even a limited amount of the less evil carbs. The thing you DON'T want to do is get comfortable eating those nasty carbs that make you crave more and more - candy, cookies, cakes, pies, desserts, stuff like that. You can modify most recipes to be WLS-friendly, but when you eat those things that you "pig out" on pre-op, it's a slippery slope.
As for the horror stories? (sorry for all of you who have heard/read my analogy before)... You only hear about the planes that crash, not all the thousands of flights that go off without so much as a hiccup. It's a warped view, skewed TOWARDS the horror stories. Focus your attention on all the success stories, but do keep in mind the very real risks. Just keep your perspective intact. This survery SAVES WAYYYY more people than it hurts!
Imperfect does not = unsuccessful
Darla,
No just kidding.....
I love you too.......
Darla is right just have a few bites of veggies, fruit, carbs........For me, I've learned I can't take a few bites because those lead to more and more.......
This journey is so dofferent for everyone......You have to do what works for you......Just be aware of all this stuff and you'll do just fine.....:)
Kelly
No just kidding..... I love you too.......Darla is right just have a few bites of veggies, fruit, carbs........For me, I've learned I can't take a few bites because those lead to more and more.......
This journey is so dofferent for everyone......You have to do what works for you......Just be aware of all this stuff and you'll do just fine.....:)
Kelly
I am only 6 months out but I have learned... I can eat whatever I wish and sail through life. Yes, the honeymoon period is still here LOL Do I eat what I wish? No.
I have found that carbs are not my friend at all. While carbs in a normal person (no surgery) give energy. With me. it puts me to sleep! I am talking I had 6 chopped up pieces of a spaghetti noodle (wheat) with sauce one time not long ago. After dinner I could not function, I had to go lay down and rest until it passed. That feeling was awful!! No more of those for me.
I have not went down the rice path or breads really either. I have had a bite here and there of toasted breads etc.. and been ok, but no noodles! LOL Who would of ever thought a couple noodles would take me down!
Follow your plans rules,and you should be ok...That is my advice towards success.
Kelly/tink
I have found that carbs are not my friend at all. While carbs in a normal person (no surgery) give energy. With me. it puts me to sleep! I am talking I had 6 chopped up pieces of a spaghetti noodle (wheat) with sauce one time not long ago. After dinner I could not function, I had to go lay down and rest until it passed. That feeling was awful!! No more of those for me.
I have not went down the rice path or breads really either. I have had a bite here and there of toasted breads etc.. and been ok, but no noodles! LOL Who would of ever thought a couple noodles would take me down!
Follow your plans rules,and you should be ok...That is my advice towards success.
Kelly/tink
Maintaining! Start weight 257,Current weight 122,Loss of 135# and 114 inches,Size 22-24W now size 4 to 0 (zero),Healthy life=Priceless
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