Then and now

Is there anything that you really regret about wls specifically vsg? Do you ever wish you would of just did it without it? Could you of done it without it? Are the benefits outweighing everything else?

I have no regrets. I don't wish I could have lost weight without WLS. I would not have been successful. I love my new normal. My health has improved dramatically. It is worth the changes.

Hello MmeOx;  Yes, I would to have loved to do this without the surgery (ABSOLUTELY), but that wasn't going to happen for me.  Hundreds of diets and weight loss plans down the drain year after year.  I'll list my benefits and my struggles below.

BENEFITS
I can now go into a store and not have to struggle to find a seat after only walking around for 5-10 minutes.
I no longer sweat (used to sweat a lot) while walking in those stores (or for the most part anywhere)
I am no longer prediabetic.  My migraines (which I've had too many years to count--really bad debilitating ones, are gone)--now I get an occasionally headache like a normal person.
I don't have to buy plus size clothes anymore--things are really cheaper (much more variety).
I love getting out to places and doing things that I'd never do previously--no more hiding from life.

StrugglesMy hair is very thin now--I prefer wearing a wig when I can (but I'm 51 so I probably have more struggles than the young ones)
I have a turkey neck now.  I knew I would.  I wasn't one of those fat people with tiny face & neck.  No, big ole neck for me, and now it looks pretty wrinkling and saggy (have done mega neck exercises along the whole journey--didn't help me.  I can't afford plastics, so I will use my preparation H hemorroid treatment (I find this works better than any firming cream) :)
I have recently started snacking to much, BUT I didn't have this surgery to get back to the terrible shape I was in, I find I may/may not get smaller if I keep this up, but I have a pretty assured feeling that I could keep and maintain the weight I'm at right now pretty easily as I've joined a gym and work out now. 

 

You can try laser skin tightening.  I have done it and it works for the face especially:)

Thanks, I will look into that! 

I am thrilled with the results of my WLS. I've lost almost 200 pounds in a little over a year.   I could never have done it on my own.  I tried for decades with minimal success only to gain the weight back and more.  The weight loss surgery changes the physiology and makes it possible.  It really works.

Carol

 

I could not have done this without the WLS.  I have not been this weight in over 25 years.  I am happy and healthy.  No regrets!  Of course if I could have done this without any surgery that would have been great but I couldn't.  

Nancy

Is there anything that you really regret about wls specifically vsg? No.  The surgery has worked brilliantly for me and exactly in the manner that I hoped it would.  I can tolerate eating just about anything.  Since surgery I have found that eggs (very recently) and beef sometimes bother me.  However, I cannot attribute this solely to the surgery, as my sister is experiencing the same thing and she is not s bariatric patient.  Lots of allergies in the famiy. I won't lie- sometimes I wonder if there will be ramifications 20 years down the road.  I get that cancer patients have had this procedure done for a long, long time.  Rny patients have a longer history as well... but I do think about it sometimes.  The flip side of that though is my healt is so dramatically improved and if I didn't do something about the weight I doubt I would have been around in 20 years anyway. 

Do you ever wish you would of just did it without it? I just got asked this by my dentist.  I don't tell hardly anyone I had surgery, and the dentist is overweight with a history of cancer (very similar to me).  Withut any doubt I would not have been able to take off the weight.  I have a long history of losing weight, and than regaining it plus more back on.  It doesn't mean that regain is not a possibility now, but I have at the very least never gone this long without regain.  By the time I was getting the surgery done, I had completely given up on trying to lose weight.  I was insulin resistant and there just seemed like nothing I was doing was getting it off.  Even in my preop diet, the first month I followed the plan to the T- and lost nothing.  I was at about 1200 calories during that time.  Fast forward to 5 months post op and 1200 calories was my weight loss calorie target at that time- and I was losing well.  I believe that the changes in the digestive system along with the restriction play a significant role- it is more than just 'eating less".  

Oh yes, the benefits far far outweight anything negative that I have experienced.  My recovery was smooth as silk and I do not experience negative side effects.  I do struggle at times remembering my supplements (which was a big reason why I did not consider DS- a more effective surgery... know thyself!).  I am a cancer patient, and having my oncologist mention one day that the number one thing I could have done to help my situation was to lose the weight made it worthwhile- not to mention how much better I feel, look, confidence, rejoining life activities... the list goes on and and on.

Thanks for this post. I thought I was crazy. Ive been on pre op for about 10 days. Lost 8 pounds in first 4 days and up and down since then. Overall no additional loss. Ive tracked my food religiously as well and I don't see the issue as I am well below 1200 calls a day. My insulin has been tested and everything looks ok. Im so happy VSG still worked for you despite the pre op diet issues! Gives me hope.

What I wish is that I had never gain the weight in the first place. However, I did... and so when I think about whether or not I'm happy I did this, the answer is ABSOLUTELY yes. There isn't a day that goes by that I am not grateful I made this choice to get healthy. I'm living my life instead of just existing.

The benefits far outweigh "everything else" - and I'm not even sure there is an "everything else" for me since I had a complication-free experience!