Do you have regrets?

Thank you so much for replying. Your reply was the one that made me understand the most. It was without bias and realistic. You didn't try to blame it all on the surgery nor did you try to make it sound as though this surgery is just another form of slow death to all. I think you are absolutely right in a lot of what you are saying. Especially the part about people not posting because of being run over. I hate doomsayers who predict doom for all... I appreciate those who are open and honest and fair about their experience. Thank you again for responding.

I am pleased that I have been of help.  I try to provide assistance when I see a direct need for what I have to offer.  I have done a lot of work learning about lab work and vitamins/minerals/protein.  I continue to learn because it is just an ongoing process, but one that is very ciritical to managing my health the best that I can.  I know my husband says he is impressed that I have been so very faithful to my supplementation program and my vow of no chocolates/sweets/sugar.  Here I was one who hated regimen before surgery and now find myself taking care of my physical post-op needs in a very regimented fashion.  Who would have thought that?!     I do have a personal website if you are interested. www.acdlady.com/WLS_1 is the first page to my gastric bypass story.  My site map is at www.acdlady.com/SiteMap  I have had the site for a number of years now so it just keeps growing and shows my many interests.  I have not updated my gastric bypass pages for a bit - well, since the regain happened.  One of these days I will.

I am going on 5 years post op and have had two medical complications from my rny.  I developed a stricture 3 weeks out and an incisional hernia, around 1 year post op.  But still I would do it again, without a second thought about it. What I've often see one theses boards are  people so desperate to be thin that they jump into wls without thinking about the long term effects. We are rearranging our insides to lose weight. That in itself is an act of desperation.   I've noticed from posters here that  alot of doctors  doing wl surgeries are doing so without proper follow up care. Which I wonder if this has anything thing to do with complications.  I have personally experienced this, when I question my doctor what I should be eating the further out I got, and he replied he doesn't know the nutritional side of wls,  and he recommended that I go see the dietician. Which I did, she seemed stumped to see a patient 8 months out, and proceeded to hand me a paper with a diet on and practically rushed me out the door.  I'm still to this day not sure what I should be eating at this point. My concern is will this cause me issues down the road.  Donna open rny mar 18 2003 282/145/140

Yes, I would do it again. I had no complications from the surgery.. but I never got to goal. I allowed those bad habits to creep back and control me. Now.. I am working on getting control. It's funny.. I am a successful woman but my weight is something that I have never had control over. I didn't take my vitamins or iron. I am now anemic and take B12 shots once a month. But I'm still healthier than before the WLS. I wake up every morning to a new day of opportunity. A new day. I have lost 10 of the 12 lbs that I gained over the past two years. I am back in the gym. And today.... I'll get back on the vitamins. I wouldn't change a thing.. unless it was that first cracker... or that first piece of candy.. that took me down the  path of bad eating habits again.  Love who you are. Recognize that this is a tool.. and we have to use it wisely.

I'm 6 years post op. I have a life now, I am so grateful for the surgery I was able to have. I reached goal at about 10 or 11 months out and have stayed there since then. I take my vitamins and calcium religiously. Many post ops slip back into bad habits, don't take their vitamins for whatever reasons, don't follow doctor's orders or generally don't follow the rules we have to follow for post ops. I belong to a group of women who are made up of post ops. We have become friends over the years through support group and hang out all the time. We range from6 months out to 9 years out and we know many posties who are farther out than we are. The ones who are still successful, don't regret the surgery, have gotten new lives and are living every day to the fullest are the ones who got their heads in the game from the beginning. Depression, OCD, bi-polar or other issues need to be addressed before, during and after this surgery. We all over ate for a reason. That's how we got obese. Changing the size of our stomach isn't going to change what's in our heads. We need to work on that or we'll never be successful long term post ops. I know a woman who had the closest thing to our RNY surgery, 27 years ago. She's still happy, healthy and active. She still follows the rules. The ones I"ve seen over the years with problems are those with issues that weren't addressed. Untreated depression or OCD tendencies will sabatage most weight loss long term success goals. I would do this again in a heartbeat, I'd do it every year if I had to in order to feel this good. I would recommend it to anybody who wants to be happy and healthy - as long as they work on the rest of the body -weight loss surgery can be the answer to many prayers.

I am 2 years and 9 months out. Had a ton of problems the first year, dumping, bloodsugar, strictures, headaches the whole 9 yards. Would I do it again in a heart beat. Never in my life did  I think I would wear a size 8.  I don'thave to work to hard to stay at 153 but do have to take medication to stop the dumping and headaches.

I'm four years out and have no regrets.  This surgery gave me back my life.  I can now do things I could not even think about doing before.  The occasional gas and loose stools are a small price to pay.  WLS saved my life.