ThickToThin
There is hope after all!!
Jan 23, 2010
I opted for Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy because it was less invasive and the risks of complications weren't as high. The surgery went off without a hitch which was of great suprise for me. I am a pretty calm person but I had never had any type of surgery before and had no clue what to expect. The hardest thing for me was the fact that I could not drink a single sip for over two days....thought I was going to die!! Also they didn't give me much for pain, only anti-inflammatory the first night so there was pain. Fortunately I was able to find English channels on the T.V.!
I am almost two months post-op and have lost a total of 47 pounds which is totally awesome but it has been quite a mentally straining ordeal for me. I in no way regret the surgery but it has been a major adjustment for my mind, body and soul and I have had some struggles along the way. For one, I am a huge emotional eater. I went through some depression when I got home, I guess because my body was trying to heal from a major surgery and I felt out of control because I wanted to eat and I couldn't! I don't mean, that the doctors said I can't, I mean that I could not physically eat if my life depended on it.! It was painful if I had more than three bites! I felt such a huge loss, just like an alcoholic or a drug addict. I used to get excited about eating, like going out to dinner, making a big delicious dinner for my family and now I didn't have that to look forward to. I wanted to eat a lot of something simply because it tasted oh so good! Not now, its just not physically possible. What was I going to do now? Fortunately, I did have enough sense to realize that those feelings were temporary and that they would pass and they have definately gotten better. Now I am dealing with the fact that I have come to a plateau in my weight loss. I know that I am tormenting myself mentally with my way of thinking. I became obsessed with the scale, weighing myself everyday, sometimes 2 times a day, it was rediculous!! I had my daughter hide the scale, but then I went and found it. Everytime I weight myself now and for the last several weeks, I get so discouraged. I kept thinking that my parents paid all this money for such a small amount of weight lost and that it isn't going to work anymore. I realize that my weight loss is quite phenominal and that my body needs to catch up (I hope!) and that I should not expect to much, but its really killing me. I have found comfort in this OH website, I have been able to find answers to all my questions and set my mind at ease. I have seen a lot of advice about watching carbs, fats and calories which I am now trying to do, as I hadn't been reallly watching what I eat at first, thinking that there was no point to the WLS if I still had to be on a diet, although I felt quite disappointed in myselft for thinking that because I knew this surgery was not a quick fix by any means and that I was going to have to work with it. I have been trying to do my "Turbo Jam" everyday or walking on the days I can't get to it. I realize that I need to change my way of thinking and actually came to not only say or think it but truly appreciate just in the last few days that this WLS is only a TOOL to my weight loss, so I have been trying to be careful. I read that I should only be eating 500 calories a day which I find hard to do even with not being able to eat much so I am not sure about that and if any of you have any personal experience of that or any other advice along those lines, I would sure love to hear it!! There are some days (like today) where I just don't want to be careful. I want to eat what I want to eat! The thing I do love about the surgery is that I have a small appetite. Pre surgery, I could have eaten 3 burritos from Taco Bell, now I can only eat 1/2 to 3/4 of one and feel stuffed, that is definatley saying something! So I can definately see how this is an awesome tool and I just need to keep a positive attitude. I keep trying to look ahead a year from now and how much happier I will be
So again if any of you have advice and also anyone wants to be my OH friend, I would love to hear from you! Once I reach my first 50 pounds (3 pounds away, but who knows how long that is going to take!) I will post some pics.
Thanks for listening!!!!
April
Bummed!!
Feb 21, 2008
So its been awhile since I have posted but I have been a little depressed. Turns out my insurance does not cover WLS no matter what. I have decided not to give up. I am going to consider all of my options first. I have kept my scheduled appointment with the surgeon on March 24th which is a ways away but until then I guess I will work on other things and get my ducks in a row. For now, I am trying to cut certain things out of my diet like soda, I love the stuff and need the caffeine but I know I can dis it as I have done so before. I don't want the scale to go up any further, I am trying to maintain at least. Losing some would be a plus for me. We will see what happens, maybe it will work out just fine. Send good thoughts my way!
Confused!
Feb 12, 2008
2/12/08
So I went to the seminar today. Very informative. I had so many questions through the last few weeks that I kept telling myself would be answered at the seminar...and they were. However, I am still unsure about so many things. Though I am pretty sure that if I am able to have a procedure, would prefer the Lap-Band, its a lot less invasive. I am very scared of the risks with the RNY and other gastric bypass procedures. I am OK with the fact that the Lap-Band is supposedly only 50% effective, but I am willing to work my butt off with the procedure and restrict myself, so I would hope that I would lose more than the percentages show. I have been able to do it in the past, why can't I again?? I really just need a tool to help me along. I notice though that there are not to many other people who elect the Lap-Band, most are the RNY...I have speculations as to why that is but I'm not sure. I know often the surgeons have their recommendations for certain patients considering thier comorbidities, etc...The surgeon said that the risk of slippage with the Lap-band is 6-10% and that freaks me out as well!! Anyway, I will make an appointment tommorrow to meet with the surgeon and get the insurance stuff rolling. Unfortunately my insurance is CIGNA and they want 6 months worth of dieting records which I do not have, so I might have to go through that first and that just seems like such a waste of six months!! I could be lost a considerable amount of weight by then! Argh!!!!! I just don't know!!! Its all so confusing to me!!!! At least if I get things rolling, when everything is in place, I can sit back and decide exactly what I want to do. I don't want to get to excited and make definative decisions until I know for sure it is even possible. Thats my thinking anyway. Will keep posting soon...for now, must get some...
One more thing, I could use to talk to more people, get their experiences if they have had the surgery, specifically the Lap-Band and also talk to some that are in my situation... Please add me as your friend, I would really like that!! Ta-Ta for now.
First Time
Feb 07, 2008
