TatorTot

I have been seeing a dietician for a year and a half and through all this she has seen all the struggles I have had and I finally discussed weight loss surgery with her. I had decided years ago off and on to get it, but always thought I could lose it myself. Of course I did but you know how that rolls. Anyhow she was very skeptical at first but she decided to do some studies on it and to my surprise she decided to support me on my decision. This dietician works for the VA whom I am going thru for all this so we decided to get the ball rolling. She clearly has 1 1/2 yrs of records for my weight loss and weight gains. I wanted to learn how to eat healthy and not go on the all or nothing plan. I lost 32lbs which clearly wasn't fast enough for me but then again I was not dieting like I was use to doing and I really learned to live on a healthy plan. I went thru all the rig a moral with the drs, psy, therapists everything I had to do to clear me for surgery. My dietician told me she talked to the bariatric coordinator and she was going to call me. Well she did and everything sounded real good and all I had to do was wait for the hospital surgeons nurse to call and set everything up. Supposedly when it got as far as the hospital it was stopped, and I was told that they wanted 3 more months of record keeping and counselling before she would approve it. When I heard this I was livid, here I was waiting on my surgery date and then I was told a year and a half was not enough. I felt so much anger that I started eating like a crazy woman and gained all the weight back. I am trying so hard to get my head back in the game but I just don't know how and now my dietician and I are really struggling. I told her I cannot trust that if we do this another 3 mos that it will be enough for them. And can't they see how hard I worked to lose 32lbs in a year and a half? If I could have kept it off I would have? Now here I sit with a nontrusting bad attitude and can't wrap my head around the fact that I have to do this again. To me it is very much like losing it and gaining it back yo yo syndrome that I have been through all of my life. I know that I can't let this beat me because I want to get this done, but yet I can't get my frame of mind to do this again. I have waited all my 57yrs to be skinny and it just doesn't seem like it will ever happen. It pretty much destroyed my will to keep trying! So, I need help to get my head back in the game and get back on my eating plan. I know I am mad and distrusting of the VA but I am not doing this for them, I am doing this for me. How do I get myself to do this? any ideas? I just needed to get this out and I couldn't think of a better place than here! So thank you!

MissMac, I never ever thought of that, this is definitely worth mentioning at my dietician visit.........WooHoo girly!

Too bad this can't be a sticky

would he be willing to go to a bariatric class with you at the local hospital, they are pretty much ongoing. He will be more informed and may be easier for him to have peace with things, as to whether or not this is something for him or not.

Thank you for responding Beagle, I am currently reading that book, along with the groups and classes I have been attending. Haven't gotten real far yet but seems like a keeper!

I love this thread, PLEASE keep them coming

Hi Miss, Welcome to BP!! I am an older female veteran and you have to ask your primary physician to set you up with a dietician. She will work with you for some time to see how you do on your own. Some VA facilites have a MOVE program that you have to attend, others have other programs. The dietician is the key to get everything rolling though. I would be honored to help you with any other questions you may have. IF I know the answer that is

Hi PIxers, I am still in the approval stages, but I am going through the Veterans Administration to get it done. I am sorry I wasn't of much help.

I wanted to mention that Carnie Wilson was on the show "chopped", she was playing for charity and her choice of charity was for the more unfortunate people that needed surgery and couldn't afford to. She didn't win though!

How do I set my mind that I am never going to be able to eat pizza, and chocolate, cheetos and all my favorite foods ever again? Did anyone go into mourning not being able to have it? I am aware I can have a taste of it but does that satisfy your cravings? and if you get sick you can never even try it again. Plus how disciplined are u in your diets? Sounds like everyone is just really really careful, and are u afraid of messing up? Pretty scarry stuff!!!

Appleton here

I would like to find a great book on WLS, that tells the ins and outs of it. I am sure I want this surgery but really want to find out the good, the bad and the ugly, I would like to understand what to expect after WLS.. Thanks You

Great, Thank You Everyone!!

Looks like I am not going to have this surgery after all. I am going through the Veterans Administration for my surgery and there is only one hospital that I can get it done at. I am required to bring family or a friend or they will not perform the surgery. It is 3 1/2 hour drive to the hospital, and I just relocated to this area and have no family and just a few work associates. I don't know any of them well enough that they would drive me down there and stay overnight in the VA facilities. I have enough resolve to dig into more alternatives because I need this done very badly! But at this point I am totally frustrated!

Thank you for all your replies they got the wheels turning in my head. You guys are great!!

I just wanted to thank everyone for the replies, I feel far better now reading your posts. I really love this forum you guys are great!

When I really think about it, it would be pretty depressing not to binge or eat huge amounts of food. I guess I am so used to it that I am afraid I will still want to do it and won't be able to. It is like grieving over eating large amounts. Crazy that is what got me here in the first place you would think I would want to quit doing it.

OMG!!! Thank you so much everyone, I am amazed at this site and how many responses I received. This is a Godsend for me. I can't thank you enough!

Pions I am from WI, I didn't know there were any on here either but I did start a group called "Wisconsinites" to see if they would come out of the closet so to speak.............LOL

Hi, I live alone and I decided to have wls. I have backed out 3 times already because I felt like I was not ready. After numerous attempts and failures of losing on my own that I really want to do this now. Being the age I am! 57 I feel like I have been skating by with my health and can't last much longer. I know if I keep this up I will be dead in no time. My biggest concern about this, is the fact that I live alone and I am afraid that I enjoy food too much. It is like I am living to eat and not eating to live. I know I will miss it terribly when I can't eat the way I do now. I guess it is my friend but at the same time it is my worst enemy. I realize that it makes me happy. I do want to get this weight off once and for all before I get any older. I wish I had just went through this years ago!! I am getting therapy and seeing a dietician but I am still worried. I just needed to give my thoughts a voice because I feel like I am alone in this, so I guess I am looking for others that feel the same. Thank You!

I will be doing this alone if I get approved

My main concern about wls is how bad I am going to miss foods, like fatty, sugary stuff. Plus eating copious amounts. It has become my safe place.

Hello, I am 57 myself and have considered WLS for about 20yrs now always thinking I can do it myself. I did and gained it back everytime! Now that I am this age I am starting to have health problems so it is time to finally do this. I am very scared but it is something I know I have to do. I have been working with a dietician and we discussed having surgery on the last visit. I am going thru the VA for this so I am just going to start the process. I pray that this is something that God wants for my life, and will walk along side me.