ReneeOD

Hello, I’m brand new here, and may go down in history as the most neurotic person to ever contemplate gastric bypass surgery. I consulted with a surgeon earlier today, wringing my hands during most of the session. To give you an idea of how crazy I got, I actually leaped onto the exam table and tried to simulate my sleeping position – I tend to twist around a lot, think a middle-aged contortionist – and worried that if I got a lap band, that I’d somehow dislodge it in my sleep and wind up in the ER. I would’ve demonstrated my aerobic moves, too, but the doctor would likely have me escorted outside the building by security. So we discussed my options. Given my advanced age – 59 – he recommended that the bypass would likely suit me best. My slower metabolism, age, etc., will not be as good a match for the lap band. I still wrestle with a sweet tooth, and a bypass is better for sugar addicts than the sleeve surgery. The doctor and I addressed bone loss, nutrition, hair loss. I would’ve discussed my childhood dog Sparky with him, that’s how many issues and questions I asked. Then I got to the “brain-gut connection.” I’m a writer, and I’m finishing two novels. I need every brain cell, every gut nerve ending, available to write as sharply as I can. I’ve noticed that celebrities who got the gastric surgery, particularly the comics, no longer to have their comedic edge, their cleverness. While they seem happier, they don’t seem as witty or quick-on-their-feet mentally. There's Roseanne Barr, Rosie O’Donnell, Lisa Lampanelli, Al Roker, others. Maybe it’s a matter that their weight made them edgy and sarcastic – and now that they’re slimmer, they no longer have to make snappy remarks. But I worry that the nerve endings in the stomach might be involved. I’m a borderline diabetic and figure I’ll be mentally sharper after the surgery, but worry in the long-haul, that I won’t be as creative or mentally sharp as before. Ergo, I won’t be able to finish the rest of my novels or be as creative. Creativity is uber-important. Any advice you can share with me, would be greatly appreciated. And thank you for your time. This brain-gut connection is cited by Hopkins Medicine, (link): http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/healthy_aging/healthy_body/the-brain-gut-connection