srwright66

Go back and read my post. I gave an honest account of my experience and the disadvantages in a "what if" scenario. Let me put this in a different perspective. You can look at this how you want. I don't go running up and down the streets announcing that I am having surgery.

To answer your question. If someone I was speaking with told me they were having symptoms/problems with gallbladder, female issues, or otherwise I would have no problem discussing with them what I had done surgically. Maybe it will put their mind at ease or I can answer a question if they have it.

Here's an example. Let's say you lose 100 pounds and you are asked how you lost the weight. What do you say? If you don't tell them you had surgery and they find out you did. How do you look to that person? I would rather people know than assume I was on drugs or was ill. Having gall bladder surgery, tubal, etc doesn't show on the outside. Losing 100 pounds does, and it is bound to raise questions.

Answer this for me please. You stated it isn't about shame, it's about self respect. Because I have told people, I have no self respect? No, I don't think so. We just have different ways of handling things. I never said you should be ashamed. I said I wasn't ashamed.

I haven't been big all my life either. I could care less what people say behind my back. I hope they say something about me having plastic surgery. In a heartbeat I will tell them 'yes and my boobies will look better than your boobies" LOL!

I read your post and wanted to ask you, I've had a gallbladder out, and a tubal ligation, technically I am no longer able to get pregnant do I have to go around telling people about that? A surgery to me is a surgery I treat them equal, some riskier than others but to me not telling has NOTHING to do with shame it has to do with respect for myself, I am entitled to have something belong to me, another thing I will say to you is that though a lot of people may say how happy they are deep inside and behind our backs I wonder if they say things like: "poor thing had to have her stomach out cause she couldn't control herself" or "wait till all the weight creeps back up" and "she'll need plastic surgery for sure!". How do I know this? Well, prior to getting fat during the last year I was a normal weight and hanging out with the skinny crowd and I heard that plenty of times about others(from medical professionals). You can REALLY lose weight, A LOT of it by fasting, by doing the HCG protocol, by starving yourself, by drinking slim fast shakes and nothing else and even like us eating small portions and exercising. It is not only by surgery that people lose weight I was not lucky enough to have that kind of will power on my own. Not choosing to put a bumper sticker on my car saying HEY I HAD WLS! doesn't make me a liar. Also there are some people who have family members who terrorized them about being fat mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters, and NEVER once reached out to want to help why are these people entitled to knowing 85% of stomach is gone? I am proud I took control of my life and this as my NUT says is my "own personal project". Put it this way, I went to GNC to buy a shake mix and the store clerk and I started talking and I told mentioned to her my procedure...she made sure to tell me that so and so she knows keeps fainting at work, binging at Olive Garden and throwing up, and that she was so LUCKY because she dropped 120lbs on her own! WOW-you can imagine how I felt leaving the store. Anyway it is what it is.

I agree with bzbutterfly79.. we come here to not be judged but somehow through peoples posts we are.. all the poster wanted was your expierence not what u think about what other people chose to do and how you feel about it.. its everyone's own decision to handle things the way they do. As for me I only told my husband and good friend I don't believe everyone needs to know my business. And it certainly wasn't a shame thing. It's a mind your won business thing.. so the next time you want to sit here and judge people on why they choose not to tell. Take your own advice and skip over the topic

Go back and read my post. I did not judge anybody. The original poster asked for our experiences. I told how I handled it. My experiences were positive. They asked for advantage/disadvantages. I expressed what the disadvanage could be if someone didn't tell and people found out. I didn't tell them what they should do either way. It is their decision.

So sorry your husband is not supporting you.

Sheila,

You are doing great. By the way, my name is Sheila too.

Why, oh why, didn't I think of this before?? I hope it's OK to post this here. I haven't been sleeved yet but I have started dieting in preparation. I've enjoyed everyone's stories, I've laughed and cried. I know we are all in search of the same goal. Everyday I look at the before and after pics. I read all the posts. Y'all are my inspiration.

It hit me like a ton of bricks this afternoon, so I thought I'd share a little. I'm 44 years old and life has been a roller coaster, just like my weight. My battle of the bulge is similar to many. I didn't get fat overnight. It was fast, but it wasn't overnight.

This is the biggest I have ever been. Yesterday, I thought I was 250#, but noooo, that was just cruel joke my scale played on me. I had just lost 10 pounds. I went to the doctor yesterday and he weighed me in at 262#. That can't be! I just lost 10 pounds, it should say 252#! That just added insult to injury. Damn scale! So actually I started at 272#. I realized I was staring 300# in the face, I was over half way there.......I just wanted to cry, it was tough holding the tears back. Anyway he made it better. Everything is gonna be OK, once I get my sleeve.

I am trying to prepare myself mentally for the upcoming changes. I've read things like head hunger and food addiction. I can relate to that. I LOVE food. I eat even when I'm not hungry. My life revolves around food. I've come to realize I'm a food addict. Food is my drug of choice. It satisfies me, it comforts me.

I'm no stranger to addictions. I really hate to admit this and probably shouldn't, but in my early 20's I had a nasty drug habit. I kicked it on my own and have been clean for 22 years and have never touched it again. Fast forward a few years and I married an alcoholic. That is a recipe for DISASTER! We have been together for 18 years. He has been sober for the last 6+ years. My husband wasn't your everyday drinker. He was binge alcoholic. He could go weeks or months and not touch a drink. But when he did, all hell broke loose. That's a familiar word. "binge". It was very ugly. I won't go into all that. He needed help. He tried "Antibuse", that didn't work. It was supposed to make him violently ill if he took a drink. It made him sick even when he didn't drink. AA didn't work, all that talk about drinking triggered him to want to drink. I was at the end of my rope. Nothing was working. I started researching, there had to be a way. Other people quit drinking. I quit drugs, why couldn't he stop drinking??? My research lead me to www.rational.org. OMG! that opened our eyes. It worked for us. He has been sober for almost 7 years. It can be used for ANY addictive behavior!! It's free. It can't hurt to try it.

I used it 3 years ago when I lost weight on Adkins. I got down to 160#. Major life upset and I let my eating get out of control AGAIN. My bad. Anyway, while I was vacuuming today, it all came back to me. I went back to the website and it was still there. I encourage anyone that needs help to take a look at it. I am starting to use it again today. It can't hurt. It is another tool that some may find useful.

Anyway here is the link and an explanation from their website. It was originally geared to alcohol and drugs but they found it works with all addictions and bad behaviors. The key is to change the words alcohol/drug with food/binging/overeating or whatever your vice is. Change the word abstinence to healthy eating. I know that it works and I will use it. It helped me to get a piece of paper and write it all down. It's not that long. Don't rush through it, think about what they are saying and let it sink in.

It makes so much sense. When you read it, it's like flipping a switch. It will hit home for some. If it works for you, it's awesome. It will only take about 15 minutes to read through it. Another tool for your weight loss journey..

www.rational.org (copy & paste the link)

This was taken from their website:

Quick Start on Rational Recovery

©2009, Jack Trimpey, all rights reserved.

There is enough information at this website for you to totally recover from any addiction, e.g., alcohol, crank, crack, heroin, opiates, sex and porn addiction, overeating, computer addiction, gambling, or other personal behavior that goes against your own better judgment.

• If you're drinking/using today, you won't learn much of anything. Come back in the morning or when you aren't under the influence.

• To quit your addiction you must first stop drinking/using long enough to learn AVRT®.

Quit Now For Life!

I'm scheduled for March 7th with Dr. Ramos Kelly in Tijuana.< /p>

I'm scheduled with Dr. Kelly but my date is March 7th.

People may not agree with me but here's my two cents. It disturbs me to see people that want to keep this a secret. I try to skip over those posts.

I have been very open about having this done. I was embarrassed at first and ashamed that I let myself get this way. I wasn't sure what their reactions were going to be. It really didn't matter, this is for me and no one else. My family was OK with it, but not big on me going to Mexico. They got over it. My co-workers are excited for me and have invited me to work out with them after I have my surgery. My boss is now seriously considering it. His wife had gastric bypass and he didn't want any part of that. So maybe my positive input will help him.

For so long I looked in the mirror and lied to myself, I was so embarrassed and ashamed. I made empty promises to myself, tried every diet, even damaged my heart with phen-fen.

Ask yourself this: Do you think anybody will believe you are just eating healthy and dieting? Really? REALLY? If you say this and it is found out that you really had surgery, then everyone will see you as a liar. I'm an honest person and am not ashamed that I am having this surgery.

If someone doesn't like the surgery I'm having and give me any negativity, I only have one thing for them and that is a big fat WHATEVER!

Be proud of what you are doing for yourself.

Just had to share. I am very happy. I love Idaho healthcare! We have some awesome doctors up here. I went to see my primary doctor. I've never had my thyroid checked and it's been years since I had a full blood workup. I decided since my surgery is scheduled with Dr. Ramos Kelly in Mexico, that it wouldn't be a bad idea to get all this done so I have a baseline to compare the new me to. He did a full blood work up on me. My results will be back Monday.

He agrees with my decision for surgery. He is very ok with me doing it in Mexico. He said they have wonderful doctors there. His father lives there and loves their health care system. He wants to see me 2 weeks after the surgery and will be happy to do my aftercare. It was a relief for me. I’ve read the stories that doctors here don't want to touch you after you go to Mexico. The only thing he recommended is that I get my flu shot before going.

He put me on Chantix to help me quit smoking. He said he wants me to quit, it will help with my healing process.

BCBS of Idaho excludes any WLS.

What a great group of people on here. It's only 7 weeks away! I know it will fly by. My coworkers have been so supportive. My daughter will be going with me. hubby wanted to go but I didn't want him to, he frets and worries over me too much. My family has been supportive. They weren't real sure about Mexico, but they are coming around, LOL. When they started to balk I told them ok, you pay for me to do it in the states. They are now ok with Mexico haha.

Long time lurker, 1st time poster. WooHoo! I am getting my sleeve 3/7/11 with Dr. Ramos Kelly in Tijuana. Work approved days off. Flight paid for, deposit sent, just need to reserve hotel for the night before.

I recently stepped on the scales and was horrified. I had gained over 100# in a little over a year. Right now I am at 260. I was so upset. I am a stress eater and the stress has been beyond belief. I usually average between 150-175, I am 5'8 and it was so hard to keep it at that.

I have been wanting WLS for a long time. Actually I wanted the band but decided it wasn't for me. I knew I wouldn't go to the follow up appointments. All the fills and adjustments. I also watched two cousins that had it done, one did ok, the other gained weight. The VGS was the answer. I have watched so many of you and your success has been my inspiration. Thank you.