Anyone Wish They Had Not Done Their Gastric Sleeve Surgery?

[dominique 34]

Steve-what is the other website?

[Steve Demko 8]

Gastric sleeve .com

It a little different format I bounce back and forth.

[doggz109 41]

Jewel,

A website dedicated to the concept of "food addiction" is not where I'd go for reliable information on such matters. I will always maintain you cannot be addicted to something your body requires to live. You may be emotionally "addicted," but unless the definition of "addiction" changes to "needed for survival," you're not physically addicted to food anymore than you are to oxygen.

Sorry I have to disagree. Sugar is a very addictive substance. Sugar releases dopamine in your brain (same as cocaine amphetamines, sex, nicotine, etc). Are you saying those substances aren't addictive? They all do the same thing.....cause you to have feelings of pleasure.

So I would partially agree with you that no one gets addicted to food by eating steak and asparagus.....but sugar...hell yes. Here is some research if you don't believe.

http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S22/88/56G31/index.xml?section=topstories

[jewelwithin 13]

Jewel,

A website dedicated to the concept of "food addiction" is not where I'd go for reliable information on such matters. I will always maintain you cannot be addicted to something your body requires to live. You may be emotionally "addicted," but unless the definition of "addiction" changes to "needed for survival," you're not physically addicted to food anymore than you are to oxygen.

I've talked to many people since I originally posted this who had complications so severe that they do regret it. One girl I know had complications (and admittedly NOT VSG) that caused her to become permanently infertile. The most ironic part of that? She had the surgery at the recommendation of her reproductive endocrinologist... he told her with since PCOS is usually related to being overweight, the surgery could "cure" her infertility. Well, a. she still has EVERY PCOS symptom she had before, even after over 100 pounds lost. B. the complications she had resulted in problems that ensure she can never have a child... even IF her PCOS goes away. I had a RE tell me the same BS story... but I didn't believe it because I already knew so many thin women who had PCOS, and many others who'd lost weight and it didn't "cure" them at all.

Hi Karelia,

Let me say first that I hope you do not feel from my posts that I am judging you in any way. WLS is a HIGHLY personal decision, and people consider it for a wide range of reasons. And I don't think anyone's reasons for looking at this as "wrong." Whatever your reasons are -- for health, lifestyle, convenience, whatever -- you have to weigh all the pros and cons.

I debated about posting that link for the very reason you state. The site obviously has a bias. However, it had some very current research. Awhile back I ran across a conference at Yale University that was examining this subject. I didn't put that here because I remembered it as being kind of "old." It sort of is -- from 2007. But here is that link:

http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/resources/upload/docs/news/RuddCenterAddictionMeeting.pdf

My point here is not to convince you that people can or can't be addicted to food. Rather, it's just that there is growing evidence and so in my mind the jury is still out. There are obviously very real neurobiological mechanisms at play. But clearly even the scientists don't see eye to eye on all aspects of this.

And secondly, I would just encourage you to consider that as you hear these stories of complications to remember what you're doing is gathering ANECDOTAL information. If you allow this to weigh more heavily in your decision you are making the same mistake as if I viewed the food addiction Web site as the most reliable source of information on the subject. YES, some people have complications. YES, even death (I heard about one first-hand from the nurse who was drawing my blood pre-op...talk about unfortunate timing for my frame of mind!) I guess because this IS such a huge decision -- a life changing one to be sure -- I'm just encouraging you to not get so dug in to the individual stories that you don't also give equal time to the big picture.

Also, in my limited experience I'd say you're dead on with the notion that post-op one's life is focused a LOT on food, food choices, counting carbs/protein/whatever, etc. That is a trade-off that I don't think I fully understood until now, when I'm less than a month post-op. I am logging everything and watching closely. Even so, with the slower, more mindful eating, I have noticed that FINALLY I'm learning to really enjoy my food and savor it. It sounds like you got to that more mindful eating approach via a different path (IE). Mind you, I'm not complaining AT ALL about the tracking, etc. I personally feel that the improved health, boosted confidence, and more robust lifestyle will be more than a fair trade. But that's me, and my life.

Whatever your decision I wish you all the best. It sounds like you have some exciting transitions ahead, so I'm certain that surgery or no surgery you'll have a very busy & interesting road in the months ahead.

j

[Catracks 865]

Sugar and simple carbs are absolutely addictive. My cousin has an autistic son and she basically lets him eat what he wants. He eats NOTHING but white bread, white Pasta and french fries. It is/was a trigger food for me.

I think I already replied to this post, but someone said: "Obesity isn't evil" or some such thing and you could live a happy life with it. Most people in my family make it to their late 90s except for:

My obese grandmother who dies at 75. Her pelvic floor collapsed, she was on dialysis, and was a diabetic for years. She was miserable for years.

My obese grandfather died at 80 from a combination of diabetes and multiple strokes.

I know 80 sounds old. but in our family it is NOT! They had been miserable for years. My grandmother rarely let her picture be taken. She cooked, ate and sat in a chair for years.

My very fit dad is 72 this year. He hikes, plays golf, swims, runs, lifts weights and enjoys life with his 56 year old wife. He looks like he's in his 50s. If he was like his mother, I'd lose him in a couple years.

I swear I was close to death before this surgery. My fatty liver disease was progressing into hepatitis. I had severe sleep apnea. My joints hurt, My cholesterol was 270, my blood sugar was very high, my blood pressure was high and climbing. I was 115 pounds overweight and on a 5'1" frame is is not pretty.

I felt like crap. I didn't want to go anywhere. I didn't like to buy clothes so I existed in sweat and two pairs of pants for work. Speaking of work, my performance left much to be desired because I was so damned tired all the time. I was falling asleep at my desk. I would only really see family and a few close friends. If my husband wanted to take me to a party, I would refuse to go. We use to love hiking. I barely wanted to walk down the street. It was starting to destroy my marriage.

Now two weeks post op I am down 37 pounds. My blood pressure is 117/77. My cholesterol went down 50 points. My blood sugar is normal, my sleep apnea is gone. I feel so good that I'm practically dancing. Today I'm going to Dana Point to see my aunt and walk along the beach and the shops. Tomorrow I go horseback riding.

I am on full liquids as of today. I did test out real food yesterday. We went to Olvera Street in Los Angeles to my favorite place La Luz Del Dia. They make the best carnitas on earth and make their own tortillas. Anyway, my husband got the carnitas plate. I spooned not quite 2 oz of the meat and a spoonful of Beans onto a little plate. I ate it slowly and was beyond full. I'm learning when to stop. I took one bite too many. When I start picking at the food i should stop, but it didn't seem like enough at first. I really did savour that food instead of shovelling it in. My husband said that we could go out more often because I was such a cheap date. HEY!!!!

So, I still cook. I LOVE the smell and taste of food. I just don't need to eat food in 2 pound quantities anymore.

It's a mistake to rationalize the need for surgery away. How I wish my grandma would have had this available to her. She would not have been so sad. She missed out on a lot of life. My thin and fit grandfather finally passed away at 97 years old last year. He was living alone and still driving up to two years before he died. He finally died on congestive heart failure, but other than that he was fine. He just got to tired to wake all the way up one morning and he passed that night. He went easy. My grandmother's and obese grandfather's death was slow and torturous.

Sorry for the long post, but I will always be an outspoken voice for sleeve gastrectomy. I was dying. It saved my life. Yeah, Obesity is evil. People aren't, but the condition is.

I can't wait to hit the beach and the waterslide park this summer!!!!

[Karelia 5]

Jewel,

Every story here is anecdotal, too, though. I've also found that the people who DO have complications shy away from message boards like this one because, as I previously mentioned, the people who have great success get evangelical about it. I talked to a bunch of people who did not feel welcomed on boards like this one because they did NOT have positive stories. Based on what I've seen here, I find that extremely believable. Dissenting opinions aren't welcomed... look at what happened in this thread alone to poor Tamz... she was attacked because she wasn't happy, and dared to say so.

I didn't feel judged by you... just to clarify. In this particular post, it wasn't that bad. I had another post, explaining my struggles to battle a 28 year eating disorder and my success with IE where I was heavily (no pun intended) judged and even told I was "in denial."

I'm fat, not stupid. I'm not in denial. I have done extensive research, and a surgery with a lot of question marks and unknowns as to how my life might be afterwards is simply not worth the risks to me. I'm not rationalizing it away anymore than any of you rationalized the decision to have the surgery. Or at least I hope you didn't just rationalize having it. I'd hope you all did extensive research and came to the conclusion that for you, personally, it WAS worth the unknowns and risks.

One final point, as to why I decided against the surgery. I have Hashimoto's Disease. This is NOT A FAT PERSON DISEASE. It is an autoimmune disease. It's taken me years to regulate my thyroid. This surgery could wreck absolute havoc with my thyroid if the medication isn't properly absorbed. I've had a thyroid crash. It is not fun, and it can be deadly. I do not want to risk that ever again.

Hi Karelia,

And secondly, I would just encourage you to consider that as you hear these stories of complications to remember what you're doing is gathering ANECDOTAL information. If you allow this to weigh more heavily in your decision you are making the same mistake as if I viewed the food addiction Web site as the most reliable source of information on the subject. YES, some people have complications. YES, even death (I heard about one first-hand from the nurse who was drawing my blood pre-op...talk about unfortunate timing for my frame of mind!) I guess because this IS such a huge decision -- a life changing one to be sure -- I'm just encouraging you to not get so dug in to the individual stories that you don't also give equal time to the big picture.

[Catracks 865]

I welcome all opinions. Am I not allowed to disagree or write from my perspective? I will continue to "evangelize" because this surgery saved my life and i so love not being obsessed with food. I savour my little bit and forget it until I remember to eat. Do you know what I used to do before? In the morning I was already planning indetail what I was going to eat for lunch and dinner.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I was an on and off again bullemic. That's gone too.

I guess those of us who are finding sucess are trying to make it so you feel like we do. I want everyone to know what its like to not be scared of being too big too fit in booths and not being able to walk through a turnstile. I had two NSV when I slid into a booth and walked straight through a turnstil without having to turn sidways and hitch in.

[june13sleever 223]

I only read a little bit, but in terms of food addiction...I am certain that part of it is true...however now that I am not hungry as much and even when I am I don't crave the foods I used to. I still really feel like my stomach capacity was so large that it took so much food in order for me to even feel satisfied. I never ate so much that I nearly split my pants (LOL) but I could eat ALOT! Overtime I feel the stomach stretches to the point where all of our body parts cry out for MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE. So it isn't an addiction in the sense that there is a withdrawl feeling...It is an addiction in the sense that it takes more and more to satisfy us. I don't even care about sugar anymore and it was immediate. Once the stretched out stomach was reduced. The cravings for food went away. So why did I eat sugar and fried food when I was fat? It was easy. Even to this day I eat easy. It is just a Soup can fill me up whereas before a soup would only fill me up if I had a huge piece of bread with a salad.< /p>