6 months, hit normal BMI, look & feel great

[groovearmada 14]

I am doing amazingly well. I had a great recovery and the weight has come off every week. BUT i still constantly worry that i made a mistake. That i should have done it without an op. Without having most of my stomach, a pretty important organ, removed.

Its got really bad recently to the point where I am losing sleep. What if I need I need my stomach back? What if it leads to other problems? What if I cant get pregnant when I want to. What if me and baby become sick because of it. What if i need another operation for something and I need to tell the doctors about getting VSG and they lecture. Did i do something stupid?

I cant really explain how i am feeling apart from being scared. I am doing so well, wearing beautiful clothes again, feeling confident again but this is gnawing in the back of my mind. That i have made a mistake and its going to come back and haunt me.

If anyone has any words of sense please help me out, I feel as if I am going crazy right now.

Thanks

GA

[Foxbins 625]

First of all, congratulations on your loss! Now, on to your worries...I am wondering if there is something else going on with you and your surgery is a good place to direct your emotions....If not, I am sure that you, like everybody else here, has tried to diet and keep the weight off for years and it didn't work. That's why lots of us chose surgery--to get off the yo-yo diet treadmill. Secondly, the stomach is not too important in the overall scheme of things. It's mostly a reservoir. Some animals don't even have stomachs, food goes directly into their "gut." It does produce acid to aid food breakdown, intrinsic factor to help absorb B12, and hormones that influence hunger and satiety, (but these last are poorly understood). Obesity will certainly lead to other conditions which can kill you, whereas lack of most of the stomach...you have removed the reservoir part. It still makes acid, churns around to start digestion, sends small amounts of food to the small intestine.

I can't imagine a situation where you would need your stomach back. If you cannot get enough calories by mouth, you can have enteral feedings by tube. Your sleeve should not interfere with fertility at all if you are well-nourished and taking your Vitamins. Your fear of being criticized for having this surgery--well, you are an adult and made an informed decision using the best information available to you at the time. If anyone lectures you, you aren't a child, so stand up for yourself.

What's done is done. Focus on the positive, your improved health, your improved confidence, and your longer life. You are eating like a naturally thin person does and it's a big change.

[groovearmada 14]

Thank you Foxbins for such a well put reply. You know I think you might be onto something about directing my emotions onto this instead of other things. I work abroad and have been increasingly homesick, maybe this is what my real problem is?

I will try to write a list of all the positives this surgery has brought about. Maybe seeing it in print will help too.

I appreciate your reply. Heartfelt thank you.

[KellyL 173]

Wow, a normal BMI in 6 months, you have done so well!!!! Congrats! As far as your nagging fear, I have no idea where that is coming from either. I have seen a thread with this topic not too long ago, so you apparently are not alone in this fear that for some reason you may need your stomach. But you do still have a stomach, just way smaller. I could never find in my yrs of research, a reason why we would need a larger stomach vs. a smaller stomach. I know people have no problems getting pregnant or carrying their babies thru their full term pregnancy. So I just don't know, but I would venture to guess the emotions are coming from some where else too. Plus sometimes it's just hard to wrap our heads around being able to finally be successfull at losing the weight I think, so perhaps your fear is just not about needing your stomach, but also fear of the weight coming back, or just something negative to prevent you from experiencing your full happiness with your success.

I hope you are able to identify the causes of your concerns and fears. Perhaps you can research it, and set your mind at ease. Also get in touch with the other feelings. I imagine you do get homesick on a job that keeps you traveling. It's difficult to deal with our emotions and find other ways to channel them sometimes, and it's a big adjustment.

I am so thrilled for you, and you are such an inspiration!! You should definitely post some before/after pics!!

[groovearmada 14]

Thank you so much Kelly. A lovely reply. I am still scared of photos but I will try to bring myelf to upload some.

What you said about being scared to feel successful could def be something for me to think about.

Congrats to you too, I hope everything is still going smoothly.

I <3 this forum.

[jbauti5 3]

Hi, I am glad this subject came up and the responses are wonderfully well- put to, to ease our anxieties. I am scheduled to have the gastric sleeve next month and my anxieties get higher each day until I found thisforum. My cousin who had the Lap Band has gone through the same worries around 6 mos post op. It maybe fairly common to have these post op worries, but when we have a worry this is a great support system which is at our finger tips!

[GetInMyBelly 80]

Wow great helpful post. I understand the feelings/thoughts/guilt/concerns regarding cutting an organ, etc. And these replies have been great! Thanks for sharing.

[grannyk 58]

It is very frustrating to live in a "what " world. Most often, the "what ifs" never happen and we have wasted our time and energy worrying about nothing. People with stomach cancer can't afford to worry about all of those things because their alternative is a certain outcome. What's done is done, and I hope you can leave the deed behind and move forward in your new life to enjoy what you have accomplished. Best wishes and God bless...Kathe