I will regret this for the rest of my life

[Disabledaccount 154]

But not in the way you think!

Look I'm not one of these assholes that thinks this is the easy way out or there's a right way to lose weight but as my surgery looms on Monday I can't help but wonder if I tried hard enough to lose weight on my own.

Months ago, if you'd told me to go on a liquid diet I would have told you to go f**k ourself. No way on earth I thought I would be able to endure the liquid diet and yet I did and lost 25 pounds. I'm looking forward to the positive lifestyle changes And weight loss that VSG will bring but even at my goal weight I don't think I'll be able to get over the fact that it had to come this. Oddly also feel I will regret not having tackled this weight issue and thought of VSG earlier as my 20s were essentially lost battling my weight, feeling isolated and not having much of a social life. Youth wasted!

Maybe because there's a stigma about weight loss surgery I dunno. As much as I'm looking forward to being sleeved, I'm hating that I have to.

Anyone feel like this?

[Beach Lover 1,084]

I think your feelings are totally normal and I wrestled with this very issue for 2 years before I decided to do it. My only regret is that it took this long. I will be 53 next week and have lost 60 pounds so far. I couldn't have done this without my sleeve. I have tried everything possible and only ended up yo yoing and gaining. Sometimes in life we need help for whatever reason. This was my hand up and I will forever be happy with my decision. You will be amazed at how great you are going to feel and believe me this was not the easy way out. Don't get hung up on what others perceive and callously say. They don't even come close to understanding what an obese life is like or the struggles that we have had to try and lose the weight. Your life will return to you once you have healed from the surgery only better!! Hang in there!

[HotMessPrincess 39]

I've just made the decision to have surgery and yes, I feel this way as well. Ten years ago, I was one of those angry fat people who swore I'd never have surgery because it was "the easy way out". I think we all know that can't be farther from the truth.

Even though I'm just starting out in my process, I've often wondered "Why can't I just follow the diet without the surgery? I'm going to have to do it for a time, anyway..." I totally get you on that!! However, I know...as I look back on over 20 years of trying to lose weight and get healthy that I'm not going to be able to do this without the helpful tool of surgery - and that's all it is: a tool. It's up to all of us to do our part of the work or this will just be another temporary flash in the pan.

Only you can know what's right for you, but in the short time I've been reading these boards I've noticed that many, many people start self-doubting right before their surgery date. I think it's only natural.

You'd done an amazing job on your pre-surgery diet and you're gonna rock this out of the park. :-) And you can tell me all about it because I'm right behind you and I need to hear what you have to say about your experience.

It's like you're on the path ahead of me, leaving bread crumbs for me to follow. Carb-free bread crumbs, of course. :-)

[nepagirl 24]

I think get it. I am (hopefully) getting sleeved in the Spring. Right now, all I can do is look at my teenage daughters and wonder how much of their lives I missed because I didn't have the energy. All my 20s, half my 30s...wasted.

Edit: I had an opportunity 10 years ago to get the bypass. I (smugly) decided I was better than that. I probably should have gotten it then, but now I am honestly happy the sleeve is available.

Edited October 20, 2013 by nepagirl

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

your topic tone disturbs me. you regret it already, then why do it?

I tried every diet every program, therapy, you name it. even had the stupid lapband for 10 years. I could probably write diet books nd cookbooks and run support meetings for the ones I have attended for freaking DECADES. I have fought the waragainst my obesity since i was 8 years old - about a 40 year battle.

VSG saved my life and I went into it with a serious attitude that I was gonna make it work. It finally gave me the tool I needed - already had the determination and still do.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Well honestly, your regret seems to be based on the false assumption that most of the world has....that anyone can lose the weight if they just eat less and exercise more. And yet the statistics do not bare that out. Less than 10% of obese people are able to lose the weight and keep it off. It's not from a lack of trying by those people. Indeed most if not all of us tried and failed many many times.

There are many factors both psychological and physiological that make it improbable for most of us to lose the weight and keep it off. The surgery is not the easy way out. It's not a short cut and it's not cheating. It's a tool to help you overcome those obstacles unfairly put in our way....those obstacles that most non obese people know nothing about. Do not feel guilty and do not regret your decision. I am almost 18 months post op. I've lost my weight, started a new life and found many reasons for living that I never dreamed existed. Those things would not be any sweeter had I lost the weight without surgery.

Edited October 20, 2013 by Butterthebean

[Beach Lover 1,084]

Well honestly, your regret seems to be based in the false assumption that most of the world has....that anyone can lose the weight if they just less and exercise more. And yet the statistics do not bare that out. Less than 10% of obese people are able to lose,the weight and keep it off. It's not from a lack of trying by those people. Indeed most if not all of us tried and failed many many times.

There are many factors both psychological and physiological that make it improbable for most of us to lose the weight and keep it off. The surgery is not the easy way out. It's not a short cut and it's not cheating. It's a tool to help you overcome those obstacles unfairly put in our way....those obstacles that most non obese people know nothing about. Do not feel guilty and do not regret your decision. I am almost 18 months post op. I've lost my weight, started a new life and found many reasons for living that I never dreamed existed. Those things would not be any sweeter had I lost the weight without surgery.

Well said Butter!!

[Justinh125 472]

Plus, you could do what I do and not tell anybody why you keep shrinking or why you can only eat small portions of food at a time.

[Crissy 15]

You are not alone. I have had these exact feelings multiple times. I have to keep reminding myself that if I could lose the weight myself, I already would have. Yes I've been doing the 1200 calorie diet for about a month now but I also know that I could not continue to do it forever. I have messed up some days. But, some days aren't every day. I get back on the horse and start again. The sleeve is going to be the tool that enables me to daily limit my intake. Yes, I will be giving up some things, but in the long run those things are what got me where I am. Since I can't say no to myself, my sleeve will answer for me. I hope you can find your own peace with your decision.

[RebecaSparkles 247]

I'm only 29 & I regret not doing this 10 years ago. I always always knew I'd eventually have wls. For me it was money & insurance not a desire problem.

I'm so happy to hopefully get this weight off. Even if I only make down to 150# & not my goal of 115 I'll be happy.

I've tried several diets & been miserable forever.

allons-y

[RJ'S/beginning 5,358]

I cannot believe that anyone in their right mind would think WLS is the easy way out..For me it has been one thing after another for the 11 months I have been working on this journey..It takes courage and fortitude to do this...The tool AKA the sleeve is just that a tool..We have to work on our heads and what brought us to this point..That is hard work..Not to mention the emotional changes as well as what we eat and how much we eat compared to before...

I deal every day with the weight loss. It was my fear that if I lost to much weight I would have other problems...I don't feel that way now...Bring it all on...I am tackling every demon that helped me to become fluffy in the first place.....

Wish I could have been able to do this sooner then be on a waiting list for 4 years......

[TJL 222]

I really struggled before I opted for the sleeve. Prior to that for at least a couple of years my PCP kept suggesting WLS, but I kept trying to do it on my own, and believe me I tried everything out there. i have always been active, played sports, used a tread mill or walked everyday but without the restriction that the sleeve provides I just couldn't budge the weight. Before I had my son I practically starved myself to keep my weight down, but once I got pregnant it was all over. I love the fact that I can eat small amounts now and I'm full, really full and I never was before. I am glad that I waited and got the sleeve instead of the bypass, I love my sleeve!

[ElyQuint 446]

I'm 3 months out and 51 pds down. I wasted 20 years of my life being afraid to accept the miracles of modern medicine. After your surgery you will know that this is not the easy way out. The more people who are not afraid to tell the truth about having had the surgery, the sooner this stigma will be lifted. Could I have lost weight on my own? Sure, done it hundreds of times. Did I keep it off? Nope. But this little tool; this incredible little miracle of modern science has given me an awareness of food as fuel and body as biology and I will not take this for granted. I regret the choices that got me here but not the choice to commit to a sustainable way out. I hope the choice you make brings you the results you desire.

[Hidden from view 159]

As much as I'm looking forward to being sleeved, I'm hating that I have to.

Anyone feel like this?

Oh, I had that argument with myself as well. Since I would have to eat smaller portions AFTER the surgery, why don't I just eat smaller portions period!

But as any permanent dieter knows, it just isn't possible. If it was, everyone would be skinny. I'm not good at weight loss, so I chose the sleeve. Am I a failure? No way! I'm good at lots of other things. Just so happens dieting isn't one of them!

Who cares how you achieve weight loss? The important thing is that you do. :-)

[Montereygrl 104]

I have told everyone and I am only 4 weeks out. I have found nothing but an out pouring of love and support from all my friends and family. I think it's made my journey that much easier.

40+ lbs, 2 pants sizes and 2-3 shirt sizes (depends on fit) lost