But... What If I Really Love Food? And Other Questions

[greatestnameever 49]

I'm 25. I'm going to get the surgery. I'm deciding between sleeve and Lap Band, but I'm leaning towards sleeve. I'm going to do it. I need to.

But food is such a huge part of my life. It used to be a crutch for me, and now my relationship with it is a lot healthier. But... I still love it so much.

And what about exercise? Right now I work out 5 times a week, doing things from cardio to weight training to yoga to boxing. I bench press 140 pounds, which is pretty good for a woman. I'm told that my musculature won't change after the surgery. But will my body make it harder for me to lose weight?

I'm terrified of the staples causing a leak and getting an infection. I'm scared of dying during surgery even though I had my gallbladder removed before and apparently that's more dangerous. I'm scared I won't be able to go out with my friends anymore. I'm scared that I won't even make it through the pre-op diet.

Is it hard to separate your weight from who you really are? I'm a comedian, and I'm genuinely worried that I won't be funny anymore. What if I no longer stand out?

I currently weigh 270 and I'd love to weigh 200. Any less, I can't imagine. I can't even fathom. What if my body just isn't designed to be smaller than it is?

What about sushi? Does anyone have any insight about sushi?

This is a scattered series of thoughts, and for that I apologize.

Seriously, any advice about sushi would be greatly appreciated.

[Elode 8,093]

Lol yep all over the place, but that's ok I get it! I can't even begin to answer all that Because most of it is a "time will tell" kind of answer. I can tell you that the chance of a leak and death are pretty darn slim, skinny comedians are funny too hello Louis CK!, and sushi is going to take a min but it's not out of the question. Your love of food may change, I know I could careless About food or eating at this point ( which is amazing considering I was a food-a-holic ) I know crazy right!? Of course you can still go out with friends! Why would you not be able to? Your planing a WLS not a funeral silly!

[BitterSweet* 835]

You are going to do fine. When you go back to see your surgeon and make a final decision, please discuss with him or her the information going around that Lap Bands may be pulled from the market. I've heard that for quite some time, and many bariatric surgeons are not performing them any longer.

[Miss Mac 6,262]

You don't need to worry about not being funny anymore. Did Lisa Lampanelli quit being funny after her surgery? Look at other female commediennes who are not openly struggling with their weight:

Kathy Griffin, Amy Schumer (nice curves and she's not thin), Maria Banford, Margaret Cho (she lost weight), Michelle Collins, Whitney Cummings, Ellen DeGeneres, Tina Fey, Kathlene Madigan, Amy Poehler, the beloved Joan Rivers, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes, the late Gilda Radnor, Drew Carey (had weight loss surgery) and back in the day we had Lucille Ball and Carol Burnette......these are just a few I am familiar with.

This list only goes to show that you do not have to have your life at risk with obesity in order to be funny. Your humor isn't coming from fat cells - there can't be any science that backs that up. Your humor comes from your heart....and since this isn't heart surgery, you should still be plenty funny even when you are healthier!

I hope other folks on the forum can answer your other questions; I just wanted to encourage you on this issue. I wish you good luck and good health.

[Sleeve101 72]

Same here...I heard lap band turned out to not be a safe option...my doc advised against it, said sleeve was more effective and much much safer...

Breaking up with food will be hard, but not as hard as you think now. There will be times when you don't listen to your post op instructions and may try to sneak a bite of real food - after a few painful times and puking to feel better, you will never see good the same again. You may fear it more than you thought you'd keep loving it.

After what I went through to get sleeved and what I've experienced during my recovery and after, my life no longer revolves around food. I kinda hate it because it hurts still. I can't wait until I'm back to normal, but I know I will never over eat like I used to.

You will be fine!!! Good luck!! It's not easy, but it's definitely doable!

[Miss Mac 6,262]

OK, so Drew Carey is not a gal, but he is still funny even though he lost a whole peson.

[joatsaint 2,814]

Of course you can still be funny. I've seen comedians, including Ralphie May and Lisa Lamponelli, incorporate their weight loss surgery adventures into their routines. How about normal sized comedians - Amy Schumer, Chelsea Peretti, Maria Bamford and Margaret Cho. Can you tell I'm a female comedian fanboy???

As far as food goes, I can eat anything I want, just less of it. After the 9 month post-op mark, I was back to eating anything I wanted - except Taco Bell taco sauce (for some reason it still makes Frankensleeve unhappy!)

And you can still go out with friends to eat. I started going out again at around 6 weeks. I already knew that I wouldn't be eating as much as them, but I was going out for the company, not the food. So now I make fun of how much they are eating while I eat like a bird.

The rest? Yes it is major surgery, so I won't B.S. you about the risk, no matter how slight. But I only wish I had had the nerve to go through with WLS when I was in my 20's instead of 46. It's a whole new life.

[cdenney123 103]

I was always the one thinking whats for dinner or whats for lunch or what can I snack on.. Now I have to remind myself to eat and nothing taste that good so I just drink Protein shakes. A big difference from where I was at 2 months ago with what can I get at Taco Bell or In N out... Fast food sounds so horrible now for me and I hope this will continue to make my life easier..

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Great comments above.

However ... yes, if you've been fat all your life and are "comfy" with it you *will* have to build a new relationship with your slimmer body. That will require effort and accommodation on your part.

What you don't know, however, and you *can't* know at age 25 is just how much more unhealthy you're going to get if you already weigh 270 pounds at age 25 and don't use WLS or some other dramatic means to lose and maintain a healthier weight.

Spoiler alert: You'll soon weigh over 300 pounds. You'll be physically and mentally miserable. You won't keep going to the gym. And you'll gain weight and become more unhealthy faster and faster.

That's the problem with obesity: It doesn't stabilize. It just gets worse and worse and worse.

Oh, and sushi ... yes, you can eat sushi after you've been sleeved. Not immediately, but eventually. For some bizarre reason, many WLS patients seem to think that their immediate post-op experience presages what the rest of their life will be like. But of course it won't be like that. You'll heal. You'll learn new behaviors. You'll be fine.

[mroth28 23]

Thank you for posting....I am nervous about my " after" story also. I am afraid that I won't know who the new me is....but after reading the responses to you, I feel better! New life here I come!

[NavyMom2006 119]

I was like the Cookie Monster, with fries. I would smack on fries any chance I got. About a month ago, I picked up McD's for my son, and thought, let me try a fry, since I hadn't had one for about 6 weeks. Let me tell you, it was the grossest thing!! It tasted and smelled like grease. I had to spit it out into a napkin and now he has to go get it himself because I can't stand the smell in the car!!

You'll be fine - I go out with friends, I usually just order an appetizer or Soup and enjoy my time with everyone. ????