Any Regrets?

[chunkyloverlovesyou 197]

Going to Germany this year and definitely regretting the fact I won't be able to drink a stein or two of delicious local beer

[NikkiDoc 312]

I got sleeved in early February 2015 and no regrets. However I have a feeling that people that had WLS and have regrets don't tend to frequent this board. I don't think that is the particular demographic that is represented here.

My co-worker had the band 6 years ago. The sleeve was not an option then. She has lost the weight and kept it off but does not recommend the band to anybody. She gets stuff stuck and still vomits periodically. Her sister had by-pass 10 years ago and she wishes she had that instead. She would love to revise to the sleeve but has no band slippage so insurance won't cover. She is happy she had surgery just not that surgery.

Her daughter had the band also 6 years ago and never lost weight. The doctor refused to do any more fills until she had a psych visit. She refused to have one. I bet she has gained another 50 or 75 pounds. She never should have had any weight loss surgery. She was not ready for it. She was also only 20 years old and very immature for her age. . She would eat, throw up, eat more. She never did the liquid diet pre-op and started eating solids too quick after surgery. She would eat slider foods and drink lots of alcohol. She did have a psych eval prior to surgery and "passed" it. Her cousin had the band 5 years ago and had the band removed a couple of years later since she never lost weight and then couldn't stand the thought of something foreign in her. Yes, most of the family has weight issues.

It is a tool. Do your research, take your time and make sure that you are willing to do the work. It will take work and planning. It is not a magic wand. For me it has been well worth it. However it is not for everybody. Your choice in which WLS is also a personal thing.

[sharonintx 1,275]

Not being the fattest person in the room or even one of the fat people in the room is the best thing ever. I love it. Will never take for granted the change in my appearance.

[wright616 84]

I have no regrets! I am down over 50 pounds in less than four months. My husband is looking forward to having his surgery soon. Good luck!

[wannaBthinsoon 1,634]

No regrets whatsoever! Not even when I woke up from the surgery. Not when I first got up from the hospital bed to walk the halls. Not when I got home and had to sleep on my back. Not when the drain was pulled out. Not when I had to give myself injections to prevent blood clots. This is been the most wonderful journey I could ever imagine. I had a really easy recovery, and I truly believe being totally educated on what you will be facing and experiencing during this time is key. I knew what to expect, and I enjoyed every second of it. Attitude is truly everything!!

[Julie norton 2,850]

I am thankful everyday that I am able to feel like I am navigating this world from a " normal" size.. Whatever that is to each of us.

Thrilled to not be obsessed about diets or calories .....or driven by hunger!!!!

I am also thankful for feeling successful with my weight for over 8 years... I could not feel like that before WLS

[peg from Minnesota 33]

I am so happy to finally get registered on this site, I am not real computer savy but I really enjoy all your advice and encouragements. I am also a newbie and just got my surgery date July 13th, I will also have my trac stretched at the same time!! I had to be intabated after my heart failure Dec.9th 2013. It lead to alot of scare tissue that fills in my trac and so I have had about 9 stretchings because it really makes my air short. Shortness of breath and being 100 pounds overweight has been awlful! Hopefully getting rid of this big belly well make my life easier? I hope that I can handle all of the directions, walk, walk, walk and eat Protein first? I like Premier Protein also chocolate being my favorite , Anything strawberry reminds me of some of those diet drinks from the 70's oh they were awlful.I am hopeful to get rid of my diabetes and blood pressure meds , I have a very big drug bill every month so I am looking forward to seeing how it all plays out for me, I know that everyone is different .Looking forward to positive things to come.

[Cujucuyo 34]

Regrets? Many. One of my life dreams was to go around the world like in Bizarre Foods eating the weird cuisine, now that's almost impossible...

but hey, life is short, I'm now at 228lbs in a size 38 jeans with many people praising how the new look is going, so all in all it's not that bad.

[IcanMakeit 1,318]

Yeah, I regretted the surgery for about a month after I admitted to myself that WLS was not magic that would cause me to lose weight without effort. When I truly accepted that I would have to make real changes in my lifestyle in order to be successful, I was as petulant as a thwarted 2 year old. But now I actually like my new way of eating. I now tend to make healthy food choices as a matter of habit, with no thought or effort required. I am so glad I decided to have the VSG. It has given me back my health.

[Veronda 30]

I regret having been banded. I hated it. I lived with it for 5.5 years and last month finally revised to bypass. It hurt to eat anything but I was hungry all the time and never got full. I lost weight only when I literally couldn't tolerate food. One poster mentioned that those who regret it likely aren't on here...and it's true. I didn't get back on until I became committed to revision. At the same time, I was convinced that the band would cure me because hunger has always been my issue and they promised a low appetite, but they were wrong (at least for me....and all the other revisions that are currently being done). So can I really regret it if I also would have regretted it if I hadn't gotten it? I can't say whether I'll regret the bypass, but I hope I don't. So far things have been easier than the band, and I have tolerated everything I've attempted to eat so far. There is really no way to know until you do it, which is really difficult to know.

[azsqwurl 21]

Thanks everyone! Great feedback and lots to think about!!!!

[parisshel 1,892]

I regret my choice in WLS only because it led to a complication I would not have developed had I not had surgery, or had I chosen a different WLS.

That said, regret is pointless. I can't know for sure that I wouldn't have developed this (or another) complication had I not had surgery, or had I chosen a different surgery.

Thirdly, if I hadn't had WLS, I'd probably be sitting here today saying "Oh I wish I had gone ahead with my decision to get a lapband, because now I'm the heaviest I've ever been!"

I took off a chunk of weight thanks to my band. Only wished I could have been one of those who could say today "No regrets!" But you never ever know how these things are going to turn out...no one can predict who is going to get hit with the complications, and who is going to remain problem-free.

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

I regret living a less fullfilling life for decades due to obesity

I regret that I needed the help of WLS to attain and maintain a normal, healthy weight/size

I recognize that WLS is a risk, both short term and long term but I am ever grateful for this help, this "chance" and living the life I have always dreamed of.

[DreamWeaver44 30]

Does anyone regret their decision to have WLS? Does anyone wish they had not done it? If so, why? I have seen so many people talk about their only regret being that they didn't do it sooner but I am curious about the other side and perspective.

Thanks! And for all those that are happy with their decision, go ahead and post about that too. Motivation is a good thing!!

I don't regret it... but I say to people, "If you have even a modicum of self-control, you MAY not have to choose this option". I didn't... but do I wish I could eat like normal healthy people? Knowing what I know now, do I wish I could have learned to eat tiny healthy portions on my own? Yes, but I couldn't. I'm a little envious of people who can "mostly" eat healthy and then say "let loose" at a cookout! We'll never be able to indulge like we once did... but it is what it is, and I made the choice I needed to.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

I don't regret it... but I say to people, "If you have even a modicum of self-control, you MAY not have to choose this option". I didn't... but do I wish I could eat like normal healthy people? Knowing what I know now, do I wish I could have learned to eat tiny healthy portions on my own? Yes, but I couldn't. I'm a little envious of people who can "mostly" eat healthy and then say "let loose" at a cookout! We'll never be able to indulge like we once did... but it is what it is, and I made the choice I needed to.

Be careful what you wish for - someday you'll be able to eat way more than you think right now. I find myself wishing for that extreme restriction I had in the beginning. Now I can eat like a normal, thin person. It would be a lot easier to maintain if that restriction were still as strong as in the beginning when a few bites was my max. I actually am the person who eats mostly healthy and lets loose a little at a cookout. The problem is that I can do a lot of damage at that cookout!

Either way, I'm still not regretting...