Post-op: 2 questions

[Jenny_Baldwin 27]

I'm pre-op (Dec14). Since early June, I've lost nearly 25lbs, am exercising regularly, am 100 lbs from my goal weight, have got my sugar under control & dropped 2 of 3 diabetes meds, & am feeling fantastic. However, I have 2 questions/concerns bouncing around in my head.

1) Did you ever have second thoughts prior to the surgery, starting to wonder if THIS time you were ready/able to do it on your own, without major surgery as an intervention?

2) How/when/what did you tell people about having the surgery and/or why you were losing weight so rapidly?

Your thoughts on these questions are very much appreciated!

[James Marusek 5,244]

1. Many people have doubts or questions about going ahead with the operation. They still wonder if they can achieve weight loss without surgery. For many that undergo the operation, we have come to realize that we can't, and this represents the only viable real option available.

2. I told everyone that I had the surgery. But many people limit who they tell. In part I think this is due to the diet mentality. Many people go on diets, lose weight, tell their friends, gain weight, feel like failures. Since I didn't do too much yo-yo dieting prior to surgery, I didn't feel stigmatized like those associated with diet routines.

Whenever someone approached me and asked me "How I lost the weight", I told them "I had an operation". After a pause, I could see the wheels moving in their brain. They thought what kind of surgery? Cancer? So I said "It was Weight Loss Surgery and it seems to be successful". I am now 29 months post op, and the main comments that I receive is "You sure look good!"

[Ashlegal 525]

I had serious doubts during the six month weigh ins, the last time I met with my surgeon and while I was in pre-op waiting to go into surgery. It is a common thread among those deciding to make such a big, life changing decision.

I would play over and over in my head the "what if's", the "how comes" the "what happens when"...It was at times so frustrating, nerve-wrecking and exciting. I was on my way to having a new life, a new chance at something, a different, better, healthier me and yet I still had doubts. I am seven weeks post-op and have small meltdowns at least once a week. It is a serious life style change that starts from your head to your toes. Your head needs to be re-programmed and your toes need to always be moving you forward.

I don't know about you but I have been a yo-yo dieter since I was a teen. 20 years of losing, gaining, losing, gaining more than I lost, losing a little, gaining more; made me aware that I needed a drastic decision to be made.

This is not an easy decision, it is not an easy way to get out of being obese and most importantly it is not just about losing weight. It is so much more and because it is, all the work, all the effort, all the challenges, the doubts, the worries, the sacrifices are worth it.

It is outside of being a mother the biggest dedication I have to this life I was given. It takes incredible will-power to change the habits of 20 plus years and to make a commitment so great that in a year (or less, or more) you won't recognize the person you see today, she'll be a memory that validates your decision to have WLS.

[dhrguru 1,238]

I'm pre-op (Dec14). Since early June, I've lost nearly 25lbs, am exercising regularly, am 100 lbs from my goal weight, have got my sugar under control & dropped 2 of 3 diabetes meds, & am feeling fantastic. However, I have 2 questions/concerns bouncing around in my head.

1) Did you ever have second thoughts prior to the surgery, starting to wonder if THIS time you were ready/able to do it on your own, without major surgery as an intervention?

2) How/when/what did you tell people about having the surgery and/or why you were losing weight so rapidly?

Your thoughts on these questions are very much appreciated!

1) No I had no second thoughts; but, this was my second time looking into surgery. I started 5 years ago and for a few reason dropped the idea. I *knew* I was ready now. I anticipated a long pre-op process and told my self if I lost on my own to the point where I needed to lose less than a 100# before surgery i would not go through with it. My pre-op time was super fast, (~8weeks), so I never made it that far and stuck with the decision to have surgery. I'm glad i did,

2) I've not told anyone who hasn't already known about the surgery since pre-op. If the comment comes about I just say I'm eating less and moving more. One person guessed about my having surgery-- I said yup and moved on. The more I go on-- the happier I am only a minimal # of people are aware, I do not get pestered with questions.

[The Candidate 3,215]

1) Never once had a second thought. I waited a year, and surgery day couldn't come fast enough. No regrets.

2) I decided from the start that I would only tell a select few. My family and a couple of friends. I have no regrets on this issue either, but then I'm a very private person. There is no right or wrong answer on this.

I've lost a vast amount of weight over the years, and of course, gained it back. So I don't think it's too shocking to see me do it again. The shock will factor in as I keep it off long term. ????

There was no keeping secret that I was having a lot of medical issues and pain leading up to my surgery. A lot of them have cleared up since surgery, and people are happy for me. I didn't specify type of surgery, nor was I required to. People at work have respected that decision so far and not pried further. I've received a lot of compliments on my weight loss so far, but I never specify the amount lost. I only answer by saying I was having health issues that I couldn't ignore.