I am considering surgery, what's your pros and cons?

[Amberbo 7]

With me living in Canada and thinking of getting the procedure done in Tijuana I can't see me flying multiple times back and forth for appointments :/

[Amberbo 7]

@grace4liberty...I'm not sure who I'm going to tell yet if I get it done, I am thinking and thinking that this will be a good decision cause I have been overweight for 17 years now. Before I met my husband I was 180lbs, 10 months after I met and fell in love with him we adopted our first son at 6months old and I gained 50lbs and my body acted like I gave birth to him. When we adopted our second son at 8 months old a year later I only gained about 10lbs, then my husband and I decided to get married I was at about 240 by then and I managed to lose 30lbs in 3 months to fit my wedding dress, when we adopted our third son at birth, 2 years after getting married, I gain another 50lbs and my body acted like I gave birth to him as well, 5 years later I got pregnant and gave birth to our daughter and had gained a whooping 70lbs with her. After giving birth to her I managed to drop 50lbs and fluctuate between 270 & 290 now and have tried multiple diets(Herbalife and thrive plus others) and even went to the gym and nothing seems to have helped any so far. I have a few friends that have gotten wls done in 2014 and they don't regret it one bit either and if anything those friends would be the only ones I would tell I think cause they said they would help me if I needed anything since they have gone thru everything already

[Grace4liberty 6]

I have a lot of really hurtful small minded people in my life through marriage. We couldn't have kids both at fault. Yet they blamed me. I had endometriosis. He had 2 headed sperm. Never smoked pot in his life yet the doc said he did. Had a total hysterectomy 7 years ago. Packed on 70 lbs. I just want to forget all the family crap mine and his and do this for me. I just want to be thin. My mother said I never would be because of my fathers German heritage. Omg I just want to get rid of all that influenced crap. Had nothing to do with me really. Just whatever my mother said was me.

[2goldengirl 2,076]

With me living in Canada and thinking of getting the procedure done in Tijuana I can't see me flying multiple times back and forth for appointments :/

As I understand it, you do your appointments via Skype and telephone, so don't let that be a barrier. There is a forum here for folks who are planning to, or have gone, to Mexico.

[Amberbo 7]

That's a crappy deal grace4liberty but ya I agree do it for yourself! I haven't told my husband yet that I am contemplating getting this done, I know he will say I am fine the way I am and that he loves me the way I am but I'm not happy with the way I am.

[Amberbo 7]

That's good to know 2goldengirl, I was kind of wondering how that would work lol and as I said I have had friends go so I think I may find that topic and check it out

[Mountaingal 322]

I was about where you are with losing interest in things etc before I decided to get surgery. Now I have far more interest and energy to enjoy life with. Plus my health is far better. If you are thinking of going to Mexico you could be at no better place to find out all about. I had my surgery through the offers Bariatric Pal does and could not have been happier with any aspect of the experience. My husband said the same things you think yours will. His dr also did not approve of WLS. Between that and the cost I waited another 5 yrs till I did it. Don't do that and watch life pass you by. Good luck.

[Threetimesacharm 1,400]

With me living in Canada and thinking of getting the procedure done in Tijuana I can't see me flying multiple times back and forth for appointments :/

I had my GB in Tijuana in September and exactly no leaving your house for appointments! Email, Facebook will be your tools. I used Bariatric Pal surgeon Dr Zavalza and he is amazing!! Please PM me if you have any questions. I would use him again in a heartbeat. You have amazing support and are never alone. I can contact the surgeon anytime and he will always respond(via facebook).

[Bandista 7,466]

@@Amberbo congratulations on deciding to research weight loss surgery -- for me this was an act of choosing myself first and deciding on a healthy happy future. I was 53 and had never been an overnight patient in a hospital before, so weight loss surgery was a big decision. I found that in making that step I was admitting to myself that I just couldn't do it anymore. I was so worn out from diet after diet -- decades of various regimes. I'd lose weight and then put it back on with a little more each time. Getting the appetite monster off of my back was the best decision I ever made. As a stress eater, I thought about food all the time. I am some one who benefited from therapy. I live in a rural area and our hospital only had bariatric information sessions every other month. My process took five months and in that time I worked with a therapist to break down my triggers. It wasn't as though I hadn't done work on myself before. I had. You should have seen my bookshelves! I knew I was an emotional eater, blah, blah, blah. First twinge of any kind of stress and all I wanted to do was find something to soothe those feelings. We worked to really identify the specifics of what was going on and I discovered a few things that set me off in particular -- like a conference call or going for a meeting. I'd always prep with food, food, food and then reward myself after. Now I don't do that anymore. The desire is just gone. I actually welcome hunger because that's a sign that it's time for me to get something to eat. I love being a dainty eater -- I have learned to listen to my body and have small portions at appropriate intervals. I was not able to do this without intervention. I hope you find the help you need -- don't take advice from strangers on the internet but we are here for support. Find a good doctor and work with them to figure out the best path forward. And know that in choosing yourself first every one else benefits tenfold. It's amazing. Show up for YOU. You'll be so happy you did. Sending best wishes your way!

PS I am adopted and an adoptive mother -- talk about choosing. That's what I always say, chosen babies are very special.

[lmm300missouri 95]

Please take the surgery seriously, it has been so easy for me. I love my sleeve, I fit into a size 6 jeans today and I'm over 60. Once you decide to have the surgery do so with your whole heart and mind, don't look back only forward.

My knees and ankles were horrible and I was on daily meds for osteoarthritis and pain. I'm not on them any longer, still pain if I over do but I do stairs more often now. I work out on abs and rowing, so I can sit to work out versus standing so I do exercise now.

The skin sagging is no fun but a big part of that is my age and genetics.

It doesn't make your life perfect and it is sometimes strange how people act to your weight loss or say dumb things but that is better than fat comments.

Suggestions I found helpful.

Gas ex tablets or melt strips

Find a follow up dr/md that specializes in wls as they know the in's and out's they will help you be successful! (I didn't think I needed one at first but have so supportive and helpful)

Keep in touch with your shrink because some days are easy and others are tough as hell.

Believe you can do it! I know you can!

[pink dahlia 2,513]

Amberbo, adopted or not, ALL of your kids are special and perfect !!! 3 out of my 4 kids are adopted !! As I type this im holding my grown adopted daughters 3 month old ( our 1st grand baby !!) and Im madky in love with this little cutie !!! Who cares if shes not our " biological " grandchild ?? Not us ! And yes, my biology went haywire too !! So glad I had WLS to "fix" the problem ! Good luck !!!

[Amberbo 7]

Oh don't get me wrong i love all my children as if they were my own, I just meant I never gave birth to them so couldn't even say I gained the weight cause of pregnancy lol but my body sure acted like I was pregnant lol with our first one I gained the weight, felt nauseous and everything, I even thought I was actually pregnant and went for a pregnancy test lol

Edited January 14, 2016 by Amberbo

[Graciesmom04 184]

I read your post and hear your story in my own voice as if I'm saying it myself. I am almost 1 year out of sleeve, done 1/28/15. Best decision in my life. Two other times I'd lost 50lbs on my own, before gaining 70+ back. At my all time highest I was 273lbs and hated every bit of myself. Wouldn't take any pics, be in any pics. Deal breaker was going on my 2nd safari in Africa and sitting sideways in the chair in plane for 14hrs, cause I was taking up someone else's space and hunting, climbing a small hill, I was so out of breath, I thought I'd spook the animal I was hunting. Got home and said this is it, I'm done...lets do something. I am the happiest I've been in years. Amazingly my depression is gone. I'm not as moody, as grouchy or as tearful...and all that was even while on an antidepressant!

Whichever decision you make, make it the right one for you and but I will never regret my decision to do this, ever.

[needtorecover 574]

I'm only a few weeks out from surgery but so far, no regrets at all.

I'm in my 30's and I already have high blood pressure and am close to needing medication to lower cholesterol. My joints hurt, my back hurts, I can't get up and down from the floor easily, I can't bend over in a chair to reach something, I have to hoist my leg up onto my knee to put on shoes, I run out of breath easily... the list goes on.

I love food, and I'm a volume eater. I eat fast and I eat a lot. Well, at least I did pre-surgery. I've never been much of a snacker except having dessert at night so I thought lap band surgery was best for me. Even though I haven't had a fill yet I eat very slowly and chew very carefully and I think harder about when my satiety level is reached. To me, vomiting is the absolute worst feeling in the world - if I'm sick I breathe through my mouth, lay on my back, and pray I won't vomit. When I do vomit, I cry. A lot. So I have a very strong incentive to eat carefully - the thought of making myself sick is plenty of motivation to not eat quickly or too much.

And beyond the quick and prolonged satiety, I need immediate consequences to stick to any diet. I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant and I stopped eating sugar because of the immediate consequence of hurting my son. Veering off a diet has no consequences... other than making me feel like a failure and causing me to say "screw it" and go on a bender, then back to my old ways.

This is just my perspective. Check around your area to find a doctor and make sure he/she uses your insurance. A lot of insurance companies will cover WLS now because it costs less than the comorbidities associated with obesity.

[Amberbo 7]

The thing is tho I don't find myself to be a big eater or binge eater. Some days I don't feel hungry at all but make myself eat something. I also don't think I eat lots when I do eat, my husband and sons eat way more then me for sure lol