Introducing myself...

[HappyDance78 1]

Hello!
I'm new to the community and wanted to take a moment to introduce myself.

I had my WLS consultation yesterday, and have decided to pursue the gastric sleeve. I am fortunate that I have already gotten insurance approval, and upon completion of all of my pre-op tests/obligations, should be able to schedule surgery for sometime in the next 4-6 weeks.

I've struggled with my weight my whole life, and am ready to get a handle on it. I'm a married mom of 2 young girls, and it is so important to me that they see me as a role model for a healthy lifestyle. Now is the time for me to get this under control. I'm anxious, but very excited about what my future holds.

I'm looking forward to getting to know you all, and finding support here!

Some questions I've thought of--if any of you have an insight, I'd love to hear it:

-My FIL had gastric bypass several years back, and ended up with quite an alcohol problem afterwards (he is now going to AA and doing much better). This is one of my husband's main concerns for me about getting surgery--trading one addiction for another. I'm not a big drinker, so I don't see alcohol as being problematic--in fact, I plan to give it up entirely for the forseeable future, but perhaps shopping, or something else that could replace food in my life, is his concern.

-I'd like to try and keep my surgery journey private for the time being. I'm worried about how to respond when people start noticing my weight. I have some ideas, but feel like I'll crack and tell people, then wish I hadn't.

-I'm a straw drinker. I guzzle drinks quickly and am going to have to learn to sip. But I'll admit that I'm already in mourning over the loss of my straw. Is this forever?

-I'm a Diet Coke addict. I look forward to breaking free of the hold it has over me (man, that sounds absurd--but it is true!) But I'll admit I'm mourning idea of that loss too. I'd like to think maybe someday I could have one occasionally (my surgeon seemed ok with moderate amounts of carbonated beverages after 6 mo out). But maybe it's time to cut the cord permanently.

-I am afraid of the Hair loss. My surgeon said its pretty inevitable, but should be temporary. My hair's pretty fine & thin anyway, so it concerns me. I'm hoping I'm able to keep it a minimum.

Ok, I'm just rambling now. Thanks for taking the time to read this! I look forward to getting to know you all!

[JamieLogical 8,708]

First of all, welcome! This site is a great tool for getting your through this journey. You will find support, sympathy, tough love, and LOTS of great information here. So please do not hesitate to post your questions, concerns, and rants here! Also feel free to join in on any existing topics. We all have great insight to offer one another. I find that, even 18 months post-op, this site helps keep me engaged and accountable and I love "paying it forward" so to speak, since it was such a huge help to me in the early part of my journey.

Now, on to your questions!

It does seem quite common for people to develop some other sort of addiction, once they are no longer able to turn to food for comfort. It's certainly not inevitable and as long as you are mindful, it can probably be avoided. If it is a real and legitimate concern of yours, it might be wise to find some sort of councilor or therapist and begin working through your addiction issue NOW, in preparation for the surgery.

Who to tell what and when is something each of us has to work through for ourselves. Some people choose to tell everyone right up front. Some people only tell close family. Some people plan not to tell, but end up telling when the questions start. There's no "right" answer. You have to figure out what you are comfortable with. If you just want to go with "eating less and moving more" when the inevitable questions arise, it won't be a lie.

The straw rule.... So the issue with drinking from a straw is the potential to suck in and swallow air, which can be VERY uncomfortable immediately post-op. There's no real physical danger. And as long as you are careful and mindful, it shouldn't be a real problem. Some people find it is the only way to get all of their Water in. I personally don't use straws in general anymore, but if I'm out and a server brings me a drink with a straw in it, I will use it. No big deal.

Diet coke... definitely just cut that out. Carbonation is a little like the straw rule, though more severe. The concern again is gas/air in the stomach. It can make some people very uncomfortable or even cause pain. There are some theories about it stretching the sleeve over time, but I haven't found any concrete studies or proof of that. My theory is that aside from the potential for discomfort, surgeons and nutritionists discourage carbonated beverages because most have either calories or artificial sweeteners, so you are better off without them. I steer clear of carbonation and haven't missed it as much as I thought I would. I do occasionally miss beer and I have had a couple beers since surgery with no ill effect. But I have no intention of making a habit of it.

hair loss... It is pretty inevitable. Getting your Protein and Vitamins in *might* help. Losing weight on the slower side seems to help some too. But the VAST majority of WLS patients are going to experience some amount of weight loss for some period of time. The good news is, it grows back! I lost hair starting around 3.5 months out until about 5 months out. It wasn't noticeable to other people. I just cut my hair shorter. It was a bit more noticeable when the baby hairs grew back in and were sticking up all over. But it was a minor blip in the grand scheme of my life.

Hope all that helps!

[BobbyD 211]

I have addiction problems as well. I haven't had a drink in 8 years and hopefully that trend will continue. That being said, I've tried to channel my obsessive behavior to exercise. It is working so far. Also as far as addiction goes, my theory has always been, if one is good then two is better. Therefore at a point I started spiking my Protein too much and started having problems metabolizing the excess. My kidneys were overworking because of it and I had to cut back. You will learn that your body will tell you what is too much IF you pay attention. I was a 64 oz a day Diet Dr. Pepper guy, and when I started my pre surgery diet they were discontinued. That was in October, and to this point I do not miss them. So, don't spend too much time worrying about carbonated drinks because if you can make it through the first few weeks, the obsession will subside. I have had hair loss and had long hair (for a guy) so my solution was to cut my hair short. It's easier to keep and nobody has noticed except for me and my hairstylist wife . I was very open about my plan to have surgery and in retrospect, I believe that was a mistake. So many people told me horror stories about post surgery problems. I didn't get a lot of support. Thank God I went with my gut feeling on this one. To this day, I am constantly asked "Do you feel ok? Are you weak? or these remarks,,, "You look tooooo thin! (Yea, I'm 5'10" and 210 lbs,,,, I'm a rail baby!!) or,,, the always asked question, "Are you worried about gaining your weight back?, I had a friend who went through all that and gained it All Back!!.... I just have to patiently listen to them, be understanding and just say thanks for your concern but I am in good hands and my decisions are final. It would have been easier had I not been so open. Of course these are just my thoughts, and your path is your path. I hope it goes well.

Edited February 25, 2016 by BobbyD