Anyone ever thought:"I can do this on my own, I don't need the sugery"

[theantichick 2,204]

Hi, everyone, I've been on the fence about the surgery for a few months now, and a visit with my rheumatologist yesterday tipped the scales.

I kept thinking "heck, if I followed the post-op diet, I'd lose weight and wouldn't need the surgery". But I'm 46, and I've been dieting some 30 years. Obviously, it doesn't work long-term for me.

Back when I was 230-ish (I'm 5'9") I was able to take off 20 or 30 lbs and keep it off almost a year, but it always crept back on. The last truly successful time was when I was 200-ish and dropped to about 175 and maintained for a couple of years. But the last 5-6 years have been a huge struggle with going back to school (nursing school) while working full time after a divorce and numerous health issues with both me and my kiddo. I pushed over 300 for the first time this last fall. If I were still in the 230 range, I'd keep slugging away with diet/exercise.

But as nurse and a research fiend, I've been looking at the research, studies, and statistics. While it's not impossible for someone with 130-ish lbs to lose and keep it off, the statistics are not even close to promising. And the last year has given me a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis (was rheumatoid until yesterday, new symptoms clarified the diagnosis) which has made it very hard for me to exercise. Nursing school combined with inactivity due to pain caused the last 40-50 lb gain, which has resulted in my cardio conditioning to be completely awful. Walking less than 5 minutes yesterday from the cab to my doctor's office and back to the exam room saw my heart rate at 157 and I was winded.

Something has to give. Like I said, I was on the fence until I mentioned the possibility to my rheumatologist. She is enthusiastically for the surgery in my case. Apparently fat cells secrete leptin (which I knew) that *directly* affects the disease activity for psoriatic arthritis (this I did not know). Most hormones involved in auto-immune disorders are estrogen-modulated, and fat cells secrete estrogen. While the surgery will not cure my arthritis, it can render the treatments much more effective on top of reducing the load on my joints through weight loss. That pushed me over, and I'm going to a seminar tonight to talk to the surgeon my rheumatologist recommends.

I was worried about dealing with the auto-immune with surgery recovery, but my sis (who had the surgery a couple of years ago) put me on a Facebook support group where a bunch of people with auto-immune talked to me about the benefits to their condition with the surgery, and I'm feeling much better about it.

I'm sorry this is long-winded, but I saw the question in the post, and writing it all down helps me process. I'm not sure I'm ready for all of this, but I know it will help my health, and I guess the time is now.

[Wayward Traveler 135]

Wow. Such a personal decision ... so much at play, so many factors to take into consideration. I've thought about it before but never wanted to permanently alter my anatomy. I was just too scared to do that. Plus I know too many people who have not made the lifestyle changes required to be successful with surgery, and then regretted getting it (unfortunately some people think it's a magic bullet, and I'm sure everyone here will tell you that it is not). I've had success losing and maintaining, but have never gotten all the way to my goal. I wanted help, but I didn't want to do anything too drastic. So I got a gastric balloon. So far so good! It's not for everyone, but it's working for me. Like I said - it's a very personal decision and only you can determine what's best for you. Good luck! :-)

Edited April 14, 2016 by Wayward Traveler

[sgc 538]

I started changing my eating habits and exercising in preparation for a sleeve. I started eating three meals a day and no snacking in between. Each meal is high Protein and average about 60-80 grams of Protein. The weight is dropping off and my appetite has been curbed somewhat so it has me second guessing. I've been down this road before having lost a lot of weight. Don't want to full into a trap of losing and then gaining and being set back another 10 years.

[Mary2016 55]

I had a thin coworker today tell me that people who don't lose weight and stay thin are just lazy. Meanwhile, she eats crap- donuts for Breakfast, tasty cakes for Snacks. I never see her eat a vegetable or piece of fruit, EVER. and she told me she does not exercise, I do 3-4 times a week. She is thin but definitely out of shape looking. She has seriously high blood pressure. We are about the same age. I have always eaten fairly healthy, just eat too darn much. I exercise, have excellent BP and normal cholesterol. You can't tell me there isn't something in my genetics or just plain biological that doesn't cause me to regain weight.

I have been on the fence for a long time. I have not been 100% sure all along. But tomorrow is my final weigh in for my 3 month diet. I am all cleared and ready for insurance submission. And I am ready. I can not do this alone. It's time.

[daizymom 62]

I've been thinking more about this. I think keeping it off is the biggest factor. If I was somehow able to lose all the excess weight before surgery (hypothetically) I'd still want the surgery. I don't ever want to be this weight again.

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[Killian 265]

Such awesone replies! They helped me alot. Thank you all!

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

@@theantichick ... that was an awesome post about the interplay of fat cells, estrogen, autoimmune diseases, etc.

I never knew ANY of that stuff!

Thank you.

[Phoenix40 66]

I originally thought about wls about 15 years ago and it seemed so drastic. I felt that I could lose the weight on my own with diet and exercise. Over the years I have lost 80lbs and gained 120. I have always been able to lose but not keep it off. Now I am heavier that I was then but I still thought I could do it on my own. In November, I started having problems with my knees and calves and I was in excruciating pain for every step. I iced my knees, calves and anything else that hurt but I kept pushing on. One day I was caught my first episode of my 600lb life and reality hit me in the face. I realized that I was at a crossroads. I had gained enough weight that it was putting serious strain on my joints and I really took stock of what I was feeling. My knees, calves, hips and lower back hurt every time I stood for more than 5 minutes or walked a block. I realized that if I did not do something soon I was going to be immobile and I knew if that happened I would gain more weigh and may end up like the people on 600lb life. I cannot, will not allow myself to go there. I could not live in denial anymore and I had to do something. I started researching the surgery and three days later I contacted my doctor and she made the appointment for the seminar for this Saturday. I have lost 11lbs so far and I plan to keep going.

[theantichick 2,204]

@@theantichick ... that was an awesome post about the interplay of fat cells, estrogen, autoimmune diseases, etc.

I never knew ANY of that stuff!

Thank you.

I'm a research fiend, and my docs know I want the nitty gritty details.

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