Anyone starting to think this isn't the "right" answer/tool?

[Diana_in_Philly 1,426]

As I was prepping for my surgery which was on 8/23, I began to have the same thoughts. I started the process on May 11 . At that time, I went on a 1200 calorie at day food plan and upped the number of workouts each week. Before surgery I was down almost 30 pounds from my high weight. In the 10 days before surgery I was on a 1000 calorie a day diet. But I realized that there was no way I could keep that up to lose the 100+ pounds I needed to lose.

Had my surgery on 8/23. No complications. Having my 2-week post op today. I have to remind myself to eat. I've already put together big bags of clothes I will never wear again to go to Goodwill and stuff I haven't worn in years is fitting. Yes its drastic. But for me, it's working. I can already see the Lily Pulitzer dress in my future!

[Chicken Lady 102]

I started the process exactly 1 year ago. I thought "well, I'll go through the process & learn as much about weight loss as I can- I can always back out at the last minute..."

I learned bout obesity, the tool I now have ... And I also learned through testing that I had h pylori that caused a peptic ulcer in my past (how did I not feel an ulcer?!?) and that I had gall bladder problems too (again, how did I not know this??) AND ineffective esophageal motility...

I credit the experience with saving my life. Had I not treated the h pylori, I would have had more ulcers in the future - and likely stomach cancer.

Oh, and at 6weeks out, I'm at my high school weight already...

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[ShelterDog64 2,364]

@@Kelleylu * My head can't get past the idea that chopping off half my stomach to quit overeating is barbaric and someday I'll regret it.*

I held off for 10 years because of this very thought. But guess what? It turns out that getting 3/4 of my stomach removed (it's not half, btw!) was the absolute right thing to do, for ME. I walked out of the hospital after a 2 night stay off my hypertension medicine, and with my fibromyalgia trigger points GONE. Clearly, having 100% of my stomach was increasing my body's inflammatory response to the point that I was having to control those responses with medications. My mild arthritis is nearly gone, my leg and arm muscles don't hurt anymore and my mood is greatly elevated by the absence of chronic pain.

My experience doesn't mean this is the right surgery for you, but only to illustrate how intrinsically interwoven all of our body's systems are. Merely losing the weight I need to lose wouldn't have had the same effect on me.

[MommaZ 32]

What I asked myself was ~ would I have a perfectly healthy kidney removed to improve the chances of survival for someone I love? (yes) Then why wouldn't I remove part of a healthy stomach to improve my chance of survival?

[Andreaj2003 19]

Oh geez, I don't know exactly what to tell you. At my pre-surgery class (a week before my surgery on August 18), I was literally gleeful. If the surgeon had opened the door to our meeting room and said he had a last minute surgery cancellation for that afternoon, I would have leapt out of my chair and run to him.

But I am 49, and my BMI was 50, and I have spent my whole life feeling like I was hidden deep inside this body that did not match my soul. I was not only emotionally weary, I was becoming physically weary as well.

Maybe you don't feel this way? Maybe obesity has been a recent change in your life? I don't want to tell you to reconsider, but you seem to have some real reservations that you should at least wade through fully. Do you have a therapist you could reach out to?

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I love your post..

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[jmdow1 31]

I went to my pre surgery class today. Listened to all if the Do' and don'ts. And I can't shake this nagging feeling that this isn't how are bodies are meant to be treated. Of course our bodies aren't meant to carry 350 lbs either and mine is doing it everyday. Idk. My head can't get past the idea that chopping off half my stomach to quit overeating is barbaric and someday I'll regret it.

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Do it! You'll love it! 4 months out and down 120 lbs it's worth it I was 440 6'5 now I'm at 320 and feel great.

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[GoldUnicornThread 16]

You'll probably regret it the first week after surgery. I felt completely butchered and violated then. Now I feel normal and don't regret it at all.

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[allsmilez 13]

Isn't medical science amazing?

When we have a blocked artery, we can have the artery opened up with a stent or balloon with heart surgery.

When a woman laboring is having problems delivering, putting her and her baby's life in danger, she can have a c-cection.

When we get cancer, we can have helpful but toxic drugs pumped through our bodies to fight it and hopefully put it in remission.

When we've tried every diet under the sun and completely screwed our metabolisms up, or we have physical issues that make it almost impossible to lose or keep weight off, we can have bariatric surgery.

No, medical intervention isn't always the way it's "meant" to be, but sometimes it's necessary.

#DropsTheMic

[EdyB 2]

I just had surgery 1 week post op. I was scared. Expecially cuz im 27 n 260 lbs. But the physical is nothing compared to the mental part of not eating like everyone else.

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[JillLeeAnn 3]

this is the best thing I've ever done

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[lessismore4me 47]

a lot of people expressed to me dismay over cutting out a "perfectly healthy organ" but to me my system was not perfectly healthy. I was hungry all the time. it would take me 3 or 4 times the amount of food I should have been eating just to feel satisfied. I don't know - in time, science may reveal causes of obesity - but in the mean time I have to live and be as healthy as I can. the surgery gave me that

now my diabetes is GONE. and a normal child size portion satisfies me. completely satisfied. with a normal amount of food. I have never lost the weight before, and it feels wonderful all the changes in my body.

I can't say if it is right for you, but most of us only feel like we should have done it sooner. Keep searching your heart and see whether you are ready for this or not.

I am so with you. That is how I feel. I had the appetite of a lumberjack and now I can eat a small portion and I am fine. It is so awesome.

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[Erika Denise 26]

I briefly shared this thought, but I had a second thought that isn't it kind of strange to worry about missing a stomach nearly the size of a football? Especially when I rarely get the urge to stuff it with green veggies, but always have cravings for the endless variety of not so good things? Idk, you can look at that both ways.

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[MBollinger 15]

I am almost 2 weeks post and yeah there are days when I regret it because I sit here and watch everyone eat all this fantastic fatty food but you know you can't have it, if you didn't have the surgery you would join them but knowing your doing it for a good reason and using it as a tool to help because most people are not mentally able to quit with the bad eating habits I know I wasn't I knew I could so I did now I know I can't so I don't and it's helping me you can get back into eating regular foods just not as much it's not a bad thing it's just a tool

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[BackSpin81 350]

I went to my pre surgery class today. Listened to all if the Do' and don'ts. And I can't shake this nagging feeling that this isn't how are bodies are meant to be treated. Of course our bodies aren't meant to carry 350 lbs either and mine is doing it everyday. Idk. My head can't get past the idea that chopping off half my stomach to quit overeating is barbaric and someday I'll regret it.

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If you're unsure, wait. Don't do it now. Wait until you are 100% sure. Because once it's done, it's done.

I was sleeved 3/31/15. My insurance did not cover any part of the surgery. I took it upon myself to fund my surgery. Therefore I was not stipulated to do any intensive pre-surgery diets, counseling, etc. I met with my surgeon once, attended a nutrition class once, and a financing meeting to discuss my payment. Then had surgery 2 weeks later. Though it was a very quick turnaround, I was sure and ready. This was the surgery that was meant to save my life. And in a lot of ways, it has. However, there are often significant underlying internal struggles that are far more permanent than the weight and weight loss ever will be. For example, despite my weight loss I still battle with slight bouts of depression, random crying, occasional low esteem and obsess over any weight loss/gain.

I'm not saying the "nagging feeling" you are having is doubt. However, I am saying that you should be 100% sure before having surgery. It has helped me get a "reset" on my health for sure. But it also exposed deep rooted, unaddressed issues within me as well.

Good luck with your decision.

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[brandnewme 20]

For me it was about breaking the cycle, I pushed past that thought to be honest as every year I was at least 10 pounds heavier and taking more medication. I was a ticking time bomb.

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