What is your why?

[ANewJourneyAwaits 155]

03/11/2021 05:02 PM, chiquitatummy said:

To prevent future disease and illness. I was obese and generally healthy but knew I was on the path (like many of my family members) to diabetes and high blood pressure. Watching my mom suffer with her health now is a big motivator for me to do something to prevent being in the place she is in another 15-20 years. Realizing that my weight put me at high risk for Covid was another wake-up call for me.

I was also tired of feeling physically uncomfortable in my body (achy back, feet, hips, etc) and having no energy. I missed doing the things I used to do like hiking, rollerblading, and bike riding. I'd stopped doing them when I got heavy enough that it was painful and physically uncomfortable to be active. I'm only two weeks and a couple days out from surgery and already I can walk without discomfort around my neighborhood. My energy may still be low, but my back and feet don't hurt! It feels amazing!!! I'm remembering how much I used to enjoy being physically active.

Yours is almost identical to mine. My Dr said I was in perfect health except for my weight. And I could see my blood pressure slowly rising.

Also I want my mom to see me at my peak, I’ve been overweight my whole adult life and I wanted her to see me healthy as she is always concerned about my health (never mean! Ever! Just heart health and things like that).

Also I’m tired of paying so much extra for plus size clothes and my knees aching!

Plus, of course, if you are obese your risk for complications of COVID are higher too.

[SunnyinSC 137]

So, what led up to looking into it was a lot of different stuff. Much of what is reflected in other's posts here. Just general health problems. High blood pressure, pre-diabetic, kidney stones, gallstones, and pain with what should be everyday life stuff. I got to the point where my back and knees would just ache if I was standing or walking for more than like, 20 minutes. Prescriptions I'm on can do damage to organs with long term use, so I don't wanna be taking those forever. What ultimately got me to pull the trigger was trouble with some hygiene type stuff though. Not being able to care for myself like I should or complete some very basic tasks pushed me over the edge and into an actual surgery consult instead of just continuing to put it off.

[chiquitatummy 337]

On 3/12/2021 at 1:43 PM, Tim C said:

Hey we had surgery the same day! How are you doing?

Thanks for asking TimC, I'm doing great! I had my two week post-op check up a couple of days ago and my Dr. was all smiles. Incisions are healing well, fluids/protein has generally been easy, and I've lost 14 pounds since surgery day. Most of that came off in the first week - not gonna lie I LOVED seeing the scale drop by a pound a day in that first week. I seem to have hit a bit of a stall this week, so I'm just hanging in here doing what I need to do and hoping to see another drop soon. My only real complaint is energy levels being low and crashing pretty easily after a little activity. I know it's to be expected, but I want to go go go instead of nap nap nap. 😂

How are you doing?

[Reign7780 5]

I had type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol. I also did not feel good about myself, at all. I used to joke to my husband that if for some reason I weren't around anymore, they'd have to use my driver's license to remember my face. I lacked the energy and stamina to do much with my kids, too & I felt it wasn't fair to them (and myself) that I wasn't taking care of myself.

About three months after surgery my diabetes was in remission (my cholesterol was still high & I don't know what it is atm), and I feel a lot better about myself. I still find it weird having pictures taken and still tend to avoid it.

And, I am sorry for your loss. It is great, however, that you are still managing to take back your life and your health.

[Blueslily 94]

On 3/11/2021 at 12:16 PM, victoriaciminelli111 said:

He had a bad gallbladder and two hernias and had had a previous exploratory surgery on his abdomen and the sleeve on top of all that

Sorry for your loss. But, thanks for sharing more info because I have surgery coming up and got really scared when I read your initial post that he died from the WLS.

Hope you are doing ok.

[keesh_n87 19]

I was just tired of being the obese one in the family. Everyone in my family is slim and tall and I’ve always been the short fat one. When we went on summer vacation pre-Covid I was miserable. I couldn’t stop sweating, I was really out of shape, and I looked like an Oompa Loompa in all of our pics. I wanted to fit in and just overall feel better. Surgery has been the best decision of my life

[dot_1213 1]

I’m 47 with a 42% blockage in my caridad artery and high cholesterol verge of type 2 diabetes and I have a blood clotting disorder which caused me to have a stroke at 44. It’s time to start fighting back against these illnesses and weight loss is the beginning. Plus I’m an avid gardener and I’m hurting too much to do it the way I want to.

[WishMeSmaller 1,273]

I drank too much wine one night (a very regular occurrence for me) and in bed before falling asleep I said something to my husband about WLS. I had honestly not put a lot of thought into WLS. The next morning, my husband said he wanted to talk about something I had said the night before (oh crap...what did I say?). He asked me if I had truly considered WLS. During that conversation, I began to consider the possibility. There were lots of tears and guilt for being a failure at losing weight on my own, but my health was really starting to suffer. I had no energy and lots of joint pain in addition to new diabetes and a sleep apnea diagnosis. This was on top of my hypertension and high cholesterol. I also had recently been diagnosed with very early macular degeneration, for which my weight was a risk factor (I have a very strong genetic pre-disposition for it). I was only 46 years old. I did not want my health issues to define the rest of my life. Less than 8 months after that conversation I had my RNY. Now, 8 months post-op, my vision is stable. I no longer have joint pain, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, or sleep apnea. I am fit and active. I love my second chance!

ps. I rarely drink alcohol these days and when I do, it is typically one glass of wine. 😊

Edited March 14, 2021 by WishMeSmaller

[TinDE 83]

Great topic!!! The idea of WLS was in the (way) back of my mind for a year or two now. I have Barrett's esophagus and the GI doctor suggested it and that's what got the ball rolling. Why didn't I think of it earlier? Not sure. I knew the numbers and the BMI but for some reason just didn't put it all together, if that makes sense. I'm 59 (ugh). There is a family history of DM, stroke, heart issues, etc. Thankfully I haven't had any issues with any of those yet. "Just" hypertension. I feel like I want to travel and do things, but I'm self-conscious so I don't. Flying, dining in a booth at a restaurant, etc. I don't want to worry about it anymore. I'm pre-surgery, 2 months in from my initial surgical consult. I've been really good about exercising, walking, and eating right and I've lost almost 20 pounds. I wondering if I can do this without the WLS. We'll see how it goes.

I feel like I'm constantly sore from the exercising though. I figured I'd have a few sore days when I started and that would be that. But 2 months in I'm still sore. And my knees hurt. Why didn't I see how out of shape I was? I mean, that sounds ridiculous right??

T.

[marissaroth90 1]

I’m so sorry for your loss ! Just know that he will always be with you in spirit . My reason for doing surgery was because all my life I pretty much hated how I looked . My arms and thighs are very huge and I looked horrible in my wedding photos . I don’t want to look at the photos . My confidence is absolutely zero and I have no self esteem whatsoever . I’m hoping this Will catapult me into having a better happier and healthier life . I want to be around for my family and friends and have a family of my own one day .

[ChunkyCali 51]

Thank you to all who have posted in this thread. I'm about 6 weeks out from surgery and doubts are starting to set in. Reading this thread reminds me of why I want this.

I've spent the last decade overweight, with that high point creeping up and up. I have high blood pressure, it's getting harder to move around, stairs at work kill my knees and things like cutting my toenails are an exercise in itself. I want to be healthy, I want to go on an airplane or to a theme park without obsessing about seat belt length and if I'll fit on a ride.

Most of all I want to be a better example to my son. I see him already having all the issues that I have and I know that I have not shown him how to live a healthy life. I want to change that and hope that he too will find a way to put his health first so that he will be around for a long time to come.

[HealthyLifeStyle 351]

Sorry for your loss. Good luck with your surgery. It sounds like you have already made up your mind for better health. That is a huge part of it. If you really want it, you will do it.

[leebick 448]

Because I was tired of getting up every morning feeling like a failure, going to bed every night hating myself for failing again. I hated myself, and didn't want to feel like that anymore... and it was all because of my weight.

[victoriaciminelli111 43]

On 3/12/2021 at 3:50 PM, Tim C said:

so sorry. I think this is pretty unusual.

They said it happens in 3% of cases. Of course he was the exception of rarity. He developed an abscess post surgery that become infected. He had to have that drained and was out on heavy antibiotics. After a while he development what we thought was an upper respiratory infection and it turned out to be deadly and was actually blood clots in his lungs which in turn affected his heart. He ended up getting congestive heart failure and had a heart attack from the blood clots and died. So many things went wrong at once.

[victoriaciminelli111 43]

On 3/12/2021 at 2:52 PM, Tim C said:

I have been dieting for 35 years. I needed something else and now I have it.

That's awsome I'm happy for you