Facing Fears

[carrielee 87]

So, I’ve posted in this group before about being uncertain about Bariatric surgery but knowing it’s a tool to literally save my life. I had an initial appointment booked with surgeon Dr. David Brandon Williams at Vanderbilt (where all my specialists are), but canceled it again (5th cancellation).

Well I’m back in the medical hospital again with erratic blood pressure, severe headaches due to my IIH, and off and on chest pain and today the internal medicine doctor seeing me point blank said “you’ve got to get this weight off you or you may not survive the full life you want to live. This weight is killing you”.

So I’ve rebooked the appointment and it’s on 9/18. I’ve got to do it, no matter what.

I’m almost 33, 5’1” 271 pounds, BMI of 51.2, (I’ve gained about 5 pounds in 2 weeks).

My current co morbid conditions are Right Heart Strain/Heart Failure (just diagnosed), labile hypertension, severely high cholesterol and triglycerides, fatty liver disease, Type II Diabetes that is not well controlled, past history of PE, Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, widespread arthritis, frequent shortness of breath, sleep Apnea, PCOS.

My mom died at 50 of a massive heart attack and lung failure, maternal grandfather passed at 76 of a massive heart attack. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension run rampant in my family.

I don’t want to be next in the line of deaths in my family due to weight related conditions. So I’m finally ready to start this.

[catwoman7 11,223]

I'd be a lot more afraid of NOT having the surgery than having it. I hesitate to say this, but you're more likely to die from obesity complications than you are from the surgery. These surgeries are much safer than they were years ago - mortality rate is very low - even lower than hip replacement surgeries, which they do all the time. I was heavier than you are (although fortunately, I didn't have any co-morbidities), but I knew it for me it was either have the surgery or die from my massive weight (I was well over 300 lbs). Having that surgery probably gave me an extra 10 years of life. I'm much healthier today in my 60s than I ever was in my 30s and 40s.

Edited August 13, 2023 by catwoman7

[carrielee 87]

11 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

I'd be a lot more afraid of NOT having the surgery than having it. I hesitate to say this, but you're more likely to die from obesity complications than you are from the surgery. These surgeries are much safer than they were years ago - mortality rate is very low - even lower than hip replacement surgeries, which they do all the time. I was heavier than you are (although fortunately, I didn't have any co-morbidities), but I knew it for me it was either have the surgery or die from my massive weight (I was well over 300 lbs). Having that surgery probably gave me an extra 10 years of life. I'm much healthier today in my 60s than I ever was in my 30s and 40s.

That is my reality if I don’t go through with surgery. Doctors are saying without it I probably won’t see 40. My mom died of multi system organ failure due to co morbid conditions and severe obesity at 50 and it was such a devastating thing to witness. I don’t want that to be my reality. But if I don’t get the weight off, it will be and I’ve tried for years without surgery and been unsuccessful (I’ve been obese since I was a young child).

[catwoman7 11,223]

4 hours ago, carrielee said:

That is my reality if I don’t go through with surgery. Doctors are saying without it I probably won’t see 40. My mom died of multi system organ failure due to co morbid conditions and severe obesity at 50 and it was such a devastating thing to witness. I don’t want that to be my reality. But if I don’t get the weight off, it will be and I’ve tried for years without surgery and been unsuccessful (I’ve been obese since I was a young child).

totally understand your struggles with weight loss. I tried for literally decades to get my weight off. The most I could ever lose is about 50 lbs (and those losses were rare - it was usually more like 10 or 20 lbs). And I could never keep it off for long. Within months, I was back up to almost 400 lbs. Weight loss surgery was the only thing that ever worked for me. Not saying it's easy - it's work. A lot of work. But the difference is, your efforts actually pay off.

[summerseeker 2,265]

I was lucky I guess, I always knew that this surgery for me. I have many surgeries and have a c'est la vie attitude. I would have been the first guinea pig to have this surgery, that's how much I wanted it. I just needed to have the money spare to do it. So I lost weight and gained weight and gained more weight for 40 years. In the end I was as unhealthy as was possible, I had no joy. My day was so different to now.

My life is fantastic, I fit in the world, I am so happy. I want you to feel this too. Go for it, what do you have to loose ?

[GreenTealael 25,446]

23 hours ago, carrielee said:

So, I’ve posted in this group before about being uncertain about Bariatric surgery but knowing it’s a tool to literally save my life. I had an initial appointment booked with surgeon Dr. David Brandon Williams at Vanderbilt (where all my specialists are), but canceled it again (5th cancellation).

Well I’m back in the medical hospital again with erratic blood pressure, severe headaches due to my IIH, and off and on chest pain and today the internal medicine doctor seeing me point blank said “you’ve got to get this weight off you or you may not survive the full life you want to live. This weight is killing you”.

So I’ve rebooked the appointment and it’s on 9/18. I’ve got to do it, no matter what.

I’m almost 33, 5’1” 271 pounds, BMI of 51.2, (I’ve gained about 5 pounds in 2 weeks).

My current co morbid conditions are Right Heart Strain/Heart Failure (just diagnosed), labile hypertension, severely high cholesterol and triglycerides, fatty liver disease, Type II Diabetes that is not well controlled, past history of PE, Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, widespread arthritis, frequent shortness of breath, sleep Apnea, PCOS.

My mom died at 50 of a massive heart attack and lung failure, maternal grandfather passed at 76 of a massive heart attack. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension run rampant in my family.

I don’t want to be next in the line of deaths in my family due to weight related conditions. So I’m finally ready to start this.

Which part are you afraid of? The surgery itself, lifestyle afterwards or something else? I don’t know about your experience, but for me the repeated lumbar punctures for IIH (plus the ever looming possibility blindness) were far worse than surgery.

Good luck on your next appointment!