How many are truely happy now?

I saw my counselor today (actually yesterday now as the morning will begin to dawn) and I jabbered on about all that has been going on in the last couple of weeks. One of the things I realized is that I am very happy right now. She warned me about how people get weepy sometimes and upset and wonder what the hell they just did to themselves, but not ONCE have I felt that way. So I am wondering if there are others out there that feel like someone just opened the window and gave them a breath of fresh air? I can't help but feel this is exactly what I needed...no more, no less, in order to help me lose the weight and keep it off. I mean, I know some folks worry if they will not lose it, and some worry about keeping it off, but I just really don't really worry about that. I feel like all I ever really needed was a smaller stomach and that my emotions and habits are fine otherwise. I just happen to be super morbidly obese, but not with as much baggage as I once had. I wonder if I had this surgery when I was young if it would have worked because I think about it now and it took me awhile to get out of the eating out of emotion thing, and to learn what "full" was like as compared to "uncomfortably miserable" like I used to push myself to. But now, years later, I just have to say that I feel like I couldn't be more ready for this. Is this more of a universal feeling here with everyone or am I in the minority? Dina

I sure have no regrets. It is very fulfilling to watch the pounds melt away. The eating/drinking is still taking constant conscious effort which is a bit mentally tiring, but it is beginning to get easier. I don't regret exchanging enslavement to food for a new focus on taking care of me. I already have more physical energy than I did preop. My mental energy is not quite there, but it will be. Nope, no regrets here. Lots of external stress in my life, but WLS is one of the happy spots! Joy -22 lbs / 25 days

I was truly truly happy when I woke up after surgery. I was so relieved it was over and I had done this very serious step in getting my life back. At 63, I want 20 years of normal weight and high energy...and good health. I am not seeing too much yet, and still achy and dealing with yucky stuff now at 10 days out, but in another month I think a permanent happy elated state will be with me.

I am happy - can't say it is more or less than pre-op - too soon to have seen much happen yet. The only time I felt the "oh what have I done" was in the first few days when I felt miserable, but I knew that would pass, so I easlily talked myself out of that one. As Joy mentioned - outside stresses are the thing for me right now. My Aunt is still in CCU with no prognosis, and my mom is still staying with me. I feel like things will get better tomorrow (she's going home!!). Don't get me wrong - I love my mother dearly, and all she has done for me by staying here, but I can only deal with living with her in short spurts. It's been over a week and I've reached my saturation point. Getting ready to bolt! So, I decided to get the dogs back from the kennel tomorrow - hence she decided I'm now well enough to leave me. (She does not like my dogs ) mgm -13 lbs/10 days

I am very happy. I was happy going in and happy coming out. Although the first few days home I was very emotional. I cried very easily. I have no clue why. I didn't regret the surgery at all, was just emotional... Now I am better, no more crying. I was sad at my weightloss this week, but I know the reason (my time of month, retaining water). I know once this passes I will feel so much better and the weight will start to come off faster. I feel this was the best thing I could have ever done for myslef. I hate the liquids stage but I'm dealing...Things are only going to get better!!!!! To WLS! Kelley -15

Dina, earlier this week I told my mom "...ya know, if I die tomorrow, I can honestly say the the last two weeks of my life were the best I've lived in about 10 years and I passed away finally feeling happy and well." The ENTIRE reason I opted for WLS was to get the symptoms of my fibromyalgia under control, and all my physicians agreed that if I drop some weight, it'd probably work in both the chronic pain and fatigue that I suffer. Well, I honestly didn't think I'd "cash in" 'til well into my post op MONTHS....after I took the weight off. To my utter surprise, from the 2nd day I was home, I've been PAIN FREE for the first time in 10 years off-and-on, and the past 5 or 6 years EVERY FRICKIN' DAY OF THE WEEK/MONTH/YEAR. It was ooooooooooooooooooooooold. I felt like I was a 90 year old beat-up human in a 47 year old's body. I was just plain TIRED of it all, I was worn out and I'd just had enough. These past 2+ weeks now have been nothing short of miraculous...and I HAVE to give my God the Glory 'cuz it's Him that's done it for me. He really knew that I was at the very end of my rope, and as we know, He never gives you more than you can handle. My mom didn't even realize how bad it'd gotten 'cuz I didn't want her to worry. My 2 best friends were aware, and were kind of "monitoring" me 'cuz they knew how bad it'd gotten, but they were the only ones I was truly honest with about the extent of my pain. Dina, I'm not only happy, I'm ECSTATIC these days. Another one of my managers from work just called me a while ago to see how I'm doing, and she said I sound like a completely different person. Everyone's said you can hear it in my voice, how GREAT I feel. Yup...I'm not just alright with this, I'm happier and healthier ALREADY than I've been in so many years! Now I look back and wonder how I GOT thru those years... But now I don't CARE...I'm just wallowing in how I feel NOW!! Here's to us, my buddy! Kimmer Queen of the Niners, Instigator to All Marchers, High Priestess of Giggles

Kimmer - you don't know how good it makes me feel to hear you spouting off about how good you feel! My mom is just so riddled with fibromyalgia and is just in constant pain. She had to retire early because of it. But for her I'm sad to say that diet won't help as she's only 126 anyway. Good to hear you have such fabulous relief! I do know when I used to go on and off Atkins I could tell immediately with my fibromyalgia because the minute I started adding in the carbs, I'd start to hurt again. It was without fail and like clockwork. Amazing how it works like that! Dina

I've added your mom to my prayer list, Dina. One doesn't realize how bad this fibro can get unless they've GOT it or know someone who has it. Like my rheumatologist said when I was first diagnosed "The good news is that it won't kill you. But the bad news is that it won't kill you." It's really been my "cross to bear", and I've done it, but am thrilled that I've been granted a reprieve, if only for a while. I've always said that it could be cancer, cardiac problems, Hodgkins, Parkinsons, or one of many other illnesses, so I wouldn't complain about it...I counted my blessings instead. But I can now "fess up" and be honest and say that it's about the MOST rotten thing I've endured in my life aside from losing my Dad to cancer. I was having to consider medical disability/retirement due to the fibro, and I did NOT want to "go there". My manager even TOLD me "maybe you SHOULD consider medical retirement...", and she knows how hard I've fought to stay working. The worst part, is that she finally broke down and said that the week before my RNY. What a jerk. I was at wits' end and she had to pop off with that. Whatever. But now...maybe I CAN work 'til I'm 117 yrs old (which I figure I'll have to do since I borrowed off my retirement for my surgery...hehehe...). If I stay feeling this well, I could do it, no problem!! They've found that HIGH protein seems to help with the symptoms. Didn't help me pre-op, as I was taking in 60-75 g/protein just in supplements. But I think mine may have been so far out of control that nothing could have helped it at that point. Now that I look back, how did I DO it? Sheesh...what we can do when we HAVE to, eh? T'anx for appreciating my 'success', Dina. I TRY not to be overly jubilant 'bout how I feel now 'cuz I realize that others are still having a rough time post-op, but I can't TELL you what a difference this has made in my life already. Tell your mom to hang in there...MAYBE they'll figure something out soon. I'm in two national research projects for FMS. Hopefully they'll find something soon. It's needed - there's too many of "us" out there suffering with it. Kimmer Queen of the Niners, Instigator to All Marchers, High Priestess of Giggles

I'm thrilled! And continue to be happy with the decision despite a horrendous hospital experience. I'm laying naked in the pre-op room, the IV has just been started, the nurses are all hovering around getting ready to send me in to the surgeon when the admitting guy comes barreling in saying "STOP! Your visa was declined". Talk about stress. I have no purse, I'm groggy from the meds they just gave me, and have no way to straighten it all out. It turns out that the idiots at Tempurpedic, when I called them to order leg extenders for the Queen Size adjustable bed I had delivered last week, instead ordered me ANOTHER Queen Size Adjustable bed, to the tune of $3600. Which meant that credit card would no longer support the $6500 I needed to put on it. You can bet Tempurpedic will be getting a call from me very soon. Then, when I got to my room I was in a lot of pain - a LOT of pain. I kept telling them - I'm in a lot of pain! I got a lot of sympathetic looks, but nobody was doing anything.. Finally, I screamed "GIVE ME SOMETHING FOR THE PAIN!" and the nurse said "well, your morphine button is right here", and pulled it out from under the bed. They had just neglected to give that to me. Minor detail. Then, trying to get out of the hosipital was just as much a disaster. They kept telling me the doc was "on his way". Now if they'd have just been honest, and said "He'll be there after 6pm", I wouldn't have had a problem. But, they just kept telling me "he's on his way - hasn't he been there yet". And my soon-to-be-ex husband who is giving me a ride home from the hospital is getting perturbed, and I just break down crying - my nerves are just shot at this point. So, in spite of ALL of that hell, I would do it all again in a heartbeat. My life is turning around and I get to watch and enjoy every second. Yeah, I'm happy.

Yeesh Linda - sorry to hear you had such a lousy experience in the hospital. But I'm glad you are out of there and able to start enjoying the rest of this journey! Dina