Monday type of Poll
Again I forgot to do my own answer.
The WORST part of my new better life post-RNY is definately dealing with what obesity has done to my body.
I realize that it is MUCH better to face the problems obesity has left me with than to continue killing myself by actually STAYING obese. But knowing that doesn't make it any easier.
It's sometimes hard to face the fact that my obesity is something that I will never be able to "escape" from if that makes sense. It would be accurate for me to say that my obesity will "haunt" me possibly for the rest of my life.
I'm typing this in the middle of the night because I woke up and can't sleep - so I'm probably wording this poorly again. Let me give explaining this a shot.
I'll site my 2 main examples of how obesity "haunts" me. My knees and my skin.
I cannot walk for exercise. That's my FAVORITE type of exercise. My hubby & kids will do it with me and we get to spend real quality time together talking while we walk as a family. But when I do it for any real length of time though, my knees start aching to the point of making me SOOOO sorry that I did it that night when I'm trying to go to sleep. They ache because years of obesity has ruined my knees; and while losing weight has definately stopped further damage, you can't UN-ruin a knee.
A British study in 2008 showed that 60% of obese Americans will develope osteoarthritis of the knees - many of which will end up in wheelchairs due to disability from knee pain. My knee films were done in 2006 if memory serves and showed that the cartilage in my knees was virtually all gone. Being thin doesn't make that cartilage magically come back and I will eventually have to give in and have knee replacement surgery.
My body doesn't look like a normal 34 year old body. Years of obesity has stretched my skin to the point where the damage is permanent. This is not something that will go away with "hydration" or exercise. When you pull a plastic trash bag apart with your hands, once the plastic becomes stretched and thinner in some places, so amount of hydrating lotion, etc is going to push that stretched plastic back together again. It isn't possible. I was not blessed with good skin elasticity and my body is COVERED with stretch marks and extra skin. It's hard to look at that in the mirror.
I just had PS to fix my midsection and reconstruct my boobs. But I can't fix everything. I can still reach down and grab an entire handful of skin off my inner thighs and pull it out like "wings". Since my problems with anesthesia get worse every time I go under, I'll probably never have that fixed. I'll just live with it.
So I hope that explains what I mean by obesity "haunting" me. I guess that's a poor choice of words. It's really not haunting me as much as it is me just facing my health issues that years of obesity allowed me to ignore and/or excuse away.
When I was obese, I guess I did what studies show most obese people do. I accepted my obesity as something I could not change and to a certain extent, just sat by and watched it slowly killing my body a piece at a time. I guess it's hard to admit that I did that.
And doctors nowadays ALLOW obese people to do that. Studies show that doctors are less and less likely to bring up a person's weight as a medical problem to their patients. In the past, when fewer people were obese, doctors would bring up a person's weight to them. They'd advise their patients to lose weight. That has changed within recent years. I read an article about this. As the majority of our population becomes obese, it has become politically correct to "accept" the obese and this pressure to accept obesity as transcended to doctors as well. It is considered politically incorrect to comment on a person's weight and even doctors are reluctant to mention it. I personally think that many doctors view obesity as something that most people cannot overcome. So in their minds, they are probably thinking, "Why mention it? It won't do any good. I could say it 1000 times. I'll probably offend them and do it for nothing. They won't lose the weight." Doctors also know that their patients aren't stupid. A 310 pound man like my father KNOWS he is obese. He KNOWS that it is causing many of his health problems. To be told that, even by your own doctor, probably would come across as somewhat insulting.
I know many obese and formerly obese people would disagree with me, but I wish doctors WOULD address this though. I think that even though obese people know that they are obese, I don't think many obese people know just how badly obesity is destroying their bodies.
It may never dawn on an obese woman that she is more likely to not only get, but die from cancer. It makes sense if you think about it. Doctors are less likely to detect tumors that are hidden under mounds of fat. The later such things are detected, the more likely they are to be beyond repair.
I just realized that I have digressed to a totally different subject. Forgive me... it's late. LOL
If you've read this far... to remind you of what this post was SUPPOSED to be about - LOL... what is the WORST thing about your new better life since your WLS?
The WORST part of my new better life post-RNY is definately dealing with what obesity has done to my body.
I realize that it is MUCH better to face the problems obesity has left me with than to continue killing myself by actually STAYING obese. But knowing that doesn't make it any easier.
It's sometimes hard to face the fact that my obesity is something that I will never be able to "escape" from if that makes sense. It would be accurate for me to say that my obesity will "haunt" me possibly for the rest of my life.
I'm typing this in the middle of the night because I woke up and can't sleep - so I'm probably wording this poorly again. Let me give explaining this a shot.
I'll site my 2 main examples of how obesity "haunts" me. My knees and my skin.
I cannot walk for exercise. That's my FAVORITE type of exercise. My hubby & kids will do it with me and we get to spend real quality time together talking while we walk as a family. But when I do it for any real length of time though, my knees start aching to the point of making me SOOOO sorry that I did it that night when I'm trying to go to sleep. They ache because years of obesity has ruined my knees; and while losing weight has definately stopped further damage, you can't UN-ruin a knee.
A British study in 2008 showed that 60% of obese Americans will develope osteoarthritis of the knees - many of which will end up in wheelchairs due to disability from knee pain. My knee films were done in 2006 if memory serves and showed that the cartilage in my knees was virtually all gone. Being thin doesn't make that cartilage magically come back and I will eventually have to give in and have knee replacement surgery.
My body doesn't look like a normal 34 year old body. Years of obesity has stretched my skin to the point where the damage is permanent. This is not something that will go away with "hydration" or exercise. When you pull a plastic trash bag apart with your hands, once the plastic becomes stretched and thinner in some places, so amount of hydrating lotion, etc is going to push that stretched plastic back together again. It isn't possible. I was not blessed with good skin elasticity and my body is COVERED with stretch marks and extra skin. It's hard to look at that in the mirror.
I just had PS to fix my midsection and reconstruct my boobs. But I can't fix everything. I can still reach down and grab an entire handful of skin off my inner thighs and pull it out like "wings". Since my problems with anesthesia get worse every time I go under, I'll probably never have that fixed. I'll just live with it.
So I hope that explains what I mean by obesity "haunting" me. I guess that's a poor choice of words. It's really not haunting me as much as it is me just facing my health issues that years of obesity allowed me to ignore and/or excuse away.
When I was obese, I guess I did what studies show most obese people do. I accepted my obesity as something I could not change and to a certain extent, just sat by and watched it slowly killing my body a piece at a time. I guess it's hard to admit that I did that.
And doctors nowadays ALLOW obese people to do that. Studies show that doctors are less and less likely to bring up a person's weight as a medical problem to their patients. In the past, when fewer people were obese, doctors would bring up a person's weight to them. They'd advise their patients to lose weight. That has changed within recent years. I read an article about this. As the majority of our population becomes obese, it has become politically correct to "accept" the obese and this pressure to accept obesity as transcended to doctors as well. It is considered politically incorrect to comment on a person's weight and even doctors are reluctant to mention it. I personally think that many doctors view obesity as something that most people cannot overcome. So in their minds, they are probably thinking, "Why mention it? It won't do any good. I could say it 1000 times. I'll probably offend them and do it for nothing. They won't lose the weight." Doctors also know that their patients aren't stupid. A 310 pound man like my father KNOWS he is obese. He KNOWS that it is causing many of his health problems. To be told that, even by your own doctor, probably would come across as somewhat insulting.
I know many obese and formerly obese people would disagree with me, but I wish doctors WOULD address this though. I think that even though obese people know that they are obese, I don't think many obese people know just how badly obesity is destroying their bodies.
It may never dawn on an obese woman that she is more likely to not only get, but die from cancer. It makes sense if you think about it. Doctors are less likely to detect tumors that are hidden under mounds of fat. The later such things are detected, the more likely they are to be beyond repair.
I just realized that I have digressed to a totally different subject. Forgive me... it's late. LOL
If you've read this far... to remind you of what this post was SUPPOSED to be about - LOL... what is the WORST thing about your new better life since your WLS?
Hi Wendy,
It's taken me all these days trying to think about what has been the down side of my WLS. Guess if it's taken me this long, there can't be much!
I agree with you that the toll of long term obesity on my body is tough, although my knees aren't too bad, except when I try to climb stairs and I can hear bone against bone......eeeekkkkk!
As you know, maintenance is my bugaboo right now. For so long if I got too busy at work and didn't get a chance to eat I could lose a pound in a day. Now, I'm fighting an 8 lb gain that has me ripping out my hair. Honestly, I didn't think maintaining my weight loss would be this hard, even though I was warned about what could (and does) happen at about 3 years out. How could I gain 8 lbs in 3 months? Well, apparently by not eating enough! Yep. I was warned and didn't listen, now I'm paying the price. Thankfully it's pocket change compared to a whole wallet full of $10 bills! LOL
Body image is still a problem. I still don't see myself as small as I am, and mentally, this gain has made me feel like a failure (see, aren't we a sick bunch?) on one more diet.
So, there you are. Thanks for these thought provoking topics. Looking within youself is always a good thing!
Love ya, Honey!
It's taken me all these days trying to think about what has been the down side of my WLS. Guess if it's taken me this long, there can't be much!
I agree with you that the toll of long term obesity on my body is tough, although my knees aren't too bad, except when I try to climb stairs and I can hear bone against bone......eeeekkkkk!
As you know, maintenance is my bugaboo right now. For so long if I got too busy at work and didn't get a chance to eat I could lose a pound in a day. Now, I'm fighting an 8 lb gain that has me ripping out my hair. Honestly, I didn't think maintaining my weight loss would be this hard, even though I was warned about what could (and does) happen at about 3 years out. How could I gain 8 lbs in 3 months? Well, apparently by not eating enough! Yep. I was warned and didn't listen, now I'm paying the price. Thankfully it's pocket change compared to a whole wallet full of $10 bills! LOL
Body image is still a problem. I still don't see myself as small as I am, and mentally, this gain has made me feel like a failure (see, aren't we a sick bunch?) on one more diet.
So, there you are. Thanks for these thought provoking topics. Looking within youself is always a good thing!
Love ya, Honey!
Susan
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