a newbie ~ should i or shouldn't i? Is it a fast fix to have surgery?

1/20/07 ~ Hello ~ My name is Darlene and this is my story. I'm 44 years old, married and have 3 children. I weigh 304lbs, and have tried ever possible weight loss deit, gimic, pill and contraption as most of you have. I am tired of not being able to fit on the amusement park rides with my children, not going to the mall cuz the walk form the car kills me, having to roll off the couch to the floor to get off, not being able to do my hygiene ADL's comfortably, choosing which movie theatre to go to that will accomdate me confortably. I'm tired of planning my supper at 9:30 in the morning and tired of planning my lunch at 10:00 in the moring. I'm tired of having nothing but calorie enriched comforting foods in my home and on my menu, cabinets full of junk food, fast food meals in the fridge and lazy-susan and a pletheri of fat adding wrong food options each time i walk into my kitchen. It has made me continually gain weight and my childrten are suffering the same consequences. I want to NOT be the fattest mom at my child's sporting events. I want to NOT have my children's friends look at me funny. I want to NOT tell my kids "I'm tired" when they ask to play frisbee, go to the park or do something that requires minimal exercise. I want my life back. I'm scared, but I'm more scared of continuing to live my life this way. ~Darlene~ :juggle:

hi darlene, i was scared too,in fact backed out of surgery the first time,but went thru with it the 2nd,i am a surviving laproscopic gastric bypass patient,i have lost 127 lbs and started a whole new life.i was on disability,now i work.i can run circles around the kids and have great times with my friends,i am no longer ashamed of being in public.if you feel in your heart that you are ready to make the change,then do it,but you have to be really ready in order for the tool to work.where do you live? i had my surgery in danbury hospital,dr.laura choi,,i must say,,she saved my life..i wish you all the best,and be strong and true to your own feelings..take care and keep posting...cyndee

cyndee i'm in monroe going to st. vincent's bariatric center with dr. ehrlich. was it a long journey and is it still a struggle for you? What was the hardest thing 4 months, 8 months and one year after your surgery - if you can remember.......

Well,from what I hear Dr.Erlich is very qualified.I know several people that had surgery by him and are very happy with the results.As far as junk food,,I admit I have cheated and ate tacos,etc,,even tried a mcdonalds double cheese,well I got my 2 or three bites,and my system told me no more,so I got the satisfaction of it without all the calories..Lol..But I eat mostly healthy stuff now.You get used to it,its a long journey , yes,,but well worth it in the end,,just follow Dr.Orders..You will be fine..Keep me posted,,cyndee

cyndee what confuses me is that now, i CAN make healthy choices, but i don't stick to it.....what made the difference after surgery for you to make healthy choices and stick to it? I'm such an emotional and boredom eater, that i'm afraid once i get my appetite back that i'll revert to mcdonald's mashed potatoes and gravy etc., etc., what helps you stay on track tht you DIDN'T try before the surgery on all the diets you've tried? darlene

only you can decide to do this or not. But I'll tell you, I am 53 years old now and had it done last year and am now down -157 pounds. I can LIVE now. I wasted 23 years of my life being fat. I wasted 23 years of NOT living. I couldn't do anything before but eat. Like you - I didn't take my kids to the Mall because I couldn't make it from the car to the store. Now my 23 year old daughter can't believe that she poops out before me at the Mall. She says "let's go home I'm tired" I say "just one more store." But again you have to be ready to do this. You have to understand it will be a whole new way of eating. Trust me I eat. But no longer the junk. And you have to follow the rules for life. But I am so happy that I have a LIFE to live and ENJOY now. good luck on what ever you decide. Koukla 338/181/? date of surgery 9/16/05 height 5'6" current age 53

you say you eat, but not the junk. we overweight ppl are usually addicted to the comfort foods.....and the junk......was the elimation difficult or what?

I thought it was going to be the end of the world but it wasn't. there's so many other choices now, so I guess you can say we are lucky. For example there's sugar free chocolate, sugar free pudding, cool whip, no sugar added ice cream. For the holiday I made sugar free Ice Box cake so I wouldn't feel left out. And others ate it and didn't even know it was sugar free. So when I do NEED that comfort I'm able to have it. and the not drinking during and 1 hour after a meal - again - I always keep sugar free Werther's and sugar free life savers delites to suck on and it gets me thru the hour. I have my coffee (about 5 cups) with fat free 1/2 and 1/2. And I always have either South Beach PROTEIN Bars or Pro Protein Bars on hand so when I want that something I will have one of those and then I'm satified. Also when I go to the movies I do buy a small popcorn to eat without butter. But you do have to follow the rules. Protein first and to remember to chew. And these are lifetime rules. But now I have a life. I missed so much of it because of my weight. Good luck in your decision. I know it's a hard one. I think we all had a hard time making the decision. But once you do you can't wait to start your new life. Sincerely, Koukla

Oh also read Dame Tooter's profile. I found a lot of help there. Koukla

Welcome Darlene! Fear is normal. I know exactly how you feel (most people here will). The best thing you can do is educate yourself regarding all your options. Knowledge reduces fear, we generally fear the unknown a lot more then the known. The chances of you suceeding without the help of weight loss surgery is extremely slim (no pun intended). It can be done, but the statistics are stacked against us big time! The quality of life living as a fat person sucks and if you don't die young because of some fat related issue, growing old as a fat person will only get more and more unbearable. Keep reading, keep asking questions, sign up for a seminar or two from bariatric surgeons, go to the regrets forum here, go to each of the specific surgery types here (the two most popular right now are RNY and Lap Band - in that order - but there are other options available as well that are worth being aware of.....) If you want your life back, you can have it back. Take a deep breath and begin your journey! Congratulations for wanting to take control - it takes a brave person to walk the path of weight loss surgery - much braver then sitting back and doing nothing -that is for sure! Best Regards, Tammy