i love my RNY

for those of you who are newly out or concidering wls.i love my rny.yes we have our fights.i want something and it doesnt and promptly lets me know when i have done something to **** it off,but without it i would have never been able to do some of the things that i have done in the past year.this last week i waterskied for the first time successfully without dying.i now can fit into a size 3-4 from a size 22-44.i was able to tube down a river for the first time(wont do it again for other reasons)i was able to sit out side for hours in +30-40 heat without melting or dying.i actually tired my kids out before i did.be apart of our family vacation instead of sitting and watching them.i can wear my wedding ring without cutting off blood to finger(finally got it resized from 9.5 to a 6.5)i hope when you are deciding what you want to do you will read all of the postive stuff and not dwell on the negitive posts on various sites.
sondra

 Great for you Sondra, how wonderful to be able to participate in your family vacation instead of watching it.  You've done so well and look fabulous.  It's so nice to hear how excited you are about your life now.  And heck if it weren't for that sometimes grouchy pouch you may not be where you are today in your weightloss.  I try to remember that on the days mine is grumpy.  

I absolutely love this post !!!  thank you for this , makes me reafirm why i am doing this  beisdes for health reasons , also for living reasons . Im looking forward to my one year later after i finally get my sugery .Makes me think after the negative things you may hear why this is so worth any of the hic ups .  Congrats on your sucess !!! 

 Thanks Sondra for your inspiring words.

I am thinking about having surgery this fall in Mexico and still have many concerns. I am good with the prediet, surgery, post diet, all of that I am sure I can handle. What I am worried about is after the honeymoon period. Will I regain the weight loss, will I never enjoy another Thanksgiving turkey dinner or will I be bitter for the rest of my life because others can eat what I want to eat! 

For those who are 2 or more past surgery, what is your food intake like? Can you have treats? Do you eat more like a healthy person or are you always a bariatric surgery eater?

When I start to doubt having the surgery, I ask myself "how has what you have been doing working for you?" It is not as I continue to gain! 

Does anyone know of a good councillor for bariatric surgery in Winnipeg, as I am not going via The Vic program? 

Thanks for your support.

BeginsToday

Hello,
You asked about those who are years past surgery, well I am 4 yrs out.  I have continued to keep over 100 lbs off.   Some of my changes/methods include:   planning ahead (buying food for lunch and suppers) instead of always saying "there's nothing to eat, so let's go thru a fast food restaurant";  eating frequently so I am not hungry and overdoing it (almost every 2 hrs); only buying sugar-free treats like puddings/frozen treats/or fruit and eating these when I have a craving for sweets; eating proteins (meats mostly) and veggies 1st for my meals; staying away from most carbs (I find it easier to say no then only eat a little). 

Really as you are doing, keep reading and asking what works.  I never read a label in my life but now at minimum I read the sugar content and  protein in foods.  It takes awhile to build new habits and that is what I have done... and it is working. It helps that my husband and family support my new food habit/ lifestyle and do not push me, even my co-workers will ensure fruit and cheese is available at birthdays and not just "desserts", that is support!   I really do not feel deprived.  Hope that helps.
Diane

Begin's today.... I'm only 3 months out but there is a shift where you stop living for food. I still enjoy it but I don't have the same emphasis on eating that I used to . I don't feel hungry much and am satisfied by small amounts. Family dinners and outings are more for the social aspect and it is pretty freeing to think that way. I really feel that I looked at food with way too much importance in my life. Like an addict really.

I do miss eating a bunch of items at the same time ( just starting to be able to eat protein and vegetables at the same time in any amount other than almost garnishes. I just remember that I can have something later as a snack if I want it later. I just finished my lunch of a few cucumber slices, a few cubes of feta cheese , some tszatki dip and 2 crackers and I feel full and got a hell of a lot of taste out of a small portion ( I think I was really craving salt badly!! lol)

.  I tend to go for foods with more taste - more punch like the feta and dip - lots of flavour.  I have a pretty small sleeve and my restriction is pretty strong. I used to read what people were eating and it was almost incomprehensiable how they were satisfied on so little. But it really is true. Our head hunger is way stronger and it takes awhile to deal with.  I still have a few foods that don't agree with me or I have no desire to eat -eggs kind of gross me out still- I used to love them - bread and toast seem to really make me feel gross- like a ball of yuck in my sleeve so I tend to avoid them and have no desire to eat bread- and I LOVED bread before. 

But these things to question and ask yourself about everything before you make this decision. I  am so happy I did this but it isn't for everyone and if everyone made the decision with a lot of thought it would be good,

Hi BeginsToday, I am just about 8 weeks post op right now and down 40 lbs.  I may not have the long term perspective you are looking for but I can tell you that for me the difference is that I am satisfied with a few bites of most things instead of having to have 3 times a normal portion like before.  I was craving ice cream when we were away so I had 2 or 3 teaspoons of some soft serve ice cream and really I was totally satisfied with that.  You learn to eat slower and that allows you to actually taste your food and savor your food more and yes I am still in the so called honeymoon stage but I hope I am building the habits that will see me through life forever.  I keep reminding myself that we need food to live we don't need to live for food.  Once you get feeling how good the weightloss feels, your focus on food changes.  There are also so many ways to lighten up your cooking.  Sugar free cake mixes, low fat and low sugar recipies.  If we are going to a gathering I try to bring a dessert item that I can eat so I don't feel cheated.  There is always lots of meat and salad options but not always a dessert option that I can partake in.  We adapt!  I can tell you there isn't a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal I would rather eat than have the feeling of the weightloss and the new freedoms it affords me.  Good luck with your journey.

 I want so badly to be where you are. There is so much that I still want to be able to do with my life and none of it is huge...to wear rings I have not been able to wear for years, to walk without pain in my knees and hips, to beat diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. To look in the mirror and be happy with what I see.
I have accepted that I will never again be the size 2 that I was when in my 20s. That's fine. I'd be thrilled with a 12 and over the moon with a 10...just to be able to buy clothes again, not even designer...heck just to be able to walk into value village and select from the smaller sizes would thrill me.
I get so tired of carrying an extra person around with me all the time...

For Begins Today;

I am 1.5 years out now. I can eat almost anything I want now, which can sometimes be a problem. The good side is that you can taste anything you want - you just have to watch your portion size. So you will not feel deprived at family gatherings, you just have to sensible about how much you eat. The bad news is that if you are not careful, the weight will creep back on. It has been a struggle because I am not yet at my goal weight. However, I am back on track now and eating a high-protein diet and I believe that I will get there.

The best part is not the number on the scale but all the things I can now do. I take stairs without even thinking about it. I used to always take an elevator or lean heavily on stair railings. Now, I can just go up the middle of the staris without concern. I no longer walk with a cane. I can go out in this crazy heat without getting immediately faint. I can go clothes shopping and actually choose what I like instead of just buying whatever fits.

This has not been easy but I don't regret my decision for a minute. If I had to do it over again, I would probably go for the sleeve instead of the RNY because I have experienced a few severe episodes of dumping syndrome. However, thanks to my RNY I left the hospital with normal blood pressure.

Good luck with your decision!

Tanya

Congrats sondra,
Like you mentioned the clothes size.... great to go down in sizes like that!!! Honestly before surgery, I could go to only one store to buy size 4x, now I can go anywheres.... fun to shop....(can be expensive though)
Diane