Changes after surgery

What kind of changes has anyone gone thru after surgery besides the eating issues? Do you feel different because you look different? What about attitude?

Hi Kellee, I can only tell you a few things of what I have experienced. I am a little over 2 years out. My energy levels went up a lot. I feel good actually doing things now. I do more active things rather than watching activities. I sometimes look at my before and after pictures and sort of feel like I don't know either of those people. Before, because I look so different from that now, after because I have never looked like that before. This is neither good or bad, it just seems a little weird and different. I have noticed a much higher level of self esteem and confidence than what I have had in the past. I feel like I look at people differently now. I don't look at them in a bad way or a good way, its just different and very hard to explain. Inside in many ways I am still the same person. We are all good people no matter what size we are and some of the emotions we have experienced are still the same emotions we experience now. Not everything changes drastically although many things do in many ways. I think there is a little different understanding with people also than what I used to have. I have also found that I can see people in a different light and understand where some people have been that have looked at us in bad ways, but I don't ever treat people that way because I do understand what its like to be treated that way-if this makes any sense to you. People are still people and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity no matter what size they are. I think I can understand this more than many people because I have been now on both sides. I know much of what patient's are feeling before surgery, during the decision making process, and the comparisons they will feel after surgery. I can understand these things because I have walked in their shoes, and you don't really forget these experiences. I understand where they are coming from with making such a big decision. I also know where they are heading because I am experiencing it myself. Those of us who have gone through all this very likely has much more of an understanding of patient's than many if not most people who work in these areas and have never gone through any of these experiences. It is a lot different to have a limited understanding of people in this situation by what you are told then to have the understanding through the experiences yourself. Its really a shame that more people involved with taking care of these patients dont' have the understanding of them in the ways some of the rest of us do. It would be so much more beneficial to the patients to be able to talk with people who actually know and understand what they are talking about based on personal experiences. I have heard of some people getting real attitudes. I have not happen to run into these people. If they are out there and have an attitude that they are better than anyone else now, then shame on them. Its a huge decision. They need to remember what they have gone through before and how they felt. They need to be an encouragement to others and be understanding and helpful. It is a lot of work and its something that is important for health above anything else and all the rest is personal benefits. Everyone experiences things differently. It is quite a metamorphisis that you experience, mentally, emotionally, and most definitely physically. Whether people find it to be easy or difficult depends a lot on what their situation is before surgery and if they are going about things in the best frame of mind. This is not a quick fix. If they go into it feeling like that they will have some difficult times to deal with. It would be like me saying I understand what its like to go through a vasectomy, when that is such an impossibility, and can only imagine it because what knowlege of others experiences or knowlege of the procedure is gone through. I will never really understand this because I have never and will never go through it myself. Make sense? Along the same lines is the fact that a male obstitrician saying he knows what its like to have a baby!!! Hello.......... how many have they had????? Why would this be any different? If people have never experienced what its like to be extremely heavy then go through this whole process, why would they be able to understand---they can't. Why would we expect them to be able to, that is unreasonable. I will say, regardless of whatever anyone has gone through that I have spoke with or heard from, I have yet to have anyone tell me that they regret doing it. By the same respect, in my own experiences I have not had nearly the complications that some people have but what I have experienced as far as any little set backs or bumps in the road, I don't regret it for a second and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I'm sure there is much more that can be said, but this is a start for you to go through and I hope it is very helpful. Good Luck, take care, and God Bless! Beth

Hello Kellee, I agree with everything Beth posted here and I can only add that it has to be experienced to know the true feelings months after surgery. For me before WlS it was more wishful thinking to be 135 pounds lighter then after WLS and actually being 135 pounds lighter. My happiness is so visible in everything I do and plan, and the pride I take in my appearance is much greater than before. It was as if I gave up on myself after years of not liking what I saw day after day in the mirror being overweight. I do have to add people treat you with more respect when you are thin. It is sad but true, there is a discrimination towards obese people. I would like to think that my attitude is the same, but I do catch myself telling one of my family members of a new compliment I received or that the new pants I bought is a size 6, but I am aware of it and will catch it now. I guess I need an attitude ajustment. LOL. Take care, Janice

Kellee, I do agree with what both the previous women said. But, I also have to say from a person who has spent their life defending, working, and understanding the underdogs of the world the not skinny, normal, average Jane or Joe, I am still the same person I was before and now after surgery. I was not always overweight. I gained my weight starting at age 25. I guess it all about how you were raised, and chose to be as an adult. I was never in the beginning of the WLS years a defender of surgery. I can honestly say the reasons why, were that the people I knew who had surgery abused the process, and never changed, and had severe health problems before and more after. They thought sugery was the CURE..... After many years of investigation of my own, and meeting other who would tell me the BAD along with the good of surgery I was encouraged to understand that WLS is NOT A CURE, but a TOOL for us to USE OR ABUSE. This is our choice we needed to make before surgery, and commit ourselves to the choice. I have been asked by many about having surgery, and I tell them "MY STORY" the GOOD & BAD. Then I encourage them to continue to investigate and understand that this is a TOOL, NOT A CURE, and can be defeated if we make the choice to defeat the 'tool' we have chosen to use. I do NOT encourage or discourage others in having WLS. I tell them that they need to search deep inside themselves and decide if this is the right decision for them. With all the complication, problems, and limitations since my surgery. There has only been 1 moment when I cried, and it was for 30 seconds. I only cried cause I wanted to go home and tired of being in the hospital after 7 days. I never cried over the complications, problems or limitations. I chose this path, and I have OVERCOME each one of the complication, I have SOLVED with my surgeon, and doctor each problem, and found that my limitations are only those IF I ALLOW them to be, and I DO NOT, I MOVE FORWARD. I have been told I am a "RARE BIRD", I never cared what ppl thought about me before, and still dont now. The only person who counts is ME. And I have always been someone who like to push the line, with others, for other and with myself. My attitude is still the same, and instill that in every person I can to encourage them to be PROUD of who they are no matter what the other guy (who feels the need to degrade everyone else cause HE/SHE theirselves have LOW SELF-ESTEEM) says. The only thing I do find is that I just cant let go of some of my clothes. I think that is the only problem I have. I love my clothes BIG, I did even as a kid, teen, and young adult. And now I can LAYER them on to keep warm, and take them off as I need when I get to warm. Remember ONLY YOU MATTER when it comes to opinions. Paige 385/263/200