Q&A What had you hoped to get from WLS?

Seems to be too quiet around here....For those who have had surgery already, my question is not only what did you hope to get from WLS but what little extras came your way? And for those of you who are pre-ops feel free to join in with the things you hope to gain from surgery?


For instance - I personally wanted to get rid of the high blood sugar. I have a fear of needles so I wanted control over the sugar before it got to the point that I had to go on insulin. I'm happy to report that my readings have all been in perfectly normal range since coming home from the hospital.

I haven't set a goal "weight". Having been overweight since early childhood - I can't wrap my head around a "normal" number. I wanted to gain a healthier lifestyle. I've surely got more than I hoped for on this.

I had thought "Wouldn't it be cool if I could wear my Mom's clothes?" Well...............can't do that. They're all too big for me. What a problem to have.

- Iris

I am preop but I know the things I hope this surgery will bring about.
1, I want to walk without my knees hurting me so bad.
2. I want to learn to eat healthy for life and enjoy it.
3. I also want to find an exercise I enjoy and stick with it.
4. I would like to be able to wear my daughter's clothes. She wears an 8, I wear a 22.
5. I want to have some energy and feel like doing normal things like housecleaning, etc and not have everything be such a big deal becaue I hurt or I am tired.

Good luck to all of us and congratulations on all the goals already realized.
Jackie

You've only got 2 weeks left until this list of hopefuls becomes your new reality. Congratulations and good luck - it will happen. 

1. Mobility was #1.  It was getting difficult to just get up and walk.  The pain in my back prevented me from moving more then 100 yards without stopping to rest.  I began fearing for my job.

2.  I have gone from 5 shots of insulin a day to ZERO!!!!  Still taking 1 pill, but I think my next labs will eliminate that one too.  I no longer need to test my blood sugars 4 times a day either.

3. Personal Hygiene was another factor.  When you can't reach all areas, or stand in the shower for long, or just don't care, it is time to do something about it.

Loosing this weight has given me back my freedom.  I have a life now!!!!

"I have a life now!!!!"  - that just about sums it up. I thought I had a life but after surgery I realize just how limited I had become.

I just plain wanted to feel better. I wanted my health back and I got it and more. I no longer have GERD, incontinence, asthma, Diabetes, Sleep issues, and I no longer hurt when I move most of the time. I also have gained more willingness to just do stuff. I now like everyday chores like grocery shopping, doing laundry, and vacuuming. I don't mind having to park in the south forty and enjoy a long walk as long as its not raining. It doesn't even bother me to 'have' to walk  a long ways with my dogs from the parking area to the off leash area so they can enjoy some unrestrained freedom in the park. At work my biggest problem is that I can't sit still for very long and am glad I have multiple reasons to get up from my desk to use the fax machine and file things in the filing cabinet. The old me would consolidate those trips and stay put as long as possible. Now I get up for every single task right away and do it so I can move. It keeps my desk neater and more organized too. Stairs no longer worry me and I can fit anywhere except maybe in a small child's chair. I can shop for clothes in regular stores and I don't need nearly as much space in my drawers or closet to house them. I could go on and on but my butt hurts and I need to get up from my computer and move again LOL!

LOL "...my butt hurts..."  - I'm right there with you. Who knew I'd trade in joint pain for an aching tailbone? But it's so worth it.

Funny you should mention that stairs no longer scare you - me either. I tote the groceries upstairs at David's - somedays I look like a pack mule huffing and puffing while I do it but those are the days that I load myself down and try to recreate the pre-op Iris. It's an AHA type moment to remember just how out of shape and "helpless" I had become. My favorite days are the ones where I grab 2 or 3 bags and either sprint up the stairs or try and take them 2 at a time.

When I finally made the decision to have RNY, I had a couple of goals that I wanted to achieve.

1. I didn't want to be borderline for diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease any longer.
2. I wanted to beat the odds and not end up on several medications like all of my siblings and my parents.
3. I wanted to be a healthy weight
4. I wanted to be able to exercise without feeling like I was going to pass out.
5. i wanted to be able to shop with my teenagers without having to sit down after we come out of a store.
6. I wanted to learn how to eat healthy, get the weight off and learn how to keep the weight off.

So far, I've accomplished quite a few of these goals but I still have to learn to fight the temptation of food and continue to make healthy choices.

Deb

Fighting the temptation of food is so incredibly difficult. Surgery only happens to our stomachs the rest is a combination of willpower and education. Good Luck on the toughest leg of the journey - there are a bunch of us right there with you.

Hi Iris,

Great Thread! 

I had hoped to regain my health and look 'normal' after surgery and I would say that I have succeeded in those areas.

I guess I hadn't really realized how 'compromized' my quality of life had become due to my obesity. You know as we gain the weight it is often a slow climb up and the restrictions that it places on  you are so insidious, but as the weight stripped off, I realized how many things I can do now that I hadn't been able to do before. It is all of the little things, that add up to a very big thing... Quality of life!