Poll for Kari - Would you have WLS again?

You guys rock!

 

Thank you so much to Debi for starting this. 

It is helping to hear everyone's experience and things on a really honest level.  I'm the type of person who walks into stuff overly prepared for the worst and hoping for the best, and your experiences are really helping me.

 

Keep 'em coming.

:-)

I am a little over 16 months out and without a doubt, I would do it all again...with Dr. Pupkova :) 

Lisa :) 

Just wanted to thank all of you for your positive posts about WLS...I was just approved by my insur co to have the surg & am now just waiting for a date (w/ Dr. Boe at Barix Clinic)...but I have been reading so many posts where some regreted having the surg & others have so many problems afterwards...it's so nice to see all of you doing so well...it gives me hope & makes me happy I made this decision!! Continued success to each & everyone of you:) Hugs
Diane

OK so I am a bit late getting on the band wagon - I am almost 2 years out, down 135 pounds and FEELING GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would do this again in a heartbeat - and I too only wish that I had done it sooner, like before I got married so my wedding pictures well actually LOOK like ME!

I have had some minor complications. Ulceers and low B12 but nothing that can't be managed easily! I agree with Nicole that a lot of this is mental and the best advice that I can give is find support groups and support people and stick with them!!

Best of luck!

Liz

ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, IN A NEW YORK MINUTE I WOULD DO THIS AGAIN!!!

Like everyone else, I only wish I had had the courage to do it sooner, but your mind has to be ready for all the changes your body is going to go thru, so I'm guessing we all chose our times when it was right for us.

I am almost 10 months out (Thursday) and have lost 153 pounds - 50 pre-op, 103 post-op. I have never felt better - I can do more than I've ever done before. I am off almost all of my meds - one very small (2.5 mg) of Norvasc for my blood pressure and that's it. My 9 month bloodwork was awesome - Dr Boe was so pleased!! My iron and B12 levels were great - my good and bad cholesterol were also in great range - everything seems to be working like it should.

Yes, I've had my tough moments - dumping, food getting stuck - but you know what? I don't huff and puff from walking 10 feet anymore - I don't sweat profusely just from doing one little task - I don't break into a panic thinking 'is my fat butt going to fit in that chair?' anymore.

My biggest regret is that for years I felt this was an 'easy' fix - talked badly about people who opted for it instead of trying diet and exercise (which obviously never worked for me), and worried about loose skin. Hey, so I have loose skin - beats the heck out of looking like one of those big balloon floats at the Thanksgiving day parade!!

Kathy

I am sixteen weeks out this Wednesday!  Yay!  I would definitely do it again.  No major complications related to surgery.  I get a little hypoglycemic from time to time if I don't eat according to my  normal schedule (every 2-3 hours).  It's work, don't let anyone fool you.  You plan your food, you plan your liquids, you plan your vitamins.  To work this I remain very structured.  But it's TOTALLY worth it.  I am no longer pre-diabetic.  I no longer have hypertension.  I no longer need a CPAP.  I feel great.  I look pretty good (everyone tells me anyway - I still have mirror issues).  I can cross my legs, walk up stairs, and cross my legs again.  I'm a fanatic about the vitamins.  TAKE THEM AND DON'T STOP.  We need them, desparately.  Many, many, many times 1) it would be easier not to and 2) complications arise usually (not all) from non-compliance to vitamins.  All that being said, it's no where near as hard as it was getting to be to just pull myself through the day tired and weary.  Do it smart and it's the best thing you'll ever do for yourself.

Keri

I had my surgery on 9-16-07 and also my only regret is that I did not do it sooner.

I do not have any problems. I have never thrown up, never had the foamies, no heartburn.

I do take my vitamins religiously - and if that is all that is needed to stay healthy - that is not a bad tradeoff.

Tammy

I guess I'll be the only one to say that I'm not sure YET!  lol
I tend to worry a lot and perhaps expect things to go wrong.
So far I've been okay, I guess... But I don't want to be too naive so early.
And the weight is coming off, but SO SLOWLY compared to others who have had it, even AFTER me.  And I know I shouldn't compare, but sometimes I can't help it.

I really want to see how my first blood work goes and all.
I was still (knock on wood) a healthy person before surgery.
I got the surgery hoping and praying that it would be an effective preventive measure...
as I all studies say my health wouldn't last being so overweight.
But I'm scared that some complication of the surgery will end up making me unhealthy
(which will totally suck).

Ok, well, that's all for me.

Have a good day all :)

Shannon

I had open RNY on March 3 2007.  I've lost 108 lbs.   Despite some complication right after surgery,  yes, I would do this again.  I am 57 and have not felt this good in 25 years.  As Nicole stated, this is a mental process also and that piece is life long but so worth the effort.

Arlene 

I sure the heck would!!! I had little problems like constipation. But its been a blessing thus far!!

I feel incredibly lucky to have had it!!