scared

Hi: I am having the do it or not conversation every other minute. I saw my GI MD today and told her I was going to have the surgery and she talked to me, explaining the pro's and con's. She also told me that years ago the previous surgery they are finding patients with cirhosis of liver which is why they have changed it. This is probably why it takes so long to get in for the surgery. To drive myself crazy. Any suggestions how you came to the untimate decision???

This is true.....My son in law just had a liver transplant in July. BUT.....he was predisposed to a bad liver. HIs mother died of the same thing. He had wls in 2003 and drank an awful lot. He also took nsaids...BUT again, he had the liver thing going before his surgery. He had his wls 3 years ago and up until this past year, he could not eat more than a few bites at a time. NOw that he has a new liver, he is doing so well and eating really really well. But please don't think you have this liver problem because he was one in a million. I had wls in May of this year and I am eating very well...I don't take any nsaids...i.e. advil, nuprin,etc..only tylenol, and one low dose asprin a day. I also don't drink....(well maybe a little here and there but very very little). I am very happy I had the rny by pass. I don't look back. I am down 63 lbs and enjoying every minute of it. Hope this helps. Carol b

Thanks for the help, I'm just so nervous as I guess all of you all were before.

Hi Donna, You have to decide which is more scarey, the "possibility" of developing some illness that they have likely resolved with more updated strategies and techniques for this surgery, or the solid in your face facts that remaining obese can and will do to the body, mind and soul. My deciding moment was a year ago April, when my mom lost the ability to get out of bed. I have watched her deteriorate before my eyes. My mom was diagnosed with diabetes in her 40s (guess how old I am) and try as she might, she was unable to keep off the weight. Over the years she has lost her vision (retinopathy), developed unbearable pain in her legs (neuropathy), additional pain in her hips/knees/ankles due to arthritis and the weight bearing on her joints, she has had multiple strokes and has lost most of the use of her right side (of course she was right handed). I love my mom with all my heart and it's painful to see how much has been taken from her. I can just imagine how different her life would be if this surgery were available to her at the level of success that it was available to me. I wish that being scared was enough, she went through all of that and couldn't beat the battle with obesity. I saw it, and it terrified me, but I couldn't win the battle with obesity, not without this surgery as a key tool to help me succeed. Now, I'm not the fastest loser, but then, it's not a race. I had my surgery in July and I have lost 46lbs. That's about 12lbs a month. There are other members here that are 60+ pounds down in the same time. But that's ok, we're all different. Like a lot of people, I've experienced big weight loss in the past, but not without torturous difficulty, and then many times I gained it back and more. This is different, I don't feel hungry. I don't feel deprived. Best of all I believe this will work for me. I'm not sure where you're from, but I went to the group meetings at RI Hospital for about 6 months before my surgery date. You learn so much and there's so much support! Besides, once you begin the pre-op testing it takes a bit of time. Luckily (knock on wood) so far, I've had almost no side effects. About three times I've had some nausea because I ate too fast, or something, but it didn't last more than an hour, if that. I feel I'm moving much easier not having to carry around that extra 46lbs. That's almost one of those giant bags of dog food. Try dragging that around the store for five minutes and see if you're not exhausted! Guess I've rambled. Wish I could have had this same opportunity ten years ago, but then the surgery has advanced so much in ten years. Don't wait too long, come to the meeting next week. I promise you won't regret it. Pam