Finally made up my mind...

Hi Everyone! A few days ago I posted because I was unsure if I wanted to go through with my surgery in January. I was afraid I would be one of the unlucky ones who had complications but because of an experience I had today, I have made the decision to go forward with my surgery. So, I've been suffering from severe sciatic nerve pain for 4 months now and today I had to have an MRI to try to determine the cause of the pain. Well let me tell you, it was a horrible experience. If I was 10 lbs heavier, I wouldn't have been able to fit in the machine. As it was, I was so crammed in there that I lost all sensation in my hands (from them being squished between my body and the walls of the machine) and I actually have bruises on my wrists from the pressure. The lady performing the MRI was very nice and I could tell she felt bad when she had to tell me that I might not fit. Luckily, I did but it was pretty awful. I just felt humiliated and when I was back in my car, I burst into tears. Right then I made the decision that enough is enough. I can't live this way anymore. There are so many things that are made difficult and sometimes even impossible at this weight. I don't want to suffer from health problems that may not even be properly diagnosed because of my size. I am so ready to make a change. I just wanted to share this with all of you and say thank you for all of the support I've received on this forum. Reading your stories has been inspiring and I can't wait to start losing and living a better life!

Congrats on your decision! You will be amazed at how much better you feel about yourself once you start losing the weight..I am about 15 months out and have lost 100 lbs and it is so nice to be able to walk a distance and not have to sit down because I am out of breath..Sometimes I amaze myself at how much I can do now..I have not reached goal yet and have kind of fallen off the wagon (so to speak) but getting back on it today..Before I had my surgery I didn't know anything about the honeymoon stage but I wish i would have and would have taken advantage of it...The first year seems to be the easiest time to lose the weight...after that it kind of slows down so keep that in mind when you start..and if you have questions come here and ask..someone will know the answer or has experienced the same problem...Best of luck to you and keep us posted as to your surgery.

Thank you for your response Wanda! You have given me some great advice. I'm going to take advantage of the first year to the best of my ability. From what I've read on this forum, maintenance is where the really hard work begins. As for you, even if you have somewhat fallen off the wagon, you still have lost 100 lbs and that's an amazing accomplishment (as I'm sure you know)! Good for you for making the decision to get back on it though, it's never too late when you have such a great tool. Best of luck!

Good for you Sammy!! Stay strong - the process can be tough at times. There will be appointments and tests to get through, and delays, and sometimes rude office staff, etc. Lots of hoops to jump through. BUT, in the end, you will be so glad you did it. Your life will change for the better. Along the way, you will also encounter people who will try to talk you out of the surgery -- don't let them get you down. It's your body - your decision. I would not broadcast your decision because some people will get in your face about it. My fiance tried to talk me out of having the surgery, but I told him I had to do it for me, for my health. It's a safe laparoscopic surgery, and all the pre-op tests are done to ensure you are healthy enough to undergo the surgery.

So - welcome aboard. Remember, almost all of us had doubts along the way, and have many frustrating moments - and almost all of us said the same thing after the surgery - "I should have done it sooner."

Mary

Hi Mary! Thank you for the advice! I'm a pretty private person so I've decided only to tell my immediate family and a few close friends. If I get asked by anyone what I'm doing to lose weight, I will tell them I've had weight loss surgery because I don't want to mislead anyone but at the same time I'm not going to broadcast it. The only person who has tried to talk me out of the surgery is my dad, which really sucks but I expected it. He doesn't understand what it is to be obese and has no concept of the difficulty of losing and keeping off the weight. I'm just not going to discuss it with him. If he has any questions, he can ask and I'll gladly answer. I think in time he will come around. Plus I'm a grown woman so his approval isn't needed, even if it would be nice. Did your fiance come around once he saw you losing weight? I hope so because you've done so well and he should be incredibly proud!

In addition to the discomfort you already feel, you are right in that you will develop serious health problems in the future if your weight stays the same (or like me, gets worse). That's what decided me in the end to have the surgery -- I asked myself what would be more dangerous: the surgery or the weight? Since I had already developed several potentially life-threatening conditions, the answer was a no-brainer. At 8 1/2 months post-op, my BP, cholesterol, reflux, and inflammation levels are all within normal ranges. My doctor has taken me off 5 meds so far. My health and feeling of well-being have improved tremendously. Recently, a few posters have said that they would hypothetically undergo sleeve surgery every year if that's what it took to maintain their dramatic improvements in health and appearance.

Good luck and good health to you with your upcoming surgery.

psychoticparrot

Thanks psychoticparrot for your response! Surgery is a no-brainer for me now too. I've abused my body too much and if I keep going like this, there's no telling what health problems I'll develop in the future. It's very encouraging to hear that your health and well-being have improved tremendously. I think that the surgery will have a huge effect on my mental health, probably more than I can even recognize right now. Good luck to you too and congratulations on your weight loss!

The surgery and the subsequent improvements in your health may very well have an impact on your mental health. One of the meds I was able to stop early this summer was an antidepressant I had been taking for years.

psychotidparrot

Hugs.. I forgot about that. I had a few MRI in the last few years...and the machine is very uncomfortable as it is ... I can't even imagine the pain you went through... I need a narco before the procedure to just help with the pain and stifness... Hugs...

Moments like that are important. I would suggest you print your post and save it somewhere. In the future - When you start wondering why you are having WLS - read it. After WLS when you are tired of the constant: "protein first - drink water - say no to desserts, etc etc -" pull it out stories like that and read... They may help you recall how badly you felt at the high weight and bring back the motivation...

More hugs...

Thanks for the hugs H.a.I.a.B. I definitely needed them after that MRI! I'm grateful for the experience now though because like you said, it was an important moment and absolutely solidified my decision to have surgery. I wrote about it in my journal and I'll definitely use it to remind me why I had the surgery when things get tough. You are an inspiration and I so appreciate you taking the time to respond!