How to get over missing part of your stomach!

I think of it this way, the stomach I have now (I'm waiting on my insurance approval) holds far, far more than I would ever need under any cir****tances. I know this because I've been stuffing it full and testing its limits for over 40 years.  That excess capacity, while it may be "fun" or comforting in the moment to fill, contributes to my being over 100 pounds overweight.  So I'm reducing it to a size compatible with the person I want to be.

I don't miss that part of my stomach at all! Do I feel different than I did before.....you bet I do....and it feels wonderful! I had this surgery at just shy of 71 years of age and I wish I had done it sooner. I'm almost never hungry and with this surgery, I KNOW when to stop eating...before I could just pack it in and even if I was full,  I could always manage a few extra bites....because heaven forbid I should have left anything extra on the plate (a little sarcasm there- sorry)..... Now I know my limits and I actually enjoy my food more because I needed to slow down my eating, chew my food better and most of all....make better food choices.

I'm down 59 pounds in 7 months - I lose slowly for a few reasons....I'm now 71 years young and I haven't been able to exercise because of a torn meniscus in my left knee. I just joined a gym that has a pool and now that I'm a more comfortable size, I'm going to buy one of those dreaded pieces of clothing that one wears when swimming.....if you know what I mean!

My one recommendation is that you NOT talk to everyone you know about the possibility of having surgery..... there are many people out there who will be more than happy to tell you all the horror stories they've heard (even if they are not based on any facts), tell you that if you eat salad 6 times a day you'll be skinny in no time, pass judgement on you forever or just badger you about whatever their own personal issues happen to be. The fewer people who know, the better...at least for now. There's lots of misinformation out there from people who are amateurs on the weight loss issues and they're happy to tell you how to lead your life.

If you want answers and hand-holding, this is the best place to be.....we have been in your shoes, we understand what you're feeling, we have no hidden agenda....in other words....we get it!!! Ask questions, ask advice, ask what-ifs....vent, etc......or, if you don't have any questions at a particular time, just read the questions and answers because you'll end up getting answers to questions you didn't know you had.

No matter what.....best of luck on your journey!

Thank you!!

Perfect !

Hi Anita:

LOL....I, too, had to finish what was on my plate. Plus, the meal wasn't finished until you had dessert. If only we knew then what we know now.

My best friend (since we were 13) is an ICU nurse and weighs around 250 ish. When I told her that I was learning about the VSG, she immediately had to tell me about a friend of hers that had it done and has since gained every pound back. I shut down at that point. My surgery is on Monday and I haven't told her. Sad.

You're 100% correct to not talk to everyone about what you're thinking about doing. You never get the success stories.

Jan

"I enjoy my nights out with girl friends eating sushi and drinking wine...traveling to exotic destinations and sampling foods. Is this truly the end of all of this, or is it really all moderation eventually?"

I'm right about 5 months out.  I don't have any problems going out with friends/family at this point.  I can order appetizers or plan on having leftovers.  I am working on eating much more slowly (it's one of my biggest challenges) so when I manage it, I usually don't finish that far ahead of everyone else even though I'm eating so much less.  I can drink some alcohol now, but I don't imbibe much because I'm now a lightweight, and it's empty calories.

I'm also finding why it's not a good thing to graze.  If I'm at a party or event, and I nibble here and there but don't tuck into a real "meal" I can eat for an hour or two.  So it's good to know if I eat little bites slowly, and space them out, I can be "normal" at an event or something.  But it's also a warning for 99% of my eating - I need to eat what I am supposed to in my 20-30 minute meal time, and then I'm done.  The grazing thing can get me back into mindless eating real quick, and that's a path back to where I don't want to be.

So there is a "normal" life post-op, and it doesn't have to be a year or 18 months out.  Will we always have to watch what we're eating and exercise some control and moderation?  Yep.  But there can be room for celebrations and events and food tastings, it just takes a little planning and forethought.

Just think of it as the appendix. If you have to cut it out to be healthy, why would you care about it...

Well I thought about this a lot. I realized that the human body has a lot of redundancy. two lungs, you can live without parts of various organs or even limbs. Our stomachs were designed thousands of years ago when there was a feast or famine state of life. sometimes you had to eat all you could get your hands on to make up for later lean times.  So your stomach is made to take in more food than you need. Now its redundant to a certain extent. Think of it as downsizing from a giant mansion to a snazzy little apartment. Anyway, thats how I thought of it. Never regretted it. I am past 7 years. Don't miss that old thing and can't even see the scar where it came out anymore. 

Yes when you go out and socialize you will have to eat less. but you likely won't be hungry and when the weight comes off you will bask in your achievement.  

Someday there may be another non surgical treatment but I was 58 and felt my world getting smaller and smaller.  Now at 65 I feel great. No more bp meds, overall good health and no where near so much joint pain.  Think carefully . You must be prepared to change your relationship with food. That is step one. In my case I decided I had had enough m and mis for several lives and could live without junk.  GL. Diane S

I guess for me, I look at it like they are removing the EXTRA amount of my stomach that grew from years of overeating and returning it to the size it SHOULD be....don't miss it at all.

Sounds like you are starting to have the conversation you need to have:  "What are the comparative benefits of having WLS, i.e., what will you lose and what will you gain after WLS?"  

The only way you can answer those questions for yourself is to continue to educate yourself about WLS by talking to those who've had WLS and reading good research about the post-op results.   

The answers are not simple.  Some do wonderfully after WLS.  I'm one of those -- had a VSG 2.5 years ago, have lost 100 pounds and kept it all off for longer than a year thus far.  I'm far more active physically and in life.  I'm much happier and calmer.  My husband's life has also improved, because he no longer worries about my health.  But having surgery is far from the ONLY change I've made in the last 2.5 years.  I've changed my whole lifestyle.  

We still go on out to restaurants, attend holiday gatherings, go on long cruises and enjoy great food and wines together  But compared to pre-op life, I do eat less.  For the last 3 years I've planned and tracked all my food for My Fitness Pal.  By doing that I've learned that since reaching my goal weight of 135 pounds I've averaged 1,725 calories/day.  That's right in line with others my age and my size who are active with a stable weight.  

My experience has been that as I changed from being obese to healthier and normal-sized my vision of what's "normal" and "enjoyable" has changed a lot.  That didn't happen overnight.  And it might not have happened if I hadn't gotten involved with an excellent, full-service surgical practice and decided to seek therapy help from a psychologist who has experience working with bariatric patients.  I wanted to put as many resources toward my WLS success as I could muster.  

I'll caution you that having WLS is not a guarantee that you will be successful in controlling your weight.  About half of those who have WLS regain at least half of their lost weight.  Many of these folks don't have good support from their family, which all the research says is important to have.  Many of them would have benefitted by having access to therapy that supported them in making the necessary lifestyle changes.  

There are numerous factors related to WLS success and different factors related to lack of success.  Keep reading, keep asking, keep listening.  

Very best to you!