What surprised you the most after you had your VSG surgery?
People not recognizing me after I lost over 150 lbs. One my way down to a 200lb loss at around 150lbs down I would be standing next to someone I had known for years and they would ask my wife or my friends "where's Keith?" and then they would be floored when they finally wrapped their head around the change since the last time they saw me. It became amusing eventually but at first I was quite taken aback.
I am only 3.5 weeks out, but I would say I am surprised by how I've taken it all in stride.
The surgery wasn't easy, but I am already feeling normal again. After being obsessed with this process for the past year, I'm so teady to focus on other aspects of my life (while sticking to plan, of course).
Referral - 05/16, Orientation @ HRH - 19/08/16, Surgeon - 06/04/17, NUT/SW/RN - 26/6/17 VSG - 11/10/17 Pre-Op - 27 lbs M1: 22 lbs M2: 14 lbs M3: 11 lbs M4: 13 lbs M5: 9 lbs M6: 9 lbs M7: 7 lbs
A few of my revelations after surgery.
- I had (and to some extent, still have) a REALLY messed-up relationship with food, and I was pretty oblivious to it. Having a hardcore focus on an appropriate relationship, and "normal" ways of eating, was a bit of a shock.
- My massive weight gain was NOT caused exclusively by my psych meds. I definitely blamed them and took very little responsibility for what I was putting in my face. After surgery, I switched meds several times WITHOUT gaining 50+lb, which was eye-opening.
- Eating out was honestly no big deal. I expected to have to make a fuss, but I've yet to have any trouble. Just tell the server, "I'm on kind of a funky diet, would it be OK if I...?" Leave the sauce off, get broccoli instead of mashed potato, whatever.
- Surgery isn't magic, and it's absolutely still a "diet" in the sense that you need to measure and log and track everything that goes in your mouth-- both immediately post-op, and in the long run.
- Increased fertility after WLS is no joke. I got pregnant (intentionally) three weeks after having my IUD out-- I never even got a period!
- Your hormones will get WAY out of whack at first, and that's totally normal. It'll mess with your TOM and your emotions, and sadly there's not much to be done about it. After getting my Mirena I was used to no cramps or PMS, and those came back with a vengeance for about 6 months.
- It takes a LONG time to get used to your new self. I struggled HARD with this. I wouldn't recognize the face I saw in the mirror, and it freaked me the hell out. It got better as time went by, but it seriously threw me for a loop.
- Thin privilege is real. People treat me very differently at a normal (or normal-ish) weight than they did when I was almost 300lb. It was heartbreaking at times, and has made me more aware of my own attitudes.
- Losing weight the second time around is WAAAAY harder than it was during the initial honeymoon. I gained weight after getting pregnant at 13 months post-op; my son just turned 2, and I'm actually a few pounds above where I was after giving birth. (And it's 100% my own fault.) Once you fall out of those good post-op habits, it's incredibly hard to get back on the wagon, so do everything you can to maximize your honeymoon and stay on track.
- Not everybody needs plastic surgery. I was expecting to have really bad hanging skin, but I was honestly surprised that my body didn't look too awful. I guess (relative) youth and good luck were on my side? At 34, my body looks like that of a woman my age who's had 3 or 4 children, instead of just one. And I'm totally OK with that; I wear shapewear about half the time, and it bothers me a little bit, but it's not bad enough for surgery in my opinion.
Hope this helps!
Sparklekitty / Julie / Nerdy Little Secret (#42)
Roller derby - cycling - triathlon
VSG 2013, RNY conversion 2019 due to GERD. Trendweight here!
on 11/3/17 2:29 pm
I was surprised that I was eventually okay with eating so little. At first, it so went against everything I'd ever learned about healthy weight loss that I thought eating 800 calories was insane. I fought it mentally (all the while not being able to eat more than that). But it's enough to feel satisfied once you have 80% of your stomach removed... Now comes the task of figuring how to increase my calories when 800 feels like enough volumewise!
I was also surprised by how many people have asked if I'm "okay". I swear I don't think I look sick. My face isn't gaunt. I wear a size 12. I lost the requisite hair, but I had a lot to start with so it doesn't look thin. But my housecleaner, gardener, and a few family friends have all given me that concerned look while asking, "Is everything okay?". It totally messes with my head.
I'm so glad I did it though!
