Newbie...contemplating WLS

Hi All,

I am new to the forum however have been reading your posts now for weeks.

It has been very interesting. I learn something new every day.

I am also contemplating WLS however also considering the medical weight loss program.

The medical weight loss is a six month program with no surgery. You would be required to take opit-fast for three months.

Has anyone considered or done the medical program?

I am currently in the surgical weight loss program. Orientation was June 25. Already meet with the nurse, dietian and social worker. I have completed the required testing. Everything is good. I meet the nutrionist for the third time in November. She has requested that I eliminate alcohol and soda from my die****ch my carbohydrates and incorporate excerise in my schedule. I have done all of this for 1.5 weeks now. I am just having second thoughts about the surgery. Maybe I should try the medical route? Does any one ever wonder if they could have lost the weight without the surgery? I too have been a yo-yo dieter for well over 10+ years now. Losing and gaining, losing and gaining. I want to get this off, once and for all, before I have any major health problems. My BMI is 44.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Every diet I ever did was going to work. Every time.  And many did - at different times I lost 40lbs, 60lbs, 90lbs.  The clue lies in the fact that each time the loss I needed was greater than the time before!

yes, it is perfectly possible to lose weight without surgery. I am told the figure for keeping that loss off is around 5% of dieters! 

My first diet was some time around 1968!  From 1968 to 2006, I lost, gained with a bit extra - again and again.  I don't think I ever kept the weight off for more than, at best, a year. My surgery was in 2006, I got to my goal weight within 15 months.  And basically ever since then, although my weight has fluctuated, I have never worn any clothing bigger than a U.S. size 12 top and size 10 skirt.

Eight slim years; entirely due to surgery! 

Every diet seems promising but I have been on so many diets I can't count them and I even lost 75 lbs at one time but it always comes right back with friends. I however decided to have wls on July 3, 2012 and it was the best decision I ever made. I started out at 527 lbs and I now weigh 220 lbs. I am in the best health I have ever been in and I am super excited. I would advise the medical weight loss program thing maybe while you wait for a surgery date but I am a strong believer in wls because it works I am a testimony to that. I lost 100 lbs in medical weight loss in preop then I lost the other 200+ lbs after wls. So I am a huge advocate for wls as it helped to change my life completely. 

I'm with Kate on this one -- every single diet I ever tried worked!  The problem was that I couldn't stay on the "diet" forever and I always gained back all the weight with bonus pounds.  When I started this WLS journey I told my surgeon, "I need you to tell me that this surgery will help me KEEP the weight off...because I can lose weight myself with one hand tied behind my back.  I've done it 150 times!"   He went into a lot of detail about how the physiological changes that happen after WL and explained that WLS is primarily a tool to keep the weight off.  After hearing that, I was sold.  

Honestly, if you could have lost all the weight and kept it off with some other method, you would have done it by now.  But if you think you have one more diet left in you, then try that first before going the surgery route.  

I would not have wls. natural weight loss is best way to lose weight..In my case whats done is done