Does anyone regret their surgery?

Because our stomachs are so small we feel full on a small amount of food. You would never feel full on that amount per day. You could never keep it up long-term. We also don't stay at 500 calories a day. I am 6 months out and my calories are anywhere from 700 to 1000 calories per day at this point. The surgery gives a tool we can use for the rest of our lives. Diets will crash and burn. That is not a lifetime plan. We practice our commitment be sticking to our pre-surgery diet and doing what the surgeon tells you.

I do not regret my surgery.

Thank you so much for all your replies. You are all so sweet here. I don't know why I panic at the thought of committing to a 7 month diet, but not at the thought of making a life change.  Then I get concerned because it doesn't bother me. I'm just so confused!  

Stop trying to make things harder than they need to be. Try sensible dieting until you see your doc, then follow their program. They know what they are doing because they've done them for years. You are over thinking the whole process!

First, you can definitely live healthier pre-surgery. However, 500 calories would be very difficult and unadvisable pre-surgery imo. Second, I don't regret my surgery even a tiny bit. I left the hospital off my diabetes meds. I was on metformin and bydureon. Use this seven months to practice good habits like not eating and drinking at the same time, measuring portions, only eating at mealtime, etc. and of course, only YOU know if surgery is right for you. I'm pretty sure it's saving my life.

There are a few totally normal misconceptions in your post. This is because you can't physically imagine how you will feel post surgery. It is like saying, I should do all my laundry by hand for 7 months before I buy a washing machine because if I can't commit to clean laundry now then what is the point of getting the washing machine? 

You CAN eat 500 cals a day pre op. You will not literally or figuratively starve to death nor will you become malnourished if you take vitamins and supplements as you would post op. My VSG only changed the size of my stomach, not my body's needs for nutrition.

So while you CAN live on 500 cals a day without surgery (just like you CAN do your laundry by hand) you are going to feel hunger pain (or pain in your hands and back from bending over the bathtub and scrubbing). Surgery for me took the hunger away completely. I am two and a half years out and still do not feel hunger in a physical way.

It reduced the size of my stomach so that a tiny quantity will make me feel like I just had Thanksgiving dinner.

The small stomach and the lack of physical hunger plus the actual step of surgery itself (mental switch) makes it easier to commit to the necessary lifestyle changes to be successful long term and to keep the weight from coming back.

Now the other misconception I see, at least in my life, I still love food. I eat things that I find very tasty. I don't hate what I eat! That would be such a sad post op gastronimic life. No, you will still be able to enjoy good yummy and healthy food in smaller portions.

just think of it this way - if you maintain your washing machine in good working order, you will always have clean clothes and never have to bend over the bathtub to scrub those socks! Same with my VSG - eat healthily, mindfully, on plan and maintain your WLS tool in good order and your excess weight need never come back. 

(Oh and no, I don't regret my surgery at all, I love what it enabled me to achieve)

Just chiming in to say that I love Julia's washing machine v. washboard description and that I don't regret my surgery one bit. Love my smaller stomach.

What a terrific analogy, Julia!

I've only had less than 500 kcals the first week after surgery after that I've been at near 1000 daily and it is still a shockingly small amount of food. I could not have done this without the tool. Now my tool allows me to eat lots more but I am not hungry all the time. I can eat anything but I always say "just because  I can doesn't mean I should ."  

Be be healthy while waiting for surgery . Make changes but know the surgery will make a difference but you still have to work. And think of it like a 12 step plan... Just for today, do this. Don't think 7 months or a lifetime....just today.

Take all the time you need to be 100% committed to your choice. It's fine to change your mind and not have or postpone surgery, but there's no going back on having the surgery once you've done it. 

I, like many people, had regrets- immediately post op when I was vulnerable and in pain. Lasted about a day ;) from what I've seen the majority of people only have the regret of not doing it sooner.

No regrets here. I just had surgery last month and I can't believe how I can finally loose weight. Life is good. Just listen to the vet's. They are so valueable here. Good luck.

Robin