Does anyone regret their surgery?

No regrets at all. 

One difference is you actually feel satisfied on a small amount of food (at least early on, make the most of this time) unlike diets pre-op where you feel like you are hungry all the time. The rapid weight loss also helps elevate quickly (sometimes the day of surgery, many others within a few months) many of the health issues that have plagued us... and for which many of us have been on medications (often that have weight gain side effects or fatigue related symptoms.) 

Commitment is important for sure... especially as you move into maintenance. You won't always be satisfied or struggle to get in 500 cals. So yep commitment to changing your lifestyle is HUGE.

Best wishes to you in whatever your decision and your research into whether WLS is for you.

~Michelle "Shelly"

Hello FoalMom

I'm also starting my wl journey and just this past Wed, had my first appt w my surgeon. I'm still very reluctant to go through with it. I was given a July surgery date. And my first reaction was dog! so far away but I'm glad because I would like to lose more than the twenty poundies they want me to lose by that time. I need 6 meetings with the nutritonist according to my insurance. I'm hoping to be down 80 poundies by that time. Is it impossible no, have I tried it before also no, but I'm willing to give it a try for my bad heart! When the surgeon told me she helped a man go from an ejection fraction of 40 to 50 I burst into tears because I too want a strong heart.

Something has to be done because I feel so heavy and sluggi****s tiring me out and I'm the type that bounces around all day well all morning since I'm a morning person.

I have the power in my mind and I will move until it gets easier because I want my heavy self to say to my healthy self FIX IT. But I would rather make my mind over first so I can feel light.

Hello FoalMom

I'm also starting my wl journey and just this past Wed, had my first appt w my surgeon. I'm still very reluctant to go through with it. I was given a July surgery date. And my first reaction was dog! so far away but I'm glad because I would like to lose more than the twenty poundies they want me to lose by that time. I need 6 meetings with the nutritonist according to my insurance. I'm hoping to be down 80 poundies by that time. Is it impossible no, have I tried it before also no, but I'm willing to give it a try for my bad heart! When the surgeon told me she helped a man go from an ejection fraction of 40 to 50 I burst into tears because I too want a strong heart.

Something has to be done because I feel so heavy and sluggi****s tiring me out and I'm the type that bounces around all day well all morning since I'm a morning person.

I have the power in my mind and I will move until it gets easier because I want my heavy self to say to my healthy self FIX IT. But I would rather make my mind over first so I can feel light.

We all did every diet in the book and found they didn't work for us - no matter how long we attempted them. We can lose weight, no problem. It's keeping it off and healthwise it's hard on us to keep going up and down like a yo yo. I had my surgery 14 yrs ago. I love it, would do it again every single year if I had to in order to feel this good. It works, I've had no problems and no complications. I eat normally and as for staying on the diet - this is called "forced modicifation" and it works. I CAN'T overeat, I can't eat high fat, high sugar foods. It just won't work. The surgery is a tool, habit by now, but it forces me to eat healthy, exercise and take care of myself. I had over 100 pounds to lose when I had mine. There was NO way I was going to lose that on my own. Ever! This allowed me to lose the excess I had to, get down to a manageable weight and keep it off. It works if you follow your docs recommendations. It works if you eat right and exercise. I eat normally, I don't deprive myself if I want something once in a while, I don't have any of the health issues I did pre op. I feel great, run around like people half my age and love, love, love it! It works, your life won't change dramatically - you won't eat 2 tablespoons of soup for a meal the rest of your life. THis is normal and this is living. Research each type of surgery and talk to those that have had it. Go to support group meetings in your area and talke to post ops. Learn everything you can but if you decide to do this you will go into it with open eyes. Great things can happen, you can do  this and be happy and healthy like the rest of us. It's amazing.

Jen RNY 2001

The vaste difference is you will be hungry and I am not, ever hungry in the last ten years, I have never felt what is true hunger again.  I had a bmi of over 47 going in and now its 22.5 and I am perfectly normal.  I would say there isn't any chance you can live on 500 calories a day without surgical intervention, just being real, I had rny, I would go with the sleeve if I were you.  It wasn't an option when I had surgery, but had it of been I would of went that route even though dumping keeps me very successful, living with being sick all the time kind of sucks.

Good Luck

I do not regret my surgery at all, other than I wish I would of done it sooner and not put it off. I had the DS also known as the duodenal switch. My daughter had just the sleeve and is doing great as well. 

My my second regret is that I was not wiser in picking the best doc possible as I have had 2 revisions due to this, I should of researched qualifications more thoroughly.

first decide which surgery is best for YOU, then go d the absolutely best doc, but be prepared to travel as well. Do not settle for anything less. You know your weaknesses, which will help you decide which surgery is best.

I have not read everything posted but that is how I feel. I do not feel that a duet of water and protein first, then complex carbs is restrictive. I also east anything else I want if there is room after I eat enough protein. Granted usually I can't eat much once the protein is eaten.

You stated your diabetic. Are you type 1 or 2 ? If your type 2 the DS would be perfect for you😃

good luck

Ginger

Short answer to your question...no. and I have had some complications. And some unrelated major health issues.  See for me, the fat was a symptom of the disease that starts partly in my gut and the way my body metabolized food, and partly in my mind. I can sort head in a direction of where I want to be a year from now, but I get absolutely be In crazy land if I THINK about anything other than the day I am in. I lost 198 pounds  before surgery, and kept that much off for two and a half years,  by changing my diet, exercising, increasing water, cutting out sugars, you know, becoming willing to follow all those directions that doctors and others suggested for years. I still had 105 pounds to go. (Somewhere in that 198 pound loss I got diagnosed with diabetes, got a case of "screw this" & ate 40 more pounds, had to go buy yet another pair of 5xjeans). So anyway, I was doing everything I could to lose "the right way" & it wasn't happening. My body was not 20 anymore. It was getting harder to exercise the way they do on the big fat loser, for me. I was starting to reap the physical consequence s of long term self neglect. ...not just physically, but when there where layoffs at work, the company did not keep the fat people...There was little advancement....so..in addition to continuing to work on changing my diet, and finding exercise that worked FOR ME (I use a wheelchair, I'm not going to be playing. Varsity football) I really got in touch with myself about the emotional side of my eating. There is no situation in my life that can be made better by putting food in my body. So...I did therapy, a support group, a 12 step group, an exercise buddy, journals, did something to connect to my spirituality, looked at my friendships...did I only have "eating" friends...how free did I want to be? My truth...I by myself can't lose weight. We , I, can isolate and eat. I need people who know what it's like to walk through a grocery store when the baked goods come out of the oven and NOT BUY ONE if I am going to stand a chance TODAY. Cause today, right in THIS moment is the only minute I can control. I made the decision to have weight loss surgery after I tried everything else and got ALOT OF TOOLS under my belt that help me prepare for success. I have been able to lose 300 plus pounds TWICE in my life. Once at the fat farm, and recently, after I lost the 198, hit the plateau, got diabetes AND cancer , I weighed 235 on my surgery date and am now 114. I have been able to maintain that 114 for a year, one day at a time. I try to  stay three steps ahead of my problems. Not this king too much, try and help someone else, follow directions especially with the food, and deal with my life, and all the people and emotions that are in my life, with all the tools. There are specific weight loss surgery tools that help a LOT. What my pouch does for me is let me know when I need to stop eating cause I feel full now, where before, even though I was weighing my food, I was still hungry because my stomach was so full of air. Each person is different, so it takes a lot of self searching. The surgeon I originally saw said she herself was going to ha e the surgery but was only 50 pounds overweight so she opted for the diet and claims to be ok..  she apparently didn't work on her emotions though because she yells at her patients, which is why I went with another surgeon who is the greatest fit for me.  I saw something the other day a out we ha e the bodies we have and we exercise because are no longer required to hunt for food.  Don't use exercise and diet as a way to shame yourself.  I did thAt years.  Most of the "work" I did while losing the 198 pounds was learning to believe that I am really a princess,  no matter what my body looks like, no matter how many complications I have, no matter how many disabilities I have no matter if I lose the weight or not. I do all the work I can, and let the results be. And for me, I'm happy inside. No regrets. The weight loss wound up. Ring icing on the cake. I am alive.  That's the main thing. And probably not going to die from cancer or diabetes. And added a lot of folks who think just like I do to my life. They are wonderful. Whatever you decide to do, don't do it alone. And let it change your life. The freedom is totally worth it

And yes, I did.  But with more calories...

I am 4 1/2 years post Gastric Sleeve.  Top weight was 298 - now range from 199-205.  I fight the weight every single day.  I am at least 20-25 lbs from where I would like to be.  That's the bad news.  The good is - I would do it all again in a heartbeat.  Here are some thoughts and advice:

1. I can move, get up and down, exercise.  At almost 300 lbs. getting out of a chair was starting to be difficult as I aged. I am now 57 and if I had not had the surgery I truly don't know if I would be alive today.

2. I physically cannot eat the amounts I ate before at any one seating.  That's the clue.  I read somewhere at the beginning of my journey that a bariatric patient can eat a whole pizza!!  It might take all day but you can do it.  So the point is, this is a Tool.  You have heard that before I am sure but it truly is the TRUTH.  Use it wisely.  Work the first 6 months after surgery because that's when you will lose it the quickest.  

3. Start exercising right away and do it regularly the REST OF YOUR LIFE. (I ran a 1/2 marathon in Jan. 2013) 

4. For most of us our weight is still a struggle.  The difference now is that when I really track and try to lose, it comes off and I am not ravenously hungry any longer.  As a matter of fact, I started tracking again yesterday.

5. I was self pay.  I put it on a no interest credit card and shuffled it around until I paid it off.  It's cheaper than a car.  You can do that, can't you?

I'm sure I could write all day.  But that's my opinion for now.

Sammie from Texas

I am 4 years post RNY surgery.  I would do it again.  And I had a leak complication, some infection from that and spent 2 weeks in the hospital and a month recuperating at home.  Yet I would do it again, including the complications,  at the drop of a hat.   I lost 115 pounds (and gained back 15 over the years). 

Now I can eat small amounts.  I can tell when I am full.  I knew all that stuff before, but I could not do it.  As someone earlier said, this is a tool.  With this tool, I can eat small amounts.  With this tool, I can stay away from bread, pasta, pizza.  I dump on ice cream and some sweet stuff. Once you dump because of a food, you'll never want to eat it again.   (dumping in usually only with RNY surgery) .

Without this tool, I would diet and eat small for a while, then fall back to old habits.  I would lose 20 pounds and gain back 25.  This is a life style change.  I enjoy food, but it is not nearly as important to me as before. 

I took years to decide this was right for me.  I did question my decision when I was sick with my complication and long recovery.  But once I lost some weight, I gained huge amounts of energy, dumped my CPAP for sleep apena, I just felt so much better all around.  It was so well worth it to me.