Am I doing the right thing? I'm scared.

And you will find out it is not a "quick fix". It is a complete life change! Yes, the weight comes off fast, but you have to make MAJOR changes to your ways of thinking and doing things. It will be an incredible journey, and you will wounder why you didn't do it sooner. Of course, there will be bumps in the road, but if you follow the right path, you will feel so much better. (And look so much better!)

Hi trumanorme,

Thank you for feeling the exact same I do when I hear people say "quick fix."

This process is extremely hard and just because it is a surgery doesn't mean that there are not risks. People don't get the surgery with that mindset (at least I am not). I am getting it because I have tried to lose weight in the past and was not successful. I want to live a healthy life and stop being the size that I am. I am excited and nervous about this entire process. And getting responses from people like you, really means a lot to me! This is a very hard thing to do and can not be solved by a "quick fix!"

Again, thank you.

KellyAnnah

Hey tatirod,

First off, thank you for taking the time to share a bit about your story and responding with an amazing response.

I am very new to this website, so thank you for letting me know about the Ontario forum. I will definitely check it out! :)

I went to meet with my surgeon in April. He made me feel very positive about me doing the surgery. I will never forgot the first thing he said to me and my parents in that room, "The only regret you will ever have about getting this surgery is that you didn't have it done sooner." Those words go through my head often.

When I went to the 3 appointments after that, I saw the dietician first. She said that I am very young and wants me to think more about this. She was happy with all I have been eating. I started this whole process in April and I weighed 320lbs. Now to this date I am 278lbs. So she thinks that I am doing well on my own. I am putting in SOOOO much work to get these weight results. And sometimes I gain and sometimes I lose. I have been 278lbs the past 2 weeks... And I have been trying SO hard.

So the dietician and social worker both want me to come back for a reassessment August 12th. They both think I am too young and am doing well on my own right now. I have to have the okay from them in order to get my surgery date. That is the rules at Humber....

A good knowledgeable support system is something that I really want/need. That's why I found this site. And the amount of support I see everyone getting is amazing. I live in a small city called Owen Sound and there isn't a support group to meet with here. So I am happy to come on here and talk to people like yourself.

So again, thank you for the awesome response. Means a lot to me!

KellyAnnah

I was wondering if you were young. How old are you?

We all have the assessments to make sure we really comprehend what the surgery means. It is life altering. If you are young, they probably just want to be more cautious. Like, if you can't legally drive yet but you are making such a major decision about your health... It's something they want to be sure about.

i was referred for surgery from an obesity clinic that I had sought out. My doctor there told me that there is something called food noise that prevents most obese people from being able to successfully lose weight and keep it off. Surgery helps with that by altering your physiology and the hormones secreted by your stomach. 

I gained 5 to 10 pounds a year and never thought it was a big deal. Then I suddenly realized I was so big I couldn't partake in normal activities. Statistics would suggest you may continue to gain weight if you don't have the surgery. That is why OHIP covers it... Because it is the only thing guaranteed to work. Also, to qualify you have to have a BMI >35 and 2 or more comorbidities or a BMI >40. If you meet those criteria, you "need" surgery and it doesn't matter if you have failed one diet or a dozen. 

But of course you do have to consider if this is the right decision for you. Going through the assessments and really listening to what the experts say is important. I will send you a friend request. You can hit me up if you have more questions about you may not want to post.

I certainly understand your fear. If you have truly tried every diet in your past like I had then perhaps it is an option. I just don't want you to think it's a fix all. It's really hard work. Someone here told me that it's surgery on your body and not your brain. I had RNY on 12/15/14 and I must say it is really hard work. A daily chore.

It's nice for you that your father is doing it as well. You can be good support for each other. Good luck with your decision.

Robin

I agree with the other respondent that only you can decide whether weight loss surgery is right for you.  I personally was dead set against it for years and tried on my own for 2 years and during that time only lost 30 pounds.   I then finally gave in and decided to have it.  I am very happy I had the surgery.  I had the LAP-BAND surgery and have lost 104 pounds since February 9, 2012.  I would say if you are scared I would not recommend it at least until you address what scares you and address that situation.  I would also recommend surrounding yourself with people who are positive not those who are negative.  Having the surgery is NOT for looks (although that is a bonus) but for health reasons.  Age should not be a factor.  I know that at the medical center in MA where I had the surgery they did WLS on a 72-year-old women.  I will keep you in prayer that you might discern what is best for you!

Only you can say if this is right for you or not.  But do not make the determination based on how many people support your decision.  If your twin is not on board that does not mean you can't do it.  If your family has some nay-sayers, that does not mean you can't do it.  You will come across a lot of people before and after that have the thought that it is a "quick fix" or "cheating".  You have to ask yourself why those things matter.  Look at it this way...

You have struggled and failed at losing weight on your own.  So has your twin.  So has the rest of your family.  If there was a tool out there that could flip your chances of long term success wouldn't you want to use it?  I am sure you have tried pills and other gizmos and plans to make it easier.  Why not a tool that has a proven track record?  You have to stop thinking of the surgery as a "fix all" but more a tool that makes the weight loss really easy.  Once you have surgery, you still have to work at it.  but its SOOOOO much easier.

I hope that helps.  I had a lot of people around me tell me I shouldn't do it, that I was cheating, and even shame me for getting fat in the first place.  these are people who were family and close friends.  For me it just drove me to have it done all the more.  and I wish I had done RNY instead of the lapband all those years ago.  I feel like it was all wasted time.

I cannot believe how many so-called professionals "don't believe" in WLS.  There is so much results that show that surgical intervention is the best way to help the morbidly obese, simply because of the health hazards of yo-yo dieting.

Look up the topic "bariatric surgery" on the ScienceDaily.com website;  it will show you the results.  WLS WORKS where simple diet and exercise ultimately fail.  Sounds like the assessors need some education themselves.

Go for it, Kid.

I had many people tell me not to have the surgery. They thought I was doing it to look better. Truth was... I was having major health issues. Just about to have a stroke, High BP, sleep apnea, heart issues, and others. But I kept most of these to just my wife and mother. I figured it was not anyone else's business. I was weighing in at 298 lbs and I'm 5ft 10" tall. I looked like a bowling ball. It was a pain not being able to fit in a airplane seat and putting on the seat belt, but everyone here knows all about that stuff.

Anyway, after my surgery, and the hard first 3-6 months, I now weigh in at 185 lbs, and no longer have high BP, Sleep apnea, no heart issues, no health issues at all, and can now walk comfortably for miles. What a change. Like we always say, I wish I would have done this sooner! Your mileage may vary.