New Here - Informal Survey for Long-Timers

Hello everyone -

I'm a 51 year old female living in the Boston area. I've been struggling with my weight off and on my entire adult life. I'm 5'8 and 275 pounds. I've tried a lot of things: paleo, OA, Ideal Protein. I'm currently in WW and am struggling to lose. I had an appt with my doctor, whom I've known for 20 years - she's seen my weight struggles over the years. She recommended I look into surgery, which I had been thinking about but always thought it as a cop out, but I have a good friend who had the sleeve done 2 years ago and is doing great.

I know it's not a quick fix and I need to come to terms with the realities of my lifestyle, which is what I'm writing about for insight from those who have gone through this - and are 2+ years post-op.

About my lifestyle: I got to a place where my diet is much improved: whole foods, low sugar, etc. I eat really well during the day, but the evenings are where I go off (stress) - not by a great amount - I don't binge, etc. but I'll make unhealthy choices and eat more fat and carbs than I should at night. I exercise on the weekends - take spin, water aerobics and Crossfit style workouts, but have osteoarthritis in my knees where they swell, and I don't do much exercise during the week. After working all day I'm pretty exhausted at night. 

I'm feeling like I've reached an age and a weight where my body is so heavy that I'm fighting an uphill battle. I try to make different choices but complications (energy, joints, depression) of being so obese is taking its toll. On the other hand, I wonder if I'm really kidding myself - I just need to get my butt to the gym during the week and clean up my dinners. I know you can't answer this for me, but am wondering if looking back, you could have really just changed your lifestyle - that surgery was not necessary... or if the surgery was a way to get the weight to a point where it's not such a struggle to adopt consistent habits.

I hope this makes sense and thank you all for any insights your willing to share.

I a one odd here -- I have long term complications that are most likely due to RNY.  I think I had some of those issue before- but RNY made them worse, much worse. 

That does not happen to majority - but considering complication can happen and be ready for that. 

However - I even with healthy eating - I was never able to maintain my weight loss. As I am learning -due to a lot of testI had lately - my small and large intestines are very long for a person like me..(my height). Plus my stomach was very large also. That put me in real disadvantage before my gastric bypass. 

but - knowing what I know now - I would never suggest anyone to get RNY .

if any WLS is needed - my first choice would be VSG . Smaller stomach ca give a person fighting chance losing weight and maintaining. 

But- don't be mistaken - any WLS is just a tool, and unless a person is willing to completely change what and how much they eat and be committed to lifestyle change - the weight loss maybe be just temporary.   if it is RNY, VSG, DS or any other....

at the same time - as long as I make good choices - my food restrictions are real, and at most I can eat 4-5 oz of dense proteins and a few bites of veggies.. but I probably could eat a box of crackers...and not even feel that I ate anything...

I agree, I have done well weight wise with rny but I suffer with lots of pain because I cannot take nsaids and I have a bone on bone hip and arthritis in my neck and back.  Also after having a blocked bile duct and major surgery to repair it I would not consider altering my anatomy now if I had it to do over.  It is one thing to reduce the size of your stomach it is another to rearrange your stomach and intestines and then have to live with the outcome forever, that's a long time.

All that said I think rny saved my life, I was 40 5'5 and 283.5lbs and diabetic for two years, my mother died at 61 as a very brittle type 1 diabetic and I was scared of her same eventuality.  I had surgery back in 2005 when vsg was not yet available, my choices were lapband or rny, I knew as a needlephobe I would never get fills so lapband was out.  Smart decision given all that has become of it.  And my decision for rny served me very well, I walked out of the hospital off my diabetes meds and I just had an a1c done recently and I am still in the normal range so I have warded off the one threat to my health for many years now.  The fact I cannot take nsaids coupled with the issues I have with dumping and reactive hypoglycemia are the reasons I suggest you go for vsg instead of rny, but realistically for me dumping and r.h. have kept me honest and at goal.  It is a miracle being a normal size.  I got married this year and my husband had wls last fall, we met after we chatted on this site.  He and I both love to travel and life is so much better when you are normal and not constantly worried about fitting and how far can you walk etc.  Diets never worked for me, I could never get belong 235 even with an eating disorder during my 20 years of morbid obesity.  I much prefer 138 to 283.

Good Luck.

Congratulations on your marriage.  Is your new husband still on this site?  I would love to know who he is.

Congratulations Heidi!  I didn't know you had married.  That's great!  =)

What???????? Married????? So happy for you, Heidi!!

I wish you two many many years of happiness!!

Congrats Heidi,

We want to see wedding photos. I love weddings 

I"m 20 months post surgery, so not quite in the post op range you requested, but would like to answer.  Pre-surgery, I worked out all the time; I took 4-5 kick boxing classes a week and worked with a personal trainer, but could not lose the weight.  I was a very fit, fat person.  My problem has always been portion size; I would eat really healthy food in abundance.  I finally got to the point where I accepted my way hadn't worked and likely wouldn't work.  So, I sought medical intervention.  The difference is night and day.  The surgery forced me to respect portion control and with that forced portion control came control over the rest of my life.  Today, I exercise much as I did pre-surgery but there is a distinct difference.  Before surgery, I would exercise so I could eat . . . now I exercise to sculpt and tone my body.  I have lost about 130 lbs and feel amazing.  In my humble opinion, getting your butt to the gym during the week and cleaning up your dinners will not give you the results you desire.  It didn't for me.  I am grateful every day for my surgery, my surgeon and the control both gave me over my life.  I know I would not be the person I am today if I had not come to peace with the fact that I needed HELP 23 months ago. I don't believe that recognizing you need help is in any way a cop out.  It is the same to me as seeking treatment for any other medical condition.  Weight loss surgery does not make you a weak person; just the opposite, it will make you stronger than you can imagine.  In my opinion, accepting the fact that you need help and actually seeking it out is the greatest gift you can give yourself.  Enough of my rambling.  Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

Stacyrg you are preaching to the choir here! That was my same experience.  I was a fit fat person who ate alot of healthy foods which was my problem.  I always joked that I would be prime rib for a cannibal .

Once I started to develop obese related medical conditions in my early 50's, I reaized I was on a fast train to loosing my ability to at least keep myself fit.  When I started going through the process to WLS I did have moments where I thought ' hmmm maybe I CAN do this without medical intervention.  Then I recalled the three other times where I lost over 75lbs. Only to find it and more of its friends getting me up to 262.

Now almost 3 years out I have my life back and feel in control.  All my obesity related ailments are gone and I am greatful that I am able to maintain a constant healthy weight for the first time in my life - using my tools.

If you keep reading on this site you will gain alot of insite into people's approaches to their journey and be able to make an informed decision for your own life.

I'm 10+ years post op from the DS and wouldn't change a thing about my life.  I struggled since puberty, and not a single diet worked for me.