to all of you who had the surgery... please read....

as many of yall may know... im still waiting for approval... but i really would like to know from all of yall... how happy are you ???? how does it feel???? is it what you expected or better...??? do you regret it???? do you think this is the best??? please tell me it will be good for us that havent had it... thank you...

Hey brother! The best decision of my life, bar none! If you don't think it will work,look at my pics after one year post-op and weight lifting. Hit me back.

Very happy...feels great...better than I expected...don't regret it...I think it is the best, because I can't eat much and even if I eat bad a meal or two here and there, the weight doesn't budge...it is good for those who haven't had it, who can eat, drink and exercise as directed. If you can't do that, don't get the operation.

Best Wishes,

Dave

I will be six months out from surgery tommorow. For me, and I emphasize the ME part. It has been the best thing I could have ever done. I have not had a single regret, infact, even more than presurgery I know I could not have been successful without this tool. The only thing I can say is that I have had an uncomplicated, dare I say easy, time with my surgery. Not everyone will be this way, not everyone will take what you have to do as seriously as I have. Ultimately it is a decision each person has to make and live with. The one thing I found out about myself that I didnt know before was just how much I did use food for comfort before. I would have sworn I didnt prior to surgery. Best of Luck, Troy

I'm 5 months out, and haven't finished losing, but I'm completely satisfied and thrilled with the results so far.  No problems at all. Like everyone says "I only wish I'd had it done 10 years earlier!" /Steve

UV, There is a lot of Anxiety connected with The Deciding whether or not to have WLS. Some I hit on in- FEAR-WLS There is also the Fear of The un-known. – What will Life be Like when I’m Normal Sized? Fear of “Blowing It.” - Will I be that person who can’t adapt to the new lifestyles? Fear of etc, etc , etc… Checkout my profile. Scary story, happy ending. At right at 5 years Post-Op I’m Delighted with the results. Some would feel guilt at having chosen- “The Easy Way Out.” Or Be Upset when someone refers to it as- “The Easy Way Out.” For ME, it was THE Way Out. And IT has Worked SO WELL! (Your Mileage May Vary) The fact that “Your Mileage May Vary,” Carries even a hint of “warning” and raises doubts. But, If You Take Advantage of this “Way Out,” The Payoff is SUPER. All of this to say, It May Not Work for You, BUT- I would Run ‘Buck-Nekid,’ Down the Hall To Leap On an Operating Table, To Have This Done Again. Just MY Perspective… Best Wishes- Dx

Hey man, So I'm about 9 months out, 120 lbs gone, and almost done with weight loss. I get asked every once in a while from those who are considering the surgery, and here is my answer: Read the physicians dietary recommendations carefully and ask yourself if you are ok living like that. Seriously, it is a major change and one that you have to live with for the rest of your life. I had a good friend whose dad was a major foodie (loved gourmet). His weight actually killed him, but I don't think he would have been able to follow the post op diet. He lived to eat and loved food with a passion that I just don't have. Finally, I found that losing weight, while wonderful, didn't solve as many personal problems that I had hoped. Ok, now that's out of the way, I will say that this has been one of the best decisions of my life. I feel good and can actually look myself in the mirror and not be embarrassed. I just got back from the gym, where I ran 2.5 miles and lifted weights and I still have a ton of energy. It also feels weird to be suddenly thin(er) and I honestly still feel fat. I still look at myself as seriously overweight, and need to mentally get over the change. It's actually kind of amusing.  In time, I think it will pass. Anyway, sorry for the essay. In summary  - It was the best (and I believe only) choice for me. I know that I wouldn't have done it without the surgery. However, it is not the cure all many think it to be. Finally, watch out for that first year post op -- it's a doozie.

Dude this must be the best decision I ever made.  I would do it all over in a heart beat. I'm still consider a newbie. 69lbs gone in less than 2 months

Happy, Happy, Happy- Wish i would have done it sooner. Ken

I am between 2 and 3 weeks post op and I remember waking up in the hospital about 2 AM after my surgery was finished at 5:30 the previous day.  I was alone in my room and I just knew I had done the correct thing for me.  I had done a lot of soul searching during my pre-surgical part of the journey and had come to my own decisions of why I eat (oops ate) too much.  I think I am lucky I tend to eat out of boredom and not as much from stress.  I also had real major portion distortion. 

My biggest fear pre-op was would I be able to stick with the lifestyle restrictions (food restrictions (amount and what to avoid).  My surgeon made me do a month of a liquid diet (Medifast) which was between 400 and 500 calories a day!  I could only have the shakes, water, tea / coffee (no artificial sweeteners or milk).  I also started exercising every day.  By the day I got to my surgical date, I knew I could do it.  I had also lost 45 pounds during the four weeks and I was feeling so much better both physically and mentally.  I have to say that at a few weeks post op I feel better about myself than I have in a very long time.  It feels great knowing I have taken the steps necessary for me to take control of my weight and to improve my health.

As a side note the toughest time for me has been dealing with my co=workers.  I had one that would start to wail when I walked into the room "I don't want you to have surgery!"  Many people thought I was jumping into my decision (no one realized I had thought about this for over 4 years, it was just something that I only discussed with my Primary MD and my wife).  It was hard to defend my decision to under WLS, but I think in the end it solidified in my mind why this was the correct choice for me.  I was very lucky to have a very supportive wife (she will have surgery on Friday) and family.  

My suggestion is have someone you can talk to about your feelings going into surgery and you life afterward.  Understanding the changes in your life after surgery and talking about how you feel about these changes, will help you decide if WLS is right for you.

Best of luck in your journey,

Jim