Changing your mind
I'm just curious~I have been reading several post and noticed several people who were scheduled for surgery only to back out and change their minds.
What made you change your mind? Were you afriad of complications? Not sure if you could adjust to the changes you would have to follow thru with afterwards?
I'm just wondering how one can go so far into the process and back out.
I'm close to finishing my criteria and am questioning if I can really go all the way.
mgf~
(deactivated member)
on 9/1/09 4:02 am
on 9/1/09 4:02 am
Hi MGF. I'm one of those who changed my mind and decided not to have surgery and I'm very happy with my choice. I think there comes a point in which you realize that you MUST do something to lose weight and if it's not with WLS, then you have to be really serious about changing your lifestyle so that you will lose weight. And to be successful long term with WLS you also need to change your lifestyle. I think the saddest thing is reading about people who had WLS and either didn't lose as they expected or even worse gained the weight back - and there are quite a few of these people.
When I first looked into WLS my choices were band or RNY - but then I discovered the sleeve and DS (there are some minor variations on these as well as the minibypass which is generally discredited). I read through OH and some other WLS websites to get a feel for the changes you have to live with and the problems people face and I decided that I didn't want to live that way. I didn't want to have to take so many vitamins daily, I didn't want to chew my food into a liquid before swallowing, I didn't want constipation problems etc. There are also serious, potentially deadly problems that having WLS puts you at a higher risk of things like bowel obstructions etc. I found research where people post WLS have 3 times the amount of emergency surgery than what they had in the previous 4 years leading up to the WLS - you see people here all the time having hernia repairs often due to the WLS (some predates the surgery too just to be balanced), kidney stones, painful adhesions etc. I also have concerns about the diet itself. You'll see people getting blood transfusions regularly for iron because they can't absorb any through food and supplements, reactive hypoglycemia etc. While some people go through WLS and have no problems, most people have a few minor and a small number have many. You never know which category you will end up - you can't predict. BTW, OH generally has people who are new to WLS and those that are very positive about their WLS. In fact there was a time in the past when people who were negative or realistic were banned or made to leave (a few years ago). There are other support groups which have more negative or moderate posters and there are places where people with serious problems go to get support. So check out other websites too for more balanced info.
Bottom line - I didn't want surgery and I'm much happier for having looked into it seriously and deciding to lose my weight without WLS. You often hear people say WLS is the hardest thing they have ever done. Now it's true that the weight drops off quickly because you are on a starvation diet for many months so that part is thrilling and rewarding - but all the rest is what they are referring to as being hard - learning what you can tolerate to eat. Whatever choice you make, I hope you are happy and successful at weight loss.
Skylar
When I first looked into WLS my choices were band or RNY - but then I discovered the sleeve and DS (there are some minor variations on these as well as the minibypass which is generally discredited). I read through OH and some other WLS websites to get a feel for the changes you have to live with and the problems people face and I decided that I didn't want to live that way. I didn't want to have to take so many vitamins daily, I didn't want to chew my food into a liquid before swallowing, I didn't want constipation problems etc. There are also serious, potentially deadly problems that having WLS puts you at a higher risk of things like bowel obstructions etc. I found research where people post WLS have 3 times the amount of emergency surgery than what they had in the previous 4 years leading up to the WLS - you see people here all the time having hernia repairs often due to the WLS (some predates the surgery too just to be balanced), kidney stones, painful adhesions etc. I also have concerns about the diet itself. You'll see people getting blood transfusions regularly for iron because they can't absorb any through food and supplements, reactive hypoglycemia etc. While some people go through WLS and have no problems, most people have a few minor and a small number have many. You never know which category you will end up - you can't predict. BTW, OH generally has people who are new to WLS and those that are very positive about their WLS. In fact there was a time in the past when people who were negative or realistic were banned or made to leave (a few years ago). There are other support groups which have more negative or moderate posters and there are places where people with serious problems go to get support. So check out other websites too for more balanced info.
Bottom line - I didn't want surgery and I'm much happier for having looked into it seriously and deciding to lose my weight without WLS. You often hear people say WLS is the hardest thing they have ever done. Now it's true that the weight drops off quickly because you are on a starvation diet for many months so that part is thrilling and rewarding - but all the rest is what they are referring to as being hard - learning what you can tolerate to eat. Whatever choice you make, I hope you are happy and successful at weight loss.
Skylar
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