What did you expect surgery to do for you?
As a pre-op I think it especially beneficial to take an objective look at my expectations ... so here goes....
I am expecting this surgery to help me control my portion sizes.
I am expecting a fresh start ... a baby stomach that I can retrain with what I know now that I didn't know then.
I am expecting that as I see changes in my appearance (at a quicker rate than if I did it alone) that I will want to do everything in my power to maintain the progress.
I am expecting this surgery to help me control my portion sizes.
I am expecting a fresh start ... a baby stomach that I can retrain with what I know now that I didn't know then.
I am expecting that as I see changes in my appearance (at a quicker rate than if I did it alone) that I will want to do everything in my power to maintain the progress.
Alicia ~ HW 307 ~ SW 287 ~ GW 135
~ CW 160
What a good question. The management of expectations certainly seems like it could easily be a full time job in the first 2 years. I have been researching this option for 8 years and have had friends that has this surgery 12 years ago. I have seen the gamut of issues with them but they were all totally and completely different. Those that didn't use this as the TOOL it is, regained at least half the wight they lost. Those that used the tool to their advantage, made an active decision to incorporate exercise into their lives every single day without excuse or exception, and look at food as a way to fuel their active bodies, have been unbelievably successful.
My pre-surgery expectation:
Correct my worsening diabetes (done!!!)
Learn how to eat appropriate portions with healthy fuel for my body
NEVER eat sweets again and view them every day as poison
Maintain a non-plus size in all clothing (preference is an 8, but a 10 is cool too)
Bottom line for me - EAT LESS, MOVE MORE, BECOME HEALTHY!!
My pre-surgery expectation:
Correct my worsening diabetes (done!!!)
Learn how to eat appropriate portions with healthy fuel for my body
NEVER eat sweets again and view them every day as poison
Maintain a non-plus size in all clothing (preference is an 8, but a 10 is cool too)
Bottom line for me - EAT LESS, MOVE MORE, BECOME HEALTHY!!
Laura
HW: 311 SW:264 (size 24) CW: 174 (size 14) Surgeon's Goal: 176 My GW: 149
Weight Loss Month 1: 20 pounds! Weight Loss Month 2: 17 pounds!
Weight Loss Month 3: 12 pounds! Weight Loss Month 4: 10 pounds!
Weight Loss Month 5: 12 pounds! Weight Loss Month 6: 6 pounds!
Weight Loss Month 7: 6 pounds! Weight Loss Month 8:
25 pound to my goal!
I expected surgery to help me lose the weight I needed to and it did.
I expected the surgery to help me get healthy and come off most, if not all, of my meds - and it did.
However, I think I expected the SURGERY to keep the weight off and that was not correct.
I also expected the surgery to cause me to get sick when I ate things I should not (sugars, etc.) and at 4 years out that is not the case.
I expected the surgery to be a permanent fix and not just a tool, but it's not a permanent fix and license for me to eat any and everything I may want and never have to worry again.
I NOW know I must work the surgery to keep the weight off and I must avoid the things I know I should not eat and embrace the things I should.
I NOW know the RNY did what it was supposed to and NOW I must do what I am supposed to.
I expected the surgery to help me get healthy and come off most, if not all, of my meds - and it did.
However, I think I expected the SURGERY to keep the weight off and that was not correct.
I also expected the surgery to cause me to get sick when I ate things I should not (sugars, etc.) and at 4 years out that is not the case.
I expected the surgery to be a permanent fix and not just a tool, but it's not a permanent fix and license for me to eat any and everything I may want and never have to worry again.
I NOW know I must work the surgery to keep the weight off and I must avoid the things I know I should not eat and embrace the things I should.
I NOW know the RNY did what it was supposed to and NOW I must do what I am supposed to.
Highest/Surgery/Current/Goal
250/241/139.5/125
I have a new philosophy, I'm only going to dread one day at a time. Charlie Brown
You said it a lot better than I did. My RNY did what it was supposed to do, but now I have to do what I am supposed to do. And although my RNY is a helpful tool, it's still not always easy to do what I am supposed to do.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I expected to lose weight. I expected to be able to work out harder and get stronger. And I expected to stop putting so much damn energy into thinking about my weight.
All of this has happened. What I didn't expect was to feel this good. To be off of all of the prescription meds I have been on since I was17. To be able to eat virtually everything in teeny portions.
I could not be happier with my choice.
All of this has happened. What I didn't expect was to feel this good. To be off of all of the prescription meds I have been on since I was17. To be able to eat virtually everything in teeny portions.
I could not be happier with my choice.
Rny 2.14.12
I expected WLS to finally put my food addiction to rest. which it has almost 100%! I feel free now! No more thoughts of food all t he time, or thinking all the time about what Im going to eat next. I hardly have an appetite now, and could care less about eating. I do suffer from mild dumpage is I eat sweets, so it's helped me there. Also fried, greasy food makes me sick, so once again helped me there.
I also expected RNY to give me my life back so I can live it out to th e fullest for my son. I think it's gonna fit the bill!
I also expected RNY to give me my life back so I can live it out to th e fullest for my son. I think it's gonna fit the bill!
RNY(3/8/2012)
I'm wondering if that's because your surgery was so recent. Surgery is not really a treatment for addiction of any kind. I hope it continues to go well for you, but I do worry when I hear someone say they think having WLS will cure their addiction to food.
I'm curious, did you have a psych eval before surgery? Did you tell the evaluator that you expected surgery to help with your addiction?
I'm curious, did you have a psych eval before surgery? Did you tell the evaluator that you expected surgery to help with your addiction?
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
I did and I did! LOL The Psych told me exactly what you said. Then we discussed my food addiction and I guess I dont really have a severe case of it. But having the surgery to cure my food addiction wasnt my number one reason for having the surgery. It was more of wishful thinking that it would help with that, and it has. My main reason for my surgery was to get healthy enough to keep up with my 3 year old and live long enough to see him grow up and prosper as an upstanding adult.
RNY(3/8/2012)
Well, being there for your three year old is a great reason to have surgery. And I don't mean to say that dealing with your food addiction is not a good reason to have surgery, I guess I just don't want you to be surprised or disappointed if you find out a year from now that the addiction is still there. Almost everyone finds that their appetite returns in time, and when you can eat more food and tolerate a wider variety of foods, you may find you think about food a lot again.
Kelly
Please note: I AM NOT A DOCTOR. If you want medical advice, talk to your doctor. Whatever I post, there is probably some surgeon or other health care provider somewhere that disagrees with me. If you want to know what your surgeon thinks, then ask him or her. Check out my blog.
(deactivated member)
on 4/21/12 8:56 am - waukesha, WI
on 4/21/12 8:56 am - waukesha, WI
-lower my insulin form 800 units a day to 20 units a day. 6 shots a day to 2 shots a day. It is the only reason I had surgery. Weight loss was just a side benefit. I do not dump or have any problems with any food. Although, maybe I just haven't found something I dump on. I have plenty of sugar with low blood sugars including a small bag of gum drops. I have not tried anything with a lot of fat but tolerate butter and oil just fine.............not to sure if fried chicken would make me sick but I never ate that anyways in the past.
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