Help me from chickening out!

I understand the risks of the surgery  and that it isn't the most successful surgery. Why do you have a strong attitude against it? 

Because we see SO many people come here who want (or need) their bands taken out and then want the RNY or the sleeve, and because the rates of needing a second surgery for some complication (or to remove the band) are SO high.  Although some people ARE very successful, most don't lose anything near the amount of weight they want to lose.

Lora

Hi Marissa, I am working on my 6 month supervised diet and on sept. 15 I have my last diet appt and my stuff will be submitted to insurance for final approval, so my surgery will be sometime in October hopefully. I am 43 years old and have 2 children and have been obese my entire life except for 4 years in my late 20's thru my early 30's. I became pregnant with my first child, then back to back with my second child and gaine all the weight I lost plus another 80 lbs. I have struggled with losing weight and regaining my whole life. I began considering WLS and talking to my PCP about 8 years ago and was never 100% ready or committed. Now, after having the 6 month supervised diet and appt with my surgeons PA, I completely understand where I am headed if I don't get the weight off and keep it off. Diabetes run on both sides of my family & high blood pressure, I have sleep apnea and metabolic disease, so I am so ready but also so scared and praying I don't screw it up. I would make sure you are 100% ready and if not, wait until you are but keep working the diet plan, healthy eating & exercise if possible. By asking questions, you are getting more knowledge and that is the best thing you can do.
Keep posting and asking questions!!!

I was 265 lbs at your age as well and even though I hated being overweight, I was healthy.  10 years later I had diabetes and high blood pressure and weighed 325 lbs when I finally decided to get RNY.  I believe surgery is not for vanity but for improving health as a last resort.  So, if you're just unhappy being fat, that's not a good enough reason to have surgery...just my opinion. 

Marissa, dear heart,  you asked because you are confused.  It will not do you any good to ask your doctor what will happen in 30, 40, 50, or 60 years...because the WLS hasn't been used that long.  My Mother-in-law had stomach cancer and basically the same surgery 30 years ago.  She died because of the aftercare, not the cancer.   Yes, it has improved tremendously but there is room for more research and definitely research in what causes some of us to metabolize fats and sugars differently than the skinny minnies.  I'm sure that is being studied right now.  They may not be using any of the current techniques in 5 or 10 years.  

Every hospital has a dietitian who gives seminars on diet for diabetics.  Ask your PCP who to go to and sign up.  If you follow those guidelines, and exercise (walk briskly) for 20 to 30 minutes a day you will not get type 2 diabetes because of your food habit.  You might get it in your late 50's or 60's because or other health problems but not because you didn't have WLS.  You will be saving a ton of money.

Something I almost forgot that everyone considering WLS should know about, is FARTING!..You will fart in church, movies, concerts, in groups of friends, at work, in bed, in airplanes, at restaurants, on dates, at your wedding, and you name it, oh, dancing for sure.  It is embarrassing and it stinks!   If anyone gossips, it will be about that.  

You have had great advice.  Personally, I would be very proud of you to hear that you are waiting but I know how impatient youth are and WLS has become a strong fad today.  Sort like boob jobs.  

I had WLS nearly ten years ago, and it's probably the best thing I've ever done for myself. BUT---I was 45 years old, had been on one diet or another most of my life (first doctor-supervised diet at age 9, first diet pills at age 11!), and I probably wasn't going to live another five years unless things changed, big-time.

At 25, with no medical issues---DO NOT HAVE ANY FORM OF WLS UNLESS YOU'RE 110% CERTAIN. Certainly don't have a LapBand. While it doesn't rearrange your insides, it can certainly damage them beyond repair.

Yes, the Sleeve is pretty permanent. Why wouldn't you want a permanent treatment for the permanent disease of obesity? Believe me, you'll be able to eat as much as anyone ever needs to with a Sleeve, after a few years. The Sleeve doesn't cause/provide any malabsorption, but that doesn't mean you won't need to take vitamins. Even 'normies' who eat a lot more food than the average Sleever often need to supplement their vitamins and minerals. It's a rare person who gets everything he or she needs from food alone.

I can't promise you that the Sleeve, or any WLS for that matter, will keep you from being hungry. Hunger is normal---it's our body's way of telling us it needs fuel. However, many obese people have abnormal hunger, and the Sleeve often really helps with that. The 85% of the stomach that's totally removed from the body is the tissue that makes most of the body's hunger hormone, ghrelin. I know that pre-op, I was constantly hungry. Since my DS, I have 'normal' hunger, and get satisfied by a normal portion.

I really think that you'd be better served with a Sleeve. Keeping your pylorus intact is a good thing, for a lot of reasons. While you may not often need NSAIDs now, what about when you get older? Let me tell you, arthritis is a real ***** to handle without them. And what about cramps? Sprains? Headaches? Most OTC pain relievers are NSAIDs.

In your position, I'd be very inclined to postpone surgery and spend some time really researching all my options.

Definitely a hard one to explain for myself, but I will say at the age of 19 I had all the same worries that you do. The difference for me was my parents were very supportive. Had it not been for the push I don't think I would have done it, and would probably be dead now. Also at the time of surgery I had no health complications, I was hypoglycemic, but always have been. The only problem I had at that time was my weight. What I didn't realize until recently was that the weight took its toll on my joints, mostly hips and shoulders, but my knees aren't much better off. Had I have waited any longer I wouldn't be able to walk very well right now