KEEPIN' IT REAL!

I am pre op, and have a couple of questions about wls, and I need some honest answers. 1.) Name something about your post op experience that you don't like? 2.) If you were told that wls surgery would make you healthier, but not skinnier, would you still have had the surgery. 3.) Knowing now, what you didn't know then, would you still have had the type of wls surgery you chose (i.e. Lap band, RNY, DS etc..) Why? 4.) What are somethings that people didn't tell you pre op, that you wished you would've know? Please be transparent when answering these questions. I've asked a lot of questions on these boards, but I feel like sometimes people give these "Stedford Wives" type of answers. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE hearing the good stuff, but I also want to here about the not so good stuff, so that I can get a clearer view.

Hey Indie, Great questions!!! OK, First the things I don't like....spending so much money on clothes I can only wear for a month and feeling sick when I overeat or eat too fast. I was in realatively good health at the time of surgery, but I was on my way to a host of problems being so big, so I would have to say i would have had the surgery either way. I am by no means skinny, but I feel so much better physically. I had no choice but to have the VBG. I was scheduled to have the RNY but my small intestine is too short to safely do the bypass, so my surgeon gave me the VBG instead. At first I was upset, but the VBG has been a great option for me. I can eat normally in small portions without the fear of dumping syndrome which is great. I also feel like I have more responsibility for my own success because I absorb all the food I eat. It makes me watch myself more closely and exercise more. I researched surgery for 4 years, so there wasn't really anything I didn't know. There were things I didn't believe, like the fact that I would feel full after eating so little, but that really does happen I hope this answers your questions! Good luck to you Hugs, Sara 356/276/175

Hi! Smart questions. 1) I had acid reflux before the surgery, and it seems to have increased after the surgery, it is getting worse. 2) I did this for my health. I have two siblings with cancer, I wanted to get in shape and do what I could to prevent it. I have lost 50 lbs so far, and being skinnier is a bonus, but not the be all and end all. it's for my health. I can go to the gym now and am really feeling good about exercise. Heel spurs are lessened, sleep is better, snoring is on the downswing, and my asthma is under control! 3) I picked the VBG because I did not want to change my anatomy. Of course, I also had a portion of my stomach removed, so less fits. It's called VBG with sleeve. I wanted the lap band but my insurance does not cover this. Overall, I am pleased with my decision. Some days when I am with friends that had the RNY I notice they can eat more, but they also need more vitamins and other things. Of course, I think the downside to the lapband is I might not have had the stamina to work through the rough parts, I don't know. On a bad day I could cry reversal! The only thing is that I know there have been days I have wondered what I have done to myself, but overall, the days are few and far between! When I told my surgeon why I wanted the lapband, because it was reversible, he used the analogy of builidng a trailer on top of a beautiful mountaintop. He suggested I build a home, that is lasting, rather than something that can be torn down. It sounded better the way he described it, but he sold me on the VBG. 4) I guess my relationship with food has been longstanding and it does not fix overnight. I did not imagine the issues I would have with throwing up, feeling weak, and now the reflux. The good thing is that other than the reflux it all gets better. As time goes by I get more energy. I feel good, and tonight even went shopping in the regular size section! It's not all good, but overall, I think it is worth it. I feel like I am on the path to good health. I can cut my own toenails and move around easily. I can walk faster and longer. I feel better in many, many ways! Good luck to you! Ideally, the trick would be to lose weight without surgery. Of course, I tried that for 20+ years and it did not happen. Take care, Theresa VBG w/sleeve 11/18/04 240/188/???

1) Sagging skin. I can tell my upper legs are not firming up the way my calves are. I hate the thought of losing the weight and then not being able to show it off the way I want because my inner legs are not firmed up. 2) I would definitely do this just for health. I had severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea which has now gone away. Also, I had irregular periods that have now become normal. Not to mention if you are healthier you feel better and if you feel better you make better choices and are more likely to exercise, eat right, etc... 3) I would definitely do VBG again. I can eat whatever I want in moderate portions. I absorb my nutrients and my digestive tract is intact so I don't have to take a gazillion vitamins every day. My doctor is projecting from where I am now that I will lose 88% of my excess body weight which is much higher than some of the percentages for lapband, etc... Also, I know someone who is about 3 years out and still loses occasionally even after she reached the doctor's goal weight. 4) I wish someone would have told me pre-op to stay off the darn scale and to take measurements and pictures. I am on the scale way to much and so I see every fluctuation. Since I didn't take measurements I have no clue how many inches I have lost and I can't compare when I don't lose to see if I've lost inches instead. Ok, let me tell you this is not an easy fix. I still LOVE food and still have some of the same impulses (which honestly, I sometimes give into) but this is a tool that motivates me and stops me from stuffing myself. I walk about 2 miles a day 5 days a week. I feel this is the key to my success so far. I still have plenty to lose, but if it all stopped now (and I said this 20 pounds ago) I would have still done it. I was afraid I would be the one person t his didn't work for, but I try hard to make good choices and only splurge occasionally, and I have been walking since I came home from the hospital and I've been right on track every doctor visit. Good luck and believe me when I say this is truly life changing. I am no longer intimidated by men and I see myself in a positive light (physically) for the first time in 12 years. I wish I had done this sooner. Natalie 281/198/125

Happy to help 1. I hated that the stiches stayed in for longer than they wanted to. The most painful part of my post op was getting those staples out. The body starts to reject them and it hurts. 2. No I would not have done the surgery. I had almost no health problems from being fat. I needed to greased wheel that surgery gives you. I want the healthy and the better life,,,, but to "be real" I wanted to be the beautiful girl again, not just the fat, funny, pretty girl. This surgery is helping with that. 3. I would do the VBG again and again. Although I didn't realize how easy it is to get into sweets if you let yourself. I have to remember that I don't dump and be careful. 4. You will still be hungry, you will still try to eat crap food, you will still see the scale go up after surgery. You will still miss food and want it like a drug for a while after surgery. This surgery won't give you will power you will miss food like a dead friend, but you will get over that and move on. You might need theropy for it, if you feel you can't do it alone. If you ever want the real poop on something I will be happy to not sugar coat it for you. Actually I have people in my life that say I should try to learn how to sugar coat things,,,, I can't. I agree with the stepford wifes thing. Hope this helps, Heather 294/242/151

Glad to help: 1- no more water with food- ever again! it really is the hardest thing to get used to- I have no problem eating smaller, eating healthier-going all out to get in my protein.... but its not reaching for a big glass of ice water either at home or in a restauant that is hard to forget about doing! Even at three months I still have to stop myself from guzzling it back right after some food. 2-yes- Healthy is where I want to be- thinner is nice, but I'd rather be healthy... 3-yes I would still have the vbg- its the least invasive of the surgeries, and is still somewhat reversible. 4-I wish someone had told me how nauseating just drinking water can be. I have moments (morning) when I take a few drinks of water and 5 minutes go by and I feel like someone is rocking the boat or as if I am going to hurl on my tennis shoes! 4-wish people who "knew" had told me to not expect alot of encouragemnet or anything form my surgeon. After the surgery when I was getting ready for release he looked at me said good luck and told me not to bother him for 90 days- I was not expecting him to be so cold.

Hi Indie, Let me see if I can remember. It`s been 3 1/2 years for me. I wish someone would have told me depression and regrets were common right after surgery until about a month post op. I did`nt realize that I would still get hungry so soon after surgery. Tv ads nearly drove me up the wall.I never realized how many food commercials there were. I wished someone would have told me about the "honeymoon period". I think I would have tried harder to make goal if I had known that you will never lose as easily as those first nine months or so. I would definitely have it done again, although I might look into the lap band. Maybe. The health benefits was why I had it done in the first place. I had high blood pressure and was on meds for it. I felt bad all the time. My joints were starting to ache, I was sleepy alot during the day,got out of breath easily. Just felt like crap most of the time. Now I am off bp meds, I can exercise, I have a life now. I guess thats about it. Good luck.

I so totally agree w/ you. I don't like things to be sugar coated either. I want to hear the facts. I too, am researching WLS. At 1st I had really, really wanted the rny, but it just seems to invasive, and not only that but, I just had a surgical procedure done last week and I had happend to be talking to the nurses that were attending me, which I may add they were all overweight too, and I do mean overweight. I had told them I am thinking about the rny and they all which were 3-4 of them all told me not to do it. It is to invasive, and it's very dangerous. They told me that people die from that surgery. Now I live in Boston. And I remeber when there was 2 deaths reported in Boston last year and like 1 or 2 in New England. They said like 13 people died alone from the surgery since the year(2005) has started, they just go unreported. They told me that alot of hospitals are starting to ban the surgery because it's too much of a liabilty. Ever since they told me that, I have went back and redoing more research on it and they were right, I noticed that there less at least 1/3 less hospitals doing the surgery now than before. They had incouraged me, if I were to consider wls to think about lapband because it does nothing to you anatomically, they don't remove, change or cut anything from your body. So after doing careful research I am now reading how much better the band could be. Of course ultimately it is your decision on what type of surgery you have. Go to each forum and check people's responses. Post your own set of questions, I have, That is how I ended up in this forum (vgb). I am doing so much research it isnt even funny. Research all of the types. Post questions on each forum and then make your determination. I think that I am almost ready on making my decision to which kind of surgical procedure I am going to get. Lez