TORN

Well I am back.. AGAIN with another concern! Sorry if I am rambling on about this but I was told this is normal.  I am starting to feel like if I should really get this done if I am apporved.  I know that I need this for health reasons however I do not have any health problems as of yet high blood pressure,diabetes etc. But I have to make a decison that will change everything forever and I just do not know if I am making the right choice. I do want this for myself and I have tried everything to try to lose weight and was unsucessful. I am just torn, I have it set in my my that I am not mentally ready to change my relationship with food, but then the other part of me is like yes I am ready to make life changes for the sake of my health and a lot of other reasons but I just do not know what do do? HELP!!! 

While you are waiting for approval, and for the process to go, start making some of those changes now. You don't have to wait to have surgery. That way, you can try and resolve that issue before you take your stomach out. I completely understand the feeling, and it's better to know before hand how you will be able to handle it. I don't think you should have surgery until you are sure that you can handle to the changes that come after because it is a serious and major life changing surgery.

Just do your research, talk to a lot of people, and hopefully it will help you feel less torn.

thx! I have started a little about changing some things. It is just the fact of am I willing to stick with it. that is all.

You have to be mentally ready to do this. It is a big change in your relationship with food. I know I thought can I really live like this with eating only a little at a time. I asked myself what about the buffets, going out to eat, parties drinking,etc. Well, I over came those thoughts. I did a lot of research and to tell you the truth the thing that really made me really want to do it was my mother. I love her dearly and I am starting to look alot like her and she is a lot bigger than I am and that scared me. I want to be able to enjoy time with my great grandson and be able to go to parks, etc. and not have my family embaressed to have me around. I did it to build up my self esteem and also for my health.  It is a big change. I had my surgery  June 10,2011 and I am so glad I did. Just hang in there. You have to do it for yourself. You need to talk with the support groups, there are a bunch of great people there who can answer your questions and encourage you. Good Luck!

thx! I appreciate it! I have some friends that support it but some think that I can do it on my own and that I do not need it, and I carry my weight well because I am tall 5'11. But at the end of the day I have to do this for me and no one else. I do want to buil up my self esteem and not be self consious about myself and be able to walk and not have my feet and back hurt. I still have few weeks to a month to really decide if I want to do this for myself and I am leaning towards doing it.

In my health plan, in order to proceed to surgery, we had 12 weeks of classes and counseling. It really helped confront those demons and realize what the reality of a post-surgery life would be. I felt fully prepared and ready to go but there were a number of people who dropped out.

I figured I had 42 good years of all the food I wanted...I enjoyed everything! A big change is what I needed in order to prepare for the next 42 years of my life. I have borderline high blood pressure and scared about what was to follow carrying over 300 pounds around.
Good luck and remember the old Weigh****chers mantra, "nothing tastes as good as thin feels." I hope to find out in the coming year!!

While VSG and other WLS is a marvelous tool, it might not be the answer at this point in time for you. It's just a tool...you have to decide whether or not you can or even desire to make the lifestyle changes now.

I/we can give you all the pros and reasons that it's worked for me/us. I'm sure you've read those already. But you have to be committed and focused. Don't go into this thinking that it might not be the right decision.

Don't rush into it.  Research, talk to lots of people, go to the support groups (usually have allot of pre ops attending), ask questions. Maybe talk to a counselor (one of those who does the psych eval).

Take your time in making the decision. Good luck.

Gia - in the end you are the only one who knows what is right for you.  That being said - the sleeve will improve most people's relationship with food because we are restricted so much in how much we can eat.  Some people will bypass this by drinking high calorie drinks, eating between meals, or eating crap.  But if you are willing to do protein first, eat every 3-4 hours, and avoid "sugar water", this procedure will change your life in so many ways. 

Good luck making your decision - you have my support no matter what you decide.  Just keep in mind - many sleevers that are a ways out say their only regret is not doing it sooner. 

WHat you said resonates with me as well .. my surgery is on Tuesday and most of the time I think I'm ready .. but sometimes I am torn, too.  Like you, I don't have any comorbitities right now .. no diabetes or high BP .. other than a mild case of sleep apnea and aches and pains from carrying the extra weight I'm OK health-wise, but that won't always be the case .. at my current weight I can easily develop problems any time.  I've come a long way and I've lost a lot of weight on my own preparing for this .. I'm trying to remind myself that I'm doing this so that I can live a healthier life and as a preventative measure so that I don't develop those things that could become severe.

Good luck!

This post is from my sister. It has in a nutshell what to expect in deciding and having the surgery. Hope it helps.

When I joined this forum two and a half years ago there were perhaps 20 posts a day and maybe one or two people being sleeved per week and it was possible to read every post and respond to many. Since that time the sucess and popularity of the vsg has exploded. This is a good thing as its an excellent procedure and is life saving for many of us.

So while I focus on the vsg maintenance group (which all are invited to join regardless of status or type of surgery) I do try to read as much as I can on the main board and respond to posts when I think I have something to offer.

So in a nutshell here is what I can tell newer people as my recipe for a successful vsg surgery and weight loss:

Research the heck out of your surgeon. Find out his/her credentials, read their publications, find patients of theirs here on OH and ask questions. Go to more than one of their seminars and write down your questions and get them all answered. Also research the heck out of your procedure to make an informed decision.

Get your head in the right place. Be prepared to eat differently for the rest of your  life. Have a few food funerals if you must but say goodbye to that way of eating. Put it behind you so that after surgery you are less likely to revert to old bad habits. Use a counselor to do this if you need to but say your goodbyes to food before your surgery so you are not greiving for it afterwards. Consider it a new deal you are making - trading away twinkies and donuts for a slim body and a healthy longer life. A good trade in my opinion.

Once you have your surgery, follow your doctor's instructions to the letter. If they don't give good or complete insturctions, then follow one of the university developed guides that is available on line through OH.

Accept that you will have a few stalls and setbacks but know that you will lose your weight if you stick to the program, get your protein in and drink plenty of fluid. Don't worry that others seem to lose faster than you. Everyone one is different and it takes how long it takes. I was a slow loser and my doctor did not think I would get to goal. But I kept at it and I did and then some. And it feels great.

Don't think that if you are not losing fast enough that you need to increase calories. This is just not correct. You may need to increase protein but not calories. Keep your carbs low during weight loss phase. And food journal eveything with calories, carbs and protein. I used a little notebook (still do in maintenance) but an on line tracker is fine but just use it faithfully.

Exercise is good but following eating requirements is more critical in weight loss phase.

Use your weight loss phase to develop new eating habits that stay with you for life. Don't try to think of ways to get around your program by eating some candy or chips here or there. These are destructive habits that need to be broken right from the get go. After some weeks or months of healther eating habits, you don't miss that junk anymore but you will if you eat some here and there. A clean break is best.

This is not just another diet even though it sounds like one. After surgery your appetite,ability to consume food  and ultimately your relationship with food is profoundly changed forever. Its hard to understand until you have experienced it but the sleeve makes it immeasurably easier to stay with a severly calorie restricted program.

Protein drinks can suck but find a way to get them down in the first few months. Read the tips posted by Sublimate for newbies on how to make them taste better,

Utilize whatever support group you can find as studies show those who have them are more successful. And take the time to pay it forward and help someone else when you can. Surround yourself with supportive friends and distance yourself from the jealous nay-sayers. Who needs them.

Hope this helps. VSG is the third best thing I have ever done, the first being marrying my husband and the second being my education. Its been life changing and I know life extending.Best of luck to all of you starting your journey.   Diane