Tell me again this is a good idea.

Surgery on June 4. I go through periods of being super excited, to peaceful and confident that I am doing the right thing, to "Oh my God, what was I thinking!" I'm currently entering the third stage again.

Am I ever going to be able to eat a normal meal again? Will I ever be able to enjoy a piece of chocolate or a brownie? Will I get dehydrated every time I go for a bike ride? Can't I just lose weight the normal way, by eating right and exercising? I've tried that in the past but usually didn't the willpower to stick with it. When I did stick with it and lose, I gained it back. Maybe I should just try harder. Ahhhhgggg!!!!

I know what you are feeling!  The reason I am confident that I am doing the right thing is because if I was able to lose on my own, (which I can - I've proved it over and over again!) and keep it off, I would be at goal weight now. But I can't keep it off!  If I could do that on my own, it would be done!  It would have been done a long time ago! I've tried for 40 years to get the weight off and keep it off. It's taken me 40 years to learn that it's NEVER GONNA HAPPEN THAT WAY!  I am confident that I need the extra advantage of surgery to reach and maintain my goal. It will take just as much work, maybe more, but at least Ill have a fighting chance!  I just wish I would have learned that sooner. Good luck with your decision!

I couldn't have said it better. After reading this response all I could think of is one word. For anyone out there that has seen the movie Ghost the word is DITTO.

We have been where you are!  I took me 50 year and being told I would be diabetic any minute to do it.  Add to that on top of failing at losing and keeping it off, I did the same with the lap band.  I was in worse shape the second time around as I had already failed WLS.

Even after being told I would lose less and slower with a revision WLS, I have gotten to goal in nine months and have been maintaining for seven so far.  This has been a great surgery for me.  My DD is 3.5 years and my sister is 2.75 years sleeved and both have been a success you can too.

 

The posters above are right - if we could've done it with eating right and exercise and kept it off we would all be sleeve-free.  But that's not the case.  And, it's never been about 1 piece of chocolate or 1 brownie because we never stop at that, there's always a need to have more.  And was a normal meal really a normal meal?  If you're like me, huge portions, heavy on the fat or salt, lots of carbs - that was normal.  Seconds, thirds - all normal.  That normal isn't good for us.

If you drink your fluids every day, which is not an unreasonable amount for any person, you should be ok with your bike rides.  I had the same feelings as you for a while and then I realized and accepted that I could not do it on my own up until now at 46 yrs old and needed the sleeve to help me be successful.  I was ready to make the food changes, finally, and the sleeve will help me to keep myself in check with portions, protein, fluids as well as exercise.  It can do that for you, too.  BUT, if you are not ready to do this, not ready to commit to eating differently then you need to rethink the surgery.  Sure, there may be a brownie in your future but that's not the point.  The point is to try and create new eating habits and tastes and be ready to live more healthy.  I'm not being snarky, here, the mind set is a huge factor and there's no shame in not being ready.   Really reflect on what brought you to make that phone call inquiring about the surgery and the steps past that.  Make a list of the things you hope to accomplish with the surgery, like getting off meds, less tired, cholesteral better, better sleep, better movement/fitness etc.  Whatever brought you here.  Write it down and see if it all still holds true. That might help.  Best wishes to you.

Wow! Your response was amazing. I had my surgery on the 12th. & everything i've been battling with you made good points about. I think you gave me what I needed to go thru this process and be alright with it. So I Thank you!!! 

its the best thing you can do

you will get a new life

I felt that way before surgery and now 10 weeks out when I have a bad day I still ask myself why I did this.  Some days are hard.  When I weighed close to 400 pounds, every day was hard.  My body was so painful, I was self conscious, lazy, cranky and miserable.  Now, things are so much better.

You can do this and it will be worth it!

I went thru this very thing as I was preparing for WLS.  I wish I could give you a crystal ball so you could see yourself a year after the surgery.  I cannot believe how successful the surgery was for me.  I never imagined I'd lose 200 pounds and be near my goal weight EVER, much less in a year. 

I've done better than average.  I've worked hard and committed to my plan, but I worked really hard before weight loss surgery and ended up at 385 pounds!  Obesity is a disease and it isn't about will power.  WLS is the only effective treatment for obesity. 

best wishes,

Carol

I love my new normal. VSG does require that I change my habits. I am ten months out. So yesterday I did have one bite of a brownie only to learn that it didn't taste nearly as good as I thought it should. I like this new process. Protein tastes yummy. So I am learning that my old ways of eating are just not appealing anymore.

Your mindset is tempting you into avoiding the new lifestyle changes that are on the the horizon. Adopting a new lifestyle is challenging BUT totally freeing and empowering.

I have no regrets. Good luck to you.