SEVEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Today is my seven year anniversary and I want to thank this group for its support over the years. RNY gastric bypass saved my life.  I am 115 lbs and have never gained more than 5 lbs back at any one time.  I was 270 lbs when I had the surgery (top weight but I did lose 14 lbs the 3 weeks before surgery).

Today my only issue is arthritis (which runs in my family) and grief because I lost my husband Bill six months ago to cancer.  Fate is funny isn't it?  He encouraged me to have surgery so I would be with him longer and he was the one to die way too early.  We were married 44 years.  Bill was 62 when he died.

If you are one the fence about surgery, do it for YOU.  Do it because you value your health.  Do it so that you can participate in life.  And don't wait!   Do it now before your health is such a mess that you have chronic problems after surgery.  And do it so that your children and grand-children don't have to watch you die prematurely.  THEY will be the beneficiaries of your being a role model.  They will then understand that morbid obesity KILLS people and perhaps they will learn the lesson of good health earlier than we did.

HAVE A HAPPY EASTER!

I am so sorry for your loss. It sounds like you are continuing to take care of yourself, despite the grief. 

So sorry for the loss of your dear husband.  You're right thought - we never know what life is going to hand us.  I appreciate your positive attitude even while you are dealing with the unthinkable.  

As you mentioned in your post I am one of those sitting on the fence about the surgery.  I'm not in the morbidly obese category but I'm severely obese and am tired of the never ending battle of gaining and losing and gaining it all over again!  Been doing that for a very long time.  I feel I need a tool to use to help me lose and not regain - a little helping hand that will be on my side.  I am a mother of 4 young adults and look forward to grandchildren, not losing my health (I'm a pretty healthy person now but do have HTN) and just being freer in my life to do what I want without feeling self conscious.  With a BMI of 35 I am not the norm for people seeking this surgery but I feel it's the only way I'm going to be successful in regaining my health.  I hope I'm on the right track!

All the best to you and Happy Easter.

Not sure you qualify with BMI of 35 but perhaps you can find the right doctor.  If you have diabetes or other comorbidity issues, it might help.  Gastric bypass is the only know CURE for Type II diabetes.  It will add years to your life and give quality back to your life.  I hope you can get the surgery if that is what you really want.  First make sure you have dealt with your MIND SET regarding food.  It only works as a tool if you can change how you look at food.  Explore why you have regained after a loss of weight.....did you stop exercising?  Did you reward your loss with food instead of a healthier prospect like new clothing or hairstyle.  Did you just get bored with the meal plan you were on?  There are many reasons we gain weight and you have to identify what those reasons are before you can be successful.  For me, obesity was security against men coming on to me.  I was molested by my step-father at 16 and gaining weight helped me to avoid having men make advances to me.   I had to become comfortable with my own sexuality and firm up my own responses  to men flirting with me before I was mentally ready for surgery.  Make sure you have put yourself in the right place mentally before you make the decision.  Otherwise, the old problems will still haunt you and you still could fail to use the tool correctly.

Good luck!

Thank you, trafficdonna, for your response.  I will give what you've said some thought and see if I can identify my issue.  At this point I believe it is simply portion control.  My eyes and brain need to be trained to recognize what a portion is.  I eat a very healthy diet and walk every day but the weight comes back on so easily!  I think there are also genetics involved also to some degree.  I see WLS as a tool - not a magic potion - to keeping weight off so I'm hoping I have a realistic attitude going into this.

Take care for now.

Trudy

Hello. I am sorry about your loss. thanks for posting and I hope to read more from you soon.