Meds for LIFE????
Even though im still pre-op there has been one adjustment that continues to linger in my head that i cant get over. The medication. I dont know why im so afraid or scared of it. Im such a free-spirited type of girl...I even run to the store in my pajamas. I never took medication and all i can think about is how would I feel after surgery knowing that im on a time schedule with medication for the rest of my life. I have this heavy feeling that it is going to turn my world upside down even lead me to depression. Then i read several post about how much meds they take cuz of the surgery (not other health conditions included) and its like wow.....IM so young...and meds??? I dont know how else to put it or what else to say....but i guess its my biggest fear of the whole surgery process...I know that the whole surgery is a life changing experience...and requires alot of permanent changes....and i can deal with the little food, the nasty protein drinks....even all the other things that could possibly go wrong....but taking meds my whole life...knowing that im on a time schedule...and i might even be one of those people who carry the daily med containers....whoa!!! it hits me hard everytime i think about it....AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO FELT THIS WAY!!!!!!
Hi there. First of all, it will be okay. I had my RNY 5 months ago. I'm an extremely free-spirited person, and the thought of having a schedule for everything (food, meds, etc.) really freaked me out too.
I have been on meds since I was 13 years old to try and control my arthritis, so daily meds weren't a new thing, but the vitamins and supplements were a new addition. I hated the fact that I was going to have to schedule them in. BS, this is my life, I don't do that. After about the first two months, I quit obsessing. I get my vitamins in, I get my protein in, and I damn sure well don't do it on an insanely regulated schedule. The only thing I keep track of is not taking my iron and calcium at the same time.
I didn't want my life to be controlled by food either. It never was before surgery, and I have made it a sticking point to not let food control my life after surgery. I don't "count" anything. I know what I need to eat, I eat healthy things, and I do ballpark figures for my day. I don't obsess over a protein/carb/fat ratio. I don't obsess over calories. I know what I need to do to keep myself healthy and to maintain weight loss. You figure it out. It may take a little bit, but you do figure it out. That way, you can be a "normal" person and not let this change in your life be your only identity.
Back to the meds...The reason we take drastic measures to lose weight is to make sure we're healthy for our future. I had surgery to drastically decrease the risk of other health problems. Think of type II diabetes and the medications there. Think of high bloodpressure....yup, another medication. Sleep apnea? That machine is annoying (my stepdad has one, and it sounds like a friggin freight train). High cholesterol...yet another pill.
Just look at all the pills you won't have to take. Put it in perspective. You will do just fine. You can be a WLS patient and still live life. You can have WLS and still be just as free-spirited.
Good luck to you!!!!
I have been on meds since I was 13 years old to try and control my arthritis, so daily meds weren't a new thing, but the vitamins and supplements were a new addition. I hated the fact that I was going to have to schedule them in. BS, this is my life, I don't do that. After about the first two months, I quit obsessing. I get my vitamins in, I get my protein in, and I damn sure well don't do it on an insanely regulated schedule. The only thing I keep track of is not taking my iron and calcium at the same time.
I didn't want my life to be controlled by food either. It never was before surgery, and I have made it a sticking point to not let food control my life after surgery. I don't "count" anything. I know what I need to eat, I eat healthy things, and I do ballpark figures for my day. I don't obsess over a protein/carb/fat ratio. I don't obsess over calories. I know what I need to do to keep myself healthy and to maintain weight loss. You figure it out. It may take a little bit, but you do figure it out. That way, you can be a "normal" person and not let this change in your life be your only identity.
Back to the meds...The reason we take drastic measures to lose weight is to make sure we're healthy for our future. I had surgery to drastically decrease the risk of other health problems. Think of type II diabetes and the medications there. Think of high bloodpressure....yup, another medication. Sleep apnea? That machine is annoying (my stepdad has one, and it sounds like a friggin freight train). High cholesterol...yet another pill.
Just look at all the pills you won't have to take. Put it in perspective. You will do just fine. You can be a WLS patient and still live life. You can have WLS and still be just as free-spirited.
Good luck to you!!!!
I know sort of how you feel. I've never really been good about taking meds before. Honestly, I should have always been taking daily or twice daily allergy meds... but I never had anyhuge problems from not taking them so... meh.... I just recently (pre-surgery) started trying to get into a vitamin routine. I'm good about taking my morning meds. I tried tying it into another routine of mine (eating breakfast) and it's working well, I still can't seem to get a routine stuck for taking my pm meds. Working on that one.... The only reasons I figure I'll need 2 times daily meds is because I take allergy meds 2 times daily and after surgery i'll need to take my iron separate from my calcium.
I guess I don't really see it as a huge issue. I figure even if I didn't get surgery, being obese would make me have to take daily meds at some point for some disease. My obesity and weight loss attempts have already in fact made me need to have laproscopic surgery to remove my gallbladder whether or not I ever get WLS, I have to have surgery for that reason. And I'm fortunate enough that ... although I have a 1 inch nodule on my thyroid, it's not cancer and it's not causing hyper or hypothyroidism... which would also make me need to take meds every day... With WLS the nodule might even go away on it's own without surgery. I'm also at a high risk for diabetes, so really I could pick and choose, but the end result = meds and I'd MUCH rather take vitamins than take insulin or high blood pressure meds every day.
Think of your vitamins not so much as meds, but food that will help to keep you from getting malnourished. It's not artificial stuff altering your body, but more like food extracts you aren't absorbing well enough in the things you eat. You eat and drink so many other things, what are a couple of capsules compared to that? Take them daily before breakfast and before dinner. I also suggest you start getting used to it a little before surgery so it's not too much change all at once. Depending on the doctor he may want you to do liquids or chewables for a time after surgery so keep that in mind. I think the hardest part of it is getting in the routine and staying on it... For me it doesn't really matter how many pills I need to take at a certain time, just getting the times in straight each day is difficult
I really like this pill box. I'm not sure they sell it at the actual walgreens store. All I see there are a smaller version. This one's bigger so it should be able to hold your chewable vitamins in the beginning. You can separate the days and take them with you when you know you'll be out all day. I'm also carrying a little pill box supply in my purse in case I forget to take my day compartment with me. This is especially good cause sometimes I go over to my bf's house and end up staying over when I didn't plan on it.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100598&navAction=jump&navCount=1&skuid=sku4224205&id=prod4225335
I guess I don't really see it as a huge issue. I figure even if I didn't get surgery, being obese would make me have to take daily meds at some point for some disease. My obesity and weight loss attempts have already in fact made me need to have laproscopic surgery to remove my gallbladder whether or not I ever get WLS, I have to have surgery for that reason. And I'm fortunate enough that ... although I have a 1 inch nodule on my thyroid, it's not cancer and it's not causing hyper or hypothyroidism... which would also make me need to take meds every day... With WLS the nodule might even go away on it's own without surgery. I'm also at a high risk for diabetes, so really I could pick and choose, but the end result = meds and I'd MUCH rather take vitamins than take insulin or high blood pressure meds every day.
Think of your vitamins not so much as meds, but food that will help to keep you from getting malnourished. It's not artificial stuff altering your body, but more like food extracts you aren't absorbing well enough in the things you eat. You eat and drink so many other things, what are a couple of capsules compared to that? Take them daily before breakfast and before dinner. I also suggest you start getting used to it a little before surgery so it's not too much change all at once. Depending on the doctor he may want you to do liquids or chewables for a time after surgery so keep that in mind. I think the hardest part of it is getting in the routine and staying on it... For me it doesn't really matter how many pills I need to take at a certain time, just getting the times in straight each day is difficult
I really like this pill box. I'm not sure they sell it at the actual walgreens store. All I see there are a smaller version. This one's bigger so it should be able to hold your chewable vitamins in the beginning. You can separate the days and take them with you when you know you'll be out all day. I'm also carrying a little pill box supply in my purse in case I forget to take my day compartment with me. This is especially good cause sometimes I go over to my bf's house and end up staying over when I didn't plan on it.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100598&navAction=jump&navCount=1&skuid=sku4224205&id=prod4225335
i agree with everything Sarah said lol
it does become a simple part of life that literally takes 2 seconds. believe me it will not interfere with your life. and just keep in mind that this surgery really is not a quick fix and that you really do have to be diligent with the vits and supplements if you don't want to end up on much more serious meds later on after surgery because you could face issues like bone loss and other probs which result from vits/supplement negligence.
this is however a serious decision to make BEFORE you have surgery, if you aren't committed to the pill regimen then you shouldn't have the surgery because you will only be setting yourself up for MAJOR issues in the long run, this is one situation where our age works against us....because we have so many more years where WE can mess things up for ourselves.
take care and just change the mentality about them and it will all work out in the end!!
it does become a simple part of life that literally takes 2 seconds. believe me it will not interfere with your life. and just keep in mind that this surgery really is not a quick fix and that you really do have to be diligent with the vits and supplements if you don't want to end up on much more serious meds later on after surgery because you could face issues like bone loss and other probs which result from vits/supplement negligence.
this is however a serious decision to make BEFORE you have surgery, if you aren't committed to the pill regimen then you shouldn't have the surgery because you will only be setting yourself up for MAJOR issues in the long run, this is one situation where our age works against us....because we have so many more years where WE can mess things up for ourselves.
take care and just change the mentality about them and it will all work out in the end!!
SW-236/GW 125- pre pregnancy weight-133 / current weight- 123!!
Defeated PCOS with the help of my RNY & despite being told I couldnt have kids, i am a proud mommy to Bella Rosa =)
Defeated PCOS with the help of my RNY & despite being told I couldnt have kids, i am a proud mommy to Bella Rosa =)
It took me forever to get them to be a regular thing but now I remember every day! I even carry a 1 days supply in my purse in a little pill case so if I spend the night out I have them there to take. I also was afraid of this before surgery but not its a non issue. I would rather take vitamins every day then overeat myself to the early end. I also did not know how I was going to live without sugar and Im 5 months sugar free and am not dying. Im actually living more since Im not eating it! I had a bite of ice cream and a lick of icing at a bday party yesterday and it was GROSS. Im so used to not eating that stuff it doesnt even taste good. doesnt mean im not tempted ;)
Its worth taking all the vitamins! It just takes a little getting used to.
Its worth taking all the vitamins! It just takes a little getting used to.
It's honestly not as bad as you think. It's really just as simple is corrolating taking your vitamins with doing other things you normally would during the day anyway.....example: Wake up - take a B12 ,eat lunch - take a multi vitamin, etc. Once you get into the routine of it all it's like second nature.
I am one of those daily pill box people! Honestly though, it's helped me a ton to have everything right there and it helps me remember not to forget to take anything. You might want to look into it!
~Emily~
I am one of those daily pill box people! Honestly though, it's helped me a ton to have everything right there and it helps me remember not to forget to take anything. You might want to look into it!
~Emily~
"Tis better to be hated for who you are than loved for who you are not"
I had the exact same thoughts. But I realized that I would be on meds eventually anyways due to my weight. Just think of all the meds you could possibly be on if you remain obese....blood pressure meds, daibetes shots EVERYDAY. cholestrol medicine, etc....I would much rather pop a multi-vitamin and calcium rather than have to take medicine because I am sick...sick for the rest of your life. You have to put things in perspective.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Most Active
Recent Topics
