AM I MAKING A MISTAKE?!?
HEY EVERYONE!
I AM 21 YEARS OLD AND I WILL BE HAVING GASTRIC BYPASS BY THE END OF THE SUMMER. IM STARTING TO THINK I MAY BE MAKING A BIG MISTAKE. I READ ON HERE HOW AFTER SURGERY YOU BECOME DEPRESSED AND EVEN THE LITTLEST THINGS ARE EXHAUSTING. IM JUST WONDERING WILL THIS LAST OR IS IT TEMP? ALSO, RIGHT NOW I AM STILL VERY YOUNG AND HAVE NO MAJOR MEDICAL PROBLEMS FROM THE WEIGHT RIGHT NOW BESIDES PCOS. HOWEVER, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, CHOLERSTROL, AND DIABETES RUN IN MY FAMILY. I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCESS W/ LOSING WEIGHT EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN LIKE 8 YEARS OLD. SO I DECIDED TO HAVE THE SURGERY BUT NOW IM WONDERING WHAT THE LONG TERM EFFECTS ARE? I KNOW THE INABILITY TO ABSORB NUTRIENTS PROPERLY BUT IS THERE ANY OTHER MAJOR THINGS THAT I SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION SINCE IM SO YOUNG? THE MAJOR REASON I WANT TO HAVE THE SURGERY IS BECAUSE THE DOC TOLD ME I MAY NEVER BE ABLE TO HAVE KIDS IF I DONT HAVE THE SURGERY BUT HOW WILL THAT EFFECT A BABY?
I was 25 when I had my surgery and I do not regret it in the least. I had no other health issues but I knew I would probably had some later on if I didn't deal with it now. Why would I want to spend anymore of my precious life unhealthy when I could do something to change? The benefits outweighed the cons by far for me. You will be tired at first but you would with any surgery. It's all temporary, just like anything else in life. I am 6 months out and my life is totally normal.
As far as having kids, I plan to have more kids and that was never really a scare that my RNY would detur from that. I just figure that I'll just have to take care of myself a little bit more than a normal pregnancy making sure I get all the vitamins/minerals I and the baby would need, maybe a few more prenatal visits, etc.
If you are really scared to the point of panic, maybe it would be to your benefit to postpone your surgery until you have done more research and feel comfortable with your decision. It is a huge life change, so you have to be ready. You are at a tough age because your friends will want to go out, drink and do all that and you might not be able to join in. Are you ready for that? If you truely want to lose weight for good and be healthy, it wont be a big deal. It's hard to say no sometimes, I know firsthand!
Best of luck to you though and keep reading and talking to people about surgery. Prayer always helps!
~Emily~
AS FAR AS THE GOING OUT W/ FRIENDS THAT SOMETHING I AM WORRIED ABOUT. IM NOT AN ALCHOLIC OR ANYTHING BUT DRINKING ON WEEKENDS IS PART OF MY SOCIAL LIFE. I KNOW THEY SAID EVENTUALLY I WILL BE ABLE TO DRINK AGAIN BUT HOW FAR OUT? I CAN GO OUT AND HAVE A GOOD TIME W/O DRINKS BUT I DONT WANT TO NEVER BE ABLE TO DRINK AGAIN. WHEN I DISCUSSED THIS W/ THE DOC SHE SAID AT ABOUT 6 MONTHS I COULD START HAVING ONE BAR SIZED DRINK. BUT I KNOW PPL THAT HAVE HAD THE SURGERY AND STARTED DRINKING 2 MONTHS OUT, NOW IS THIS SOMETHING THAT I WILL JUST HAVE TO SEE HOW MY BODY TOLERATES IT?
THANKS FOR ANY HELP-
ASHLEY
As far how your life is going to be after surgery, it's going to be more normal than you might be thinking (pending any complication, hopefully not though!). Like I said, I'm 6 months out and there isn't anything real different about how I live my life than anyone else except I eat smaller portions of healthy food and I look at exercise as part of my life's job. It's not that we are so different than others, we are just more aware of what we are doing and putting into our bodies to make and keep us healthy.
Alcohol. My whole point in getting surgery was so that I could finally be like a normal person. Normal people drink on ocassion and I do too. However, when I drink I only have a glass of wine and I'm done. It absorbs so quickly that I'm already buzzed after that much. If I go past my limit (glass and a half) I feel sick...not throwing up sick, but just not good..and the next morning I feel not so good. I think after we spend some time putting good things into our bodies, when we do put something like alcohol which isn't so good, our body will let us know. At this point, I don't really have the desire to drink because of how it makes me feel. You will have to be careful though because a little goes a long way. Everyone is different and can tolerate different amounts but just remember that alcohol does have calories and can stall your weight loss efforts.
You sound pretty level headed about surgery, so I think you will do just fine!
Good luck!
~Emily~
-Whitney
do i regret surgery? NEVER!! I love my RNY. I am 4 months out and have lost close to 90 lbs. I have about 50 more lbs to go....I havent been this healthy in a long time.
like the other person said though, this is a decision you have to make for yourself. I am a supporter of WLS because it saved my life. keep reading on the board and find a support group that can answer your questions...Ill be more than happy to answer any questions you have, there are a lot of things that some people wont tell you because its too graphic, or maybe some are to shy to tell the gross stuff, me....i dont care. lol. email me if you need anything!
good luck, and god bless!
-Whitney
i think u are in the best age to have this change and learn to work it ,while younger the person is they can change their eating habits easier... and u are wasting your best years being fat u have no idea how ur life can change. i was fat all my life and be able to feel the way i do and gain a new confidence is just amazing.
if u decide to not have the surgery.. try to lose the weight dieting and excercising (things that u have to do if u have or not the surgery, just making that clear lol)... prolly if i knew the way i was gonna feel i woulda try harder to lose the weight by myself before altho i tryed to many times before. your body deserves to be fit and healthy u deserve so start working on it. don´t wait till have the surgery
so u need to think seriusly about this `cuz is a life time comitment!!!.
soooo good luck!! and if u have any cuestions please let me know i`ll be very happy to help u out if i can.
hugs