Question:
Now that you are healthy, do you have fears for your future?

I am 14 months post op and I am truly enjoying the benefits of my wonderful weight loss. I weigh 119-120 and feel so much better!! My problem now is I have this nagging fear of my future in regards to WLS. While I was pre-op and losing weight, getting healthier and thinner were my focus. Now that the weight loss has stopped and I can think about what "I have done to myself", it is scarey. WHAT HAVE I DONE??? will occasionally skip through my thoughts. Did I REALLY need to do this? What problems may be in my future BECAUSE I had this surgery? Can someone that had their insides rearrange live to be old? Now, let me just say, I do not constantly dwell on this, it is not all-consuming so I know that I don't need meds or counselling. It is an occasional thought that didn't arrive until recently. I also wonder if I did enough research pre-op. I am very thankful that my future does not promise me diabetes or high blood pressure. But, what about other unforeseen problems. Anyone else have these thoughts?    — Shelley. (posted on March 18, 2002)

March 18, 2002
Shelly - I share your experience. I'm certainly not obsessed by these thoughts and fears, but I do occasionally think I may have compromised my long term health by this drastic procedure. It doesn't change my commitment to surgery, or my thankfulness for having had it available, but yeah, I do wonder. Things like - what happens when I'm senile or have Alzheimer's and don't remember to take my vitamins or protein...what will we discover medically 10 years from now, that kind of stuff.
   — kateseidel

March 18, 2002
Me, too. AS you said, the thoughts sort of skip across my mind. As I see long term post-ops with dreadful problems, I try to learn what they did or did not do and avoid it (and broadcast it), but no one knows FOR SURE what will happen to those like me who HAD the advantages of good nutrition, who did not depend on food proteins & overwork the kidneys, who had enough of everything, and lived to tell about it. The people I see at 10-20-30 years out are often sick. Scares me. But they didn't have what I had. The flip side, is that had I not done this when I did, the whole thing would be moot by now, as my lungs were grinding to a halt THEN, so I don't expect that I'd have seen the age of 50. Now, I saw it come & go! LOL!
   — vitalady

March 18, 2002
I am 12 years post op from my original RNY and I have had the thought a time or two then I remember life before surgery. I would not be here if I hadn't had the surgery. If the wieght didn't kill me I would have killed myself (or at least that is what I thought back then). You have to ask yourself would I have made it to retirement or later being as fat as I was?
   — anne G.

March 18, 2002
Okay ... here's my two cents on this issue. If you were going to have any majorly serious health problems/complications, I think they would probably occur in the first 6-12 months. If you live past the first year and improve your blood pressure, blood sugar and general health through WLS, my opinion is that you're going to be fine and live much longer than you would have without this tool. How do I know? I don't for sure, but I have faith that I was led to this board and to WLS for a purpose and that it was my destiny to get healthier so I could live my life more fully and contribute more to this world. The last year has been SO amazing and I have learned so much about myself and other people. I look forward to many, many, many more wonderful years.
   — Terissa R.

March 18, 2002
I'm still pre-op so maybe I should just keep my mouth shut, because I really don't know for sure what your going through right now. But, maybe I can also remind you of some things you may have forgotten in the 14 mos. since you had the surgery. Right now in my life I have several days where I wish I were dead. I'm not actually suicidal because I don't want to take any active measures to end my life, but on the other hand I would not be overly upset to be told I have a terminal illness because living like this at my current weight is pure hell. Currently I have no life at all and can not wait until I can reach the other side. Even if this surgery would shorten my life span by 20 years it would be worth it to me if whatever was left of my life is even a fraction better then it is right now. So yes maybe you did take a VERY Drastic measure to reach a healthier happier place in life, and yes at this time we don't have any accurate long term data on the side effects 20 - 30 - 40 years down the road. But again whats more important to you the quantity of your years or the quality of your years! JMHO.
   — Elva C.

March 18, 2002
I know it's not exactly the same but when my grandma who is 90 was in her fifties, she had tumors in her stomach and they removed most of her stomach. It has been going on 40 years and she is fine. She doesn't like to eat out because she barely eats, she concentrates on good foods, etc, just like we are told to do. I was scared until I realized I have a living example of how well it can work. Amazing!
   — Michelle F.