Question:
It's me again! Can anyone give me some feedback on this issue?

I am gettinga little confused again. My surgeon insists that pre op patients lose wt. prior to surgery to show that they are committed to the process. I got "rid" of the person that gave me an excuse to overeat a couple days before Easter. Since then I have been trying to lose wt and eating in a healthy manner. first it was 6 pounds off, then 10, then .....and now I weighed myself two days ago and I have lost a total of 24 lbs since Easter. Now, don't get me wrong, I am GLAD that I lost this wt, but the more I lose, them more I can hear my daughter's voice saying: "Mom, you can do it on your own, you don't need surgery. You have lost it before."....My surgery is scheduled for July 18th. I am still going to keep on trying to get some more wt off cause I ache all over from excess wt. some days I can't walk around, it hurts so bad in my knees/back/hips. I lost 200 lbs about 23 yrs ago and kept over half of it off til 4 yrs ago by eating right and exercising. (stopped doing the positive things 4 yrs ago/depression, etc). My daughter said she has not seen me this heavy since she was about eleven yrs old and now she is 32 yrs old. I gained it all back in the past 4 yrs and it has been difficult for her (and my son) to watch. She has a wt problem to, but not like me. Up til a few months ago when I knew I was about to get the surgery, I did not care to stop eating...I just ate anything that was in sight. When I found out for sure that the surgery was possible, I gained hope (plus got rid of "that person"). My attitude has changed. I dont feel hopeless anymore. I don't feel like I am going to be stuck at home for the rest of my life. The surgery has made this happen. I am frightened of getting operated on, yet others, lots of others have had it and made it "to the other side." (I dont like that term! Reminds me of people dying and passing on "to the other side!). but you know what I mean. Most of you probably are saying; "been there, done that!" Anyhow, the more wt I loose, the more it makes me question if I should go thru w/ the surgery on July 18th. Crazy, huh??! Any/all feedback on this issue is much appreciated    — kathy S. (posted on June 9, 2000)

June 9, 2000
Hi Kathy, Sure, you could lose the weight again but will you without surgery? And will you keep it off? I have lost hundreds of pounds but I never kept it off. And it was killing me! Now I know that I will keep the weight off. I hope this helps!
   — Laura P.

June 9, 2000
If it were just about being able to lose the weight, I doubt that ANY of us would do something as drastic as having surgery. But the big problem for me has always been keeping it off. I know that I will never be able to keep it off without the help of WLS. The years of failure at each attempt has proven the point. And the older I get, the harder it is to lose it in the first place. Don't let ANYONE talk you out of what YOU have decided is the best option for you. It is YOUR life and only you can live it.
   — livnliter

June 9, 2000
You don't need to prove to anyone that you are committed to WLS. You need to be realistic about the dietary changes that will occur after the surgery but I hate to burst anyone's bubble out there but the eating changes that happen after surgery are pretty much a result of the surgery. In other words, you physiologically will be forced to change the way you eat because you will be mechanically altered. This is the help that most of us need anyway. This is one aspect of WLS which can be so appealing-to actually eat small portions and not be hungry. To eat like normal size people!!! It is more important to check into the medical and measurable reasons to lose weight prior to WLS. One of the main reasons given by surgeons who require weight loss prior to surgery is the fact that in the obese the liver is usually enlarged and very fatty. This can present a technical problem for even a very skilled surgeon. The liver can get in the way of the primary operative field and medically it could be very dangerous to injure the liverand put it in harm's way. Also, some doctor's feel that there are less risks post op if the client is a bit smaller. I personally don't agree with this "pre-surgery" weight loss concept. But if a particular doctor insists that this protocol be followed and you don't want to, then stop complaining about it and find another doctor!!! ( I say to this anyone in general :-) I wouldn't want a surgeon operating on me who was not confident in the entire situation. I would cut him some slack, chalk it up to "that's his way", and move on. Isn't that what we do with other life situations, too? Remember that you too, must be comfortable with the doctor just as he wants to be sure of you.
   — Fran B.

June 9, 2000
It seems like for me, before wls, losing weight was always a temporary fix for a permanent problem. I could diet successfully & lose weight... for a while. Then I'd gain it all back plus more just for fun! The surgery has changed completely my relationship with food. For the first time, I am in control, not the food. The cravings are gone, my hunger is minimal, I've lost all interest in & taste for sugar. I used to eat a lot of sweets. Don't even miss 'em now. I lost 25# before surgery. Not because my Dr said I had to; I just went on a serious diet & had surgery before I had the chance to gain it back! It hasn't all been easy. There were times right after surgery when I was seriously uncomfortable & I've had some hard times since then, too. I'm still having a problem with vomiting sometimes. But, I am already having wonderful results from my weight loss- 58# in 2 months (not counting the 25# I lost before). And important health-wise benefits, not just cosmetic. My blood pressure's down, blood sugar's normal, sleep apnea's gone, feet don't swell anymore, & I'm increasingly able to exercise. I still have a long way to go, but this has been a God-send for me. The way I looked at it was I couln't see WHY things would be different this time than they were before. I was never able to keep my weight down before, I couldn't see that magically changing. I needed a tool to allow me to handle my weight & all indications are that I've found it! It's funny, but now I understand why all those thin people say "if you want to lose weight, just don't eat as much!" Because now, for the first time since I was a child, I actually have the ability to do that! I'm in control of when & how much I eat. I think you have to trust that you know yourself well enough to make the right decision for you. This isn't an EASY way out, there's a lot that's hard. I think you need to be really well informed, be aware of all the risks & possible complications, of the different types of surgery available and then make your own mind up. We all want to please our families & especially our kids, but this is a really personal decision & one I think is important to make mainly with yourself in mind. It's YOU who will be primarily affected, it's YOU who should make the decision. And if you can lose some weight before the surgery (IF that's your decision), great! you'll be stronger, healthier, & already on the way. I don't think it's right to look at surgery as an easy way out, or to let anyone tell you it's the easy way out, it isn't. What it is is a different way. One with a lot better chance of success.
   — Kathy W.

June 9, 2000
I was in much of the same similar situation as you. I too was able to take the weight off. The problem was it kept coming back and each time it got a little harder to keep it off. THe best part of this surgery is the brain gets operated on figuratively not physically. I don't feel like eating. I know I Can't overeat. The only problem I seem to have is other compoulsions surface. Part of being obsessive I guess. I had my surgery on September 30, 199 and I have not regretted it one bit. But that's me. I wasn't real informed about all the complications because I find that denial can be a wonderful things sometimes and I would have worried too much. I just did it. The results are 188 lbs in 8 months. The only problems I have are that all my dr's say that I have lost weight too fast. They are encouraging me to eat morebut I find it hard to. But only you can decide if the surgery is right for you. It works if you work it and you give a lot of love. Peace
   — snicklefritz