Question:
sick and tired all the time, will wls help?

i want to hear from others that have noticed a major improvement since wls. i stay tired all the time and get sick alot. it's hard for me to even do daily simple tasks and hard to even work my part-time job. i am planning on having surgery in aug after i complete the last 2 months of supervised wt loss and from the research i have done i'm pretty sure it will help, but want to hear from others first hand. thank you, holly    — RNlvnCARSON (posted on May 18, 2007)

May 18, 2007
You dont indicate how much weight you hope to lose with this, but I will share my experience with you. Since having surgery nearly 18 months ago, I have lost more than the combined weight of my wife and both of my kids. Imagine the difference of carrying three people on your back. All of the time. For everything you do. That is what I hope you will find too. Best wishes, Chris
   — CChappell

May 18, 2007
I had asthma, severe sleep apnea, high BP, high cholesterol, could barely carry my own wt on my flat feet and spindly legs. I was also anemic and who knows WHAT esle I was deficient in, you know? Docs don't run complete labs on heavy ppl because, you know, "They'll eat ANYTHIG." and so not true about me. I liked CARBS! LOL Still, because my doc launches everyone on iron, I was able to eventually fix my life long anemia; sleep apnea was gone (amazing what sleeping more than 20 seconds at a time will do you for!); asthma gone in 30 days, Hgh BP & chol, gone. While I didn't suddenly get a power surge or anything, I felt better gradually. Just better and better. I'm 13 y rs older now, so sometimes I feel like I need naps (LOL) but I'm STILL much, much healthier and energetic than I was then. Ii'm on a much more comprehensive nutrition plan than I've seen anywhere else, so that may have something to do with the end result, but for me, yes. I also was sick 'n tired of being sick 'n tired.
   — vitalady

May 18, 2007
Too fat to walk, GONE, tired all the time, GONE, Diabetes, GONE, High blood pressure, GONE. I have never loved myself this much, felt so good, been so energenic, felt so happy, never shopped, now I go all the time, and I never stop. There are no downsides to this surgery and I am only 5 months out and 90 lbs lighter, what the heck am I going to do when I am done with the other 123 lbs....look out! Good Luck, Diane
   — Diane C.

May 18, 2007
Hi Holly - I can tell you what my results are - tired and sick all of the time. I work a full-time job and would have to come home and take a nap - almost every day. Someone would sniffle around me and I would end up with walking pnemonia. Daily tasks were a chore - hired a housekeeper. My husband took over laundry. I would fall sleep at work, driving home and to work - it was pretty bad. NOW - I work full-time with ease. I still have the housekeeper, but that's by choice - I got used to her cleaning and she's better at it, LOL. I don't fall asleep at the drop of a hat anymore. I have more energy - I do more things - I see more people - I exercise - I go out with friends - etc. I am 3 months out this week and thank goodness I made this decision everyday! The first two weeks were hard, but once I realized it was mind over matter, it was easier and now..... life is normal! OH...I got a cold after surgery around the one month marker and had it for 5 days - and it was gone - I would get sick before and it would last a month. I am normal now. It's amazing!
   — jammerz

May 18, 2007
I'm two years post op. Lost 85 # so far. I used to fall asleep driving, at work, and I NEVER had the energy for anything but the neccesities. I had problems with working 1 part time job. I was sick a lot. Bronchitis, walking pneumonia, constant jobs, horrible monthly's, sleep apnea. NOW - OMG! I love the chaos and constant going I do! In the last two years, I've moved into my own place, work overtime - lots of overtime. Delivered pizza's (lot's of physical stuff!), Managed to work 70 - 80 hour work weeks, worked three jobs at once. I've done it all on my own. I have pride that I've worked so hard the last two years. In less than six more months I'll have my house PAID OFF (YAY!!), my debts PAID OFF (from my WLS), enough money tucked away for my tummy tuck AND a real vacation (first one in ten years, when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 16) I've had two colds since I started losing weight, I can keep my house clean (my cats are worse than me), I do yardwork, change the oil my my car... It's amazing, really.
   — HeidiMc

May 18, 2007
Hi Holly!! It has been almost 10 months since my surgery. (I had it last August!) I have lost a little over 150lbs and feel unbelievable!! I had hypertension and was a borderline diabetic and since losing some of my weight I no longer have to take any medication for either! I used to have to take naps when I got home from work and would sleep in till almost noon on the weekends. These days I go to a friends house everyday after work and lift and workout. I often take our dog for walks and I hardly have time to sit down anymore, let alone nap. I have so much more energy!! I am usually up before my husband now and let me tell you the weekends last a whole lot longer and you can get a lot more done!! LOL The surgery was the best decision I have ever made!! I would still like to lose another 50 to 60 lbs yet, but even if my weight would remain where it is now it was all worth it!! I do have the saggy skin thing going on, but I look at it this way... I can deal with the saggy skin, it's better than being 370lbs and miserable!! PLUS!! You are going to LOVE going shopping!! I dropped from a 32 to a 14 and no longer have to shop in the plus size sections!!! You are not going to believe how much better you will feel!! I am healthier and, the most important, so much happier!! Even my husband says how much happier I seem. So, best of luck to you!!! August is a good month!! LOL Take Care, God Bless, and Happy Weight Loss!!!
   — chelley79

May 19, 2007
Hi Holly, thanks for writing. I know you feel discoouraged, but you have every reason for hope. I don't know your age or weight, etc., but many people have been helped with surgery. I am 3 years out and 46 years old. I won't say I have tons of additional energy, I would be lying, but I will tell you that if I didn't have surgery that I would probably be on disability right now and not able to wipe my own tush. I care for myself physically and my family. When I am tired I rest, and I work when I am not. I am thankful for all this weight off my body. Like I said I am 46, so I have pre-menopause issues and also arthritis issues. They are much better with 120 pounds less on my body than the other way. I am not super woman, but I never was, so it works for me. Don't set your expectations too high, if you have health issues now, they may not all entirely resolve with surgery. The damage we do to our bodies doesn't always reverse. Diabetes usually is helped, but arthritis and bone issues can't just go backwards. Surgery is not a miracle, but it does help a lot for a lot of people. You have every reason to have hope. You also may have some depression issues that double the "weight" of our emotional load of being obese. This is also not helped by surgery, but by a change of mind. I would encourage you to check this out about yourself. Only you know if it is true (I am not saying you are depressed, just that it is an issue for many wls patients, both prior and post surgery). When I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders, weighing 130 pounds doesn't' matter, I feel like I weigh about 500 pounds. When I am at peace with my family and friends and other things are going alright, sometimes, i feel lighter than air. We all get both sides from time to time, but if you have a usual day where you are carrying too much emotional weight and feel it, then it might be time to look at it. Better to do it pre surgery, because you want healthy attitudes about yourself and surgery before you have it. Take care, and never lose your hope. Just remember that you will still have to fight for what you want post surgery. Nothing was given to me, I fought for my weight loss and worked hard. Surgery helped, but I worked hard, and so will you. Take care, Patricia P.
   — Patricia P

May 19, 2007
As you can tell from your responses above, it helps most, however we did not all have the same positive response and you should be aware that their are the risk that you could be one of the few, like myself, where the surgery did not have that expected great result. It took me over a year after my surgery to "recover" I lost 60 lbs in my first 6 months, never another lb after that. I needed to lose 100 lbs, I was considered a "lightweight" starting out at 236 lbs. I was extremely nauseated so much to the point of not able to eat at all and my muscles were beginning to waste away. I ended up readmitted to the hospital twice. After many different medicines, doctor visits, ct scans, gi procedures, etc, I finanly began to respond to a mixture of medicines to regain some of my appetite and began eating again. I had to also regain my marriage, my job, my sanity. I am now almost 2 years post op and I still have to carry phenergan with me at all times. I go through spells of nausea every day to nausea free for up to a couple of weeks, but it always comes back. Despite only getting about 1200 calories a day, I still maintain my weigt, unable to lose any further. Some speculate that my body was so traumatized during my illness that it "refuses" to let go of weight for fear of being "starved" again. I tell you this because not everybody has the positive results we all go into surgery looking for. I have to remember everytime that I am sick from my surgery that I am better off than the people who died or had severe complications from this surgery. There is a yahoo group of "gone wrong" folks who post together to have support for each other from their complications, I wish I had found this group before my surgery, I would have changed my mind and never gone through the surgery. You might want to check this group out and see what some of the possible complications are that some people are trying to live with. My heart goes out to these folks, some have had in excess of 26 or more surgeries to try and correct their condition and get back some sort of normalacy. Some havn't had real food in many long months and live off iv feedings. It is rare to have these complications, but it is real and anybody seeking this surgery, should consider all outcomes, including the bad ones, prior to under going the procedure. I am not trying to talk you out of the surgery, odds are you will do beautifuly, however I believe you should be informed and educated, eyes wide open, prior to proceeding with any surgical procedure. Please feel free to contact me if you would like. Good luck in whatever you decide, I wish you great health!
   — teresagrooms

May 19, 2007
I think it depends a lot on why you are sick and tired. I had/have chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, and the surgery DID help that...with 150 lbs of excess hanging on my poor joints and muscles...the pain was excrutiating. I still have pain, and I'm still tired much of the time. A lot can be chalked up to my age...(64) and then the conditions. I couldn't have gone on in the shape I was in...doubt I would have lasted...so the surgery was a very positive thing for me. I never expected miracles...but nearly got one in just the weigh loss alone. It is not a cure for fibro and CFS, but it sure made it easier to endure. I am 7 years post op now and never regretted anything. Regards~
   — Statuesque

May 20, 2007
Hi...you know the funny thing is is that I didn't even realize how sick and how tired I was before surgery until a few weeks after surgery when I started never feeling sick or tired. I am 5 months post-op, down 100 pounds and have felt better every day since I had the surgery. I haven't so much as had a cold or a headache since surgery. Prior to surgery, I napped almost every day, sleep the weekends away and always had back pain or foot pain. I tell everyone that I never thought that looking better would actually be secondary to how I feel because I physically feel so great! I got my life back and it's wonderful to wake up every day excited and ready to face the world! Good Luck!
   — Kristi S.

June 1, 2007
You may want to see your primary care doctor and asked to be evaluated for depression. If your symptoms are due to depression, WLS is not likely to fix things.... and in fact, if you are depressed, you may have a harder time recovering post-op. I'm definitely not trying to dissuade you from WLS but hope that this info might help you out in the long run. Take care and good luck! :)
   — mrsidknee

June 7, 2007
I'm one of the rare ones that WLS has caused extreme fatique! Chances are you will not have this. But I do have depression and other medical issues that are not helping my problems. (I had more energy at 319 than now). Something is wrong but tests do not reveal any problems. Yet something is really wrong. But thankfully most folks evidently have alot of energy after WLS. So keep your chin up, you probally will do just fine.
   — Kittypup

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