Question:
Concerns????
I want to start by saying that I enjoy reading the questions and reading the answers from the women and men that have already had wls or are further along in the process than I am. I am not going into this lightly and it has taken me a long time to make this descion . A lot of the time i don't even have to ask a question because someone else does or you answer it in such detail that it is not necessary. But here is my concern. I keep reading questions from other wls persons about how they are not losing enough weight, that 25lbs in two months is not enough I don't understand. I mean one of the reasons we are having the surgery is to lose weight sure, but I don't get the I'm not losing enough mentality. Half of them don't seem to be going by their doctors orders or better yet ignoring them all together ( which is very scary) and I think maybe some might just be excited and forget to write it down and don't want to bother anyone. (We've all been there) Again I am not going into this lightly and am not saying that anyone else has or is. I just have always thought of this as a tool not a quick fix. Because of my medical issues and because I LOVE FOOD I have not been able to do this another way. I have tried or I would not be in the position I am now. I would hope that people don't take major surgery and all the life changes that come with it for granted. I know that I am probably rambling on but it is really scary for a pre-op to keep reading questions about how come I am not losing enough. What should I eat. I am eating less than I am supposed to. Hummmmm!!!!!! Thank you for letting me vent and I am looking forward to reading and prabably having a questions of my own in the near future you guys are great! :) — sse032568 (posted on September 28, 2008)
September 28, 2008
I agree, as a preop, this also scares me. I figure 30lb in 7-8 weeks is
awesome. It is within the range that my surgeon says to expect. He says
the more you have to lose the faster it will come off in the beginning.
Thanks for putting this so well.
Sheri 38 days to RNY
— sheri139
September 28, 2008
I'm always confused when people say they've lost x number of pounds in 2
months and it's not enough! What are they thinking? I'm sure they were
never able to lose that much with wls. I'm losing slower than most and am
completely thrilled, happy and proud! This has been the greatest decision
of my life, this far. I had the sleeve on 5/28/08 and have lost 78 pounds,
34 of it was pre-op. See? Slower than many others but much better than I
have ever done in my entire life. I was scared too before surgery. But if
I hadn't done this, I would still be pushing 300 pounds and would have a
very sad future in store. It is scary and I didn't take it lightly but I'm
so glad I had the courage to go through with it. You can send me a PM any
time you would like if you have questions or need support!
— GlitterGal
September 28, 2008
You have a healthy, practical attitude, and I hope you will continue to
share your thoughts using this venue. You are exactly right when you refer
to WLS as a "tool" - you still have to eat right and exercise,
it's just that after the surgery you have an extra tool that helps you feel
fuller/process foods differently. My lap band surgery was 4/24/08; since
my first appt. I have lost 59 lb, 25 during the months waiting for surgery
and 34 lb. since surgery. Yes, there are those who are losing faster. I
am not using their yardsticks. My goal is to lose 1.5 to 2 lb. a week
while consuming 80-90% protein, gradually increasing my activity to
increase my metabolism. Since my surgery, I have had the first blood
chemistry workup in my adult life where every level was within normal
limits. I have been able to discontinue one-third of my medications. I am
more active than I have been in 10 years. I still occasionally eat the
foods I love, just VERY small amounts. There are no "magic"
solutions to obesity - but WLS does stack the deck in our favor, and is a
fantastic tool if you choose to use it right!
— MuseAcal
September 28, 2008
Stacie...I think that you have a great outlook before going into this.
Yes, this is another tool...not a quick fix. Too often, we compare what we
are doing to other people, and we can't do that! First, we all weight
different to start with, some exercise, some don't, some pay more attention
to getting their fluids and proteins in...anyway, I could go on, but I
think you understand already...each person is different and will have
different results. Just remember this all in the future...and good luck
and best wishes with your results! Keep your healthy attitude and you will
be successful (you already are in your own way)!
— BrendaMS
September 28, 2008
Thanks. I will keep all this in mind after my surgery because I'm already
getting cold feet. Look forward more to reading more of your vents
regarding WLS -Sincerely, Corina
— [Deactivated Member]
September 28, 2008
Hi! I hear ya! Tho I haven't posted on here a question of weight loss and
how quickly it comes off, I was one of those people who were impatient. I
had RNY on 6-19 and have lost about 55 lbs. Thats really great! I look
different etc, but it wasn't fast enough for me. I heard others who had
surgery after me that have lost so much more ...and I was dissappointed.
But I didn't realise then that the amount you have to lose is a big part of
how fast you lose. I am 4'10 and weighted 227. Yes, 100 lbs over but not a
lot over..so it comes off slower. I have been a part of curves since
January and have now added walking to my daily routine-1 hour at curves 1
hour walking. I also have upped my daily intake of food to 2 oz per meal.
Now the weight is coming off faster. I was dehydrated for 3 weeks and that
slowed everything down also. It only took 3 days to get dehydrated , but 3
weeks to get back in shape! Anyway, my point is, don't be in a hurry. You
will lose weight, but you have to listen to what the dr. and nut. tell you.
They want you to be successful as do you. So cheating is only cheating
yourself. ..some people on here who dont do a they are told are having
problems. Others have problems who are doing it right, but something is
off. And then there are those who are losing slowly, but are impatient
...like myself. I am so happy I did this. My outlook is different and I
have high energy and food is nothing more than a nusance at this point and
time for me. It was a huge part of my life before hand. Take the time after
surgery to relearn to eat. Think health and life style, not the
satisfaction of the moment. I hope I have made sense for you. Good luck
and God Bless! hugs, Kim
— gpcmist
September 29, 2008
You have the same attitude I went into this surgery with, myself, nearly 5
years ago...but once that weight loss starts, you KNOW in your heart that
you are losing and you are doing it right...or you might even have cheated
a little...but on a huge person...it takes a good 65 lbs before you really
see the rapid weight loss...That's about when people really begin to
"ooh and ahh" too. (light weight look smaller faster, but their
weight loss seems slower to them) It takes a while to lose and see any
huge difference...Then you still "feel" really fat too. You
begin to question whether you are moving along as fast as others or if you
are eating the wrong food or eating too much...Your hormones are just
haywire...and you feel like crying all the time, you miss/morn food...you
have aches and pains and fear the worst every time...eating feels wrong or
it hurts or it just plain hurts to eat...You read every horror stoy about
complications AFTER you had the surgery and before you know it you think
you're having complications too!...Or you confuse the surgeries and take
wrong advice from people who still have stomacks and small intestines...or
vice versa! It's insane! You have you learn about you! YOUR own surgery!
(I'm speaking in general, not you personally!) It's a HUGE HUGE change
and gamut of emotions and aches and pains.... that so many of us just need
to know that this awkward and not so amazing start will actually get
better. I totally relate to those who ask if it's enough...I didn't ask
but I worried secretly. I feared every ache and pain. But intinctually, I
just waited it all out and it worked out. I'm one that rarely asks for any
help with anything I do. Most people are not afraid to ask for help! I
wish I was more like that myself. While so many ask the same questions over
and over, you have to realise that it's because of how dramatically
different life becomes...and "different" is scary! I worry about
people who don't do a lot of research before surgery...I have to question
the surgeons for not making absolutely certain that their patients are
ready for such a change...That's one thing I give huge kudos to my surgeon
for...i met him 3 times My pre op interview, surgery day and release from
the hospital!)...but his quality of staff and mandatory classes and hoops
to jump through were very impressive ....I am sickened by some of the lack
of teaching and bad advice or no advice given to some people by SOME docs.
I've been seeing this for 5 years...and that's why I come here and try my
best to help people understand what's happening and what's yet to happen.
While WLS has improved over the years...the surgeons bedside manners and
long term concern for his/her patients seems to slip a little or be behind
in knowledge/updates...They take their info from text books and not on new
research papers....I think many surgeons focus on new operating techniques
and use old manuals for labs and vits and supps and just don't have time
stay on top of upgraded long term care/maintenance. So many do not have a
good staff of people who should be doing this leg work/research/classes,
etc for the surgeon so he has time to operate and still care for his
patient's after surgery. The office people get soooooo sick of the same
questions and the same aches and pains that I think many of them lose their
patience for patients! That's my opinion and my experience with that!...I
think there are many GREAT surgeons too that have wonderful programs fro
pre op and post ops! But...ultimately we need to look out for our own
health and live our own lives...and it is our responsibility to learn all
there is....above and beyond what our doctors say or teach...It's YOUR
life! The length of it depends on how well you take care of your body and
it's needs. So when I took malnutrition less than VERY serious...I found
out how wrong I was to slack off because i hated the taste of Centrum
chewables after 3 years...I was sick of spending 100 bucks PLUS ...a month
on vitamins and supps...I was tired of eating weird tasting protein
things...You think you will be 100 % diligent in your new change...but old
habits do creep back and threaten your success. They just do...It's so
much harder than it looks. It's so easy to fall off track! It scares me
for others who fall off track sooooo fast though...We all have eating
disorders that never really quite go away...and we all need a little help
even if we don't know the same questions are asked daily...or that others
feel the same. I try hard to remember that each person has the same new
fears and it's real and it's scary...We have to be sensitive to someone who
is asking the question for the first time and is scared or depressed or
feeling out of control and needs help to understand or encouragement to
move forward! Those that have a surgeon that is not yet up to date or
concerned with anything but his surgery skills...what better way to learn
that from people living their post op lives? We learn from eachother
because there is just not enough long term research...It's still too new a
surgery...And some of us, Myself included just didn't have the confidence
to trust my surgery or myself.....and the second I hit a plateau....I just
knew it was all over and this was a waste of my life having surgery and
going throu all of that crap! LOL But then the plateau lifted and who
knew I'd lose 150 lbs eventually! LOL AND keep it off! If I can do
it....you all can do it! I'm a rule breaker and rebel! So I KNOW it can
be done, even if you are easy to fall off track or become complacent on
rules. Oh but even those who faollow strict rules have the same probelms!
So many RNYers and DSers get vit defs/malnutrition even following all the
rules! It is what it is!
I wish you much success! But the surgery is also about health and not only
about losing weight...Losing weight only happens for a year or a little
longer...maintenance and health is forever...So you continue to learn all
you can and those that ask these "scary" questions? Teach
them...Teach them what you learned so they can help themselves! We were all
fat...and not just fat...Morbidly obese! We all know HUMILITY...we just
need confidence and reassurance! Good luck with your surgery! You are
going to do great!
— .Anita R.
September 29, 2008
I completely agree with you. I am almost 11 months out now from RNY and
have lost about 110#. I know this is great but sometimes I have to keep
reminding myself that. Expecially when I read other postings with people
who have lost more. I just remember and remind myself that I'm on a
continuous journey, a life long path of loosing and maintaining and the
surgery is helping me do that. And the biggest thing is that everyone is
different and I can't compare myself to anyone else but just use thier
experiences as input and what to watch out for for possibilities for
myself. You are on the right track, keep up the positive thinking.
— Pam_B_OR
September 29, 2008
Stacie-
What a hoot! I kept thinking the same thing when I first started getting
these daily digests. I think we each have a vision and an expectation of
ourselves that can blur our focus. We see small losses as failure, not as
small steps forward to a final goal. As someone who just had RNY on the
19th of September, I am officially past the pre-op scare and now onto the
"what if I do it wrong" stage. :) But, I have a great
nutritionist that always emails back within 24 hours, and she assures me I
haven't messed up my new eating plan. May I suggest getting in the
exercise now, by the way. It really helps afterward. (Oh, I've lost 18
pounds! YEAH!) Best wishes on your giant step forward.
— sandra17
September 29, 2008
Stacie I am glad you seem to have a good education about the process. You
are right, people are spoiled. They want the surgery and then not want to
do the work. It is much harder than it sounds, and it is no easy way out,
but if you are diligent and faithful to the task you will lose the weight.
I just responded to someone who lost 54 pounds in 5 months and said "I
don't understand your complaint, were you losing more than 10 pounds per
month without surgery?" We forget it is a process and a challenge to
lose weight, even with the surgery, and then we get spoiled and foolish
thinking the surgery is supposed to do the work. Some are not prepared for
surgery, some are and then we all fight the lust for food and other issues
that keep us wanting to stuff the stuff down our throats. It is a daily
challenge, and I wish you well in yours. The decisions are yours to make,
but so are the consequences yours to take. Take care, Patricia P.
— Patricia P
September 29, 2008
Stacie, good for you for bringing this up. We see it almost every day!!
"I am six months out and only lost 76lbs! What am I doing
wrong?". Well, first of all, that is 76lbs that they wouldn't have
lost otherwise! I would be so happy to lose that!
I am still waiting for my sugery, but I think that whatever I lose, as long
as I am working the tool, will be great. I also want to remind everyone
that just because you drastically reduce your daily caloric intake, doesn't
ensure weight loss. Sometimes if you are not taking in enough calories,
your body stops losing. Keep in contact with your doctor/nutritionist and
make sure that you follow their directions. Good luck to everyone!
— anitak
September 30, 2008
Congratulations to even thinking about surgery. You are right, it is a
tool and I could not have been as successful without it. Losing weight is
hard work. I felt like I was cheating by having surgery, that if I just
tried harder I wouldn't need surgery. Well, I'm just over 3 months out and
I have lost 65 lbs! I am excited and proud of the weight I've lost and I
worked very hard for it. I ate two small meatballs, two strawberries and a
single cube of cantelope for lunch today. Even on my best diet I couldn't
stick with something like that before and today I was full! I follow what
my doctor says and it's not about how soon I can eat like I used to, I
never want to eat like that again. Best wishes to you if you have surgery
and I'll be watching for more comments!
— Mary714
October 2, 2008
RIGHT ON!!!!!!!! Considering most if not all of us have spent a lifetime
struggling to lose a few pounds over several months, I don't understand how
anyone can say they are upset with their rate of loss. Of course I would
like to lose all the excess overnight but it isn't going to happen that
way. My surgery was June 4 and have lost 65 lbs so far and I am ecstatic.
I am still learning what and how I can eat and yes sometimes I eat
something I shouldn't but now (after 2+years of therapy) I am recognizing
what I am doing and I am stopping the bad behaviour and changing it to the
right stuff! It doesn't come easy but for me therapy was and continues to
be a huge help in getting me to use our new tool to my benefit. Like you,
it took me a long time to decide to have the RNY but 4 mths post op I am
happy with my decision. Some of the people I have met that are going
through this and from what I read on this site I have to wonder how many of
these folks have had any real therapy pre and/or post op to help them deal
with their food issues. I never "feel" hungry and yet I want to
eat, something I have seen referred to as "head hunger" (very
appropriate terminology) - that is when, what I have learned about myself
in therapy comes into play and helps me stop the bad behaviour if not
before it starts at least sooner rather than later. Good luck with your op
- it sounds like you have the right attitude and outlook and I am sure you
will put your new tool to excellent use. On those days that you can't
keep food down just remember, "this too shall pass" and along
with it the pounds.
— Duckie
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