Question:
I am considering surgery and I need as much positve as well as negative information I

can get. I am 5'4" and 240#. I have been on most diets. I am trying Atkins at the present time. I have spent so much of my adult life weighing my food, measuring my portions, counting calories, obsessive exercising, the whole nine yards and like most people have not kept the weight off. my metabolism is as slow as a snail, perhaps slower. If I go on a "diet", i am obsessed with food, if I am given the opportunity to eat small amounts of food, I have no problem. My husband broke the scale because it ruled my life. I am on medication for OCD and this helps, but it has helped so good for my other issues, that it also took away my compulsion about food. needless to say I am bigger now. I taught nutrition for 18 years and i have my Master's Degree in Nutrition. Do you think I know what healthy foods are? You bet. Could I live at the weight I am now? Yes, if there was a guarantee that I could stay this way. However I think I am on a slippery slope and I think that I may need this surgery to put some stops on acquiring other health/weight related problems. My mom and dad are both obese and my genes are bad. What would you do? Please tell me experiences that are of all kinds. Do you still feel obsessed with weighing and measuring food? I would love to hear anything that you think would help me to make a decision. I have read the board of questions, I have prayed and prayed. HELP! Cindy    — cindy K. (posted on February 6, 2000)

February 6, 2000
Hi, my name is Paula, and I had WLS last April, 1999. I have lost over 145 pounds now and I have NO regrets. I would do it all over this very second if I needed to. It has changed my life for the better. I had many medical problems from my weight before surgery, Sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure, High Chlorestrol, (by the way I have bad spelling too), Heart Burn around the clock, No bladder control, needless to say that I am in a wheelchair for life because of a accident, and I was at the point that I could not get out of the wheelchair to use the toilet because of joint pain and my weight. THIS HAS ALL CHANGED BECAUASE OF WLS. Yes, I would do it over in a second. Feel free to contact me if you would like. Sincerely, Paula Diviney [email protected]
   — Paula D.

February 6, 2000
Hi Cindy: If having the 'head knowledge' was all that was required to lose weight and keep it off, we'd all be thin, wouldn't we? I'm an RN, and have had the same feelings you describe. I had open proximal RNY on 7-29-99, and let me just tell you, there's no need to measure, weigh, or obsess about food after the surgery. This surgery was an answer to prayer for me! Just make healthy food choices, and you'll do fine! Good luck with your decision. Jaye Carol, starting weight 300, now 210! yippee!!
   — Jaye C.

February 6, 2000
Geez.....think I could spell my own name correctly? Jaye Carl (OK, everybody go ahead and laugh now.....hehehe)
   — Jaye C.

February 6, 2000
Cindy last october 25th I weighed 235 lbs at 5'3". I had a Lap RNY and now weigh 175 lbs. I had no "real" health problems except for the beginnings of some arthritis. I did have a family history of obesity, diabetes, congestive heart failure and arthritis. I felt at the age of 43 that I could continue down this road or make a life altering decision. I can not tell you how happy I am that I made the decision to have surgery. It is changing my life for the better. This is no little thing. You change the way you eat forever. I was at a resturant with a friend today and coveted the french toast at a nearby table. Couldn't eat that without getting ill, so I had the turkey burger (no bread) with steamed veggies on top and ate half of it. Think long and hard about surgery and what you are willing to give up/change about your relationship to food. This is far from the easy way out. Surgery is a tool, one that I am ecstatic about having at my disposal to use.
   — Jilda H.

February 7, 2000
You sound look you still have a lot of doubts. Follow your heart. When you are ready, then you will know.
   — elizabeth C.