Question:
How long after surgery do you feel like your old self?

I am not talking about being out of pain or discomfort. I am talking about feeling normal again. When do you stop worrying about every little pain, thinking it might be something? When do you stop worrying about if you are going to throw up or not? When do you stop worrying about having a complication? When does having WLS stop being an obsessive thing and become your life? Am I making sense?    — [Anonymous] (posted on June 21, 2001)

June 21, 2001
I agree, exactly what i thought. I am going through this because i don't like how i feel now. But i do know what you are talking about, i think what you mean is does it ever seem like your digestive system is normal again. Probably for some, others probably never, depends on the person. This surgery and the way people heal is just one more way god proves to us how very individual everyone is. And i don't know about you but my way of normal is not really normal at all..just what i am used to. You will adjust to this in time to. It just takes time.
   — paula B.

June 21, 2001
I am 15 months post-op and I have to tell you that I have not felt like my "old self" since my surgery. The old self was chronically fatigued; in almost constant pain from long-standing joint deterioration and fibromyalgia; taking handfuls of pills a day to combat pain, diabetes and hypertension; fought depression and low self-esteem; and was living an increasingly reclusive and isolated lifestyle due to the growing inability to do anything more than simply go to work each day. My "new self" has experienced a true re-birth. I have lost 140 lbs. and am healthier, more energized, and more active than I have been in over 15 years. I am completely free of pain, diabetes, high blood pressure and long-standing irritable bowel syndrome, and the only medications that I have taken in the past 12 months are my vitamins and calcium supplements. Seriously, I do understand your question, but in my case the surgery was genuinely my "last resort", and because of that I absolutely embraced it and welcomed each post-op day no matter what it brought. Fortunately, I had little or no discomfort after the 3rd or 4th post-op day, and I never experienced any vomiting. As an RN, I feel that I always play through the worst case scenarios of any surgery or illness in my mind beforehand, but I was so ready for this surgery that I didn't fret or dwell on the possibility of complications.....if they happened at all, I was confident that I also had an exquisite surgeon who could "fix it". My very best advice to you is to be very sure that WLS is the "answer" for you....have faith in your surgeon and the surgery itself....follow your post-op instructions to the letter and contact your surgeon immediately for any symptoms or situations that don't seem normal to you (don't try to second-guess what's going on with your body, or delay asking for help or advice from your MD). You're beginning a remarkable, miraculous journey....start with a positive mind-set, then relax and enjoy the ride! Best wishes!!
   — Diana T.

June 22, 2001
The answer to your question is going to be different for everyone, of course. Speaking only for myself, I am very happy to announce that at 11 months post-op, I am finally feeling like a normal person again. I am no longer frequently sick and wls no longer seems to be the central focus of my life. In many ways I do feel like my old self...only better. I feel I have been entirely freed from my old preoccupation with food, diet, exercise, and the scale. It's great. I feel fabulous and I also feel that I can finally say "yes! It's worth it! And I would do it over again."
   — Anne G.

June 22, 2001
I started feeling normal at about 3 months. That was the point at which I would go for a week and not focus on the fact that I had surgery. I don't think that the food obsession will ever be gone, though. I have to think about protein and vitamins every single day, and even at one year post-op there are days when I feel that I am *sick* of dealing with protein. But, these obsessions are much easier to live with than the old ones! My surgery was the DS, and I never dealt with the vomiting issue, so I have to exempt myself from that one. - Kate -
   — kateseidel