Bypassjourney

Yes the pre-op is tough, but you have to realize that it is helping to ensure you have a successful surgery. I got hungry, grumpy, sad, light headed and all that. But when you think about it in that if you don't get your liver to shrink, you could be putting your life in danger during a surgery. I took a picture of myself and kept that with me at all times during the pre-op diet. When I would get discouraged, I would look at that picture and was reminded of how badly I wanted my life to change and although it was unbelievably tough, I stuck to it. I didn't care for the protein shakes that my doctor's office had. But I just chugged them down and told myself it was fuel for my body and its doctor's orders. You can do this! You have to set your mind to it.

I just read something in a book that said "Comfort zones don't have to be comfortable - they're just familiar". I think the struggle with whether to have the surgery or not can be tied to that statement in a sense. Being overweight is something we have known as our normal for years and years. Imagine your life outside that comfort zone. There are hundreds and hundreds of people on this board that are a testiment to the fact that we can have a new comfort zone.

I think all the emotions you all are having are completely normal. As one post stated, this is an individual journey for each of us and we have to make the decision that is in our best interest. For me, I think the surgery has been like how they say you forget so quickly about the pains of child birth. :-) I am seven months out and down 80 lbs. The pre-op, surgery, full liquid diet, etc. seems like so long ago and I don't even think about that anymore. I'm too busy enjoying my new life with a happier attitude, more confidence, better health and just an overall better ME! I know there is a big fear of what if something happens to you during surgery or you have a complication. That is a very real fear. But try to remind yourself that most of us if we continued on the same path carrying around the extra weight would possibly end up as a statistic of death by heart disease or other issues related to being overweight. I'm no longer sitting on the sidelines watching my life pass me by...I'm living life!

Today it has been seven months since my surgery! It still doesn't seem real sometimes. People that haven't seen me in a while do not recognize me. This journey has not always been easy but it is so worth the effort. I hurt my back in June so exercising has not been happening. But I am doing better and now its time to get this body toned! I look forward to reaching my weight loss goal. As far as other aspects of my life, I am starting to see the "me" come out of my shell that I knew was hiding for all those years. My confidence level is definitely at an all time high. I have been single for two years after a very difficult divorce. I think I am ready to break down those walls and date again. Now whether that is in God's plan is yet to be seen. I am just happy with how far I have come in such a short period of time both emotionally and physically. Thanks to everyone on this site that has been so encouraging. I don't have much genuine support from family or friends so you all have helped in ways you cannot even imagine along the way!

You look great and you are just glowing in this picture! Congratulations on your success!

Way to go!!! You are doing amazing!

I was feeling exhausted all the time as well. My doctor recommended that I take Vitamin D and it has made a world of difference in my energy level!

This one is evil...I have already had one mini-victory when my ex-husband saw me a few months ago after not seeing me in over a year. He doesn't know I had surgery. We didn't speak but the look on his face was...priceless! Now I can't wait to run into him again so he can see how even better and happy I look. The woman he cheated with sent me a text last year with their picture saying "thank you for the best gift of my life, he is a better man without you". Now she is bigger than I was and they have a baby. I wont ever stoop to her level to send her a text...but you can sure bet I have been posting new pictures to FB and leaving them as public! :-)

I have decided that dating is the hardest thing in the world regardless of your size! I am finding that the longer I go from surgery, the less I care who knows and who doesn't. I told the guy I have been seeing on our first date that I was sleeved. He asked me to pick the restaurant on our next date. Just be your true you from the beginning. Now if anyone does have all the rules of dating, feel free to write that puppy up and you will be a bazillionaire in no time! I would pay big bucks for that information! :-)

Congratulations! I know your mind is probably racing right now! This journey is SO worth it!!

I was really struggling with that food "break up". I go to a psychologist and for me personally, it has helped a lot. He compared my relationship with food to a previous unhealthy relationship I had in my marriage. I would say I was fed up with him and would want to seperate, only for me to get sad a few days later and feel like I couldn't live without him. The same with a diet. I would get fed up with my food addiction and vow to break up with it. Only to get sad later and reconcile with my unhealthy eating. He ended up leaving for someone else. At first I was completely devastated. But as time went on and I started to heal emotionally, I could see just how very toxic that relationship had been and I probably would have kept going back had he not found someone else. I relate this to how now that I have had surgery, my break up is final. I am facing some long buried emotions and it isn't always easy. But the weight of the world is literally being lifted off my shoulders both physically and mentally. Carla, your post was great and something we can all identify with. Thanks for taking the time to post.

I haven't had any issues with ambien related to the surgery. But I too have gotten up and ate things in the middle of the night and don't remember until I find the trash in the morning! That hasn't happened often. What was happening often is I was getting on facebook and posting random messages on friend's walls. That's worse than drunk texting!! Thank goodness I get up at 4:30 a.m. every morning and usually saw that I posted it and deleted it before they were awake. Oh my! I started putting my phone across the room on the dresser before I go to bed and it seems to have stopped now. My doctor suggested I try melatonin a few nights a week rather than taking ambien as often. I haven't tried that yet but will soon.

My primary care doctor told me that there is a very high percentage of bariatric patients who become addicted to alcohol after surgery. He said that basically one drink for us has the same intensity of five drinks for someone without the surgery and that it is easy to become dependent on that. I don't know if he has any studies to back that up. But it seems to make sense to me.

Its great you are seeing the issue and putting a stop to it. I don't drink alcohol but we all have some sort of vice that we must let go of. Mine is sweets. Hang in there and keep putting one foot in front of the other one day at a time.

I just attended my 25th reunion last month. I had a blast! I missed the 20th because I didn't feel comfortable with the way I looked. Never again will that happen! Get out there and reclaim your life and enjoy that reunion!