rosehips

I would do this surgery again because I was unable to lose the weight any other way. I had tried and tried and tried. On my 2nd PRE op appt w/ my doctor I discussed w/ my doctor that I should maybe go home and try for another year to lose the weight. He told me to go ahead, do that if I wanted BUT he said I would be back in 2 years with another 50 lbs on. The part that gave me enough nerve to get it was he said "the reason diets fail is we become too hungry & can't sustain the restricted food plan for as long as needed to get 100+ lb's off. It took me 5 yrs to go from "no, I am not ready to give up my food, I will just regain if I have WLS".....to "OK, I am now at my wits end, I am now ready to fight this addiction."

If I could have avoided WLS & been a happy person as I was, that is what I would have done.

I was not happy, my world was getting smaller & smaller. I actually was not aware how small it had become until my world started blossoming.

I am so sorry to the people who have had the horrible physical complications. I am thankful you have the nerve to speak out. Information is power.

I am just saying, in my instance, I should have relied on doing this on my own. I lost 30 lbs to start and was well on the way at the time of surgery. My wife had the surgery and she thinks it is great. She is 8 lbs from goal. I bought into the hype and went along. Also, I was already several hundred dollars into the program and listened to the storyline. I guess if you can't push yourself away from the food table, are lured by media food ads and do not have the motivation of self restraint then go get the surgery. I just feel, in my case, I should not have jumped into this as quickly as I did. My fault and I blame only myself. Will live with from now on as there is no turning back. Close to lunch time now. Try eating an egg and hope I don't puke it back up.

Your honesty is to be commended.

Well... I think, that is the root of your regret... Your feeling "Shame" and "embarrassment" has lead you to put yourself in some kind of isolation..

Don't you think??

You, in my opinion, need to tell someone!

You have done nothing to be ashamed of.

For me, I agree. A secret loses its power after it is no longer a secret bottled up inside me. I have been fairly open about my WLS, especially with people who are large. I don't want them to think I have been able to accomplish this "on my own" because I don't want them beating themselves up of they are trying to lose weight without this tool. The people I have told have had a reaction that surprises me. A common response is "good for you". "congradulations, that took courage".

You have made an investment in yourself, so far this investment is not paying off for you, I hope you are able to get some therapy, this change takes more than working w/ your nut & doctor....my eating is/was mental not for hunger. I don't know you but I sure do care about me. What you are going thru could have been me. It took me 5 yrs to become willing to give up my food. I did a lot of counseling to get to this point.

Butterfly Gal - My answer is...as sad & as pathetic as it sounds - food was a huge part of my life. I miss my life with food. I miss going out to eat. I miss lots of things like movies, family, friends, shopping, drinks, trips, dates - my life can no longer revolve around food with these outings just the outings which I guess is good, but it doesn't mean my family & friends are going to change on these outings - so I live alone & now spend even more time alone & it makes me sad. . . I didn't anticipate feeling this way, but I do. So, I do regret it & feel it is the worst mistake of my life. I will keep saying it on this site, too. I usually get lots of mean & ugly responses when I do, but if my truth can help one person not to make the same mistake as me, then, I've done a good deed for the day!

I did the surgery because I fear for my mobility since an injury a few years ago plus I am not dead yet, I wanted to look good again once more & feel good about myself. I thought 100% it was what I wanted...it isn't!

I didn't anticipated the shame & embarassment I feel as well. I have not told a living soul about this surgery, and I never will. I had told everyone I was preparing for it for over a year, and I told everyone I backed out of it. I am continuing Weight Watchers and trying to do what I can exercise wise - as far as the world will never know...I've lost it again using Weight Watchers not surgery. I lost 100 lbs three different times in my life prior to my injury..

Even though I have had no complications, even lucky - I've lost weight, I have no hunger & no thirst & no cravings for anything...I wouldn't do it again. It wasn't for me, but now I have to live with that...it is starting to get a little better each day. I can eat a few bites now; I am feeling a little more normal, but I fear I will never feel like the real me again...sad!

I hate the shakes (if I could have done shakes I wouldn't have needed the surgery in the first place), so I know hair loss is going to be terrible. I knew about Hair loss prior to surgery, but now the reality is setting in...I have hair to my waist. It is about all I got with my looks...so I am so sad about that. What is the use in being skinny again, if I have horrible hair?

Sorry to vent! I hope I answered your question. I hope someone reads my post & re-thinks their decision. I worked from May 2012 to March 2013 to have this surgery - and I was dead wrong, period.

Butterfly Gal - My answer is...as sad & as pathetic as it sounds - food was a huge part of my life. I miss my life with food. I miss going out to eat. I miss lots of things like movies, family, friends, shopping, drinks, trips, dates - my life can no longer revolve around food with these outings just the outings which I guess is good, but it doesn't mean my family & friends are going to change on these outings - so I live alone & now spend even more time alone & it makes me sad. . . I didn't anticipate feeling this way, but I do. So, I do regret it & feel it is the worst mistake of my life. I will keep saying it on this site, too. I usually get lots of mean & ugly responses when I do, but if my truth can help one person not to make the same mistake as me, then, I've done a good deed for the day!

I did the surgery because I fear for my mobility since an injury a few years ago plus I am not dead yet, I wanted to look good again once more & feel good about myself. I thought 100% it was what I wanted...it isn't!

I didn't anticipated the shame & embarassment I feel as well. I have not told a living soul about this surgery, and I never will. I had told everyone I was preparing for it for over a year, and I told everyone I backed out of it. I am continuing Weight Watchers and trying to do what I can exercise wise - as far as the world will never know...I've lost it again using Weight Watchers not surgery. I lost 100 lbs three different times in my life prior to my injury..

Even though I have had no complications, even lucky - I've lost weight, I have no hunger & no thirst & no cravings for anything...I wouldn't do it again. It wasn't for me, but now I have to live with that...it is starting to get a little better each day. I can eat a few bites now; I am feeling a little more normal, but I fear I will never feel like the real me again...sad!

I hate the shakes (if I could have done shakes I wouldn't have needed the surgery in the first place), so I know hair loss is going to be terrible. I knew about hair loss prior to surgery, but now the reality is setting in...I have hair to my waist. It is about all I got with my looks...so I am so sad about that. What is the use in being skinny again, if I have horrible hair?

Sorry to vent! I hope I answered your question. I hope someone reads my post & re-thinks their decision. I worked from May 2012 to March 2013 to have this surgery - and I was dead wrong, period.

I am sorry you are feeling as you do. I hear your reality & it sounds tough. I hope as the weight continues to come off your thoughts/feelings will change.

I want to comment on the hair part. My hair started thinning after 5 months. I had not been religious with my Vitamins the prior 2 months. I started doing my Vitamins every day and started taking Biotin supp., 5mg. At 8 months my hair is back to normal.

I hope things change for you.

Oh F me... I read the WHOLE thing... Someone needs to edit one of the first few posts and add "QUIT READING NOW" (once you get to the fighting it's impossible to just stop) haha

Now I need some of that Percocet!! My head hurts. And I kinda want a snickers...

OMG, you said my words, I wanted to stop, I could not, it was like Jerry Springer, but even that I could change the channel on it....I sort of want a snickers too.

Going in 2moro for my 3 week post op Tummy Tuck. I feel really good. Swelling is going down well. Although recovery was very tough for me the first 5 days it was well worth it. It feels amazing. I would recommend it to everyone with lose skin in the tummy.

Your stomach looks fabulous & your thighs too, I know it is very personal but did you post a before photo of your tummy? I wonder how much smaller the surgery made you? Thanks

Yep, you are going to love post surgury. I had quit walking the dog, my knee hurt too much. Now I am out there walking the dog double the length & doing running intervals. Incredible for me.

Riding my bike, my friends are laughing as they try to keep up with me, I have been putting the months in at Water aerobics & now the weather is good and I am biking around zoom zoom.

Kayaking, I use to judge if I was "OK" if I still fit in the seat of my kayak. Last year I still fit but I was too weak to carry it & just felt unsteady. It is going to be so much easier this year.

Snowshoeing, oh God, it use to be hell to bend over in my tight snow pants & get in those snow shoes. And then when I fell, arrggh, will I ever be able to get up? This year my pants were falling off, I could almost dance in my snowshoes.

Telling you all this will encourage me to walk even farther tomorrow. I want to be ready to do a 5 mile hike in rocky terrain w/ as much ease as possible. I have been practicing walking on small boulders, never was good at it, now I am 80% good. YOU ARE GONNA LOVE LIFE.

I have been doing Water aerobics for 9 months and it is so much easier in the pool than on land. I have now added land exercises and there is a machine that works the inner thighs & a 2nd machine that works the outher thigh. You sit and do it so it is easy so far w/ 50 lbs on it. I will find out the real name, my friend says it is the Gump machine.

I thought my thighs were never going to reduce, but they are improving a lot as I get closer to goal, can't wait to see what the next 20 lbs will accomplish

This thread has been great for me. I have one knee replaced and the other one got 2 meniscus clean outs after doing squats and what not at crossfit w/ 100 xtra lbs on me.

My legs are stronger now & squatting is so important to me. I take photos & I want to and have been squatting like a crazy woman. But w/ the help of all of you I am going to work on keeping my upper body straighter.

It was a learning process to stick my butt out like I was gonna sit on a toilet, what girl wants to stick their big butt out, but I am thankful I have that part down.

Here's to having fun with squatting, easier to do hard work too

Do you mean raspberry ketones? The latest "natural" "herbal" weight loss pill? Did you know so little ketone can be extracted from fruits that natural ketones cost 20,000 per kilo, that puts it out of reach for most of us. The stuff they sell for weight loss is actually acetone (nailpolish remover) that has some hydrogenation process done to it that changes it to raspberry ketones. Kinda icky, no proof it works,except for what dr oz says! Eat right and exercise you know the drill!!!

Wow, that is scary!!!!

Since my surgery I have been trying to ind a good bike to ride for exercise, if and when our weather EVER breaks into spring in Michigan. Can anyone recommend a good sturdy model? Thanks

~Kishi

I have a land rider & love it. You can google it, the bike shifts for itself, I am shift deficient so my husband found this & we both have our own, year in & year out it is great. You sit up fairly straight, the seat is awesome, you measure yourself from feet to groin for the right size. The bike weights more than my friends but I don't care, the comfort and ease of use is what makes me happy

I had canned chicken w / sourcream & rotel tomatoes, I was livin!!

I've not gone to one... I think my thinking on them is somewhat skewed because if my brothers addition/ AA experience..

Each group is different, it is suggested we go 5 times before we decidehat meeting is not working for us, there are some you can do over the phone. I live in a small town w/ no OA so occasionally I drive 1 hr for a meeting.

The AA thing, some like it & it works for them, some people just don't like "meetings & other things about it.

Hiked like a crazy woman yesterday my husband was impressed with some is my ninja moves navigating over massive fallen trees!

Oh and no s'more last night!

Oh and we saw elk!

Oh my, he is big, great photo. Sounds like you are having a great time

I agree with you butter in regards to the "healthy" food people THINK they are eating...

It definitely plays a part.

I'm more interested at this point in the mental aspect..

You say you still have those addictive thoughts.

It doesn't surprise me. As a matter of fact I think you fight really hard to keep it straight. And have, in my eyes transferred some of your addictive qualities into your exercise..

I've seen it so many times with addictions.

My brother had addiction issues (not food)

And when he was working his program I saw the same person but he was just addicted to something else (AA and exercise) it scares me because... Well it scares me on a lot of different levels.

A healthy fear is a good thing. This is my 2nd addiction I am arresting, I am fortunate to be enjoying my gym and getting all those endorphins, it seems funny to say I am addicted to the gym but I guess I am. I recently got a cold & could not workout & I realized that my exercise & the people I do it with deliver the best fun in my life right now.

I see some shopping/spending addiction trying to break out of me. I am thankful I am aware & can see this. There have been times where I have been real uncomfortable & was aching to buy something, anything. And there have been times I have eagle back to my old habits & ate food I like when I was not hungry. I try real hard not to be mad at myself & not do it the next day.

You are smart to be thinking & concerned about the long haul. Have you ever gone to an OA meeting?

These NSV are awesome, I have them regularly too. A girlfriend stayed at my house for 2 nights, in the day time we went to the gym, shopped, just goofed off around town. I had no problem keeping up her. We were in and out of the car a million times, I noticed just the way I bend and slide into the car seat is different. It's my core holding me better. My body use to hurt all the time. Now it just keeps going. Yea Susie 1226......here's to us KEEPING the good life going.

I don't think anyone has denied at least some of their problem is owed to good addiction. I think what I and others are trying to say is, 'yes, food addiction is part of the problem but not the whole picture.'

I had problems before I developed a 'food addiction.'

Am I saying that food addiction is not part of the end result, absolutely it is part of where I am now. Gaining weight didn't start with a food addiction for me though. It was a series of things that made it all but impossible to maintain my healthy weight and made it very hard to lose weight and then spiraling into a food addiction as a result.

I didn't start out a food addict either but I ended up one. Our brains have learned we feel good when we eat_________& then our brain starts to think that food is away to feel good so eat some more. I use to feel sick presleeve but I would still eat more.

Also there is stuff put into junk food that have chemicals if you will that are addictive. Food manufacturers know this & profit is what it is about for them.

Sugar is an addictive substance.

This whole thing is a journey. I have had too much icecream at a time occasionally. I can go to the beat myself up world or I can go to, OK I did that today, don't do it tomorrow & the next & next.

You probably know we can lose this weight easier in the first 8-12 months......with that in mind I do my best to stay on the straight and narrow. I am at 8 months and my sleeve truly is helping me gain some new habits that are positive. Like when I am full, stopping, even if I could eat the other part.

Good luck, keep up the good work & honesty.

Has anyone noticed another addition coming on? I guess that would be another topic.

I think a large % of people who do not think they are addicted are just not "educated, ready to admit, are in denial". Also a persons ego can prevent them from accepting they could possibly be addicted to something. I think Lauren-vats gut is right in the first place.

All of us who know we are addicted are one step ahead of the game in keeping it off. (I pray)

rosehips, I have these same weird feelings, anxiety and this feeling of (guilt?) I'm not sure what...or why...

Thanks

I was sleeved on aug 29th and feel the same way. I have 15lbs to reach my goal weigh of 130. I have been up and down 144-145 for the last two weeks.

I am scared of going way below my goal wgt. Will I go back to my old ways once I am on maintenance . I do have those crazy feelings.

Thank you, next time I have this feeling I am going to power through it. I want goal, heck, now is not the time for me to dillydally. Summer is coming, when we hit goal we are going to stay there or drop more. THAT'S IT!!!! I know Maintance is going to be the hardest part so my silly brain is like, stay away from Maintance (I guess). I am going to work on shifting this. Thanks again for your reply

Oh yea, I love leaving food on my plate. I think it is part of the new mentality we are striving for. Because I feel awful if I eat too much, I watch for the feeling & stop. No more clean plate club for me. it has definitely been a journey on this. Four months into this I was out to dinner, real expensive & w/ family. I took 2 appetizers but after one I knew I needed to wait for my "real entree" to come. I literally had to whisper to my husband "is it OK if I don't eat the 2nd one?". I had never not ate everything I put on my plate.

I was sleeved 8/27 & am down 100 plus a few, I started out at 290. I am having this odd reaction to this weight loss. When I started getting close to 200, I wanted it to slow down, I got like scared but I don't consciously feel scared, I am happy, thrilled, loving life. OK, so the scale goes to 195, all is good, goes to 190, all is good, now it is falling below 190, I am at 25 lbs to goal and my head is screaming, wait, not so fast, help, I'm not ready. Ready for what? I don't know? Is anyone else experiencing any of these CRAZY FEELINGS?

P.s. most the time I love the scale going down, this comes and goes

I was sleeved 8/27 & am down 100 plus a few. I have having this odd reaction to this weight loss. When I started getting close to 200, I wanted it to slow down, I got like scared but I don't consciously feel scared, I am happy, thrilled, loving life. OK, so the scale goes to 195, all is good, goes to 190, all is good, now it is falling below 190, I am at 25 lbs to goal and my head is screaming, wait, not so fast, help, I'm not ready. Ready for what? I don't know? Is anyone else experiencing any of these CRAZY FEELINGS?

I have been doing Water aerobics since 9-12, sleeved 8-24. In December I increased from 2 days a week to 5 days a week. I have lost 100 lb.'s since 8-1-12. I LOVE WATER AEROBICS TOO. Recently the weather has changed and I am out taking photos and biking. Everything is so much easier. I need to squat for photos and I can real nice now. I can ride standing up. Have not done that in 30 yrs. I am now lifting weights in addition to water aerobics. Water is more fun but I am being told "if I want to live on land I must exercise on land". I can go up and down steps real well now. ALL THANKS TO WATER AEROBICS,