The Candidate

@@mistysj Excellent post! And I want to add one very personal experience on the subject matter and the points you made. Please know that it's not meant to scare anyone or influence anyone's decision. But GERD/Barrett's is a painful reality for me and my family, and what I'm about to relate really happened. December 16, 1999 my father who had suffered terribly from GERD ever since being wounded in Vietnam, was admitted to the hospital for esophageal surgery. By that time he had already been diagnosed with Barrett's Esophagus, but it hadn't yet progressed to cancer. It was a serious surgery, absolutely, but he was in excellent health otherwise and was expected to fully recover. Heck, he drove to the hospital. He was even joking with us and in very good spirits, as he was being wheeled into the OR. The last thing I said to him was "I love you" and I'm grateful for that gift every day, because it turned out to be the last thing I ever said to him. We knew almost immediately that something had gone wrong. He never got out of intensive care. He never woke up. He was never taken off the ventilator. We then learned that a stitch had come loose inside that had allowed infection to set in. They took him back to surgery 5 more times trying to battle it, but the damage was irrevocably done. His organs started failing one by one, and by the end he was on 24 hr dialysis. He died on January 4, 2000, just three weeks shy of his 66th birthday. I had watched him over the years, this stoic strong macho Marine, struggle daily with the unbearable pain of GERD, popping antacids like they were candy, constantly clearing his throat. He was the kind of man who was never sick a day in his life otherwise. Like us, he was also well aware of the dangers of surgery going in, that accidents can and do happen. Unfortunately, he ended up paying the ultimate price, with the very rare complication of death. But even so, I know in my heart that he was at the point where he would have tried anything to find relief from the terrible GERD. GERD is real and can lead to some very dangerous consequences. I suffer from it too, but not nearly as bad as he did. However it's a big reason why I ultimately decided to switch from having the sleeve to a bypass. But in the end it's a personal decision we all have to make, in determining what procedure is right for you.

At the beginning of my program there was a blood draw for a slew of tests, including a fasting gluclose, a urinalysis, a stool sample (looking for H Pylori), and an EKG. At the end, just before our surgical consult, another blood draw and fasting gluclose, another EKG, and that was it. Then there was a psychological evaluation and meeting with an internist, which was done on the same day as the surgical consult.

I initially went into this deadset on the sleeve. But halfway through the approval process I changed my mind and will be getting the bypass on 07/29. The main deciding factors for me included the GERD issue. I only have mild heartburn now, but when I do have it I am absolutely miserable. Yes, some people have this same malady and went on to have the sleeve and are perfectly fine now, with no problems in this regard. But there are also others who ended up having it get much worse post op. Some even suffer to the point that they chose to revise from sleeve to bypass. My intention, barring unforeseen complications, is to only have WLS once. The other deciding point for me was that I came to the conclusion that malabsorption might be of some benefit to me. I don't want to induce dumping of course, but the fear of it might well help me keep my sweet tooth in check. I need all the help I can get. And since I'm already on a long term daily regimen of Vitamins I'm not worried about staying on top of any Vitamin deficiency. Plus I will also work with my PC to ensure that I have regular lab work done to ensure I'm getting the job done. In the end the final choice is yours. Keep researching and talking to others and you'll eventually find the answer that is right for you.

Hope everything goes well and congratulations!

I'm still pre op, but I have wondered how long it will take me to break the "suck it in!" habit as I interact with the general public. I'm like Pavlov's Dog so a lifetime of conditioning is going to be hard to ignore. And I'm really looking forward to the day when my chest can no longer double as a tray table, or food drop/crumb catcher.

Oh that's got to be a bold faced lie! 99.9% of the people at the gym are thinking of bad foods! You have all you need to get to the place you want to be. ????

I've only told a select few outside of my immediate family. But honestly the ones I didn't choose to tell were based more on things like: knowing they can't keep a secret, or the nature of our relationship is professional not personal, or in one case that they'd had the surgery a long time ago and failed to keep the weight off so I didn't want to rub salt into the wound, or I simply don't want a bunch of peripheral people observing me in silence like an animal in captivity to measure how much I lose, how fast I lose it, and then pass judgment on what I'm eating. But probably the biggest deciding factor is that I'm a big girl (pun intended) and I did my own extensive research before making the leap, and that's all the opinion I need on the subject. There's also the fact that I'm a very private person outside these boards, and my life choices are not, and never will be, up for discussion or debate. Period. Shame never once came into my decision process. I'm proud of what I'm doing. I'm shining in a way I never have before and I'm reveling in the limelight. I feel like I've spent the last 45 years in prison and I'm finally being granted a pardon for a crime I never committed. This is the type of feeling I wish I could bottle and sell because I'd make a fortune! My days of living in the shadows will be officially over on 07/29 and I have no plans to ever look back again! Why on earth would I allow any naysayers or pompous bags of air in to ruin the high I've been flying on for the last year, while going through the approval process? I made a purposeful decision to only surround myself with people that I knew would support me 100%. And I don't regret it one bit.

Good luck. I know you will do fine! Keep us posted!

First off I can't believe that's your son. You look like you're still in high school! And second, the surgery isn't a cure all. We've had that ditty drummed into us enough that we could probably recite it backwards. The fact that you're disciplined enough, even at this early stage, to evaluate and correct your behavior says a lot about your desire to succeed. We all make mistakes. You've learned from it, which is why they exist in the first place. Forgive yourself and move on. You've obviously got the support of your family, and you have ours as well. You will get to your goal!

I keep looking for new types so I will never get bored. I just ordered a trampoline, and am considering getting some of those Cardiff skates I've recently heard about. Anything to keep the momentum and excitement going!

July 29th! Just barely made the cut off! I'm over the moon with sweet anticipation! ????

You look so amazing! Congrats!

Congratulations!

Only your vote qualifies for that ultimate "yes" or "no" choice. And it's true you can be a healthy fat person, but not forever. For me, my quality of life crossed over into unacceptable not long after I turned 50. That's when my body gave up and started showing its displeasure in ways I could no longer ignore. My joints hurt from morning to night with no reprieve. I'm having difficulty climbing the stairs in my home, and have to bite my lip to stop myself from crying out every time I have to rise from my desk at work. I ache just turning over in bed at night. That's not living. My body decided for me and I've never wavered from that decision once. My surgery will be on 07/29, and I can't wait! You have to be sure, there is no middle ground on this one. You and your body have some serious discussions ahead of you. I'd listen with an opened mind if I were you.

@@sleevenv is so right. It's natural to be fearful. The emphasis of your fear is compliance, but somebody else's might be anesthesia, or the ability to exercise, or any other of a hundred or so different combinations. But the crux of it is that you're taking a blind leap of faith, on the simple hope of gaining something better than you have now. That in itself is pretty courageous, if you ask me, and you should give yourself credit. You're a lot stronger than you think you are, and when it comes time you'll do what you need to do to succeed. But whenever you feel your confidence waning just remember and draw on the things you yourself have said: "I have invested so much in time and financially, I really want it to work." Sounds like a definite resolve to me.

I have the only dog in the world who doesn't greet her human at the door when they come home from work. She only makes an appearance when she hears the food dish come out. Whereas my other dog greets me like we've been separated for years when I come out of the bathroom. There's a cosmic balance in there somewhere that I find oddly comforting.

Mea culpa yours is the 30th. My mistake. Sometimes my excitement gets ahead of me. Aside from the date everything else I said stands!

Mine is also the 29th! But unfortunately it's the 29th of July. But I've waited this long, my day too will come. ???? Congratulations! You are going to do wonderfully and will have all the great people here to help you along the way. Let us know how you're doing. You are just hours away from a terrific new life!

Welcome Stephanie and congratulations on your decision. You've found your way to a great place to gather a lot of information from people in every stage of the journey. Good luck!

It is marketed as being "lightly" carbonated. I like it too and have been drinking it occasionally pre op. But as with soda, I will not be drinking it post op. Lightly or not, I just don't think any carbonation is worth it after surgery. But that's just me.

Fantastic news! Congrats!

You're so welcome. You're just going to get better day by day. ❤️

I went through Options too. Southern CA San Diego. My classes ended 05/14 and I just got my surgery date of 07/29. The psych evaluation was very easy and only took about 15 minutes. There was no written test. It was just a relaxed, no stress, one on one talk with the doctor, who asked very general questions about your weight history, support, and surgery expectations. Seriously I've had labs that took longer and were more worrisome. You'll do fine!

Our heads will always play mind games. It is very common to feel this way. I know I have at the height of every diet success. I think, especially, if you've been heavy for the majority of your life, it comes with the territory. And with every past diet and ultimate failure you begin to train yourself to expect to become fat again. Sad but true. We can become our own worst enemies. Support groups are good, these forums help too. I also began over a year ago making video journals for myself so I will always have visible proof not only of how my looks changed, but also audio proof of how my mentality changed, as I gain confidence and self assurance. I think as you get further and further out from surgery your internal body image will eventually catch up with the outer changes that everyone else can already see. Both inside and out you are beautiful, always keep that in mind!

Do it! It will be a liberating moment in your continued success, and new lifestyle.