ChaiTea

I know this question probably has been asked a million times before but now it's my turn to ask. I'm new here and I'm taking the 12 week program leading up to bariatric surgery with Kaiser. I'm about to hit week 11 and my goals from week 0 have completely changed. Originally I blamed the odd pains that I've had in my body for the last year and a half on my weight. But in my blood test revealed my Vitamin D levels were dangerously low and put me on high does meds. Since I've been taking them my body feels MUCH better and the pain is completely gone. Since starting these classes I've been putting the work in to lose weight and I've lost a surprising amount in only 8 weeks. Now I'm thinking about the future and traveling without having to pay for two seats. The only thing is the places I want to travel to are places where food consumption is at the top of my list for things to do. I'm worried that having this surgery will limit me too much and keep me from enoying the stuff I like. Wine-tasting comes to mind. I also heard your taste buds change. I'm worried about regretting what I've done to myself. I'm worried about not being able to have fun or never being able to eat out again. I worry that the food will make me sick and I won't like it because of the surgery. I worry about cutting off one of the greatest reasons to travel overseas. A part of me wants to keep going and trying to do this on my own, but the other part of me feels I'll fail or not do as well as I could've done. So I ask, does anyone have any regrets about getting the surgery? Has any one had any experience traveling after surgery? Were you happy? DId you still have fun even though you couldn't consume anything? what did you do? Thank you for reading!

I am mentally preparing myself for having to deal with people like that. Right now I am not telling anyone I'm even taking the courses for the surgery. Noone at work or my family even knows because I don't want to deal with the negativity and let them watch the results. I honestly would ask them which part is easy and slamdunk them with facts. Most people like are speaking entirely from ignorance. They don't even know that diet and exercise is even a part of the process. I pray for strength the day some comes at me with that bull.

I'm going to meetings in SoCal. I definitely want to finish the classes too at least. I am in a one and a half hour class at night. I don't have any glaring health problems that are complicated by my weight. My issues are primarily external. I fear regretting the surgery once it's done but at this point in my life, I kind of feel like if I don't do this, I'm committing to a life of being obese and all the social struggles that come with it.

Hi there! I'm on Week 9 of the Options program with Kaiser. I know what you mean by running into people you haven't seen in a long time and you know the first thing they notice is how much bigger you are. Even worse when they can't help but mention it at some point which kills every inch of happiness you had to see them again. At first I was sure I wanted surgery but as Kaiser was telling me about all the things that I couldn't have anymore post-op (not just food), I started having new fears and second thoughts. With the knowledge I've gained in the classes I've managed to lose 25lbs on my own and for a while I felt like I could do it without surgery. I've never lost this much weight on my own before so I set a goal for myself to lose a dress size before the classes ended. If I could do that I would let it determine if I would or wouldn't get the surgery. I have been doing better than most of my classmates in adapting to the changes however I've been hitting several plateaus along the way and I've also fallen off the bandwagon a couple times in not taking the healthiest food option available to me for some meals. Though my exercise has increased significantly, it feels like it was all for nothing when I don't have lower numbers to report the next week. I'm probably being harsh on myself but it reminds me about how much easier it would be for me to give up and and go back to being what I've always been. The only thing is that I don't want to continue being this way. I've been reading these forums and trying to draw strength to go through with it. I've also been watching tv shows to help me become more motivated about the idea of saying goodbye to several things I've gotten used to. I watch My 600lb Life on TLC and though those poeple are getting the RNY surgery they still have a much more difficult journey to make with even harder limitations. Just looking at the progress they make in less than a year has given me hope that I could do it too. So I look at my body in the mirror and tell myself that in a year I'll be thinner. I still have my fears about leaving things behind, but rather than focus on them I try to look forward to the goals I've set. I try to look forward to having the body I want to have. I look forward to the improvement on my social life and not fearing people are judging me by my weight. I think about being able to buy smaller clothes and go to amusement parks without worrying that the seat belts won't fit. I try to fill my head with all the wonderful things to look forward to that come with my weight loss. All the pros seem to outweigh the cons and it's convinced me even more to go through with the surgery. I'm still not 100% sure but at least now I can see better that everything that's scaring me in to wanting to say no are the things that's kept me being this big all these years.

You look lovely! Thank you for sharing! Your "before" picture is similar to the shape I am now. May I ask what size you were and what you are now? I'm still nervous about going through with something so permanent. I have a fear of regretting my decision once it's done. Was there much scarring after your surgery? Did you need to have skin removed? About how much did you lose in a week with exercise post-op?