MSWDiet

Your health care professionals work for you. Replacing any doctor is your decision. However, you must be willing to do the work needed to find a replacement in a timely manner; and, to evaluate exactly why you believe this relationship is not in your best interest.
Do you have someone reliable who you can talk this through with? Someone who cares enough to tell you if You are the problem? Is there someone willing to accompany you and act as your advocate in dealing with the medical staff? Can someone assist you in communicating your needs and responding to the reply?
Should all indications conclude that you are not getting the care you need FIRE YOUR DOCTOR. "This is not done" is no reason to jeopardize you health. Get copies of your medical records from the doctor's office and the hospital.
Replacing your follow up care professionals may not be easy but it can be done. Understanding exactly what is wrong with this relationship will help you to find a good fit for the future.

Wow!!! I sure hope I’m strong enough to keep my weight off. I still have 25-30 lbs. yet to go, but I’m just happy to be where I’m at now! I was in the same sizes you were in before surgery,and I can’t imagine being in a zero or even a 2!! You are amazing!! I’m so glad to read your surgical health has been good, too. On this site I’ve read so many that have had to have multiple surgeries. I don’t know if that was from the Sleeve surgery or the bypass (RNY), which is what I had. Thank you for your inspiration for keeping on going on. You are amazing, and I hope I can do the same.

I had the similar worries because I need a cocktail of daily meds including psych drugs. Over a decade later I'm proof that this can be done successfully immediately post bypass surgery and long term.

My surgeon believed bypass was necessary although I sought him out for his experience with the sleeve. Twelve hours post op a nurse sat with me and showed me how to take 21 tablets & capsules, not including supplements.

I did then and still do this 7 times daily. Among my meds are a few commonly used psych drugs. Both short and long acting drugs were in the mix from the start. My doctor did not allow me to crush pills because medical conditions unrelated to obesity required meds that could not be crushed or broken. He insisted I learn to continue my regular medications beginning on the day of surgery. None were changed to crushable forms.

It took 20 minutes. I went home the day after surgery and swallowed my 3 dozen meds and supplements including psych drugs 7 times a day. Zero complications since 09'. Every single medication worked as it did before surgery.

Best wishes for your success!

MSW

I can identify with how you perceive your body. Vanity has kept me gorgeous from size 18/20 to size 2/4. However, post op I began experience insane body dysmorphia. I felt obese a few pounds above my ideal weight after a lifetime of not feeling fat despite my obesity.

Weight loss can alter one's self image and spark un anticipated behavioral changes. Therapy was not in my post op budget so I'm continuously working on my self image. Reality vs my perception is a long term struggle.

You are not the first to experience this particular flavor of crazy . For some of us it's a normal part of adjusting to our new reality. Therapist define these experiences as "Adjustment Disorders".

Step one to resolving your issues is awareness. You've begun the introspective work. That's a good start for reconciling your perceptions with reality.

Best wishes!

MSW

Thanks for asking [emoji846]Every day I have GRATITUDE for having had weight loss surgery. No surgical complications. No surgery related problems short or long term.
I have medical issues unrelated to obesity that frustrated my weight loss. It took a long time but I made it below my surgeons goal to ensure a "normal" BMI.
I struggled with the usual ups and downs you can expect over the years. Overall, I'm maintaining. There is no way I will allow myself to go backwards.
Pre wls I wore 18/20/2x in most brands. At my personal goal weight I wear 0/2/4 at Gap/ Old Navy. Today I can't wear my size 0 jeans but I'm working my way back into them. My un breakable rule of maintenance is Never, Ever Buy A Larger Size.
This keeps re gain in check. I shop with a tape measure to ensure consistency between brands. I consciously work on my disfunctional eating to address what surgery cannot.
I hope my story is helpful.
MSW

Reading this just 25 minutes after your update! I just submitted everything to my insurance today, and I’m going with bypass. This forum actually what was convinced me, last year, to do bypass.

1. too many stories of revision surgeries after sleeve since your body still absorbs the same amounts of food, unlike bypass. I know it’s not everyone, but I saw too many to make me feel confident in my ability to comply long term without a second layer of help (malabsorption.)

2. Diabetes runs rampant in my family. I’m not there yet but it’s an eventuality I wanted to do away with.

3. Someone above mentioned that bypass is so drastic... and sure, it is, but it doesn’t make sleeve less drastic in comparison. With sleeve, your stomach is essentially amputated, and with bypass your intestines are rearranged. They’re both hard, I just had to pick the “hard” I felt was worth all the trouble. Bypass was it for me.

I spoke with my nutritionist today about duodenal switch, and though you lose more weight, you have more Vitamin deficiencies and it’s harder to carry a pregnancy, which I eventually want to do. I’m glad you made the right choice for you!

I really appreciated everyone’s input on the sleeve vs bypass question I posted. I did follow my surgeons advice and chose the bypass, I feel it was the best option for me!

MSW
Thanks for sharing! It’s nice to know that I am/wasn’t alone. I am trying to come to terms on a healthy way.

My experience and advice is to take each step by its self and in time you will have your goal accomplished. You will feel so much better with more energy, health issues will improve, and you will actually forget how depressing it was to pull on size 3X clothes. My diabetes is in remission. I haven't had to give myself insulin once in 11 years. I do have some age related medical issues but I am 82 yr and feel 50. Fortunately I have had no problems keeping my weight off, in fact, I follow the rule to stop when I am no longer hungry and it has conditioned my stomach to stop me. I get a hiccup and that is the signal. Good luck on your new journey.....be happy .

I'm happy to report that this has gone away- THANK the GODS! I guess it was just my stomach fully healing. Thank you for all the advice and sympathy!

Your health care professionals work for you. Replacing any doctor is your decision. However, you must be willing to do the work needed to find a replacement in a timely manner; and, to evaluate exactly why you believe this relationship is not in your best interest.
Do you have someone reliable who you can talk this through with? Someone who cares enough to tell you if You are the problem? Is there someone willing to accompany you and act as your advocate in dealing with the medical staff? Can someone assist you in communicating your needs and responding to the reply?
Should all indications conclude that you are not getting the care you need FIRE YOUR DOCTOR. "This is not done" is no reason to jeopardize you health. Get copies of your medical records from the doctor's office and the hospital.
Replacing your follow up care professionals may not be easy but it can be done. Understanding exactly what is wrong with this relationship will help you to find a good fit for the future.

Hi there,

February 09 surgery and maintaining. My binge eating exploded a few years post op. Our need for short and long term mental health support following weight loss surgery is under valued. We need available support for our head issues even if we've not needed mental health support in the past.

Almost every day is a battle but I'm managing. Hopefully I'll find answers to my dysfunctional eating patterns. I look forward to the day when my relationship to food becomes "normal".

This is my elusive goal. Achieving a normal and rational perspective on food and body image. High five to both of us for losing weight. High hopes that each of us will find what's needed to move from a daily struggle to normal maintenance.

MSW

It's so hard to NOT see myself as 325 lbs. Im at 191. I jave 11 more to go to get to plastic surgeon's goal. But I see all this hanging skin, sagging, crepey, wrinkly skin. My face has wrinkles and I look 10 years older when back when I was morbidly obese people thought I looked youthful or maybe they were just being nice. Because you know people always tell big girls "you have a pretty face" or "your eyes ate beautiful". Now I still hide my body just in smaller clothes. I still wear shorts daily but now I wear only shorts that have spandex liners that cover my wrinkled thighs or shirts covering my wrinkled, stretch mark, damaged skin on upper arms. The sizes have gone from 4x/26 to L/XL/12 but the feeling of people looking at me for all the wrong reasons has not gone away. I had started wearing tank tops out until someone made me feel self conscious about it. Now I just wear them indoors, at home. I don't look at myself in the mirror , they ate all gone or the 2 we have are turned around because I thought Id grab a hand mirror and check out my back and bottom and well it is doing exactly opposite what i thought it was doing and horrified me. So, no mirrors. No one sees me dress or undress. No one touches me. No sexual contact. No hugs. I have a major issue going on. I just hope my panniculectomy gets scheduled next month to help me feel better about something.

I had ESG in October 2017 and regret it. I always had a strange pain in my abdomen after I ate, despite following the diet. I had to pay out of pocket for the procedure and ended up only losing 19 pounds! I had it reversed last year and did a SADI bypass on 12/31/18.

I am so glad I did the esg! I was at the low end of the BMI range (31) for the procedure. Thought I would lose very slowly but that was not the case! I’m 9 weeks post op and have lost 33lbs. Last 4 weeks I’ve lost 3 or 4 lbs each week! You do need to follow your dr instructions exactly....protein and Water are key.

There is a facebood group for USA ESG its called: Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty Support Group USA, its fairly active if you do not get sufficient responses here.
I am in the early stages of my ESG, just started normal foods at one cup volume three times a day. My recovery was pretty good, had intermittent cramps for three days/two nights only. My diet hasn't been perfect, but my results you can see on the left there.
Some people on the three ESG Facebook groups I belong have regretted their ESG...they say they do feel any restriction and/or have put on weight, others have had great success some losing over 40kilos.
While results vary due to the individual, I also think its due to the skill of the doctor/surgeon...best to ask how many ESGs they have undertaken, what the average weight loss is for their patients, how many failures/complications their patients have experienced. What post op support programs they have in place. The skill is needed to judge where the sutures go and how many to sutures to insert so as they give proper restriction and have the best chance for endurability.

I had the similar worries because I need a cocktail of daily meds including psych drugs. Over a decade later I'm proof that this can be done successfully immediately post bypass surgery and long term.

My surgeon believed bypass was necessary although I sought him out for his experience with the sleeve. Twelve hours post op a nurse sat with me and showed me how to take 21 tablets & capsules, not including supplements.

I did then and still do this 7 times daily. Among my meds are a few commonly used psych drugs. Both short and long acting drugs were in the mix from the start. My doctor did not allow me to crush pills because medical conditions unrelated to obesity required meds that could not be crushed or broken. He insisted I learn to continue my regular medications beginning on the day of surgery. None were changed to crushable forms.

It took 20 minutes. I went home the day after surgery and swallowed my 3 dozen meds and supplements including psych drugs 7 times a day. Zero complications since 09'. Every single medication worked as it did before surgery.

Best wishes for your success!

MSW

I can identify with how you perceive your body. Vanity has kept me gorgeous from size 18/20 to size 2/4. However, post op I began experience insane body dysmorphia. I felt obese a few pounds above my ideal weight after a lifetime of not feeling fat despite my obesity.

Weight loss can alter one's self image and spark un anticipated behavioral changes. Therapy was not in my post op budget so I'm continuously working on my self image. Reality vs my perception is a long term struggle.

You are not the first to experience this particular flavor of crazy . For some of us it's a normal part of adjusting to our new reality. Therapist define these experiences as "Adjustment Disorders".

Step one to resolving your issues is awareness. You've begun the introspective work. That's a good start for reconciling your perceptions with reality.

Best wishes!

MSW

YES YES YES!
After a lifetime of obesity I feel fat with a closet full of jeans sized 0/2/4. At size 18/20/2x I didn't feel fat at all. You are not alone. It will get better.

MSW

Hi there,

February 09 surgery and maintaining. My binge eating exploded a few years post op. Our need for short and long term mental health support following weight loss surgery is under valued. We need available support for our head issues even if we've not needed mental health support in the past.

Almost every day is a battle but I'm managing. Hopefully I'll find answers to my dysfunctional eating patterns. I look forward to the day when my relationship to food becomes "normal".

This is my elusive goal. Achieving a normal and rational perspective on food and body image. High five to both of us for losing weight. High hopes that each of us will find what's needed to move from a daily struggle to normal maintenance.

MSW

Here to check in and report a huge milestone today. Not only is my BMI below 27, but I am into the 150’s !!!!
Best choice I have ever made.

if anyone is on the fence about surgery, based On my results and success, I would recommend gastric bypass. At over 9 months since surgery I had no idea I would be down to a size medium before summer.

yipee!

Hi everyone...My name is Denise and I’m from NJ ,I had my surgery 4/20/09. The day of my surgery I weighed 310 pounds and as of this morning I am 141 pounds. I still struggle with my food addiction and some days are harder then others.I also have bipolar . I was just wandering if there’s anyone that has had the surgery as long as me.

I know it’s a little scary, but it will change your life for the better. If I didn’t do the surgery I know I’d have diabetes and high blood pressure right now. Some of my family members have both. When I got scared ,because it’s normal too, it’s a surgery , but I would think of all things I would be able to do in my new body. Your life will change for the good. So will your health.

I'm 18 years post-op.
We each have our challenges and you seem to working yours. Keep working.
Most of the core issues I had pre-op I still have. The issues with being super morbidly obese are no longer among them, which makes a lot of other things smoother.
Good luck
Tek

I am also 12 years out. Lost a lot of weight SW was 310 day of surgery I was about 265. I gained quite a bit back.... and 3 years ago started Keto and now I am about 145 (pre covid I was 135....gotta lose the covid pounds now)
I was going through a divorce when I had my surgery and I never had good habits after. Basically I replaced food with alcohol (was not a drinker prior to WLS). Now I don't drink and take tons of Vitamins. My labs have never been better but I still struggle with healthy eating habits. Every day though gets better and Keto was a lifesaver.