Tssiemer1

WLS truly is not for everyone.
And there's no required timetable on which everyone who does wind up doing it will have WLS.
The last thing anyone should do is to feel pressured into WLS by others, even strangers on an Internet forum.
Very best to you!

Not everyone is hit by doubts once the door to the OR is opened, but many are. While we're going through the rigmarole of requirements -- diet, psych eval, RD consults and whatall else -- our minds are occupied with the details. Surgery is some nebulous thing in the distance. Once all the pre-nonsense is out of the way and the mental occupation is cleared, "Uh-oh, what am I doing What was I thinking?"
Some may feel discouraged, as @@Fat2Phat2016 mentions. I think that, in general, it's more about recognizing that the requirements no longer obscure the view of the OR. When people are ambivalent, I suggest a making a list of the reasons to lose weight. I skip the "cons," as I think they are few and obvious. (Pro and con lists work wonders in other areas.) Write out the things you want that surgery will enable in the most specific terms. Examples: Get on floor to play with kids; sit in a theater seat with room to spare; size 7 knickers; not be stared at by other diners in a restaurant; feel sexually desirable, feel more sexual, bed looks larger when I'm in it, no longer have signs of diabetes 2, to sweat less. Include the serious and the vain and whimsical. No reason is shallow or foolish. Add to the list as new "I wants" come to mind. Then, when the time comes, check them off as you achieve them.
The list isn't a sales pitch to one's self. Surgery must be a free choice, not the result of bombardment. The list is for taking stock of who we are, where we came from and where we want to go. It's a basis for choosing surgery. Or deciding against, if that's the case (I'm no proselytizer).
What do you want and will surgery be effective in helping you get there? I suppose it's that simple, simple, but not necessarily easy. You have to be willing to do the work. You have to want to do the work. If you've been doing the work, you likely have the drive to follow through.
I got there only because I tiptoed in backward, a most clumsy gait. When the possibility of surgery came to me, it was accompanied by "Huh? Do I want that? Could I want that...do that?" I was nowhere near ready to see it as something real, but I didn't want to drop the idea. I invented a trick on myself (which has worked a couple of times since when I was facing other, seemingly monumental things). The first step, the info seminar, was coming up: "Go hear what they have to say, just to see what the seminar is like, and then I'll never have to do anything else." Next, the consult with the surgeon: "Make the appointment to see what she has to say and then I'll never have to do anything else." I continued the pattern with each subsequent step. Because of my age, my medical plan (I think it was the plan rather than the surgery practice) required endoscopy and colonoscopy. I made appointments and that's when I knew I was serious. What sort of weirdo has a colonoscopy just to see what it's like?
On the day of surgery a nurse brought a wheelchair to take me from the prep area to the OR. I chose to walk. As I entered, the nurses and anesthesiologist, surgical masks in place, looked up and called out loud, friendly greetings. The surgeon walked in while tying her mask. i I felt as though I'd arrived at a surprise masquerade party being held in my honor. I'd never have guessed that a surgery could have a fun start.

Being scared is normal. See if your doctor offers support groups in yout area. Most hospitals do. Gi listen to what others say. Yes, the horror stories are out there but the mortality rate is usually less than 1%. I weighed 350 pounds 22 months ago. Today I weigh 206. I decided I would rather die trying than die getting fatter. Today I am very active. I exercise 4 or 5 days a week. I no longer wear size 4X and the steering wheel no longer touches my stomach. I can comfortably fit in a movie theater seat. I am off all 3 diabetes meds and both BP meds. Life is great! Do your research and be as informed as possible.

I've been doing the same thing. I've spent days reading the complication support forum and now I'm terrified. But at the same time I had a friend who had the surgery and she did amazingly well and that was the whole reason I went to a seminar. I know the good FAR outweighs the bad. I'm sure I'll go through with the surgery but that doesn't mean I'm not scared.

My surgery is this Monday and I also have had thoughts of should I do this. Is this the right thing for me to be doing. Then I have to get back into my POSITIVE THOUGHTS and remember I want to feel better, look better and live longer. Of course I'm scared of a lot of things going wrong during surgery but it's a chance we all have to take. I feel my surgeon is well qualified or I wouldn't be going forward. We have to beat those negative thoughts going on in our heads. There are too many people who have has great results. There's no turning back now. Monday is almost here for me. Hope you figure things out for yourself. Hopefully I will see you on the losers bench ????

I think it is really easy to get discouraged during the process. I have also felt that way and so has my husband. This is a major decision so just take time to think about it. Set down and write a pros and cons sheet. In the end you have to do what is best for you. I have chosen to have the surgery because I have finally decided I want the next 35 years of my life to revolve around me feeling better, being healthy and enjoying life after spending the first 35 loving food. Just set back and think about why you even started this process in the first place.
Just know that we here on BP are here for you!!!
Good luck in whatever decision you make!!

After being in the process since August, and completed my last requirement yesterday I think I'm starting to talk myself out of getting surgery.
I don't really have any reason not to have the surgery.
I don't know how I feel anymore.

My spine surgeon suggested a sleep number bed to me. We're waiting until we buy a house and get a king sized one. In the mean time I got one of those hybrid spring mattresses with gel foam and stuff. It's ok most nights. Sometimes I feel like I kind sink in it so we added another firm mattress pad and that's helped.

I get cramps all over my body since I started high blood pressure meds four years ago. They're horrible: quads, hamstrings, calves, abdomen, tongue (I kid you not). Your likely culprit is an electrolyte imbalance (especially since you're exercising/dieting pre-op and no doubt loosing a lot of fluid). Calcium is the easiest to rectify (chew on one or two calcium-added Tums). No-Salt is a potassium salt (and safer than a supplement since potassium is fat-soluble and stored in your body) and should help with potassium intake. Neither of these helped me (again, the meds). I finally realized that magnesium and manganese are also electrolytes. Now I take a magnesium tablet once a week, which seems to help.
My primary physician also suggested "No cramps" or something like that. They're OTC quinine tablets. I take one if a really bad cramp starts up. They work, but I always wonder if they really work or if it's the placebo effect. I find that drinking something like sugar-free Gatorade helps just as well. Hot compresses help to loosen up your muscles.

Whenever I start a low-carb diet, I get horrible leg cramps for a few weeks. If you google low-carb and leg cramps, you'll see that it is pretty common. Some reasons for the cramps are low potassium, low magnesium, or just plain dehydration (since you shed a lot of Water at the start of a low-carb diet.) I find that I can't eliminate the cramps, but they are lessened when I make sure that I am well-hydrated and I take a potassium supplement.

I was that way preop and started a magnesium supplement that did wonders.

Are you keeping yourself well hydrated?
I started to get occasionally a severe muscle cramp in my legs in the evening, I started to take recently some magnesium and potassium supplements and making sure I drink enough fluids; it seems to help.

I had the same problem 3 years ago, i had to go to the hospital and was given IV. Doctor said bc i was very dehydrated and people who also run marathons are hospitalized for it. I forgot what it was called but i clearly remember they mentioned my levels should be around 120 but i have over 2,000. I was in so much pain i could not even move and i had cramps in every part of my body. Try to contact surgeon also.

Damnit. Now I want to know if he went and told that doctor off.

Was he a troll? I think he was a troll.

What about an FAQ on "what I should do when I get butt hurt?"

Don't mind my 6 weeks old pedicure lol.
I did it!! Woooooooooo.

I can only imagine how that went down........two Iron wills colliding.......forgedtits and the doctor (I'm seeing Arnold Swartzenaeger in this role for some reason....)
"I want a sammich dambit !!!"
"NO...just Soup for you".
"It's not fair......I should have cupcakes".
"No......Protein Powda only......now, get to the choppa".
"I want oodles of noodles and bread bowls"
"STOP with your whining"
I almost feel sorry for the surgeons.......I mean, they have the ability to change lives in a way that patients can only dream of......yet their results are held hostage by those that want to fight them every step of the way.
I simply don't understand how people make it to the surgery and have so damn little understanding of basic calories and nutrition. This stuff is taught in elementary schools. Hell, I grew up in the boonies.....where the teachers main challenge was keeping us from breeding our cousins.....yet somehow.....someway....they taught us the basic concepts of how to eat.
Sure....many, like me, turn their back on that knowledge and develop weight problems as adults. Thankfully I stayed off my cousin, though.
There is normally so much education that goes into a bariatric program that you'd expect good comprehension of the surgery and the demands that follow.
Add to the fact that she's lived through this with her husbands wls.....although a different procedure.
OP is right. It's not fair. It's not fair to the surgeon. That poor surgeon will never get the time back that she's going to spend arguing with the OP in this visit. OP already knows everything and won't be satisfied until the surgeon yields and admits that cupcakes, Cookies and pizza are in fact, great foods that will yield to a slim, trim and sexy new you.
Poor surgeon. She could be spending that time with patients that actually are receptive and willing to listen and follow.

Damnit. Now I want to know if he went and told that doctor off.

In my program the sleeve actual has more restrictions for a longer time than bypass. You have a huge staple line that has a higher chance of leaks.
In my program your on liquids for an extra week longer and on puréed food for an additional 2 weeks longer than the bypass patients.
It really just depends on the program and the doctors opinion on how they feel about the surgery.
But like others have said. This isn't a diet. It's a lifestyle change. And "if you do what you've always done, you will get what you've always gotten"
From personal experience. Carbs got me here to begin with. I don't want to ruin this amazing opportunity I have. No matter how bad it sucks.
I just sat at Applebee's and watched everyone eat. I went home and cried. I'm a month out. I miss food. I miss meals. But at the end of the day. My life and well being is way more important to me than Pasta and carbs. This is the last resort that can change my life for the better. There is no other option after this. I can't afford to mess this up.
I can't tell u how many times I have felt like this is unfair. But what's also unfair is not fitting comfortably on a plane, wearing cute clothes that don't cost a fortune cuz they are not plus size, feeling like I have no sense of self worth, being treated differently by others because of my size, no being able to go hiking with my friends, feeling like I have to miss out on so much because my body stops me.
There's a lot of things that aren't fair but I'm slowly learning that food shouldn't be something that is "unfair" to me. I have to learn to eat to live and not live to eat.
I completely understand where you are coming from but you have to look past the "now" feelings and think of where you will be years from now living a happier healthier life.

If you really want to be punished, you really should have phrased your post along the lines of.... "OMG, I ate so much garbage the last few days. Everyone tell me it's ok, please! Because I'm not going to change my binging ways, and you are all stick-in-the-muds who think your are perfect!" People who have jumped all over your butt, lol..
But seriously, I think it's good that you are owning your mistakes. As someone recovering from binge eating disorder, I know it can be painful to actually list out all of your food sins.
I won't add much else, as there has already been some solid advice given (particularly about getting that sugar out of your system, and maybe talking to a professional about what happened to work on strategies to prevent a repeat).
None of this is easy! It sounds like you want to put in the work, and just had a few bad days. You can do this!!
~*~ Find me on YouTube: Trisha's Sleeve Story ~*~

Im pre op and not a veteran or anything but I'm replying to every pissy post with

Oooh! Some disclaimer about surgeons preferences.
"My surgeon said ______ is that true?"
Commonly used abbreviations.
Just things I've seen.

"I'm ____ months out and I've only lost _____ is that normal?"