Oasis

Hi Amanda
Just read about him and he seems to be very good !

One more thing, what I have realized too is that our loved ones are afraid it is coming from love. Remind them that these procedures are preformed all over the world, hundred times a day with low mortality rate. Also, people are confronted with knowing you are going to change and so therefore they have to change. In it to win it!!!!! High Five!!!

Yep, being sleeved on June 8th and the people whom I thought would be the happiest like my aunt and dad, are the ones who say they do not understand. Especially since I have lost over 30 lbs pre-op. All they need to do is realize I am 49 and lost and gained the same weight over and over so how is diet alone going to do it this time?? I am also a single mom of a 15 year old daughter. This is the hardest part knowing i need to make a will. Here is the other part, the most important at least now I maybe around to see her get married one day and have her own family. We could go at anytime no matter how, what, when and where. At least you are reaching for life choosing WLS. Good luck, you got this! Stop listening to others, they just do not get it.
-Michele

The truth of the matter is that by choosing surgery, you are reducing your chance of death in the next five years by 90 percent (seriously, there are published studies on this -- if you take two random obese people and give one of them weight loss surgery and the other no surgery, the no surgery one is 90% more likely to die in the next five years).
So, you are making an incredibly smart choice to have surgery. There is basically nothing you could do that would improve the odds of being around for your children and partner more.
This surgery is less dangerous than knee replacement surgery. If you were suffering with horrendous knee pain every day and a knee replacement had been recommended, do you think your children and partner would tell you not to have it, you should just suffer instead?
Being obese and unhealthy is no way to live, not for them and not for you. It's normal to be afraid of surgery but if you look at things rationally, obesity is really, truly, much scarier.

Thank you Perforce, Carl Dickenson and AlighterKann
For your kind replys ! I would like to think I would have my doctor on my side, but not sure about that but as you said perforce tell them don't ask !! I am going to make sure I do talk to my doctor before I do go have surgery. It is a good idea to have them on your side thank you. Can I ask you also where you went for your surgery Perforce ? I like the idea they kept you in for a week most just want to only have you there a very short time.
Many thanks ❤️

I had surgery in Mexico, and they performed a leak test before I was in recovery and then one before I was able to leave the hospital. They make sure that you don't. However, yes, you would just need to go to your local emergency room if something is wrong.

Very good info... I would also mention that foods you use to eat... You might not be able to eat after your surgery ( I love eggs and had issues with them for about 5 months, I can now eat them again). Same goes for scents... Ones you liked before may no longer appeal to you. It's a lil different for everyone but just in case... You have to try new foods slowly... and if they make your tummy feel bad... you should retry them after a couple of months...

Maybe they wanted replies from different people and in different stages !!!

Congratulations !!!!

I was EXACTLY the same weight as you when I had surgery. The surgery itself was a doddle-don't remember much about it really but I felt like s**t the first night. Didn't feel sick at all, just couldn't get comfy so spent the night playing games on my iPad! At about 4 in the morning I discovered how to get very comfy indeed and fell asleep. I had all my checks that morning and was allowed to go back to the hotel that lunchtime. I could have stayed in hospital if I'd wanted but I reckoned that I'd be happier at the hotel. I felt a bit nauseous then but had lots of sips of Water and encouraging noises from my husband and managed to get a fair bit of sleep. Later that night I had some apple juice and it was like drinking heaven. The following day, I was up, showered and dressed and in the afternoon having seen Chris Deprez (who organised the whole shebang and who is a senior nursing professional into the bargain) I went into town for some light retail therapy with husband. Lots of cuppas and apple juices later we toddled back to the hotel and I slept like a baby. Came home by Eurostar the following day having done some more retail therapy in Lille!!!! Easy peasy. I took things easy for a couple or three weeks as I did get tired but I've had no problems, can eat anything without any adverse effects and am loving escaping from my fat suit. I paid £4,500 and that included all medical fees, 4* hotel, all (unlimited cab journeys whilst there plus pick up and drop off at Lille). The only extra we had to pay was our Eurostar fares and food for husband! To find out more Google ECFS or ECFS - Obesity Solutions - London. The whole experience was carried through seamlessly and organised by Chris Deprez.
Just out of curiosity, where are you based? Might be easier to have a chat on the phone x

This always seems to be from someone posting from the app. Same topic appears multiple times. Very annoying!

Thank you Mrs Karen
For your advise. I believe I should go through with this !! Especially from the health benefits side of things. I just need to find the right surgeon at the right price now !!
And join the losers !!!

Typo sorry, DVT, yes to stop blood clots.
I'll keep you updated only 11 days to go,

Thank you Tobysgirl and Valentina for your kind replies ! It does seem that everyone has different experiences. It's the people who have the complications! I need to work out what the percentage is ? It does seem to be quite a lot ? I am glad as you say this video experience is quite rare. I will carry on awaiting replies and people's experiences before I take the plunge.
Thank you x

Hi everyone,
I am booked for my surgery for the end of March and I am second guessing because I am LOW BMI (<35). My weight has never the less contributed to painful joints and difficulty starting an exercise program. I am also completely hopeless with "Diets" - as soon as I think of the word I gain 5 pounds.
Please tell me what you think - is this a worthwhile journey if you are low BMI???

My bmi was low to start. Long story short: With VSG, I lost 50 lbs (my goal) in 4 months. I am so much happier on a million levels not having to stress about my weight and to not constantly be fighting my urge to eat. I was so sick of dieting. It never worked long term. My marriage is better. I am in the best shape of my life (I work out like a maniac now, because it is so much easier!). I had never worn anything smaller than a size 10 (I was a size 14-16 before surgery). Today I thought I tried on a size 6 jeans and realized they were a size 4! They fit! I could write a book about how my life has only changed for the better. For me, I was only getting bigger, and I nipped that in the bud. Good luck with your decision!

Thank you all for the replys...when I think of the alternative of cancelling and living with my self-loathing (as far as weight goes), I really remember why I'm doing this.

35 is a perfectly valid BMI for WLS, especially if you have other weight-related health issues. Even most insurance companies that cover WLS will cover someone with a BMI of 35 if they have at least two other comorbidities, and you KNOW how much insurance companies resist shelling out money for surgery. Even if you don't have two comorbidities now, remaining at such a high BMI or gaining more weight could lead to them down the road.

I think having surgery is a personal decision. Of course there are risks involved, and only you know if they are worth it for you and your circumstances. I had a BMI of 40 and for me the risks were well worth the rewards I've gotten (including no more foot/ankle/knee pain)
I see you have Dr. Ariel Ortiz listed as your surgeon. I went to OCC in 2013 and couldn't have asked for better care or an easier recovery. Your coordinator and/or any of the OCC doctors and staff should be able to help with any questions, but feel free to PM me if you'd like.
I also wanted to say I LOVE your username. Mine (Kindle) is my horse's name and I know no one is happier with my 100 pound loss than she is! One of my favorite NSVs was being able to hop up onto her back effortlessly, without needing find a stump or rock to climb on. The other was having an excuse to buy a new saddle cause my skinny little butt no longer fit in my huge 19" saddle.

Thanks Oasis but I've spent so long making excuses about why I shouldn't have it done and then I realised that I don't actually have a life, I exist. I wont go out because I've never anything to wear and feel rubbish, I can barely breath after a few yards, my bones ache, knees have gone, it's pathetic. I've got a good few years left in me (hopefully) and I don't want to spend them like this. I regret the time I've wasted and 95% of what I've read is positive, the general consensus seems to be that most people wish they'd done it years ago.

dying from bariatric surgery is extremely rare nowadays. The mortality rate is something like 0.3%. It's one of the safest surgeries out there - safer than a hip replacement, even, and they do hip replacements every day. I wouldn't worry about that part *at all*.
I'm sorry you're going through this with your family, though. This is one of those times when you need all their support.

Your talk is making me relieved :-) ok then I'll go ahead with full confidence in them.
Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

You'll drive yourself mad, just remain focused on the end result and get on with it. Think positively at all times and get any negative thoughts banished immediately.

Now you know "The rest of the story".
Yes, this poor woman's surgical journey is rare, but such complications do happen.
It is so important that one goes into WLS with both eyes wide open, especially when contemplating sleeve surgery since it is the only WLS that is irreversible.
Research! Read everything you can. Talk to people--both positive and negative. Only when well educated and inform should you make a decision about having WLS.
Good luck with your research and let us know what you decide. We are always here to bounce concerns off of, and to offer our own experiences , rants and raves.
Prayers going up for you.