jessgnc

@@HuneComz - I get not supporting someone, but why on earth would she think she needs to give her blessing? What a weird choice of words. It's not like the world revolves around her!

The Duodenal Switch is the most aggressive of all the weight loss surgeries, so I reckon it'll have the toughest recovery physically...but I imagine you knew that, going in. What you're enduring mentally, though, pretty much everyone goes through in some form or another, I think. My first couple of weeks, I was pretty obsessed with food. I was watching food Network a lot. I don't know why I was torturing myself but it was like my brain was raging against the fact that I had taken away its comfort, entertainment...whatever. It was almost like it was trying to punish me, reminding me of what I'd given up. Eventually I started to think of it that way; that my psyche had become so accustomed to using food in ways other than simply providing fuel, that it was rebelling against the change.
But you know what? It passed. The obsessing about food passed, and each strange new wrinkle that I have to deal with mentally or emotionally has passed, given time and exposure. I just realized over the past couple of days that I no longer feel weird about my portions. I used to be dealing with the feeling that it wasn't enough, every time I put my little portion on a plate. Now it feels normal to me.
You are going to go through ups and downs mentally, but be aware of them. Think about why you're feeling the way you are and ask yourself if it's rational. You know why you had the surgery, you know what you wanted to achieve through it. You knew what you were giving up, and the reasons for it. This is where the rubber hits the road...you've had the surgery, and now it's time to change. And I think most of us know that you're feeling the resistance to change that your "old brain" is putting up, because we've all felt it in some form or another. And the unfortunate thing is, we'll all probably be dealing with that for the rest of our lives...working to counteract those impulses. But you took a big step to get it under control...and that is what you've done. You have taken measures that will allow you to get it under control.
The physical stuff will improve as you heal, a little better every day. The mental stuff will take time and conscious effort to change. But it'll come together, you just have to be patient and diligent. Just do what you can. As for the "doctoring" your Protein shakes, I'm afraid of what that means...but I am hoping it doesn't mean adding stuff you shouldn't be having, because you'll only be causing yourself problems if you do that. If all you can do is drink Protein Shakes and you need to skip meals, then do that - as long as you are getting your Protein every day, and you are getting your Water, you will be fine. Over time, you'll get meals in too...just don't sweat it. One foot in front of the other.
And stay off the scale for a few weeks. People obsess about the scale. It is your enemy, avoid it. I am only weighing once a month, personally.

Everyone knew I had surgery and was wondering if I would gain all the weight back. It keeps me on my food plan, even nine years later.

Ah yes, the spite approach. That'll totally be me, lol!

@@Mountaingal Man, it sounds like you need better friends! Well, I know we're all supporting you here and rooting for success instead of standing on the sidelines hoping you'll fail.

My time period was 8 months. I had to pay deductibles over two years because there are costs spread out over the two years. The initial cost were primarily for meeting the 6 month medically supervised weight loss program where I met with a physician every month for 6 months. There was also the cost of the psychologist visit, which was not covered by the insurance. The later costs which included an extensive array of pre-op tests, a second round of pre-op tests with specialist in their fields, hospital and surgeon costs, post-op medicine were the greatest.

DISCLAIMER: This FAQ is in no way intended to replace or undermine the advice of your physician. Every person is different, every surgeon has different guidelines, and no two situations are identical. Therefore if any of the answers below are unclear or contradict your physicians’ instructions, always follow your physicians’ instructions. The responses given are a compilation from multiple sources and references.
How do I embed the weight loss ticker? Click on the liquid stage? During your clear liquid stage you can have anything that you can sip through a straw that is translucent, meaning see through. For instance: Water, juice, broth, sugar free popsicles, sugar free Jello, Isopure Protein Drinks, Gatorade, Powerade, Decaf tea just to name a few. Once you move on to full liquids you may add liquids that are not translucent. For instance: creamed Soups, soups with the chunks strained out, milk, Protein shakes etc…
When do I start mushies/purees? Every surgeon has different guidelines for the progression of your post-op diet. The majority of post-op diets progress as follows:
Day 1-7 Clear Liquids
Day 8-14 Full liquids
Day 15-21 Purees
Day 22-50 Mushies
What’s the difference between mushies and purees? The major difference is that purees are anything that has been blenderized/pureed to a baby food consistency and has no chunks. These should not be watery, but instead a thicker pudding like consistency. Mushies are soft foods that have not been pureed.< /p>
Should I be counting calories or carbs or both? Both. Again, every surgeon is different, but the majority of sleevers will be on a 600-1000 calorie/day diet with carbs kept at 60-80g or less. The general guideline is this: When eating, protein is always first, veggies are second, and if you have room carbs/starch last. The majority will rarely have room for the carbs.
How much protein should I be getting per day? The recommended protein intake may vary from 55 to 100g per day, depending on your individual needs and the bariatric diet provided by your surgeon or dietitian. The generally accepted minimum protein requirement for women is about 50 to 60g per day and men need at least 60 to 70g of protein per day.
How much liquid do i need for the day? About 60-80oz
When can I eat salad? Once you reach the point where you’re on normal solids you can try salad. Start with a small amount and see how your sleeve tolerates it as it can be difficult to digest.
Best Protein Shakes? This one depends on your particular tastes, however most seem to enjoy powders? utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury.

What else counts as a liquid? Anything that can be sipped through a straw or that will reduce back to a liquid. For example: Jello, sugar free popsicles, frozen yogurt/ice cream (these are generally no no foods)
How long will my surgery last? Typically about 45mins assuming there are no complications or other procedures (ie: hernia repairs) being done at the time of your surgery. Every surgeon is different so for a more accurate answer you should consult your respective surgeon.
Why can't I tolerate plain water, is this normal? It’s called water nausea and it is completely normal. This is very common during the first few weeks following surgery and should eventually subside.
What is sliming/slimes? Sliming or slimes occur when you eat or drink something and then regurgitate a slimy, foamy, saliva like substance, usually when belching.
What is grazing? Grazing is when instead of consuming your standard 3 small meals and 2 small Snacks per day, you simply munch all day grabbing a handful here or a bite there. The rule is that your meals should take you 20-30 minutes to eat and should be about 3 hours apart with only fluids in between.
What do all these acronyms mean?
In no particular order:
WLS – Weight Loss Surgery
NSV – Non scale Victory (ie: smaller clothes, compliments, climbing a flight of stairs etc…)
NUT – Nutritionist
PCP – Primary Care Physician
VSG – Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
TOM – Time of the Month
SF – Sugar Free
WFL/WFD – What’s for Lunch/Dinner
How much did you lose at 1 month etc.? How much can I expect to lose in what time frame? Everyone’s body is different and so is everyone’s journey. There is no set amount you should expect lose in a set amount of time, and you should never compare your journey or your progress to someone elses. As long as you’re sticking with the program and following your surgeons guidelines, the weight will come off.
What is a stall? How long does it last and how do I break it? A stall is a point at which the scale stops moving for a period of time. The length of the stall varies from a few days to a few weeks and sometimes a few months. Non VSG’ers typically call it a plateau. Stalls are perfectly normal and to be expected. As we lose weight so dramatically, our bodies need time to catch up physically - this typically happens during a stall. While the scale may not be moving, you may notice an increase in compliments. This is because while the number on the scale isn’t getting any smaller, you are physically getting smaller. There are many tips and tricks for breaking a stall (increase your fluids and protein, increase your activity, up your calories…) but the reality is it will break on its own.
When can I have sex? When you’re ready. Keep it simple for the first few weeks post-op and don’t attempt any tricky positions. Be careful until you’ve been cleared by your surgeon for strenuous activity.
When can I start exercising? Typically right away, though the types of exercises you can do will be limited. Most surgeons restrict weight training/resistance training for about 3-4 weeks after surgery, but you should be walking/speed walking at least 30-45min daily starting from the day you get home.
What do I do with flabby skin? What's the best exercise etc.? The severity of the flab will vary based on many different factors. While there’s no way to tell how bad it will be or whether it will even be bad, there are a couple of proactive measures you can take. Make sure you’re using a moisturizing lotion with Vitamin E and Keratin several times daily. The vitamin E will help add elasticity back to your skin and the keratin will add moisture, both of which may help your skin bounce back as the weight falls off. The best exercises to target your problem areas are resistance and strength training in order to tone and build muscle to replace the fat. Lastly, be patient. Just as your weight stalls while your waist catches up to it, your skin will sag until it gets the signal to shrink. While it probably won’t ever be as tight as you’d like, it will shrink.
Will I lose hair? How much? What causes it? When does it return? Do Vitamins help? The truth is, yes, you probably will lose hair. Because of the drastic changes going on that are caused by the extreme reduction in protein and vitamins coming in as well as the hormonal fluctuations caused by the rapid weight loss, it takes our bodies a while to adjust. Don’t worry, as our hormones level out and our bodies get used to the new us, it will come back. There is no set time frame for it to do so however.
I’m constipated - what is it okay to take, especially in the beginning when newly sleeved? Will it get better? Worse? In the beginning a simple stool softener like Colace should do the trick. You don’t want to take a laxative or anything that may irritate your new sleeve. While you’re in the liquid/puree stage, Constipation shouldn’t be an issue, but as you reintroduce solids you may have to go back to your stool softeners. If you do find that stool softners are only offering temporary relief, try increasing your fluids and Fiber and decreasing your cheeses.
I’m having very loose bowel movements, is this normal? Totally. You do need to monitor stools of this consistency to ensure they contain no blood, but very loose stools, even watery stools, are completely normal for a few weeks post-op. When in doubt – ask your surgeon.
Will I feel fatigue? Will fatigue go away? Yes and yes. Your body has just undergone major surgery and it needs to heal. While it’s healing you will feel more fatigued than normal. Subsequent to having such a large portion of your stomach removed is the fact that you can no longer take in as much food (read: fuel) and therefore your body has to adjust and find a new fuel source. Your body will eventually begin to burn fat for fuel and some of the fatigue will subside. Your surgeon should also prescribe a B12 supplement which will also help with energy.
When can I go back to work? How much time should I take off? That will be entirely up to your surgeon. Most return to work within 2-3 weeks.
How many days in the hospital? Your hospital stay will depend on your recovery. When you are able to keep down liquids, are up and about and walking as directed, and your surgeon and nursing staff are confident there are no complications, you’ll be released. Your surgeon should be able to give you an expectation of the length of your stay.
Do the staples dissolve? No. The staples used to close the stomach are titanium and do not dissolve. The stomach tissue will eventually grow over the staple line. Your staples do not make metal detectors go off or make you ineligible for an MRI. They are completely benign.
Why am I always hungry? The most likely culprit is either head hunger or reflux/heartburn. Head hunger is a false sense of hunger triggered by boredom/emotions/the clock or any number of things which make you think you’re hungry when you’re really not. Heartburn is the most common culprit of constant hunger. Even though you may not feel as though you have heartburn, you may find that a simple antacid will eliminate that constant hungry feeling.
What is a stricture? A stricture is what happens when scar tissue builds up in your esophagus (sometimes caused by reflux) that causes your esophagus to narrow and makes swallowing difficult.
What is a leak and what are the symptoms? A leak is an opening along the suture line of your sleeve that allows bile and other digestive fluids to leak into your abdominal cavity. The symptoms of a leak vary but the most common symptoms are pain radiating across the abdomen, fever, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, and abdominal cramping. It is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.
Can you get a leak any time after surgery? Or is it just immediate? Most leaks happen very soon after surgery, but there is still a risk for about 4-6 weeks after. Again, it is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.
Some of my incisions are oozing - is this normal? If they’re oozing a green or yellowish Fluid, absolutely not. Green and yellow are the colors of infection and should be reported to your surgeon immediately. If your incisions are oozing a pinkish or clear watery fluid it’s your body’s way of keeping your incisions clean and isn’t usually a concern. When in doubt, ask your surgeon.

@@HuneComz - I get not supporting someone, but why on earth would she think she needs to give her blessing? What a weird choice of words. It's not like the world revolves around her!

YES! I love my fitbit! I began with a Fitbit One which was a hand me down. I loved it but wanted more of the features. I bought an Alta and absolutely loved it. I really liked the silent alarm and the hourly "get up and walk" reminder. Plus, the band was super comfortable. I was never been a watch person but it just felt like nothing was there.
I won a Charge 2 in a contest a few weeks ago and switched to that. I'm really digging the heart rate monitor on that. I missed the stair counter from the One (the Alta does not have that) and love that the Charge 2 has all of the Alta features PLUS the ones I missed.
I'd definitely recommend a fitbit. Their customer support stands by their products, the product is great quality and tracking is fun. It's really interesting to see how active/sedentary I am and keep track of this stuff!
Edit: If anyone is interested, I still have my One and all of the accessories. It works beautifully and I'm happy to part with it for $20 and shipping. (Mods, if this isn't Kosher, I'll remove it!)

I am so grateful for my current job. We're on the top 20 list of best places in the US to work for and my policy is amazing. For $300/month, I have embarrassingly good insurance for myself and my husband which covers medical, mental, vision and dental. It is only about $250 for myself, so adding him was a no-brainer.
At my last job, I was paying $500/month (WHAT) for a terrible plan. Nothing was covered. My copay for regular doctors visits was $60 and only covered saying hi, everything else went towards my deductible. My deductible was $2800/year. I'm a healthy person so I never even came CLOSE to that. I looked into adding my husband to the plan when we got married and it was an additional $400 for him. HAHA NO.
I'm so grateful for the policy I have, but it is disgusting how the system works. Someone with money or a good job doesn't have any more of a right to live than someone in a bad situation. If I got horribly ill and a friend got horribly ill, why do I get the right to live and get good medical treatment when they will either die or have to eventually declare bankruptcy? The system is broken.

Before I even went to the classes and consults, I spoke to my husband about it. He was very supportive. After I went through the months of process of classes, tests and insurance approval, I told my parents and my daughter. I know they would all be supportive.
I asked my parents not to tell extended family. I have some very judgmental aunts and cousins. All my cousins are very thin and fit. I can't wait to see them next year at the reunion, I am already imagining their reactions!
I told my boss as well, but none of my coworkers. My boss is very professional and I am assured she will not mention it to anyone. I told her so that she would be aware of my post op recovery needs.

Most of me is starting to agree and saying "PREACH ON! WOO!"
The rest of me is sitting on a bench, looking annoyed at my irrational brain for causing a scene.
Well, the first appointment (with my endo) is next Tuesday! I hope to be a part of this community but right now, I've got little to add (and will just lurk around). Thanks for the warm welcome and fantastic advice. This is a scary and enormous step, but I think I'm ready to move forward.

I am so grateful for my current job. We're on the top 20 list of best places in the US to work for and my policy is amazing. For $300/month, I have embarrassingly good insurance for myself and my husband which covers medical, mental, vision and dental. It is only about $250 for myself, so adding him was a no-brainer.
At my last job, I was paying $500/month (WHAT) for a terrible plan. Nothing was covered. My copay for regular doctors visits was $60 and only covered saying hi, everything else went towards my deductible. My deductible was $2800/year. I'm a healthy person so I never even came CLOSE to that. I looked into adding my husband to the plan when we got married and it was an additional $400 for him. HAHA NO.
I'm so grateful for the policy I have, but it is disgusting how the system works. Someone with money or a good job doesn't have any more of a right to live than someone in a bad situation. If I got horribly ill and a friend got horribly ill, why do I get the right to live and get good medical treatment when they will either die or have to eventually declare bankruptcy? The system is broken.

I have told anyone and everyone since the day I began the process.

@@HuneComz - I get not supporting someone, but why on earth would she think she needs to give her blessing? What a weird choice of words. It's not like the world revolves around her!

In the beginning, it was only my husband, children and the co-worker who's success inspired me. But as my surgery date drew closer, I told my close friends at church, my sister and a few co-workers that I trust. Now, AFTER surgery, I dont hold back, LOL! Anyone who has asked how I've lost the weight gets the truth! I even got brave and posted pics and the BOLD truth on facebook!

Hi,
I had a DS in May with Dr. Ng and his group at Rex Bariatrics. I can't say enough good things about everyone in the whole practice. They have a whole approach to the surgery..exercise, nutrition, surgery and lots of support. They do a fabulous job of incorporating all aspects of
the process into their support groups and group sessions. I have great confidence in recommending them!

Well I've told pretty much everyone in close with. My surgeon actually said I'm really lucky to have such an awesome support system. My family and I are real close and everyone is super excited and supportive. My fiancé has been on board from day one. Also the few coworkers I'm close with, they're all happy for me as well.
The only people I haven't told, my fiancé's father and sister, i haven't told them because they're naturally negative first people and I don't care to know their opinions on my life choices!
I guess I was surprised when my surgeon said I was lucky because I just assumed everyone else had the same support.
If someone isn't supportive of something you want to do then just don't even bother with them. Misery loves company. Good luck to you!
Sent from my SM-G900V using the BariatricPal App

Looks like you tried everything but surgery. What have you got to lose? Besides the weight...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using the BariatricPal App

Hi everyone!
First time poster here. I have started the journey and I'm in the super preliminary "dipping my toes in the water" stages now. I just wanted to pick the brains of the people here.
Here's a tl;dr since I ended up rambling. Diet and self-control aren't an issue for me, but I can’t lose weight. Is the sleeve right for me? Am I mentally prepared for this? Hi, how are you doing?
A quick history: My whole life I have been overweight. When I graduated college, I promised myself I would get in shape. I really made a concerted effort. I changed my diet and started working out. I have been out of college for almost a decade now and while internally I'm healthy, externally I am still fat.
I see a wonderful endocrinologist and we have been working for almost 2 years to get to the root of this problem. I learned that I have PCOS and a serious metformin allergy which is what is making this such a struggle. I have blood tests that show everything is within range and I am technically healthy. She has reviewed nearly 900 days’ worth of MyFitnessPal logs and confirms I am eating correctly. We have tried a range of different weight loss drugs, none of which have had any effect. I did Keto for over a year. I lost 30lbs in the first 3 months and then never lost anything else (and yes, I updated my macros as needed).
At our last meeting, my doctor admitted that she was running out of ideas to try and it might be time to consider looking into weight loss surgery. I have nothing against surgery (or I wouldn’t be here), but I’ve got to admit that I have some preconceived notions which turn me off of it. I have an aunt who had a lap band put in and is frequently sick from complications. My mother had a gastric bypass and almost died when her body stopped absorbing Iron. Since heading down this path, I realize that my family doesn't take very good care of themselves and as long as I listened to the doctor and went in for routine visits, I should be safe from these things.
I also always was under the impression that WLS was for people who had poor Portion Control and that doing something like this would force them to eat less which was why it worked. Portion control isn’t my issue. When I spoke to my doctor about this, she explained that WLS almost reforms your gastric system. People who were pre-diabetic suddenly get better. People who couldn’t lose weight start losing. This is my big concern. I think I'd like to do the sleeve. I need a tool to make things work. Therefore, I'm okay with a slower loss to hopefully avoid excessive extra skin. Still, as this is an optional surgery, I want to be 110% sure this I can be a success story.
My husband helped convince me to stop doing keto. I was making myself absolutely miserable with the incredibly strict diet and no results (now I just keep low carb instead of 20g or less). He helped me see that I was banging my head against a wall and while he was proud of me for doing everything I could, I’d exhausted all of my non-surgical options. He is supportive and tried to convince me to love the body I'm in. Bless him for that, but that's not enough in my head. He is very tall, so while he's a bit overweight, you can't tell. I'm 5'1 and almost 260. We live in a world that's pretty prejudiced against fat people. I don't think he gets understands fat people go through as a daily struggle since he hasn't experienced it first hand.
I’m sick and tired of people making split second decisions about me. I’ve had a doctor deny me basic medicine because I’m too fat. I’ve been harassed on the streets and told I don’t belong outside since I’m a gross fat cow**. I am sick of trying on clothing I like and discovering it doesn’t come in my size. I want to look at pictures of myself and see more than my chins. I try not to let these things get to me, but it still sucks to have these experiences. I am healthy, I’d really like that to be reflected on the outside as well.
On top of that, I posted something similar to this elsewhere and someone pointed out "you're healthy until you aren't. Being overweight makes you a walking risk factor." They're right. If I break my leg, the recovery would be significantly harder with the extra weight. If I needed life saving surgery, going under anesthesia would be more dangers as a fat person. I'm healthy now, but there's a reason you don't see many old fat people.
So there's my long and boring background. When I discussed this with my husband, he had two large fears.
1) The big one was that I would have this surgery and nothing would change. Are there any studies which show not the effectiveness of success stories, but the percentage of people who follow instructions and don't lose? Committing to the diet is not an issue for me, but I'm terrified of the idea of going under the knife for an optional surgery and not having anything to show for it.
2) Mental health issues. I don't think this one is valid, but for my husband's sake, I'll ask! I had a pretty traumatic childhood in multiple ways. He is worried that even if I lose the weight, I won't be happy. I'll hate myself for the extra skin, for a large toenail, for something. He thinks I'll never be happy. I don't agree at all. My childhood was pretty messed up, but I have spent well over a decade outside of that environment and have healed and become a healthy and well adjusted person. He was there the entire time to see the transition. I want to lose weight for the discussed reasons above. I don't want to have to carry around lab results to my primary doctor to prove I'm not diabetic and that my cholesterol looks good. I want to wear cute clothing and not have breakdowns in the dressing room when the largest size doesn't fit right. Still, I'm bringing this up for him. When you lost the weight, did you feel better afterwards? Did you have any lingering mental issues?
I have an appointment with my endocrinologist coming up where I plan to discuss options and get a good bariatric recommendation. I will be bringing all of this up with her. However, I'm the type of person can't sit still and wants to research everything available! Plus, if I'm going to be doing this, it would be nice to join the community and get to know you guys.
Sorry for the wall of text. I swear, I'm not nearly this long winded! I hope someday to be able to go "Hi, I'm Jess. I used to be fat and now I'm not." and that'll count as my entire weight loss history.
*He had terrible bedside manner. I spoke to another doctor in the practice who was horrified and immediately gave me the medicine I needed
**Which, while it doesn't bother me directly (I've got thick skin) frustrates me. I'm healthy. My lab work keeps coming back showing I am healthy. I don't care what strangers think, but I also hate knowing that only those close to me realize how hard I work to be healthy without anything to show for it.

I try not to correct people too much in open forums, but my nurse educator hat won't let me leave this alone.
The inflammation I spoke of is not inflammation of the stomach, and the inflammation doesn't drive hunger. Some of the cells in the fundus of the stomach (the stretchy part that is mostly cut away during sleeve surgery) secrete factors that drive systemic inflammation. It isn't much of an issue if you don't have an auto-immune disease.
Also, we're finding out that hormones driving hunger pains and cravings are mostly from the brain. It's not as much from a larger empty stomach as people think. It's a complicated feedback loop that is attempting to keep the body at a higher "set point" weight because the feedback system evolved when food was scarce and so it's function is to keep our weight at the higher point that it's gotten used to.
The evidence is indicating pretty strongly that the restrictive part of the surgery is not what drives the majority of our weight loss. According to my surgeon and the journals I've read, the size of the stomach is actually not a huge factor in the weight loss after the first 6 months or so. The metabolic changes that essentially give us a "do-over" with our set point is what allows us to keep the weight off, if we don't mess it up again.

Really? Fascinating!
Thanks for sharing your story. I definitely plan to talk to my doctor until I'm blue in the face!
jess9395 - Thanks for the link! I'll check it out when I get home later!
Babbs - That post was amazing. Why do I feel so inspired suddenly? Thank you so much for the reply. Also for the laugh at the koala comment. My metabolism went out for a pack of smokes when I hit puberty and I haven't seen it since.
Hiraeth - Lol. Technically I'm 5'1 and three quarters. Those 3/4ths make me taller than my mother. Also, my husband is 6'4, so it makes me sound less ridiculous next to him!
If that is what is essentially going on, that's a brilliant way to think about it. The idea of cutting out part of my stomach actually was making me feel uneasy. The idea of cutting out the inflamed bits definitely helps see things in a different perspective.
I'm not as worried about the surgery. I've had back surgery and a few other minor things done. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. I'm not looking forward to that bit, but that's the price to pay.
Thank you everyone for your feedback! I'm excited to be here, you're all so helpful and welcoming!

Hi everyone!
First time poster here. I have started the journey and I'm in the super preliminary "dipping my toes in the water" stages now. I just wanted to pick the brains of the people here.
Here's a tl;dr since I ended up rambling. Diet and self-control aren't an issue for me, but I can’t lose weight. Is the sleeve right for me? Am I mentally prepared for this? Hi, how are you doing?
A quick history: My whole life I have been overweight. When I graduated college, I promised myself I would get in shape. I really made a concerted effort. I changed my diet and started working out. I have been out of college for almost a decade now and while internally I'm healthy, externally I am still fat.
I see a wonderful endocrinologist and we have been working for almost 2 years to get to the root of this problem. I learned that I have PCOS and a serious metformin allergy which is what is making this such a struggle. I have blood tests that show everything is within range and I am technically healthy. She has reviewed nearly 900 days’ worth of MyFitnessPal logs and confirms I am eating correctly. We have tried a range of different weight loss drugs, none of which have had any effect. I did Keto for over a year. I lost 30lbs in the first 3 months and then never lost anything else (and yes, I updated my macros as needed).
At our last meeting, my doctor admitted that she was running out of ideas to try and it might be time to consider looking into weight loss surgery. I have nothing against surgery (or I wouldn’t be here), but I’ve got to admit that I have some preconceived notions which turn me off of it. I have an aunt who had a lap band put in and is frequently sick from complications. My mother had a gastric bypass and almost died when her body stopped absorbing Iron. Since heading down this path, I realize that my family doesn't take very good care of themselves and as long as I listened to the doctor and went in for routine visits, I should be safe from these things.
I also always was under the impression that WLS was for people who had poor Portion Control and that doing something like this would force them to eat less which was why it worked. Portion control isn’t my issue. When I spoke to my doctor about this, she explained that WLS almost reforms your gastric system. People who were pre-diabetic suddenly get better. People who couldn’t lose weight start losing. This is my big concern. I think I'd like to do the sleeve. I need a tool to make things work. Therefore, I'm okay with a slower loss to hopefully avoid excessive extra skin. Still, as this is an optional surgery, I want to be 110% sure this I can be a success story.
My husband helped convince me to stop doing keto. I was making myself absolutely miserable with the incredibly strict diet and no results (now I just keep low carb instead of 20g or less). He helped me see that I was banging my head against a wall and while he was proud of me for doing everything I could, I’d exhausted all of my non-surgical options. He is supportive and tried to convince me to love the body I'm in. Bless him for that, but that's not enough in my head. He is very tall, so while he's a bit overweight, you can't tell. I'm 5'1 and almost 260. We live in a world that's pretty prejudiced against fat people. I don't think he gets understands fat people go through as a daily struggle since he hasn't experienced it first hand.
I’m sick and tired of people making split second decisions about me. I’ve had a doctor deny me basic medicine because I’m too fat. I’ve been harassed on the streets and told I don’t belong outside since I’m a gross fat cow**. I am sick of trying on clothing I like and discovering it doesn’t come in my size. I want to look at pictures of myself and see more than my chins. I try not to let these things get to me, but it still sucks to have these experiences. I am healthy, I’d really like that to be reflected on the outside as well.
On top of that, I posted something similar to this elsewhere and someone pointed out "you're healthy until you aren't. Being overweight makes you a walking risk factor." They're right. If I break my leg, the recovery would be significantly harder with the extra weight. If I needed life saving surgery, going under anesthesia would be more dangers as a fat person. I'm healthy now, but there's a reason you don't see many old fat people.
So there's my long and boring background. When I discussed this with my husband, he had two large fears.
1) The big one was that I would have this surgery and nothing would change. Are there any studies which show not the effectiveness of success stories, but the percentage of people who follow instructions and don't lose? Committing to the diet is not an issue for me, but I'm terrified of the idea of going under the knife for an optional surgery and not having anything to show for it.
2) Mental health issues. I don't think this one is valid, but for my husband's sake, I'll ask! I had a pretty traumatic childhood in multiple ways. He is worried that even if I lose the weight, I won't be happy. I'll hate myself for the extra skin, for a large toenail, for something. He thinks I'll never be happy. I don't agree at all. My childhood was pretty messed up, but I have spent well over a decade outside of that environment and have healed and become a healthy and well adjusted person. He was there the entire time to see the transition. I want to lose weight for the discussed reasons above. I don't want to have to carry around lab results to my primary doctor to prove I'm not diabetic and that my cholesterol looks good. I want to wear cute clothing and not have breakdowns in the dressing room when the largest size doesn't fit right. Still, I'm bringing this up for him. When you lost the weight, did you feel better afterwards? Did you have any lingering mental issues?
I have an appointment with my endocrinologist coming up where I plan to discuss options and get a good bariatric recommendation. I will be bringing all of this up with her. However, I'm the type of person can't sit still and wants to research everything available! Plus, if I'm going to be doing this, it would be nice to join the community and get to know you guys.
Sorry for the wall of text. I swear, I'm not nearly this long winded! I hope someday to be able to go "Hi, I'm Jess. I used to be fat and now I'm not." and that'll count as my entire weight loss history.
*He had terrible bedside manner. I spoke to another doctor in the practice who was horrified and immediately gave me the medicine I needed
**Which, while it doesn't bother me directly (I've got thick skin) frustrates me. I'm healthy. My lab work keeps coming back showing I am healthy. I don't care what strangers think, but I also hate knowing that only those close to me realize how hard I work to be healthy without anything to show for it.

Yes, I think you would do swimmingly with a bariatric surgery!
The reason I say that? I was a lot like you. Up and down 30-50 pounds my entire adult life. Champion dieter! And believe me, it wasn't an easy effort. I have the metabolism of a koala. I would go years overweight when I was younger, saying at least I was "healthy fat" (no such thing in my opinion). Until like you'd said, I was in my late 40's and wasn't. Blood pressure through the roof, blood sugar through the roof, and put on medications. No thanks! I don't want to die in my 50's and 60's like my parents did. My husband, who had the bypass 8 years earlier and was basically the poster child for the surgery, finally said "Why don't you have weight loss surgery?"
I had surgery August 22, 2014 and haven't looked back. I was a model patient, stuck to my plan 90-95% during my weight loss phase and kept my eye on the prize! Although it took me a bit longer than most, I came close (92) to losing 100 pounds before my weight loss stopped on it's own at around 15 months post op. But that put me at 143 pounds, a size 6 and right at a "normal" BMI. I'm proud to say as of this morning, I am 144 a year later. I hover from 143-145 most of the time. I have changed my whole lifestyle. I eat clean, non processed food 90-95% of the time, and when I do indulge, I feel ZERO guilt because I know I'm on the straight and narrow this time and will go right back to it. I have also been steadily exercising for 2 years. A new record! And I kind of actually like it, too!
Are things perfect? Hell no! I still struggle with emotional issues. Being thinner didn't take my depression or anxiety away. When I need a "tune up", I see a therapist. I would highly suggest you find one you like and begin therapy even before your journey. There are many emotional aspects to this that do come up that are really unexpected and can sabotage us. I see it all the time in the forums. If you can get a handle on them with some kind of support, even if it's not therapy, you're ahead of the game.
Long story short, you've got the discipline I had to do this. I can see it. I say make sure you research so you can completely understand all this life changing surgery entails, and go for it. As for not being able to lose weight because of PCOS or other medical reasons, the surgery seems to magically work for those people, too. You get what you put into it basically.
Good Luck!

Hey! Thanks so much for the reply. Hearing your story and the similarities really makes me feel more confident that this will work. We also definitely have similar stats, so I’m even more grateful you found the post!
I ruled the lap band out immediately in my search. I read enough to know that it isn’t going to change anything on a physiological level, so it wouldn’t be what I needed. The gastric bypass seems too extreme for me – plus, with the rapid weight loss, there’s a significantly higher risk of extremely flabby skin and nutrient deficiencies. I need a tool to help move things along. I’m patient and don’t need overnight success.
I keep pretty low carb still. I’m not doing 20g/day anymore, but even on my most bingey days, I don’t go over 100g. I switch up what I eat but generally struggle to get to 1200 calories. I rarely drink soda, I eat fast food maybe 2-3 times a month and while I do drink, it isn’t more than 2-3 drinks a few times a month.
I adore my endo! I had been to so many doctors trying to figure out what was wrong with me. Most of them wouldn’t give me the time of day, or would try to make me take a pill or try to sell me on bariatric surgery. At the time I was adamant that I was willing to put in the effort (and was actively doing so) and nothing was happening. I didn’t need a miracle drug or surgery, I just wanted ANSWERS. My endo was the first person to actually listen to me, give me a full blood screen and test everything. When I went to a low carb diet and initially started losing weight, she was as excited as I was. She has checked my thyroid, it’s in normal working order.
Thanks for all of the answers. This was exciting to read. J