Recidivist

Hi, KJ--and welcome! I'm nearby in Australia.
I think that you already know the answer to your question based on a few of the statements in your post:
"I know that losing weight and gaining health will be far more important than how old I may look, and what people think." "I have bad health issues like asthma, high BP, and really need two knee replacements....So it's going to be so good for my health I know." "Excited for the journey for a new me and better health."
Exactly right--this is all about your health. It's about getting rid of the medical conditions that come with obesity and feeling good for the first time in decades, with lots of energy and a new zest for life. Looking slimmer is a nice side effect of the surgery, but the real reason to do it is to improve your health and add years to your life. I was 59 when I got surgery and can't believe how much younger and more energetic I FEEL. I wish I had done it years earlier.
Do I LOOK younger? No. The weight loss in my face and neck has aged me a bit, and I will admit that it was a little disconcerting at first, but I'm used to it. As for what people think of me and say about me: I'm sure it was much more unkind when I was fat than now when I look a little older. And frankly, I couldn't care less. I did this for me, and it was the best decision I have ever made.
I can only speak for myself, but I LOVE the new me! I have so much more energy, enthusiasm, confidence and hope for the future than I did a couple of years ago as an obese person with health problems and the likelihood of a heart attack within a decade. Now that I know how great it feels to be at a healthy weight, I wouldn't ever want to go back to the old me.
Don't worry about what you will eat after surgery. You will find that your tastes change and you won't crave many of the unhealthy things you enjoyed before. And you can have a glass of wine and some cheese every now and then--it's a matter of moderation. I used to love sweets and high fat foods, and I don't eat them at all any more--and I never feel deprived.
We all have fears and reservations about bariatric surgery, but you almost never hear anyone expressing regrets about having it done once they see how great they feel and how much more they can enjoy life once they get to a healthy weight.

I was going to say the same thing. I intentionally went about 10 pounds below my goal so that I would be at my goal weight when I gained it back--and I did. With very little trouble, I might add.

My laproscopic scars are barely noticeable at this point. You have to really look to find even the largest one where the scope went in.

Hi, KJ--and welcome! I'm nearby in Australia.
I think that you already know the answer to your question based on a few of the statements in your post:
"I know that losing weight and gaining health will be far more important than how old I may look, and what people think." "I have bad health issues like asthma, high BP, and really need two knee replacements....So it's going to be so good for my health I know." "Excited for the journey for a new me and better health."
Exactly right--this is all about your health. It's about getting rid of the medical conditions that come with obesity and feeling good for the first time in decades, with lots of energy and a new zest for life. Looking slimmer is a nice side effect of the surgery, but the real reason to do it is to improve your health and add years to your life. I was 59 when I got surgery and can't believe how much younger and more energetic I FEEL. I wish I had done it years earlier.
Do I LOOK younger? No. The weight loss in my face and neck has aged me a bit, and I will admit that it was a little disconcerting at first, but I'm used to it. As for what people think of me and say about me: I'm sure it was much more unkind when I was fat than now when I look a little older. And frankly, I couldn't care less. I did this for me, and it was the best decision I have ever made.
I can only speak for myself, but I LOVE the new me! I have so much more energy, enthusiasm, confidence and hope for the future than I did a couple of years ago as an obese person with health problems and the likelihood of a heart attack within a decade. Now that I know how great it feels to be at a healthy weight, I wouldn't ever want to go back to the old me.
Don't worry about what you will eat after surgery. You will find that your tastes change and you won't crave many of the unhealthy things you enjoyed before. And you can have a glass of wine and some cheese every now and then--it's a matter of moderation. I used to love sweets and high fat foods, and I don't eat them at all any more--and I never feel deprived.
We all have fears and reservations about bariatric surgery, but you almost never hear anyone expressing regrets about having it done once they see how great they feel and how much more they can enjoy life once they get to a healthy weight.

Hi, KJ--and welcome! I'm nearby in Australia.
I think that you already know the answer to your question based on a few of the statements in your post:
"I know that losing weight and gaining health will be far more important than how old I may look, and what people think." "I have bad health issues like asthma, high BP, and really need two knee replacements....So it's going to be so good for my health I know." "Excited for the journey for a new me and better health."
Exactly right--this is all about your health. It's about getting rid of the medical conditions that come with obesity and feeling good for the first time in decades, with lots of energy and a new zest for life. Looking slimmer is a nice side effect of the surgery, but the real reason to do it is to improve your health and add years to your life. I was 59 when I got surgery and can't believe how much younger and more energetic I FEEL. I wish I had done it years earlier.
Do I LOOK younger? No. The weight loss in my face and neck has aged me a bit, and I will admit that it was a little disconcerting at first, but I'm used to it. As for what people think of me and say about me: I'm sure it was much more unkind when I was fat than now when I look a little older. And frankly, I couldn't care less. I did this for me, and it was the best decision I have ever made.
I can only speak for myself, but I LOVE the new me! I have so much more energy, enthusiasm, confidence and hope for the future than I did a couple of years ago as an obese person with health problems and the likelihood of a heart attack within a decade. Now that I know how great it feels to be at a healthy weight, I wouldn't ever want to go back to the old me.
Don't worry about what you will eat after surgery. You will find that your tastes change and you won't crave many of the unhealthy things you enjoyed before. And you can have a glass of wine and some cheese every now and then--it's a matter of moderation. I used to love sweets and high fat foods, and I don't eat them at all any more--and I never feel deprived.
We all have fears and reservations about bariatric surgery, but you almost never hear anyone expressing regrets about having it done once they see how great they feel and how much more they can enjoy life once they get to a healthy weight.

Hi, KJ--and welcome! I'm nearby in Australia.
I think that you already know the answer to your question based on a few of the statements in your post:
"I know that losing weight and gaining health will be far more important than how old I may look, and what people think." "I have bad health issues like asthma, high BP, and really need two knee replacements....So it's going to be so good for my health I know." "Excited for the journey for a new me and better health."
Exactly right--this is all about your health. It's about getting rid of the medical conditions that come with obesity and feeling good for the first time in decades, with lots of energy and a new zest for life. Looking slimmer is a nice side effect of the surgery, but the real reason to do it is to improve your health and add years to your life. I was 59 when I got surgery and can't believe how much younger and more energetic I FEEL. I wish I had done it years earlier.
Do I LOOK younger? No. The weight loss in my face and neck has aged me a bit, and I will admit that it was a little disconcerting at first, but I'm used to it. As for what people think of me and say about me: I'm sure it was much more unkind when I was fat than now when I look a little older. And frankly, I couldn't care less. I did this for me, and it was the best decision I have ever made.
I can only speak for myself, but I LOVE the new me! I have so much more energy, enthusiasm, confidence and hope for the future than I did a couple of years ago as an obese person with health problems and the likelihood of a heart attack within a decade. Now that I know how great it feels to be at a healthy weight, I wouldn't ever want to go back to the old me.
Don't worry about what you will eat after surgery. You will find that your tastes change and you won't crave many of the unhealthy things you enjoyed before. And you can have a glass of wine and some cheese every now and then--it's a matter of moderation. I used to love sweets and high fat foods, and I don't eat them at all any more--and I never feel deprived.
We all have fears and reservations about bariatric surgery, but you almost never hear anyone expressing regrets about having it done once they see how great they feel and how much more they can enjoy life once they get to a healthy weight.

My laproscopic scars are barely noticeable at this point. You have to really look to find even the largest one where the scope went in.

Hi, KJ--and welcome! I'm nearby in Australia.
I think that you already know the answer to your question based on a few of the statements in your post:
"I know that losing weight and gaining health will be far more important than how old I may look, and what people think." "I have bad health issues like asthma, high BP, and really need two knee replacements....So it's going to be so good for my health I know." "Excited for the journey for a new me and better health."
Exactly right--this is all about your health. It's about getting rid of the medical conditions that come with obesity and feeling good for the first time in decades, with lots of energy and a new zest for life. Looking slimmer is a nice side effect of the surgery, but the real reason to do it is to improve your health and add years to your life. I was 59 when I got surgery and can't believe how much younger and more energetic I FEEL. I wish I had done it years earlier.
Do I LOOK younger? No. The weight loss in my face and neck has aged me a bit, and I will admit that it was a little disconcerting at first, but I'm used to it. As for what people think of me and say about me: I'm sure it was much more unkind when I was fat than now when I look a little older. And frankly, I couldn't care less. I did this for me, and it was the best decision I have ever made.
I can only speak for myself, but I LOVE the new me! I have so much more energy, enthusiasm, confidence and hope for the future than I did a couple of years ago as an obese person with health problems and the likelihood of a heart attack within a decade. Now that I know how great it feels to be at a healthy weight, I wouldn't ever want to go back to the old me.
Don't worry about what you will eat after surgery. You will find that your tastes change and you won't crave many of the unhealthy things you enjoyed before. And you can have a glass of wine and some cheese every now and then--it's a matter of moderation. I used to love sweets and high fat foods, and I don't eat them at all any more--and I never feel deprived.
We all have fears and reservations about bariatric surgery, but you almost never hear anyone expressing regrets about having it done once they see how great they feel and how much more they can enjoy life once they get to a healthy weight.

I had two major concerns:
1. Complications from the surgery, including dying on the table. I was so freaked out that I burst into tears as I was being wheeled into surgery. As it turns out, I did have a complication: my pouch leaked and I had to stay in the hospital a couple of extra days. However, it was easily fixed and did not affect my later success at all.
2. Never being able to eat "normally" again. I was afraid that I would never again be able to enjoy food or eat the things I loved. 18 months out, that's not an issue at all. I'm certainly not eating like I used to, but I eat a variety of foods and don't feel at all deprived. In retrospect, I'm eating normally now--and I wasn't before.

I experienced severe dizziness, almost to the point of passing out. For me, it was a combination of not getting enough Water and the fact that I continued taking the blood pressure meds I had been on prior to surgery. My doctor recommended stopping them and the situation improved pretty quickly.

Hi, SAS. I'm so sorry to hear that you feel this forum is not a supportive environment. Aside from my surgeon's office, I actually found Bariatric Pal to be the best place to turn for support, advice and information. I learned so much from the other members here and found that as a rule we encouraged each other and cheered the successes of other members.
I have seen the types of "shaming" posts you are talking about, but in my experience they are few and far between--and I think they are far outweighed by the positive and helpful posts. You will sometimes see "tough love" posts in response to people whose behavior suggests that they are not taking their diets seriously, but sometimes that's what they need. There's a difference between that and bullying or shaming.
I had my surgery in February 2019, and there was a thread for all of us who had surgeries that month. We became like a social club and really got to know each other, and I found that tremendously helpful during the first 6 to 8 months. (I will admit that we are no longer very active now that we are all in maintenance.)
Like you, I have not found any other sites that are as active as this one. I would urge you to stick with Bariatric Pal for a while. Hopefully you will find the support here that I have, and you can simply ignore the few people who engage in shaming. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have via a private message if you like (although I had bypass, not a sleeve).
I wish you all the best going forward, and I hope you find the support you need, whether it's here or elsewhere.

Hi, SAS. I'm so sorry to hear that you feel this forum is not a supportive environment. Aside from my surgeon's office, I actually found Bariatric Pal to be the best place to turn for support, advice and information. I learned so much from the other members here and found that as a rule we encouraged each other and cheered the successes of other members.
I have seen the types of "shaming" posts you are talking about, but in my experience they are few and far between--and I think they are far outweighed by the positive and helpful posts. You will sometimes see "tough love" posts in response to people whose behavior suggests that they are not taking their diets seriously, but sometimes that's what they need. There's a difference between that and bullying or shaming.
I had my surgery in February 2019, and there was a thread for all of us who had surgeries that month. We became like a social club and really got to know each other, and I found that tremendously helpful during the first 6 to 8 months. (I will admit that we are no longer very active now that we are all in maintenance.)
Like you, I have not found any other sites that are as active as this one. I would urge you to stick with Bariatric Pal for a while. Hopefully you will find the support here that I have, and you can simply ignore the few people who engage in shaming. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have via a private message if you like (although I had bypass, not a sleeve).
I wish you all the best going forward, and I hope you find the support you need, whether it's here or elsewhere.

Get rid of them. During my weight loss, I donated everything that no longer fit and bought a few second-hand items just so I had something that fit until I lost more.
One word of warning: I bought lots of new clothes when I reached my lowest weight of 132. Then I had a 10-pound gain during maintenance before settling in at 142. I would recommend waiting until you have been on maintenance for a while before splurging on a whole new wardrobe.

I had no forms to fill out. It was a very casual 20-minute conversation with a psychiatrist/psychologist (not sure which it was) just to make sure that I understood what I was doing and the fact that it was a lifetime commitment. Just a box to check and not a big deal at all.

I will add that my surgeon said that stretching the pouch after bypass is nearly impossible to do. You can, however, eat significantly more over time than you can during the first year, and as others have said, you can eat quite a bit of the wrong things once you are in maintenance. The surgery is a tool to lose weight, but it's a matter of discipline to shift to a healthy lifestyle and keep the weight off.

I had no forms to fill out. It was a very casual 20-minute conversation with a psychiatrist/psychologist (not sure which it was) just to make sure that I understood what I was doing and the fact that it was a lifetime commitment. Just a box to check and not a big deal at all.

I will add that my surgeon said that stretching the pouch after bypass is nearly impossible to do. You can, however, eat significantly more over time than you can during the first year, and as others have said, you can eat quite a bit of the wrong things once you are in maintenance. The surgery is a tool to lose weight, but it's a matter of discipline to shift to a healthy lifestyle and keep the weight off.

I will add that my surgeon said that stretching the pouch after bypass is nearly impossible to do. You can, however, eat significantly more over time than you can during the first year, and as others have said, you can eat quite a bit of the wrong things once you are in maintenance. The surgery is a tool to lose weight, but it's a matter of discipline to shift to a healthy lifestyle and keep the weight off.

Hi, SAS. I'm so sorry to hear that you feel this forum is not a supportive environment. Aside from my surgeon's office, I actually found Bariatric Pal to be the best place to turn for support, advice and information. I learned so much from the other members here and found that as a rule we encouraged each other and cheered the successes of other members.
I have seen the types of "shaming" posts you are talking about, but in my experience they are few and far between--and I think they are far outweighed by the positive and helpful posts. You will sometimes see "tough love" posts in response to people whose behavior suggests that they are not taking their diets seriously, but sometimes that's what they need. There's a difference between that and bullying or shaming.
I had my surgery in February 2019, and there was a thread for all of us who had surgeries that month. We became like a social club and really got to know each other, and I found that tremendously helpful during the first 6 to 8 months. (I will admit that we are no longer very active now that we are all in maintenance.)
Like you, I have not found any other sites that are as active as this one. I would urge you to stick with Bariatric Pal for a while. Hopefully you will find the support here that I have, and you can simply ignore the few people who engage in shaming. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have via a private message if you like (although I had bypass, not a sleeve).
I wish you all the best going forward, and I hope you find the support you need, whether it's here or elsewhere.

My favorite is Quest chocolate chip cookie dough.

Hi, SAS. I'm so sorry to hear that you feel this forum is not a supportive environment. Aside from my surgeon's office, I actually found Bariatric Pal to be the best place to turn for support, advice and information. I learned so much from the other members here and found that as a rule we encouraged each other and cheered the successes of other members.
I have seen the types of "shaming" posts you are talking about, but in my experience they are few and far between--and I think they are far outweighed by the positive and helpful posts. You will sometimes see "tough love" posts in response to people whose behavior suggests that they are not taking their diets seriously, but sometimes that's what they need. There's a difference between that and bullying or shaming.
I had my surgery in February 2019, and there was a thread for all of us who had surgeries that month. We became like a social club and really got to know each other, and I found that tremendously helpful during the first 6 to 8 months. (I will admit that we are no longer very active now that we are all in maintenance.)
Like you, I have not found any other sites that are as active as this one. I would urge you to stick with Bariatric Pal for a while. Hopefully you will find the support here that I have, and you can simply ignore the few people who engage in shaming. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have via a private message if you like (although I had bypass, not a sleeve).
I wish you all the best going forward, and I hope you find the support you need, whether it's here or elsewhere.

I was 59 when I had surgery and am now 61. No regrets whatsoever, and just wish I had done it sooner.
I was also told by a doctor that I should consider surgery after decades of yo-yo dieting, including multiple commercial diets (Atkins, Optifast, Nutri-System, etc.). Yes, I lost weight every time, and gained it back much more quickly than it had taken to lose it. My doctor was blunt: I had another 10 to 12 years before a major cardiac incident that I might not survive. That was the push I needed to get surgery. He also told me that there was little possibility at my age of losing a meaningful amount of weight and keeping it off.
I also considered surgery the "easy way out." As anyone here can tell you, however, that is definitely not the case. It's a tool that will help you lose a lot of weight quickly, but it still takes lifelong discipline and a mental shift in the way you view food. I didn't realize before surgery how easy it can be to gain the weight back after a few years if you return to your old eating habits.
The bottom line: DO IT! Your health and quality of life will be improved immeasurably!

Thank you for your kind words.
The “tough love” posts aren’t quite as bad as the shaming and bullying ones, but I would put them in the same general category (i.e. posts that make me not want to participate in this community). Different people have different needs, and I respect that. Personally, I don’t believe in “tough love” and I consider it to be not really love and a mild form of bullying. If someone replied in such a way to something I posted seeking support, I would be likely to leave and never come back.

I was 59 when I had surgery and am now 61. No regrets whatsoever, and just wish I had done it sooner.
I was also told by a doctor that I should consider surgery after decades of yo-yo dieting, including multiple commercial diets (Atkins, Optifast, Nutri-System, etc.). Yes, I lost weight every time, and gained it back much more quickly than it had taken to lose it. My doctor was blunt: I had another 10 to 12 years before a major cardiac incident that I might not survive. That was the push I needed to get surgery. He also told me that there was little possibility at my age of losing a meaningful amount of weight and keeping it off.
I also considered surgery the "easy way out." As anyone here can tell you, however, that is definitely not the case. It's a tool that will help you lose a lot of weight quickly, but it still takes lifelong discipline and a mental shift in the way you view food. I didn't realize before surgery how easy it can be to gain the weight back after a few years if you return to your old eating habits.
The bottom line: DO IT! Your health and quality of life will be improved immeasurably!

I was 59 when I had surgery and am now 61. No regrets whatsoever, and just wish I had done it sooner.
I was also told by a doctor that I should consider surgery after decades of yo-yo dieting, including multiple commercial diets (Atkins, Optifast, Nutri-System, etc.). Yes, I lost weight every time, and gained it back much more quickly than it had taken to lose it. My doctor was blunt: I had another 10 to 12 years before a major cardiac incident that I might not survive. That was the push I needed to get surgery. He also told me that there was little possibility at my age of losing a meaningful amount of weight and keeping it off.
I also considered surgery the "easy way out." As anyone here can tell you, however, that is definitely not the case. It's a tool that will help you lose a lot of weight quickly, but it still takes lifelong discipline and a mental shift in the way you view food. I didn't realize before surgery how easy it can be to gain the weight back after a few years if you return to your old eating habits.
The bottom line: DO IT! Your health and quality of life will be improved immeasurably!