I am considering vertical sleeve surgery. Currently, I am waiting for insurance approval before setting a date with my surgeon.

I have been spending some time reading the pre and post surgery posts at this forum. And I have a question for people who have gotten the surgery done.

To be honest with you, reading some of post surgery posts are making me scared. It seems that quality of life is not much better after the surgery then it is before. Before you have to deal with problems related with being over weight, after the surgery you have to deal with so many issues relating to having almost no stomach.

IS IT REALLY WORTH IT???? After going through the surgery, recovery time, any complications, and the new life style you have to keep...If you had to do it all over again, would you still do the surgery?

Honestly if it were my daughter contemplating having part of her stomach removed, I'd worry too. But knowing how positive the results are now, I would be happy to hold her hand and do all I could to support her. I hope yours get comfortable with it and aren't too scared and when all is said and done they are very proud of your strength and determination to get healthy.

Glad you have a date now. It helps a lot to have a date once you've made up your mind. Best of everything to you! Keep us posted.

Yay BJean I would do exactly the same

Jane x

Look, let's be honest. It's not without challenges.

But the fact is that there is simply no way that I could have lost 60 lbs and kept it off before surgery.

Just losing 60 lbs has probably already added 10 years to my life.

So, despite my griping and kvetching, would I do it over again?

In a heartbeat.

Lets look at it this way. What used to be hard was having sex with my husband and feeling like a walrus. What used to be hard was sitting in the middle seat of a plane and feeling like a stuffed animal trying not to breathe as to invade the people next to me. What used to be hard was going for my annual ob visit and having the doctor look disgusted by my gluttony. What used to be hard was having my pediatrician fuss hard at me for over feeding my children. What used to be hard was having to buy only clothes that kind of fit as opposed to what I liked to wear. What used to be hard was having men look at me not bc I was pretty but bc they were so unattracted to me. What used to be hard was running into people from high school that knew me at half the weight. What used to be hard is having my kids and husband mimick my snores and sleep noises as my body struggled to get air. What used to be hard was having to wait to wake up in the morning to see how much energy I had that day, so I could see whether I'd have any mental/physical ability to be productive or not. What used to be hard was knowing my life expectancy was short and praying I could live as long as my kids might need me around. And what was hardest, for me, was having no self control to change things to make it better for me and my family. To escape the rut.

Flash forward to last night my husband was making love to me while telling me he felt like he had a new girlfriend. Flash forward to every morning as I wake up I feeling my old friends...my solid high school hip bones that were long ago forgotten but now rediscovered. Flash forward to flyng on a plane in July and realizing the airlines had finally made more room in the seats, and my belt now had inches to spare. Flash forward to now I do not allow my sons to overindulge as much on sugar, sodas, flour and we work out as a family at home. Flash forward to a few months after surgery my 3yo became frantic in the darkness of night bc he felt he "lost his family"...he could not find our bed bc he couldn't hear me snoring anymore to direct him where to go. Flash forward to EVERY DAY I now have the energy I need to do what I need to do and my businesses are more successful as a result. Flash forward to realizing I can live plenty of years now bc my health risks are all but gone, and my husband won't have to search for a new wife/mother of our children because Mommy passed away from overeating.

This surgery simply, because it is simple if done well, saved my life.

I would not change a thing.

Edited August 13, 201015 yr by pumpkin07

Pumpkin, best post ever....SEAVIEW

Pumpkin, I agree with Seaview. Thank you for taking the time to put your thoughts down. I identify with your before and after experiences. I couldn't have said it better!

This surgery simply, because it is simple if done well, saved my life.

I would not change a thing.

Thank you for that post. That, I think, is the most eloquent description that I have ever seen of why anyone would want the sleeve, and what it does for one's quality of life. Thank you, so very, very much. It was beautiful.

Pumpkins that is the best explanation of why this is a great surgery I have every seen. Bless you my darling.

Jane x

Lets look at it this way. What used to be hard was .....

This surgery simply, because it is simple if done well, saved my life.

I would not change a thing.

This was very inspirational. I haven't experienced some of the issues you mentioned, but I'm sure if I had waited another 5-10 years and packed on another 50 pounds, I would've lived through all of them. Congratulations on taking control of your health and living life to the fullest.

I'm trying not to be depressed. You have a small child which means you're much younger than I. You're getting the help you need to become normal when you're in the prime of your life. I've spent the better part of my life being obese. I'm trying to live in the future instead of being depressed about all those wasted years. What can be very inspirational to some is sorta depressing to others.

shake it off you nutball! Ok. I'm over the pity party. I'm fine now. Move along, nothing to see here... :biggrin0:

Thanks guys, I was not expecting those comments at all, just thought it was a good question and reflecting how much a few lbs changed quality of life for me and my family. And btw I'm 47 years old. I do have a 3yo - and a 12 yo and they are an inspiration to me.

Well those kids are very fortunate to have such a great mom!

You are all lovely.

Jane x

It's hard when we have such a great op but we are so old to reap the benefits!

BJean I know exactly what you mean. I am 57 almost 58 and I wish I had done this years ago too. I plan to

make the best out of the coming years though and being thin makes that a whole lot easier.

Amen to that!

A good friend told me not to live in the past or I will miss the present and not be ready for the future. She's right! Onward and upward!

At least we did finally get ourselves moving in the right direction. Hurrah for us!