any regrets?

[hope@50plus 0]

I have not gotten my date yet, but it will probably be in December. I am nervous. I worry that I will still crave food the same way before the surgery. I hate the way I feel and look now. My cardiologist is very happy that I want to do this. I do want to live longer and be healthy, but I know this is permanent. I can't get the band due to a blood disorder, but after reading this forum, I don't think I would want to. My daughter has the band and she lost 80 pounds, but eating is hard for her. I am hoping that won't be the case for me. I am happy I can come here and read everyone's stories. I just want to know if anyone had regrets. Thanks. :thumbup1:

[Tiffykins 672]

Zero regrets, I live a perfectly, normal, fully-functioning life post-op. I do eat smaller portions, but I don't have any struggles with food.

Remember, food cravings are mental. They operate on our stomachs, not our brains. Grant it, cravings are more manageable, but I get cravings for Mexican and Thai food just like I did pre-op. The key is making the "better" choice when cravings hit. It's a lot easier to make the best choice with the sleeve. I still have to be mindful of what I put in my mouth.

Here is another post with a bunch of replies about regrets if you'd like to read more:

http://verticalsleevetalk.com/post-operation-vertical-sleeve-gastric-surgery-vsg-questions-answers/8907-do-you-regret-surgery-miss-eating-bigger-meals.html

[thinoneday 445]

I have not gotten my date yet, but it will probably be in December. I am nervous. I worry that I will still crave food the same way before the surgery. I hate the way I feel and look now. My cardiologist is very happy that I want to do this. I do want to live longer and be healthy, but I know this is permanent. I can't get the band due to a blood disorder, but after reading this forum, I don't think I would want to. My daughter has the band and she lost 80 pounds, but eating is hard for her. I am hoping that won't be the case for me. I am happy I can come here and read everyone's stories. I just want to know if anyone had regrets. Thanks. :thumbup1:

Hi, firstly i'm from san antonio also! i had my surgery done by Dr. Cavazos from NE baptist. . . fab surgeon . . . check out my ticker on my weight loss progress . . . the cravings are head hunger and that is the part that you'll need to work on. . . it's really hard, but look at it this way, you won't be pigging out like you used to before the surgery. . . you can't its physically impossible. . . you eat so little but you feel so good . . you can actually follow a diet if you wish or not. . . the first few months are a big time learning curve . . and you'll have those "why did i do this" moments. . . but as it gets easier, and you see the pounds fall off (with the occasional stall) you get more and more used to your new lifestyle. . . any questions you have just ask, we are all here for you. . . you'll do great and i'm glad you picked to have the sleeve and not the band . . . i've heard so many negatives about the band. . .

[mysparky 1]

Hope -

I'm with you on this and I'm also combing the boards to read stories about how people have overcome their complete love affair with food. I want to make sure I go into this with eyes wide open - not just in terms of the actual surgery, but also in terms of post-surgery.

I just read through the link Tiffykins provided and there are some very powerful stories in there. I guess I didn't truly, truly believe that there are people out here like me that like to "go to bed fat, stuffed and happy". It also struck me that a number of people here have been closet eaters and now they've found a sort of declared a "truce" with food. Definitely a post I will read through more than once.

Good luck to you in your journey.

mysparky

[Kelly G. 2]

I have zero regrets. The positive things motivate you to avoid the negative things I think. I thought I would miss the big meals, but I don't. I eat pretty much whatever I want, just less of it. It is the best thing I ever did for myself!!

[Krista2653 5]

I'm only a month out and am now advanced to "regular" foods and will say that I still crave some foods, but it is much more do-able. For me, when I went on a diet, it would be so frustrating to do all I could and work so hard to lose a pound every 2 weeks and would eventually give up. Now, the results keep coming and it is a motivator to help me to stay on track.

My brother is on the other side of the country serving a mission and I put together a package for him with mac-n-cheese, pringles and rice crispy treats. I have some left over that are still sitting in my pantry and I still look at them everytime I go in for my Protein shake, but it is much easier to resist!

The hardest thing I have found now is that cooking doesn't make sense...it is a lot of effort for 2 bites and those "quick and convenient" things to snack on/make a meal of are mostly a no-no....but I have dealt with it much better then I have in the past.

Surgery was a last-resort for me and now that I finally have this tool, it makes me WANT to do better and helps me be better. It's funny when I think about it, but I don't feel alone - like I'm not doing this by myself - that I have something helping me along and in the first month, I've lost over 23lbs. I could have never done this without my sleeve and I haven't put in NEAR the effort as I have in the past to only lose 1/4 of that in a month!

I have had one moment of "what did I do?", but it was only because I got a little sick over a Soup that had a bit too much sugar in it and another moment of concern when I stalled at 2 weeks....but those were brief moments and I would do it all over again and wouldn't change a thing.

You can do this!!

[hope@50plus 0]

Thanks for all the advice and inspiration!!

[Mary Gordon 3]

nope, i was very fortunate to go with Dr. Aceves....so i didn't have any complications......feel very blessed.

[MlkPas 5]

No regrets at all. At all, at all. Except that I totally regret this surgery wasn't available 20-plus years ago!!

I'm probably the slowest loser on this board, partly because I'm older and partly because I didn't have all that much to lose, but I am still over-the-moon happy with the surgery and my progress. I'd say 85% of my cravings are gone, and the great thing is that even when I give in, the sleeve keeps me from doing too much damage.

This operation is the best. thing. ever.

[lunarose 97]

Hi, I am also 50 plus and am one month out and have no regrets.

Nancy

[Barbie_70 0]

Im 4 weeks out and Im so proud to do this. You cant eat like before but you are not hungry anymore. Thats wonderful for me. I have no problems at all.