What is stopping you?

What are the reasons that are stopping you from having WLS? So many of us contemplate what our lives would be like if only we could only lose the weight and keep it off. That is the KEY—KEEP IT OFF.

I would say the fear of having the surgery is the biggest factors that stop so many of us. There is always a risk with ANY kind of surgery. So how do you overcome that fear? I think the best thing you can do is to educate yourself and figure out what type of weight loss surgery is best for you. For me it was the sleeve (VSG). I rules out the Lapland right away after talking to my PCP. And I knew very little about the sleeve until I did a lot of research and I knew it was best for me.

I had my surgery done 2 years and 8 months ago. I had hoped that my insurance would pay for it. That was NEVER going to happen. So I figured out that I was going to have to pay for it all on my own. So, I think that is the next obstacle the most of us have to deal with—insurance our self-pay.

Since mine was self-pay and I had a very close friend who had WLS and she was self-pay, I started to ask questions. She is a Nurse Practitioner and I trusted her judgment implicitly. But she encouraged me to check out all the possibilities of what Doctor I was going to pick to do my WLS. We picked the same doctor by the way.

I think the next obstacle is telling our family and friends that we want to have WLS. So many of them have horror stories about people who have had WLS and died or had complications, and honestly this is mostly gossip that they are repeating. It used to be looked on as that you were weak and this was something everyone kept quiet about and didn’t talk about having WLS. It just was a NO, NO. Honestly; I think our families love us and are scared and they get on the Internet and get all the wrong information.

We have the fear of “what if I am the ONE person this isn’t going to work on?” WLS is your tool and you have to learn how to make your tool work for you.

So if you are sitting out there on the fence or lurking and reading everyone’s post, I wanted to share with you that about 99% of us have had to deal with most of these feelings and obstacles. I want you to know that you can overcome these fears and feeling. We are here to support you. Answer questions for you and just help in any way we can.

I was lucky enough to have the top of the line team of doctors and support staff that was there to answer all my questions before and after the surgery. I had Dr. Aceves and Dr. Compos in Mexicali, Mexico. Now there was another thing that was an obstacle too—the thought of going to Mexico to have this surgery done. Well, I will tell you that this was the best choice I could have made. Their facility was incredible along with their staff. The hospital cleaner than any US hospital I have ever seen in. I can only speak about my experience, because that is all I know about.

Hugs, and I am here if you want to talk or have any questions.

Great post Mama S! Fear of the unknown is usually what keeps us from moving forward! When we face our fears we feel so much stronger!

I've already chickend out once and I am now undergoing the pre-op 6 month wait - I should be sleeved in mid-November. I'm currently gung-ho but, I do have worries that I'll back out of surgery again. This time around, I've tried to only disclose my upcoming surgery to supportive people. I surprisingly have still heard a couple negative comments but, I'm still plugg'n along! At 243 lbs, I KNOW that the VSG is what's best for me!! Thanks for the uplifting words!!!!!!!!!!

Great post Mama S! Fear of the unknown is usually what keeps us from moving forward! When we face our fears we feel so much stronger!

Hey Sweetie,

You are one of those success stories, and it is only going to keep getting better. I have somehing that I wanted you to have. I wrote it some time ago. But it is about the 1st months. I am here if you have any questions.

Some things that you may have happen in the 1st months.

When some of these things started to happen to me, I thought WOW am I the only

one that this is going on with. Well, let me tell you NO, I wasn't. So I made

this list and try to post it at least once a month for the new people who have

just had surgery, about to have WLS,or someone who is just sitting quietly out

there reading these posts, trying make up their mind if they want to do this or

not.

You have just had surgery and for a lot of you, you have read all the things

everyone has posted on Dr. Aceves Web Site. They are helpful and encouraging. I

spent some time with a lovely lady yesterday on the phone because she was sure I

would have some of the answers for her. I hope I did and I think these are

things that all of you can hear and use if you have just had weight loss

surgery. So I will post this from time to time for all the NEWBIES.

I am sure you have heard me and others say MANY times over "the 1st month is the

most difficult month you will do." You have also heard me say that your brain

will work extremely hard at play tricks on you. You read it and think oh sure,

I can deal with that—and some of you are sure that this will never happen to

you. It will happen to so many of us and we aren't even aware it is happening.

This person was absolutely positive that she was just starving and was really

hungry. She told me what she had been eating. She also said she was weak. I

asked if she had been drinking her Water and her answer was just like mine was

that 1st month. "Well, I can't begin to drink all that water"—remember your new

stomach will only hold about 2 oz when you are trying to drink all this water.

And like me she was having a difficult time getting in the amount of Protein she

should be having 70 grams—no wonder she was feeling weak. After your stomach has

healed most new stomachs will hold 6 to 8 oz of food or water. That is what we

wanted a permanent restrictions so we can lose weight.

So I will say this again, you MUST SIP on your water all day long when you are

awake and the same goes for the protein that you are using—drink what you can

and then sip the rest until you get it down. You need the protein to help your

body recover. Your new stomach has experienced surgery and is swollen and will

only hold liquids about the size of your thumb. This is our relearning time,

and for most of us we have developed some extremely bad eating habits. Our OLD

thinking brain tells us that we need to be eating more food, and we are not used

to Clear Liquids for 10 day and creamy liquids for 10 days and then mushy foods

the last 10 days. I want you to tell yourself this is only for 30 days and you

can do anything for 30 days. It gets better as time goes one, I promise you.

If you think you are hungry and you are positive that you are having physical

symptoms of hunger this is YOUR OLD thinking brain playing those tricks we have

talked about. You now have to start learning to educate this OLD brain into

being your NEW thinking brain. Ask yourself do you just "want to eat" or do you

really "need to eat" because it has been 3 or 4 hours since you have eaten

anything. It is amazing what our brains can and will do to sabotage our old

eating habits. You may be challenged by this OLD brains way of thinking for

many years. For me I just have to have some self talks with myself. We have an

addiction and our happens to be food. There is no way around avoiding food, so

we need to find the set of skills that will allow us to change our lifestyle. I

eat to live, I NO LONGER live to eat! Food is not my main focus in life.

It does take some time to retain yourself in eating and I know that first month

it is such a process just trying to get all the food in that you need to get in

because of your new restrictions. In time it does get a lot easier. Some

people morn the loss of food, because you will NEVER EAT the quantity of food

that we used to eat---YEAH that is how we are going to lose the fat and maintain

that goal weight that we want to have for the rest of our lives.

These are the things that you will deal with in that FIRST MONTH and I am trying

to be fair and honest about them.<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">Hugs, Sara

ASKA to Sara as Mama Sleeve!

I've already chickend out once and I am now undergoing the pre-op 6 month wait - I should be sleeved in mid-November. I'm currently gung-ho but, I do have worries that I'll back out of surgery again. This time around, I've tried to only disclose my upcoming surgery to supportive people. I surprisingly have still heard a couple negative comments but, I'm still plugg'n along! At 243 lbs, I KNOW that the VSG is what's best for me!! Thanks for the uplifting words!!!!!!!!!!

Hey,

Not a problem at all. My goal after having weight loss surgery was because I had all the same feelings and emotions that you are having was to help people along the way. I felt I was good with people and I have walked the walk, and talked the talk. So I hope that I can help others overcome some of these things and emotions that they are having. They are ALL very normal feeling and emotions to have by the way. It is the fear of the unknown for most of us.

So always know that I am just an e-mail away. I try to read my E-mails daily. So if you are having a melt down, I am here and I am always posting stuff all the time.

By the way you have made some smart choices and this time it really is going to happen for you. I am very proud that you are putting yourself first this time. This is ALL ABOUT YOU AND NO ONE ELSE. Don't you ever forget that. You are worth this.

Hugs,

Suzanne

Great encoruagement from a vet

Hey Sweetie,

You are one of those success stories, and it is only going to keep getting better. I have somehing that I wanted you to have. I wrote it some time ago. But it is about the 1st months. I am here if you have any questions.

Some things that you may have happen in the 1st months.

When some of these things started to happen to me, I thought WOW am I the only

one that this is going on with. Well, let me tell you NO, I wasn't. So I made

this list and try to post it at least once a month for the new people who have

just had surgery, about to have WLS,or someone who is just sitting quietly out

there reading these posts, trying make up their mind if they want to do this or

not.

You have just had surgery and for a lot of you, you have read all the things

everyone has posted on Dr. Aceves Web Site. They are helpful and encouraging. I

spent some time with a lovely lady yesterday on the phone because she was sure I

would have some of the answers for her. I hope I did and I think these are

things that all of you can hear and use if you have just had weight loss

surgery. So I will post this from time to time for all the NEWBIES.

I am sure you have heard me and others say MANY times over "the 1st month is the

most difficult month you will do." You have also heard me say that your brain

will work extremely hard at play tricks on you. You read it and think oh sure,

I can deal with that—and some of you are sure that this will never happen to

you. It will happen to so many of us and we aren't even aware it is happening.

This person was absolutely positive that she was just starving and was really

hungry. She told me what she had been eating. She also said she was weak. I

asked if she had been drinking her Water and her answer was just like mine was

that 1st month. "Well, I can't begin to drink all that water"—remember your new

stomach will only hold about 2 oz when you are trying to drink all this water.

And like me she was having a difficult time getting in the amount of Protein she

should be having 70 grams—no wonder she was feeling weak. After your stomach has

healed most new stomachs will hold 6 to 8 oz of food or water. That is what we

wanted a permanent restrictions so we can lose weight.

So I will say this again, you MUST SIP on your water all day long when you are

awake and the same goes for the protein that you are using—drink what you can

and then sip the rest until you get it down. You need the protein to help your

body recover. Your new stomach has experienced surgery and is swollen and will

only hold liquids about the size of your thumb. This is our relearning time,

and for most of us we have developed some extremely bad eating habits. Our OLD

thinking brain tells us that we need to be eating more food, and we are not used

to clear liquids for 10 day and creamy liquids for 10 days and then mushy foods

the last 10 days. I want you to tell yourself this is only for 30 days and you

can do anything for 30 days. It gets better as time goes one, I promise you.

If you think you are hungry and you are positive that you are having physical

symptoms of hunger this is YOUR OLD thinking brain playing those tricks we have

talked about. You now have to start learning to educate this OLD brain into

being your NEW thinking brain. Ask yourself do you just "want to eat" or do you

really "need to eat" because it has been 3 or 4 hours since you have eaten

anything. It is amazing what our brains can and will do to sabotage our old

eating habits. You may be challenged by this OLD brains way of thinking for

many years. For me I just have to have some self talks with myself. We have an

addiction and our happens to be food. There is no way around avoiding food, so

we need to find the set of skills that will allow us to change our lifestyle. I

eat to live, I NO LONGER live to eat! Food is not my main focus in life.

It does take some time to retain yourself in eating and I know that first month

it is such a process just trying to get all the food in that you need to get in

because of your new restrictions. In time it does get a lot easier. Some

people morn the loss of food, because you will NEVER EAT the quantity of food

that we used to eat---YEAH that is how we are going to lose the fat and maintain

that goal weight that we want to have for the rest of our lives.

These are the things that you will deal with in that FIRST MONTH and I am trying

to be fair and honest about them.<BR style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR style="mso-special-character: line-break">Hugs, Sara

ASKA to Sara as Mama Sleeve!

hi thank you for your message of encouragement, i am 364 lbs and have alot of weight to lose, my op is on 10th june, im from the UK and having my operation here too. I am very emotional at the moment and worry im not going pull through this being so large, but then i think what would my life be not having this WLS, im eternally grateful that we have fantastic surgeons in this world to help us.

hi thank you for your message of encouragement, i am 364 lbs and have alot of weight to lose, my op is on 10th june, im from the UK and having my operation here too. I am very emotional at the moment and worry im not going pull through this being so large, but then i think what would my life be not having this WLS, im eternally grateful that we have fantastic surgeons in this world to help us.

I was on the fence before I had the VSG on May 3rd. I was 363 the day of surgery. You will do just fine, I had the same worries as you about not pulling through and here I am feeling great. You will do great as well. Keep thinking positive thoughts

Great encoruagement from a vet

Hi

Thanks, I think that it is important that we give back if we have the time and we are willing. I want others to become successful too!.

Hugs,

Suzanne

hi thank you for your message of encouragement, i am 364 lbs and have alot of weight to lose, my op is on 10th June, I'm from the UK and having my operation here too. I am very emotional at the moment and worry I'm not going pull through this being so large, but then i think what would my life be not having this WLS, I'm eternally grateful that we have fantastic surgeons in this world to help us.

Hi,

We are so very lucky that there are doctors who have made WLS possible for all of us. Each and everyone of them shoud be applauded for helping us become healthy and happy again. I know this is a BIG step for you to take, but honestly you are doing something that is going to save your life. I have felt all the feelings and emotions that you are feeling. I am very proud of you for making the choice to change your entire life. I am here if you have any questions along the way.

Hugs,

Suzanne

I was on the fence before I had the VSG on May 3rd. I was 363 the day of surgery. You will do just fine, I had the same worries as you about not pulling through and here I am feeling great. You will do great as well. Keep thinking positive thoughts

HI,

Thanks for the GREAT post. It takes ALL of us to be able to help one or more than one person on this site. Just because someone doesn't respond to you doesn't mean that they didn't get something from your post. I loved all the things you said and you said them so well!!!! Congratulations to you for making the RIGHT choice and changing your entire life. You will never regret it.

Hugs,

Suzanne

Hi,

We are so very lucky that there are doctors who have made WLS possible for all of us. Each and everyone of them shoud be applauded for helping us become healthy and happy again. I know this is a BIG step for you to take, but honestly you are doing something that is going to save your life. I have felt all the feelings and emotions that you are feeling. I am very proud of you for making the choice to change your entire life. I am here if you have any questions along the way.

Hugs,

Suzanne

Thank you Suzanne your an inspiration and a great help

I was on the fence before I had the VSG on May 3rd. I was 363 the day of surgery. You will do just fine, I had the same worries as you about not pulling through and here I am feeling great. You will do great as well. Keep thinking positive thoughts

Thank you and gonrats on making the correct choice

laila