Sometimes I Luv The Forums Sometimes Not So Much!

[Shilo30 16]

Surgery is scheduled for Tues morning which I have mostly been excited about.... Then I read about post op'rs who aren't losing significant weight and it freaks me out!!!! I don't want to go through all this and then not be successful. I know I am in control of that but the what if's freak me out! What if I don't change? What if I don't lose? What if what if what if!?

[mkardh 51]

I having surgery may 21 and have the same thoughts going through my head.... but I know I will lose the weight as I have yet to see anyone on here not lose anything... it seems each person loses at different rates. I just hope I'm not on the slow side of weightloss.

[massindex 346]

If you are serious about losing the weight, you will lose the weight. This is a tool and if you want to be successful, it's up to you. The tool just puts the brakes on if (and when) we mess up once in a while.

[Back~To~Amy 307]

I too worry about not being successful with this. I think most people do. Heck, I think our brains are conditioned to think this due to all the failed diets prior to taking the surgery route. I plan on getting into counseling to work on the issue behind why I eat. "Funny" thing is I have no idea why other than I just love food. However, they (whoever they is) say there are reasons. Best of luck to you in your journey!

[readyforachange 51]

Trust me, there's no way you can't lose weight. Our stomachs are just too small to overeat. Plus, sugar will probably upset your sleeve, as well as anything w white flour in it. Can you tell I was a former sweet lover? ( :

I'm a slow loser, which is just fine for me. I'm at 189 lbs and getting closer to leaving, "obese" and entering the "overweight" status. Yeah!!!!

[Vsglass 17]

Surgery is scheduled for Tues morning which I have mostly been excited about.... Then I read about post op'rs who aren't losing significant weight and it freaks me out!!!! I don't want to go through all this and then not be successful. I know I am in control of that but the what if's freak me out! What if I don't change? What if I don't lose? What if what if what if!?

I think everyone goes through the fears you are experiencing now, I certainly did.

A couple of things my surgeon said, things I've read, etc... The latest thinking is that people's brains tell the body to process food in different ways. For example studies of Prisoners of War should that they were all given the same meagre amount of food and took that same amount of exercise and yet, after years of being imprisoned, on release, some were emaciated and yet some were not. It is thought that in some people the brain tells the body to process food differently, to store more fat than in others. A stressful episode in someone's life seems to cause some people's brains to panic as it thinks the sudden shift might be the body going into starvation mode so again it stores more fat.

Then there is the issue of the hormone ghrelin that sits in your stomach ( the part that gets removed during surgery). In some people maybe because of constant on and off dieting this hormone, which sends a signal to the brain that you are hungry and must eat, goes into overdrive. I know that in my case most of my weight issues started around 5/6 years ago when things were a bit stressful. Since then, doing the same things I did before to lose weight, just didn't work. As soon as I started eating during the day, whether at Breakfast time or waiting until lunchtime, once I started I never felt full so kept eating.

So to my point (sorry a bit long-winded but I'm getting there..). I had all your fears. I was sleeved on 26 April so I am 2 weeks 3 days post-op and the part of my stomach containing Ghrelin has gone. I can honestly say that have an amazing calmness around food. As an obsessive daily weigher, I don't seem to have the same panic about the numbers going down, I just know they will. I have remained the same weight for 3 days now despite eating very little and miraculously it doesn't faze me at all. I feel back in control for the first time in a long time as I know I will lose weight. During this 3 day stall I am changing shape as my body adjusts and recovers from surgery. It's like my brain has been rebooted and the cravings, lack of weight loss panic, mild blues associated with being overweight have just disappeared... I have a friend who was sleeved in September last year who also described all of the above post-op.

So please don't worry. Unless you intend to consume a vat of ice cream at a gazillion calories, you will lose weight. Make healthy choices, walk more and above all enjoy getting this fresh start....

[coops 1,790]

I completely understand your fears and worries... before the sleeve I have never been a successful 'dieter' and believe me I have tried everything and anything. The most I have ever lost on a 'diet' was 7lbs and that took me several months. I have lost a total of 73lbs and maintaing it without really 'trying too hard', just letting the sleeve do its job, eating a healthy and balanced diet!

You have to go into this with a positive attitude and believe in yourself... don't let those doubting thought sabotage your health. There will be times where you might stall, there might not. We are all very different and each have our own blueprint.

One word of advise - don't compare yourself to others... that, for me, was a nightmare! I am a really slow loser and others who were sleeved around the same time as me were not... they reached goal a lot sooner, I am still 14-28lbs away from my goal. At one time the comparisions got me to a real dark place... I had to snap myself out of it and I realised that the only person I should compare myself to was me... then it all changed and I realised that I was a success... I have lost a lot more than my all time record of 7lbs!!

Good luck to you... enjoy it as much as you can, keep coming here to read the posts, just remember that you are an individual!

[Star1221 270]

As everyone before me has said, we all have this fear. Nothing else has worked, so why would this? But think about it like this. Even if you lose say 10 pounds a month, how many times can you say you lost 10 pounds a month consistently and know, as long as you are doing right, it will stay off? Never! You're going to go through some stalls. (I just got off of a almost week stall) But as long as you get your fluids in, eat right (which at the beginning is so easy. You can only eat a couple of bites), and exercise (Tone tone tone) it will come off. I know when getting this done you want it immediately. But give it time. From pre-op till now I am down 40 pounds... That's 5 weeks. Even on Atkins I wasn't anywhere near that. It's a tool, not an overnight success. You will do fine. Just listen to your Dr. and pounds will just start dropping off of you.

[kemo46 82]

Use your sleeve as the tool it is. You will get such an uncomfortable feeling if you over eat, you will not want to do it again, that is what keeps you from overeating. It is human nature to continue something when we see the results we are looking for, that is what happens with the sleeve. The restriction is the key, the exercise is a huge part of it and the nutrition is a must. You will not fail with those three parts. This surgery has saved my life.

[Calicolea 38]

I know I am in control of that but the what if's freak me out! What if I don't change? What if I don't lose? What if what if what if!?

I say we start a petition and have "what if" removed from the english language.... anyone with me? :tongue2:

[beautifulnewme2012 164]

I say we start a petition and have "what if" removed from the english language.... anyone with me? :tongue2:

I'm totally with ya!!! I "what if" everything to death!!

[coops 1,790]

I will use my Jedi powers *goes into a mind bending trance*.... consider 'what if' now removed!

[jobster71 10]

Thanks Guys! I have not been able to sleep very well since I had a date set because of neg thoughts . I have been having a what the heck are you doing moment!

[Lissa 2,631]

I'm with the petition to remove "what if" from the language, but we must lose "only" as well!

[joyful noise 101]

When I start the "what if's", I just remind myself I didn't gain all this weight overnight.