Lets Get Real! I've Been Reading A "regrets" Thread

[DanaInNewOrleans 513]

I've been reading a "regrets" thread and now I'm doubting my decision about this. I'm sitting in my surgeon's waiting room for my second appointment with NP and NUT.

I'm scared of complicating my already screwed up health ( multiple sclerosis , lupus). The horror stories are scaring the daylights out of me. I also think that I will be isolated socially -- this is New Orleans -- food is like a religion here-- EVERYTHING revolves around food. Will I EVER be able to eat a normal meal? (of course smaller portions). I love steak-- will I ever be able to eat steak? The carbs I'm not really concerned about -- they haven't been a big part oft life for 12 years. But meat and salad -- I love. What will life look like

[BizTraveller 101]

Many people find that the sleeve has a shockingly-sudden positive effect on almost every aspect of your health. The doctors cannot even explain all of it, but your blood pressure, blood sugars, lipids, and liver enzymes all get really good really fast. No to mention things like sleep apnea and so on. With your fragile health, it seems pretty likely you will see a lot of big benefits.

Also keep in mind that people who have problems post a lot more than people that don't. Most sail through this procedure effortlessly. I am one of those. It was absolutely not a big deal. Minnimal pain, and a few weeks of restricted diet. I am 9 weeks post op and living a pretty normal life (67 lbs lghter).

I love food. I love to cook and I love eating with people. I can eat almost anything in small quantities. Since the surgery I have eaten stingray, and satay on the back streets of Singapore. At home I have eaten Creole, Sushi, Italian, Tapas and more. In the next 6 weeks I will be eating in Spain, London, Jordan, Chile, and Panama. I plan to eat well. I can't eat the carbs for a while, but I get in everything else. I am holding off on the alcohol, but I might get just a little of that in while I hang out in my favorite underground blues club in London.

The sleeve doesn't control your life, you do. Make your decision on the facts, and then make your new life the way you want it to be. It is all about taking control of those voices in your head and moving on with your life. You will be OK.

[desertmom 297]

Well,at 6 months out I can eat anything.And I wish I Couldnt.

I am almost too healthy to keep remembering to do the right stuff all the time.Lol

[doxieville 799]

Dana- i was really scared too. I have Five, (5!) autoimuune diseases. Very serious ones. I had to

go off all my meds to have this surgery. But if I don't get this weight off, I am looking at redoing my two knee replacements, plus having ankle fusions within 10 years. And i'm only 50 yrs old! I decided the good outweighed the bad. I'm now 4 weeks out (tomorrow!) and I was SURE i was going to be in pain because i can't have any of my treatments for 6 weeks. (the medicine supresses my immune system and then my sleeve wouldnt heal.).

I'm am happily shocked that my body is doing so great!! I'm more fatigued than most and can't start exercising for at least another month, so my progress is slower. So what? I know that in a year from now I am going to be so healthy!

It IS a struggle at first. For everyone. Don't kid yourself about that. Some people its a few days, for others it is longer. But for people like you and me who really need to exercise to delay their diseases from taking over, because for now there are no cures unfortunetly, I personally think that this is the best thing we can do for oursleves. It's just so hard to exercise with lugging extra poundage around!

But, all that being said, you have to believe that this surgery is the right thing for you. So, keep questioning your doctors until you are 80-90% sure. Because there will most likely always be a small doubt....and that's normal. Or so my surgeon told me. :-) He said he worries more about the cocky people who have no fears. But that's a whole other topic!

So...did Atena approve you?

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

I've been reading a "regrets" thread and now I'm doubting my decision

Dana

you made a good decision to have WLS, I hope you don't make a "bad" (IMO) decision and change your mind now

its good for any of us to vent. when someone comes here to talk about their problems/complications, they are upset/sad/mad, pick your poison - and your sleeve sisters/brothers are here to listen and help

these posts might stick out in your mind. that being said....in those "regrets" post, i have seen people that say even though they had this or that complication - they do not regret the sleeve.

i'm sorry about your health problems - i don't know for sure, but the sleeve might alleviate some issues you have with lupus and ms

a few of the common health problems that improve/or disappear are diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and high cholesterol - in my case all my meds/insulin and sleep apnea machine went away

eating "normal" - you love steak - good!!! - meats have a lot of Protein

you will be able to eat steak, moderation, chewing slowly - again once your eating "regular solids" - the answer to when will you be eating steak, you have to wait and see what your NUT says

i understand it can be alittle upsetting/scary reading stories from other sleevers that have had problems with their WLS - but these are facts that NEWBIES should be aware of - things are not always peaches and cream

no one should go into any surgery with blinders on, or your head in the sand, but these bad incidents are in the minority

there are "possible" problems with any surgery

this surgery is so beneficial - you did the research - you know why you want the WLS-i know you still have a couple of months before surgery,

please don't sit around worrying - think about all the positive that go along with the sleeve

good luck to you - see you later on the board

[Cinders 56]

Some great advice & positive inspirations on this post !thanks !

[billyvmom 128]

I have lupus and I had a few complications but, would do the surgery over tomorrow! I will have 3x the complications by not getting the weight off. You have to make the best decision for you but, I would recommend the sleeve to anyone who needed weight loss surgery.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

I live on meat and salad.< /p>

[southernchic01 18]

Dana: I have been in the same shoes. Our minds play tricks on us sometimes when we read those "horror" stories. My advice....STAY AWAY FROM THEM!!! They do nothing but confuse and distort our perceptions. Talk with your doctor about any complications you are concerned about. That is the best route to go. I am a southern girl (fried chicken, cornbread, Beans and taters). There is also a long line of hereditary heart disease and Type II Diabetes that runs in my family. It took me over a year to make the decision to do this and my only regret....is that I didn't do this sooner. I wanted/needed to make this change for me AND my hubby. I am 4 weeks post op today, lost 19 lbs, still have a little soreness and am getting used to some "mushy" foods. I still have 2 weeks before I can have move on to the next phase of eating and my body lets me know the foods that agree with me now and I am sure that will continue. Don't let the negativity you see/read about get the best of you. I am still a newbie, but I know in my heart that this was the best decision I could have made for myself. Life is just beginning and I can't wait to see what is just around the corner. I know you will feel the same way! Keep your head up girl! This IS worth it!

[lilly's journey 41]

I have lupus and I will have my vsg in 3 weeks

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,280]

I've been reading a "regrets" thread and now I'm doubting my decision about this. I'm sitting in my surgeon's waiting room for my second appointment with NP and NUT.

I'm scared of complicating my already screwed up health ( multiple sclerosis , lupus). The horror stories are scaring the daylights out of me. I also think that I will be isolated socially -- this is New Orleans -- food is like a religion here-- EVERYTHING revolves around food. Will I EVER be able to eat a normal meal? (of course smaller portions). I love steak-- will I ever be able to eat steak? The carbs I'm not really concerned about -- they haven't been a big part oft life for 12 years. But meat and salad -- I love. What will life look like

If you're allowing stories (and do you know for a 100% certainty that these stories are completely true?) to make you doubt and change your mind then in my opinion yoiu may not be fully ready. It's good to know about the bad, but just so that you may be prepared in the event it does happen that way. There are never any guarantees.

Perhaps you just need more time to think about it, or maybe you will never be fully ready.

Either way it is your body and your decision to make. I'm wishing you the best in whatever you decide.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,280]

I also think that I will be isolated socially -- this is New Orleans -- food is like a religion here-- EVERYTHING revolves around food. Will I EVER be able to eat a normal meal? (of course smaller portions). I love steak-- will I ever be able to eat steak? The carbs I'm not really concerned about -- they haven't been a big part oft life for 12 years. But meat and salad -- I love. What will life look like

I also want to answer your questions:

#1: This should never be a reason to either save or not save your life.

#2: I love steak too, and yes I can eat it. I can't usually eat more than 3 or 4 Oz, but that is all anyone should eat.

#3: I eat salad too.

[traceyc 89]

Every surgery has risks. They are rare but it is good to know about them before to prepare and be fully informed. You have to decide if the benefits of surgery outweigh the possible complications. Only you can decide this for yourself. I agree with the others that people are more likely to post stories when something goes wrong than when everything is fine. There are some great stories out there on the success stories forum. You should check out some of those if you have not. I am 7 months post ops with zero complications and couldn't be happier. Steak is still my favorite food and I can eat anything just smaller portions. I eat as healthy as I can, but I don't deprive myself and still eat in a social setting. My get togethers with friends have always revolved around food and I still have just as good of a time at them. Maybe even a better time since I am happier with my new sleeved self. I still enjoy cooking for people, I just don't eat very much of it. I went to NYC for vacation and I even tried NY pizza and bagels! I didn't have very much, but I couldn't pass up trying them.

[Territravel 217]

13 weeks out and I eat salad and steak with no problems. It's normal to be nervous, and have second thoughts about surgery. And the "Regrets" section would scare the bejezus out of anyone. There are risks involved, but the good outweigh the bad for me. I haven't been the biggest loser, but I could be the poster child for a good surgery experiance!

[DanaInNewOrleans 513]

I've been reading a "regrets" thread and now I'm doubting my decision about this. I'm sitting in my surgeon's waiting room for my second appointment with NP and NUT.

I'm scared of complicating my already screwed up health ( multiple sclerosis , lupus). The horror stories are scaring the daylights out of me. I also think that I will be isolated socially -- this is New Orleans -- food is like a religion here-- EVERYTHING revolves around food. Will I EVER be able to eat a normal meal? (of course smaller portions). I love steak-- will I ever be able to eat steak? The carbs I'm not really concerned about -- they haven't been a big part oft life for 12 years. But meat and salad -- I love. What will life look like

Ok Everybody, I just found this post by me by mistake. I had no idea it actually got posted and I have no idea how it got posted. I was in the waiting room at my surgeon's office typing it when I got called in by the NUT. I just stopped typing and thought I'd go back and finish later. Well, after my appointments with both NUT and NP I felt better and just never went back to it and forgot about it. I must have hit a submit button and not realized it. While I was looking for a recipe in my content page I saw that it got posted. Thank you all for your responses -- I'm so sorry I did not respond. I think that was a day I had like 50 notifications and I must have overlooked it.

So let me update that post....

One of the NPs had suddenly left the practice and my NP was doubling up on patients so I was in the waiting room for a while that day and I had too much time to think ( I'm dangerous when I think too much!) and worry. I was supposed to see the NP first then NUT but because NP was running so behind the NAT saw me first. I went over my little diet diary and I told her there was no way I could stomach the Prescriptfit program I was supposed to be doing. She said that was no problem , not to worry. We went over my food diary which showed I stayed between 900-1200 calories and I lost only 2lbs in 30 days. ( and that 2lbs was probably only because I was sick a few days before and didn't eat anything for 24 hours) She said not to worry....just as long as you don't gain. I went on to explain that this is one of my concerns and the main reason I am here for the sleeve. Will it still work for me if my body is at the point that I cannot lose weight on 900-1200 low carb calories a day. She said yes, but you will lose slower than most and I especially need to utilize that "honeymoon" period after surgery to get off as much as possible. She said they ( the practice) would be happy to see me lose 2lbs a week.

Now, I have a question that I should have asked then but didn't..... If I go down to 500-600 calories a day I'm sure I'd lose 2lbs a week. Is the only reason for having this surgery is to be able to go down to 500-600 calories a day without being hungry? I'm not sure that 2lbs a week is worth removing 90% of my stomach. It seems to me that if I can somehow survive on 500-600 cal a day on my own, why do this? My other concern is ok, what happens after the honeymoon period when my body is accustomed to 500-600 calories a day. Do I then gain weight on 900 calories a day? Is the sleeve just a way for me to stay on a starvation diet for the rest of my life?

Anyway, these are the thoughts going through my head. I'm still excited about doing this even with the concerns-- I think mostly because it feels like I'm taking control rather than feeling like my body is out of my control, which is an absolutely demoralizing realization.

Thanks again everyone for all the encouragement and support.....