At the Beginning of the Journey

[Chrysaia 6]

Okay so I've been teetering on the fence about bariatric surgery for years. I've been overweight as long as I can remember, but it was never as bad as it is now. Seven years ago, I was 225lbs. Yes, it was overweight, but I wasn't stressed about it. I had enough on my plate with college, work, my husband being deployed for the first time and being in a new and unfamiliar place. It was a lot, and left no time for worrying about my weight. It wasn't affecting my health in obvious ways. So I'd brush it off to the side to deal with later.

Then I became pregnant with my daughter, and the doctors worried because I was overweight. They told me not to gain weight. So I didn't. Heck, by the time I delivered I had lost 27 lbs. I had the smoothest of pregnancies, no complications at all. I joked I was one of the healthiest obese person my doctors would meet. So I brushed off worry about my weight again.

I found excuse after excuse not to address the matter. In the last two years though, I've tried diets and programs and nothing lasted. Another thing I used as an excuse to not take the final step. If I can't bother to keep on with the diets, who am I to pursue surgery which is far more permanent.

Now I am 340 lbs and I've stopped with the excuses and I've made the decision to look into my surgery option. I know I'm already approved by my insurance. It's just a matter of going through the consult and finding out if this is really the best route for me.

But now I have my consult set up for December and I am left with questions and worries. Is this normal? Were most of you sure that this was the right choice for you? What helped you make the choice?

Honestly, any help and advice is appreciated. I am just so new to all this and I feel like there are too many questions to ask...

[Jonathan Blue 311]

Firstly, you are making the right choice by pursing this option. I know you are ready to begin the process because you are so nervous about it. I would honestly be more concerned if you were not. Your nervousness tells me that you know how big a step this is and you are not taking it lightly or looking at it as a quick fix. You understand the work that will be involved.

The biggest piece of advice I can give you and your nerves right now is to research. No one is completely posative this is the right choice for them directly out of the gate. There are different procedures to consider for one. In this instance knowledge is power. The more that you know about the procedures and the process, both pre and post surgery, the calmer you will become. You will know what to expect and what is expected of you. There is comfort in that. The unknown is scary.

Know at the end of the day you are doing something amazing for your health. You are taking back your life and that is commendable. I have a blog, the link is below. I just recently finished posting a series of articles about how I prepared for my surgery a year ago. I think this would be very helpful for you to look over.

If you have any additional questions at all, or need someone to talk with about the processes, you can contact me at one of the sites below. I would be more than happy to help you out in any way that I can.

[JustWatchMe 7,117]

Just saw this and don't have time to type much right now, but YES this is normal and you are worth this life changing surgery.

Doubts are healthy. Research is key. Get yourself to hospital support groups for WLS patients. They are free and you don't even have to be a patient. I go to three different hospitals' groups. I started going pre surgery.

Good luck and stay connected here. This site is a godsend.

[Dabliss111114 180]

Okay so I've been teetering on the fence about bariatric surgery for years. I've been overweight as long as I can remember, but it was never as bad as it is now. Seven years ago, I was 225lbs. Yes, it was overweight, but I wasn't stressed about it. I had enough on my plate with college, work, my husband being deployed for the first time and being in a new and unfamiliar place. It was a lot, and left no time for worrying about my weight. It wasn't affecting my health in obvious ways. So I'd brush it off to the side to deal with later.

Then I became pregnant with my daughter, and the doctors worried because I was overweight. They told me not to gain weight. So I didn't. Heck, by the time I delivered I had lost 27 lbs. I had the smoothest of pregnancies, no complications at all. I joked I was one of the healthiest obese person my doctors would meet. So I brushed off worry about my weight again.

I found excuse after excuse not to address the matter. In the last two years though, I've tried diets and programs and nothing lasted. Another thing I used as an excuse to not take the final step. If I can't bother to keep on with the diets, who am I to pursue surgery which is far more permanent.

Now I am 340 lbs and I've stopped with the excuses and I've made the decision to look into my surgery option. I know I'm already approved by my insurance. It's just a matter of going through the consult and finding out if this is really the best route for me.

But now I have my consult set up for December and I am left with questions and worries. Is this normal? Were most of you sure that this was the right choice for you? What helped you make the choice?

Honestly, any help and advice is appreciated. I am just so new to all this and I feel like there are too many questions to ask...

My surgery is in less than 2 weeks, and believe me, over the past months I've had the same thoughts and fears that you're having. It's great that you found this group because I've found out very quickly that there are people that are at every step in the journey.

I admire you for finally getting to a place where you could tell yourself that excuses won't work anymore. That's a hard thing to do, but it's the most important step. We all have to get to that breaking point before we decide to do something. This option isn't like any of the diets we've all been on. This is life changing and the results will hopefully give us all strength to not abuse our new tummies so that we can enjoy a smaller healthier body for the rest of our lives.

You'll do fine..... We're all in this together, and can help each other a great deal.

[Thenewnic 139]

Hiya Your story sounds a lot like mine. At 225 I kept thinking I'd eventually get serious about dieting, but eventually didn't come soon enough. And now I'm physically paying the price.

I'm currently waiting for my surgery date after completing all requirements including pre-op. I'm willing and ready to go!!! Just do what's best for you!!!

[Chrysaia 6]

Thank you all. I really appreciate you all taking the time to write and help ease my worries. There is just so much to think about, and so much to read. I am trying to even figure out what my options are. I was told last time that the doctors at the hospital I go to don't do LapBand anymore. I know they do Roux-en-Y. I am not sure what else they do, and I'm not which which option to even go with so I'm doing just as was suggested. I am researching. Haha though my husband is worried I will over research like I did when I was pregnant with our first child. At least I have his support in whatever I choose. I am very lucky in that regards.

[Dabliss111114 180]

I do know that my surgeon won't due the band surgery either. It seems that more and more doctors are not doing it because of the number of complications, and the number of patients who end up going back in to have either the bypass surgery or the sleeve.

I considered the sleeve but changed my mind when I was told that the chance of stretching the remaining stomach is more likely over time. With that being said I was afraid it wouldn't be permanent enough for me. I desparately hope that as time passes with the bypass option I'll learn how to not only view the part that food plays in my life differently, but also learn that Portion Control will be my friend forever.

My husband is actually thinking of having the sleeve procedure done after the holidays and once I'm on my way with my journey. He doesn't have nearly as much weight to loose (60 -70 lbs.) but he has heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and he has sever sleep apnea. He has to use 3% oxygen with his CPAP machine every night. Most people only need the CPAP to control their problem.

You may want to research the sleeve as an option for you if you don't think the bypass is what you're comfortable with. My surgery is in 10 days and I'm really starting to get frightened. I know I've made the right decision, but the anxiety and the fear of the unknown is now keeping me awake at night.