I was walking this morning, and I was thinking about how to explain my RNY surgery to people who have very little knowledge of it. I have been attending a "Living Lite" program, a weekly meeting where a coach leads us through habits for living a more healthy life. Many of these people are obese, but are really not familiar with bariatric surgery. I am certain as I attend these meetings after my surgery, and my weight drops dramatically, there are going to be questions. So I was thinking about how to explain it to them. I want to ensure they don't think that it is some sort of magic pill that makes you lose weight. There is still real work we have to do in order to lose weight.

Essentially, I see bariatric surgery as a guardian angel. We all know the drill for how to lose weight: control portions, avoid high-sugar and high-fat foods, chew your food thoroughly, eat mindfully (and slowly), restrict daily calorie intake, etc. Those are the "tricks" to how to lose weight. Well, guess what? Bariatric surgery isn't some magic ticket, it is a guardian angel.

Whenever I eat too much sugar, I dump. Whenever I eat too much fat, I dump. Whenever I don't chew my food, I throw up. If I eat too fast, I throw up. If I eat too much (and with a small pouch, it doesn't take much), I throw up. Essentially, whenever I do something bad, my guardian angel hits me over the head and says "don't do that again". That guardian angel is with me every day, without fail, helping me to learn and develop good habits.

Eventually, over time that guardian angel will become more lax. My pouch will enlarge a bit, my GI tract will adapt to accept more sugar and fat, etc. But hopefully, by that time I have developed the necessary habits to live a healthy life. If I don't, I will regain weight.

The only real thing that the gastric bypass does beyond enforcing good habits is malabsorption and providing a feeling of satiety earlier.

I think that's how I will explain it to people who are unfamiliar with it. What do you think?

@toasty… I think that is a wonderful analogy for this journey of ours and hopefully will help many of our friends and loved ones better understand the importance of the surgery and how it will change our lives for the better, in so many ways. I may have to borrow your analogy in my own struggle to impart the benefits of my surgery to people who question its value Thanks Toasty!

Maybe I am a cynic or still so new to this (I am, unfortunately, self-pay so this transition has been fast and furious in some ways (and way too long in coming, in others!)), but I just think people who have never experienced the trials of an obese person, or those of someone they love, can ever really understand my decision to undergo WLS.

Part of me wants to just curl up in a ball, even post-weight loss, and hide away from all the questioning eyes. I want to be "normal"… not the "cheery, chubby" woman I think everyone only sees or even the thinner, healthier woman that becomes the topic of conversations every time I step out into the neighborhood or go to one of my kids' school events.

Hopefully, I will gain more confidence post surgery and not feel so defensive about it all… Is it unhealthy to want to be private in my decision? I don't plan to be dishonest about my method of weight loss, I just wish it would not be so "interesting" to those around me.

Edited September 22, 201510 yr by irishaggie

@@toasty

I think this is a great way not only to explain to others but also for myself to think about it.

I'm going to print this out so I can refer to it when I need to

Thank you!