When ppl find out I am getting VSG they say "if you can lose wt for the surgery then why can't you just keep on doing that?" I am practaly starving myself and ppl just say "keep on doing that"

I tell them. I can't starve myself for the rest of my life. And I have been doing this YoYo for >10y.

FatKellyRN>soontobe<SleeveKellyRN

Because people don't understand. Most people still think surgery is a cheat or an "easy" way out. I'm also going to assume that whomever told you that probably never struggled with their weight

Because people don't understand. Most people still think surgery is a cheat or an "easy" way out. I'm also going to assume that whomever told you that probably never struggled with their weight

They haven't like we have

FatKellyRN>soontobe<SleeveKellyRN

I get the same thing from people

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@Kelly84, most people who are contemplating surgery run into the misconceptions and bias you're encountering. Some surgery people welcome the opportunity to educate the uneducated and biased. That's fine. If you're of the other persuasion, you're under no obligation to provide apologia. You are free to use your time and mind a suits you.

As you're an RN, I am curious to know which way you lean. Please tell. Above all, all the best to you.

I get it. Being morbidly obese, I struggled with self esteem issues like many others. When I was about 50 lbs less than my highest weight all I heard was "you're not that big." I appreciated the compliments but did not accept them because how can someone who is 100+ pounds overweight not be "not that big?"

Just yesterday at work my co-worker said I only have a little more weight left in my stomach to lose. Really? I have a little over 100 pounds to lose. I told her this and she said you will not look good if you lose over 100 lbs! I told her losing the weight was about getting rid of my diabetes, HBP and sleep apnea.

@@Kelly84, most people who are contemplating surgery run into the misconceptions and bias you're encountering. Some surgery people welcome the opportunity to educate the uneducated and biased. That's fine. If you're of the other persuasion, you're under no obligation to provide apologia. You are free to use your time and mind a suits you.

As you're an RN, I am curious to know which way you lean. Please tell. Above all, all the best to you.

Well that is an interesting inquiry. It depends on the person that says it to me. If the person is educated and open minded, I take the opportunity to educate and inform. If the person is of lower knowledge and close minded/shallow, I just ignore them.

FatKellyRN>soontobe<SleeveKellyRN

When I went for my pre-op EKG at the hospital, the technician told me that I did not need to lose weight. (really???at 5'2, 235 pounds, post-stroke with collapsing spine????)

I told her that she should call the surgeon right away and tell him that she disagrees with his diagnosis. I sent a letter to her supervisor copied to the hospital administration. When the Press-Ganey survey came to my door, I said all of the good things that I could, but mentioned her by name and how I did not think that she should be diagnosing the patients that are sent her way. Geeze Louize.

I think most of the time they are just trying to be nice by saying you don't need it. It's rare that you will say you're having WLS and someone says "well it's about time fatty". That wouldn't be very nice.

Well that is an interesting inquiry. It depends on the person that says it to me. If the person is educated and open minded, I take the opportunity to educate and inform. If the person is of lower knowledge and close minded/shallow, I just ignore them.

Oh-oh, we were on different wavelengths. My reference to being educated was in the sense of knowledgeable about WLS, not about formal education. I was curious about your stance as a professional on the politicization of WLS. Many who have formal schooling or native intelligence are wildly narrow-minded. The reverse holds, too. I suppose I lean toward ignoring the dolts partly because my surgery was long ago enough that the surgery itself has taken a back seat and partly because other things going on in my life take up the time and energy. If, however, I encounter a true Neanderthal or Luddite, I'll be to storm the Bastille to defend the honor of bariatrics and the people who love it.

It's rare that you will say you're having WLS and someone says "well it's about time fatty". That wouldn't be very nice.

Sez you with your flat tummy and newly-fashioned pupik.

It doesn't get much better as you lose weight either. I wished I hadn't told as many people as I did about the surgery and I only told close friends and family. No one was very supportive and I had a 50 BMI. Now I'm starting to get the "you're loosing too much weight" and I still have 50 lbs to loose. Maybe I'm just too sensitive but I wish people would just not talk about it at all.

@@WLSResources/ClothingExch lol! Mrs Flat kitty!

@@WLSResources/ClothingExch lol! Mrs Flat kitty!

Er, um, hm. I said "pupik" and you said "kitty." Are you being cryptic-polite? Are we speaking of the same thing?

Well that is an interesting inquiry. It depends on the person that says it to me. If the person is educated and open minded, I take the opportunity to educate and inform. If the person is of lower knowledge and close minded/shallow, I just ignore them.

Oh-oh, we were on different wavelengths. My reference to being educated was in the sense of knowledgeable about WLS, not about formal education. I was curious about your stance as a professional on the politicization of WLS. Many who have formal schooling or native intelligence are wildly narrow-minded. The reverse holds, too. I suppose I lean toward ignoring the dolts partly because my surgery was long ago enough that the surgery itself has taken a back seat and partly because other things going on in my life take up the time and energy. If, however, I encounter a true Neanderthal or Luddite, I'll be to storm the Bastille to defend the honor of bariatrics and the people who love it.

I completely agree

FatKellyRN>soontobe<SleeveKellyRN

I think people say it because they don't know what else to say. I was at a job interview recently and my prospective boss said something about how she was saving money to have a breast lift and Botox. She looked great to me, but I didn't want to be unsupportive and nay-say her choices. On the other hand, I wasn't sure if she was looking for a compliment and wanted me to say "you're kidding!! You're gorgeous!" Since I was on the spot, I said "that's great. Everyone ought to do whatever they want to look however they want. But if I looked as great as you, I might wait till it was really necessary." I work in the beauty industry, so I don't know what the right answer was. I never heard from her again and assume I didn't get the job. It's tricky.

On the other hand, during my 6 month preop diet I had to meet monthly with my NUT and have three visit with a Dr of nutrition. At my first appt with that Dr, she came out to waiting room a couple time looked around and went back. Finally she came back out and asked receptionist where I had gone. I didn't know she was looking for me as she didn't call a name. The receptionist pointed me out. The doctor greeted me and apologized for the wait because she said she was looking for a bariatric patient and I didn't look like one. I was a little concerned but she opened my chart and said that I certainly meet the criteria, I just carry my weight well (which I think is maybe true).

I am 5'5 hourglass shaped, SW 265 CW 236. Surgery 3/31/16