Just looking for your experience/perspective.

After maintaining your weight, do you feel like a WLS patient years out? Has Anything besides the fear of gaining and keeping weight maintained come to your attention?

Honestly I am only about 5 months out from hitting goal and maintaining well. I am nearly 2 years post op.

I think I will always be a WLS patient. Mostly this comes from having to be so careful to get proper nourishment and all the things that can go wrong if I don't. Every time I see a doctor of any kind it has to be brought up. Most physicians don't even know the potential issues with treating a WLS patient. From malabsorbing medications to having to do a complete nutritional panel and understanding what it all means. I swear, I have had 2 different PCPs since having Bariatric surgery and have moved out of state.

I have had to almost train my PCPs and I have to ask all the critical questions about my care and how my nutrition plays a key role. I am not sure that will ever change to be honest. Now maybe that's because I have had so many dealings with doctors since my surgery. I have degenerative disc disease and severe osteo arthritis so I usually dealing with spine problems or joint problems so I have a lot of interaction with the medical field. Most of them are clueless about how to treat us.Maybe that is why I feel that way.

Just my point of view.

At almost two years post-op, I definitely still identify as a WLS patient. Will be very interested to hear what those who are much further out than two years say about this.

@@Djmohr @@VSGAnn2014

Thanks for your point of view.

I am only two years out.

I can see medical issues may be specific to WLS. I have changed from my bariatric team to my family physician and dietician for care. All is normal without them. If I have a complication I would contact my team again.

My weight is no longer the topic of conversation with others. The thrill of WLS is gone and its a great place to be.

The only thing that reminds me that I'm a wls patient is weight gain. i don't see a difference between me and people that have been at a healthy weight most of their life. I take care of my health and my weight the same as they do.

do you feel like a WLS patient years out?

@@jenn1

yes

i am close to 5 years PO

i can/will never forget my "roots"- days pre-sleeve

the day i do, is the day i can look "forward" to problems

the sleeve is NOT the only thing that defines me

but it's way up on my list

short and sweet - i will always be a sleeved "proud" grammy

my life has been saved with a my wonderful weight

health issues, you know the rest, are amazing

happiness abound

these issues were all helped/solved with the aide of WLS

how could i forget?

I need/will always monitor my food very carefully

i can't afford to go backwards where i started

that's why i will always consider myself a "WLS survivor"

i will always consider myself a proud 17+ year breast cancer survivor

no difference right??

Long live the sleeve

and me too!!!

that's my story and i'm stickin' to it!! LOL

Kathy

I will probably always identify as a WLS "patient" if for no other reason than when I go to restaurants to eat. Although I feel more like a "normal" person when making food choices, exercising, etc., because my sleeve holds so little, when dining out I always ask about ordering from the kid's menu, and if that's not an option, hubby and I frequently split restaurant meals, or I'll order what I want and take the leftovers home for another 1-2 meals. I know there are plenty of "normal"/non-WLS folks out there who do that also, but that was not part of my pre-WLS habits so these days it's a regular reminder. I don't go into detail with the servers about why I would like to order from the kid's menu (assuming there's something on it I would enjoy), I just tell them I don't eat much. Most of the time they are quite accommodating.

Nope. Well, here I do obviously, and with another group of favorite people on the WWW, but other than that? Nope.

I didn't tell people because I want a normal life. I don't identify as a brain tumor patient either (unless I want something) and that was a far bigger deal than some stomach cut out.

Hmmm. I also don't identify as a WLS patient now (2 years out). Perhaps a former one, or a WLS 'beneficiary'', much like I was a beneficiary of a C-section once and of early detection and intervention with cancer. It's like they're my history, not part of my current story in that 'film at 11' sort of way.

And yes, my WLS still impacts me daily for all the same reasons it does any of us re eating/drinking and so forth. I also didn't have much help in the way of follow up care after the initial loss. When I asked for more help, they really didn't have anything helpful for me, and seemed disinterested at that point. I feel like that part of the journey where I was someone's patient is really over.

Not sure I'll ever recover from that desire to eat buckets full of Reese's Peanut Butter cups though. No, I won't eat them, just dream about them!

Almost 2 years post op & I definately do identify as a WLS patient. Because everyday I calculate my protein intake, something I didn't do pre-sleeve. I also make sure I take all of my supplements ( multi-vitamin, iron, calcium, probiotics & a few other pills) prior to surgery I took a multivitamin and fish oil tablet, it was never a big deal if I missed it.

Honestly, in some ways I feel like I'm coming up on my one year anniversary , not two years. I'm not sure if that feeling is because I'm always calculating (calories,protein, water).

I should add that having had WLS doesn't consume my life but it is part of my life.

@@proudgrammy @@MrsSugarbabe

17+ year cancer survivor, You should be proud you have your health. You are an amazing woman!

I'm a type one diabetic. I am formerly morbid obese person. Both diseases are manageable for me. 2 years out, My sleeve does not consume my attention like it did in weight loss phase. The habits I've learned have become normal

A day in the life of a healthy person without surgery:( I'm not seeing much of a difference)

Take Multivitamins daily.

Eat healthy

Exercise

Maintains weight

Doctors visits

@@Kathy812

When you are in the weight loss phase, Its normal that the process take your focus and time. The compliments, shock, and weight loss victories. Its completely life changing. WLS becomes a large part of your life and your identity.

Now that I'm maintaining. The compliments, shock and weight loss victories are gone. I identify as a normal healthy person, A bad ass grandmother, a great cook and a fitness/sports fanatic.

Sleeved Dec 11 2011 and in most ways I strongly identify as a WLS patient.

Many people in my life either aren't aware or it was so long ago it isn't really important to them, but I feel different. Again, I felt "different" as a high BMI woman too, this is just a different kind of different.

At 2.5 years post-op, I'm less focused on the surgery part but still as focused on the food choices and exercise.

It is an intriguing question. A few years after the massive weight loss, when the steady flow of comments and questions has diminished, the surgery part of this process fades away.

I worry about losing my edge in staying on top of following the rules as time passes. I want to remain aware of all that I've been through as a WLS patient to help keep me on track.

Note to self: you will always be a WLS patient.

Edited July 27, 201610 yr by Andrew0929

I will always BE a WLS patient. I will always EAT like a WLS patient. I will always PONDER my choices like a WLS patient.

I will not IDENTIFY as one. (Perhaps I am taking the question too literally?)

I've got far more interesting things to identify as.

didn't tell people because I want a normal life. I don't identify as a brain tumor patient either

@@LipstickLady

i think i will always identify myself as a sleever

like you, i didn't tell many about WLS (except immediate family)

guess that means i still lead a normal life

whatever that is!!

in my past life

i used to think about yummy foods alllll the time

what will i eat next, etc

now, i still think of upcoming food for the day

just healthier food to eat, calories, Protein, carbs etc

i think that is the difference for me

that's where my sleeve comes in

that will continue to help make me be successful

17+ years post op cancer - that's a long time

i can/will never forget those days

WLS is not as significant as breast cancer or a "brain tumor"

will never forget the importance of both (in their own way)

just my thoughts bud

different strokes for different folks

continued healthy, happy days to us both!!

see you around the neighborhood

kathy

Good topic..

No, I don't identify as a WLS patient. (I don't forget about 270+ pounds though)!!

I am conscious of Protein first. I don't drink my calories. I don't drink while I eat, so I suppose I do eat like a patient, but it seems that is kind of " normal" eating.

I've lived in the same town so long that I see my friends and acquaintances

Fairly often and there is nothing "new" about my size 9 1/2 years out.

I still know and fear fatness lurks somewhere though.... And I am determined to keep it at bay. I keep my band under inflated to baby it along. I do NOT want to change anything at this point.

I'll be asking you guys first if I have to revisit surgery.