I read some interesting comments today and I wanted to make something really clear.

Out of all these people around the globe that are on this website, there are going to be some of us that have found post op, that this surgery was the wrong decision.

If you want this website to be honest and truthful, a source of good solid information for people considering surgery and a source of support for people post op, then everyone's experiences should be welcome.

The reason's I think this surgery was wrong for me has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with my post op complications!

And as for comments about people who regret their surgeries and have complications because:

• "houses were dirty"

• "they didn't follow instructions"

• "they haven't seen the great results yet"

• "they are just negative people and negative people are more vocal

So, just let me tell you this, some of us simply made a mistake.

We thought this was a good plan, we took advice, did our research, attended the seminars and weigh ins (in my case, two years attending).

We met our surgeons, we discussed our pre existing conditions, we spoke to our family and friends.

I myself have a counsellor, did CBT counselling for the entire two years pre op and am deemed emotionally and mentally sound. (just as an aside, my NHS CBT counsellor did not agree with this surgery).

I checked with my pain mgt team about the efficacy of my medications post op.

And it was still a mistake!

And so what?

It happens. And people like me should be able to explain these things without others trying to negate our admission of this mistake by offering excuses as to why we are unhappy with our decision.

I could have floated onto a cloud, had magical unicorns lick away my stomach, and woke up in paradise fully healed, sipping a cocktail in the sun and I would still tell you that this was a mistake for ME. And for many of my friends.

It doesn't matter how many years post op I get, I will consider this a mistake.

My house is not dirty, I followed instructions to the letter, I consider my bariatric discharge booklet my life guideline and I never variate.

I keep in touch with anyone and everyone in my medical care stream that might be helpful.

And complications happened. And yes, to many of us in our bariatric system. But again, it was not the complications that disturb us.

We all have different reasons for regretting it.

Most of us feel that we were misinformed, which doesn't help. My neighbour regrets her bypass because of her now permanent diarrhea and no improvement in her diabetes. She tells me that she has to think about food most of the day just to keep herself fed (choosing the right foods so as not to vomit), and she could have simply dieted harder if she had known she would have to think of food all day. She is three years post op and she still struggles with dehydration. Her hair never grew back after the initial drop out.

I myself am only 9 weeks post op and have had complications so I can't know what my future holds.

I miss eating quickly and simply in a way that doesn't have to be well thought out.

I want to be able to eat a full salad, maybe even with dressings, without worrying about which component might not agree with me.

I want to be able to eat any kind of meat I want cooked how I want in the quantity I want.

I want to drink beverages with my meals.

I miss a morning coffee or afternoon tea. I miss ice tea. (I know other people can drink it but I can't now).

I don't want to have to plan my food day meticulously or be different from others around me eating.

I want my medications to work again in the way they did pre op to control my fibromyalgia symptoms.

And I have definitely seen weightloss results. As I was lying there starving to death for seven weeks, I have lost all but 20lbs of my expected and required excess weight to satisfy my healthcare team. ( I am still only getting around 500 cals a day in, but have constant diarrhea so who knows how much stays in).

I now look "normal" except for the grey pallor in my skin and the nappy I now have to wear because of fecal incontinence (my IBS-d was totally controlled before surgery).

I am six dress sizes smaller but can only leave my house if I don't eat anything and wear adult protection in case of Water causing an "accident". Or in case I become faint from lack of food and fall.

So I do actually feel that had I read a forum entry like this, I might have thought twice.

And that's a good thing. If people are scared, that's okay. Let them hear more than just "don't worry, I was fine, you will be too!" Because maybe they won't!

So this is not about complications, it's about people.

One size does not fit all. Some of us should have simply accepted our weight, or worked harder to diet it off. Had I taken in only 300 to 500 calories a day for 9 weeks pre op, I would have lost all this weight anyway.

If you are happy, well done! If you are dead set on going ahead, ignore this. If you are a high BMI person (think 600lb life), God bless you, this may save your life, if you are a food addict, I feel your pain.

You will still have to diet post op! You will still have to exercise.

If you are undecided, then simply take a breath, think about it, really examine your food issues. Could you do more to lose weight? Could you move a bit more and eat a bit less?

Anyway, I am where I am and I plan to make the best of what I have left. And I intend to keep making sure that pre op people have a good think and post op people like me have someone they can talk to.

Thanks to everyone who is supporting me.

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I haven't made a big deal out of anything. Just stating facts.

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Whatever you say.

Thank you for stopping by to highlight my difficulties with the NHS to raise awareness for other NHS bariatric patients!

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@@GinaCampbell please post a pic of the pink eyebrows!

ImageUploadedByBariatricPal1470848154.337654.jpg

Can you see it (inside photo)

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Looks a bit mauve.

I saw a striking cater waiter at a visiting ballet company reception recently who had a closely shaved head of dark hair but electric blue eyebrows. For some reason, I was expecting something more like that!

I may have to resort to drastic actions to resolve eyebrow problem. First I have to get well enough to get out of the loo for more than an hour!

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I don't know why everyone is wasting their time with this. Gina obviously just wants to be very clear that this was a mistake. She doesn't want to believe that one day, she could feel different. Therefore, you're all wasting your words. If someone can't even believe that there is a tiny possibility that they don't know how they're going to feel in a few months or a year, there's literally no hope of helping her through this. I think the only thing that will help is to say, Gina, this was absolutely a poor choice for you and we understand you regret it the end.

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The reason people comment is complex. Some just want an argument. Some dislike my refusal to be driven away. Some simply find it confusing that I am willing to say clearly that this surgery is not for everyone.

Your post is a common one. I don't need "help" to "get through" something that is impossible to change. The stomach is gone. I could have lost weight myself. This surgery proved it.

The reason I have lost the majority of my excess weight is because I am starving. I am only able to ingest 300 to 400 cals most days and due to constant diarrhea, lose as much liquid as I take in.

Some of us stuck to our pre op 800 cal diet because we had to to get what we wanted, surgery.

What we don't like to admit is that some of us could have tried harder without altering our body permanently.

And some of us just won't like the changes we are forced to make post op.

I am brave enough to say that regardless of how unpopular this topic is.

Again, I ask, how would you want me to feel?

My actual opinion doesn't suit you, so what feeling do you want me to have?

I could lie to the world here and say, I love my sleeve, this is great! I eat loads of Protein, don't mind the constant runs, food revulsion, etc

But then someone like me, who was looking for advice, might just think we all love our sleeves.

Thank you for highlighting this problem with your contribution!

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My issue isn't with you. It's with everyone else who is wasting their time trying to help you.

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Thanks for sharing. Yes, we must both sides of the coin.

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In regards to the C. Diff, if family hasn't caught it yet, hand washing is key. Those little germs are incredibly pesky and ONLY get killed from bleach wipes or soap/water. It's one of the most common hospital infections since its related to antibiotic use.

I'm 2 months and 10 days post op and don't regret my decision at all I had vsg sugery and I made up my mind before I had the surgery. it was the best decision for me I'm no longer on my diabetic meds or b p meds or even my colestrole meds . I've stopped smoking and have lots of energy and my knees and back doesn't bother me as much now that I'm loosing weight so I'm healthier now than I've been in years

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I don't know why everyone is wasting their time with this. Gina obviously just wants to be very clear that this was a mistake. She doesn't want to believe that one day, she could feel different. Therefore, you're all wasting your words. If someone can't even believe that there is a tiny possibility that they don't know how they're going to feel in a few months or a year, there's literally no hope of helping her through this. I think the only thing that will help is to say, Gina, this was absolutely a poor choice for you and we understand you regret it the end.

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The reason people comment is complex. Some just want an argument. Some dislike my refusal to be driven away. Some simply find it confusing that I am willing to say clearly that this surgery is not for everyone.

Your post is a common one. I don't need "help" to "get through" something that is impossible to change. The stomach is gone. I could have lost weight myself. This surgery proved it.

The reason I have lost the majority of my excess weight is because I am starving. I am only able to ingest 300 to 400 cals most days and due to constant diarrhea, lose as much liquid as I take in.

Some of us stuck to our pre op 800 cal diet because we had to to get what we wanted, surgery.

What we don't like to admit is that some of us could have tried harder without altering our body permanently.

And some of us just won't like the changes we are forced to make post op.

I am brave enough to say that regardless of how unpopular this topic is.

Again, I ask, how would you want me to feel?

My actual opinion doesn't suit you, so what feeling do you want me to have?

I could lie to the world here and say, I love my sleeve, this is great! I eat loads of Protein, don't mind the constant runs, food revulsion, etc

But then someone like me, who was looking for advice, might just think we all love our sleeves.

Thank you for highlighting this problem with your contribution!

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My issue isn't with you. It's with everyone else who is wasting their time trying to help you.

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Ah, the passive aggressive approach!

Thank you for your help in highlighting this issue for me with your contribution.

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I'm 2 months and 10 days post op and don't regret my decision at all I had vsg sugery and I made up my mind before I had the surgery. it was the best decision for me I'm no longer on my diabetic meds or b p meds or even my colestrole meds . I've stopped smoking and have lots of energy and my knees and back doesn't bother me as much now that I'm loosing weight so I'm healthier now than I've been in years

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Exactly! You made a decision that you felt best for you and have had great medical results! Now that is good news!

I made a decision that was wrong for me and have had the opposite effects.

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This is something I posted a few years back:

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/308645-i-was-a-super-healthy-fat-person-until-surgery-changed-my-life-was-it-worth-it/?hl=%20was%20%20super%20%20healthy

I want to say that I respect your stance on your decision. I applaud you for your willingness to be open about your struggles. It is certainly true that you have a right to think and feel as you wish about your surgery. The only thing I would counter with is what do you plan to do? Your surgery has been completed. VSG cannot be reversed. You like the rest of us are stuck, so to speak, with it for the rest of our lives. It does not seem to me a good idea to live in regret everyday for the rest of your life. In other words how are you going to turn this lemon into lemonade? It is my hope that this is something you would reflect on. Take care.

I want to say that I respect your stance on your decision. I applaud you for your willingness to be open about your struggles. It is certainly true that you have a right to think and feel as you wish about your surgery. The only thing I would counter with is what do you plan to do? Your surgery has been completed. VSG cannot be reversed. You like the rest of us are stuck, so to speak, with it for the rest of our lives. It does not seem to me a good idea to live in regret everyday for the rest of your life. In other words how are you going to turn this lemon into lemonade? It is my hope that this is something you would reflect on. Take care.

Thank you!

My plan is to keep fighting to get back to where I was Healthwise pre op in the first instance. Obviously now, I will have to manage the C Diff issue and it's complications. It is a tough infection to cure. The percentages on reoccurrence are quite worrying.

Once all that is under control. I need to concentrate on slowing down the weightloss. I am still losing between 5 and 7 lbs a week and only getting in between 300 and 400 calories a day. I need to get my Vitamins, minerals, Iron and nutrient levels sorted out.

Once all that is completed, and this could take months to achieve, I then need to get back to my pre op routine. Seeing family, friends, neighbours,attending church etc.

It is heartbreaking to be isolated from your family due to illness. Now I have to worry about who I infect with C Diff. On visits, I need to be conscious about using people's loos etc.

Beyond that, I plan to develop a good relationship with a GP that has enough knowledge to help me get back to health and to get away from the bariatric system. I may have to pay privately for this care.

As I keep saying, I don't live in regret. I live in a fight for my life. I believe that I have had C Diff for nearly eight weeks now and the inflammation, blood and mucous presenting, makes me fear that this situation may become even more serious due to the neglect of the bariatric team in post op care. My GP believes the bariatric team should be dealing with me and the bariatric team wants the GP to do it.

Meanwhile, I am in trouble.

I live my life deep in my Faith. And because I do, I am told that there is a plan for my life. That plan appears to be perseverance with grace.

Ultimately, I plan to consult an NHS healthcare advocate. I am going to ask that my case be looked over to ensure that I get better care and other people don't have to go through all of this.

If your query concerns my dislike of my sleeve, I accepted the ultimate responsibility for my mistake weeks ago. We all make mistakes. I made the decision in error. There is no point in dwelling on this as it is irreversible.

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Umm, not actually. I agree there is not point on dwelling on the past one must move forward. I just wanted to make sure that you were plans to move forward and it seems like you have which is a good thing. This may not seem encouraging, but the opportunity for things to get better is ahead of you.

I want to say that I respect your stance on your decision. I applaud you for your willingness to be open about your struggles. It is certainly true that you have a right to think and feel as you wish about your surgery. The only thing I would counter with is what do you plan to do? Your surgery has been completed. VSG cannot be reversed. You like the rest of us are stuck, so to speak, with it for the rest of our lives. It does not seem to me a good idea to live in regret everyday for the rest of your life. In other words how are you going to turn this lemon into lemonade? It is my hope that this is something you would reflect on. Take care.

Thank you!

My plan is to keep fighting to get back to where I was Healthwise pre op in the first instance. Obviously now, I will have to manage the C Diff issue and it's complications. It is a tough infection to cure. The percentages on reoccurrence are quite worrying.

Once all that is under control. I need to concentrate on slowing down the weightloss. I am still losing between 5 and 7 lbs a week and only getting in between 300 and 400 calories a day. I need to get my Vitamins, minerals, Iron and nutrient levels sorted out.

Once all that is completed, and this could take months to achieve, I then need to get back to my pre op routine. Seeing family, friends, neighbours,attending church etc.

It is heartbreaking to be isolated from your family due to illness. Now I have to worry about who I infect with C Diff. On visits, I need to be conscious about using people's loos etc.

Beyond that, I plan to develop a good relationship with a GP that has enough knowledge to help me get back to health and to get away from the bariatric system. I may have to pay privately for this care.

As I keep saying, I don't live in regret. I live in a fight for my life. I believe that I have had C Diff for nearly eight weeks now and the inflammation, blood and mucous presenting, makes me fear that this situation may become even more serious due to the neglect of the bariatric team in post op care. My GP believes the bariatric team should be dealing with me and the bariatric team wants the GP to do it.

Meanwhile, I am in trouble.

I live my life deep in my Faith. And because I do, I am told that there is a plan for my life. That plan appears to be perseverance with grace.

Ultimately, I plan to consult an NHS healthcare advocate. I am going to ask that my case be looked over to ensure that I get better care and other people don't have to go through all of this.

If your query concerns my dislike of my sleeve, I accepted the ultimate responsibility for my mistake weeks ago. We all make mistakes. I made the decision in error. There is no point in dwelling on this as it is irreversible.


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Oh yes! My life can't stop because of one mistaken decision. No matter how much all of this illness, infection, lack of nutrition tries to slow me down!

I have a new home which is very exciting and gives me a non food focus.

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I want to say that I respect your stance on your decision. I applaud you for your willingness to be open about your struggles. It is certainly true that you have a right to think and feel as you wish about your surgery. The only thing I would counter with is what do you plan to do? Your surgery has been completed. VSG cannot be reversed. You like the rest of us are stuck, so to speak, with it for the rest of our lives. It does not seem to me a good idea to live in regret everyday for the rest of your life. In other words how are you going to turn this lemon into lemonade? It is my hope that this is something you would reflect on. Take care.

Thank you!

My plan is to keep fighting to get back to where I was Healthwise pre op in the first instance. Obviously now, I will have to manage the C Diff issue and it's complications. It is a tough infection to cure. The percentages on reoccurrence are quite worrying.

Once all that is under control. I need to concentrate on slowing down the weightloss. I am still losing between 5 and 7 lbs a week and only getting in between 300 and 400 calories a day. I need to get my Vitamins, minerals, Iron and nutrient levels sorted out.

Once all that is completed, and this could take months to achieve, I then need to get back to my pre op routine. Seeing family, friends, neighbours,attending church etc.

It is heartbreaking to be isolated from your family due to illness. Now I have to worry about who I infect with C Diff. On visits, I need to be conscious about using people's loos etc.

Beyond that, I plan to develop a good relationship with a GP that has enough knowledge to help me get back to health and to get away from the bariatric system. I may have to pay privately for this care.

As I keep saying, I don't live in regret. I live in a fight for my life. I believe that I have had C Diff for nearly eight weeks now and the inflammation, blood and mucous presenting, makes me fear that this situation may become even more serious due to the neglect of the bariatric team in post op care. My GP believes the bariatric team should be dealing with me and the bariatric team wants the GP to do it.

Meanwhile, I am in trouble.

I live my life deep in my Faith. And because I do, I am told that there is a plan for my life. That plan appears to be perseverance with grace.

Ultimately, I plan to consult an NHS healthcare advocate. I am going to ask that my case be looked over to ensure that I get better care and other people don't have to go through all of this.

If your query concerns my dislike of my sleeve, I accepted the ultimate responsibility for my mistake weeks ago. We all make mistakes. I made the decision in error. There is no point in dwelling on this as it is irreversible.

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At 2 or 3 mos out, I was eating the same amount of calories and losing the same amount. I didn't have complications. I'm just saying that you're not any different in that area. My calorie rec was between 300 and 500 calories per day.

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When I was going through the process I made a point of seeking out both positive and negative WLS experiences. I knew going in that the end result could turn out to be the biggest mistake of my life. Or the best decision I ever made. Either way, I made my bed and I was prepared mentally and emotionally for either outcome.

I'm glad that there are people out there who are brave enough to share their negative experiences. Nothing is certain with this surgery, much like any other procedure, and it is imperative that you research both sides of the coin before you take the plunge. Purposely avoiding the possibility of complications and closing your mind to "bad news" will only hurt you more in the end. The more informed you are, the better prepared you will be.

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