Over the past year of my pre-op dieting I have completely changed my life and dropped 40 lbs by myself. I do Protein shakes, eat less and avoid carbs as much as possible. I'm basically eating the same way I would post op except with a normal stomach. All I can think about is how the are cutting out 3/4 of my stomach and that I will never be normal again. I have an Aunt that had gastric bypass in the 90's and to this day she still has issues with dumping. I don't want to be that person who throws up every time they go out to eat or has one drink and acts like a drunken fool. Since I have already completely overhauled my lifestyle I find myself wondering if I truly need the surgery. I can't even think about it without crying (like I am now while typing this). I recently overcame my depression/anxiety and got a job for the first time since my nervous breakdown 10 years ago. I am petrified that I will have this surgery and then won't be able to eat the things I enjoy ever again or ever sit around campfire and have a few beers with friends. I honestly have no idea what to do. I have been stalling for as long as possible but time is running out and I don't know what to do.

I think it's normal to second guess whether or not to have WLS. You've lost 40 pounds without WLS, and that is really awesome! I'm not sure what your weight is or how much you have to lose. I don't know if you're close to a normal BMI or if your BMI is in the severely morbidly obese range. I can tell you that if you've only got a little bit of weight to lose (and I'm not going to pretend that I know what that is because my "little" might be your huge), then maybe you shouldn't do the WLS.

But let me only tell you about my experience, which is only two weeks out on Wednesday. I lost 34 pounds before surgery and I busted my butt doing it. I worked out, logged my food, gave up carbs, and ate 1,400 calories a day. It took me 4 months to get that 34 pounds off. Since my surgery almost two weeks ago, I've lost an additional 22 pounds. That's right - 22 pounds. I have done nothing more than follow my NUT and doctor's orders. But it's a whole heck of a lot easier to do, because I'm not hungry. Not at all. Not even a little bit. There's no cheating on this. There's no "I will do better tomorrow." This is balls to the wall time.

I honestly reconsidered having surgery but I'm so very glad I didn't talk myself out of it. I have failed so many times in the past and this time, I want to see those pounds gone forever.

Whatever decision you make, make it the decision you can live with.

Good luck to you!!!

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Talked myself out of it a few years ago for the same reason. History repeats itself and I found myself off the plan and had gained the wait back. This time I went through with it, I'm almost two weeks post op and through all of the recovery not once have I doubted that this was the right thing for me to do.

I don't know how much weight you have to lose and that should be a major consideration for you but I will tell you what my doctor told me. He said that once you have more than 100 pounds to lose you have less than a 5 percent chance of losing that weight and keeping it off without surgery. Those are not very good odds, a 95 percent chance that I will fail and regain the weight if I go it alone without surgery. I guess for me, I'm just tired of failing, it's time to do something lasting and permanent, who cares about drinking? When being overweight may kill me, a few beers means nothing.

@@MiaLynn Are you seeing a therapist? This is definitely not something to jump into if you're not ready. It's more mental than physical. I strongly recommend a therapist to help you decide what is best for you. Good luck.

Edited September 13, 20169 yr by KristenLe

I had 3/4 of my stomach removed and I'm normal.

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I think it also depends on what your goals are. A couple of women on another group I was frequenting are SO worried about getting too skinny, they think if they lose their curves they will be hideous. Both had surgery. One thinks she looks like a "crack head" at 147. The other is terrified about getting under 200. I honestly wonder why they even had surgery.

Look at healthy weight charts. Do you want to get down to a healthy range? Or will you be happy just dropping a size or two? Younger people can usually handle the extra weight, but things like diabetes, high blood pressure, and joint problems catch up with every obese person as we age.

As others have said, losing 100 pounds and keeping it off is a monumental task. Only a very small percentage of people can do it. And, if you are young, keep in mind that your metabolism gets slower as you age. You will have to work harder and harder to keep it off (take it from the post menopausal lady here) Not that I won't have to work even with the sleeve, I just know it is a tool that helps most people who get it.

BUT, you have to do what works for you. I am awaiting approval from insurance. I know I will have cold feet, I have had surgery before and it was pretty terrible. I just know I can't lose this weight and keep it off forever on my own. For me, that's the deciding factor.

I had the sleeve and 6 months out no complications. I eat a small portion, Protein first. if I did not tell you I have had surgery you would never know.

haven't tried wine yet, I am saving that for November - but if I have to give it up so be it. I'd rather not have diabetes than have a glass of wine.

keep searching, you will come to the right decision for you.

I am also really surprised at how much people care about drinking alcohol. My husband doesn't drink at all (he comes from a family of alcoholics, getting drunk never seemed "fun" to him) and I only have a drink once in a blue moon now. I couldn't care less if I never had another drink, but most surgeons do allow alcohol in moderation at some point after surgery (talk about empty calories though!)

So you won't be able to consume huge amounts of alcohol after surgery....have one drink and take it slow. Saves money right? Some of my friends drink, others do not, we are all adults, no one cares what the others are doing and somehow we are still able to laugh and have fun together, even those who aren't drinking still have fun. Lots of people don't drink for lots of different reasons.

I have not had surgery yet. I have not even had my first nutritionist meeting yet. But I can tell you that you have to decide what is more important to you. Maybe sociable drinking is very important to some people I have friends that cannot function in a group setting unless there's booze. I personally don't drink very often. By the way congrats on losing weight on your own! If you don't have any other serious health issues and you have come this far with losing that much weight on your own, and you strongly feel that you have the discipline to follow through with this and keep the weight off then by all means please do so. I myself am 37 years old, 348 pounds I have severe arthritis in both my knees and an issue with my back that we cannot figure out what it is because I can't have an MRI. I have tried and failed to many times so for me, this surgery will save my life, my joints, and maybe even my social life because I don't want to leave my house anymore. It's too painful to walk around.

It's better that you realize now rather than later and regretting it. Because this cannot be undone. I wish you luck in whatever decision you make.

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Edited September 13, 20169 yr by Jane1979

@@MiaLynn I had the sleeve surgery 11 months ago and I've had none of the issues you say you are fearing. I can only speak from my perspective....my experience.

I can have anything I want to eat.....I just choose not to. I've never experienced the dumping sensation unlike my little sister who had bypass. The only thing even remotely close to the dumping sensation that I've had is If I eat candy or sweets.....they tend to upset my stomach and give diarrhea. I attribute this to the refined sugar being a rarely injected food by my system. I'm fairly certain that this wouldn't occur if I ate that type of stuff more often. I hope that I never do !

I can drink anything I want.....but I prefer staying away from anything caloric or carbonated. My exception to this is on the nights where I'll enjoy an adult drink.....even then I stay low calorie on the mixer. I find that alcohol impacts me stronger only due to the fact that I don't have food in my stomach when I'm drinking like I did in past life. Outside of that....it's the same.

I lost a nice chunk of weight on my own......and regained it....several times in my life. I feel confident that this time, however, I'll get it right......and maintain.

The only times I've thrown up were due to actually being sick.....would have likely thrown up even if I was pre-op. Once was a stomach virus and once was from a sinus infection and the drainage in my throat was too much to handle and I hurled.

Only you can make the decision for yourself. Get the best information you can as you make your choices. I wish that had the sleeve surgery sooner.....but am very relieved that I finally did.

Life is very straightforward and easy with it.

The sleeve will prevent you from eating large quantities of food at one time.....but, for me, at least....it doesn't prevent me from eating any type of food.