When you talk about getting sleeved and people say it's the easy way out what is your response? I have had sad comments made about me embarking on this new journey

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Some people have got no clue what it is like to have a lifetime of food addiction let alone the mental torture of bullying by family and people in general have serious issues with my health and I get from family members why don't you just do it to which I replied if it was that easy I would be doing wouldn't I and I have had said to me well you know my thoughts on it to which I replayed either way I'm a heart attack waiting to happen and I have had I can't see how it will stop you eating to which I gave facts that when doing the gastric sleeve the hormone part grehlin is removed which makes you full for longer.I could go on I don't know about anybody else but I have had so many tests in a short space of time found out got sleep apnea and had a cancer scare in the middle of all these tests.So I sure know what I am doing and certainly ain't going to back down by someone's stupid negitive comment will make me feel better cos it won't.In life do what you want to do and tell the haters to jog on and only tell people who will give you the right encouragement along your journey.I due to have gastric sleeve March 2017 date to be confirmed.Anyone that wants to added me for support along their please do as I have not worked out how to do it yet

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Yeah, after finding out I have/had H.Pylori AND Barrett Esophagus syndrome both Doc had to consult with colleagues to make sure we could still go through with surgery.. Because now I have to be checked every couple years to make sure cancer doesn't start in my stomach.. And since part of my stomach isn't connected anymore they can't just scope to look.. Will require MRI or CAT scan

BTW.. Sorry you're not getting good support with your family.. I was very blessed with great support!

Munky

Edited January 23, 20179 yr by FunkyMunkyBrat

I made the decision to keep my journey to myself and only a few close friends know about any of it. The process is hard enough already that I don't think I could take it if my family/coworkers/whoever gave me grief for my decision. They don't understand that chronically obese people spend their lives trying to be not obese. In time (when the weight loss is super obvious probably) I'll likely tell them.

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Thankfully, no one has had the gall to say that (at least to my face). But if they did, I would probably go into a laundry list of everything I have to do and monitor daily, and remind them that, surgery or not, losing 160 pounds (and counting) is a remarkable and rare feat. Then I would tell them to bite me and fiercely walk away! :-)

Awesome answer ????

If they have a few pounds to lose I would just look at them and say well, I could give in to temptation like you do but I am smart enough to ask the Dr's what I should do. We've always had chronic obesity, people who are heavy will come up with any reason why you shouldn't have the surgery but they will be so envious when you come walking into work with a hot classy new outfit. Who cares what they think!!

Some people have got no clue what it is like to have a lifetime of food addiction let alone the mental torture of bullying by family and people in general have serious issues with my health and I get from family members why don't you just do it to which I replied if it was that easy I would be doing wouldn't I and I have had said to me well you know my thoughts on it to which I replayed either way I'm a heart attack waiting to happen and I have had I can't see how it will stop you eating to which I gave facts that when doing the gastric sleeve the hormone part grehlin is removed which makes you full for longer.I could go on I don't know about anybody else but I have had so many tests in a short space of time found out got sleep apnea and had a cancer scare in the middle of all these tests.So I sure know what I am doing and certainly ain't going to back down by someone's stupid negitive comment will make me feel better cos it won't.In life do what you want to do and tell the haters to jog on and only tell people who will give you the right encouragement along your journey.I due to have gastric sleeve March 2017 date to be confirmed.Anyone that wants to added me for support along their please do as I have not worked out how to do it yet

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I'm having the same trouble with family members putting me down calling me fat ass, everytime there is two spoonfuls of ice-cream left they accuse me of eating it all. It's a constant pressure for me to keep my head together and try to get through all the prerequisites I need to for this surgery I've noticed as I get closer to my final class in March the more of a recluse I become. But no one is going to take my joy away from me getting this tool to help me lose weight. Good luck, don't let anyone get you down.

I will not let anyone tell me or let me down because they have not walked a step in my shoes

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I know how you feel! But you just have to realize you are doing this for you and what other people think and say are irrelevant. Most people are just not educated on the subject of Bariatric surgery. I had people saying negative crap to me too until I told them what my doctors said and how it would improve my diabetes and the fact that I told them to stick it up their backside! I'm so happy I made this decision! And you will too when all that confidence, happiness and healthiness you will be radiating shuts them up!!!

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I will not let anyone tell me or let me down because they have not walked a step in my shoes

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You're absolutely right and those are nice shoes lol

I actually thought that if I didn't lose the weight on my own that surgery was the easy way out. I was totally wrong. Getting healthy is hard no matter how you go about it and realizing you need more than a salad and excercise to make it gives you strength.

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I would tell them that's what I used to think too, before I looked into it, and that sadly there is no such thing as an easy way out. WLS just evens the playing field, so that people with chronic obesity can have a reasonable chance at maintaining weight loss. It doesn't magically make it happen, as the 40% of people who don't maintain it can attest. However, compared to the more than 99% who fail with "traditional" methods alone, I'll take it!

People who talk about "the easy way out" may not even realize that they are equating a disease with a moral failing. Science doesn't bear that out, and you shouldn't buy into it either. If you had hyperthyroidism and needed your thyroid removed, would you feel guilty about taking the easy way out? Or would you try to use will power to even out your hormones?

Chronic obesity is a misunderstood disease that requires lifelong management. But, hell, if there was an easy way, I'd take it in a heartbeat. There is no prize in this life for people who beat their heads against a wall.

VSG 1/20/17 HW: 325 SW:294 CW: 296

Well said!!!

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Thanks for all responses ❤️️

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I'd say one of two things:

"Why wouldn't I do it if it's easy?" or "Wow, that's rude"

People who would ask a question like that don't deserve your time or consideration.

I've been very selective on who I have let known. It's nobody's business but my immediate family's. If I was told that, I would tell them they have no idea what they are talking about. I would be tempted to show them my daily food log so they can see exactly what I eat on a daily basis and how much exercising I do. I think that would shut them up, because there's NO WAY they could do this.

I can see why people think it's easy. And in some ways, it is, because the metabolic issues that prevented me from losing weight in the past are resolved. I simply could not lose weight when insulin resistant. I tried. So yes, it's so much easier now... but because I had a medical condition that required medical intervention!

When people make those comments I have to remind myself that many people have outdated ideas about obesity and see it as a willpower issue. I've got an Iron will. My genetics, my insulin, those things won't change because I will them to change! I do remind myself that people have a lot of bad information about the causes of obesity (like, we all just ate too many burgers-- if only that were the case, we'd all be able to lose and maintain weight loss!)...specifically about the odds of losing weight and maintaining the loss via diet and exercise alone. A lot of veterans say that wls is a maintenance tool as much as a wl tool. That's something that is really important to understand and many people don't get it.

I only had that once before surgery and once after surgery. I told people that it is not a decision that I took lightly and that I am doing this for my health. I am now almost 2 years out and down 178 pounds. The people close to me know how I monitor my food and know how religious I am about working out. The funny is the person that said something to me was trying to lose weight and lost about 80 pounds, but has since gained 40 of it back.