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I am new to this. I went to a seminar in November to support my boyfriend who is looking into surgery. I walked out wanting the surgery myself. my boyfriend is on month 3 of nutritionist meetings. I haven't made my 1st appt yet. I have people who want to tell me what they don't tell you about regarding the surgery. I have read so much. hood, bad, indifferent. I know 5 people who have had the surgery done. best decision of their life. I guess I'm nervous about taking the first step. any tips from anyone would be helpful. like is there something you wished you did proof to surgery? is there s checklist of items needed post surgery? any help would be great

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Not sure what to tell you, but going through this along side of your boyfriend could be a great support idea for both of you. I'd take the first step while you consider. Taking that step doesn't commit you to anything, but gets you started now in case you decide to go with it. Maybe make a list of pros and cons? Goals in life and how surgery may/may not help you reach them? I'm only 4 weeks out so can't claim miraculous cures yet, but my brother was sleeved a few years ago. He had medical issues and had gotten so large that his legs were starting to bow. He reports that everything in life is so much easier now. For me, my decision was finalized (while I was starting through the steps) when, while on vacation, I realized that things I really wanted to do were off-limits to me simply due to my size. I was tired of letting my weight make decisions for me.

Good luck to you and your boyfriend!

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36 minutes ago, Ellens531 said:

I am new to this. I went to a seminar in November to support my boyfriend who is looking into surgery. I walked out wanting the surgery myself. my boyfriend is on month 3 of nutritionist meetings. I haven't made my 1st appt yet. I have people who want to tell me what they don't tell you about regarding the surgery. I have read so much. hood, bad, indifferent. I know 5 people who have had the surgery done. best decision of their life. I guess I'm nervous about taking the first step. any tips from anyone would be helpful. like is there something you wished you did proof to surgery? is there s checklist of items needed post surgery? any help would be great

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Taking the first step and making an appointment does not commit you to the process. If later on down the line you feel that surgery isn't a good option, you can always back out. I am still pre-op for another three weeks and I'm convinced that this is one of the best decisions that I have ever made. The important thing is that you don't go into this thinking it is the magical fix and a good program will emphasize that this procedure is not a magic bullet.

I could go into a laundry list of things that I wished I had done prior to considering surgery and going down this road. But, I am not going to because there is no sense dwelling in the past. At some point I had to take a long hard look and say what I did in the past hadn't worked so why the hell am I going to go through that again? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is madness. I am 40 years old and my genetic healthy life expectancy is about 85 years so if I want to live a better life, I'd best not keep trying what hasn't worked.

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I wish I considered it an option sooner. I was struggling needlessly. Once you feel like this is an option go through the process leading up to the surgery, if at any time you want to stop you can so there is not a huge amount of pressure to commit once you've begun.

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Taking the first step and making an appointment does not commit you to the process. If later on down the line you feel that surgery isn't a good option, you can always back out. I am still pre-op for another three weeks and I'm convinced that this is one of the best decisions that I have ever made. The important thing is that you don't go into this thinking it is the magical fix and a good program will emphasize that this procedure is not a magic bullet.
I could go into a laundry list of things that I wished I had done prior to considering surgery and going down this road. But, I am not going to because there is no sense dwelling in the past. At some point I had to take a long hard look and say what I did in the past hadn't worked so why the hell am I going to go through that again? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is madness. I am 40 years old and my genetic healthy life expectancy is about 85 years so if I want to live a better life, I'd best not keep trying what hasn't worked.

What I mean is did you wish you started exercising, changed your eating habits to make the change easier, etc

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What I mean is did you wish you started exercising, changed your eating habits to make the change easier, etc

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It's a part of the process, you will have to make lifestyle changes prior to surgery, EVERY practice requires it and some want proof. You can always get the ball rolling earlybut if you just don't know how, the nutritionist or dietitian will guide you

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Just now, Ellens531 said:


What I mean is did you wish you started exercising, changed your eating habits to make the change easier, etc

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No, right now I hurt so badly from being overweight that exercising isn't really an option. I've changed my eating habits enough to get my blood glucose (A1C) to safe levels for surgery. In a week, I begin my pre-op diet which I know will be difficult because I will have to contend daily with low blood sugar while my diabetic meds get tweaked. There really isn't much that I can do to make things easier at the moment. I will just grin and bear it.

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No, right now I hurt so badly from being overweight that exercising isn't really an option. I've changed my eating habits enough to get my blood glucose (A1C) to safe levels for surgery. In a week, I begin my pre-op diet which I know will be difficult because I will have to contend daily with low blood sugar while my diabetic meds get tweaked. There really isn't much that I can do to make things easier at the moment. I will just grin and bear it.

Change your thoughts! This journey is a mindset !



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Well I think you've already had your 'come to Jesus" moment where the fear of surgery is less than continuing to live like you are. We all have our defining moment, some similar but,many differing. I realized I was sick and tired of being sick and [emoji31] tired. I was weary of dragging around a body that wasn't serving me very well. And as i slowed and moved less I could see my own mortality ahead and I realized I didn't want to die just yet. There were things I had not accomplished and places yet to go. So I'm claiming a future out of my foggy past, going to be RnY early-mid March at Mount Carmel in Columbus Ohio. I still have hope and desire to make this a success. Come join me on the journey for the best is yet to be.

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Well I think you've already had your 'come to Jesus" moment where the fear of surgery is less than continuing to live like you are. We all have our defining moment, some similar but,many differing. I realized I was sick and tired of being sick and [emoji31] tired. I was weary of dragging around a body that wasn't serving me very well. And as i slowed and moved less I could see my own mortality ahead and I realized I didn't want to die just yet. There were things I had not accomplished and places yet to go. So I'm claiming a future out of my foggy past, going to be RnY early-mid March at Mount Carmel in Columbus Ohio. I still have hope and desire to make this a success. Come join me on the journey for the best is yet to be.

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I am calling surgeon today. Hopefully I can get in soon. I realised I really needed to do more when I went to the store and my size went up even though really working it at gym.

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I am calling surgeon today. Hopefully I can get in soon. I realised I really needed to do more when I went to the store and my size went up even though really working it at gym.

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Emailed them from website regarding appt as it's difficult to do at work, but got that done, just wait for them and I will be on way way

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Keep on Keeping on. Like the 60/70 song" ain't nothing gonna break --a my stride Ain't nothing gonna slow me down" You can and will do this.

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Thank you for your support. Where are you located?

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Ohio, 14 miles from the Geographic Center. Centerburg which is in my county(Knox) holds that distinction. I live in Mount Vernon, the county seat, a city of just under 20,000. We are the home of Dr Semple, a dentist who invented chewing gum, Daniel Decater Emmett, a Northerner who,wrote the South's battle song Dixie and the actor Paul Lynde. All,of them are dead but I'm not. Another slight claim to fame, I am distantly related to Princess Diana thru her great great grandfather Frank Werk who was from Muskingum county Ohio. My late husband was (i think) a 4th or 5th cousin of President Millard Fillmore. Millard's mother was named Ellen Tilton, a bunch of Ellen's in his family who were her namesake. And Late hubby's middle name was Tilton. A quick,joke about ancestors. People who boast about ancestors are like potatoes, the best part is buried underground.So now you know a little more about me and mine. I was an only child so ancestor stories were my bedtime stories. I know more about some of them than I do fairy tales.

.

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