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Looking back on my weight los surgery journey



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It is just 2 years since I first saw the surgeon to ask about weight loss surgery. He recommended RNY because of my severe GORD. I ended up having the RNY surgery pm July 2016. My main reasons for having the surgery were 1) I was in heart failure and struggling to walk as far as my letter box each day. I had already given up work because of it. 2) I had high blood pressure despite taking 7 different meds a day for it. 3) I am diabetic and had been taking insulin for 30 years and 4) I needed knee replacement surgery and the surgeon recommended I reduce my BMI from 41 to less than 30.

Since the RNY surgery I have had many ups and downs but the weight came off quite quickly and remained off for more than a year. The ups and downs are more emotional, adjusting to the new forever way of eating and accepting that I can't have a few more bites because it tastes nice, I can't eat anything with fat in it no matter how much I want to and sugar is something to be savoured in tiny amounts on rare occasions like birthdays. The unpredictability of dumping syndrome makes my work day scary so I literally stick with a plain salad (vegetables only and no dressing) to try to avoid being sick at work.

The upside is that I have lost weight to a BMI of 24 and maintained it. I have stopped taking insulin and only take a small dose of Metformin twice a day. I have stopped all my blood pressure meds and my heart failure has "cured itself." I started back at work in July 2017 and manage so much better aside from the occasional dumping syndrome episode. Best of all I had my kneed replacements done 3 weeks ago (yep both sides at once) and the recovery has been amazing. I am sure it was much easier now I am not carrying the extra weight. Oh and the GORD went away with the surgery and hasn't returned yet - Yay.

One down side to the surgery is that when I get sick I lose 2 - 3 kg very fast and it takes me weeks to put it back on. Of course I can afford to leave it off since my BMI is still 24 but my cardiologist doesn't want me to get below a BMI of 22 so now I am mindful of how much I lose and what I put back on if anything. It is a problem I never thought I would face in my lifetime.

So would I recommend the surgery to others? I would say make sure you choose the right surgery for you and are prepared for the life changes it will bring. RNY can't be undone once it is done so you are stuck with it even if you don't like the dumping syndrome and eating restrictions. But if you have health problems that will be cured or improved by having the surgery, then seriously consider it. I am glad I did even on those days when I feel I am missing out or experiencing dumping because I pushed things.

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Thank you for sharing your story and congrats on having a healthier life.

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    • LeighaTR

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    • Doughgurl

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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