Hello, newbie here. I'm very interested in WLS but then part of me thinks I can fool myself into pretending I've had it. Has anyone changed their mind about having the surgery after doing the pre-op diet, or for any reason such has having success or just even playing a mind trick on yourself? Curious. Thank you!

On 2/25/2019 at 7:28 AM, NYJenn said:

You have two posts about the same topic. It just doesn’t seem like you are ready for WLS. When I decided, there was no doubt in my mind. It sounds like you aren’t there yet

Yup, you are right, I'm not there yet so that's why I'm posting and asking questions. Thanks for the helpful reply.

Hello, newbie here. I'm very interested in WLS but then part of me thinks I can fool myself into pretending I've had it. Has anyone changed their mind about having the surgery after doing the pre-op diet, or for any reason such has having success or just even playing a mind trick on yourself? Curious. Thank you!

I was going to post the same thing reading all these horror stories on here have me thinking twice about wls. I'm schedule for April 19 & I'm iffy about it.

horror stories are very rare. They seem more common than they are because people post about them, seeking advice. Pretty much no one seeks advice when they're six months - or a year - or three years = out and everything is hunky-dorey. Just for the record, I'm almost four years out, and everything has been hunky-dorey. No complications, no complaints, absolutely no regrets. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Yeah I agree I can't understand people being so nervous.

I cannot wait I'm so excited for my surgery to begin. I've been thinking about it for a while and I'm super happy because the alternative is dying of heart attack and dying early.

Just like one been watching the one ton family and this guy 700lbs is getting all worked up about possible complications but dude you're going to die very soon if you don't get help!!!

Surgery has been done 1000s of times and the rate of complications is very very small seriously...

And yes as above we only hear about complications people don't talk much about good things even in the paper or the news is always bad stuff talked about..

My doctor said no problems don't stress we've been doing this for 20 years!!

Think about the future. Think about a life without health risks. Think about looking and feeling like a new person. Think about living a long healthy life!

Surgery is a huge decision and everyone has a right to their feelings about it which can run the whole gamut in a day or a week from elation to doubt and back. If you are nervous get off the web and talk to your surgeon and their team.

As with any medical procedure there are people who have complications, or don’t respond well, but there are countless others who haven’t had complications. If you decide to go through with it there will be changes but all for the better.

I don’t think of the surgery as an elective but as preventative and an intervention. I have been through stalls and a little bit of hair thinning but nothing catastrophic. The first two months were hard but at 8 months I barely remember it.

Post-Op You will learn to listen to your body more, really learn when your full, and feel better after moving around.

Listen, if you had told me a week pre-op that at 71/2 months I’d be down 90lbs and have run my first 5K I would have laughed myself into the ER. Change is scary but doing nothing is detrimental. We’ve all done the yo yo diet, workout, lose and gain it all back plus some. I hope you choose to go through with it!

I hope you’ll find some peace and support with your decision. If any of you are lacking support and want to chat please feel free to reach out. Good luck!

22 hours ago, skylw6 said:

Surgery is a huge decision and everyone has a right to their feelings about it which can run the whole gamut in a day or a week from elation to doubt and back. If you are nervous get off the web and talk to your surgeon and their team.

As with any medical procedure there are people who have complications, or don’t respond well, but there are countless others who haven’t had complications. If you decide to go through with it there will be changes but all for the better.

I don’t think of the surgery as an elective but as preventative and an intervention. I have been through stalls and a little bit of hair thinning but nothing catastrophic. The first two months were hard but at 8 months I barely remember it.

Post-Op You will learn to listen to your body more, really learn when your full, and feel better after moving around.

Listen, if you had told me a week pre-op that at 71/2 months I’d be down 90lbs and have run my first 5K I would have laughed myself into the ER. Change is scary but doing nothing is detrimental. We’ve all done the yo yo diet, workout, lose and gain it all back plus some. I hope you choose to go through with it!

I hope you’ll find some peace and support with your decision. If any of you are lacking support and want to chat please feel free to reach out. Good luck!

Appreciate that

Had mine a Year ago this May best decision ever .Im 53 off of 5 Meds just take Vitamins now and a antacid.I was 217 now 138 , 80 Weight loss.Will you lose your Hair yup guess what it grows back .My Dr told me if you lose it right away your malnourished,I didn’t lose any till 5 to 6 Months out . Don’t listen to negativity.

On 2/23/2019 at 9:02 AM, Panda333 said:

\ part of me thinks I can fool myself into pretending I've had it. Has anyone changed their mind about having the surgery after doing the pre-op diet, or for any reason such has having success or just even playing a mind trick on yourself? Curious. Thank you!

So, not to be snarky, but how has losing weight without surgery been working for you so far in life? I'm assuming, since you are considering surgery, your BMI is over 35. You don't have any stats, so we don't know age, weight, etc. My guess is if you are considering surgery, dieting has not worked over the years for you.

I was 56 when I had surgery in 2016. I have lost about 150 pounds. I am in the best physical shape I've been in during my lifetime except when I was a nationally ranked athlete in my teens.

And at age 57, I'm in the top 25 in women in my sport in the the US.

The surgery works. Yes, there is always the chance of complications. But what are the complications you are facing now - high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis, inability to move freely, inability to buy clothes, etc.

99% of making this surgery work is getting your head in the right place. Sounds like you need to spend some time working through that.

6 hours ago, Diana_in_Philly said:

So, not to be snarky, but how has losing weight without surgery been working for you so far in life? I'm assuming, since you are considering surgery, your BMI is over 35. You don't have any stats, so we don't know age, weight, etc. My guess is if you are considering surgery, dieting has not worked over the years for you.

I was 56 when I had surgery in 2016. I have lost about 150 pounds. I am in the best physical shape I've been in during my lifetime except when I was a nationally ranked athlete in my teens.

And at age 57, I'm in the top 25 in women in my sport in the the US.

The surgery works. Yes, there is always the chance of complications. But what are the complications you are facing now - high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, arthritis, inability to move freely, inability to buy clothes, etc.

99% of making this surgery work is getting your head in the right place. Sounds like you need to spend some time working through that.

Absolutely correct!!!

When surgery scares you less than continuing as you are, when you want it as much as breathing, when you realize you are worse off without than with, when you can turn your back on the past you came from and look instead towards the future you can have. When you realize that fear no longer has its claws in you and you realize your own strength and resolution and know you can play this game to its conclusion, then my child ,you're ready! When you can give it your all, rain or shine, then it is TIME.

I was scared right up to the pre-op room. I am a nurse, and I think knowing all the possible complications and CHOOSING to risk them in an elective surgery really messed with my mind. I thought over and over, "I should just do it on my own." But who am I fooling? After dieting for 5 decades? My PCP told me, "If you had been able to do it on your own, you would have." I was literally crying in pre-op. Then my surgeon came in and told me that none of his patients had ever come back wishing they had NOT had the surgery. Was he telling the truth? I don't know, but it was the reassurance I needed to go ahead.

The first little bit is hard, for sure. And I had a complication of a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) that I am still taking a blood thinner for. But I feel like this is the best decisions I have ever made for myself. After 48 pounds off, I can walk up hills and stairs without being winded. I have so much more energy and I think the very best years of my life are still ahead!

Bottom line - some fear and ambivalence can be perfectly normal - just means you are weighing the risks seriously. However, life is so much better on this side of the surgery, and you can never know until you take the plunge!

On 3/25/2019 at 7:24 AM, Panda333 said:

Yup, you are right, I'm not there yet so that's why I'm posting and asking questions. Thanks for the helpful reply.

ok...no, you can't "trick" yourself into thinking you had weigh loss surgery.