Hello! I have been reading a little on this site, and it has been making me feel better... but... if anyone cares to read my situation, I'd love feedback. I am about 205lbs, 5'6" and 34 years old. I have always struggled with my weight, and the only times I have been "healthy" weights, is when I have used some outside aide, such as phen or contrave. Well, the phen makes me feel awful, and the contrave doesn't work for some reason anymore. Plus, I have to combine it with a ton of zonegran (similar to topemax). Basically im a walking pharamacy - yuck.

I don't know what to do... I'm very afraid of surgery. It gives me major anxiety to think about going under anesthesia. And taking pain meds.

I also seem to be just incapable of dieting and exercising properly. I have spent so much money on nutritionists, Jenny Craig, meds... I've gone to OA...

Part of me thinks I'm just lazy. I mean, it takes so much effort for me to not overeat and to get up and exercise everyday.. I had my thyroid checked, and I'm 1.42. I'm always on the low end of normal, although I've been borderline too low before. I am anemic, and need vitamin d I guess.

Sorry this is all over the place. I guess what I'm getting at is - does everyone else here feel this way?

I have been reading the pre-op diet and that's the scariest part of all! If I could do 3 weeks of healthy eating then why would I need this surgery?? Should I take medicine to help me with that before the surgery?? I don't know what to do!

Any advice is welcome. Please tell me your candid opinions - I very much appreciate you taking the time to read my story and respond.

Thank you!!!!

ALSO - do we know the long term effects of missing part of your stomach? I've been trying to research it but I don't see anything.. maybe I'm not looking in the right places. I know people who eat less live longer.. but what about missing part of your organ?

Your BMI is low (at 33) for bariatric surgery. Most bariatric surgeons have a cut off of 35 with comorbidities. 40, without them. Have you found a surgeon willing to do someone with your health and BMI? Will your insurance cover the surgery with a BMI that low? Many won't.

"If I could do 3 weeks of healthy eating then why would I need this surgery??" this line in your post concerns me a lot.

Commiting to the surgery and doing the recovery safely...requires a hell of a lot more willpower than simply eating healthy for 3 weeks. It's a months long process of severe diet restriction. Three weeks of "healthy eating" would seem like an indulgent feast to many of the folks in the process right now.

I don't mean to scare you off....but you really should research the foods you're allowed to eat and for how long after surgery. Also, the many hoops you have to jump through.

The surgery doesn't do the work for you. You can regain every pound and more. It's a tool that helps you get closer to your goal faster. Once you're there....finding a way to permanently change your habits is daily effort.

What does your general practioner think of you having weight loss surgery?

So I guess my BMI is 36, not 33. Neither the surgeon nor my GP has expressed concern over me doing this, but my GP knows I've struggled with my weight for years.

It turns out I only need to do a liquid diet 1 day before the surgery, not 21 days like I thought. they have told me that the sleeve resets your brain so you dont crave junk food so much, in addition to not having the space for as much food, and that is how you lose the weight.

I am really scared for the actual surgery - less of the aftermath. but I am really tired of being so overweight my whole life, and how it makes me feel.

thank you for your reply.

Like you I am deciding on the surgery too. I am 205 with a BMI of 36 and I am shorter than you so I think your BMI would be less than mine. I am less scared of the actual surgery because there is a really low complication rate & I really trust my doctor. I am more scared of afterwards - like what the long term effects of missing part of my stomach would be. However the NP I just went to said you don't even need that part of your stomach so I feel a little better. My understanding is that at first you don't crave junk food but eventually gherlin builds back up in your stomach so eventually you might crave it again. If you are scared of the surgery - have you looked into ESG? It is less invasive. The drawback is that it hasn't been proven to be as effective as VSG. This is something I am researching now but the drawback for me is spending $11,000 vs $1,500.

3 hours ago, heyhiitsme said:

So I guess my BMI is 36, not 33. Neither the surgeon nor my GP has expressed concern over me doing this, but my GP knows I've struggled with my weight for years.

It turns out I only need to do a liquid diet 1 day before the surgery, not 21 days like I thought. they have told me that the sleeve resets your brain so you dont crave junk food so much, in addition to not having the space for as much food, and that is how you lose the weight.

I am really scared for the actual surgery - less of the aftermath. but I am really tired of being so overweight my whole life, and how it makes me feel.

thank you for your reply.

The sleeve resets our brains? I am preparing for surgery and have not heard this yet.

Also, right after surgery, how long does your surgeon want you to be on a liquid diet? Puree diet for how long? Surgeons seem to be so different.