Thank you for your honesty. I have been spending my time reading the stories of people who regret this surgery or had complications or ended up in the ICU or had late effects. I do have 100 lbs to lose and will have surgery in Mexico because I am self-pay. I put 10 years of thought into WLS, I am trying to be as informed as possible.
I am so sorry about your experience - I am completely aware that this surgery is NOT all sunshine and unicorns. I also know that I lose the same 10,20,40LBS over and over. I know myself and unfortunately with my weight - there's no place to go but up.
You don't need to apologize for taking time off from this site - the whole idea of surgery is to have a "life", not to be on a website forever.
Thank you so much for sharing your stuggles

Oh Grace I am sorry you are in such bad shape. I agree with you about the vanity part of it and all and I know what you mean about things not getting better. I was told all my life that once I lost the weight the pain would decrease or go away all together, NOPE! I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia last year and I am still having issues with stomach pain that no one can understand. Now being pregnant again my body is doing all kinds of really weird things and its really a mental roller coaster when I cant eat something today that was fine yesterday. I am almost positive that my gallbladder is in need of removal but the Dr.s don't listen well at times so I guess after enough trips to the ER they might finally get it. Anyway I am so so sorry you are going threw this and I wish there was something I could do to help. I am glad you posted this because as you said I have been on the "high" of loosing but there are downsides to this as well and people should be well informed on the life altering things that can happen. And like you said if you aren't 100% committed to a lifelong dietary change then this is not a good idea.
I hope you get to feeling better soon or something changes and things get better for you! Hugs!

...

Grace
I am very sad that you ended up with all these health issues. You have always been a great counselor. You are honest and say things as they are. I completely agree that if someone is doing this for vanity sake that they should not do it. Health issues are a different story. One has to weigh out the pros and cons of health. Thank you for all that you share with us. The good the bad and the ugly. I pray God will shine his light on you and help you deal with everything. When you have a moment please keep us updated.

Grace
I am very sad that you ended up with all these health issues. You have always been a great counselor. You are honest and say things as they are. I completely agree that if someone is doing this for vanity sake that they should not do it. Health issues are a different story. One has to weigh out the pros and cons of health. Thank you for all that you share with us. The good the bad and the ugly. I pray God will shine his light on you and help you deal with everything. When you have a moment please keep us updated.

Sorry It posted twice

I commend you for posting the truth. I am 3 weeks out and doing very well. I fear things could go wrong, but pray always for God to look out for us sleevers. I had this surgery because I couldn't get control of my diabetes, even with insulin, diet and exercise. My sugars are in the normal range for the first time in many years. I feel if a person is going to have a threat of life or limb then the risk is so worth it. If someone is just overweight, HELL NO, it's not worth it. I don't regret it for a moment though.

I am encouraging my 26 y/o daughter to change her ways now, while her body is young. She has inherited this awful fat gene.

Best of luck to you and I pray things get better for you.

I dont think in the U.S, any surgeon would approve weight loss surgery for 50 or so vanity pounds. Granted, if you have $4750, and a passport, you can go to Mexico, and have the surgery at your own risk.

I appreciate you taking the time, to write about your journey. I feel like the people who have adverse side effects, and long term issues, we rarely, if EVER hear from. I just commented about this exact subject yesterday on DECEMBER 's blog.

So thank you for sharing your journey with us, and giving us a true scope of what to expect, in the rare occurance something doesnt go as "glamerous" as some surgeons paint it out to be.

I wish you lots of success in the rest of your journey, peaceful and painfree days-

As I have admitted in a previous blog..the primary reason I had this surgery was vanity. I was 105 pounds overweight however I did not have any comorbidities. So it would be wrong for me to say I did this to "save my life". Was I heading that way? Possibly...but I have lost and gained weight so many times over my life span it's hard to be 100% certain.

Not only was I "tired" of losing and gaining weight...I was tired of looking at my reflection and breaking down in tears. I HATED myself...sure I went around saying "I love myself just the way I am...and if people don't like me because of my weight screw them"...LIES ALL LIES!

I agree with you 100% that this surgery is not the cure. I have had to restructure 30+ years of "mental food schemas"/poor eating behaviors (excessive binging)...I have had to literally "work my a** off" to get these results...I have had to seek professional help for "body image issues". And the emotions?? OMGoodness they are all over the map...I have never been so emotional in all my life. But again..something I am seeking professional help for.

I have not experienced any negative side effects. But know they are always a possibility...regardless of how "great" I may be feeling today. I really empathize with your situation, and hope that things WILL get better. No one who is trying to better themselves deserves this kind of predicament (for lack of a better word).

I am sending all the positive vibes I can possibly muster your way...I have always enjoyed your posts. Take care Grace.

((((((((((((( Grace ))))))))))))))))))))))

You and I have gone thru this journey together and all of your posts have been insightful, helpful and worthwhile. This post is no different than any others - honest, as always. But it breaks my heart not to hear the smile in your voice that, even on the bad days, has always been there.

I must admit, I need to look up those conditions as I don't know much about them, but thank you for sharing what's going on with you. I will be sending all of the good vibes that I can muster your way and I hope that you're able to find peace where you are along this journey.

sending love..

Oh, I'm not entirely negative... just frustrated. We're packing up this lovely house we built with our own hands 11 yrs ago - (or I should say paying people to pack us up, I'm useless most of the time) and moving closer to my daughters and grandkids...and the only warm pool in the area that I can afford. Once we get closer and I have family and a place to exercise, my docs are saying I'll do better than to leave the house once a week for groceries. The myofascial pain gets me down the most, along with the food issues, and just plain exhaustion because I'm "malnourished" and anemic because not much good is absorbing. I'm just hanging in waiting for the next chapter and hoping with 8 diagnoses and 11 doctors on my side I get my disability and can get on with trying to have some sort of quality of life. But truly, I would rather be healthy and working and using my degree.... my one thankfulness is that I didn't have the bypass because I wouldn't be absorbing much of anything and I'd be on an IV by now.

Your honesty is quite refreshing. You are so right that this type of surgery has to be done for the right reasons. I am so sorry that you are experiencing so many additional health issues after the surgery. For me, it has been wonderful....I have lost 80 pounds so far and would still like to lose the final 20 but it's okay if I don't. I feel so much better now and my energy level is so much higher. My blood pressure is considerably better and I am off so many other meds. Even the pain from my RA is improved....I no longer take daily pain meds so I feel like I have gotten my life back. However, everyone is different and any type of surgery needs to undertaken only after much thought and should never be a rushed decision. Good luck and I can only pray that your health will improve.

I wonder why you aren't just wasting away if you are malnourished and you're not absorbing the nutrients? Have your doctors got an answer for that?

Sorry to hear of all your troubles, but I appreciate your honesty. Hope things start getting better for you.

@lovesaqha - I wish I knew. I appear to need very little food to live on and the liquids I am drinking are helping. I've asked the same question - why at least am I not thin if I have to go through this? They don't have answers, just guesses that it has to do with my hypoglycemia and the fact that even if we don't get nutrients from our food we do absorb the fats and minimal nutrients farther down in the intestines. Naturopath tells me I need at least 120 gms of protein a day to absorb for my body type and by my blood tests I'm lucky if I'm getting 40 even though I'm diligently working on getting 150 into my mouth. Having a stomach scope as soon as I can afford it (copay) and that will perhaps finally tell something. Taking several stomach meds as well. Mostly I'm just so tired that sometimes I am walking across my house and want to just lie down on the floor right in that spot and rest. Haven't decided if I'll go to my 2 yr check up in August. I think if they told me I messed this up I might just go ballistic.

I wish I read this before my surgery. I only had 50 pounds to lose, but had diabetes. Tried 35 years to lose weight and nothing worked. I remember relatives having body parts cut off and losing their eyesight. My endocrinologist said to do this instead of the lapband. I had a hiatal hernia repaired, and it irritated the vagus nerve. My neck and head and shoulders hurt, I feel a little shaky. I hope this doesn't happen to me, and I pray that you may recover. Any advice would be appreciated

Thank you for your very honest post. I'm truly sorry for your troubles and *hope* that no respectable bariatric surgeon in the US would perform a sleeve on someone with no health issues. That said, I was sleeved in October with 90-100 lbs to lose. I did have uncontrolled "asthma" and high bp controlled on three different meds. Aside from the medical issues, I now understand I was depressed before. Three years since my divorce, I'd pretty much become a semi-hermit. I have to work, and buy groceries and occasionally would meet up with a few close friends, but did not relish the opportunity to "get out" and would spend my time playing video games or watching TV. I was not comfortable in my own skin. I didn't like that version of me.

Fast forward 3 months and yes, I am off my medications, 50lbs down and enjoy an hour on my elliptical, walking the dogs and doing yoga several times per week. But probably the most dramatic change has been in my confidence. I'm more confident at work and on track for a promotion now. I have jumped back into the dating pool, (ya think three years, four with the separation, is long enough)? I am enjoying the attention and socialization opportunities. I seek out more time with my friends and family. I SMILE now. Vanity? Maybe, but you can't put a price on emotional well being. I'd take the risk again in a heartbeat.

I still have 40-50 lbs to go, but I feel amazing now and intend to enjoy the rest of my weight loss journey and my life as a healthy person, both medically and emotionally.

I wasn't trying to discourage folks who need this and are willing to take the chance. I was simply taking off the rose colored glasses and keeping it real. This stuff does happen, rarely, but it does....