Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
Hello!
I found this forum today.
I'm 43. My BMI is 36.5. I have terrible asthma, iron-deficiency anemia, and vitamin D deficiency.
I'm scheduled to have surgery for hiatal hernia on Friday (a week from today) with the option of sleeve surgery for patient pay (we worked out a fair cost based on the hernia surgery covering it). I went through the full work up over the past 5 months for gastric surgery to explore it. I've been heavy my whole life. I do not believe that I can lose weight and not gain it back, as I've done it all (as I'm sure you all can relate to) and the weight always comes back.
I'm terrified that I'm making the wrong choice. I'm afraid that it will take me out of work and life for too long. There is so much variation in people's experiences. I'm feeling overwhelmed. (Or maybe the liquid diet has me even shakier?)
Is this normal? Do others feel this way?
Thank you for having this forum.
Best,
HOSH in California.
Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
You’re completely normal in feeling apprehensive! I was just sleeved in March and it was the best decision I have made. I was off work for 4 weeks, but could have gone back sooner. Do this for YOU, don’t be worried about everyone else’s experiences because you’re unique, you will have your own journey. I have not met one person yet who regrets the sleeve. It is a tool, you will have to put in some work but the payoff is good health and an extension on life. Only you can decide if it’s the right time, but if you’re going to have hernia surgery anyway, it would be a fantastic idea to do the sleeve at the same time, to save on recovery time. You have found a great place to ask questions. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on the forum who can give you great advice. Welcome!
Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bellagirl
You’re completely normal in feeling apprehensive! I was just sleeved in March and it was the best decision I have made. I was off work for 4 weeks, but could have gone back sooner. Do this for YOU, don’t be worried about everyone else’s experiences because you’re unique, you will have your own journey. I have not met one person yet who regrets the sleeve. It is a tool, you will have to put in some work but the payoff is good health and an extension on life. Only you can decide if it’s the right time, but if you’re going to have hernia surgery anyway, it would be a fantastic idea to do the sleeve at the same time, to save on recovery time. You have found a great place to ask questions. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on the forum who can give you great advice. Welcome!
THANK YOU for your thoughtful and supportive words. I believe that this will be a good thing for me. My doctors have been supportive and encouraging. A lifetime of dieting and exercise and hard work has not panned out -- I think I'm terrified I'll mess this up or it will mess ME up! I know that this feeling is in my head. I realize that the surgery is in my gut and not in my brain, so I've really got to build the confidence there!
Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
Welcome Hosh. I think most people have some degree of fear. I can tell you I only took a week off of work. Mostly I was just tired. As for living life...it does not take long to going back to doing most things. A month or so. And now I am living my best life possible. I absolutely love living as a sleeved person.
Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
I can totally relate to your apprehension, but I was just sleeved about 2 weeks ago and I'm feeling like my old self again. I'm not going to lie and say the first week wasn't tough, but remember we are healing from a major surgery. After adding protein and vitamins, along with walking really brought my energy levels back. I feel good and I wouldn't change my decision for anything. I'm going to be a handful here in a couple of months LOL.
Best of luck to you!
Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Christie13
Welcome Hosh. I think most people have some degree of fear. I can tell you I only took a week off of work. Mostly I was just tired. As for living life...it does not take long to going back to doing most things. A month or so. And now I am living my best life possible. I absolutely love living as a sleeved person.
Christie13 -- Thank you for your supportive comments. One thing you said keeps ringing in my ears -- that you're living your best life possible and that you love living as a sleeved person. What is it about being a "sleeved person" is it that you love? You sound like the perfect combination of enthusiasm and attitude. Can you tell me more?
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
hosh
Christie13 -- Thank you for your supportive comments. One thing you said keeps ringing in my ears -- that you're living your best life possible and that you love living as a sleeved person. What is it about being a "sleeved person" is it that you love? You sound like the perfect combination of enthusiasm and attitude. Can you tell me more?
I love the control the sleeve gives me to not overeat. I used to eat A LOT. I was never full. I always felt hungry unless I was eating ginormous portions. That is no longer an issue. I could exercise a ton and diet but the minute I was not able to eat tiny portions I would gain all the weight back in record time. It was so frustrating and defeating. As for living my best life...I am super happy and super healthy. I look fantastic and have no regrets on being sleeved. It does not prevent me from anything other than consuming huge quantities at once. I still socialize. I still go out to eat. I still drink socially. Just now I do so in smaller quantities and my weight doesn't skyrocket as it would have previously. Keeping the weight off is relatively easy. I weigh daily to ensure I am not gaining weight. I want to be able to do something if my weight begins to creep up. :)
Here is a picture on Mother's Day. My surgeon always says I don't look like someone who has had weight loss surgery. I attribute that to strength training. I eat pretty much what I want now.
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Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
Thank you thank you! You inspire me and give me a calmness going into this. Thank you!
Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Christie13
I love the control the sleeve gives me to not overeat. I used to eat A LOT. I was never full. I always felt hungry unless I was eating ginormous portions. That is no longer an issue. I could exercise a ton and diet but the minute I was not able to eat tiny portions I would gain all the weight back in record time. It was so frustrating and defeating. As for living my best life...I am super happy and super healthy. I look fantastic and have no regrets on being sleeved. It does not prevent me from anything other than consuming huge quantities at once. I still socialize. I still go out to eat. I still drink socially. Just now I do so in smaller quantities and my weight doesn't skyrocket as it would have previously. Keeping the weight off is relatively easy. I weigh daily to ensure I am not gaining weight. I want to be able to do something if my weight begins to creep up. :)
Here is a picture on Mother's Day. My surgeon always says I don't look like someone who has had weight loss surgery. I attribute that to strength training. I eat pretty much what I want now.
Attachment 28286
What a beautiful pic Christie. You look so happy and healthy, you've done an amazing job!
Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
What a lovely photo Christie.
No, you don't look like a wls patient, you look like you've always been like this.
Amazing!
Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
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Totally normal to be nervous and apprehensive, but you are being given a new gift of LIFE! The sleeve is the only way you CAN lose all your weight (quite easily I might add) and you WILL be able to keep it off if you continue to follow your healthy lifestyle. Maintenance is not as easy because you can eat a larger quantity, but if you stick to what you learned while losing you can do it. If you're like me, once you reach a healthy weight, it is so beyond believable amazing there is NO WAY you would want to gain it back. It's totally unlike any of the "diets" we have all continued to fail at over and over again. You physically can't overeat. Now after 5 years again I still have restriction, not as much as early on, but after 2 pieces of a small pizza (not what I typically eat) there is no possible way I could even think of eating a third piece.
Just think about your life now and what it would be like being regular sized without all those health problems. Priceless! Hope you have changed "considering" to "just do it!" Best of luck to you.
I've turned into a mountain/hiking addict, doing Kilimanjaro in August with hubby, so at 62 and 64. Others retire and sit on the couch but not us. He's also doing Ride the Rockies early June, where I have a girl trip planned to hike in CO. Here's me this weekend practicing my elevation hiking in WI at Devil's Lake.
Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
sraebaer: You are such a rock star!
hosh: Welcome to the forum. I am 5 years out from surgery and I know for a fact that the sleeve is the best thing that I have ever done. Like you, I was very skeptical that the sleeve would not work for me. My thyroid and metabolism issues made losing weight nearly impossible. I was always frustrated, even though I always ate a healthy diet. Trust me, the sleeve surgery will either eliminate or greatly reduce many health issues that you have. It will give you a new lease on life. Just follow what your bariatric team tells you and you will be fine.
Re: Considering Sleeve Surgery Next Week -- terrified and don't know whether to do it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Christie13
I love the control the sleeve gives me to not overeat. I used to eat A LOT. I was never full. I always felt hungry unless I was eating ginormous portions. That is no longer an issue. I could exercise a ton and diet but the minute I was not able to eat tiny portions I would gain all the weight back in record time. It was so frustrating and defeating. As for living my best life...I am super happy and super healthy. I look fantastic and have no regrets on being sleeved. It does not prevent me from anything other than consuming huge quantities at once. I still socialize. I still go out to eat. I still drink socially. Just now I do so in smaller quantities and my weight doesn't skyrocket as it would have previously. Keeping the weight off is relatively easy. I weigh daily to ensure I am not gaining weight. I want to be able to do something if my weight begins to creep up. :)
Here is a picture on Mother's Day. My surgeon always says I don't look like someone who has had weight loss surgery. I attribute that to strength training. I eat pretty much what I want now.
Attachment 28286
Everything you said rings true for me! I want to live my best life and be the best version of me that I can. I developed a ginormous appetite when I was pregnant with my daughter and it has never returned to normal. And that was 6.5 years ago. It's a miserable way to live - and embarrassing. I eat more than my husband by far, and he is a huge eater! Also, I think you are right about the strength training - its essential to looking and feeling your best. You look fantastic in your Mother's Day pic!
Hosh- I am having the same doubts that you are (I am 8 days away from surgery). It's normal to be apprehensive when facing a major life-changing event. You ARE doing the right thing!
