I'm terrified!!

I'm sure this has been brought up before, so I apologize in advance. My VSG has been approved by insurance but an unexpected back surgery has delayed it. I'm 3 weeks out from the back surgery and have an appointment with my bariatric surgeon next week to discuss the next steps for VSG. However, with all this time sitting around bored out of my mind while recovering, I've gone and worked myself up into believing that this surgery is just a mutilation of my body that will cause several unwanted side effects all for the sake of losing weight.

The Facts:
I'm 264, 5'5", 41 years old
High Cholesterol, pre-diabetic, thyroid disease, herniating discs in my spine and disc degeneration

Why I'm Scared:
Tooth decay/loss
Constantly upset stomach
Fear I won't stick to the plan
Irreversible
Additional surgery for saggy skin
Missing more work after a month off to recover from back surgery

I used to be a gym rat and worked out hard, but I can't do that anymore thanks to my spine issues. I know I can lose the weight on my own, if my back would just cooperate. I've been waiting 2 years and 2 surgeries for that to happen. I don't know what to do.

Well the chances of dying from obesity are way higher than the chances of dying from sleeve surgery. At 41 to have all those health issues? That's nuts! I would be much more scared about weighing 264. Weight loss will help/cure many of your health issues. You know you can lose the weight on your own? Have you ever lost that much weight on your own and kept it off? If so, do it. I know my diet life was just a roller coaster. I proved over 40 years I could not do it on my own, and it wasn't for lack of trying.

Tooth decay/loss - I've never heard of a single person with this problem, and I've been on this site over 5 years

Constantly upset stomach - I have never had a constant upset stomach. In fact I have never once thrown up. I feel like a regular person. Look like one too.

Fear I won't stick to the plan - Early on you have to. You aren't hungry and literally can't overeat. The pounds just drop off. Over time this way of eating becomes a habit, your new lifestyle. It's easy, not to mention you're over-the-moon thrilled to be feeling and looking so much better. Unless you want to continue eating how you do now. Then don't have the surgery. As the years go on you could easily go back to your old habits and regain the weight if you wanted to. I went from rarely eating protein when I was fat to loving it now. Even after 5 years I get "full" much quicker than a normal person. I refuse to regain my weight.

Irreversible - I'm thrilled that being a regular-sized person is irreversible. Any other diet I lost weight and gained it right back.

Additional surgery for saggy skin - May or may not be needed. Depends on genetics, age, weight lost, exercise, a lot of things. But I can tell you some saggy skin that hides under clothes looks 100 times better than being obese. I chose no surgery, but under my jeans my stomach looks flat. I'm too old to wear a bikini, so no worries.

Missing more work after a month off to recover from back surgery - Are you worth it? I think so! Wouldn't it be worth all the money in the world to be a healthy, happy, active, regular-sized person?

You don't have to be a gym rat to exercise. You will find something you are able to do. Many in a situation like yours choose water exercising, or simple walking. And at a healthy weight, you will find you can do things you couldn't before. Without all that weight a lot of the pain goes away. I remember my feet ALWAYS hurt. Now they never do. Not to say at 62 I don't have some aches and pains, but I think that comes with age. I am more fit now than ever, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in August.

Keep on researching, but I can tell you that when you ask here about regrets, most people will say their only regret is that they didn't do it sooner. Do what works for you. Good luck! Hope you get back relief soon!

What sraebaer says... :D
She said it all.
Of course you are scared, lots of people are.
I am thrilled it is irreversible, that is exactly the point of this procedure.
And with your issues, I wouldn't hesitate for a second.
They will only get worse as time goes by.
I wish I would have done when I was your age.
I wasted so many years...

I can only concur with the above.

Tooth decay/loss - never heard of this. My teeth are just fine.

Constantly upset stomach - only if you eat too quickly or too much. I've only done this a couple of time - you soon learn when to stop and how to slow down.

Fear I won't stick to the plan - I am so excited about my new life that there is nothing I an going to do to jeopardise it. The new way of eating quickly becomes a habit.

Irreversible - Yes it is! No question about it. They can't put the stomach back on if you change your mind.

Additional surgery for saggy skin - Maybe you'll have some, maybe not. I have loads and I don't care because it is 100 times better than being fat! Surgery doesn't appeal to me and I look great with clothes on. The only person that sees me naked is my partner and he loves me however I look :-)

Missing more work after a month off to recover from back surgery - health and everything. If this is going to help you live a wonderful life then personally I would go for it.

Re exercise. I walk every day (ok most days!) for 45-60 mins and take a yoga class once a week, but that is all I do. It's working for me. You just need to find something that works for you.

It is a huge decision to have major surgery for weight loss and only you can make it. After 54 years of trying every "diet" under the sun this is single handed the best thing that I have ever done for myself. I love my life!

Good luck with whatever you decide.

It is normal to be scared. Most of your fears are relatively unfounded. While it is irreversible, I love my sleeved life and am so happy I got my sleeve. I only took a week off from work. I have minimal sagging skin despite being 45 and having lost 99 lbs. (And I am only 4'11" so 99 lbs on me is a lot.) I rarely have an upset stomach now. I did in the beginning but only if I ate too fast or too much. Sticking to the plan is super easy in the beginning...then it takes a little more work in maintenance but by then it is more of a habit. I don't think it is any scarier than all of your health risks that you currently suffer from due to obesity. Ultimately only you can make the decision but for me it was a no brainer. Good luck with your decision. I am attaching a recent picture. Saggy skin is a non issue.

Attachment 28247

Whoop whoop!
Postergirl for WLS!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Christie13

It is normal to be scared. Most of your fears are relatively unfounded. While it is irreversible, I love my sleeved life and am so happy I got my sleeve. I only took a week off from work. I have minimal sagging skin despite being 45 and having lost 99 lbs. (And I am only 4'11" so 99 lbs on me is a lot.) I rarely have an upset stomach now. I did in the beginning but only if I ate too fast or too much. Sticking to the plan is super easy in the beginning...then it takes a little more work in maintenance but by then it is more of a habit. I don't think it is any scarier than all of your health risks that you currently suffer from due to obesity. Ultimately only you can make the decision but for me it was a no brainer. Good luck with your decision. I am attaching a recent picture. Saggy skin is a non issue.


Attachment 28247

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You look beautiful :)

I can understand being scared. I had a lot of time to think about reasons why I shouldn't have the surgery too. But the reasons why I should were way more pressing. We were of similar size starting - I am 5'7" and was 267 lb. I was never successful at losing for any stretch of time and certainly not more than 30 pounds at the most. I would lose and then gain it back along with more. I have not had any problems with my teeth - I have gum disease but I had that before the surgery and have not had any additional problems since. I have gotten sick to the point of throwing up 3 times since my surgery almost a year ago, and two of them I can hands down tell you were because I ate too fast. I have not had to have skin surgery and have lost 115 pounds. I have a little loose skin in my stomach area, but not enough to go through another surgery. I look good in a one piece bathing suit. I am 52 and suddenly have thin arms and legs, so yes there are more wrinkles than I would like, but my fiance still thinks I am hot (he only know the large me from photos) when I put on my shorts and sleeveless tops. I can't help but say that outside of the wonderful side effects of having more self confidence and physically feeling better, the benefit of knowing I am healthier far outweighs the fact that I have to eat slowly, eat small portions, and drink 20-30 minutes before or after I eat. My life has only changed for the better, and I would do this again without hesitation. The only thing I would change - I would have done it sooner!

I've not thrown up a single time since WLS nearly 5 years ago.

No tooth decay here (Is that actually a thing?!)

I'm SOOOOOOOOOO much healthier and hurt so much less than I did pre-WLS and after losing 100 pounds.

I guess I should mention that I enjoy life a lot more than I did when I weighed 100 pounds more than I do now. :)

BTW, you're almost 30 years younger than I was when I had WLS ... so imagine how much fun YOU'RE going to have once you get your health back.

I haven't had any cosmetic body surgery since WLS and, frankly, never thought I needed it. That stuff is elective, but not required. If you want it, go for it! But that will / should happen only after maintaining your weight loss for a full 12-18 months.

Having said all that, this has to be a decision made by you and only you. Nobody should push you or pressure you into it. Sounds like you need to keep reading, researching, investigating. Every decision has consequences. Some are all good, some are all bad, and some are mixed. That includes the decision to make no decision.

Best wishes to you!