Biding my time

[Grammy2s&c]

I started the process to have the gastric sleeve 3.5 months ago 4 months ago. I have a 41 days to finish my process to schedule my surgery. I've chosen to do this surgery for healthy reasons. I am 53 years old and have not been able to work for almost 7 years due to my weight. I can barely take care of myself and small house. It's become an emergency of sorts. I hope my daughter to help me, because it's a chore to get my daily tasks done. Has anyone been disabled by weight and made a comeback?
I have to lose 150 lbs.

Thank you for being in this group!

[KiwiGal]

Welcome.
I can't comment on your particular situation but I can say that this surgery has been the best thing that I have ever done for myself.
I am just over a year out and had the surgery when I was 55. I have lost 60kg and am loving my new life.
I wish you well and hope everything works out for you.

[MsLisa71]

I was not disabled by my weight in the legal sense of the term, but at 310 lbs I was severely limited in what I could do. I was not active due to pain and being out of breath at the simplest tasks. I did just enough to keep going, nothing extra; even to the point of avoiding social situations because of how badly I felt about myself.
VSG has truly saved and changed my life! I'm 47 years old and now the size I was in HS 29 years ago!
One of the things I hadn't noticed as the weight came on over many years is how much more energy I have being 114 lbs lighter now. I sleep better, have a better overall mood and I actually enjoy eating healthier! I'm not to goal yet, but at 5 months postop its amazing the changes I have seen and felt. I take stairs instead of elevators, I work out, I am starting to go on hikes, I can't wait to visit my niece and her kids out of state tomorrow - my goal is to outrun the toddlers instead of the other way around!
If your health and mobility are what you are looking to improve, it's safe to say this is an excellent step in the right direction, in my opinion.
Best to you!

[Christie13]

Losing weight can only help. It will take time and you will have to make small strides on becoming mobile/active again. Wishing you much success.

[Grammy2s&c]

Thank you all so much for the encouragement. I'm looking forward to this journey and how I can change. I know it will be hard, but well worth and difficulties I may encounter. Btw Lisa, I'm having surgery at St Francis with Dr Anwar. He's an associate of Dr Houseworths.

[tonewbeginnings]

I think I might fit your description. I am about 5 years older than you. I have arthritis in many of my joints mostly from over use and injury from when I was younger along with being overweight for many years now. Before gastric sleeve surgery 5 months ago I had gotten to the point where I had to use a cane just to get around my house. I was in so much joint pain that I could only do a few household chores each day and could only rarely go grocery shopping or cook because it was to painful to be standing or walking for that long. Although I haven't made a full comeback as I do need joint replacement surgery in the very near future I can say that I have made a great comeback and moving in the right direction now. I can now walk around my house without a cane and am able to do most of my household chores. I can now go grocery shopping and also cook and even swim for exercise. EVERYTHING is easier to do and I am in much less pain. I am a much happier person and feel more hopeful for my future. Hope this helps. Good Luck to you.

[Grammy2s&c]

My back is a real problem. I have five bulging discs, so hopefully this surgery will take some pressure of of it. I can only work for 10- 15 minutes before I need to sit and rest. Looking forward to see the changes that I can achieve with this tool the sleeve.

[Pudsley]

As Christie says losing the weight can only be beneficial to you.

I am hoping that your medical problems will improve.

I am of a similar age to you.
Having lost the weight with this tool I can only say the benefits of my body have become so wonderful.

I asked my surgeon who is a professor in bariatric surgery, has anyone ever failed to lose weight with this procedure and he said there were 2 guys who chose to drink sugared syrup from baklava (turkish pastry with honey and sugar syrup) and a guy who went on to binge on alcohol. (both high sugar dependancy)

They were the only 2 who did not lose weight or improve their health.

I had a fatty liver and ached every day from head to toe I have lost 30 KG (66lbs)
Its life changing.
At 54 I feel like I am in my 20's again as my body just does not have the pains and aches that I used to have.

Really would like to know how you progress.

Wishing you so much success and looking forward to hearing how you do.

All the Best!

[Ann2]

Some great success stories shared above. Good going, y'all!

I wasn't completely immobilized by my weight (highest was 235), but boy was my entire life compromised in pretty much every way. I was looking at a double knee replacement, lots of arthritic pain, and (cough!) what I can only describe as agoraphobia, whether it was diagnosable as that or not.

I've lost 100 pounds, maintained that weight loss, become incredibly fit and active, changed my life completely. I walk 10,000 steps daily (pre-op I was down to about 1,000 steps/day), work out five times a week, travel and shop and go anywhere in town, the state, the country, and the world that I want to go.

My knee pain is gone. I have no idea how that happened, although I understand that one pound of weight gain puts four pounds of pressure on your knees, so that's 400 pounds of less pressure on each knee than they were enduring over four years ago.

If you fully commit to changing your life, you can do it. That means COMMITTING to change your life -- through what you eat, how you eat, how much you eat, how much you move, how you live, your daily schedule, and in some cases whom you hang out with and the standards you hold yourself to.

This is a real opportunity to live again. Best wishes to you.

[AnnieG]

Thank you all so much for the encouragement. I'm looking forward to this journey and how I can change. I know it will be hard, but well worth and difficulties I may encounter. Btw Lisa, I'm having surgery at St Francis with Dr Anwar. He's an associate of Dr Houseworths.

I was on disability, and although not directly because of weight, my weight was the reason I had CAD, stents, triple bypass, strokes, high blood pressure, untreatable angina and lymphedema following my cancer treatments. All the meds contributed to the weight gain and inability to lose.

Post surgery - down 80 lbs, 50+ inches. Down from 17 meds daily to 4. Angina resolved with no meds; cholesterol normal; blood sugar and blood pressure normal. Energy level good....

SO. welcome! We're glad you're here.