Did you consider surgery and what path did you finally choose?
I am just curious about the different ladies here, since with 100 plus to lose, that's where weight loss surgery typically kicks in as one of the options.
I have recently felt at my witts end in wondering just how I will EVER launch my weight loss journey with a life as busy and as crazy and as hectic and sleep deprived as mine, and wondered if surgery is something I should consider as something to "force" me to make this a priority in my life where I have no other choice.
I know that surgery is a tool to get there and not a fix and everything still involves hard work and a change of lifestyle.
And so just wondering how others made their decision to go for it or not.
Basically I wonder, if someone decided to follow the exact life style that someone would make after surgery would they lose the same amount of weight? Or does surgery do something to enable you to actually lose more long term? (other than help control hunger)
I know I have read many success stories of people who did it without surgery. I have also seen and have friends who were VERY successful with WLS and nothing prior produced the results that surgery did.
I think that everyone is afraid to reply to your post! You've had a lot of views! I'll give you my 2 cents...
I wouldn't have chosen to go with WLS. I always felt that I wanted to be able to change my lifestyle and make sure that I could live the rest of my life with this new commitment to a food plan and exercise. Now that I have lost a lot, I'm glad I did it this way.
That is not to say that people who choose WLS are wrong, but it just wasn't something that would have been good for me. I know that one friend of mine chose WLS and lost a ton of weight. Unfortunately, she regressed to eating as she used to do and regained it all. And now she has health issues as a result. I just think that she wasn't ready for the changes that needed to be made.
I did consider surgery and had a lengthy conversation with my insurance company about it. My best friend had gastric bypass about 10 years ago and lost about 150lbs. She has since gotten married and had 2 kids and gained about half of that back. When I was considering surgery, I knew there would be a lifestyle change that had to take place. I, like many, thought if I couldn't make that change without surgery, then maybe surgery wasn't the best option for me. Ultimately I decided not to proceed with surgery for that and other reasons. It is a very personal decision and there is no right or wrong, only what's right or wrong for you.
Right now it isn't an option because my current insurance company doesn't think I'm fat enough (5 foot 4 and 265 pounds isn't big enough?) ... but come November I am switching to another company that is more generous about it and I will qualify. Still the process to getting surgery is a long one with all the tests you have to do. So this is something I'm going to have plenty of opportunity to back out of if need be.
The biggest stopper I have to really wanting to rush into it is the fact that I have been losing weight with calorie restriction and thyroid treatment. While I'm not losing it as fast as I would with WLS it is still dropping and I'm not miserable and to me having most of your stomach removed along with a chuck of intestine doesn't sound like a good time.
My mom's uncle had stomach cancer and had to remove most of his stomach. He had such a hard time afterwards. He was in a lot of pain, first he couldn't eat, then he started forcing himself to eat and once he got his appetite back, he started vomiting so he could eat more. He also vomited because he was dehydrated all the time. He also had some issues with vitamin deficiencies and he got gallstones. Granted, he had the surgery at 82 and a younger person wouldn't have so many issues but, still.
He was almost glad to get surgery because he'd wanted to lose weight but he never even bothered trying. He did lose too much weight initially (that's where the gallstones probably came from) but then he started putting weight on before he even decided to give up and stretch his stomach so he didn't have to suffer through all the nausea and vomiting, intentional or not.
Weight loss surgery isn't really going to do the work for you --far from it. You still have to do the whole lifestyle change thing and you're going to have to deal with the side effects which can be plenty and not fun to deal with. Having a tiny stomach will help but, to me, it didn't look like it was worth the trouble.
I started at 253. I'd tried a few times and I was unsuccessful until I found what worked for me. It took me a while but I've lost 110 lbs and I never had to deprive myself of anything. That was the right choice for me. Different things work for different people.
Three years ago I looked into WLS. I did the six month waiting period pre surgery diet with medical and dietician guidelines. I had the psych eval, I took the classes, I was approved by my insurance company all I had left to do was set the surgery date. During the "pre-diet" I lost about 65 pounds. I felt great. The my hubby got sick. He had 6 stays in the hospital and two blood transfusions. These occurred Oct- Jan, meaning we met deductible and out of pocket caps for two years within a few short months. Our savings was drained and the last thing either one of us wanted was more doctors and hospitals.
Over two years time I gained back the 65 pounds I had lost, plus more.
One of the questions I asked my doctor when I was going through the pre-surgery BS that is required by insurance was, "Why can't I just follow a post surgical diet and lose the weight on my own?" I can't quote her exact answers but there were two reasons that I still remember. #1 After surgery your "stomach pouch" is the size of a walnut. It can only hold a few ounces. Yes over time it will heal and stretch, even stretch to the point it was before surgery if you don't follow the diet. #2 Part of the reason you lose weight more dramaticly is because of malabsorption. Some of your intestines are removed and therefor you body does not absorb as many calories or nutrients.
So following the "same diet as post WLS" is not a realistic option.
As I said, over the course of 2 years I gained back all the weight I lost and then some. I was devistated. I had talked with several people who had gone through with WLS some were very succesful and happy, some were successful at losing weight, but their health had suffered in other ways. Some were not as successful as they had hoped to be. Some had lost and regained.
For me, I finally decided that the benefits of WLS were not worth the risks associated with WLS. But that is my personal opinion. There are people that make it work and I applaude them, just like I applaude anyone who can lose weight and keep it off.
I am finally on a plan that seems to be working. But it, like any other diet plan requires that you follow the plan. Part of the company's "sell" was that see results similar to weight loss surgery, without the surgery. I have been on the program for 10 weeks and have lost 50 pounds.
Yes I considered it, and my mom even offered to pay for it a couple of years ago, but in the end I am very happy to not have had it. I have enough to deal with without the surgery + many of the same issues I'm currently dealing with to boot. There is this thing about surgery being the "easy way out" which first off, is nobody's business, as Clusie L said in a video "No one has to live your life for you..." regarding her decision to have WLS. Second, I personally DON'T see it as an easy way out, many people actually have buyer's remorse in the BEGINNING but eventually are very happy w/their decision to have the surgery, it is a big deal, to me a bigger deal than say making an account on MFP and following the calorie plan (which by the way many WLS patients do that as well to lose or control their weight).
Everyone has their own story, and reasons for and against surgery, that said this is the best advice I have right now on the issue -
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”
― Henry Ford
If you think your weight is insurmountable then maybe WLS is right for you, because it definitely gives people a psychological edge even though it works on similar principles to what most of us who haven't done it are doing to lose weight (calories in/calories out for one). Another thing Clusie L on Youtube (I LOVE her btw, check her out if you're on a weight loss journey of any kind she is super informative & funny) is that "All that time passed and you did nothing..." regarding her not moving in one direction or the other doing it with surgery or without, she gained weight in the meantime. The gist of what I am saying is, if you really don't think you can do it on your own (not a knock, I see people get on rollercoasters, and I will NEVER do that lol) then do your research and see if it is perhaps right for you. If you do believe in yourself without the help of a surgical "tool" if you will, then make a move, life is too short to be unhappy.
No matter which path you choose, I wish you the absolute best, this is about you, and your life, which as previously stated no one else has to live for you.
No, when I was at about 260 lbs, I didn't consider it. Strange as it sounds, the thought never crossed my mind.
Partly because, a few years earlier, I'd gone from 225 to about 105 -- acquiring an eating disorder or two along the way, but that's another story.
I knew that I could do it again, if I made a systematic effort and stayed focused.
What I worried about was my mental health, so I found a therapist and got back on antidepressants early on.
And I did lose weight, and I have kept it off, but it's been a lot of work.
This isn't to say that I wouldn't have EVER considered surgery, it's that I was honest with myself and admitted: "You know, you just kind of say you're 'cutting back' and you don't even do that for long. There's no half-$ssing it here anymore. You better go into this like it's a serious project to manage, that you've got to stay focused on, and you have to acquire some skills -- you're going to have to learn to cook, and learn more about food, and make better choices, and invest time in food-shopping and preparation and planning."
I considered surgery back in 2006. I ultimately decided not to have it because I had no insurance and would have had to self pay. It was very expensive at that time. I was also afraid of the thought of possible lifelong complications. I work in healthcare but am not a very good patient myself!
I went on to lose the weight myself in 2007 and have been maintaining since but still think WLS seems like a good tool.
Wow, in the beginning, I was seeing all these views and thought well isn't anyone going to say something? Thanks so much to all those who shared!!!
I, after thinking about it for a while, have decided to make one last big effort to lose on my own. I figure, either way, even for surgery you have to lose weight. Secondly... I think it will be hard work either ways. I've already had a couple surgeries over the past few years and with 3 young kids recovery is anything but easy as is.... so I know this wont be easy either.
I know this forum is one of the most motivational tools out there, probably just as great as WLS psychologically. And I'll always be looking for tips on what has worked for others.
I applaud all of you who have lost that much weight - heck, even if you gained some back and are losing again, at least you DID it! And I'm sure it felt incredible.
I need to feel and see that I can do it too.
I feel like so much is against me now - not just time.. but an aging metabolism, thyroid problems now and so much else. But I know that it "can" be done. I just have to find that key of how to make it happen....
Facingfacts Surgery is a huge lifestyle change and it sounds like you realize that. I am not sure how much "looking into it" you have done. However, one thing I will say about "one last big effort", is that one of the requirements most insurance companies require a six month DOCTOR SUPERVISED diet. Part of this is monthly weigh ins at your doctors office for six consecutive months. I am not by ay means saying you shouldn't go it on your own nor am I trying to point you towards WLS, just wanted to let you know one of the requirements.
There was a woman who was preparing for WLS the same time I was, she had done 5 consecutive months of doc supervise diet, weighed in monthly as required, the sixth month she went 34 days between her fifth and sixth weigh in and the insurance company made her start all over again with the six month doc supervised diet. So I know some insurance companies are pretty strict.
thank you KateB, gotta love insurance companies - I totally believe it.
You know, on a side note with insurance companies, I lost a loved one to an emergency where 911 was called, an ambulance came, and in spite of best efforts the life could not be saved, and guess what? The insurance refused to cover the ambulance cost saying there "wasn't sufficient medical ground". Nothing surprises me after that.
My doc has suggested it a couple of times. My cousin and a good friend have both gone through it, and it has completely changed their lives. They are so much healthier at a lower weight -- they can do things they thought they'd given up forever.
That being said, when I looked into it, especially following my friend on My Fitness Pal to see what she ate, I realized that it was a LOT more fussy diet-wise than even the strictest plan I've ever tried (including Pritikin, which was pretty darn fussy back in the day). Not only does she have to limit calories, she has to take multiple supplements, and plan every meal and snack so that it will provide her the protein she needs but can't absorb completely anymore.
My problem is that I have a hard time limiting myself. I get hungry and all bets are off. So I NEED a plan that is satisfying. Surgery gives you that satiation, because your body has changed. But that's rather a drastic thing to do, and there are side effects. My friend also has shared the problems she's had, the many doctor visits, the occasional hospital stay, and this is 3-4 years after the surgery.
She's very happy she did it. She had some serious health-related issues where she absolutely had to lose weight RIGHT NOW. It has worked very well for her and she is fine with the fussiness of the repercussions of the surgery and the diet plan she needs to follow now.
I am not interested in that sort of detailed plan at this point in my life. I have found a plan that satisfies my hunger, keeps my blood sugar low, allows me to lose weight fairly steadily, and is flexible enough to use in many different situations. I won't be losing as quickly as I would with surgery, but I only have arthritic knees, pre-diabetes, and sleep apnea... none of which are life-threatening enough to need surgery to address.
So I have decided to continue my plan for now, and not do surgery.
Yes, I have considered WLS. I have seen people succeed and fail using this method. The bottom line for me is the voice in my head always was afraid to go to this extreme. Even with advances in the lapband, I still felt it was not a good choice for me. Even with WLS old habits must change. Why not just commit to making the changes and save your body the grief of elective surgery? I had a dear friend with Crohn's disease. Her story was a big reason I decided against WLS. I am so glad now that I did not have WLS. About 5 years ago I was diagnosed with carcinoid which resulted in the loss of about 7 feet of my small intestine. We can't see what our future holds. If I had done a major WLS I would be in real trouble now.
Did you consider surgery and what path did you finally choose?
Thanks so much to all those who shared!!!
