Bariatric surgery.. it’s come time.

[limichelle]

I gained a lot of weight back and then some these past few months. Granted I had really lost 30 pounds from my heaviest. But gained 15 of that back. 
 

I have struggled with obesity not even being overweight for the past 15 years! I’ve tried everything you can think of, Nutritionist, Weight loss plans all of them and appetite suppressants. I thought I was doing good and even posted here about my loss. Only to yo yo back up and down. 
 

I have considered weight loss surgery off and on for the past five years. I finally bit the bullet and got a consultation with a Bariatric surgeon.  I saw him two weeks ago. I told him my struggles and I was quite candid about all concerns. 
 

He told me that surgery will be my best bet. He said the fact I have lost some weight shows I am capable of making the change. He said it’s a lot to do with my hunger. He is right!  I’m so miserable with my hunger that I can’t function it seems. I’m so miserable with my body. My health is bad with my back and joints.  I’m high up on the scale.

 

So he said he will do the Gastric Sleeve because in surgery they get rid of the hunger hormones most of them. He said given my particular circumstances I’ll benefit and be successful. It’s a huge life change it’s something I’m not going in thinking it’s a quick fix or take lightly. 
 

So September I’m having Gastric Sleeve. Right now I’m crossing off the check list required for it like different medical tests to get done. 
 

I’m doing this surgery for myself and I’m ready to commit to this lifestyle change. 

I’ll keep you guys updated. 
 

I was nervous posting about this because I was saying last time oh I’m doing great and I’m losing weight. Yeah it’s a large struggle unfortunately. 

 

[Seraphim]

Congrats! I know a few people who have had this done. Two people kept the weight off and the other gained it all back by over eating. 
 

Cheering you on!! 

[Batya33]

I have two friends -married couple -who did the gastric sleeve -one did better than the other with it but the one who did better has let herself go during the pandemic.  She also was on optavia for a long time after to lose even more weight.  I am not a healthcare professional so my opinion is irrelevant for that reason too!!  I support you and please -please !!! - do not feel badly about posting here about weight loss and then regaining some weight.  This forum should be a place where people feel comfortable sharing successes, sharing setbacks, without fear of "I told you so".  I wish you all the best with the surgery.  Do you have someone who can be there for you to assist you post-surgery?  

[limichelle]

Awww thanks! 
 

Seraphim: aww thank you! Yeah I’ve unfortunately witnessed a friend regain her Bariatric weight. She did tell me it’s because she went in thinking of it as a fix rather then a tool. I know it will be a good tool to help me but I’ll be doing all of the work. 
 

Batya: I have my parents to help me out with the post op. Which I’m grateful for. Thank you for your encouraging words. I knew I had to tell my ENotalone family. 

[Batya33]

1 minute ago, limichelle said:

Awww thanks! 
 

Seraphim: aww thank you! Yeah I’ve unfortunately witnessed a friend regain her Bariatric weight. She did tell me it’s because she went in thinking of it as a fix rather then a tool. I know it will be a good tool to help me but I’ll be doing all of the work. 
 

Batya: I have my parents to help me out with the post op. Which I’m grateful for. Thank you for your encouraging words. I knew I had to tell my ENotalone family. 

Oh I am so glad you have your parents to help.  I know my friend needed help and she had young twins for post-op! 

[Jibralta]

Good luck, limichelle. Stay healthy!

[greendots]

All the best, limichelle! Keep us posted.

[Hollyj]

Good for you.

Have you ever discussed your relationship with food with a therapist?  

[limichelle]

Thanks everyone! 
Holly: I have before with a therapist. 
 

 I feel it will help me greatly with my hunger by reducing it quite a bit. 

[LaHermes]

All the very best, LiMichelle! Let us know how it goes.

[Batya33]

6 hours ago, limichelle said:

Thanks everyone! 
Holly: I have before with a therapist. 
 

 I feel it will help me greatly with my hunger by reducing it quite a bit. 

I have a friend who from the time she was 4 didn't have proper hunger/fullness cues -she says she remembers at age 4 eating to bursting at a party and laughing when it made her sick.  I share this as a layperson and just to share - not suggesting you make these changes.  Here is what helped me be even more in tune with my hunger and fullness cues -increased water intake (I personally only drink between meals except I'll have coffee with breakfast) - I now drink 10-11 glasses a day, up from 7-8. 

Cutting out diet soda and all diet drinks/drinks with sweetener or artificial sweetener (I stopped regular soda around age 14, I drank tons and tons of diet soda from teenage years to early 40s, decreased a lot over the years in my mid-late 40s; I'm now 54) - diet soda for me triggered my hunger/sweet tooth/carb craving -I thought it would do the opposite and I was wrong. Water fills me up and kind of clears my palate (I also use a fluoride rinse twice a day for this reason - helps with sugar cravings too).  I also just live with my hunger -as a chiropractor I listen to on the radio commented -it's ok to be hungry -nothing bad is going to happen. 

I don't do intermittent fasting but within reasonable limits I just deal with the feeling of emptiness/hunger at a specific time of day -I eat a small dinner and finish by around 7 and  I have a small snack closer to 10 and then breakfast around 8 the next morning.  I find that being hungry is positive for me during my morning workout - I know it seems counterintuitive -how to get the energy -but I don't like feeling full/too full when I workout.  I don't fast other than one religious fast a year and I never skip meals -if I have to fast I start the night before and skip breakfast - if I eat anything in the morning -and I always eat breakfast - I have that awful low blood sugar feeling if I don't eat lunch at a reasonable time.  

Just sharing what I do about hunger.  And how to figure out if it's hunger/thirst/emotions.  

All the best to you!

[Lambert]

Hi limichelle!

Good luck and good for you. Weight loss is a struggle for so many people.  And not just extreme cases. Please don't be afraid to post any set backs or struggles. I know I lose and gain at different times in my life. it's an in going journey for me. 

Many times, for me, I can lose or gain because of what is happening in my life at the time. I've come to realize, again, for me, it's a constant thing. I can't just lose and then go back to eating whatever I want. And I've kind of come to accept my relationship with food, like all my relationships, needs healthy boundaries.

I have no medical training. So I'm not trying to tell you what's right for you.  But maybe get back to the therapist? especially if you think you might be an emotional eater.

I know in the past, I have used food to self- soothe. And changing that behavior has really helped me. Get to that root cause of why you over eat. 

The other observation I have is: calories are always higher than we think. if you are in America, it's painfully clear, even one meal can wipe out all the calories for the day! 

So it's hard to reset those habits because it's so normal to over eat and we feel unsatisfied when we limit ourselves... ugh!

I am so happy for you,  doing this for yourself.  Self love and self care is taking care of our bodies, minds, spirits..  a healthy body is a game changer! Don't give up! ❤

[Hollyj]

9 hours ago, limichelle said:

Thanks everyone! 
Holly: I have before with a therapist. 
 

 I feel it will help me greatly with my hunger by reducing it quite a bit. 

I had a friend who was morbidly obese, she  sought out therapy to understand why she choose food to soothe.  It helped her deal many issues in her life including her relationship to food. The surgery is a bandaid to the real issue.  

Do  you get regular exercise?

[Batya33]

2 hours ago, Lambert said:

The other observation I have is: calories are always higher than we think. if you are in America, it's painfully clear, even one meal can wipe out all the calories for the day! 

I haven't found this at all. I am very aware of what food choices are more calorie dense, what choices might be calorie dense but have high nutritional value (for example avocado and nuts -I eat them sparingly but I do eat some because they're nutritionally valuable).  If you care about calories and nutrition and portions, you'll be cognizant of what you put in your body. For example I have friends who are complaining about weight gain during covid.  Then you find out they are drinking regular soda and/or alcohol -both calorie dense/no nutritional value. 

Or they're getting coffee at Starbucks but not like I do coffee -plain with a little lowfat milk.  What they're getting are beverages that have some coffee but mostly high fat milk/syrups etc. It's not that there are more calories "then they think" -they're choosing not to check -it's easy now to check.  I'm not going to judge a person for ignoring calories but I am judging the complaints later about "why" they gained weight. 

Certainly if you're going to eat most restaurant size portions of pasta or burgers in one sitting and you're a woman who's not very tall and a major athlete, you're probably going to gain weight.  It's not because "more calories than you think" it's because the person is choosing to treat the restaurant portion size as the right size and is not paying attention to her own body and what size might be appropriate. So it might mean ordering an entree and putting aside 1/3rd to 1/2 on the plate to take home.  It might mean not ordering an entree but an appetizer portion or splitting the entree.  It might mean never having a sandwich with two slices of bread or high fat white flour bread but only one slice or very thin slices of whole grain flat bread.  Subbing sliced cucumber for chips.  ETc.  

It's wrong to assume that just because an American is served a supersize drink and large fries and burger that that is why the person is gaining weight.  The person is gaining weight if she or he finishes that whole meal despite not needing all that food to stave off hunger.  A side of fries doesn't have to be consumed in one sitting - a person can eat three or four and discard the rest or at least take it home.  A supersize drink can be no calorie seltzer with no artificial sweetener and zero calories. The hamburger bun can be discarded or only half eaten.  People make choices.  Not the country they live in.

None of this is meant to respond to the OP because she is an individual who has individual issues and struggles with weight and has made this surgical decision.  I simply wish her all the best.

[HeartGoesOn]

Wishing you all the best, Lisa!

[Rose Mosse]

Similarly as above.. I hope you have a speedy recovery!

[limichelle]

Thank you so much! I love everyone’s feedback.

I used to be thin before I put on the weight. I then got diagnosed with a serious mental illness. Then due to the medication I was put on it slowed down my metabolism to the point gaining was easy. I also never felt full on the medication. I started rapidly putting on weight. 
 

I have tried different types of medicine and they all do the same thing. I need the medication for life. The surgeon explained that the hunger hormones will be cut out so that communication between the psych medication and the gut will stop. 

 

So hopefully I get some relief that way. 
 

 

[Hollyj]

We are rooting for you!

[itsallgrand]

Wishing you all the best!! ❤️

 

[Cherylyn]

Wishing you all the best, limichelle!  Congratulations on your seriousness and I admire your quest for good health.  You will do fine.  Take your baby steps during your recovery and you will be on your road to a brighter future for yourself.  Hang in there.  You will get through this.  Time will go by fast for you.