YodaYoda
Member
Hello. I'm a 51 year old menopausal female - Oh Joy! 
I was born with asthma and did not "out grow it" as some do. My asthma has been well controlled for the last 15 years. I've had some major orthopedic issues since my early 20's with spine surgeries starting in my mid-30's. My spine is fused from S1-L2 (which is pretty much the entire lumbar spine), my right SI joint is fused and I have a spinal cord stimulator that "stimulates" my entire lower body from my ribcage to my toes because of nerve damage caused by multiple fusions. I've also had labrum tears corrected in both hips and multiple injections in hip bursa and joints. I also have some chronic sinus issues that are requiring a second sinus surgery, which is scheduled for January of 2022. Also, in early 2022, I will be having severe carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome surgeries performed on both arms. I've chosen to wait until 2022 so I can get all three surgeries taken care of in the same insurance deductible year. Oh, and I have plantar facetious in both feet - that's fun!
Although I have multiple ortho issues, I'm relatively healthy (stop laughing) - no heart disease, no diabetes, healthy kidneys & liver, no cancers, no high blood pressure. I do however, have sleep apnea and will soon be getting acquainted with a CPAP. Not looking forward to that!
I've been quite active most of my life and my weight has fluctuated over the years between too thin and obese. I like to workout with weights, go hiking, play tennis, etc., but since my last spinal surgery in December of 2018, which was unavoidable but unfortunately left me with some pretty bad nerve damage, I haven't been as active. Then the pandemic hit and I started working from home and the weight has spiraled out of control. Add in a sick husband (end stage emphysema) who has nothing left but enjoying tasty food - and he does - then sprinkle a little bit of depression on there and top it off with menopause and well . . . you get the point. I'm 5'7" tall and currently weight 248 pounds. I'm uncomfortable and my feet and spine health literally depends on me getting to and maintaining a proper weight. My future will be in a wheelchair if I do not get this under control. I seem to have an insatiable appetite. I have no sense of smell due to the sinus issues but I can taste most foods at least a little bit. I can taste high fat foods and sweet foods the best, which obviously are not what I should be eating. Over the last year, I have tried multiple different forms of eating - Keto, Mediterranean, intermittent fasting, protein pacing, American Heart Association, calorie counting, macro counting - it's exhausting!
I've been thinking about gastric bypass for several months and with the sleep apnea diagnosis, I now meet the qualifications. I'm here because I really want to know what you all have experienced before, during, and after your surgeries. Would you do it again? Was it worth it? Did it work for you? I understand there is no "one size fits all" here and there will be varying opinions but that's what I want to see. I want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly, so please do not hold back. Tell me everything!
One other thing you should know about me . . . I'm a happy person. I mentioned that I have some depression but that is mostly circumstantial - it's just hard to watch your husband of 30 years decline with a progressive disease from which he will not get better. If he lasts another year, we'll be very surprised and truth be told, he doesn't want to last another year. His quality of life, physically, is terrible. Mentally, we keep things very upbeat and make sure he has things to look forward to and enjoy. I've come to terms with the fact that I'm going to lose him soon but yes, all of that along with the pain I'm in, does cause some depression. I try to make sure I keep it in check. When I need to cry, I cry. When I need to be alone and just listen to music and sing, I do that.
Enough about me. Tell me about you and your experience with WLS. Thank you for listening and for anything you are willing to tell me.
I was born with asthma and did not "out grow it" as some do. My asthma has been well controlled for the last 15 years. I've had some major orthopedic issues since my early 20's with spine surgeries starting in my mid-30's. My spine is fused from S1-L2 (which is pretty much the entire lumbar spine), my right SI joint is fused and I have a spinal cord stimulator that "stimulates" my entire lower body from my ribcage to my toes because of nerve damage caused by multiple fusions. I've also had labrum tears corrected in both hips and multiple injections in hip bursa and joints. I also have some chronic sinus issues that are requiring a second sinus surgery, which is scheduled for January of 2022. Also, in early 2022, I will be having severe carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome surgeries performed on both arms. I've chosen to wait until 2022 so I can get all three surgeries taken care of in the same insurance deductible year. Oh, and I have plantar facetious in both feet - that's fun! Although I have multiple ortho issues, I'm relatively healthy (stop laughing) - no heart disease, no diabetes, healthy kidneys & liver, no cancers, no high blood pressure. I do however, have sleep apnea and will soon be getting acquainted with a CPAP. Not looking forward to that!
I've been quite active most of my life and my weight has fluctuated over the years between too thin and obese. I like to workout with weights, go hiking, play tennis, etc., but since my last spinal surgery in December of 2018, which was unavoidable but unfortunately left me with some pretty bad nerve damage, I haven't been as active. Then the pandemic hit and I started working from home and the weight has spiraled out of control. Add in a sick husband (end stage emphysema) who has nothing left but enjoying tasty food - and he does - then sprinkle a little bit of depression on there and top it off with menopause and well . . . you get the point. I'm 5'7" tall and currently weight 248 pounds. I'm uncomfortable and my feet and spine health literally depends on me getting to and maintaining a proper weight. My future will be in a wheelchair if I do not get this under control. I seem to have an insatiable appetite. I have no sense of smell due to the sinus issues but I can taste most foods at least a little bit. I can taste high fat foods and sweet foods the best, which obviously are not what I should be eating. Over the last year, I have tried multiple different forms of eating - Keto, Mediterranean, intermittent fasting, protein pacing, American Heart Association, calorie counting, macro counting - it's exhausting!
I've been thinking about gastric bypass for several months and with the sleep apnea diagnosis, I now meet the qualifications. I'm here because I really want to know what you all have experienced before, during, and after your surgeries. Would you do it again? Was it worth it? Did it work for you? I understand there is no "one size fits all" here and there will be varying opinions but that's what I want to see. I want to know the good, the bad, and the ugly, so please do not hold back. Tell me everything!
One other thing you should know about me . . . I'm a happy person. I mentioned that I have some depression but that is mostly circumstantial - it's just hard to watch your husband of 30 years decline with a progressive disease from which he will not get better. If he lasts another year, we'll be very surprised and truth be told, he doesn't want to last another year. His quality of life, physically, is terrible. Mentally, we keep things very upbeat and make sure he has things to look forward to and enjoy. I've come to terms with the fact that I'm going to lose him soon but yes, all of that along with the pain I'm in, does cause some depression. I try to make sure I keep it in check. When I need to cry, I cry. When I need to be alone and just listen to music and sing, I do that.
Enough about me. Tell me about you and your experience with WLS. Thank you for listening and for anything you are willing to tell me.
