Need feedback, still undecided

[KathyL]

Hello, My name is Kathy. I am considering bariatric surgery and have joined this forum to see if this is the right decision for me.
In 1996, I weighed 135 lbs. I started working at a high stressed, long hours job. They would reward us with food. If I met my stats, I got a candy bar. If we stayed at our desks and take calls, they fed us at our desks. There were fat Tuesdays and This day and that day, all the reason to eat. We had an excersize room, nut were never able to use it.
Gradually, I gained 127 lbs in nine years. My problem is that I am so used to rewarding myself with food when i do something good. I am a food addict.
Now, I have bad knees, diabetes type II, enlarged fatty liver, asthma, neuropathy, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, ect...
I have to choose health over food. The thing is, I know what the right thing to do is. And my food addiction has taken over my life. My health is going downhill very quickly now.
I want to live and be healthy. I just don't know how. I am in need of advise.
Thank you to all.
Kathy

 

[TwoMas]

Hi Kathy, Welcome. WLS is something that took me a few years to decide on, I had thought about it for those two years thinking I could lose the weight with exersice and hard work along with some good ole will power, it didn't work A little about my story;

I have worked in a fast paced high stress job as a wildland firefighter in the western United States trveling the country fighting fires or participating in hazardouse wildland fuels reduction projects for te past 26 years. As I moved up the career ladder fires and were further apart and the desck is where I spend more and more time however I was still expected to go out and preform arduouse duties as a wildland firefighter. My body was so used to intaking and burning a high amount of calories and as I slowly transitioned into a more sedintary job my body still wanted and held the calories even though I was not burning them, I would exersice an hour a day and still not keep up and getting around in the wood on steep hillsides was getting more and more difficult and I developed high BP and colesterol and that was 10 years ago this all started. 2 years ago I was trying to no avail and had tried dieting, exersice and finally during one of my bianual checkups I was 315 lbs so I talked to my doctor about what I had been thinking about for a couple of years, she told me with my health issues combined with my arduose job it would be worth considering and she wrote me a refferal to a WLS seminar. I lked what I heared and had been thinking about it for so long I started the prosses and 5 or 6 months later I was rolling into the OR for RnY surgery. It has been one of the best descisions I have ever made. I fear I would have dropped dead of a heart attack sooner than later with my upward trend in weight gain.

It has not been easy and it is not a magic bullet that will make us thin with no work on our part, it involves a whole new lifestyle change, and if we go back to our same old habits we will gain our weight back. This journey involves being aware of what we eat, when we eat and how much we eat, portion control and fluid intake, along with a low calorie high protien meal plan. If it sounds scary, it kind of is when you think about it, that is why a support group can be one of our greatest assets when we decide to take this wonerful journey, my whole family and my close friends were all very supportive and I also attend a support group once a month when I can and of course this forum. Today I am 25 lbs from my goal weight no maore meds I can hike like I did 20 years ago and I feal great, I wouldn't change a thing.

Do your homework attend aseminar and if you still like what you hear check out a support group meeting you will know if it is for you after checking it all out. Good luck and let us know what you decide. Tom

 

[KathyL]

Thanks for the feedback. I went to a meeting and am 80% sure I want this surgery. I also have sleep apnea and would like to throw my mask out the window. I understand the apnea may go away.
I just want to feel healthy again. I have 8 grand children and want to run and play without running out of air.
Kathy

 

[NanaG67]

Hi Kathy, I understand exactly how you feel. I have several grandkids that I just can't play with like I would like to. I also have type II diabetes, high blood pressure, mild depression, high cholesterol, fibromyalgia. I take 8 prescription pills a day, plus supplements. I've tried all sorts of diets with no long term success. I also belong to a weight loss support group and you live in the town that started it all. Check out TOPS.ORG they were founded in Milwaukee, and are a great support group. I have managed to keep 30 lbs off from my heaviest weight ever, my body is still playing with the same few lbs and I am not getting anywhere. I made the decision to get my surgery after talking to my doctors because I need another surgery but they won't do it until I lose a lot of weight. I was told the best surgery for me is the duodenal switch, with my weight, height and a BMI over 50 they told me that this would be the best. I'm only about 30 lbs heavier than you, and my insurance approved for me to have this surgery. I go see my surgeon this week and will have my surgery date set on Thursday. As far as playing with my grandkids, 2 of them live with me and they are ages 2 & 5 so they are full of energy and I don't have the energy to keep up with them....I wish you luck, you are making the right decision, your health and life depend on this surgery. I am addicted to food too, and have enablers in my house, but my daughter said she would help me, its tough right now, I wasn't told a lot of things like when to start cutting out certain things. Get a list of questions you have and ask everything so you are aware of what to expect now, as it will help you in the long run.