Hi all, New here names Kat. 46 years old. In 2009 I had a gastric sleeve and hiatal hernia repair in Colombia. In 2020 I had horrible GERD and had another hernia repair as my stomach was in my chest cavity behind my heart at that time. I was doing ok until last week. I work in an animal hospital and I assisted in lifting a 90lb dog that fell off a table during a surgical prep and instantly felt I had injured myself when I lifted this dog. The next day I went to the ER and was told I had a large hiatal hernia which incorporated my entire stomach as well as part of my large intestine and my liver was also coming up through my diaphragm. I consulted with the surgeon that did my repair in 2020 and he is recommending a sleeve to bypass revision as he does not want to risk my sleeve slipping and the hernia recurring because going in for a 4th abdominal surgery isn't ideal and becomes quite difficult as scar tissue accumulates with every repair. Needless to say I am terrified. Having done my original procedure in another country I did not follow America protocol when it came to the appropriate mental health to go along with a bariatric procedure. I have never had a healthy relationship with food and have continued with a poor diet throughout the years. My fears are not so much surrounding the procedure more so the lifestyle change that must be made post surgery. The liquid diet pre and post surgery, the portion control, the protein and water intake that's require the regiment of vitamins and supplements needed to stay alive. Over the years I've never even been good with taking a daily multi vitamin. I'm not really sure what Im looking for by posting this thread as I'm sure I will get plenty of negative comments about just having to do what I'm told but was hoping that someone anyone can relate to the anxiety I am feeling about not being successful in what needs to be done. I know I WANT to do the right thing. I know I want to see my 9 and 12 year old grow up. I know I don't want to leave my husband heartbroken and alone. I know that even if I suck at doing the right thing for myself I need to do the right thing by my family. Im just freaking out a little. I just dropped of the CT scan cd to my surgeon yesterday and am waiting to hear back from him this coming week about talking to a bariatric dietician and discuss a date when this is all going to happen. Looking for any insite and honestly from people with similar fears sticking to post op care and life long lifestyle changes. Thanks in advance and please be kind.
Preparing for Sleeve to Bypass Revision
- Thread starter SKOrtiz78
- Start date
dianeseattle
Member
It sounds like you're doing the right things. Your fears seem logical to me. I can really relate to fears about diet post-op. I remember thinking, Oh, I can never eat that again, or that, or that. Those fears were originating in my "fat brain," which is the term referring to the core of the eating disorder that allows people to eat too much of the wrong things before surgery, resulting in obesity. It's pretty common. I can only tell you, from my experience, that everything works out eventually, and since I had surgery in 2007, I have gradually been able to eat everything anyone else can eat, but smaller portions. It's been the best thing I ever did. I started going to the YMCA six days a week, and once my muscles were toned, I took up hiking, which helped me reach my goal weight and improved my health. When I felt fearful, I spent a lot of my time haunting thrift stores and buying clothes in smaller sizes. I even had an old pair of Levi's which I hung on a hanger above my closet door, so I could look at them when I was in bed. It made me very happy, knowing I'd be in those jeans again. Don't be hard on yourself. We all have fears and sometimes, we even fear success. It's a process, but thousands of people have gone through it. The surgery has been perfected over decades and even though it's not easy (unlike those naysayers who say you're taking the "easy way out"), it is a predictable process and it works. We can't make your fears go away, but just keep talking to medical professionals and therapists. You'll be fine.
I appreciate all the advice and kind words of encouragement. I bounce between the scary feelings I have about eating and being excited to lose weight and be a healthier me to enjoy life with my family as much and as long as I can. I was and am just a little overwhelmed because I initially went to my surgeon about the hernia repair. He informed me of this sleeve-to-bypass revision that would be in my best interest which I was not expecting. Hence, this isn't so much of a weight loss journey for me as it is a quality of life journey, With that being said it brought me back to confronting my unhealthy relationship with food and took me back to a time after my sleeve in 2009 where the smell of food would take me into an anxiety-riddled panic attack. All the byproduct of not taking the appropriate steps in getting my mind right before the procedure since I went to another country for my initial procedure. The hernia repair to me has now taken a back seat to the lifestyle changes needed to move forward with the bypass and everything that entails. This time I hope to do it a little better and taking the appropriate steps to making my lifestyle change more healthily. It's still very early in my journey. I don't have a date yet. Tomorrow is my initial consultation with the registered dietician and nutritional counselor and hopefully I will feel comfortable discussing my fears of failure. Again thank you for the advice I am truly humbled.
GiantsLola
Member
It's absolutely normal to feel what you're feeling. Day by day and sometimes hour by hour. No one should be posting anything negative. Now is almost like a fresh start and hopefully you will have a great surgical team around you.