any regrets out there

First topic message reminder :

i am getting ready to have the gastric sleeve procedure with in the next couple of months and i am just really wondering does any one out there who's had this really regret having it done!!!! i was all ready to have it this procedure in 2011 and let family and friends talk me out of it but ive finally said im gonna do what i want to its my life!!!!!

Submergency I too had concerns that the sleeve would let me down. I had tried so many things and everything failed. I even lost 35kg with Weight Watchers only to gain it and more when I had 3 foot operations in about 18 months. I am now 7 1/2 months post op and couldn't be happier. I am very close to my dream goal weight and have already passed my surgeons goal weight. A friend suggested I post a pic in my diary that she had seen on Facebook to show the before and after. I have to say it sat me on my arse. Seeing those pics side by side really made me realise how far I have come, what I have achieved and that the sleeve has most definitely not failed me. All this will happen for you too. My life is mine again and I can do whatever I want. Take that chance submergency, believe in yourself that you will succeed with your sleeve and you will have your life back. Taking that final leap is hard but it is worth it, so worth it. Good luck.

Kate

Well said Lin1970. Doubts and questions are natural. However the success stories of so many who have gone before you speak volumes about the changes this drastic step can bring.

lin1970 wrote:

When you have tried so many things to get your weight (life) under control and felt let down and like a failure it is easy to see a new thing as something else to fail at. Questions like, will this really help me control my appetite, can I get use to eating less, what happens if I binge, will I gain weight, it works for others but will it work for me. So many questions. Whenever we making drastic and important choices/decisions in our lives there will always be the question - am I doing the right thing? Even when you have researched and thought hard and even gained a peaceful feeling, self-doubt creeps in.

Believe in yourself, believe that you have made a positive informed choice. Turn that belief into knowledge. I am making the right choice for me. No matter what others say, hold your head up high, know you are an important woman placed on this earth to go through struggles and you are able to defeat the demons who hold you back.

"If only you believe in yourself, I know you can achieve. If only you believe in yourself you won't be scared" (a line from a fav song of mine)

When you have tried so many things to get your weight (life) under control and felt let down and like a failure it is easy to see a new thing as something else to fail at. Questions like, will this really help me control my appetite, can I get use to eating less, what happens if I binge, will I gain weight, it works for others but will it work for me. So many questions. Whenever we making drastic and important choices/decisions in our lives there will always be the question - am I doing the right thing? Even when you have researched and thought hard and even gained a peaceful feeling, self-doubt creeps in.

Believe in yourself, believe that you have made a positive informed choice. Turn that belief into knowledge. I am making the right choice for me. No matter what others say, hold your head up high, know you are an important woman placed on this earth to go through struggles and you are able to defeat the demons who hold you back.

"If only you believe in yourself, I know you can achieve. If only you believe in yourself you won't be scared" (a line from a fav song of mine)

gottarhyme wrote:

The only regret I have is that I didn't do it sooner. I think I would have had more opportunities to meet someone. Instead I hid in the house, raising my kids alone and getting fatter and fatter.

I am so used to being alone now, I don't know how I would cope with a man in the house!

gottarhyme, i am 15 days pre-op, and having those jittery feelings of mixed dread and excitement. i am full of hope, am pretty confident i am doing the right thing, but am scared i will be let down again as per usual.

your photo-album is i think the most powerful confirmation i have had that i am on the right path. you should be soo proud! it made me cry a few tears and gave me a new conviction i am headed in the right direction. thank you!!

hugz,
~submergency

aquarius wrote:

gottarhyme wrote:

You are only 29. Please don't wait until you are too old to change!

I was 37 when my ex left me, and my weight started to pile on. Being fat stopped me from doing a lot. I am just dipping my toe in the water now, but it is so hard! The men who like me do NOTHING for me! I wonder if I am capable of falling in love? I only had my husband, and that was it. I raised 4 girls alone, and I hid behind that as well.

I really want to be in love just once more before I die.

Gottarhyme - you are a gorgeous woman who doesn't look her age, so my advice is to get yourself onto RSVP (or the like) and go for it! What have you got to lose? The worst that could come of it is a few dates!

Good luck!

Thanks Sweetie. I am TRYING, but there seem to be a LOT of frogs about! I am looking for someone I can be attracted to, mentally and physically. Isn't everyone? But having the sleeve and losing all my weight has helped. Glad I did it!

Definitely no regreats. Like others have said, I wish I'd done it earlier.

Two years today and very happy with the sleeve.

S

gottarhyme wrote:

You are only 29. Please don't wait until you are too old to change!

I was 37 when my ex left me, and my weight started to pile on. Being fat stopped me from doing a lot. I am just dipping my toe in the water now, but it is so hard! The men who like me do NOTHING for me! I wonder if I am capable of falling in love? I only had my husband, and that was it. I raised 4 girls alone, and I hid behind that as well.

I really want to be in love just once more before I die.

Gottarhyme - you are a gorgeous woman who doesn't look her age, so my advice is to get yourself onto RSVP (or the like) and go for it! What have you got to lose? The worst that could come of it is a few dates!

Good luck!

I wish I had it done sooner. The short term pleasure of emotional eating really hits hard when our health starts to suffer. And I do look forward to the day I won't hate getting my photo taken.

I don't intend to leave it until it's too late! That's part of the reason why I have started this journey :)

I think everybody has a chance to find someone else, and I'm sure you will find someone who just 'fits' with you too :)

You are only 29. Please don't wait until you are too old to change!

I was 37 when my ex left me, and my weight started to pile on. Being fat stopped me from doing a lot. I am just dipping my toe in the water now, but it is so hard! The men who like me do NOTHING for me! I wonder if I am capable of falling in love? I only had my husband, and that was it. I raised 4 girls alone, and I hid behind that as well.

I really want to be in love just once more before I die.

gottarhyme wrote:

The only regret I have is that I didn't do it sooner. I think I would have had more opportunities to meet someone. Instead I hid in the house, raising my kids alone and getting fatter and fatter.

I am so used to being alone now, I don't know how I would cope with a man in the house!

gottarhyme - you articulated one of my big fears about letting myself stay the way I am now, that I would just hide behind my weight and never get out there and meet someone new. As it is, I think I would struggle bringing someone new into my family, it's been just me and my girls for so long now!

The only regret I have is that I didn't do it sooner. I think I would have had more opportunities to meet someone. Instead I hid in the house, raising my kids alone and getting fatter and fatter.

I am so used to being alone now, I don't know how I would cope with a man in the house!

Aquarius - not a nut job at all!

I have the exact same feelings at times... I just *WISH* (like yourself) for one arvo I had a normal size tummy & could eat 486 packets of chips, 27 packets of tim tams & 14 tubs of ice cream. Then 3 large pizzas. I'm sure I'd feel SO MUCH BETTER!!! Hehehehe. No, but seriously, when I'm having a bad day, I'd quite like to be able to grab some maccas, curl up on the lounge & eat it properly...

But - what led me to having surgery in the first place? Shit like that. So possibly a good thing I can't - but how I wish all the same!

Although I do not regret my sleeve I must admit that there are days I don't know how to deal with emotions other than to eat. When I have a stressful day at work I can no longer 'eat' the stress away and I just feel empty and sad.

I find myself walking around the supermarkets looking at food and remembering how much it used to help me - and actually wishing I didn't have the sleeve for just one afternoon so I could appreciate eating. I find that I no longer love to eat and don't get the same satisfaction from stuffing my face. I feel quite lost but am not able to express this feeling to anyone (not that anyone would probably care anyway!). I wonder if anyone else has this feeling or if I'm just a nut job?!!!

Wow I hope the spicy thing is not common. I love hot food. Majorly hot. The dietician told me this week I "should" be ok. Cannot wait to test this out.

LittleMissCee wrote:

I have no regrets 95% of the time.

The 5% of the time I do, is because I get ill more often than a normal person because of a weakened immune system, or I get frustrated because I can't eat a full meal.

Even though I am 7, nearly 8 months out, I still can't eat any more than half a cup at any one time.. I can't go near anything spicy or eat anything too quickly at all, or it just causes me extreme pain until I throw up.

This happens not very often at all these days, and like I said, 95% of the time I love my sleeve.

Looking at my body, the tags on my clothes and the number on the scales is proof of that.

I have no regrets 95% of the time.

The 5% of the time I do, is because I get ill more often than a normal person because of a weakened immune system, or I get frustrated because I can't eat a full meal.

Even though I am 7, nearly 8 months out, I still can't eat any more than half a cup at any one time.. I can't go near anything spicy or eat anything too quickly at all, or it just causes me extreme pain until I throw up.

This happens not very often at all these days, and like I said, 95% of the time I love my sleeve.

Looking at my body, the tags on my clothes and the number on the scales is proof of that.

I can definitely understand where your brother is coming from Ozrick. To be in constant chronic pain 24/7 is physically and emotionally draining. I had days where I would just sob and sob because the pain was so bad. I also would have done anything to be rid of the pain.......and I did, I was sleeved. Well mostly the pain is gone, it is now bearable.

I think in the future I will certainly look at becoming an advocate for a rethink by Government. they are certainly not going to do anything unless someone rattles their tree. I think I am up for the challenge.

J wrote:

The problem is though Rick because the surgery is so relatively new the government have no real "long team results" to go off..

We will hopefully be the ones that set the president for those that need help in 5 or 10 years time, when they finally realise its not just a case of getting yourself off to the gym.

There are plenty of us who really needed the help to change our lives, and all the members on this site are show just how awesome the results of the sleeve can be.

Wow Kate, you are no stranger to pain. My dear long departed Dad always said that your health is the most important thing. I always thought he was wrong. Now that I am older I realise how wise he was. My oldest brother was a high flying business man earning 2million plus per annum until he suffered nerve damage to an ankle whilst in London on business. He said he would give away every cent just to be free of constant, chronic pain.

Kate wrote:

Thank you Ozrick, that's very kind. I could not have any surgery to correct my back problem. My L4 and L5 vertebrae have naturally fused therefore not in the right place obviously. My weight loss will never fix that and I still have pain but it is mostly manageable. Who knows what the future brings though. Cross that bridge when I have to. I felt that sleeve surgery was my only alternative for helping my back. Thank goodness I was right. I have also had 3 operations on my right foot and need more on my other foot but re-evaluate this now the weight is off. You are so right it is not just about traditional obesity problems as thankfully I had none of them but I'm sure they were just around the corner.

Thank you Ozrick, that's very kind. I could not have any surgery to correct my back problem. My L4 and L5 vertebrae have naturally fused therefore not in the right place obviously. My weight loss will never fix that and I still have pain but it is mostly manageable. Who knows what the future brings though. Cross that bridge when I have to. I felt that sleeve surgery was my only alternative for helping my back. Thank goodness I was right. I have also had 3 operations on my right foot and need more on my other foot but re-evaluate this now the weight is off. You are so right it is not just about traditional obesity problems as thankfully I had none of them but I'm sure they were just around the corner.

The problem is though Rick because the surgery is so relatively new the government have no real "long team results" to go off..

We will hopefully be the ones that set the president for those that need help in 5 or 10 years time, when they finally realise its not just a case of getting yourself off to the gym.

There are plenty of us who really needed the help to change our lives, and all the members on this site are show just how awesome the results of the sleeve can be.

My wife is sooooo happy. As am I. I am thinking through the whole weight issue and the succes of the surgery and will start a thread soon about medicare and the surgery. I do wonder if the government is not taking a long term view to the surgery that could save them mega dollars in the long run.

steph11 wrote:

Congrats Ozrick, already worth it then for your health this surgery! No meds is brilliant, week done!

I am like everyone else replying, no regrets at all! Such a wonderful change in the way I live and think already and I am only 11 weeks out and half way to my weight loss goal. It's an exciting time in my life and I feel so grateful and relieved I discovered the sleeve!

Hope everyone is having a good day,

Steph

Congrats Ozrick, already worth it then for your health this surgery! No meds is brilliant, week done!

I am like everyone else replying, no regrets at all! Such a wonderful change in the way I live and think already and I am only 11 weeks out and half way to my weight loss goal. It's an exciting time in my life and I feel so grateful and relieved I discovered the sleeve!

Hope everyone is having a good day,

Steph

Kate you are truly an inspiration. I think we all tend to think of the "life style diseases" being heart etc related but forget about what the weight was doing to our joints. I know from arranging insurance for people for 20 years that underwriters are just as concerned with knees and backs as they are about heart disease. Interestingly I had one company (ING) raise their BMI limits this week before they penalise people. I am not sure if that is a case of trying to appeal to clients more or a better understanding of the issue. Surely you have chosen the better option.

I saw Dr Taylor yesterday for the first time pre-op and he confirmed what they said in hospital and what my GP said last week. No more medication required for diabetes or high blood pressure. I floated out of his surgery.

Kate wrote:

I was sleeved about 7 months ago and I have not regretted it for even one millisecond.. Best thing I have ever done and the best I have felt in a whole bunch of years.

Pre Sleeve
I weighed 123kg, I was on 2 different kinds of morphine meds, I had chronic back pain 24/7, spent most of the day on the lounge as my back wouldn't let me do anything I wanted to do, I was constantly fatigued and I rarely went anywhere and I ate a lot of crap.

Post Sleeve
I currently weigh 75.3kg, I have lost 47.7kg and only have 10.3kg to go, I don't take any pain meds except for panadol osteo occasionally, I can now do whatever I want to do nothing is off limits anymore, I rarely spend any time during the day on the lounge, I have loads of energy, I'm hardly ever home and I eat completely differently to what I used to.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE MY SLEEVE.

Praying for you too Bruiser. I am sure you will come to a decision you are comfortable with.

alice.r wrote:

I'll be praying for you too bruiser. Top question to ask, its such a great idea to get all of the different view points before deciding.

I'll be praying for you too bruiser. Top question to ask, its such a great idea to get all of the different view points before deciding.