[feedyoureye]

How many of you are here because you started out with the idea of having WLS, and ended up using other methods?

I came here to investigate WLS, have a referral from my DR, and went to the first meeting... My husband wants me to 'just eat less and exercise more" and has not had the experience of loosing and gaining weight many times in the past.

Im currently using fitday to monitor my intake and exercise...I swore I would never count calories again, but here I am again anyway....

Share please!

[Tupper_Mom]

I got on here the first time I was looking into WLS, I ended up being turned down, I got all sad, and feeling sorry for myself and put on 20 more lbs.

So I recently had an exhausting battery of surgeries. (none of them weight loss surgeries...1st was a hernia repair in May of this year, and the subsequent ones were to get rid of infection from the first surgery, still healing from the last one) by the time the surgeries were all over with I had dropped 40 lbs, and was astounded with how much better I felt...just with 40 lbs gone. I was determined NOT to put the 40 lbs back on, and take off a bit more if I could...so I came back, regrouped with the wonderful people here, got encouragement, information and the odd kick in the butt, I'm pleased to say I'm now down 54 lbs...gone for good!! The only problem I'm facing as far as weight loss surgery (and it's not really a problem, per se) is I only have a pound or two left to lose and I don't qualify for weight loss surgery...which is still cool. I stay because the wisdom and encouragement that I get here, I literally haven't found ANYWHERE else.

Welcome to our little spot on the web It'll be home in no time!!

I also use FitDay...I LOVE it!! It keeps me accountable, without having to really "count calories" been doing it long enough I can kind of eyeball a label or whatever's put before me to eat and make a good guesstimate of what I can hand can't have.

Whatever weight loss method you end up doing, congrats on making a choice to get healthier!! Hoping it works out for you, we'll be there to cheer you on all the way!!

[mj2903]

Welcome,

I came to this site after trying to lose weight for years on my own. I have tried and failed weight watchers(too many times to count), adkins, Jenny Craig and any number of diet supplements/pills(prescription and OTC) , so by the time I came here it was pretty much a last resort.

I did a lot of soul searching and originally was thinking about the lap band but with the soul searching, decided that I really needed the RNY to be successful. Some of the soul searching can be pretty hard to admit to yourself - at least it was for me.

Good luck with your decision and your journey. Only you can make the decision as to which way is best for you

[feedyoureye]

Thanks guys, I know how hard it is to get it off and keep it of, and wish the best of health to both of you. WLS is a big thing, and Im still wavering... but I also know I have to get this weight off for my present and future health. I have tried many diet plans, as most of us here have Im sure... and manage to be near the top of my weight most of the time anyway. Thanks all, Ill keep in touch with my decisions and progress!

[Perfesser]

There are some folks here in the Non-Ops forum who have had spectacular results, but it's hard work. So's WLS. You get over a certain weight and there is no easy way to lose it, so choose the one that resonates with your soul.

They both require complete dedication for the rest of your life. WLS gives you a tool to help you make it. Both ways require absolute mental focus and commitment, but non-ops don't have that extra little help we get from our tools. But ultimately the surgery is only 10% of the process. The other 90% comes from your head.

The only really effective weight loss tool is in your brain, not your belly.

Good luck as you research and learn. We can't make your decision for you, but we can share what we know and have experienced. Sure we're biased, but we're honest about it. No one here's going to sugar coat the ride.

CT

[sue4491]

Originally Posted by feedyoureye

Thanks guys, I know how hard it is to get it off and keep it of, and wish the best of health to both of you. WLS is a big thing, and Im still wavering... but I also know I have to get this weight off for my present and future health. I have tried many diet plans, as most of us here have Im sure... and manage to be near the top of my weight most of the time anyway. Thanks all, Ill keep in touch with my decisions and progress!

Hi, I came here to check it out. A total diet failure but at the age where even the lap band didn't seem a good option for me. I actually had given up on losing weight but the folks here were so inspirational that I ended up going back on Weight Watchers are losing 108 lbs! Dr Sanae was especially helpful and inspirational to me but this is like my second family - really nice folks here - very supportive regardless of your decisions.

As perfessor says, it's hard work to lose and keep it off for everyone. I've managed to keep at or below goal for 11 months now - Made lifetime membership in Weight Watchers in 2009 so I get in free to meetings.

As Dr Terry Simpson says "success with WLS - weight loss surgery - is 10 percent the surgery and 90 percent, the patient"

Welcome here - take your time - this wonderful family will help and support you whatever your decisions are!

[not quite Barbie]

Originally Posted by feedyoureye

My husband wants me to 'just eat less and exercise more"

I just had to speak to this. So many people believe that if we would just push away from the table and exercise we could lose the weight. Many of us believed it ourselves and so we would go on one diet after another, buy any pill they were pushing, spend tons of money for special food programs. And yes, we would lose some, maybe even a LOT of the weight, but then we'd fall off the wagon again and gain it all back, with interest!

IMHO there's something broken inside of us. Yes, there's a psychological reason why most of us started overeating in the first place ... a trauma in our past, a way to cope with an unhappy marriage/home life/job/whatever, comfort. But I really believe that something about the overeating triggered something in us that went haywire and causes us to overeat even more. There's a gnawing hunger that drives us to eat when we know we're full, we know we aren't hungry, yet we can't stop.

Something about WLS fixes that for most of us. I don't think any of the doctor's have it figured out, I suspect many of them don't even believe it. But I know what's happened to me. I was a skinny kid who only ate when I needed fuel and then I would select foods that my body needed. Somewhere in my adulthood I started eating all kinds of junk food, and then something broke and I couldn't stop eating. Now, after having WLS I fond myself reset back to the way I was as a kid. I grab foods that my body needs, not foods that the monster inside me wants. Something got fixed.

Choosing WLS is a tough decision. If you can do it on your own, like Sue did, then go for it. Give it another go if you think that's what you need. This surgery is a last resort. It's for life! Make that decision carefully. Get informed, go to the surgeon's seminar to learn about the surgery. Search web sites like these. Know what you are getting into.

Whatever your decision, stick around here for support. RR is the nicest website I've found.

[feedyoureye]

Thanks for the support guys. I appreciate it. I think wls might be right for me, but I don't want to just jump in.... I realize I want control of my life, but I want to make sure Im not trying to control the wrong things
....have a great day.

[Perfesser]

Finding an effective way to lose weight, and then losing it (and then keeping it off!!) gives you such a wonderful feeling of control, you'll have to experience it to appreciate it. Succeeding at the one really important area of your life that has defeated every attempt for (how many years?) lets you know that you can succeed at anything!!

If you think WLS may be an option, start the 6-month process soon. You can back out at any time right up to surgery should you decide the non-op route is working. But if you decide to try the non-op route, and 5 months later want to change to WLS, you'll be starting the 6-month clock then. The six months are spent in medical testing, nutritional counseling, mental preparation - everything useful for either route. There have been quite a few folks here find out something they really needed to know as a result of the tests you'll be going through.

Keep your options open while you're trying to figure this out.

CT

[feedyoureye]

Good points Perf, I have a few more days to fill out the forms to get to the next step. I went to the seminar a few days ago, and the Dr. said the time from start to surgery could be as quick as two months for some people. The place is rated "Center of Excellence" and has performed over 2000 surgeries. I'm planning on filling out the forms and seeing how it goes. I'm sure I could get benefit from the tests, counseling and nutrition appointments, like you said...