Hi All - New to Group - Question

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/10/2003 9:13:51 AM Eastern Daylight Time,

vrd@... writes:

> Now here's my question . . . and perhaps I've looked at this too

> long and hard and am getting confused . . . What's the point of the

> surgery if post-op you're watching what you're eating twice as hard

> you did before? If post-op, your effectively doing what could have

> been done pre-op? I really don't mean to come off smart alec-ey,

> though that question probably does. I really want to know the point

> of the surgery. Is it because with surgery, you're more likely to

> keep the weight off?

>

Hi Vicki

I am having the Roux En Y Gastric Bypass Surgery procedure performed

laparoscopically (tiny long instrument that pass through small holes made in my

stomach wall about the size of my index finger and a fiber optic camera goes in

too

so the surgeon can " see " inside of me) on August 25, 2003. I go in this

Friday for my preoperative testing. I started my journey weighing 293 on April

30,

2003 at my very first consultation with my surgeon who is the Chief Medical

Director of the Hospital where I will be having my surgery. I completed all of

the basic requirements to qualify for surgery (pre-op blood work,

psychological evaluation, gallbladder sonogram, and sonogram of the veins in my

legs and

thighs and a physical from my primary physician). My surgeon checked over all

my tests and approved me for surgery. He informed me that before my surgery

date I must lose 10 pounds. He said the 10 pound weight loss is to help my

liver to decrease in size to make moving it easier for him to be able to get to

my stomach with his instruments.

To date I now weigh 275 lbs and I will be starting my two week liquid diet

that the doctor instructed me to begin on Monday. So I fully expect to be at

about 270 or less bye 8/25/03 and he will be very happy on that.

Now to address your question yes I need surgery because losing weight is not

the problem for me it is keeping it off. I have been my proper size all of my

life up until I got pregnant 14 years ago and every since then I just let

myself go. People who see me never could believe I actually had reached 293 lbs

because I did not look like it, but I knew. I do not have anything wrong with

me, no high blood pressure, no diabetes nothing. I am having surgery to

prevent this as much as I can because every bad thing health wise is in my

family.

The surgery is simply a tool to help us live like we should have been able

to but COULD NOT all along. After surgery it is no walk in the park this is no

miracle cure it is an invention that assists an obese person to moderate

exactly what they eat and a physical devise that can cause violent reactions if

not adhered to. We must still change our eating habits and lifestyle, we must

exercise and monitor what we consume now even more so because there is a

malabsorptive factor in our lives now. That means that since our intestines

have

been cut and rerouted we are not able to absorb as much of all our nutrients

from

the food and vitamins that we take as we could before surgery.

Sorry this is so long but I just wanted you and anyone else who is

considering surgery to fully understand that it is no miracle it will be just as

hard

but with better long run benefits that staying obese and that much closer to

death in the long run. It is extreme and drastic and something that when I was

thin would have never entered into my scope of understanding but I am here

today. I am committed to following my surgeons instructions now and after

surgery

and making this work for me to the utmost.

Good Luck to you in your journey whatever it ends up being

Lori Anne

pre-op Lap RNY

293/275 before surgery

goal is to be 150 or less

8/25/03 surgery date

[Guest guest]

Hi everybody. I joined your group the other day. I'm hoping it

will help me make the big decision. I'm really, really on the fence

about this one. I have an initial WLS consultation on 9/25.

Some days the surgery seems like a God sent miracle and other days

it seems like it's too risky and other days it seems like it's just

too extreme and that I just have to try to manage on my own. I'm

about 380 lbs now.

Now here's my question . . . and perhaps I've looked at this too

long and hard and am getting confused . . . What's the point of the

surgery if post-op you're watching what you're eating twice as hard

you did before? If post-op, your effectively doing what could have

been done pre-op? I really don't mean to come off smart alec-ey,

though that question probably does. I really want to know the point

of the surgery. Is it because with surgery, you're more likely to

keep the weight off?

Yes, I'm really scared about this surgery. My sister works with a

woman, Robin, who post-op had a pulmonary embolism. Robin was very

lucky. When it happened, she was walking around the grounds of her

apartment complex and a security guard called 911. So I think my

fear is getting in the way of seeing this clearly.

Can anyone shed some light? Has anyone experieced this kind

indecisivness? Was anyone as confused as I am??

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Vicki

[Guest guest]

http://www.wlsfriends.com/pouchrules.html You can read this to learn a bit

more about how the tool actually works. As for your question of why not do

it without surgery....we all have tried and tried and tried to lose weight

without surgery. Either it works for awhile and we gain it back, or it just

doesn't work. It's a fact that 98% of non-surgical weight loss attempts FAIL

The surgery will help you stay on the diet plan. Most of us fail diets

because we get comfortable and go back to eating junk food, or not eating

(which slows metabolism) or we stop exercising. You don't really have a lot

of choice on what you eat after surgery because 1. you won't want a lot of

the foods you did, and 2. the things that are bad for you will most likely

cause dumping, and you'll never eat them again.

Pulmonary embolisms generally happen in people who don't wear the leg

stocking things and don't get enough exercise in. Ask your surgeon exactly

how to prevent this, and follow his instructions and you will be fine.

Good Luck! )

Pre-Op

-- Hi All - New to Group - Question

Hi everybody. I joined your group the other day. I'm hoping it

will help me make the big decision. I'm really, really on the fence

about this one. I have an initial WLS consultation on 9/25.

Some days the surgery seems like a God sent miracle and other days

it seems like it's too risky and other days it seems like it's just

too extreme and that I just have to try to manage on my own. I'm

about 380 lbs now.

Now here's my question . . . and perhaps I've looked at this too

long and hard and am getting confused . . . What's the point of the

surgery if post-op you're watching what you're eating twice as hard

you did before? If post-op, your effectively doing what could have

been done pre-op? I really don't mean to come off smart alec-ey,

though that question probably does. I really want to know the point

of the surgery. Is it because with surgery, you're more likely to

keep the weight off?

Yes, I'm really scared about this surgery. My sister works with a

woman, Robin, who post-op had a pulmonary embolism. Robin was very

lucky. When it happened, she was walking around the grounds of her

apartment complex and a security guard called 911. So I think my

fear is getting in the way of seeing this clearly.

Can anyone shed some light? Has anyone experieced this kind

indecisivness? Was anyone as confused as I am??

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Vicki

[Guest guest]

http://www.wlsfriends.com/pouchrules.html You can read this to learn a bit

more about how the tool actually works. As for your question of why not do

it without surgery....we all have tried and tried and tried to lose weight

without surgery. Either it works for awhile and we gain it back, or it just

doesn't work. It's a fact that 98% of non-surgical weight loss attempts FAIL

The surgery will help you stay on the diet plan. Most of us fail diets

because we get comfortable and go back to eating junk food, or not eating

(which slows metabolism) or we stop exercising. You don't really have a lot

of choice on what you eat after surgery because 1. you won't want a lot of

the foods you did, and 2. the things that are bad for you will most likely

cause dumping, and you'll never eat them again.

Pulmonary embolisms generally happen in people who don't wear the leg

stocking things and don't get enough exercise in. Ask your surgeon exactly

how to prevent this, and follow his instructions and you will be fine.

Good Luck! )

Pre-Op

-- Hi All - New to Group - Question

Hi everybody. I joined your group the other day. I'm hoping it

will help me make the big decision. I'm really, really on the fence

about this one. I have an initial WLS consultation on 9/25.

Some days the surgery seems like a God sent miracle and other days

it seems like it's too risky and other days it seems like it's just

too extreme and that I just have to try to manage on my own. I'm

about 380 lbs now.

Now here's my question . . . and perhaps I've looked at this too

long and hard and am getting confused . . . What's the point of the

surgery if post-op you're watching what you're eating twice as hard

you did before? If post-op, your effectively doing what could have

been done pre-op? I really don't mean to come off smart alec-ey,

though that question probably does. I really want to know the point

of the surgery. Is it because with surgery, you're more likely to

keep the weight off?

Yes, I'm really scared about this surgery. My sister works with a

woman, Robin, who post-op had a pulmonary embolism. Robin was very

lucky. When it happened, she was walking around the grounds of her

apartment complex and a security guard called 911. So I think my

fear is getting in the way of seeing this clearly.

Can anyone shed some light? Has anyone experieced this kind

indecisivness? Was anyone as confused as I am??

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Vicki

[Guest guest]

Vicki,

First of all, welcome to our group. You'll find it a veritable fount of

information and everyone here has experienced just about everything you

can imagine.

This surgery is very risky and dangerous, yes, but at the same time, it

is literally a life saving tool. What you said about being able to do

this without having the surgery really struck me because a lot of people

think that its that easy, its not. If it were, I would have done it a

long time ago. The surgery is a tool to help you control your intake and

what you can eat. Because the pouch is so small it doesn't allow you to

take in huge amounts of food like you can before surgery. For example, I

used to be able to eat a 12 oz. steak, baked potato, salad and some

bread for dinner and still have cheesecake afterwards. Now I would be

hard pressed to finish the salad (if I was allowed to have that stuff).

Because of the small pouch, there is just no room for a ton of food.

Another thing is that if you eat something you shouldn't like sugar in

any form, or eat too much, you will literally get sick. This is like a

warning system. It tells you you've either eaten something you shouldn't

(sugar is a big no no) or that you've eaten too much and you know not to

do it again because I guarantee you will be miserable for anywhere from

15 minutes to 6 hours. You don't want to mess with dumping. It's awful!

And yes the weight tends to stay off more IF you stick to the diet, what

your doctor tells you and what your body tells you.

As an example of you have to be very careful, I was watching Discovery

Health the other day and there was this Obesity in America show on and a

lady on there had gastric bypass though I think she had staples and not

the RNY, but she ate as normal after the surgery without changing her

lifestyle and she gained 100lbs instead of losing it. Just a friendly

reminder that willpower must be stronger than hunger.

I'm sorry about your sister's friend. Things like PE can happen also if

you do not walk. This keeps the circulation going in your legs and the

risk of this occurring is less than if you did not walk. In the hospital

the nurses will usually get you up as often as they can to take small

walks around the hospital.

Hope this helps! Good luck in making your decision.

432/384/170

Lap RNY 6/20/03

[Guest guest]

Thanks Lori h

You are a wonderful inspiration to all of us pre-ops.

Lori Anne

[Guest guest]

Hi Vicki

Welcome to the group You are ABSOLUTELY right in that what you do

post-op you could have done pre-op. But the reason why the surgery

acts as a tool is that it FORCES dietary compliance.... It is no

longer simply a matter of " mind over body " (purposely changed the

saying here . After surgery, it's more the other way around... You

aren't just relying on pure willpower anymore...

Hope this helps

Caroline

Lap RNY 5/2/03

367/298/150

www.MildStonesCreations.com

(click on " My WLS Journey " for photos and journal

> Hi everybody. I joined your group the other day. I'm hoping it

> will help me make the big decision. I'm really, really on the

fence

> about this one. I have an initial WLS consultation on 9/25.

>

> Some days the surgery seems like a God sent miracle and other days

> it seems like it's too risky and other days it seems like it's

just

> too extreme and that I just have to try to manage on my own. I'm

> about 380 lbs now.

>

> Now here's my question . . . and perhaps I've looked at this too

> long and hard and am getting confused . . . What's the point of

the

> surgery if post-op you're watching what you're eating twice as

hard

> you did before? If post-op, your effectively doing what could

have

> been done pre-op? I really don't mean to come off smart alec-ey,

> though that question probably does. I really want to know the

point

> of the surgery. Is it because with surgery, you're more likely to

> keep the weight off?

>

> Yes, I'm really scared about this surgery. My sister works with a

> woman, Robin, who post-op had a pulmonary embolism. Robin was

very

> lucky. When it happened, she was walking around the grounds of

her

> apartment complex and a security guard called 911. So I think my

> fear is getting in the way of seeing this clearly.

>

> Can anyone shed some light? Has anyone experieced this kind

> indecisivness? Was anyone as confused as I am??

>

> Thanks for taking the time to read this. Vicki

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/10/2003 5:07:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

mmgood010469@... writes:

> Just continue with your research, and keep asking

> questions because it is a HUGE decision to make.

>

>

>

I totally agree with you WLS is one of the most major decisions you will

make in your whole life. Everyone think about it your stomach is the main

way for nutrients to get into your body so your body can use them and now we are

reducing the size of it so that we can actually hold more food in the cavity

of our mouths than in our stomachs. I for one know I need this procedure and

have been at this realization for quite some time now. I do have some

coworkers who found out about my surgery and who know I have lost 18 pounds

already

and they never stop telling me well now you don't need to do it since you know

you can lose the weight yourself. They just have no clue do they LOL. I tell

them now more than ever I need the surgery so what I have lost will stay off

and all that I have left to lose can come off too. Mind you now that most of

my coworkers are overweight but few are obese. I have a feeling once the

obese gals see my weight loss they are gonna be all questions from that point on

LOL. Good Luck Everyone especially for my August brother and sisters in

surgery LOL

Lori Anne

pre-op Lap RNY

8/25/03

[Guest guest]

welcome vicki. we all have a different journey, but my wls seeking

began in 1999 when i was about to head to mexico for a lap-band,

before FDA approval. decided against it, lost 60 lbs on w w & was

no longer a candidate. then when i regained the 60+ lbs, that was

it! so in early 2002, i researched everywhere, including the

medical journals in the library. & that was it! i'm not in the 5%

of folks that KEEP the weight off, so i needed a permanent solution

to my MO.

& yes it's a giant step & many of us have experienced ambivalence,

it's natural.

lori h.

15 grateful months out

> Hi everybody. I joined your group the other day. I'm hoping it

> will help me make the big decision. I'm really, really on the

fence

> about this one. I have an initial WLS consultation on 9/25.

>

> Some days the surgery seems like a God sent miracle and other days

> it seems like it's too risky and other days it seems like it's

just

> too extreme and that I just have to try to manage on my own. I'm

> about 380 lbs now.

>

> Now here's my question . . . and perhaps I've looked at this too

> long and hard and am getting confused . . . What's the point of

the

> surgery if post-op you're watching what you're eating twice as

hard

> you did before? If post-op, your effectively doing what could

have

> been done pre-op? I really don't mean to come off smart alec-ey,

> though that question probably does. I really want to know the

point

> of the surgery. Is it because with surgery, you're more likely to

> keep the weight off?

>

> Yes, I'm really scared about this surgery. My sister works with a

> woman, Robin, who post-op had a pulmonary embolism. Robin was

very

> lucky. When it happened, she was walking around the grounds of

her

> apartment complex and a security guard called 911. So I think my

> fear is getting in the way of seeing this clearly.

>

> Can anyone shed some light? Has anyone experieced this kind

> indecisivness? Was anyone as confused as I am??

>

> Thanks for taking the time to read this. Vicki

[Guest guest]

very eloquent lori anne. you're gonna be an incredible postie! &

way to go on the w l.

lori h.

> Hi Vicki

>

> I am having the Roux En Y Gastric Bypass Surgery procedure

performed

> laparoscopically (tiny long instrument that pass through small

holes made in my

> stomach wall about the size of my index finger and a fiber optic

camera goes in too

> so the surgeon can " see " inside of me) on August 25, 2003. I go

in this

> Friday for my preoperative testing. I started my journey weighing

293 on April 30,

> 2003 at my very first consultation with my surgeon who is the

Chief Medical

> Director of the Hospital where I will be having my surgery. I

completed all of

> the basic requirements to qualify for surgery (pre-op blood work,

> psychological evaluation, gallbladder sonogram, and sonogram of

the veins in my legs and

> thighs and a physical from my primary physician). My surgeon

checked over all

> my tests and approved me for surgery. He informed me that before

my surgery

> date I must lose 10 pounds. He said the 10 pound weight loss is

to help my

> liver to decrease in size to make moving it easier for him to be

able to get to

> my stomach with his instruments.

>

> To date I now weigh 275 lbs and I will be starting my two week

liquid diet

> that the doctor instructed me to begin on Monday. So I fully

expect to be at

> about 270 or less bye 8/25/03 and he will be very happy on that.

>

> Now to address your question yes I need surgery because losing

weight is not

> the problem for me it is keeping it off. I have been my proper

size all of my

> life up until I got pregnant 14 years ago and every since then I

just let

> myself go. People who see me never could believe I actually had

reached 293 lbs

> because I did not look like it, but I knew. I do not have

anything wrong with

> me, no high blood pressure, no diabetes nothing. I am having

surgery to

> prevent this as much as I can because every bad thing health wise

is in my family.

> The surgery is simply a tool to help us live like we should have

been able

> to but COULD NOT all along. After surgery it is no walk in the

park this is no

> miracle cure it is an invention that assists an obese person to

moderate

> exactly what they eat and a physical devise that can cause violent

reactions if

> not adhered to. We must still change our eating habits and

lifestyle, we must

> exercise and monitor what we consume now even more so because

there is a

> malabsorptive factor in our lives now. That means that since our

intestines have

> been cut and rerouted we are not able to absorb as much of all our

nutrients from

> the food and vitamins that we take as we could before surgery.

>

> Sorry this is so long but I just wanted you and anyone else who is

> considering surgery to fully understand that it is no miracle it

will be just as hard

> but with better long run benefits that staying obese and that much

closer to

> death in the long run. It is extreme and drastic and something

that when I was

> thin would have never entered into my scope of understanding but I

am here

> today. I am committed to following my surgeons instructions now

and after surgery

> and making this work for me to the utmost.

>

> Good Luck to you in your journey whatever it ends up being

>

> Lori Anne

> pre-op Lap RNY

> 293/275 before surgery

> goal is to be 150 or less

> 8/25/03 surgery date

[Guest guest]

Lori Anne that was a great post!

I just wanted to re-emphasize, Vicki, that this is not a miracle

cure. There are lots of people who " force " their old habits into

this new way of living. People who graze on food all day long,

stuff themselves to the gills every time they eat, drink while they

eat so they can eat more. When I had my psych eval for this

procedure, the psychologist told me that she knew of somebody who

was not affected by sugar, and was putting Snickers bars into the

blender to make a shake that she could sip all day! If anybody

even " thinks " about doing stuff like this, don't bother with the

surgery! So, the short of it is, you can re-gain the weight you

lose if you try hard enough, staples can be broken if you force too

much food (especially in the beginning). A lot of people think WLS

is the easy way out, but it takes a lot to be compliant. The reward

is that if you are compliant, your chances of success in keeping the

weight off go from 2% (as with conventional dieting) to 70%! Big

difference! Just continue with your research, and keep asking

questions because it is a HUGE decision to make.

LAP RNY 7-17-03

324/282/?

> very eloquent lori anne. you're gonna be an incredible postie! &

> way to go on the w l.

> lori h.

>

>

> > Hi Vicki

> >

> > I am having the Roux En Y Gastric Bypass Surgery procedure

> performed

> > laparoscopically (tiny long instrument that pass through small

> holes made in my

> > stomach wall about the size of my index finger and a fiber optic

> camera goes in too

> > so the surgeon can " see " inside of me) on August 25, 2003. I go

> in this

> > Friday for my preoperative testing. I started my journey

weighing

> 293 on April 30,

> > 2003 at my very first consultation with my surgeon who is the

> Chief Medical

> > Director of the Hospital where I will be having my surgery. I

> completed all of

> > the basic requirements to qualify for surgery (pre-op blood

work,

> > psychological evaluation, gallbladder sonogram, and sonogram of

> the veins in my legs and

> > thighs and a physical from my primary physician). My surgeon

> checked over all

> > my tests and approved me for surgery. He informed me that

before

> my surgery

> > date I must lose 10 pounds. He said the 10 pound weight loss is

> to help my

> > liver to decrease in size to make moving it easier for him to be

> able to get to

> > my stomach with his instruments.

> >

> > To date I now weigh 275 lbs and I will be starting my two week

> liquid diet

> > that the doctor instructed me to begin on Monday. So I fully

> expect to be at

> > about 270 or less bye 8/25/03 and he will be very happy on that.

> >

> > Now to address your question yes I need surgery because losing

> weight is not

> > the problem for me it is keeping it off. I have been my proper

> size all of my

> > life up until I got pregnant 14 years ago and every since then I

> just let

> > myself go. People who see me never could believe I actually had

> reached 293 lbs

> > because I did not look like it, but I knew. I do not have

> anything wrong with

> > me, no high blood pressure, no diabetes nothing. I am having

> surgery to

> > prevent this as much as I can because every bad thing health

wise

> is in my family.

> > The surgery is simply a tool to help us live like we should

have

> been able

> > to but COULD NOT all along. After surgery it is no walk in the

> park this is no

> > miracle cure it is an invention that assists an obese person to

> moderate

> > exactly what they eat and a physical devise that can cause

violent

> reactions if

> > not adhered to. We must still change our eating habits and

> lifestyle, we must

> > exercise and monitor what we consume now even more so because

> there is a

> > malabsorptive factor in our lives now. That means that since

our

> intestines have

> > been cut and rerouted we are not able to absorb as much of all

our

> nutrients from

> > the food and vitamins that we take as we could before surgery.

> >

> > Sorry this is so long but I just wanted you and anyone else who

is

> > considering surgery to fully understand that it is no miracle it

> will be just as hard

> > but with better long run benefits that staying obese and that

much

> closer to

> > death in the long run. It is extreme and drastic and something

> that when I was

> > thin would have never entered into my scope of understanding but

I

> am here

> > today. I am committed to following my surgeons instructions now

> and after surgery

> > and making this work for me to the utmost.

> >

> > Good Luck to you in your journey whatever it ends up being

> >

> > Lori Anne

> > pre-op Lap RNY

> > 293/275 before surgery

> > goal is to be 150 or less

> > 8/25/03 surgery date

[Guest guest]

you're very very welcome & thank you for reminding me what it's all

about:-)

lori h.

15 pro-active months out

- In Gastric_Bypass_Family , Grimmlah1@a... wrote:

> Thanks Lori h

>

> You are a wonderful inspiration to all of us pre-ops.

>

> Lori Anne