1 year post op and half my size
45 year old woman
Introduction: I am 45 years old, have two grown sons and a granddaughter. I had medial gastric bypass RNY on 06/22/06. Today I weighed in at 167, I have lost a total of 168lbs, I literally have lost more than I now weigh.
Surgery went well, with the only complication being an intestinal infection C. Diff, which made me utterly miserable for almost 6 months post op. Before I made the decision to have WLS I had lost 150lbs through diet and exercise alone. And let me tell you, anyone who tells you that having surgery is 'the easy way out' doesn't know what they are talking about and are blatantly displaying their ignorance. When I lost weight before I was very careful with what I ate and I exercised a minimum of walking 5 - 10 miles EVERY SINGLE day, along with other exercise. Today 1 year post op, I have to be very careful with what I eat and I have to exercise every day, but the first 6 months were TOUGH! I now ride my bike to work every day, and sometimes forget that I have a car that I can drive. I have rain gear for my bike and find that in most instances can get anywhere I need to go with a little planning and time consideration. My biggest trip is usually across town to my son's house which takes about 24 minutes each way. I have gone from a size 26 to a size 8 and even have one pair of jeans a size 6. I had pretty much accepted the fact that I would be single for the rest of my life, men don't tend to look at or give a chance to size 26 women, but at a recent event I had at least 4 guys flirting with me, one of whom was only 29 years old! Wow! Didn't expect that! One of the biggest differences I've noticed is that I'm no longer "invisible". Before surgery I found that many people would look through me rather than at me, as if they could somehow 'catch' my disease by acknowledging my existence. That has changed completely, in line at the grocery store or at the bank, I feel like I am a human being again. I TRULY believe that Weight Loss Surgery is an extremely personal decision, and should not be made to make your husband, boyfriend, and sister, Doctor happy. It is a huge decision that can carry extreme complications and should only be done to make yourself happy, and ONLY if you are willing to make the lifetime commitments that life after surgery requires. You must commit to all of the protein and vitamin supplements that accompany WLS, and the immediate physical results of eating poorly "should" help keep you in line, but hey... We've got Eating Disorders right?!? If we didn't would we ever get to the point that made us consider surgery as an option. People have asked me throughout the last year if it was worth it, and my answer is still the same... Ask me in 5 years. By then I'll know where my body settles in and will know if there will be any other unexpected complications. But if you ask me if I am happier today than I was before surgery I would say Absolutely! I can move better, I feel better and I look better. For me this decision was not about getting to a special number on the scale, this was about achieving the best health that I can. I never believed that surgery would "fix" me or be a "cure". A large part of an eating disorder is in your head, and this surgery is on your stomach / intestines not your brain. I look at it as a tool, for me to use to battle this disease. Today, I "Own it". I accept that I have an eating disorder, and I work hard at keeping it under control. Some days are easy, some are tough. My hope is that the easy days will become more prolific and the I hope to see far fewer of the tough days. Is WLS the answer for you? Only YOU can make that decision, and ONLY after YOU have done extensive research, and really searched your soul on how much of what is required that YOU can commit to. If you believe that you'd be happier, and that you CAN commit to eating better, exercising, taking your protein and vitamin supplements and visiting your doctor regularly for the rest of your life... Then it may be the right choice. I'm glad I did it.
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