I want to know what I'm truly getting myself into, the good, bad and the ugly.
Another voice in the "go for it" camp. I am nearly 5'7" and reached a max over 300lbs.. decision day was 285. i would have been much better served doing this at 200 lbs than I was then.
My ideal is something around 146-154. The VSG gives you a reset button (if you truly use it) to get down to a healthy weight.. the rest is TOTALLY up to you. Many regain as they didn't understand/acknowledge what got them into poor health to begin with.
If you are ready to make the change, it is a VERY effective helping hand to make serious headway into your health issues. It is not the solution.
edited to add:
No heath issues at all. Same reflux issue. Still take the same dose of PPI to control (10 yrs now) and the only thing I got (and anticipated getting) was a much smaller capacity for real food. It helps if you put the effort into it.. it's restrictive only, and really only for real whole foods, not processed convenience stuff.
Thankyou everyone. I am so on the fence, but I will tell you this, I don't know how long I can stay at this weight, my back is killing me, My jeans ripped, I know I am only 30 lbs where I normally hold, but it's awful. If I don't go through with the surgery, I hope it comes off ok. This decision has had me in tears, If I knew I would have no complications and everything would be great, it would be a no brainer. I am still so scared. Wish me luck tonight, I am going to the seminar, and then on Friday I have a consult with the surgeon. My side has been bothering me, I know this sounds weird, but I almost feel like "well, if it is my gallbladder and they have to take it out then I will go through with it (I would have had to have surgery anyway), but if not, I just don't know. I think one of my biggest problems is the lack of "me" time. I actually love to exercise, I love pushing myself and feeling like I can't and overcoming. I just don't have the time right now (my youngest 3 are 5,4 and 2), which contributes to my weight. But my body is weird, I don't think that most people have to hold a 1000 (or less) calories diet in order to stay at a decent weight. I wasn't going to tell my children, but I spoke with my son last night. He said, "Mom, you're not even that big and your metabolism is so screwed up, I've been around you the last two weeks while you've put on the 20lbs, you haven't even eaten that bad, shouldn't you first see what is wrong with that, try to fix it, and then if you can't, then have the surgery (he is 14). As I said, for some reason, I normally hover around 190 (which now I am 40+ lbs above that, but I know I can get down to that, I always do, it's the getting past that, that my body doesn't let me do. I am hypothyroid, but have never been to an endocrinologist. I just feel so desperate and tired of this weight I just want to be restricted, I don't want to binge, whenever I am eating right, it's always the one day I fall off the wagon that puts on the 5lbs that I worked all week to put on, and now I feel so disgraced and look at myself and feel ashamed and think "I can't beleive I have put on this weight just to qualify for surgery, I know it's only 30ish, but if I do not go through with it, I still have to get that off, and then some. I am so ashamed that every day I read about this, but in my head cannot get a clear green light go. I struggle struggle struggle with this. Even last night I was beating myself up, on one hand I was thinking to myself " I can't even sit, I am so embarrassed, I hate getting dressed, blah blah blah (all the negative self talk we do to ourselves). Then I looked around the room I was in, and there were two other people that were my size (I know them well) and all I could think was, they are the most awesome people, I bet they have never thought of the extremity of what I am contemplating to get my weight off, and they are so beautiful, even with their weight. It is such a struggle. And then I think, "If I am struggling with this decision, it is likely something that I shouldn't do" If it doesn't feel 100 percent right, I shouldn't move forward, but then I see all the before and after, the shedding of the pounds, the wearing the dresses and being happy, the standing next to their children in photos instead of the kids being placed in front of them and not hiding. The happy. It would be so fantastic. Sorry for rambling, but this has been such a struggle. Then I get mad at myself for not being able to make a decision. I so hate my weight..... ugh!
Also, the hair loss scares the crap out of me too, it almost seems like people look absolutely A-MAY-ZING by 3 months out, their hair is still in tact, and they just look healthy and fantastic and then something happens.... and then it seems like when they get out to around 12 months, they start looking better again. I keep thinking, why can't I just have the willpower to do a liquid diet, clear liquids, then soft foods, it's only 3 months and I know I could be looking awesome?!! (because I'm addicted to food, that's why...... I need to go to an island somewhere, where there is no food, and I can just starve)
