Hello Everyone

My VSG is scheduled for Jan 5th, getting very close. I'm excited, but I'm also pretty nervous. I feel a bit conflicted about removing and throwing away a perfectly good stomach which is just innocently doing its job...weird huh.

I'm going alone, I decided to tell my mother, but noone else.

Briefly, I know I'm on the low end of the BMI scale here, but I have some back issues which make sustained exercise excruciating. I have to be careful about what I do constantly, and as my orthopedic surgeon points out, losing weight will also help. So I've tried a bunch of different diets, hoping to catch a lifestyle change, i haven't added sugar to anything like tea or coffee in about 5 years, I cut out sodas and most juice, I haven't eaten fast food in more than 2 years, i try to avoid most processed foods, i prepare most food myself, i've tried 4/3, then 5/2 at under 600 cal, I went to a cleanse/fast/exercise camp for 3 months.

The result is that i only really ever lose a max of 25 lbs, and as soon as i try to eat reasonably I gain weight like mad, and what takes 3 months to come off comes back in a third of that time. I'm sick of it, I see older family member struggling with all that comes with weight and the inability to get it off. I just want to not have to deal with constant hunger. I hate being hungry, why am i hungry when i am full?

So, someone i know went on vacation and the next time i saw her( 6months? 5 months?) she had lost about 100lbs. She still had some extra weight, but she looked so much healthier and she was happy. She told me about the sleeve and how thrilled she was and how she felt, but what stuck in my mind the most was that she wasn't hungry. So i researched the procedure, decided on Dr Alvarez, and that's pretty much where I'm at.

This site seemed like the best support group i saw while looking at VSG sites, so I'm joining up. Hopefully I'll be able to return any support i get to future patients/members.

Hi and welcome. I wish you a speedy recovery and much success in your journey. You are right, this forum is awesome and full of information no matter what stage of VSG. I love it and read the posts often to ask questions.

Welcome! January 5th will be here before you know it! Good Luck on your journey!! It is hard! I was glued to this site the week before my surgery. I couldn't get enough information. Read, read, read! It helps to get the many different viewpoints and scenarios that people go through. Wishing you lots of success!

I had the exact same thought-'I must be nuts to have major surgery to remove a perfectly healthy, appropriately functioning organ.' But the thing is, desperate times call for desperate measures-nothing else worked as far as weight loss went and my health depended, absolutely depended, on losing a substantial amount of weight….so there you have it. You are going to do great-stay the course and follow your plan. Walk, sip, breathing exercises, repeat. 

Welcome!  And thank you for joining.  I joined up in Sept. and had my surgery 12/8.  Those few months were invaluable to me.  So much wonderful info and especially support from total strangers.  Some of whom have become good friends.  We may be far from each other but when you need help we're only a click away.  The BEST OF LUCK to you on your journey.  Keep us posted :)   Kim

Welcome!

Welcome, fellow back-pain sufferer. Here's hoping your surgery will help you keep the weight off permanently and allow you to address your back issues.

psychoticparrot

thanks for all your replies! I'm in the clear out of kitchen cupboards phase, and replacing everything with broth in preparation for phase 1.