joycemitch
My road to deciding to have WLS:
Medical Insurance (Denied)
Finding the right medical coverage was part of my retirement planning in March 2005. I had worked for the government for 30 years so one option was to self-pay to continue that coverage. It was excellent care and I could not be cancelled but it was expensive. My husband and I submitted applications with Blue Cross to see what they offered. He was accepted and I was denied because of my height/weight ratio. At the time I was around 185 pounds but was in excellent health and taking no prescribed medication. My husband was on blood pressure, cholesterol and stomach medication.
A Friend Has RNY Surgery
I tried numerous diets and what I felt was serious exercise (35 minutes eliptical, 40 minutes machines and 1.5 miles walks ever other day ) 4 days a week for almost a year and ended up losing only 16 pounds and a few inches here and there. (I know muscle weighs more than fat but the lack of inches did not inspire faith.) So I just gave up and gained back my hard earned losses and then some. Granted I was not terribly active when not exercising but then I didn't eat a lot. However, I admit I do have a weakness for pasta and breads; sweets I can take or leave. Some friends visited for several days around March of 2007 and she had had gastric bypass surgery about a year before. Her results were amazing and I must have asked her a hundred questions about her experiences. (Nice vacation she must have had.) It motivated me to start reading up on everything I could find on WLS; trying to learn about the different options, reviews about the doctors, the positive and negative results.
Long Term Care Insurance (Denied)
My search continued on whether WLS was for me or not. In December 2007 we decided it might be wise to get Long Term Care Insurance. I have diabetes in my family and my husband lost his sister and a brother in the last 3 years to cancer. We submitted our applications and once again my husband was accepted and I was denied. By this time I weighed 195 pounds but the scale at the doctor's office last showed me over 200 which exceeded their limits. (I should have stripped.) By then I was also on medication for controlling cholesterol.
My Mind is Made Up (I Thought)
Being denied for Long Term Care Insurance had made up mind, I was going to have the band. I watched the obesity surgery success shows on the TV. I scoured the internet looking for the right doctor. Then last month I acutally spoke to someone who had had the band. She had been extremely successful with the band but had recently gone to the vertical sleeve. She was brutally honest in her describing her experience with both the band and the sleeve. Despite scaring the heck out of me, it got me motivated. My research started all over again; I was going with the sleeve.
The Date is Set
I have now set the date, December 1, 2008. I sent in my deposit and am going through with having the vertical sleeve procedure. (I would have done it sooner but will be in England all of November with my in-laws and did not want to take the risk of dodgy plumbing. Mine and theirs.) I currently weigh 216 pounds, am only 5'1" tall, and feel trapped in my body. However, I don't know that I could have ever made the decision to go through with this without the help of so many generous souls on this website willing to honestly share their experiences and support.
I had the Surgery
My surgery went so well that my husband also had it done 6 weeks later. Having Dr. Aceves was the best experience I have ever had with the medical profession. It really does spoil you. The hospital was spotless and beautiful and staff could not do enough for you. There was no real pain after the surgery; more like discomfort but definitely not bad. The first 10 days of the liquid stage are just as miserable as everyone says. Not because I was hungry, just because I was bored. Once I got on the creamy liquids life was breeze.
Eight months post surgery
I have gradually added foods back into my diet. I found that some foods I used to love just don't iinterest me anymore. Since I can eat so little I make sure it is of high quality. I have learned to focus on protein, then veg. The pounds literally fell off at first but have now slowed to a more reasonable 3 or so a month. I remember my surprise the first time I noticed I had crossed my legs, something I had not been able to do in years. I had done it without even being aware I had done it. Despite the slowdown I have now lost 63 pounds and couldn't be happier. I feel younger than I have in years.
One Year Post Op
My weight loss seems to have stopped for now at about 73 pounds. I feel fantastic and love that walking is no longer a chore that makes me short of breath. We had a garage sale and I got rid of all my big girl clothes, finally convinced I'd never need them again. I love the bargains I can now find when buying clothes but it still annoys me that they charge so much more for clothes in larger sizes. I still enjoy food but since I can eat so little I focus on getting the best quality possible. I can't seem to stop myself from preaching to all my overweight friends about the benefits of getting WLS. I know they must be tired of it but when I see how unhealthy they are and the pains they suffer, I just can't keep quiet. Another thing I've noticed is how much food restaurants serve. The volume is way too much. My husband and I would have just an appetizer but they tend to be all the same and terribly unhealthy. Instead we usually split meals and eat only the meat and veg.
