Bariatric Girl

I am considering WLS. However, I am right on the border as far as whether they will take me… 206 pounds (at about 5′ 3 1/2″ . Also, I live in Ontario Canada. Anyone know someone like me who had surgery and was happy they did it?

Tammy I believe I’m right that you will have to wait a certain amount of time since you are in Canada. Here’s my first suggestion. Try to get scheduled. By the time it comes around you will have had time to educate and prepare yourself and I’m assuming you can cancel it if you want to. The second thing I would suggest is to join ObesityHelp.com (for free) and visit their Ontario forum. It is HERE. You can ask many questions from people in your area but also be prepared that you may have some snarky people there so don’t get involved in that stuff. Just stick to facts, asking questions about others in your area.

I’ll also suggest that it doesn’t have a lot to do with where you are whether people are happy with it or not because I know many who are all over the world. I have some great friends from Canada that I met because of being in the weight loss community. If you’d like I can put you in touch with some of them. Here’s a video I did a couple of years ago of people that I know personally in different stages of weight loss. It is before and after shots of each person and some haven’t finished yet. You can see it HERE. I would also invite you to visit my Bariatric Girl Facebook page and see the before/after album in the photo section. I’m happy to answer any questions you have. Here’s the stats that you need to know. Only 5% of people who take the weight off on their own who lose 100 pounds plus keep it off for 5 years. Like myself and many of my friends we have lost 100 pounds, 100 times. We can all lose it….it’s keeping it off that is so difficult. Even with WLS you MUST change some things, learn some things and it’s something you do for life. WLS is not a magic bullet but it’s the only way I know to get to start over on a level playing field and put all your efforts in trying to just stay there. It isn’t the easy way out. Sometimes you have people around you that will get in your business about this. YOU are the one that has to live in YOUR body. Listen to people who have walked this road….not those will uninformed opinions. You can email me at [email protected]. It saved my life!

I recently read some of the things you wrote. I had bariatric surgery,lost a bunch but gained it all back. Am really in a quandary….I want to lose but it does not happen. I had no problems whatsoever with surgery and never got sick over anything..everyone got sick over something.  I was so good the weight came back. I’m upset and nothing can b done..I’ve been to drs and they basically say, we’ll that’s the way it is. I don’t like weight watchers or those groups, still have the huge scar to remind me that, yes, at one point I did have weight loss surgery and it did not work.  What else can I do??

Ann I have talked to many people just like you. I would like you to read this blog post. Also please watch the link to the video at the end as well. Losing the weight can be done…..it isn’t easy, but it’s doable. I totally understand why you don’t want to go to Weight Watchers. I don’t know what kind of surgery you had and I don’t know how much you lost and or have much you’ve gained back. I wish I could have been in touch with you when you first started gaining weight back but I wasn’t so we have to go forward with what we’ve got to work with. This next part is where I have to tread lightly. I’m a food addict and most people I communicate with are too. My favorite description of an addict is “uncontrolled use despite negative consequences”. Being an addict is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a disease. We can’t fix what we don’t acknowledge so I acknowledged it early in my journey. An important part is have some type of good support whether it’s a WLS support group, therapy, or going to OA. It’s unfortunate that information like this is not always readily available to most post-ops.

I hope this has given you a start. There is so much that could be avoided if we go into this knowing why we ate in the first place. Please don’t hesitate to ask any other questions.

there is an easy way to reduce weight..that is weight loss surgery.. 

It does easily reduce the weight but the hard part starts when we are keeping it off after the honeymoon period. We also have to work on what’s between our ears! It certainly saved my life.

Weight Loss Surgery can be a transformational and life saving journey! As a Bariatric Program Registered Nurse I have seen first hand what this tool can do do help a person start living their life! It takes dedication and the ability to be part of a team being honest and open with each other.

I have been going through the process of weight loss surgery for three months. I intended to have the sleeve all along, but just found out I have a hernia, so my Dr will only do the gastric bypass for me. I am so bummed and scared.Any advice?

Thanks

Don’t be bummed! I had gastric bypass 12 years ago and it was the miracle I had hoped for. I know hundreds of people just like me. I also know someone who has had every kind of surgery and had every kind of outcome. I don’t know why you think gastric bypass would be a bad choice but there are literally thousands of people who are denied any kind of surgery every day. I’m on the board of WLSFA.org which is a non-profit that raises money for those who are denied and the letters received are heartbreaking. It’s really important that you believe in the surgery you have so unless you accept your choice you will not have an optimal outcome. Let’s talk about this OK?

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