Life 3 years and 250 pounds later
I think people entering the amazing world of wls need to hear from
those of us who’ve been out and about for awhile. It’s my third
anniversary, so I thought I’d drop by.
First of all, for me it worked. I used to weigh 500 pounds and now I
weigh about 250. My breathing problems are gone. My feet, chest,
back, and legs don’t hurt all of the time. I am no longer completely
defined by my weight. The surgery didn’t just add years to my life.
It added life to my years. I am healthier, happier, stronger, and
more resiliant thanks to the surgery.
I had to get lots of reconstructive surgeries, and there was a
serious complication with one of them. Wound packing (gauze) was
lost in my body cavity and I became very septic. I had other
complications following my RNY, but I believe those problems were
actually caused by a pre-existing condition, not the RNY itself.
Even with everything I’ve been through, I’d do it all again.
Here is the advice I have to offer to anyone who wants it:
#1
The surgery will biologically modify you. You will not be like other
people. If you can’t accept that, and everything that goes with it,
don’t get the surgery. There are educated people who fail to get
their checkups or take their supplements. They’re in some sort of
weird denial. If you’re not going to take care of yourself, you owe
it to yourself, your family, and your doctors to refrain from getting
the surgery.
#2
A proximal RNY is the “gold standard” of weight loss surgery. It’s
what’s endorsed by the National Institutes of Health. You may choose
to get something different. That’s your choice. Just do it with
both eyes wide open. If a doctor is doing something other than a
proximal RNY he should be able to explain EXACTLY how it’s
different. If he can’t or won’t, something’s wrong. There is
nothing sadder than coming across a person who has problems but
didn’t know that they weren’t getting the “mainstream” wls until
after the fact.
#3
Use the critical thinking skills that get you through life when
dealing with the internet and WLS. If something doesn’t “ring true”
for you when someone tells you something online, ask questions. Do
your own research in generally accepted textbooks and web sites to
verify what you’re being told. Ask your doctor, a nurse, or
dietician. Read labels yourself. Just because someone has internet
access it doesn’t mean that they’re smart, or even honest.
#4
Rely on medical professionals other than your wls surgeon. These
people include nurses, dieticians, counselors and social workers, and
doctors other than your weight loss surgeon.
#5
Plan on someone or something in your life crashing after you lose
weight. Sometimes this surgery messes up the equilibrium in
relationships with other people. Jobs, frienships, marriages, and
relationships with family members can change. Someone will start
treating you differently when you get smaller than them. Someone at
work who always treated you terribly will start being nice to you.
Someone else will start seeing you as a threat when you were
just “the fat chick” before. I have every problem I had before WLS,
but I am just more resiliant now. I was better able to deal with
these changes once I wasn’t lugging around 250 extra pounds of fat
wherever I went.
Anyway, that’s life for me.
If you have comments or questions, please e-mail me at:
LINDAWLS@…
If you’re from St. Louis, we’re planning a support group meeting for
May 4th. Hope you can make it!