Where do I start?

[jerseygirl69]

hard words to hear "health is failing", but you're right. I'm in a bad place. I will be researching insurance this weekend and see what I can find out. I will also start low carbing tomorrow. I can do it, I've done it in the past. Just ever since I got injured I gave into carbs and emotional eating. I'm going to write a list about my health as a personal reminder. You are right. If I am struggling up 3 or 4 steps, if my foot is in constant pain due to plantar fascitis, if my legs and feet swell and stiffen, if I have trouble walking around my office, none of this is acceptable. I just wish I took a harder line on myself so that I don't give in to going off diet. I suffer work stress frequently (very deadline driven business) and that often results in too little sleep, carbing up for "energy" throughout the day.

Okay so help me formulate my low carb start, if you guys are willing. How much protein should I focus on?

 

[Jbandmmomma]

Contact Dr. greenbaum. Be persistent. Sometimes I had to call repeatedly to get through. You sound like you're ready to make a new path.

 

[jerseygirl69]

I'm not going to lie. I'm not sure I'm finally ready. There's a part of me that still resists, still says do it on my own. But I'll walk through the other doors and see what happens. To be honest, if I could get back under 3 on my own, I'd keep going w/o surgery. But I am truly not sure that I can get to goal alone. I am still completely whigged out by the requirements of the surgery, the risks, and the changes after surgery. I'm just willing to explore again....

Maybe I battle some denial still. When I read my "health is failing", my first reaction was "that's not true!" I prefer to think of myself in really bad shape, shape I can fix. Failing means death and I haven't accepted that I'm that far at risk.

I'm not trying to challenge anybody however. I know your intent and I know you're closer to right than I am....

 

[shann]

Call and see what happens. You're EXACTLY where I was when when to my seminar and started my 6 month diet. The whole time I did it, I kept saying "I'm on the road toward surgery" "I'm not sure what will happen" "We'll see at the other end." It took going through the whole process, reading and reading and researching before I could make the leap. Just tell yourself - I don't have to have surgery tomorrow, I'm only getting through the next step right now. I kept my blinders firmly on through the whole thing and only focused on the day/month ahead of me.

 

[Munchkin]

Your choice. You can put a band-aid on that sucking chest wound or get your whole darn life back.

How many diets have you been on and how successful have you been at keeping it off?

If you can't get to normal with the food and exercise regime you were on, you never will see normal without surgical intervention. That's just a fact. And even if you were lucky enough to see it, most likely it would just be a glimpse in the rear view mirror.

Sorry! But that's our reality.

 

[Vanessa Lucero]

@Munchkin agreed!! Why fight a continuously losing battle? You owe it to yourself to at least make it a fair fight. With my DS, I now feel like the battle is fair;-)

 

[Elizabeth N.]

hard words to hear "health is failing", but you're right. I'm in a bad place. I will be researching insurance this weekend and see what I can find out. I will also start low carbing tomorrow. I can do it, I've done it in the past. Just ever since I got injured I gave into carbs and emotional eating. I'm going to write a list about my health as a personal reminder. You are right. If I am struggling up 3 or 4 steps, if my foot is in constant pain due to plantar fascitis, if my legs and feet swell and stiffen, if I have trouble walking around my office, none of this is acceptable. I just wish I took a harder line on myself so that I don't give in to going off diet. I suffer work stress frequently (very deadline driven business) and that often results in too little sleep, carbing up for "energy" throughout the day.

Okay so help me formulate my low carb start, if you guys are willing. How much protein should I focus on?

Honey, you dieted your way to this weight. You are never going to get enough weight off to truly fix your health without a DS.

Yes, your health is failing. How much sicker do you have to be? Chair bound? Oxygen dependent? How many medications will it take to convince you?

I was there. It ain't pretty.

If you were to try to train for a triathlon at almost 400 pounds, you would cripple yourself.

It's reality time, my friend: You are DYING. Would you be dicking around like this with a cancer diagnosis? Using herbs instead of getting a malignant tumor removed, for example?

 

[Vanessa Lucero]

"I am still completely whigged out by the requirements of the surgery, the risks, and the changes after surgery."

I'm really not understanding this. There is really not a whole lot that is required of you. In terms of the requirements of surgery...you just show up and they give it to you. Your first few days in the hospital will be groogy...you'll be sore...but you get stronger every day...I'm a week and a day out of surgery today and it all feels like a distant memory. I'm already down 12lbs, I'm off all pain meds, i'm driving, I'm living my life normally again. I get tired easily...but that's to be expected for a few more weeks. I have to drink a 30gram protein shake every morning. Ok easy. I have to take a handful of vitamins. Easy again. And I have to stay hydrated. No problem.

It's not hard this early out of surgery.

And it only gets better!! If the hardest part is ordering, sorting and taking my vitamins every day (while my weight falls off) ?! OMG...I'll take it!!
Much easier than struggling to breathe and move and manage depression.

There are only THREE (?!) things that are required of you with the DS:

1. Working your way up to getting in 100 grams of protein in via protein shake and protein-rich foods.

2. Take your vitamins every day. A healthy, normal person SHOULD be taking vitamins every day anyway...it's not that hard...you make this a part of your daily living routine.

3. Get your blood labs drawn every 6 months. Some dr. only require them yearly!...you go in...have some blood drawn...show us your labs on here, the vets read them for you...tell you what looks good, what may be lacking and what to do to fix it. Bam. Done.


The changes after surgery, you say?

Is getting to buy a brand new wardrobe at a "regular-size" store is a bad thing?!

Is finally WANTING to have your picture taken by family and friends a bad thing?!

Is finally being able to join a gym and exercise and be comfortable in your own skin because you can safely use the machines at your smaller weight a bad thing?

Is sleeping through the night without your breathing stopping a bad thing?

Is climbing the stairs without breaking a sweat a bad thing?

Is eating all the shrimp, chicken, filet mignon, and bacon...and cheese you can eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner a bad thing?!

Is embracing your new healthy lifestyle a bad thing?!

I'm sorry. I just don't get it.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

@Vanessa Lucero , I think I love you.

 

[Vanessa Lucero]

Lol!! Right back at ya, @Elizabeth N.;-)

 

[jerseygirl69]

I'm sorry you don't get me ;/. I'm still figuring out if it's for me, which is why I'm here, researching it. The changes you suggested, Vanessa, all come with weight loss, regardless of how you go about it. I'm more trying to think a) given my lifestyle, will I be able to hold to the rules, b) can I really put myself through a surgery for this? and c) am I okay with all the risks? I mean, IF I can get myself back on LCHF and lose the weight to the point I can work out again, that's still an option. It's all options. Give a person a chance to explore them.

Someone mentioned medicines--I'm not on any. Yet of course...I know if I don't make a change soon I will be.

 

[Vanessa Lucero]

@jerseygirl69 the fact that you came here looking for help is an excellent step in the right direction. You've come that far and that alone gives you a ton of credit in my book! But as far as being concerned about holding up the rules of the rules of the lifestyle...like I said there are only three major rules...and I'm sorry, but they aren't that difficult to follow, especially given your alternative. Yes, you do have to cut carbs with this new lifestyle...but your used to that already...right?! Carbs won't kill you if you make a mistake or have a moment of weakness. You will be reminded (by way of your angry bowels) that you need to try again next time. The DS is forgiving....you screw up...you get diarrhea...but then you check the scale and you're rewarded with a three pound weightloss. You have a moment of weakness on a low carb diet with no surgery? You gain weight...and then you have to work that much harder to get it off again. It's just NOT a fair fight for us...and it sucks. But at least now I've got the leg-up.

As far as the actual surgery, yes...it's a radical surgery. But if your able to have it done laparoscopically, you'll have five tiny puncture holes in your belly that's it. The healing come from the inside...it's slow and steady and you have to take it easy. But I tell ya, I'd go through this surgery every day for the rest of my life if it meant not having my leg or legs amputated due to rampant T2D. You have to think about what you will have to go though medically if you choose to continue to do things your own way. I will guarantee you it will be much worse. I tell you this as I'm sitting in the spa chair getting my toenails painted at a week and a day out of surgery.

I'm not trying to sell the DS to you. I'm just trying to clear up your misconceptions about what life after the DS entails. That's all. I'm here for you...and all I can do is hope you take the necessary steps to save your life, surgical or not. ;-)

 

[Vanessa Lucero]

PS. The list of changes I mentioned that you said comes with all weightloss...yes you are right. But...with my DS I get to see these things all within the course of a year, year and a half...100lbs gone! Poof! In a year....with minimal effort on my part, other than following the directions. With statistics showing it won't come back. EVER.
Of course you can try to do this on your own...but please keep in mind how that's worked out for you in the past. Not trying to be mean...just honest.

 

[Taterweight]

@jerseygirl69 I get you...I was you last year. I'm not going to tell you to get the DS, but I'll tell you why I did.

I was/am healthy as a horse - just fat! I don't have diabetes, don't have high blood pressure, do not have any medications I take regularly and I would hardly take an aspirin or a Tylenol unless I really felt like it was a last ditch effort! (sorry in advance to any grammar police - I have a bad habit of tense changing!) Aaaaanyways, when I hit my 40's I started retaining water in my legs. My Dr. prescribed diuretics that helped a little but never really enough. I was dieting and down to about 280 from my high weight of 330 lbs. Something happened - not sure what it was...maybe I was too busy to keep up on my diet, I got more sedentary, I didn't take the diuretics consistently, etc...and my legs swelled up again. Last May I went back to my Dr. to get some relief for the swelling. I was back on Atkins and having little success when that had always worked for me in the past. My breathing was getting more labored and the swelling was becoming more my body than just my legs. I tried a stronger diuretic...no change. My husband said, "Is there nothing my wife can do?" My Dr. just made the offhand remark that I could have weight loss surgery. I started researching that night and went to my local surgeon's information session. (I ended up traveling to California to the fantastic Dr. Keshishian since my insurance doesn't cover getting healthy)

Throughout the fall I researched, read, and worked on jumping through the various hoops I'd need to have the surgery. (psyche eval, blood tests, ECG and cardio ultrasound because of a congenital heart murmur) I was scared. Was I really going to be "one of those easy way out" people and have surgery? I've never had surgery, am I going to regret this? Will my quality of life be worse? Will I just be trading fat and misery for being thinner and unable to enjoy food or be wearing Depends? I don't do pills, can I really do all those supplements every day? What if I died during surgery?

By January I was weighing 417 lbs! I could barely move and felt like I was going to die with all the fluid I was retaining. I was miserable. All the hesitance I had, was gone by then...I was literally drowning. My surgery was scheduled for February 3rd, and took 3 hours. I was up that afternoon walking laps around the nurses station. I wasn't hungry (still not!) and felt fine with all the pain meds...just a little sore...and annoyed coz I wanted out of the hospital! It's been 3 months now and I feel fantastic! I do have to remind myself to eat because food is the last thing on my mind. I have energy! I can walk and shop all day long (sorry, hubby!) and not tired at all. I have ankles again! I've lost 90 lbs since January...and still going. I am in full control of myself, no Depends, no scary bathroom stories, I can eat out with my family - I just eat a lot less and take home yummy leftovers! I love having my life back and I am so excited and looking forward to seeing ONEderland for the first time in my adult life!

I wish you the best in your journey, wherever it may take you.

 

[Larra]

I said what I said because it's what I believe to be true. However, I also understand, from my own experience and that of so many other people, that the decision to have bariatric surgery is a very personal decision, and each of us comes to that decision, if ever, in our own way and our own time. No one else can create a time table for you, nor should we. If you feel you have one more solid diet/exercise attempt left in you, do it.
The overwhelming majority of people who are MO and qualify medically for bariatric surgery, never have it. Of course there is more than one reason for this, but fear of surgery or of the unknown is a big reason. Others include no insurance or inadequate insurance, personal issues, family issues, job issues, etc. My impression after reading your posts is that you are sufficiently aware to realize that your weight is seriously affecting both your health and your quality of life. But it's still your decision. Keep doing your research. Keep hanging out here, even if you have no surgery plans right now. You are still welcome here no matter what your decision. Eventually, you will know what's right for you.