Roz Land

Well, it seems to be happening all around me.  My son recently had a gastric bypass (and is doing great, BTW); my best friend is considering it, and I know about 6 other friends at church that have all jumped on the GB wagon in recent months.  Most have done well, a couple had side-effects to deal with, and one in particular has gained about 60 lbs back.

 On July 14th, I will celebrate 4 years since my gastric bypass surgery.  It's the single best thing I ever did for myself.  It was a quality of life issue, and before surgery, I had very little.  I was in a pit that was gradually covering me.  You eat to feel better because you're depressed, because you feel like crap, can't move and do things, don't fit in ANYWHERE, and the act of eating just  leads to that Catch 22 cyle, wherein you are stuck. 

I was lucky enough to lose about 125 lbs, and it took about a year to do it.  In 4 years time, I have gained back less than 10 lbs (more like 7 or 8), but I am fixing to work that all off again, plus some.  You can quickstart your system into losing again by spending a couple of weeks on the liquid/soft diet with big doses of protein.   

 ADVICE?

1. Don't do it for anyone but yourself.  DO YOUR RESEARCH!  If you have done your research, feel good about the Dr., and are convinced that this is the only answer for you, (and the financial aspect works out), then go for it. 
   
2. Chew your food really well and eat SLOWLY.
3. Don't drink with your meals.
4. The surgery CAN be defeated. Be ready to accept some permanent changes in your eating habits, and be glad that some part of your food choices is decided for you. 
   
5. Snacking ("grazing") is usually the cause of weight gain...Try to stick to 3 square meals a day with a couple of planned snacks that are HEALTHY. 
   
6. This surgery just regulated the AMOUNT of food you can eat at one time....I am lucky that I still DUMP if I eat too much sugar at one time (about 20 gms and up makes me nauseous). 
   
7. Sugarfree popsicles have been my salvation for my sweet tooth...and they count as liquid!
   
8. Keep taking vitamins and B12.
   
9. Eat protein FIRST.
   
10. Don't rush out and buy a whole closet full of clothes until you are about a year out from surgery....I went thru about 2 wardrobes, which was silly....but it sure felt good to give some of those clothes away!  It's so much fun to shop regular sizes in regular stores, that I kind of OD'ed on it! 
    

I was lucky and blessed...the only side effect I suffered was at about 6 months out, I lost a lot of hair....it grew back in SLOWLY--- but that's been it.  Nothing but POSITIVE things have happened!  Before the surgery, I was diabetic, had terrible sleep apnea, terrible joint pain (already had one knee replacement), really bad reflux, high blood pressure, and chronic sinusitis--- after I lost the first 50 pounds, ALL of those things went away.  In 4 years, I have been to the Dr. maybe ONCE a year because I was sick or felt bad....before surgery, it was about 2-3 times a month. 

My best friend found out this week that her insurance company won't cover her surgery, so she may opt to not have it at all.  She's too healthy ---- but for how long?   She's young now, but weight related problems gradually creep up on you as you get older.... My insurance company could have saved LOTS of money on me if I had had the surgery 10-15 years earlier than I did.  They certainly have benefited from my lack of visits since.  You'd think they'd figure that out....Let people have a surgery that will make them healthier, and save money in the long run....DUH....Here's your sign!

I have no qualms talking about this surgery with others, or answering questions.  I will not say "Yes, you need to have it", or "No, don't do it...", but I will tell you what it was like for me.  It's a personal decision, and you need to NOT be on the fence about it. Don't go into the surgery "iffy" --- be convinced or don't do it.  

Here's something my daughter created....