I have come to the conclusion that a lot of people are fearful of me and what I have to say about my WLS…
I have been meeting a lot of Weight Loss Surgery patients either online, talking to on the phone or meeting in person and the number one thing that I hear or see on their face is fear…When I tell them about my complications that I have…It seems like they are only focused on the weight that I have lost and how much I have kept off…Granted, I probably was that way at first because Bariatric Doctors drilled it into my head that there aren’t a lot of people out there with complications and if you come across one they might be resentful…Believe me when I say I’m so far away from being resentful, I only want the best for you and guess what there are a lot more of us then they think…Everyone does good the first 1-3 yrs and then you do start noticing some type of problems like Anemia, b-12 issues etc…Not everyone does but more then you might think..
Granted I understand what they are feeling because I was once them, but they have no need to feel that way cause I’m not here for a person to be scared..I only want to inform a person and to find a solution to the problem and when it comes up that doctor’s have some sort of a clue what to do…
I’m not afraid of you.
Seriously, I am reading your blog because I *need* know how bad it could be as well as how good it could be.
Right now I have a very large body that, for the most part, works pretty well for me. Of course I want to be thin and healthier, but I don’t want to be thin at the expense of being healthy. WLS is a huge decision with so many ramifications…all the facts need to be out there.
Yeah I don’t think anyone is afraid of me, I’m to skinny and puny for that…LOL…Just more of what I have to say that can be intimidating at times…And I don’t want anyone to feel that way…I once thought being skinnier I would be healthier but boy was I wrong..I see the doctor more now then I ever did in my another bigger life…
Thank you for sharing how you feel, it’s appreciated…
Berrigirl
Amen, Sister!
I am ALL ABOUT the unvarnished truth. I had 3 strictures on my way down, and every time I tried to mention it at support group, I was sort of “shushed” because no one wanted to scare the newbies. Screw that.
This is life. This is reality. This is permanently life-altering major surgery. Unfortunately, too many people want to view it as a drive-thru cure for obesity, and the commercials aren’t helping, right?
Anyway, keep up the good work — I ain’t skeered
There’s reason for concern, but no reason to fear hearing the facts…..
If all of you band together in a loud voice, eventually you can’t be ignored….the doctors and researchers will get to work to find solutions to correct some of the problems that arise…..people sharing their experiences openly and honestly may just be the saving grace for someone reading it, someone who feels alone or confused over what’s happening to them……
You are providing the rest of the story to those out there who are considering having the surgery, and that’s important, too……
It took courage to choose this surgery, so the courage exists within to seek out solutions afterwards……
Hey Sis, I aint ‘fraid! I was happy to meet you and hear of the struggles that you have… I have known for awhile that some issues were probably going to crop up later down the road with folks like you and Melting Mama blogging about health issues… hey, I have my own set of ‘em for sure… But it is a relief to know that if/when those come knocking on my door, I have a place to go. I have resource where I can tap into…
Not afraid here either.
I am undergoing my second operation next week (lapband). And I am trilled about all the good things I read. The “bad” news is just good information to learn from.
I must say that the aftercare here in the Netherlands is quite good. Sessions on everything and taking a lot of vitamin pills for a healthy lifestyle.
All and all I think all information is good on the net. We should all just know that no one is the same and everybody can react differently to the WLS.
Just my 2 cents.
Gr,
Krijn
p.s. anyone know any Dutch or Belgian WLS bloggers?
Welcome Krijn,
Thank you for saying what you did, not all WLS patients will be the same…And sometimes I think we all forget that a little…It’s good to have both sides of the story out there cause you just never know and Doctors might even learn from us…
Keep us posted how you do with the lapband and good luck…
I wish I knew Dutch or Belgian Bloggers but I will keep a look out for you…
Thanks,
Berrigirl
Good post. I like the way you write. Considering an RSS feed?