OK, this is a question I've gotten a couple of times from people.
"Why don't you look into gastric bypass/lap band surgery? It would be easier than the diet."
There are many answers to that. The first and foremost is I am terrified of surgery. I've had ONE surgery in my entire life, and the whole concept of being under anesthesia and cut open and worked on scares me, plus the risk that I might have complications or simply just never come out of the anesthesia in the first place scares me.
The second is I have looked into both options. If I was going to go with one, it would be lap band because the idea of totally taking out some of the route the food goes through is abhorrent to me. Making my stomach space smaller would work better, but it's not necessary.
Thirdly, it's not easier than a diet. You have to go through all sorts of counselling before you have either operation done. You have to follow a very restrictive diet leading up to the surgery, so you get used to the diet you will be eating AFTER the surgery. Yes, you will still be on a diet after surgery.
So, given my terror about surgery and the fact that I would still have to follow a diet, why go for the surgery at all?
Fourth, and this one is important, I don't medically NEED the surgery. While I have some co-morbidities such as high blood pressure, asthma, a family history of heart disease and diabetes, and am also pre-diabetic, most of those things are under control with diet and medication. Actually, since I went to hypnosis my blood sugar has stabilized, my blood pressure is a nice 118/78, and my allergies and asthma are manageable. The edema I was experiencing has dissipated, and I'm feeling pretty healthy right now.
I have family members and friends who have had gastric bypass and/or lap band surgery. Four have gained back a lot of the weight they lost. Three have kept off the weight and greatly improved their health. I truly feel without the behavior modification involved in the counselling or hypnosis, it doesn't matter what people do, they will not be successful in the long run. Sure, they will lose weight and need new clothes and that will be exciting. It's when it's no longer exciting and people aren't commenting any more on how nice you look and how much weight you've lost and that extra donut hole looks so good...and another won't hurt... and another...and then you are back where you started from.
I don't want to lose weight to fit into an imaginary size I've never been. I want to be the healthy, active woman I used to be before I started substituting food for love.
2 comments:
Call this one close to my heart :)
I had my surgery four years ago. I consider myself a "success case" but I do not, will not and refuse to tell people it is the best choice for everyone. It's not for many of the reasons you mention in your entry though I don't agree with some of what you're perception of the process and post-op lifestyle really is.
I abhor the word "diet". I did not have to eat a special diet before my surgery. I was not put on a "diet" after my surgery. I was presented with the facts and realities that are a part of the consequences of the choice I made for myself and I, much like you, made a decision of what was suitable for me in attaining my goal. I was willing to accept those things which I cannot like I used to in order to find myself and my health through my choice.
Today, four years out, I "can" eat a lot like a normal American. I have chosen not to return to those food choices. I don't live my life by a diet. I make healthy, wise choices for myself to support my lifestyle. In that way, we are and hopefully always will be very similar.
I do not disagree with your assessment of many people who go through the surgical route. There are far too many who abuse the initial power of the tool and assume that it will save them when they continue to make bad food choices. It will not. And as you stated, I too know many people who have gained significant if not all and more of their weight back.
ALL of these methods are TOOLS and it is how we choose to make decisions for our bodies that really makes the differences in our lives as we continue onward. Weight loss is not a miracle process... it's about being real with yourself, understanding yourself, forgiving yourself, learning to allow yourself to grow and... learning to love yourself through the entire process.
I am very proud of your journey so far :) I am glad that it is working for you and that you're so excited and that you're sharing! Thank you for allowing me (and others) to support you.
Thanks Tara! I recall one person had to prepare herself by eating smaller portions, and the last week before the surgery was on a liquid diet. I have one Aunt who just did the surgery and the other who went through all the counselling and behavior modification before surgery. Guess which one is doing better?
There are certain ways you must eat shortly after the surgery, because your stomach is much smaller and eating too much or the wrong foods can make you very sick. That is the respect in which I meant "diet",as in a particular amount and type of food. For that matter, change "Diet" to "food choice program". As you say, you were presented with the facts and realities which were part of the consequences of having the surgery.
You are fabulous and lovely and I'm so proud of you and what you have done to be healthier.
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