Many people think the decision to have weight loss surgery (WLS) is the easy way out, even cheating. A major misconception is that once you have the surgery, you are magically skinny and don’t have to worry about diet and exercise. The truth is there is nothing farther from the truth! Diet and exercise are still a major part of the journey, both leading up to the surgery, as well as afterwards.
Weight loss surgery is one step on your path to a healthy life, not the final destination. It is a change in how you live your life, as well as changing your relationship to food. Everyday you wake up, you must decide to make better decisions for yourself. It takes discipline and determination, and most of all: self-love.
Ready to make a change?
Here are two things to consider:
- First before going the WLS route, be sure you have truly given other non-surgical methods of weight loss an honest try. Before starting any weight loss program, you should discuss options with your primary physician. These options may include seeing a nutritionist or personal trainer.
- Research thoroughly all your WLS options. One of the best things my doctor did was make it mandatory that I attend a WLS support group at least once. By doing this I could talk to others that have had WLS and get the patient perspective. That incredibly valuable experience helped me to make the decision, and go in with my eyes wide open. It was so refreshing to sit in the group and hear people be brutally honest about their successes, failures, the good, the bad and the ugly of having surgery. Nothing is off limits in these groups where people talk not only about their new diet, but also discussions about sex, loose skin, and options for cosmetic surgery as well.
Pre-Surgery
There are two main rules to follow once you have WLS.
- Chew your food twenty times before swallowing.
- Separate eating and drinking by 30 minutes.
The hardest part for me was separating eating and drinking by 30 minutes, which I still have a hard time with this. I often find myself watching the clock and counting the seconds until I can drink. I must admit I did cheat a bit with this during the pre-surgery phase, but after surgery your body will remind you why this rule is so important!
Once you have this smaller stomach (depending on the surgery it can be ¼ the original size) if you eat and drink at the same time it causes food to “stack” in your stomach and esophagus. Ultimately it will come up which is not pretty at all.
Day of Surgery
I was a bundle of nerves the day of surgery but not once did I second guess my decision to move forward. The doctors and anesthesiologist explained everything (as they’ve done numerous times in the past) and before I knew it I was waking up in recovery. I stayed in recovery for a couple of hours and then was wheeled to my room. When they got me outside my room they asked if I could get up and walk the rest of the way. At first I thought it was a joke but then I remembered what everyone in the group said that walking is the life saver, so I did. I was surprised at how good I felt and that I could walk without any problems. Once I was in bed I slept most of the afternoon and at some point, I got up and walked to the restroom with little assistance.
Post Op Recovery
I stayed in the hospital for two days before being discharged. The doctor ordered me to take blood thinner injections twice a day for two weeks. I also had home care nurses three days per week for two weeks. I was a little surprised by the blood thinners as that was not mentioned to me previously, nor was this brought up in the support group. Even still, I was so glad I did comply and do the injections. As a result, I did not have any post op complications whatsoever. Many people have stated that they had blood clots and other issues that required them to return to the hospital. Thankfully I did not.
Recovery time is very individual. Some have returned to work in three days, yet others returned in eight weeks. For me I returned in five weeks at my doctor’s recommendation. He really wanted me to not only heal completely from the surgery, but also adjust to all the lifestyle changes that were suddenly my reality.
My New Normal
The first two weeks post-op, I was on a liquid diet. The next two weeks, I advanced to pureed foods, then on to soft foods for two weeks…and finally solids. One of the best things since having WLS is that I find I don’t spend much money at the supermarket or eating out any more. Don’t get me wrong, my husband and I enjoy dining out but I end up with leftovers, which last for 3-4 additional meals, so I don’t have to buy lunch for work.
Most days I pack my lunch so that ensures I have healthy meals on hand. If I do buy lunch, I will get a scoop of chicken salad or tuna salad for a fraction of the cost of what I used to spend on a full meal. My husband says I’m a cheap date now as I can no longer eat appetizers and an entrée only one or the other!
If you want to know more about what it is like to have WLS from someone who has experienced it, feel free to shoot me an email in the contact section.
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