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Thought hard about posting to this part of C-D. I'll be brief as I can, but no briefer.
After struggling with significant weight problems since Jr. High, I recently completed a Vertical Sleeve Gastrecomy (VSG) procedure in Tijuana, Mexico with a top-ranked doctor. I am 52. I researched this thoroughly, and certain offshore procedures are in cleaner, more-professional environments than equivalent US hospitals. Some offshore doctors are world-class, and various cities starting to be known for medical tourism that is safe and highly effective at a fraction of the cost. Lack of red tape and a world-class surgeon in bariatrics got me there, and I noted many other clinics in that part of Tijuana, also catering mostly to Americans and Canadians. It was, if not easy per se, straightforward to do this. It's mostly a function of "will" to get yourself there, or if fully covered by onshore medical policies go through their hoops in the US (which I was not willing to do). I'm not knocking the latter, exactly, though I am skeptical onshore holds advantages.
I have a nutritional doctor (ND) here in the USA who is supportive. She could care less where I had the procedure, with no dog in the race. She was aware before, during, and now after what I planned, after a couple unsuccessful treatment attempts of my obesity in years past. I've asked her to work with me closely moving forward to avoid relapses: even with VSG or one of the bypass surgeries, a slide back is possible after a few years. VSG and others do make massive weight loss a probable outcome, if the diet and exercise routine is followed. After 1-2 years, however, one's apatite comes back so they say (not always, no two outcomes are identical). At that point, my head must be on-straight and though I'll never again be able to consume as much food, there are ways to sneak the pounds back on through TOTAL calories consumed in a day.
I'm only four days post-op at this writing so have no grand proclamations or observations other than my recovery is going well. Yes, I'm starting to lose weight, but I refuse to get on a personal scale and be ruled by that bull**** again: I'll weigh myself at monthly appointments with the ND, as part of a holistic analysis of my health moving forward vs. obsessing over five pounds here or there, which is *stupid.* Far worse, it is counter-productive to the larger effort.
How I landed in the pre-op stage was and is a story most overweight people know. Yo-yo diets, quack medicines, starvation and white-knuckling "keto", it's one big broken record for thousands of peers. In fact VSG and similar are another "tool" to help us move it forward, not a cure-all. I totally get that, I don't know if others do I've spoken with in various support groups, however. That level of ignorance could be scary in a few years, if the weight and bad habits creep back.
If you're thinking about bariatric surgery, do consider the option carefully. VSG, while radical, is one of the least-invasive of several procedures (though it is major surgery!) and easiest for the doctors. There can be side effects, other than the radical life-change you'll need to take in terms of eating right and consuming proper fluids throughout the day....I assume the latter is axiomatic to anyone considering the procedure(s). It move from "if I have the will to do this" to, "I have no choice but to do this, my stomach won't support other behavior!"
My purpose is not to recommend, per se, unless you have developing co-morbidities, as I do (I suspect most or all will be on the mend as weight slides off). There are those of us with the best of intentions who cannot reliably use simple diet and exercise...and rest assured, it IS damn near that simple, one way or another...to cure our problems. If you can, hey: power to you, and I've done that too for years at a time before falling on my ass once again and gaining lots of weight. A few can gain, then become born-again and work it off and stay that way. I could not.
That's all for now. Love it, hate it, it's a free forum and may be of-interest to others on C-D to discuss further.
^A close friend of mine, obese most of her life, including morbidly obese (5'2", 300+ pounds at one point) had the surgery about four years ago, in her late fifties. It probably saved her life. She struggled with diet and exercise all her life.
No, she's not a little slip of a thing now, but she's below 200 pounds for the first time in 40 years and staying there. She still has never told her judgmental, ever-critical older sister that she had the surgery because she knows her sister considers it "cheating".
Good for you for taking the step you had to take. Nobody else's opinion matters but that of you and your health care professionals. Best of health to you going forward.
My sister got a gastric bypass, which has cured her diabetes.
I actually thought about it, but lost the weight the traditional way.
But I'm still diabetic and at this point I don't think it's going away.
I'm a nearly 62 year old guy, doing Les Mills Grit classes that people 40 years younger are afraid to do.
Anything above that level would be very extreme... more extreme than any bariatric surgery.
Our daughter had bariatric surgery 25 years ago, and she went to one of the preeminent surgeons in the country in VA. He put you through a bunch of tests, including psychological tests. He requires patients to meet goals and be ready mentally before he does the surgery.
The problem is that bariatric surgery is a commitment to making a lifestyle change--for life. Most of those getting the surgery fall back into old habits including eating to many carbs and too much food. Look up and the pouch and stomach has stretched out and they're gaining weight back up to their old weight.
Our daughter did okay for awhile--until she went back to the old routine. Now, she doesn't digest food or medicines like she used to, and she's chronically short of B-12. And she's not at all healthful--and we blame it on the surgery and her being a "mortal man" not being strong enough to life the life required. She's heavier now than ever, and she waddles around and can barely go to the grocery store on her own.
I just want to warn anyone of the commitment, and it never changes. Are you ready to make the change? Are you ready to eat a bunch of tiny meals daily? If not, go find a dietitian and face your demons head on by diet.
Our daughter had bariatric surgery 25 years ago, and she went to one of the preeminent surgeons in the country in VA. He put you through a bunch of tests, including psychological tests. He requires patients to meet goals and be ready mentally before he does the surgery.
The problem is that bariatric surgery is a commitment to making a lifestyle change--for life. Most of those getting the surgery fall back into old habits including eating to many carbs and too much food. Look up and the pouch and stomach has stretched out and they're gaining weight back up to their old weight.
(snip for brevity)
I just want to warn anyone of the commitment, and it never changes. Are you ready to make the change? Are you ready to eat a bunch of tiny meals daily? If not, go find a dietitian and face your demons head on by diet.
Commitment for life...you're correct.
I have...not had...poor nutritional habits, ditto exercise. I must borrow your phrase, "...including eating to many carbs and too much food." Yes to both.
Am I ready mentally? Heck yes. Emotionally? I'm going to look into therapy, if such exists and might be helpful. They say 1/5 gain it all back in a number of years, though I can't quote a source. Maybe it's more. I cannot be one of them: morbidities are developing, I'm too young for all that (though far from "young" per se).
You should warn (every, any)one of the commitment. They removed most of a major organ! Yes, I'm looking forward to those tiny-ish meals daily, and counting calories when-needed plus being brutal about what does/does not work. I have to watch hydration, and yes B12, B Complex, and a multivitamin are recommended as permanent to-do's. This is such a heinous chronic condition for me (and many others), I cannot begin to express how sick of it I am. To be blunt, it just pisses me off that controlling it is damn near as heinous as the problem itself, which is how I got here.
There are a few who go into this with what I view as dumb expectations. It doesn't cure the problem, it addresses the symptoms radically for those well on the way of dying, hence the term "morbidly" obese for those of us who had a BMI of probably 40. I haven't looked at the numbers, but I'm almost certain must be about that. Or, was.
Not offering any excuses, this is a results-based situation. I'm going for results. My ND has offered a path forward...she's local, and I've heard her advice but not been tough enough to fully embrace it to-date. Well, that was then. I'm going for "sustainable" well-being, not that white-knuckling, denying everything method that (for me) gets results but comes back like a wicked boomerang. This is a significant tool to help.
I'm borderline T2D, per my ND and bloodwork. Don't need that. Hope I'm in that vast majority.
That, among other co-morbidities, like apnea that isn't getting better on its own, high blood pressure and rotten cholesterol were motivational. Just saying.
I'm borderline T2D, per my ND and bloodwork. Don't need that. Hope I'm in that vast majority.
That, among other co-morbidities, like apnea that isn't getting better on its own, high blood pressure and rotten cholesterol were motivational. Just saying.
I have a CPAP.
We had the big derecho here. The power was out a couple of days so no CPAP.
Wife said I didn't snore. But I still wear it because I'm used to it.
I have a CPAP.
We had the big derecho here. The power was out a couple of days so no CPAP.
Wife said I didn't snore. But I still wear it because I'm used to it.
I should have one. I should have past c. 20 years. I (was) too proud to go through the process. Friends and close friends sleeping around me have pointed out I'm a "classic case." Always thought I was getting a good night's sleep. Past three years or so I've developed the dubious superpower of falling asleep at-will on about five minute's notice. Fine, except when it happens during the day if I'm 1) comfortable 2) bored. That indicates to my layman's mind: "apnea." That surely was another deciding factor.
Who needs it...along with the rest.
(Chuckle): if you like yours or are used to it, heck I'd wear one too. I have eyeglasses since 1983, and know precisely how to care for them. None have bothered me since inception. Also have contacts, that work fine but are seldom worn: probably just used to the glasses, hey? Good luck to you btw, again quoting my caregiver, "everyone's journey is different!"
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of falling asleep at-will on about five minute's notice. Fine, except when it happens during the day if I'm 1) comfortable 2) bored. That indicates to my layman's mind: "apnea." That surely was another deciding factor.
