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What the Doctors Didn't Tell Me About Weight Loss Surgery

Weight Loss Surgery Journey: Vol. 2

By Vanessa Cherron RiserPublished 7 years ago 6 min read
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I post pictures of myself so you can see the changes.

Making the decision to have weight loss surgery was not an easy one. It took years for me to make the final decision, and with it came a lot of research. Many people believe weight loss surgery to be “the easy way” and that couldn’t be farthest from the truth. It has been more work than any other diet plan I ever tried, however, it is the one with the best results. I will say, this isn’t the right choice for everyone, however, it was for me, and I will never regret it.

Now, while I did tons of research before my surgery. There were lots of things I didn’t discover until after my surgery. Sure, I knew bread and I wouldn’t agree, and that certain foods would not feel good. However, some of the strange things that happened were unexpected, funny, and a little embarrassing.

1. I shrank.

Okay, yes, of course, I shrank. I lost 100 pounds. Anyone would be classified as shrinking if they lost 100 pounds. However, I thought that would all be from my big belly, not my height. Before the surgery, I was five foot seven. Now, I am straining to be five foot five.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have guessed I would have gotten shorter. When I spoke to people on my favorite bariatric Facebook Group, several said it happened to them too. Apparently, fat can be anywhere, including the top of your head and the soles of your feet. Who knew? Along with that, my shoe size went from a ten to an eight and a half.

2. Oh, the gas!

Yes, we all have gas from time to time. However, most people can get it out of their bodies. For me, it isn’t always so easy. There are times the gas becomes painful inside because it refuses to leave my body. I have invested a lot in those little pills to make it better. And it isn’t just the toots. No, oftentimes I find myself leaning against my husband having him “pat” or rather beat my back to get the stuck burps out of my throat. It makes me feel like I am an infant. Yes, definitely an embarrassing situation, but faced with the choice of pain or embarrassment, I will choose embarrassment.

3. When will I go potty again?

Yeah, not a pleasant thing to talk about, however, no one told me that this diet would have my digestive system not working like it should. Well, I should have guessed since I had part of my stomach cut out, but it didn’t occur to me.

There are times I go days without having a movement and am forced to drink the most disgusting liquid to ease my body. Yeah, again, embarrassing and unfun. Of all the unexpected side effects, this is the one which made me question my life choices. No regrets, but close. I have since learned a good medicine routine to keep the backup from occurring as often.

4. Milk may end up on the "can't eat" list.

As I mentioned earlier, I knew a lot of grain-based foods would be difficult or impossible to eat. However, the first time I drank a glass of milk and got sick I was shocked. Before my surgery, milk was one of my favorite things to drink. There were times I went through a whole gallon in a day. (Yeah, there were reasons I needed to lose weight.)

No one had mentioned that having most of your stomach cut out would lead to a lactose intolerance. However, most dairy-based things and I no longer agree. Milk, ice cream, pudding, dairy creamer, you name it. For the most part, cheese and Greek yogurt do fine for me, so healthy options for the win, however, I still mourn the loss of my creamy friend.

5. Eating bread doesn't instantly get you sick.

You hear the horror stories all the time about people having this surgery and getting sick anytime they put bread in their mouth. While this is true for some people, it isn’t for all. I can eat bread no problem at all, which is a problem in and of itself. However, pasta, rice, oatmeal, and other grains are extremely painful. Even eating “healthier” versions of these things caused me a lot of pain. They have all now been substituted for cauliflower and zucchini.

You can read all about some awesome grain free and low carb options in one of my other articles: Awesome Low Carb Substitutes. So yes, I still have to watch myself when it comes to the fluffy, yummy bread.

6. Portion control was not the answer.

When you got to all the nutrition classes, they tell you to eat in moderation. It is okay to have a treat now and then so long as you keep portions small. They also tell you that eventually, you will no longer need to drink protein shakes. Instead, you should be able to eat a normal diet, only in smaller portions. I am here to tell you this is all false. I have to count every calorie. Whole groups of evil foods have been cut from my life. Check out my article on Why I Avoid Sugar.

Eating any kind of sugar triggers a frenzy of unhealthy behavior. To avoid getting too many “bad” calories, I drink 2-3 protein shakes a day and eat 1-2 solid small meals. Yes, my diet is a balance of a lot of drinking and paying close attention to the food I eat.

7. Social and depression issues can and will occur.

Two years out, and I have found myself extremely depressed. When the weight stops melting off like butter in the hot summer sun, this life becomes much more difficult. Anytime you do something off plan, you feel like a failure. On top of that, people watch your every move. Don’t put something bad for you in your mouth, because someone will have something to say about it. The extreme weight loss also put a strain on my relationships with my family. I have even talked to people who found themselves breaking apart from longtime friends and loved ones. While the surgery itself may not have caused this, the changes in your body and body chemistry probably had a very strong impact. I tell people all the time I am not the person I was two years ago, just think about what all that means. I plan to go more in-depth with the depression which can occur in my next post. Stay tuned to my web page: Vanessa B Munroe.

While I will never regret my choice, after all, I am healthier and able to live my life in a way I hadn’t been able to do for a long time, I certainly found myself surprised by some of the “side effects.” Over the last two years, I have been able to learn to live with them. I have developed tricks to get past them or simply come to terms with my changed body. Now, we just laugh about them.

***

If you enjoyed this story, keep up with the rest of my journey. My first post can be found here:

I Want To Live.

As always, if your heart leads you to it, please leave a gift. Thank you so much for reading.

weight loss
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About the Creator

Vanessa Cherron Riser

Vanessa is a wife and mother who loves games, books, movies and more. In 2015 she made a commitment to health and fitness which she wishes to share with others.

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