I get asked questions about my gastric bypass surgery all of the time, but what has to be the most common question is, “Do you regret it?” My answer is always swift, absolute, and straight to the point: never. And it’s true. I don’t regret it. Not once I have I ever wished that I continued trying (and failing) to lose weight “the old-fashioned way”. Not once did I wish I tried everything but stopped short of surgery. Even days out of surgery, when I was sore and achy and out of is and going through withdrawal from sugar and carbs, not when I had massive stomach pains that made me think my gallbladder was twisting itself inside out, not when I spent several months vomiting randomly and spontaneously (that has slowed down a lot, thank god). Never ever ever.

I do, however, get pangs of, longing, I guess you would call it. It isn’t regret. It isn’t remorse. It’s just longing. I long to be able to eat an entire hamburger, or an entire hot dog. Not for the quantity, but because it’s frustratingly difficult to get the full “flavor” and “feel” of a delicious piece of barbecued goodness from just a few bites. Last night my husband and the couple we were having dinner with happily wolfed down a hamburger or two, a hot dog or two, and a full earn of corn each. Me? I had about 1/4 of a hamburger patty, no bun, with a sliver of lettuce, tomato and cheese on it. I had two bites of a hot dog — again, no bun — and about half of a small ear of corn. Big contrast there, huh?

The other longing I get for is for MILKSHAKES and SMOOTHIES. But the sugar content prevents me from being able to enjoy them. Heh, a few months ago I was at Panera Bread and mistakenly sucked down just HALF of a mango smoothie in about fifteen minutes. That half of a smoothie had over 60 grams of sugar, which is OVER THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF SUGAR I can tolerate in a sitting. I was so sick, I thought I was going to pass out. Or die. Or both. “Little” things can get me into dumping trouble too, like a few licks of the mixing spoon used to whip up brownies for the kids (licked after the mix was poured into the baking pan, obviously). That happened two weeks ago, and mannnnn did I feel shitty afterward.

But besides the longing for more flavor (it’s hard to really “taste” certain foods without eating more than a spoonful or two) and the wistful feelings about milkshakes and smoothies (especially now that it’s summer!), I have no negative feelings/thoughts/consequences to deal with since having gastric bypass surgery. I’m very happy.

Psst… for those interested, I set up a profile with Formspring. Questions are completely anonymous, so feel free to ask away!