Seven months after bariatric surgery, Luana Xavier says: “It was the best decision of my adult life” | wellness

I completed seven months of bariatric surgery and, time after time, I hear this question: “So, how are you feeling in general?” I decided to answer it here in our space. With all the confidence in the world, I can now say that this was the best decision of my adult life. When I look back and remember all my attempts to lose weight after adolescence, the adherence to crazy diets, the diagnosis of hypertension and diabetes, the “non-lasting” success of many of these diets… When I remember all this, I feel every more and more that bariatric surgery was a great success.

The preoperative period is tiring and expensive. I also cannot romanticize and say that everyone who has a medical indication for bariatric surgery will be able to access the procedure. There are many exams, many consultations, a multidisciplinary team. All of this generates costs. Anyone who obtains intervention through the SUS needs to be aware that post-surgical food, supplements, psychological support and other needs will need to come out of the patient’s pocket.

When I say this, it is not to discourage anyone, I write with the intention of demanding solutions to these issues from public authorities and also to inform society as a whole that help for these people is very welcome. If you have an employee, relatives, friends who are going to have bariatric surgery, ask if you can contribute in some way, help with supplements or something like that.

But going back to my process, I want to list burdens and bonuses. I’ll start with the bonuses. I’m back in the mood for social life. For some time now, I avoided going to samba circles (which I love), shows or events where I wasn’t guaranteed that I could sit, because more than 20 minutes of standing was already a sacrifice for me. Today, I enjoy samba, shows and whatever life has to offer me.

I don’t mean to say that tiredness doesn’t exist. It’s obvious that physical fatigue appears, but I don’t feel muscle pain and this is really something new for me, because somehow I got used to feeling pain and thought that was my normal condition.

Today I can cross my legs whenever I want. And although this seems silly, for me it is a great asset, because I spent years sitting with my legs open, without being able to do the “leg crossing” charm, something that I always saw beauty in, because my weight did not allow me to do so.

I debuted a 1h30min monologue and I’ve already done two sessions of it on the same day. What’s more: at the end of both presentations, I remained completely full. This is all because my vitality is super up to date.

But since not everything is rosy, let’s get down to business. I needed intravenous iron replacement once, and I have to monitor it directly through blood tests to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

Bariatric patients have many vitamin deficiencies that need to be supplemented frequently. But to be honest… What are a few vitamin capsules for someone who took an average of six medications daily due to cardiovascular diseases, apart from painkillers for frequent pain? So I see the current moment as an advance in terms of “medicines”.

A lot of people also ask me about hair loss. I’ve always had a lot of hair, and in fact, around the first four months after surgery, my hair started to fall out considerably. But now, seven months after the procedure, taking the necessary vitamins and taking good care of my diet, it has started to grow again and has shed very little. The truth, however, is that at first I was shocked when I saw a hole in my head. But I took advantage and changed my haircut. I’m loving my new look.

For those of you who read me, I already warn you that many changes are yet to come, and I will share them here. But I will continue to say that improving my health was always my biggest focus when I decided to have bariatric surgery, and all the external and aesthetic changes were just a consequence. But if I said the consequence wasn’t making me happy, I’d be lying. And as I always opt for the truth, know: what Luana Xavier now sees in the mirror brings her absolute joy and satisfaction.

With love and axé. Luana Xavier.