about to have gastric bypass

olderandsmaller
olderandsmaller Posts: 1
in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone,
I heard about this site during a class to prepare for gastric bypass surgery and it looks great. I'm having surgery on April 29 and can use all the support and help I can get. It's a radical step, I know, but I'm 61, have tried pretty6 much every known method of losing weight, have lost more than 50 pounds several times only to get back into compulsive eating habits. This time, using my surgery as a tool and with a whole new outlook, I know it's going to work. And I look forward to chatting with many of you and sharing tips. Laura

Replies

  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
    Hi! I had lap band surgery almost two years ago and it's been wonderful. It's a major life change, as you know, and very exciting! You may get some negative feedback on the forums about your surgery. Many people don't understand what it takes to get to this point. If I can offer one word of advice, it's to develop a good relationship with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders (f you haven't already). The surgery doesn't address the psychological issues around compulsive overeating, and I noticed that the surgeons I met tended to gloss over that. Enough unsolicited advice from me. Best of luck to you, and feel free to friend me if you like. :smile:
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
    Hi! I had lap band surgery almost two years ago and it's been wonderful. It's a major life change, as you know, and very exciting! You may get some negative feedback on the forums about your surgery. Many people don't understand what it takes to get to this point. If I can offer one word of advice, it's to develop a good relationship with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders (f you haven't already). The surgery doesn't address the psychological issues around compulsive overeating, and I noticed that the surgeons I met tended to gloss over that. Enough unsolicited advice from me. Best of luck to you, and feel free to friend me if you like. :smile:

    She's right. A friend of mine had the surgery a few years ago, lost loads in a short period of time, put it all back on again through reverting to his old mindset and is now back at Slimming World regretting he ever had the surgery in the first place. He was offered it due to being diabetic but he's an emotional eater and when life hits the skids he eats. Make sure you have a game plan to tackle the mental side of things.
  • DavidSTC
    DavidSTC Posts: 173 Member
    Hi! I had lap band surgery almost two years ago and it's been wonderful. It's a major life change, as you know, and very exciting! You may get some negative feedback on the forums about your surgery. Many people don't understand what it takes to get to this point. If I can offer one word of advice, it's to develop a good relationship with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders (f you haven't already). The surgery doesn't address the psychological issues around compulsive overeating, and I noticed that the surgeons I met tended to gloss over that. Enough unsolicited advice from me. Best of luck to you, and feel free to friend me if you like. :smile:

    This part is what I worry about for anyone who has this type of surgery: "The surgery doesn't address the psychological issues around compulsive overeating, and I noticed that the surgeons I met tended to gloss over that."

    The only person I know who had this surgery looks like she gained back all the weight. You still have to deal with compulsion, because I think it's proven that surgery isn't a magic elixir.
  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
    Hi! I had lap band surgery almost two years ago and it's been wonderful. It's a major life change, as you know, and very exciting! You may get some negative feedback on the forums about your surgery. Many people don't understand what it takes to get to this point. If I can offer one word of advice, it's to develop a good relationship with a therapist who specializes in eating disorders (f you haven't already). The surgery doesn't address the psychological issues around compulsive overeating, and I noticed that the surgeons I met tended to gloss over that. Enough unsolicited advice from me. Best of luck to you, and feel free to friend me if you like. :smile:

    This part is what I worry about for anyone who has this type of surgery: "The surgery doesn't address the psychological issues around compulsive overeating, and I noticed that the surgeons I met tended to gloss over that."

    The only person I know who had this surgery looks like she gained back all the weight. You still have to deal with compulsion, because I think it's proven that surgery isn't a magic elixir.

    Yes, you have to be smart about it. I love my surgeon, he's a nice guy (and a good surgeon!), but he doesn't have a clue about emotional eating. That's what my shrink is for. :)
  • ddky
    ddky Posts: 381 Member
    I am not a fan of the surgery. My sister is 52 years old and will spend the rest of her life in a nursing home. The reason is a combination of the damage done by getting so big, and the complications from the surgery, and not taking proper care of herself. IMHO if you can solve the issue of compulsive eating you will not need the surgery. If you don't resolve your issues, you will most likely regain it all eventually... and then what?I had a class recently with a girl who had lost over 100 pounds following her surgery and something like 5 years later had regained at least 60 of it and was still gaining. But what ever you do... I wish you nothing but the best.
  • jtrack3d
    jtrack3d Posts: 91
    I am not a fan of this surgery either. My wife has had BOTH... count them... BOTH. She had gastric bypass first and then sometime later lap band... I didn't even know you could have both.

    While both helped, neither helped her get to a reasonable weight. And, now, every 6 months she has to go to a cancer doctor to have iron infusions because what's left of her system doesn't absorb iron. She doesn't enjoy sitting in the Chemo room.

    I should add, my daughter had the lap band and so far she is doing fine. But then again, she dances 7 days a week. My wife has feet problems which makes it difficult for her to do most kinds of exercise.
  • brendanstallard
    brendanstallard Posts: 59 Member
    sharing tips. Laura

    Laura,

    Water and Fibre, fibre and water, water, water, water.

    You'll have about 6 months for the effect of Ghrelin, and then the appetite returns.

    Good luck, fibre and water:)


    brendan
  • MyChangeIsComing
    MyChangeIsComing Posts: 11 Member
    Good for you, I had lap band surgery over 20 years ago it was great for 10 yrs until I had kids. I had it redone, and great for another 10yrs until I had my last child. I now am looking at the bypass. I lost 150lbs and It was great, ate healthy and exercised daily. Everyone will have their opinions, but you what you feel is best for you. These surgeries are not the answer but a big piece of the puzzle.
    I do not regret once having my surgery, and Im sure you wont either. Wish you the best of luck!!:
  • bikrchk
    bikrchk Posts: 516 Member
    If this is something you and your doctor have decided is best for your health, Congratulations! ...and a word of advice. Yes, you can absolutely fail at weight loss after surgery if you do not change your habits, just like you'll fail without surgery if you do not change your habits! You'll find more constructive support and educated comments in the WLS groups here on MFP, (there are several). Personally, I've had the sleeve and it gave me my life back, but I have no illusions about what happens if I go back to old behaviors. I log every bite, exercise 5+ times per week and attend monthly support meetings for WLS survivors. I expect to have this routine for the rest of my life to be successful long term. Absolutely NO regrets! My health is sooooo worth the trade off!
  • QueenE_
    QueenE_ Posts: 522 Member
    Good luck to you!
  • bookwormjoy
    bookwormjoy Posts: 16 Member
    Surgery was a last resort for me... I had a terrible experience with lapband failure in that I never lost weight (but at least I did not gain any) a few years back...If losing weight is easy to do without surgery, I would have lost weight LONG ago
    .
    A few years after the lapband. I chose to undergo another bariatric surgery and was sleeved August 1st of 2014 and have absolutely no regrets. I had mine done at Kaiser which came with a 12 week class to prepare for the surgery and lifestyle changes that MUST occur in order to be successful. The surgery was a springboard for my weightloss, but ultimately, it was the RELATIONSHIP with food that had to change. It is now more of a question of WHY I am eating and not so much WHAT I am eating. In addition, I log ALL my food (90% of the time) on MFP and exercise at least an hour a day.

    To make it a permanent loss, I must make permanent changes..

    But as with ANY surgery there are risks (which BTW are much less than the bariatric surgeries of the past)... I was willing to take those risks because I simply could NOT live in my old body much longer...And I am glad I chose to do it...

    Good luck with your journey... I support you all the way!

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