Gastric Bypass/ Gastric Band- i would like to hear from thos

mscoco10

Hi all,
I have a friend who just had the gastric band surgery about 3 weeks ago. She hasn't really lost much weight. We both went to the classes together and i don't know why she's having such a hard time. I'm slowly losing weight on my own and chose not to do the surgery at this time. ( not saying will or will not in the future) I just wanted to hear your experiences of having either surgery. Any tips on what she can do to get better results.

Thanks.

katya143

she is going through something called "bandster hell" now that she is probably starting to eat some... It will pass, be patient and tell her to start moving! its a hard journey, but doable!

BlessedandBeautifulBrown

my friend had it and stuck to the diet and lost a tone.. however its have been 2 years and yup just like anything else she is gained a lot of it back..

philOHIO

3 weeks ago? She is still recovering/adjusting... it takes a while.

raitch

At 3 weeks she's still healing from her (pretty major) surgery. She should be focusing on healing, not on losing.

stubbysticks

Check out this thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/336866-gastric-band-v-gastric-bypass-your-thoughts

missy5277

She has to be patient just as if she never was banded, keep working out and eating healthy. I had RNY in 2006 and didnt stick to the lifestyle change i shouldve so here i am trying to relose the weight!

ptrain987

My mom did the gastric bypass surgery back in 2000 and she did lose alot of weight but she gained a portion of it back. It's hard because some things you will not be able to eat. To this day my mom still can't eat rice, greasey food and even some good ol country cookin. It makes her sick and she has to throw everything back up. She barely eats...she takes two bites of something and she's like "Oh i'm full" and i'm lookin at her like "Whaaaattt?!!?" Does my mom regret her doing the surgery? maybe i think she regrets that she was able to put the weight back on. Which the weight came from eating crackers and gold fish because those two things were the only foods that didn't make her sick so she really wasn't eating healthy. On top of that she became anemic because she wasn't getting enough iron and some of her vitamin levels were low. Now the surgery and the program (if they have one) is probably more advanced and teaches you how to lose the weight and keep it off properly. But i still wouldn't recommend it. I was going to do it one year and something told me "NOOOO don't do it, you will lose the weight when the time is right" lol i guess the time is right now.

mchope

My RNY gastric bypass was two years ago and I am at 167.00# down from 321.00#, prior to surgury my high weight was well over 380.00#..I believe it is the attitude you have, and the willingness to learn new habits (which was easier when you can't eat much anyway). It is hard work, those old food devils try to sneak in..............Good luck to you...

arykh24

I work at a Bariatric center. Chances are, if she just had surgery 3 weeks ago, she hasn't gotten any fluid put into her band yet, which means she is still as she was before surgery. She needs to follow up with her Bariatric Center and speak with the dieticians if she needs guidance on what to eat. She will have to cahnge her eating habits to be successful. the Band is NOT a cure, just a tool to assist in weight loss. She will have to eat right and exercise just as you do to lose weight effectively and keep it off.

Loves2snack

Because its restricts how much you eat. It doesn't restrict how much you choose to eat. She cans till easily down a Milkshake from mcdonalds.

landorki

Because its restricts how much you eat. It doesn't restrict how much you choose to eat. She cans till easily down a Milkshake from mcdonalds.

Agreed! getting banded is not enough. It is only a tool... and as much as haters love to say it is the "easy way out" It is not! You have to make GOOD decisions... and MOVE! It is by no means Easy...

noneya2010

My brother had this also and it did take a few weeks before the weight really started consistently coming off. But it did come off consistently week after week. Your friend must surely be under close supervision of her physician so they will guide her and investigate any slow losses, etc.

kikkipoo

7 years post op from Rny Gastric Bypass here. I had complications in the beginning. There was some definite miserable moments, but you do feel normal again. Even though I still can't eat portions like I used to, I can pretty much eat whatever I want. The foods that make me sick suddenly dissapeared off my want list and rarely cross my mind anymore. I have been pretty successful with the surgery. I went from 320 to 145 at my lowest. I have fluctuated back and forth and struggle with 20-30 pounds that I would like to lose still to this day, but my life is not a daily challenge anymore like it used to be. I can now come to sites like this and feel like getting my eating back under control and incorporating excersize aren't a lost cause. I have no regrets and I know I could never have done it without it.

AParker1974

7 years post op from Rny Gastric Bypass here. I had complications in the beginning. There was some definite miserable moments, but you do feel normal again. Even though I still can't eat portions like I used to, I can pretty much eat whatever I want. The foods that make me sick suddenly dissapeared off my want list and rarely cross my mind anymore. I have been pretty successful with the surgery. I went from 320 to 145 at my lowest. I have fluctuated back and forth and struggle with 20-30 pounds that I would like to lose still to this day, but my life is not a daily challenge anymore like it used to be. I can now come to sites like this and feel like getting my eating back under control and incorporating excersize aren't a lost cause. I have no regrets and I know I could never have done it without it.

My sister had this done 3 years ago and she too has kept hers off. She would not have been able to change her eating habits without having done this.

SallieBeige

My brother was 21 - healthy and died from this op.
He picked it as his first option over hard work and dieting.

Only the success stories are alive to tell the tale.
Is it really worth your life???????

frogmama

My brother was 21 - healthy and died from this op.
He picked it as his first option over hard work and dieting.

Only the success stories are alive to tell the tale.
Is it really worth your life???????

I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your brother.

I had lap band surgery about 2 and a half years ago. I am currently just a few pounds from goal. Please understand, that this WAS and STILL IS HARD WORK! I did not lose very much in the first 8 months after surgery. Then I joined MFP and for over the next year logged my calories. I continue to work out at the gym 5-6 days a week. I am quite pleased with my success and feel like a new person- both physically and emotionally. I had tried dieting and working out for the last 20 years and had very little success. The Lap Band was the tool I needed to change my life.

mscoco10

My brother was 21 - healthy and died from this op.
He picked it as his first option over hard work and dieting.

Only the success stories are alive to tell the tale.
Is it really worth your life???????

I'm sorry to hear this but everyone is different. Everybody has to do what they feel is best for them. My friend felt this was the best thing for her. You don't know what people have or haven't tried so please don't judge.

Thanks to all those who gave usefully information.

Ruby11222

I really think if people are going to get surgery, they should get the lap band before considering something like bypass that can be incredibly unhealthy and dangerous, and is irreversible.

sagetracey

Best thing your friend can do is give it time and follow the rules for living with a gastic lap band.

The best thing that you can do is be supportive but don't monitor what she eats, how much she exercises etc.

I have the band and it has been an invaluable tool in helping me to lose 45kg (99lb) so far but it is only one aspect. I still have to manage my calories and exercise (that's why I'm here ) Lap band surgery is not the easy way out, it is often the last resort. It certainly was for me. The greatest benefit that the band has for me is that it means I feel full on much smaller portions of food.

I could still eat junk and slider foods that allow you to eat around the band but as I can only have smaller portions, I am much more conscious of making better selections.

cownancy

It's really not fair to compare the band and bypass operations because they are very different procedures. There is a VERY low mortality rate with the band as it is a very simple operation. But, the bypass is far more invasive and changes the way you digest your food.

Right after surgery, there is swelling and most surgeons put little or no fluid in the band. It can takes weeks, or months, to get the band adjusted to the point where it is giving you optimum weight loss assistance. Also, if a person is having problems with being sick, they should go back to their doctor and review the fluid setting/eating habits because no one should be throwing up all of the time with the band. It can cause band slippage. When it's so simple to adjust the band, I don't understand why so many people don't get it done and suffer with an incorrectly set band?

stubbysticks

When it's so simple to adjust the band, I don't understand why so many people don't get it done and suffer with an incorrectly set band?

Unfortunately I think a lot of the people who end up having the band are not the type to be diligent about medical care & follow-up & that's a contributing factor to their morbid obesity. We've all avoided things at one time or another for illogical reasons that seemed like simple tasks to others, but we still avoided them. You'll also find that the people who aren't great about the band follow-up probably aren't great about following up on other things in their lives as well.

MlleDee

I can really feel for your friend in this situation. But like many others have said 3 weeks out is simply too soon to expect results. I know at 3 weeks I was just beginning the mushy stage, if your friend is trying to eat anything solid or even resembling normal, I would have them check with their doctor, it may be why they are so sick.

I had the band done about a year ago, I've lost weight, but no where near to the point I would like. If I sit back and do nothing, the band keeps me from over eating to the point I gain weight, but without diet and exercise I won't lose a pound.

That was tough for me to deal with, I kind of thought of it as a magical device that would make me not eat ice cream, chocolate, and instead pick low fat salads for every meal. It's not. The band does nothing for me, but serve as a sickening reminder when I eat too fast, take too big of bites, or have grossly overeaten. Maybe I'm not a success story to encourage people to have the surgery, but I'm always willing to talk about my experience. Have your friend message me if they need support!

jenndannytyler

My husband had the surgery in august of 2005 and has lost 126 pounds to date... encourage her to stick with it. She is still healing form a surgery and once things start healing she will start to lose weight. just make sure she does what the doctors tell her to do!!!

SallieBeige

My brother was 21 - healthy and died from this op.
He picked it as his first option over hard work and dieting.

Only the success stories are alive to tell the tale.
Is it really worth your life???????

I'm sorry to hear this but everyone is different. Everybody has to do what they feel is best for them. My friend felt this was the best thing for her. You don't know what people have or haven't tried so please don't judge.

Thanks to all those who gave usefully information.

mscoco, I am sorry if you felt this sounded like a judgement.

... I simply believe that it is important for people to know as many facts as possible before making a decision.
This is one fact. And an important one, I think.
Interestingly enough, also a fact that has not been mentioned by anyone else.

By the way, if you feel that the way I worded the question was a judgement, I am sorry ifl it came out like that. It was meant to be an honest question. My brother was asked this question. He considered it, and decided that he would rather take the risk. I believe it should be included as part of the decision-making process.

Babyblue4711

My brother was 21 - healthy and died from this op.
He picked it as his first option over hard work and dieting.

Only the success stories are alive to tell the tale.
Is it really worth your life???????

Yet one of my professors, had the surgery was thrilled about it and keeled over of a heart attack 30 days after surgery, because he waited to long to have it. So which do you choose the risk from the surgery, or the risk of not having it.... either way you are still DEAD... and at least by having it there is a change of a good ending. Not having it could mean living miserably the rest of your life. I have many people in my life that have had the surgery, and even my cousin who it almost killed would not change it if she could.

Loves2snack

7 years post op from Rny Gastric Bypass here. I had complications in the beginning. There was some definite miserable moments, but you do feel normal again. Even though I still can't eat portions like I used to, I can pretty much eat whatever I want. The foods that make me sick suddenly dissapeared off my want list and rarely cross my mind anymore. I have been pretty successful with the surgery. I went from 320 to 145 at my lowest. I have fluctuated back and forth and struggle with 20-30 pounds that I would like to lose still to this day, but my life is not a daily challenge anymore like it used to be. I can now come to sites like this and feel like getting my eating back under control and incorporating excersize aren't a lost cause. I have no regrets and I know I could never have done it without it.

Thats awesome! I went from 330 to 163 back up to 169 now widdling my way back down!

Loves2snack

My brother was 21 - healthy and died from this op.
He picked it as his first option over hard work and dieting.

Only the success stories are alive to tell the tale.
Is it really worth your life???????

Yet one of my professors, had the surgery was thrilled about it and keeled over of a heart attack 30 days after surgery, because he waited to long to have it. So which do you choose the risk from the surgery, or the risk of not having it.... either way you are still DEAD... and at least by having it there is a change of a good ending. Not having it could mean living miserably the rest of your life. I have many people in my life that have had the surgery, and even my cousin who it almost killed would not change it if she could.

Im 22 and I did the hard work and dieting MANY times in my 22 years of life. Obviously still have to work hard at it. And I by no means think I took the easy way out!

Im so sorry for your loss!

TriumphantLife

I would love to talk to her. She can contact me at triumphantlife@comf5.com. In the meantime, let her know that she is not going to get her first fill until about 6 weeks so dont worry that she may be hungry and not losing right now. It will come. I work for a Bariatric surgeon and I had Bypass 7 years ago and lost 160 lbs.

TriumphantLife

Thats sad about your brother. I have to say it saved my life and we all must keep in mind who performed the surgery? Were they a Center of Excelence? Did the person who died have major co-morbidities? There are many things that contribut to death after Bariatric surgery.

mom_of_3_ts

You are so right!!!! I weighed my options and I had the surgery done last week so far so good and down 14 pounds. I could either not walk and live with full blown diabetes. Live with all of the shots and pain arthritis sleeping problems maybe end up blind and lose of limbs and kidneys .. no let me have the surgery lose the 100+ lbs and give up the foods that make me sick. and be healthy.
for the first time in my life I'm losing weight and not starving to do so. it's a relief to know that I there is a light at the diet tunnel and I will reach . it's as if a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and it has and will be :happy: