bariatric surgery

CyberEd312

I don't knock anyone for choosing to regain control of there life by any means necessary, that being said for me, at 560 lbs., unable to walk from room to room without the aid of a computer chair I ripped the back off of to roll myself around on, and not leaving the house for over 2 years except to drive my wife to the store and sit in the parking lot cause I felt bad she had to do everything, No Surgery was an option for me... When I finally had that get busy living or get busy dieing moment I told myself and my family I was willing to try but surgery was out and I would lose it naturally or die trying... I was firmly of the mindset that if I didn't fix what was broken in my head that led me to eating myself to 560 lbs. then no surgery would fix that and until I got a grasp on that part of my life nothing would help... So I stopped saying no to everything and as hard as it was started saying yes to anything and everything that was offered to me. I began therapy for my food addictions and social phobia and depression issues, went to the doctors to find out my overall health (found out I was a full blown type 2 diabetic, fatty liver, etc. etc) and my doctor pointed me to my Endo Dr. and he pointed me to a Nutritionist and Dietician and wrote me a script for Aquatic therapy through the Wellness center... I needed water displacement in the beginning cause I was unable to support my own weight.. So the first 16 months I spent in the pool and lost around 170 lbs. then the therapist started pushing me to the shallow end of the pool constantly making me support more and more of my own weight and eventually I was fitted with brace for my severely bad knee's and start injection therapy for my knee's and pain meds but was able to start splitting my time between the pool and land based exercises... I lost another 136 lbs. over the next 16 months ( 306 lbs. to date and my 3 year anniversary is in 3 weeks) Was it hard??? H.. E.. Double L... YES!!! Mentally, Physically, Emotionally the whole thing was Alot of Hardwork!!! but would I do it all over again???? In a Heartbeat!!! You have to decide what is best for you, the surgery isn't going to change the fact you will have to change your entire lifestyle and exercise and live a totally different life than the one that caused you to get to the point you are now.... No one can make the decision for you.... I am working on that last 10 pounds before I schedule my Lower Body lift to remove around 20-25 lbs. of skin that no matter how hard I workout is out of my control...... Then knee replacements and I will finally have what I always wished and prayed for: MY LIFE BACK!!!!! Best of Luck to you........

suziecue66

I'm sure OP will check with his doctor but I think he just wanted opinions about it.

ValerieMartini2Olives

I thought about a gastric bypass for many years.

But then I said to myself "IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT, THEN LOSE THE WEIGHT!"

I started reading and researching about what/how/why/when I should eat. I started logging EVERYTHING on pen and paper. Then I luckily found MFP while doing a calorie counter app on my android.

My big thing was why would you want to go through a major surgery that could fail? I would much rather work my *kitten* off. It is so much more worthwhile to know that I'm the one putting in the real effort.

YOU are the only one who can make you fail or succeed. YOU are the only one who can be in total control of your health. To me now, bypass surgery is just a cop out.

Crochetluvr

My ex SIL had the surgery....she is a nurse. And she did lose weight and she looked great! Problem is, she didnt cure the reasons she got heavy in the first place. All she does now is eat junk food....and she is gaining the weight back. I would rather do it the natural way and fight the demons at the same time. But I am sure there are people for whom the surgery was a life saver. Whatever you decide, good luck!

PeaceCorpsKat

I cannot tell a lie, I have thought about it.

My mom did a gastric bypass and she has long been trying to convince me to do one. One of my best friends had one too.

My mom has had limited success, my friend is a freaking size 2!

But they deffinately had a lot of complications from the surgery.

My wieghtloss has been signfigant, but this is the second time I am going through this. I was able to lose about 90 pounds 7 years ago, ran a marathon, joined the PEace Corps - and gained it all back!

As much as I think it is easier and healthier to do it naturally, I am very fearful I will gain the weight back. I know the surgery makes it more permanent.

It's a tough decision, there are pros and cons on either side. I am happy with my decision to do it without the surgery, but I completely understand someone going the other way.

lauristewart

Think of it this way....you are going to HAVE to change your eating habits, one way or the other. So why not change them WITHOUT the surgery. My highest weight has been 268 and I now weigh 145....no surgery!! I watch everything that goes in mymouth and exercise.....there are peple who gain thier weight back after surgery. If you don't change, then you will gain it back.....try following the diet they give you after the surgery and you will lose weight!! Why put your body through the surgery when you can do it without! Goodluck!

Bagman12002

I don't knock anyone for choosing to regain control of there life by any means necessary, that being said for me, at 560 lbs., unable to walk from room to room without the aid of a computer chair I ripped the back off of to roll myself around on, and not leaving the house for over 2 years except to drive my wife to the store and sit in the parking lot cause I felt bad she had to do everything, No Surgery was an option for me... When I finally had that get busy living or get busy dieing moment I told myself and my family I was willing to try but surgery was out and I would lose it naturally or die trying... I was firmly of the mindset that if I didn't fix what was broken in my head that led me to eating myself to 560 lbs. then no surgery would fix that and until I got a grasp on that part of my life nothing would help... So I stopped saying no to everything and as hard as it was started saying yes to anything and everything that was offered to me. I began therapy for my food addictions and social phobia and depression issues, went to the doctors to find out my overall health (found out I was a full blown type 2 diabetic, fatty liver, etc. etc) and my doctor pointed me to my Endo Dr. and he pointed me to a Nutritionist and Dietician and wrote me a script for Aquatic therapy through the Wellness center... I needed water displacement in the beginning cause I was unable to support my own weight.. So the first 16 months I spent in the pool and lost around 170 lbs. then the therapist started pushing me to the shallow end of the pool constantly making me support more and more of my own weight and eventually I was fitted with brace for my severely bad knee's and start injection therapy for my knee's and pain meds but was able to start splitting my time between the pool and land based exercises... I lost another 136 lbs. over the next 16 months ( 306 lbs. to date and my 3 year anniversary is in 3 weeks) Was it hard??? H.. E.. Double L... YES!!! Mentally, Physically, Emotionally the whole thing was Alot of Hardwork!!! but would I do it all over again???? In a Heartbeat!!! You have to decide what is best for you, the surgery isn't going to change the fact you will have to change your entire lifestyle and exercise and live a totally different life than the one that caused you to get to the point you are now.... No one can make the decision for you.... I am working on that last 10 pounds before I schedule my Lower Body lift to remove around 20-25 lbs. of skin that no matter how hard I workout is out of my control...... Then knee replacements and I will finally have what I always wished and prayed for: MY LIFE BACK!!!!! Best of Luck to you........

Well said.

Katwilkins

If you choose to have the surgery, your food choices are limited afterwards. But if you are able to diet and loose weight yourself you still have all the food choices you want. I thought about having the surgery, but then after watching 2 friends that had the surgery and they were just dieting and eating less, and that's really how they were loosing the weight, I felt motivated to just pretend I had had the surgery and change my eating habits, and I am loosing weight just as fast as they are. I set my calories to make me loose about 1.4 pounds a week. But if that won't work for you, and you choose the surgery, and loose weight, your overall health should be better unless you have complications.

I am a nurse and I have seen some nasty complications. But sometimes it's life or slow death, so do what you think will help your health the most.
Good luck!

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

I don't knock anyone for choosing to regain control of there life by any means necessary, that being said for me, at 560 lbs., unable to walk from room to room without the aid of a computer chair I ripped the back off of to roll myself around on, and not leaving the house for over 2 years except to drive my wife to the store and sit in the parking lot cause I felt bad she had to do everything, No Surgery was an option for me... When I finally had that get busy living or get busy dieing moment I told myself and my family I was willing to try but surgery was out and I would lose it naturally or die trying... I was firmly of the mindset that if I didn't fix what was broken in my head that led me to eating myself to 560 lbs. then no surgery would fix that and until I got a grasp on that part of my life nothing would help... So I stopped saying no to everything and as hard as it was started saying yes to anything and everything that was offered to me. I began therapy for my food addictions and social phobia and depression issues, went to the doctors to find out my overall health (found out I was a full blown type 2 diabetic, fatty liver, etc. etc) and my doctor pointed me to my Endo Dr. and he pointed me to a Nutritionist and Dietician and wrote me a script for Aquatic therapy through the Wellness center... I needed water displacement in the beginning cause I was unable to support my own weight.. So the first 16 months I spent in the pool and lost around 170 lbs. then the therapist started pushing me to the shallow end of the pool constantly making me support more and more of my own weight and eventually I was fitted with brace for my severely bad knee's and start injection therapy for my knee's and pain meds but was able to start splitting my time between the pool and land based exercises... I lost another 136 lbs. over the next 16 months ( 306 lbs. to date and my 3 year anniversary is in 3 weeks) Was it hard??? H.. E.. Double L... YES!!! Mentally, Physically, Emotionally the whole thing was Alot of Hardwork!!! but would I do it all over again???? In a Heartbeat!!! You have to decide what is best for you, the surgery isn't going to change the fact you will have to change your entire lifestyle and exercise and live a totally different life than the one that caused you to get to the point you are now.... No one can make the decision for you.... I am working on that last 10 pounds before I schedule my Lower Body lift to remove around 20-25 lbs. of skin that no matter how hard I workout is out of my control...... Then knee replacements and I will finally have what I always wished and prayed for: MY LIFE BACK!!!!! Best of Luck to you........

OMG what an amazing transformation! You must be so proud of yourself for making that positive move to take charge your own life for the better. Congrats on the 306 lb. lost :drinker:

aralls64

It is a life changing choice, not just for yourself but for everyone around you. I read thru a few of the reply's and I have to agree do research ask questions even find a bariatric support group and attend a few meetings.. My daughter has been my biggest mentor on my journey. She had the Gastric sleeve done in Feb. and I have started on the requiments to have it done also. I battled with my weight for so long that I have to do something.. Good luck and if you have any question feel free to ask..

70davis

bump

sagetracey

I second what everyone else has said about doing the research and also about addressing the reasons why you have become overweight in the first place.

One thing that has surprised me in these responses is the general lumping of all bariatric/Weight Loss Surgeries into a catchall "surgery". There are actually a range of different bariatric surgical options available from gastric lapband to vertical sleeve and gastric bypass, just to name the main ones. Each surgery has its own pros and cons, risks etc. They cannot be seen as just one surgery.

What is most encouraging is to see how sensibly this discussion has been presented, both from people who support and people who do not support WLS. No flaming, no vitriol, just good, healthy input based on personal experience. Nice!

For the record, I have a gastric lapband and have lost 60kg in 13 months. I tried very hard to do this without WLS but was not able to keep the weight off. It works for me (I am not yet at my goal weight), but may not work for everyone.

I wish everyone the very best with achieving their weight/health goals.

boodlelibra

I have considered it but two of the women in my office have had it done, and they are miserable. One has gained back everything and then some, the other is back to being about 75 lbs overweight and is crazy with her food issues - when we go to lunch she orders every dessert so she can have a bite of each (on the company's tab, of course), and she has food hidden all over her office. Neither one addressed WHY they got so big. I'm losing way too slowly but I'm learning new ways to deal with stress and am happier with the voice in my head, even if the scale isn't reflecting the changes I've made yet.

That being said, my aunt had the sleeve done and looks great and seems very happy. I suppose it depends on where you are mentally.

bellygoaway

This is a question I considered as well. At my highest, I was about 390. I dropped 20 pounds over a year by taking a generic weight-loss pill to help with feeling hungry. That was rough as h-e-double hocky sticks. A guy I work with talked about this site. Once I joined and started logging, I was shocked by how much I was eating. Seeing the 4000+ I was eating, it was not hard to cut back. It really does not matter if you have the surgery in the future or not. Your journey starts now. It is your choice, but I would recommend not having it. I am under 350 now. I still have a long way to go, but I am on the way. Good luck. You can do it.

Darlingir

You have to remember, no matter what you do it will still be a whole new lifestyle change. Even if you have the surgery, you still need to be in control of what you put in your mouth. I have had three girlfriends go through with the surgery. One had many "issues" afterwards including a twisted bowel which nearly killed her. The other one has been sucessful and no "issues" for the last 2.5 yrs. The third one however, did gain all her weight back and then some within 4 yrs. I'm not saying to get it done, and I am not telling you to stay clear of it either. Everyone makes decisions for themselves and should not go by anyone elses comments. I do believe one has to be ready heart, mind, body, and soul to make any serious life changes, It is not just about losing weight, but also the mental/emotional reasonings behind the gaining of weight. Weight loss is a journey that has to be carried out through ones lifetime, not just a quick fix to look/feel good temporarily. In my opinion, if one starts a journey...one should finish it! Best of Luck in your decision, either way...I am here for you!!

this.....

we need a new way our MINDS view and treat food...not just the stomach...that is really such a small part of it

mishii2023

Yes yes and yes

mishii2023

Morbid obesity then yes+

Melwillbehealthy

This thread is 11 years old!!

BriansTrident

I know 3 people who had the surgery and they all look great. They wish they would have had it years ago. If you have a lot to lose, want a quick jump start and great results then absolutely do it. Especially if the results you are planning on getting from Out of it will change your life.