Tell me again why I should NOT have gastric bypass surgery

florymonde

In my personal acquaintances, it seems to have about a 50% success rate. I know personally about a dozen people who have had some form of weightloss surgery, and about half have had significant, long-term weightloss. One had life-threatening complications, but thankfully she pulled through (didn't lose any weight). Myself, I probably wouldn't unless there was clear evidence that my weight was directly endangering my life.

needles85365

I had planned to do the surgery but as I got closer to the date realized that if I couldn't be successful without the surgery I wouldn't be successful with it either. It changes the whole way you look at food. It is a big risk. I went to several nutrition classes and really listened to how women had to change their habits, super small portions, losing their taste for coffee or foods that they really loved, pain and vomiting if they over ate, gaining the weight back. It wasn't worth the risk for me. Moving and portion control is working for me so far, and no risk. I'm not going to slip this time but if I do I'll look at the surgery option again. It isn't a magic wand, you still have to prepare and fix the food and make the right decisions about everything you put in your mouth.

lovechicagobears

Good motivation:

http://drawn-to-scale.blogspot.com/p/how-did-you-do-it.html

TheLongRunner

The decision is up to you and I would never judge someone either way. However, remember one thing....Cake will still happen after your WLS. Everyone I have known (with the exception of one person) who has had the surgery has gained all of their weight and more back because they did not change their mindset. Weight management is so much about mindset. Good luck in whatever you choose!!!

DebbieLyn63

Something to consider is that if you are truly addicted to food, your addiction can move to something else post-op.

My aunt who had gastric bypass is pretty much knocking at death's door due to switching her food addiction to alcohol. She was doing great the first few years. Now, not so much.

Yes, this. My cousin passed away a couple of months ago from the effects of alcoholism and malnutrition several years after her bypass surgery. She got skinny after the surgery, but was never the same again mentally. In the end, her mind was gone and she was angry and combative to all her kids and family. Such a sad end to her life.
I have heard that the surgery can change the way your body metabolizes alcohol, and you are at a much higher risk for becoming an alcoholic physically as well as psychologically, so you have to be really careful.

sophjakesmom

Sometimes people ask me "What did you do to lose your weight?" My reply is, "I didn't quit."

PU_239, Love that quote!! So very, very true.:drinker: :drinker:

Softrbreeze

I know several people who have lost weight with gastric bypass AND have kept it off. Sometimes all we need is a jumpstart! I say go for it! Just acknowledge beforehand that there ARE risks, including the possibility that you MAY die. It's rare but it does happen. If you do decide to go for it, get your affairs in order beforehand. Not trying to be morbid, there is little chance that this will happen to you, but you have to be realistic as well. And good luck!

Duck_Puddle

My other favorite thing about not having surgery = no surgery to fix loose skin.

This isn't a given. I have not had weight loss surgery, but I have inches of loose skin. I'm not in any rush to have the surgery to get rid of it, but loose skin and weight loss surgery are not mutually exclusive. I will very likely have that surgery at some point down the road, but I won't need it because I had weight loss surgery.

OtiWanKenobi

My brother had gastric bypass over 10 years ago and although he orginally lost a ton of weight...because he never learned to modify his eating habits he gained a lot of it back over the years. What's worse is that he's had a lot of complications over the years and one of them was him getting really sick because his body was not getting enough vitamin b12 from the foods he ate. It seemed like his new stomach couldn't break down the food well enough to pass through the essential vitamins he needs. So till this date he has to see the doc every month to get shots. The other thing is that he still eats like a pigeon but is still overweight...I understand why and that's because his body has adjusted to his low caloric intake. So see...it's not all what it's cracked up to be.

Do it on your own...take it day by day. Be patient with yourself....it took you years to get to the BMI that are at now and therefore, will take time for it to come off. The slower the weight comes off the longer the success. I know you can do it....

However if you do choose to go with the surgery, please educate yourself and dedicate yourself to learning healthy habits because that may be one way that this procedure can be successful for the many years to come.

Missjulesdid

But I am healthy - no co-morbidities Yet.

Are you 100% sure of this?

Cholestrol
triglycerides
blood pressure
glucose issues(borderline diabetes or diabetic)
etc?

My highest BMI was 60 and my GP said he couldn't figure it out, but I had some of the best blood panel and vital sign numbers he had ever seen.. I looked at him and asked... "Well Doc, just because I'm fat, do you think I sit around on the couch all day and drink bacon grease?" ... I once even had to have my cholesterol checked a second time because my doctor thought it was a false reading because it was so good. My morbidly obese grandmother lived to be 90 and she lived on her own up until the time of her death. Her only health issue was not related to her obesity but rather to a genetic blood disorder that she had. Not everyone who is super-morbidly obese has co-morbidities or will develop them. Now I'm sure I would be a lot worse off if I was drinking soda, eating candy and processed foods all day, but I don't really eat those things except during social events.


OK, anyway I am scheduled for gastric sleeve surgery on March 13th. I view it as a tool. Just like MFP is a tool. It's not going to lose weight for you but it is one tool that can aid me in losing weight and more importantly, keeping it off. I went through many years of toying the idea of gastric bypass but I just couldn't handle the malabsorptive component of the surgery. I didn't want to risk being vitamin deficient due to the part of the small intestine that was bypassed. I thought about the band, but I didn't like the idea of constant followups, and having a foreign object inside my body that could malfunction. When I researched the Vertical sleeve I knew that this could be the right thing for me: a tool that will help curb my appetite, restrict how much I eat, but will still allow for absorption of vitamins from food that is eaten. Although surgery is always a risk, The VSG surgery is actually as safe as gallbladder surgery which was comforting.

I have friends who have had various WLS and different degrees of success or failures.... and you know what? I knew ahead of time which ones would have success and which ones didn't. The friend who had WLS after already losing over100 pounds went on to lose another 75 pounds and has kept it off for several years now. My friend who had all you can eat chicken wings the weekend before her surgery is now back up to her original weight.

I know that even with weight loss surgery, losing weight and keeping it off is hard work. I'll still need to use my other tools like exercise and food journaling. WLS is not the easy way out. It's not an escape from diet and exercise. It's not the "wrong way to do it" either. WLS does not make you any less virtuous for having used this tool to help you meet your goals. It's a deeply personal decision don't make it based on what other people will think of you. Make the best decision for YOU and go with that.

natajane

My sister had weight loss surgery a couple of years ago. A gastric band. She lost a bit of weight, but not as much as expected. She has never lost all of the weight that she wanted to. What she did lose, she lost it at the rate she would have done just being more conscious of her eating.

This is because she never addressed her eating habits. She seems to drink more alcohol these days too, and had a period of time where she was gambling too much. So it is almost like she sought another way to deal with the feelings that were causing the over eating.

She's now depressed, on meds and seeing a counsellor. I wish she'd taken up the counselling to begin with and missed the in between part. I feel she'd have been in a better place.

In times of desperation to begin with I felt jealous, like I wanted the surgery. I now wouldn't even consider it, its not a magic solution.

I also knew a woman who had gastric bypass - she gained weight back, had to avoid certain foods she couldn't digest and suffered from complications and vitamin deficiency.

My sisters personality and your own are of course not going to be the same though, you need to assess what you think your personal barriers are and why you think this would help.

I think the most important thing that you can do when you feel like you can't achieve what you want to is to take tiny steps - set yourself a really simple goal to begin with, and build on it.

So you could have the goal to weigh and log all of your food on here honestly for 2 weeks. Not try to be in calories, just a goal to be aware. Then when you succeed, treat yourself with a lovely bubble bath or manicure! Something to pamper yourself but that doesn't involve food.

Then add another small goal - for example that you will stay within calories for 2 days a week, for 2 weeks. Build up your goals, be gentle on yourself and congratulate yourself when you do it. We build up habits over many years, it's so hard to break them in just months.

It is better to take it slow and be consistent, rather to rush in and try to change too much at once. That is where I usually fall down, trying to do too much and then failing.

Xxx

lovechicagobears

My other favorite thing about not having surgery = no surgery to fix loose skin.

This isn't a given. I have not had weight loss surgery, but I have inches of loose skin. I'm not in any rush to have the surgery to get rid of it, but loose skin and weight loss surgery are not mutually exclusive. I will very likely have that surgery at some point down the road, but I won't need it because I had weight loss surgery.

Fair enough. It just seems like, in my experience (and I realize that's anecdotal), everyone I know who's had WLS has had to have surgery, whereas very people I know who lost weight slowly and did cardio + strength training had loose skin. One friend did have to have a tummy tuck, but that's it. None of the cardio/strength/slow loss people had to have multiple surgeries on their arms, legs, abs, and butt like my WLS friends have.

natajane

[/quote]

I have friends who have had various WLS and different degrees of success or failures.... and you know what? I knew ahead of time which ones would have success and which ones didn't. The friend who had WLS after already losing over100 pounds went on to lose another 75 pounds and has kept it off for several years now. My friend who had all you can eat chicken wings the weekend before her surgery is now back up to her original weight.

I know that even with weight loss surgery, losing weight and keeping it off is hard work. I'll still need to use my other tools like exercise and food journaling. WLS is not the easy way out. It's not an escape from diet and exercise. It's not the "wrong way to do it" either. WLS does not make you any less virtuous for having used this tool to help you meet your goals. It's a deeply personal decision don't make it based on what other people will think of you. Make the best decision for YOU and go with that.
[/quote]

This exactly! Great post.

GeekGirl23

Just break up

annwyatt69

having wls is a decision that you need to make for yourself. Do the research, see if it is right for you. Talk with your PCP. Maybe even go and listion to a few informational sessions about wls (these are usually free and don't cost you a dime to listion just your time) You can really learn a lot of information about wls and weather or not it is for you

If you chose to go with this option, please seek a place that is a center of excellence.

Of course there are many reasons that individuals will give you on here to not have surgery including....

wls is an easy way out
people gain the wt back
it is about life changes not dieting and if you don't make life changes then surgery won't help either.

however they may not understand the process of wls....
there are many steps both clinic may require (ie: psy eval; dietian; exercise specialist etc) and insurance generally has requirements too, (unless you have promedica they don't have as many requirements or if you are paying cash pay then just clinics requirements)

Whoever thinks that wls is the easy way out is out of their freaking minds. It is 10 times harder with the surgery than without and the benefits often don't outweigh the reasons not to do it. I myself had gastric bypass and am doing well, but I had an AWESOME surgeon and dietitian and went into it with a lot of nutrition education, and had health reasons why it was best for me. As far as gaining the weight back, if you continue on the healthy eating plan, you won't. BUT...if you can make that choice w/o the surgery and have no reason other than a very high BMI, go for it w/o doing a permanent change to your body. Your body and your bones will thank you for it later!

taso42

Its been something that I keep coming back to when I fail to do well with changing my behaviors in relation to food and losing weight.
But I am healthy - no co-morbidities Yet. My only problem... BMI of 56... yikes.

If you can't change your behavior, you're going to stay the same. You can have the surgery, but you will return back to your current state. Changing your lifestyle is the only real and viable option for the long term.

And if you CAN change your behaviors, then you certainly don't need to get surgery - the transitional period between now and when you're lean and fit is just a small window of time compared to the rest of your awesome life.

mandyabraio

oh you guys, Im sorry. I went about this the wrong way. The reason that I am even here is because I am seeing a Surgeon and as recommended following thru with my 6 mo. dietician visits befor surgery and I get so super motivated and think maybe just maybe I really can do this thing on my own with out the help of a surgical tool then all of a sudden my motivation wanes. Cake happens and I am lost in a downward spiral --- feeling a failure. That indeed I can not do this on my own. I think maybe I am better asking for help in staying motivated. ... I did not intend on offending anyone... I have already done the psyc. eval and the Dr. are all in approval of surgery for me - they say I am in a good place in my life to proceed..... really??? I think I am mess and rather week when it comes to my resolve.

I had the sleeve on 11/5/12 For 30 years I struggled with my weight and weight related illnesses, I always thought I could do it on my own, but truth hit me square in the face when after 30 years of that thinking two of my doctors told me that I needed the weight loss surgery or I was going to die...WAKE UP CALL...yes it was for me!!! I will tell you that for me this surgery has been the missing tool that I NEEDED for 30 years but denied myself of! Having this surgery is the best thing I have EVER done for myself, I am getting my life back!! I am down 46 pounds and am about half way to where I need to be, but already I can tell a HUGE difference in how I feel, I am no longer on high blood pressure meds or diabetic!!! This surgery has saved my life!!! But it is a decision that YOU alone need to make and what is best for you!!!

Michshellars

Hi!

Not here to tell you to go either way, and I'm sorry if I am repeating what others have said. I am a Discovery Health fan and always seem to watch those gastric bypass shows, like My 600 LB Life, etc. I am also a Registered Nurse, and knowing what I know, I always feel like a big problem that isn't dealt with is the change of eating and all of the emotional baggage/issues that come with weight issues. The surgery may fix a physical problem, by making your stomach smaller and making you unable to tolerate large amounts of food. However, the stomach can expand and grow back. What you need to do is change your eating habits and the way you think about food before you go for the surgery, if that is indeed what you decide to do. Because if you don't, you're going to want to eat the same way you did before the surgery after the surgery. That is what I have seen as a big issue.

Also, if you are healthy, thank G-d, why would you want to go for the surgery, considering how every surgery involves risk? I'm not judging, I'm just honestly asking. I know losing weight is so hard and feels like a giant mountain you need to climb and feels impossible. But your mind is soooooooo much stronger than you think it is, and you can totally start losing weight on your own. Baby steps.

These are just my humble thoughts, good luck with you on your weight loss journey, whatever you decide!

sm1zzle

Its been something that I keep coming back to when I fail to do well with changing my behaviors in relation to food and losing weight.
But I am healthy - no co-morbidities Yet. My only problem... BMI of 56... yikes.

ask Kanye West

mrsdizzyd84

Its been something that I keep coming back to when I fail to do well with changing my behaviors in relation to food and losing weight.
But I am healthy - no co-morbidities Yet. My only problem... BMI of 56... yikes.

If you can't fix your behaviors you're destined to end up in the same situation whether or not you have the surgery.

I have a friend who had a GP. She is still eating terribly and is quickly gaining her weight back.

Whether or not you choose to have the surgery, and it is your choice, you need to fix the behavioral issues. But, one thing is for sure, you can lose the weight without the surgery.