Before doing the gastric bypass...ADVICE

obeseandsassy

From the reports i've read, most people who have bariatric surgery (and I'm talking long term, 5+ years post-op) either end up extremely malnourished and require various multivitamins for the rest of their life, or they end up ballooning back up to even fatter than they originally were. (or they end up dead, but I'm really not trying to scare you.)

you're just NOT supposed to mess with the way your body naturally works. Billions of years of evolution happened for a reason.

Doctors will easily recommend the surgery because it's a 'quick fix' with fast results. but you need to look at the whole picture. Why are you at the weight you're at now? do you binge? do you have psychological hangups about food? if so, surgery won't fix that, you're still going to have the same problems after you get the surgery, and it'll make you sick because your body won't be able to handle it anymore.

The surgery is NOT magic. Have you told your doc about MFP? It might be something he would encourage.

GatorGirlUT

There are some serious issues with gastric bypass surgery but bariatric surgery can be a helpful and life-changing and saving option. I would NOT recommend the Roux-en-Y which is usually referred to as the "gold standard". Part of the way it helps people maintain their weight loss is by bypassing the most important sections of the intestine (the duodenum and upper jejunum). While it is quite effective in keeping weight off (second only to Duodenal Switch), it is very difficult to compensate for the nutrient deficiencies that ultimately arise. In fact, after two years, more than 90% of RNY patients have a nutrient deficiency. And compliance with supplementation is less than 35%. Moreover, if you ask your surgeon, 'how much extra calcium and magnesium should I take to compensate for my lack of absorption ability?' he/she will not be able to tell you. I would recommend investigating the Sleeve Gastrectomy which still reduces the stomach size so you get the restrictive help but without the malabsorptive component. One of my biggest issues with RNY is that surgeons don't tell you it quadruples your risk of developing alcoholism, depression, mood disorders, suicide and attempts, as well as substance abuse and behavioral addictions. And if you think this is just a psychological transfer because you wish you could still eat, you'd be wrong. There is no added risk of these problems with restrictive only procedures (lap band, gastrectomy). They only occur when you bypass the intestines.

On the emotional eating front, I'm not sure I buy into that ("It's not what you're eating, it's what's eating you?" type silliness). Some of the comments here would have me believe that America (and similar western societies) have rapidly developed obesity epidemics because their citizens suddenly become a society of emotional wrecks whose only coping mechanism is eating. Whereas the Japanese (30 years ago before adopting our diet) and rural Chinese have no emotional issues? Then why, when they adopt a western diet do they too quickly develop obesity and obesity related illnesses?

I would postulate a different idea. It's the "American" food supply. Starting in around the 1960's we stopped eating "real food" and switched to fake "food-like products". Sadly, it is now cheaper for a mother of four to buy a box of Swiss Rolls than four peaches to pack in a school lunch. We've genetically modified our corn to be roundup resistant to make vast quantities of cheap high fructose corn syrup, which then must be added to everything to make it tasty because it's not actually food. Instead of giving children water at lunch, we give them Juicy Juice in a pouch or Strawberry flavored milk (even though milk is a poor delivery mechanism of absorbable calcium). We have Coke machines in our schools. I could continue this rant, but I think it's evident that it's not that America has an emotional eating problem, but rather a lifetime of eating fake food has made changes to our metabolic processes as well as body/brain chemistry. This doesn't mean making healthy food choices cannot be done, but our society sure does not make it easy, does it? And those high sugar, high salt foods are proven to be actually addicting. The healthy choice is rarely the easy choice nor is it the cheaper choice. Even worse, once the weight is gained and the damage is done, an overweight person must forever eat fewer calories than a person who was never overweight in the first place.

Bariatric surgery does work, usually in spite of you, not because of you (if you could have done it on your own, you likely already would have). The amount of willpower that is required to lose such a significant amount of weight is often far beyond what most people are capable of.....or should be capable of.

I say, consider bariatric surgery, but research the various options as well as all the pros and cons.

GatorGirlUT

You only get dumping with the Roux-en-Y procedure, and you learn pretty quickly what does and does not give it to you. The liquid diet ahead of time (not all surgeons require it), is to supposedly shrink the liver to make access to the stomach easy (more important if having it done laparoscopically). The post-op liquid diet sounds heinous, but afterwards, eating is the last thing on your mind. It will likely feel strange, but you will probably have to force yourself to eat (at least the first month).

As I wrote in my other post, you might want to investigate other procedures that do not bypass the intestine. I write a blog and have been studying this procedure for over ten years now. In addition to addiction and mood disorders, there is an increase in the very painful peripheral neuropathy, persistent anemia and other malabsorption related health problems.

I know the bypass procedures do consistently show improved weight loss in the long term, I think it is worth looking at some of the non-malabsorptive procedures.

Good luck to you and do not beat up on yourself. The facts are that exercise has very little to do with weight loss and the only way to reasonably lose weight is to drastically cut your caloric intake (likely to less than your normal weight counterparts). Sad but true.

jerri8806

This is your choice and non of us should either criticize or tell you what or what not to do. You will find alot of people who do that here. You came here to ask about advice for your surgery and I hope you can find it. I have also known people who has had the surgery successfully. Some people fail, and gain weight back again, but I can guarantee that many many people gain weight after losing weight the MFP way too. In other words, do what is right for you and hopefully you can find support from people who has been through the same thing.

good luck

Thank you for this! Weight loss is never easy, no matter how you do it! But so many people on here act like their way is the only way! Yes, gastric bypass fails for alot of people, but it works for alot of people too! Same with calorie counting, bariatric prescriptions, restrictive diets, etc. You have to find what is right for you, no matter what that may be. The hardest part will be keeping the weight off no matter which avenue of weight loss a person chooses. But having something give you an extra boost like bariatric meds or surgery can help you get on the right path. Just because it may not be one person's chosen method doesn't mean it is wrong for everybody! I hope the OP has good luck!

SimplySusan63

Hello,
I am getting ready to do a gastric bypass...I am dieting for years and I can't make it, so my doctors recommended the surgery and I was OK with it.
BUT reading about it made me very scare...the liquid diet before the surgery, the liquid and puree diet after the surgery for months, I don't know if I can make it.
Scare me the dumping, not to be able again to eat any sugar or not to drink and eat together (I choked otherwise)...I am scared
Someone has an advice for me? I am very confuse, as they say here: not to eat less than 1200 calories, but after doing this surgery for months you need to eat so much less...so I don't know.
HELP!
Yam

Yam,

I had GASTRIC SLEEVE surgery done in May and I have no regrets! It is less drastic than the BYPASS surgery and with fewer possible complications. I would love to chat with you if you'd like to 'friend' me. You can also check out the community group for bariatric surgery here on myfitnesspal. Click on :

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/637-gastric-bypass-vsg-lapband

I look forward to seeing you there!

Susan

meganmiedema

I'm not sure what your diet looks like now but this video really resonated with me and I always share if with friends considering surgery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAdqLB6bTuQ

Reducing foods that are high in macro nutrients (meat, dairy, processed carbs) and replacing them with foods high in micro nutrients will help improve your overall health. If you can't make these changes to your diet I doubt gastric bypass will be of much help either. You will still be eating the same unhealthy foods regardless of the size of your stomach. Good luck on whatever option you choose!

QuilterInVA

I had this surgery back in 1977 (I'm 72 years old) when it was just starting. It was the best thing I have ever done for myself. There is a wonderful group over on 3 Fat Chicks in the Weight Loss Surgery section (www.3fatchicks.com) and a tone of information ab9out what to expect, how they have done, etc. I lost 214 pounds and I've kept it off. I still watch how much I eat but I can eat anything. Sugar isn't nutrition so why worry about it. It's just like any other weight loss - if you return to your original way of eating, the pounds come back.

I did have malabsorption for the first few years, but the body becomes used to it and all I take now is a multi-vitamin, calcium +D and fish oil and my blood work is superior to others my age.

There are a lot of people who will tell you horror stories. Try to ignore them and get real information from those who have had the procedure and your medical team. Your surgeon will tell you what kind of surgery is best for you.

pawoodhull

Hello,
I am getting ready to do a gastric bypass...I am dieting for years and I can't make it, so my doctors recommended the surgery and I was OK with it.
BUT reading about it made me very scare...the liquid diet before the surgery, the liquid and puree diet after the surgery for months, I don't know if I can make it.
Scare me the dumping, not to be able again to eat any sugar or not to drink and eat together (I choked otherwise)...I am scared
Someone has an advice for me? I am very confuse, as they say here: not to eat less than 1200 calories, but after doing this surgery for months you need to eat so much less...so I don't know.
HELP!
Yam

There are actually 5 weight loss surgeries, so before you make you mind up, look at all of them. The main thing to remember is that weight loss surgery (WLS), any of them, are tools, not cures. They will cause you to lose a lot of weight quickly at the beginning and then eventually any further loss and keeping it off is all up to you.

I had the gastric sleeve 3 years ago. I am now way past the point of the surgery being responsible for my weight loss. I lost 15 pounds in the last 12 months, so I am still actively losing, but now it's all my diet and excercise. It's slow going now, but I am only 64 pounds from goal now! That's the other thing about weight loss surgery, everyone loses at their own rate and there are people like me out there who had surgery years ago and are still working towards goal. And just so you know i DID NOT ST"OP LOSING AND REGAIN. I just haven't made it to goal yet.

Baggy, saggy skin? Not for everyone who has WLS has this issue. It depends on how much you have to lose and how old you are. I am in my late 50s and when I am all done I will have lost 226 pounds. I already have baggy/saggy skin but I also have my mobility back and am in better health than I've been in years. So for me the trade off is no big deal. You can have excess skin removed, but you can't have obesity surgically removed.

Again, look at all your options. I really could not do this without the surgery. I weighed 386 and no amount of diet or exercise would work. At that high an obsity rate, surgery was my only option.

One more thing. As I said I had the gastric sleeve. Gastric Bypass is a more invasive surgery with more restrictions. My sleeve simply took the stretchy part of my stomach away. Nothing was disconnected or rerouted. I also don't have any of the malabsorption or dumping issues. So make sure to explore what the possible side effects are to each surgery as well.

Feel free to message me if you have questions.

Pat

SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage

I have had two family members that have had the gastric bypass and it has ruined both of their lives. My sister is the first one to tell anyone that asks that being skinny is not worth all of the gastric system problems she has now, the problems of the surgery led both my siblings to drugs between pain from side effects and needing an escape from their world once they realized being skinny was not going to fix all the other problems in their life. My brother overdosed on drugs almost a year ago leaving two beautiful young ladies fatherless and to make his death that much harder was the fact that he was so malnutritioned that we could not donate any of his organs to save another life. I may have a very biased view (and I do know at least one person who had a successful bypass which is great for her) but I personally think the gastric bypass should be outlawed...I have personally seen it ruin more lives (other than my siblings) than I have seen it help.

^^ this is awful. So sorry for your loss.

Kate7294

I wouldn't do it. I know two people one male (I went to school with) and a female who both regained. So now both are again obese but with added health problems. I encourage you to try to lose here instead.

amusedmonkey

If you failed to lose weight through calorie management, you should expect problems with regain later because surgery will not make you magically able to manage your calories. I think your best choice is to try one more time, but with new strategies.

Think:
Why did your diets fail? Were you eating too little which made the diet hard? Were you unable to control cravings? Were you not aware of how calories work? Are you an emotional eater? Did you feel restricted by the amount/type of food which made the diet hard? and so on..

Write down the things that made you fail and try to come up with solutions. You may actually learn a lot about yourself and find yourself able to lose weight without surgery.

If this fails or you still want to have surgery, read a lot about it and research online to see what will happen if you have it and decide if it's worth it. If you decide it is, find people who had it and keep in touch with them. People may be able to help you with many of your fears and concerns.

StrawberryJam40

Good luck.

I've had 3 friends that have done it. One died...staff infection.l Two told me they lost 100 pounds and not more so they were still left overweight or obese. One of them has to cut their food into really really tiny pieces to even be able to eat and keep food down and get food into his stomach.

I've had 2 friends get sleeves. One...it didn't change her mindset or eating habits. And even worse, her doctor told her to GAIN 15 POUNDS before she qualified for surgery. That is insane! Therefore, the quick fix certainly didn't work for her.

The other person is doing great and taking it seriously and making healthy life style choices.

I know it is not for me, but if you choose to do it....do go to the suggested sites and get the support you need from those that have done it. And before you do it based on one doctor, have all the facts, be informed, and make a decision based on that, not one doctor's opinion.

Jessvaliquette

I had surgery a year and half ago and I do not regret it for a minute, I know tones of people that have had it also and they are healthy and no major complications, don't get me wrong I know some that have had complications but generally speaking those people had a lot of health issues prior to surgery and after they did not follow the important rules. I am far from perfect from my nutrition and it does not fix all your problems, it is a work in progress all the time. I need support and motivation just like before but having more then a 100 lbs to loose became too much for me to do on my own. I had a lazy bowel and was never able to drop weight, my hormones were a big issue before and since surgery and loosing weight it has helped rebalance everything for me. This isn't a quick fix or magic pill there is so many changes and things to work on but for me it was the answer. Everyone has to make the choice for themselves but the rate of death is very little and the complications are not typically life threatning in most, yes of course there are some. But like I said I have never had any complications and I know so many others just like me.

ninerbuff

Hello,
I am getting ready to do a gastric bypass...I am dieting for years and I can't make it, so my doctors recommended the surgery and I was OK with it.
BUT reading about it made me very scare...the liquid diet before the surgery, the liquid and puree diet after the surgery for months, I don't know if I can make it.
Scare me the dumping, not to be able again to eat any sugar or not to drink and eat together (I choked otherwise)...I am scared
Someone has an advice for me? I am very confuse, as they say here: not to eat less than 1200 calories, but after doing this surgery for months you need to eat so much less...so I don't know.
HELP!
Yam

I currently am working with a client who had severely muscle loss and strength due to Gastric Bypass. He was assured that he'd be happier with losing over 100lbs. He's not. He can't eat foods he used to enjoy. He had to stop working in his muffler and brake shop (which he owns) because he can't lift up what he used to.
I'm trying to help him get strength back right now (which is working), but can still tell that he gasses out very easily still.

A.C.E. Certified Group Fitness and Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Need2Exerc1se

Hello,
I am getting ready to do a gastric bypass...I am dieting for years and I can't make it, so my doctors recommended the surgery and I was OK with it.
BUT reading about it made me very scare...the liquid diet before the surgery, the liquid and puree diet after the surgery for months, I don't know if I can make it.
Scare me the dumping, not to be able again to eat any sugar or not to drink and eat together (I choked otherwise)...I am scared
Someone has an advice for me? I am very confuse, as they say here: not to eat less than 1200 calories, but after doing this surgery for months you need to eat so much less...so I don't know.
HELP!
Yam

Gosh, it's hard to give advice on so little information, and I'm generally a fan of going against the advice of a medical professional.

Why did your doctor suggest gastric bypass instead of something like the band or sleeve, which are less invasive and I believe care fewer side affects?

I would echo an early suggestion to seek advice from those who have been through it. Who else would know what it was like?

Jessvaliquette

A lot of people do not listen to the PROTEIN and Vitamin rules and can cause muscle loss and other issue, I get my blood work done every few months to ensure everything is going well and I am working on re increasing my protein and I work out with weights at the gym. I do notice when I stop working out my muscles get smaller but these are all things the doctor works with us to help ensure we keep on top of. Some also have other health issues that were made worse after for myself i do not regret it, it is a pain to take all my vitamins but hey not exactly the end of the world, I am willing to do that and try to work on myself, with my doctor monitoring me I feel confident I am in good hands. As you can see in my pics I am not tiny or unhealthy and I don't want to be any smaller, I just like being healthy and trying to work on the fit part of it. You just need to make sure you have a good support system and you are aware of the work that needs to go into this and ready to do it.