Tell me again why I should NOT have gastric bypass surgery

24

Replies

  • AnjaZ89
    AnjaZ89 Posts: 235
    The way I see it is weight loss with or without surgery is 90% mental. If your head is not in the right place with or without surgery the weight loss battle, as I like to call it, will be a problem. For me if my head is not in the right frame of mind I will eat out of boredom, depression, loneliness, etc. )

    I would say it is partly mental and also physical.
    My dad is 6'4 and weighed about 360lbs. He had surgery about 10 years ago, and lost 130lbs. Then he started increasing calories (slowly but he did end up at his"normal"), had a beer at saturday night, had dessert (he ate almost everything without having problems), fast food etc. So about 3 years after surgery he was exactly where he started..
    Now a decade has past, my dad is still/again obese, and luckily he doesnt have problems with diabetis, high blood pressure or anything else.. But we all know that he lives an extremely unhealthy lifestyle and hope nothing bad happens..

    So, it may work for a lot foralot of people, but everybody is different and some people (like my dad) may not be willing to change their lives..

    If you decide for surgery I wish you all the best and hope you have great results!
  • GeorgieLove708
    GeorgieLove708 Posts: 442 Member
    It's a decision you have to make for yourself. And you need to research everything you can get your hands on about it so you can make a truly informed decision.
    I wanted the surgery for a long time, but I'm terrified of surgery (haven't had one yet) so I never did. I saw my aunt's success with WLS and that made me think I wanted it again, but a few years down the road her body is shutting down on her, she has to get iron transfusions every 2-3 weeks, she is in pain all the time, and the doctors are telling her it's normal with the surgery, but they didn't tell her about this side effect beforehand and she didn't do any more research than reading the pamphlets they provided so it wasn't an informed decision.
    I didn't say that to try to talk you out of it... I know several people who've had the surgery, most with great results, 1 with bad results, and another with near life-ending results. Informed decision.... can't say it enough.
    Personally, if I were healthy in every way but my weight, I wouldn't even consider the surgery. If you're not on the brink of a bad health precipice you have time to struggle through the slow way. The surgery won't teach you good eating habits, you'll still have to learn those or risk gaining back all of the weight, so if I were to make a recommendation to you, it would be work on your eating habits. If you have a bad food day, come back from it. We all struggle, make mistakes, slide backwards sometimes, you just have to push through it.
  • "Then "cake happens?" 2 Snickers bars are happening for me right now, so what?

    Focus on calories, you're focusing on things that really don't matter. Weight loss is a psychological game. You get frustrated, upset, feel like a failure, you lose. Keep your head on straight. Pick your self up like nothing happens and continue. Many of us have tried to lose weight many times. We have failed many many times, yet eventually we learn from our mistakes, we learn what's works for us and we become successful.

    Weight loss surgery won't work for you. You know why? It doesn't cure the true issue to weight loss/gain. It's psychological not physical. Lets say you get your surgery, and cake comes around, what will happen? You're going to magically pass it up? Doubt it. You'll eat it, probably feel worse, and start a downward spiral back to being over weight.


    Focus on "IMPROVING" your diet, doesn't mean change it. Maybe eat 50% good, and 50% what you usually eat. Learn to cook things you like but a low calorie version. After you have your diet about 50% good, then eat good a bit more, maybe 60% and so on. This doesn't happen over night. Weight loss is about habits, it takes time forum habits.

    Sometimes people ask me "What did you do to lose your weight?" My reply is, "I didn't quit." There is no secret, just patience, and learning from your mistakes, take your time. Weight loss is a skill, the more you practice it the better you get. So put your time in and practice a lot so you get good.


    See guys, the AMAZING thing about WLS is that you can still have a piece of cake ... but just a couple of bites and you are full and maybe, just maybe you will 'dump'. Dumping is a sideffect of eating sweets after having your internal plumbing rerouted - sugars hit, insulin is released, you spiral and end up on a couch passed out somewhere sleeping off a sugar high. It creates a definite adversion to eating any new sweets, limits your starches.

    It's all about limits ... you feel like you are stuff with just a few little bites and youn don't want anymore food!!!! A few bites and you get up and feel like you just ate a turkey Thanksgiviing dinner!! The gastric bypass tool is Awesome!!
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    "Then "cake happens?" 2 Snickers bars are happening for me right now, so what?

    Focus on calories, you're focusing on things that really don't matter. Weight loss is a psychological game. You get frustrated, upset, feel like a failure, you lose. Keep your head on straight. Pick your self up like nothing happens and continue. Many of us have tried to lose weight many times. We have failed many many times, yet eventually we learn from our mistakes, we learn what's works for us and we become successful.

    Weight loss surgery won't work for you. You know why? It doesn't cure the true issue to weight loss/gain. It's psychological not physical. Lets say you get your surgery, and cake comes around, what will happen? You're going to magically pass it up? Doubt it. You'll eat it, probably feel worse, and start a downward spiral back to being over weight.


    Focus on "IMPROVING" your diet, doesn't mean change it. Maybe eat 50% good, and 50% what you usually eat. Learn to cook things you like but a low calorie version. After you have your diet about 50% good, then eat good a bit more, maybe 60% and so on. This doesn't happen over night. Weight loss is about habits, it takes time forum habits.

    Sometimes people ask me "What did you do to lose your weight?" My reply is, "I didn't quit." There is no secret, just patience, and learning from your mistakes, take your time. Weight loss is a skill, the more you practice it the better you get. So put your time in and practice a lot so you get good.


    See guys, the AMAZING thing about WLS is that you can still have a piece of cake ... but just a couple of bites and you are full and maybe, just maybe you will 'dump'. Dumping is a sideffect of eating sweets after having your internal plumbing rerouted - sugars hit, insulin is released, you spiral and end up on a couch passed out somewhere sleeping off a sugar high. It creates a definite adversion to eating any new sweets, limits your starches.

    It's all about limits ... you feel like you are stuff with just a few little bites and youn don't want anymore food!!!! A few bites and you get up and feel like you just ate a turkey Thanksgiviing dinner!! The gastric bypass tool is Awesome!!

    And then what happens when you have not had enough food to sustain your body? A few bites of something is very very low in calories & so not good for your body in the end. Also what happens when you get the band taken off? You go back to your habits that got you there in the 1st place.... cause you have learnt nothing about eating right cause you just think a few bites & I'm full.......


    nope not amazing at all. Give me a FULL meal that really does fill me up & sustain me any day over a few bites
  • bunsen_honeydew
    bunsen_honeydew Posts: 230 Member
    But I am healthy - no co-morbidities Yet.

    I don't think it's worth it! If you don't have any major obesity-caused illnesses at the moment, then don't get WLS! It's MAJOR SURGERY and comes with a host of risks and side effects. Diet changes and exercise - that's the way to go.

    I don't doubt that your consultants and doctors will say you are ok for the surgery, after all they are getting another customer. But if you are otherwise healthy you should not be getting unnecessary surgery. Take the money you would've spent and get a personal trainer to start you off exercising. If you don't get on with him/her, hire someone else until you get someone you click with. If you are going to throw thousands of pounds into losing weight, this is what I would recommend.
  • "Then "cake happens?" 2 Snickers bars are happening for me right now, so what?

    Focus on calories, you're focusing on things that really don't matter. Weight loss is a psychological game. You get frustrated, upset, feel like a failure, you lose. Keep your head on straight. Pick your self up like nothing happens and continue. Many of us have tried to lose weight many times. We have failed many many times, yet eventually we learn from our mistakes, we learn what's works for us and we become successful.

    Weight loss surgery won't work for you. You know why? It doesn't cure the true issue to weight loss/gain. It's psychological not physical. Lets say you get your surgery, and cake comes around, what will happen? You're going to magically pass it up? Doubt it. You'll eat it, probably feel worse, and start a downward spiral back to being over weight.


    Focus on "IMPROVING" your diet, doesn't mean change it. Maybe eat 50% good, and 50% what you usually eat. Learn to cook things you like but a low calorie version. After you have your diet about 50% good, then eat good a bit more, maybe 60% and so on. This doesn't happen over night. Weight loss is about habits, it takes time forum habits.

    Sometimes people ask me "What did you do to lose your weight?" My reply is, "I didn't quit." There is no secret, just patience, and learning from your mistakes, take your time. Weight loss is a skill, the more you practice it the better you get. So put your time in and practice a lot so you get good.


    See guys, the AMAZING thing about WLS is that you can still have a piece of cake ... but just a couple of bites and you are full and maybe, just maybe you will 'dump'. Dumping is a sideffect of eating sweets after having your internal plumbing rerouted - sugars hit, insulin is released, you spiral and end up on a couch passed out somewhere sleeping off a sugar high. It creates a definite adversion to eating any new sweets, limits your starches.

    It's all about limits ... you feel like you are stuff with just a few little bites and youn don't want anymore food!!!! A few bites and you get up and feel like you just ate a turkey Thanksgiviing dinner!! The gastric bypass tool is Awesome!!

    And then what happens when you have not had enough food to sustain your body? A few bites of something is very very low in calories & so not good for your body in the end. Also what happens when you get the band taken off? You go back to your habits that got you there in the 1st place.... cause you have learnt nothing about eating right cause you just think a few bites & I'm full.......


    nope not amazing at all. Give me a FULL meal that really does fill me up & sustain me any day over a few bites

    Before I had my gastric bypass I was on the verge of beginning insulin for type II diabetes, cholesterol and triglycerides were off the charts and had severe arthritis in one knee and in my lower back. Today, along with the low-carb and low-cal diet, my insulin levels are normal, cholesterol and triglycerides are perfect, the arthritis in my knee and my back only act up when I work out too much (before it was all day every day and I took meds all the time). BTW, I didn't have a 'band', I had a gastric bypass and 11 years later it's still here and I am now using my tool properly. I can, unfortunately, attest to the fact that you can definitely eat around the tool and not keep the weight off that you lose, as I gained back 50 of the 117 pounds lost. My point is that, for the first time in my life, I felt SATIATED with just a few bites of anything ... be it cake, steak, whatever. I think it was the first time I could remember ever being truly FULL and happy ... and all it took was a few bites ... of course you graze during the day and don't eat all of your meals at one time so you do get enough food to maintain your body. People with normal sized stomachs always ask me doesn't it bother me that I can never eat an entire steak again (at a sitting)? I just tell them no way, cut it into three pieces (according to the cut), doggie bag it and I eat it for three meals. I have now re-lost that weight and back on the way to my original goal weight. And yes, it is amazing to have this wonderful tool still in my body helping me!
  • chrishgt4
    chrishgt4 Posts: 1,222 Member
    The problem is that for it to work afterwards and for you to keep the weight off, you need to be in the frame of mind to change your lifestyle. But if you were in that frame of mind then you wouldn't need the band in the first place.

    You can lose the weight just as quickly by changing your eating habits so basically it is a band aid over the real problem which is in your head. If you really can't resist eating cake then all that will happen is either you'll get thinner, then as soon as they take it off yo'll get fat again, or you'll just manage to keep eating anyway and not even lose the weight at all.

    There are so many people on here who have lost masses of fat by eating appropriately. Step one is getting your head right.
  • SaraJanePOWER
    SaraJanePOWER Posts: 88 Member
    indeed I am healthy according to an extensive blood work up and physical including ekg.
  • LisaLouisiana
    LisaLouisiana Posts: 145 Member
    I'm not a fan of the surgery. Learning how to eat, meaning what to eat and how much of it and putting yourself first so that you do it is something you need to do. The surgery will take a lot of weight off of you, but it's not something you that will teach you how to eat properly. That, my friend, is the key to it all. That's also the key to keeping the weight off after surgery and there are a lot of people that fail there. Even the surgery is not magic because you're going to have to take care of yourself in the end....one way or another.

    Add me.....I started out with my BMI in the lower 50s (about 52) now I'm "just overweight." I'm proof it can be done and proof it can be done in a healthy way.

    You're here, you're logging and you want this. You've done the number one most important thing you could do - you started!
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    Read as many accounts as possible without ignoring people who have not had successful results or have had negative consequences from the surgery -- all surgeries pose a risk. Get an accurate picture.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    Before getting the surgery, I would suggest you look for all the stories of complications and deaths that have resulted with some people who have had the surgery. I believe I have heard that the death rate among GBP is around 10%, but I could be wrong on that. My point is to read as many possible complication stories as you can, and ask yourself if you are willing to risk having that happen to you.
    Yes, there are many people who have no complications, but there are also many who have died, or have come close to death. Below is a story I found with a complication that I had not heard about before. The article states the complication rate is 40%. If you are willing to risk death or serious life-long complications to lose weight, then so be it, but if you are not in a life-threatening situation with your weight already, then I can't see taking that risk.


    Sandi Krueger of Turlock dropped 120 pounds with weight-loss surgery, but she is hardly a success story.

    The 2002 surgery led to chronic malnutrition and anemia. As the pounds melted away, so did her life.

    With a sunken face and protruding collar bones, she is too weak to work and spends most afternoons on the couch wrapped in a blanket.

    She has thoughts of giving up, but wants to be there for 12-year-old daughter Megan and 19-year-old son Dustin.

    "It's not acceptable leaving me like this," said the 103-pound Krueger, who at 38 looks closer to 50. "I've gone to doctor after doctor and basically they don't help me."

    According to studies on bariatric surgery, patients with long-term complications are in the minority and disastrous outcomes such as Krueger's are rare. But with 200,000 weight-loss surgeries being performed each year, she and other patients believe the long-term complications deserve more attention.

    Krueger's options appear to be running out. Her anemic blood hasn't been responding to iron shots and she was told last month that she can't have the gastric bypass reversed.

    "This isn't a life," said Robert De Kasha, her brother. "If she doesn't find an answer, she is just going to fade away."

    Spurred by a national epidemic of obesity, bariatric surgery has become a standard of care for people with weight-related health issues. It has improved the lives of people who suffered from diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and other issues, experts say. No one is sure why some bariatric patients fare better than others.

    The stomach-shrinking surgery has risks, such as leaks that can cause life-threatening infections, hernias and bowel obstructions. After the surgery, patients are expected to follow nutritional and lifestyle guidelines to achieve weight loss and avoid trouble with their altered digestive tracts.

    Most patients will have "dumping syndrome" at some point, when food passes too quickly from the tiny stomach pouch into the small intestine. Because the stomach hasn't broken down the food, the person gets a rush of blood sugar, rapid heartbeat, sweating and nausea.

    Other patients may have iron and vitamin B-12 deficiencies years after surgery. All bariatric patients need to take vitamin supplements for life.

    A nationwide study released in 2006 concluded that bariatric surgery complications are common. By examining insurance claims for 2,522 surgeries, researchers with the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found that 40 percent of patients had complications in the six months after surgery, about double the rate in previous studies.

    The complications ranged from the minor to the severe, including dumping syndrome, problems with the bariatric connections, hernias, infections and pneumonia. Post-surgery problems sent 18 percent of patients back to the hospital, some for costly readmissions or corrective surgery.

    Read more here: http://www.modbee.com/2009/01/25/576733/weight-loss-surgerys-complications.html#storylink=cpy
  • if you are looking into going into surgery. have you looked into Lap-band? thats what i did. why less extream. and its not as dangerious. it has way less complications in the furture.
  • eileenchristine
    eileenchristine Posts: 228 Member
    Am repeating what others have said. Having the surgery does not make you weak or less of a person. You are divine as you are! I don't have insurance or I would certainly be considering the surgery! So I am making a commitment to log honestly daily. And its working! Have had a steady loss since joining end of Sept. I need to work on my exercise! I know that but for now I am losing so will work on exercise in the future. That will be a big commitment decision for me. Enough about me.

    If you are looking for more friends feel free to add me. I belong to an awesome group here who motivate, do challenges, and are kind to each other. Its very helpful.

    Didn't do well yesterday. I had chips! But not that many and my calories were still decent. Today is a new day! Yeah! i am enjoying this journey.

    Am off to finish my brick patio! Bricks are in (my son did that part). Need to finish sanding and then fix the berm and plant my stuff! I like digging and love gardening but getting up and down from my knees is tough! Am hoping to have lost 45 lbs by March so gardening will be so much easier.

    Blessings,
    Christine
  • Just remember the REAL problem is not your digestive system nor the size of your stomach. Yes, you can absolutely lose the weight with WLS but I've seen enough WLS failures to know that I really need to fix what's broken, not mess around with my plumbing that's working just fine.
  • annwyatt69
    annwyatt69 Posts: 727 Member
    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)

    I have had gastric bypass surgery. I went through a year of counseling, work with the dietitian, medical tests, etc. before it was done. Anyone who believes this is the easy way out is WRONG. The easy way, for an otherwise healthy person, is to learn to eat a healthy diet and begin a medically supervised exercise program. I only had the surgery because of severe underlying conditions. The work you do before and after the surgery is 150% harder than anything you will do without it! Make sure if you choose this path, you are educated about the process and what will happen after. The vitamins are necessary for the rest of your life too. And you will NEVER eat a full meal on a regular sized plate again. Your focus will be on protein and getting in the water needed to keep from dehydrating on a daily basis. Not an easy thing to do when your stomach is walnut sized. Oh, if you "cheat" and eat the wrong thing, dumping syndrome is a nightmare upon itself--you will feel like you are having a heart attack and wish that that last little dime sized morsel you just ate didn't happen. And other times, you take one bite too much and the "elevator" will come up. Not a good thing to happen when you are sitting in the middle of a busy restaurant or at the dinner table with you family.
    I will argue with anyone who says that WLS is the easy way out. Obviously you don't know because you have not lived there. I can't tell you how many times I would love to be able to eat a salad, or a piece of steak. If you think it's easy, think again!
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
    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.

    There is one thing you must come to understand...it's that yes, Cake Happens! Losing weight and maintaining that weight loss does not mean you have to never ever eat cake again. What it means is that you have to learn how to eat cake in moderation.. That's it.

    Go ahead, have some cake. Eat one slice and then stop. Don't rely on willpower, rely on action. Willpower will have you resisting and resisting to eat more cake until you snap and eat way too much. Action helps you stop all that. What do I mean by Action? After you eat that slice of cake, put the rest away. Go brush your teeth. Leave your house or wherever you're at and go take a walk. Find something else to do. Take Action. The urge to eat more cake will pass, it always does.

    Prior to understanding this I felt much like you do, that if I eat some cake then eff it the whole day is shot so I might as well go whole hog and just overeat the rest of the day. But I have learned I can eat whatever I want in moderation. I now eat whatever I want, even peanut butter! That used to be one of my trigger foods. I just had potato chips with my breakfast. Prior to learning how to eat in moderation I would have had half the bag, but now I can actually eat just a serving of chips and then stop.

    Whether or not you should have surgery is up to you, just consider that if you have the surgery you must learn how to eat properly anyway. If I were you I would try to do that and see how much I could lose on my own before making such a drastic decision.
  • dan09554
    dan09554 Posts: 327 Member
    I had gastric bypass in feb 09. Lost a grand total of 142 lbs. I went from 343 to 201. I had zero complications. I never exercised. Weight continued to pour off. I felt great. All my medical problems went away. Diabetes, sleep apnea and asthma. I could do no wrong.
    I was a bus driver, so most of my days were spent sitting behind the wheel. I started to put weight back on. All tolled, I put back 44 lbs. I'm now back down to 202lbs. But I've stopped taking the surgery for granted....It IS just a tool. I watch closely what I eat. I walk every day....Started doing cheater push ups. With the support and tools MFP and all the people on here, I will reach my goal weight.
    My wife just had gastric bypass in july....She is down 72 lbs.

    For me, it was a good decision.....You, and only you can make the decision for you. Ask questions......Get multiple medical opinions and decide.

    Good luck!
    You can ask me anything you want....please, feel free

    Dan
  • chocl8girl
    chocl8girl Posts: 1,968 Member
    Opinions are like *kitten*; everyone has one. They don't matter. What matters is what YOU want, and what you and your doctors think is the right thing for you.

    There are pros and cons to everything we do in life.

    For myself, I had lap band surgery last December, and, FOR ME, it was the best decision I ever made. It is a tool that I am using to help me make the internal changes that I need to make, nothing more. NOT an easy way out, NOT a quick fix or even a solution, it is a tool that *I* have to choose to use correctly, or not, and I will not allow anyone else to try and guilt me into feeling like I am less than because I needed this type of help to finally change what I needed to change all along.
  • dan09554
    dan09554 Posts: 327 Member
    Opinions are like *kitten*; everyone has one. They don't matter. What matters is what YOU want, and what you and your doctors think is the right thing for you.

    There are pros and cons to everything we do in life.

    For myself, I had lap band surgery last December, and, FOR ME, it was the best decision I ever made. It is a tool that I am using to help me make the internal changes that I need to make, nothing more. NOT an easy way out, NOT a quick fix or even a solution, it is a tool that *I* have to choose to use correctly, or not, and I will not allow anyone else to try and guilt me into feeling like I am less than because I needed this type of help to finally change what I needed to change all along.

    Well said!
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    "Then "cake happens?" 2 Snickers bars are happening for me right now, so what?

    Focus on calories, you're focusing on things that really don't matter. Weight loss is a psychological game. You get frustrated, upset, feel like a failure, you lose. Keep your head on straight. Pick your self up like nothing happens and continue. Many of us have tried to lose weight many times. We have failed many many times, yet eventually we learn from our mistakes, we learn what's works for us and we become successful.

    Weight loss surgery won't work for you. You know why? It doesn't cure the true issue to weight loss/gain. It's psychological not physical. Lets say you get your surgery, and cake comes around, what will happen? You're going to magically pass it up? Doubt it. You'll eat it, probably feel worse, and start a downward spiral back to being over weight.


    Focus on "IMPROVING" your diet, doesn't mean change it. Maybe eat 50% good, and 50% what you usually eat. Learn to cook things you like but a low calorie version. After you have your diet about 50% good, then eat good a bit more, maybe 60% and so on. This doesn't happen over night. Weight loss is about habits, it takes time forum habits.

    Sometimes people ask me "What did you do to lose your weight?" My reply is, "I didn't quit." There is no secret, just patience, and learning from your mistakes, take your time. Weight loss is a skill, the more you practice it the better you get. So put your time in and practice a lot so you get good.


    See guys, the AMAZING thing about WLS is that you can still have a piece of cake ... but just a couple of bites and you are full and maybe, just maybe you will 'dump'. Dumping is a sideffect of eating sweets after having your internal plumbing rerouted - sugars hit, insulin is released, you spiral and end up on a couch passed out somewhere sleeping off a sugar high. It creates a definite adversion to eating any new sweets, limits your starches.

    It's all about limits ... you feel like you are stuff with just a few little bites and youn don't want anymore food!!!! A few bites and you get up and feel like you just ate a turkey Thanksgiviing dinner!! The gastric bypass tool is Awesome!!

    And then what happens when you have not had enough food to sustain your body? A few bites of something is very very low in calories & so not good for your body in the end. Also what happens when you get the band taken off? You go back to your habits that got you there in the 1st place.... cause you have learnt nothing about eating right cause you just think a few bites & I'm full.......


    nope not amazing at all. Give me a FULL meal that really does fill me up & sustain me any day over a few bites

    He is not talking about the band. He referred to 'dumping' which is a RNY problem. There are many types of WLS out there. If you aren't informed enough to even get that little thing right, then don't try to answer. /sigh

    The band is indeed one of the highest failure rate surgeries, and a few places have stopped doing them. BUT, I know a lot of peeps who've done the RNY or Gastrectomy and had a lot of success.

    While it's true that you do have to watch what you eat, most programs have incredible training before you go in, and most have at least a year of aftercare, which includes psycologists, nutritionists and very supervised Dr. visits.

    I know people here don't believe in surgery. After all, if you're not 100% crying miserable, weight loss doesn't count, right?

    Ridiculous
  • dr2k12
    dr2k12 Posts: 291 Member
    "Then "cake happens?" 2 Snickers bars are happening for me right now, so what?

    Focus on calories, you're focusing on things that really don't matter. Weight loss is a psychological game. You get frustrated, upset, feel like a failure, you lose. Keep your head on straight. Pick your self up like nothing happens and continue. Many of us have tried to lose weight many times. We have failed many many times, yet eventually we learn from our mistakes, we learn what's works for us and we become successful.

    Weight loss surgery won't work for you. You know why? It doesn't cure the true issue to weight loss/gain. It's psychological not physical. Lets say you get your surgery, and cake comes around, what will happen? You're going to magically pass it up? Doubt it. You'll eat it, probably feel worse, and start a downward spiral back to being over weight.


    Focus on "IMPROVING" your diet, doesn't mean change it. Maybe eat 50% good, and 50% what you usually eat. Learn to cook things you like but a low calorie version. After you have your diet about 50% good, then eat good a bit more, maybe 60% and so on. This doesn't happen over night. Weight loss is about habits, it takes time forum habits.

    Sometimes people ask me "What did you do to lose your weight?" My reply is, "I didn't quit." There is no secret, just patience, and learning from your mistakes, take your time. Weight loss is a skill, the more you practice it the better you get. So put your time in and practice a lot so you get good.


    See guys, the AMAZING thing about WLS is that you can still have a piece of cake ... but just a couple of bites and you are full and maybe, just maybe you will 'dump'. Dumping is a sideffect of eating sweets after having your internal plumbing rerouted - sugars hit, insulin is released, you spiral and end up on a couch passed out somewhere sleeping off a sugar high. It creates a definite adversion to eating any new sweets, limits your starches.

    It's all about limits ... you feel like you are stuff with just a few little bites and youn don't want anymore food!!!! A few bites and you get up and feel like you just ate a turkey Thanksgiviing dinner!! The gastric bypass tool is Awesome!!

    And then what happens when you have not had enough food to sustain your body? A few bites of something is very very low in calories & so not good for your body in the end. Also what happens when you get the band taken off? You go back to your habits that got you there in the 1st place.... cause you have learnt nothing about eating right cause you just think a few bites & I'm full.......


    nope not amazing at all. Give me a FULL meal that really does fill me up & sustain me any day over a few bites

    He is not talking about the band. He referred to 'dumping' which is a RNY problem. There are many types of WLS out there. If you aren't informed enough to even get that little thing right, then don't try to answer. /sigh

    The band is indeed one of the highest failure rate surgeries, and a few places have stopped doing them. BUT, I know a lot of peeps who've done the RNY or Gastrectomy and had a lot of success.

    While it's true that you do have to watch what you eat, most programs have incredible training before you go in, and most have at least a year of aftercare, which includes psycologists, nutritionists and very supervised Dr. visits.

    I know people here don't believe in surgery. After all, if you're not 100% crying miserable, weight loss doesn't count, right?

    Ridiculous

    Educating yourself and picking the right "team" with the most to offer is so important. I am so fortunate that in Boston we have some of the most successful programs in the US (or world actually) and my surgical and before/after care team are just rock-stars in the field...

    They are there for me for everything, the before program took over a year, the after program lasts two-three mandatory and then as long as I want electively...

    If you commit to using the surgery as a tool in changing your lifestyle, the odds are in your favor. If you think you are going to just get the surgery, not change your eating habits and fitness routine then you will lose weight anyway for a year or so, and then kablam gradually get back to where you were...

    That is just my opinion based on my experience for whatever that is worth...
  • It needs to be a personal choice. I personally had lap band surgery, but I thought about it for 3 yrs before I did it. I was 266 lbs when I had my surgery in 2009. I now weigh 200 lbs. It is not a quick fix. I still have 50 lbs to go. I have not lost for 1 year. I have come to realize I need to exercise to kick start my metabolism. I am walking 2-3 times per week. Hopefully I will begin to lose again and reach my goal. Just remember if you choose wls you have to be willing to follow their recommendations. If you do not, you will gain the weight back, my husband did just that. WLS is not the answer for everyone!
  • pwnderosa
    pwnderosa Posts: 280 Member
    My mother and husband both had it done many years ago. From watching their struggles, I would NOT recommend this for anyone who didn't absolutely need it. Both of them lost a significant amount of weight but there are serious long-term side effects and they have been life threatening to my husband, who has has been in the hospital for a very bad sudden ulcer that almost got him several years ago, and now is trying to fix severe anemia resulting from not absorbing iron in his food. His hemoglobin had gotten so low that he was gradually getting sicker without realizing it and his doctors were all amazed he survived!! In his case, he doesn't regret having the surgery but he was about 500lbs when he had it and honestly felt that the weight might kill him. Please don't take the decision lightly though if you don't have serious complications from your weight. He can't reverse his surgery and he will be dealing with the side effects for the rest of his life.

    Also, though he has lost over 200lbs, he is still very overweight and still suffers complications from his weight. As people have mentioned the surgery does nothing to address cravings and willpower and you can definitely eat enough to gain weight or stay heavy after. Whatever you decide, try to learn as much as possible about your doctor and the particular surgery you are thinking of beforehand.
  • "Then "cake happens?" 2 Snickers bars are happening for me right now, so what?

    Focus on calories, you're focusing on things that really don't matter. Weight loss is a psychological game. You get frustrated, upset, feel like a failure, you lose. Keep your head on straight. Pick your self up like nothing happens and continue. Many of us have tried to lose weight many times. We have failed many many times, yet eventually we learn from our mistakes, we learn what's works for us and we become successful.

    Weight loss surgery won't work for you. You know why? It doesn't cure the true issue to weight loss/gain. It's psychological not physical. Lets say you get your surgery, and cake comes around, what will happen? You're going to magically pass it up? Doubt it. You'll eat it, probably feel worse, and start a downward spiral back to being over weight.


    Focus on "IMPROVING" your diet, doesn't mean change it. Maybe eat 50% good, and 50% what you usually eat. Learn to cook things you like but a low calorie version. After you have your diet about 50% good, then eat good a bit more, maybe 60% and so on. This doesn't happen over night. Weight loss is about habits, it takes time forum habits.

    Sometimes people ask me "What did you do to lose your weight?" My reply is, "I didn't quit." There is no secret, just patience, and learning from your mistakes, take your time. Weight loss is a skill, the more you practice it the better you get. So put your time in and practice a lot so you get good.


    See guys, the AMAZING thing about WLS is that you can still have a piece of cake ... but just a couple of bites and you are full and maybe, just maybe you will 'dump'. Dumping is a sideffect of eating sweets after having your internal plumbing rerouted - sugars hit, insulin is released, you spiral and end up on a couch passed out somewhere sleeping off a sugar high. It creates a definite adversion to eating any new sweets, limits your starches.

    It's all about limits ... you feel like you are stuff with just a few little bites and youn don't want anymore food!!!! A few bites and you get up and feel like you just ate a turkey Thanksgiviing dinner!! The gastric bypass tool is Awesome!!

    And then what happens when you have not had enough food to sustain your body? A few bites of something is very very low in calories & so not good for your body in the end. Also what happens when you get the band taken off? You go back to your habits that got you there in the 1st place.... cause you have learnt nothing about eating right cause you just think a few bites & I'm full.......


    nope not amazing at all. Give me a FULL meal that really does fill me up & sustain me any day over a few bites

    He is not talking about the band. He referred to 'dumping' which is a RNY problem. There are many types of WLS out there. If you aren't informed enough to even get that little thing right, then don't try to answer. /sigh

    The band is indeed one of the highest failure rate surgeries, and a few places have stopped doing them. BUT, I know a lot of peeps who've done the RNY or Gastrectomy and had a lot of success.

    While it's true that you do have to watch what you eat, most programs have incredible training before you go in, and most have at least a year of aftercare, which includes psycologists, nutritionists and very supervised Dr. visits.

    I know people here don't believe in surgery. After all, if you're not 100% crying miserable, weight loss doesn't count, right?

    Ridiculous

    And yes, you are correct, I (a she) was referring to the RNY and not the band ... thank you for your pointing out that the poster obviously wasn't very versed in the surgeries. Obesity tends to run in our family and several of us have had different procedures - the lapband being the least successful, with the latest one being the gastric sleeve. The jury is still out on that one ... but the RNY has the best results so far. Again, thanks for your clarification. I too believe in surgery ... it's not the EASY way out, it's still hard, and you will have to monitor your health for the rest of your life (as everyone should anyway), but I would never go back and give up my RNY TOOL.
  • why take ALL the risks involved with surgery when slow and steady will work. It is still a matter of changing your lifestyle. I know ppl who have had the surgery and didn't change there habits and it was a waste of time and money.
  • Chewster001
    Chewster001 Posts: 201 Member
    My mother and husband both had it done many years ago. From watching their struggles, I would NOT recommend this for anyone who didn't absolutely need it. Both of them lost a significant amount of weight but there are serious long-term side effects and they have been life threatening to my husband, who has has been in the hospital for a very bad sudden ulcer that almost got him several years ago, and now is trying to fix severe anemia resulting from not absorbing iron in his food. His hemoglobin had gotten so low that he was gradually getting sicker without realizing it and his doctors were all amazed he survived!! In his case, he doesn't regret having the surgery but he was about 500lbs when he had it and honestly felt that the weight might kill him. Please don't take the decision lightly though if you don't have serious complications from your weight. He can't reverse his surgery and he will be dealing with the side effects for the rest of his life.

    Also, though he has lost over 200lbs, he is still very overweight and still suffers complications from his weight. As people have mentioned the surgery does nothing to address cravings and willpower and you can definitely eat enough to gain weight or stay heavy after. Whatever you decide, try to learn as much as possible about your doctor and the particular surgery you are thinking of beforehand.

    ^This.

    And this: http://www.scribd.com/doc/13236518/Complications-of-General-Anesthesia-Summary
  • ferrytrip
    ferrytrip Posts: 497 Member
    You need to research it yourself but I do have three co-workers that had the procedure done. One has put all her weight back on, the other two are cold all the time, have gained some weight back especially in the thighs & butt and there is a long list of foods that they cannot eat.
  • cherbapp
    cherbapp Posts: 322
    Read the long term (8-10+years out) experiences....most tell of complications and weight regain...most...not all, of course there are exceptions.

    The short term (had it last year...) experiences are mostly positive. They are still losing even....but beware...this is a lifetime decision.

    I had gastric bypass surgery in 2003...lost 108 pounds. Not the easy way no, because you throw up and all that. But no real effort was required. I regained 53 pounds because I never really tried. Sure I had good intentions...and tried at first...but hello...I got fat in the first place...I was doing it again. Yes if the cake is calling your name, you CAN still eat it. Surgery makes you puke it back up the first couple years. Oh yay. And yes you can eat a whole entire plate of food and drink pop with it again. Surgery does not fix your brain. You can out eat the surgery. Your stomach stretches back out if you don't fix your brain. You are then left in a worse position than before surgery. I have anemia from lack of iron...ulcers from stomach issues...vitamin deficiencies...all which I have to keep on top of or I can't exercise without getting dizzy. Nice.

    You can fix your brain without surgery. I seriously wish I had. This time I have lost over 70 pounds with counting calories in and exercising as many of those calories out as I possibly can.

    I still have bad days where my brain has a relapse and I eat everything. But it's a slow process to fix that thing. Lol. Sadly I coulda started on it 9 years ago. But I feel like surgery only prolonged the inevitable reality that I needed to work on my head. Not my stomach.
  • caitlyn30
    caitlyn30 Posts: 207 Member
    Tell me again why I should NOT have gastric bypass surgery :

    because once you get started with this - you will realize how easy it really is. don't cheat when you write down your meals just write them down, and stay under. be patient. took awhile to put it on, won't come off over night. surgery costs money, this does not. with this you can still eat what you want... in moderation. with surgery, not sure if you can do that. If I crave something, I want it, and I will make it fit into my day.

    whether you do surgery or not, you are still going to have to follow a plan. personally, I think THIS is the easy way, and SURGERY is the hard way.