Talking to a friend considering Gastric Bypass?

My neighbor had the lap band done a few years ago. I don't know if they're doing it different now, but before she could have it done, she had to go through a diet plan to prove that "diets" weren't working for her, then the bariatric doctor and her insurance required her to go through a psych eval, several seminars about the procedure, meet with a registered dietician, and be on a pre surgical diet plan to show that she could follow the food plan.
Well, after about 6 months, she stopped losing and couldn't figure out why, we went to dinner one night to catch up on things and I was amazed at how much more she ate than she had right after the surgery (she ate more than I did!) Well, she decided (I did not agree with her on this and told her so) that she would not go in for the fill on the band until she lost the weight that she gained (that was almost two years ago) because she didn't want the doctor to know how much weight she gained. Every so often she says something about her weight and that she's going to go back on the eating plan they gave her when she first had the surgery, I don't think it lasts long because she hasn't lost any weight....
So, to me your friend should be really committed to it if she's going to do it because otherwise, she's going to waste a whole lot of time, discomfort, and money for nothing.

Hrm, I don't buy the whole "doesn't have the self discipline" thing...... I always thought that too until the right motivator came along. For me it was a stroke that made my decision. Eat better and take care of my body or die.

It was the best thing that ever happened to me and I've healed with FAR less side effects than I would have suffered from a gastric bypass.

Your friends can go ahead and have that gastric bypass but if she hasn't learned "self discipline" or worked through why she got that heavy in the first place she's going to be right back where she started pretty quickly and with all the nasty side effects as a bonus.

A good friend of mine had lapband surgery a couple of years ago. She's lost maybe 20 kgs since then, but has had nothing but problems. She can't enjoy food, because or bad reflux and tends to vomit anything solid (can't eat meat, or bread, or pasta - but as she said, she can still force down chocolate and icecream, so the weight has started creeping back up). She's also prone to taking weight loss pills that send her BP skyrocketing (and high BP is why she was recommended for surgery in the first place).

Anyway, long story short, she is having more surgery in the next couple of months to fix the band,cos it is apparently dodgy. Why she doesn't get it removed is beyond me (I told her about MFP but she doesn't think she has the discipline to count calories).

It worries me, but I'm not her mother.

I started this at 5'7" and 386 pounds. At that level of obesity, diet and exercise no longer work.

Diet and exercise would have worked, assuming there were no medical issues holding you back. The surgery simply makes you eat less, so eating less would have cause the weight loss with or without the surgery. Caloric deficit.

I was a RNYGB early-adopter: 1980, to be precise. It's a fairly effective tool for weight loss the first year or so, but you can definitely out-eat it. Plus, years later there may be ill consequences due to nutritional deficiencies. Many of these procedures bypass the point of absorption for iron, calcium, vitamin B12, etc. For instance, a high blood alkaline phosphatase level is common, and indicative of bone problems. These are things people rarely think about when they are in pain due to morbid obesity. But, years later you may only have problems relating to your surgery, and no advantage to keeping your weight in check.

Edit: for bad syntax.

In my opinion, most of the time Gastric Bypass is for people who want to lose weight but don't want to put any effort in. They would have BETTER results from proper diet and exercise. There is one exception I know of and she is here on MFP and WORKED HER *kitten* OFF in a gym and by eating clean. She's lost over 230lbs.

GB teaches them nothing about being healthy, good food habits and exercise. Every person I have known to have it has either died as a result of over-eating post op or gained back ALL of their weight.

Bad Choice, in my opinion...

As someone else said above, this is a TOOL, not the be all end all.

I had the gastric sleeve in May 12 and have lost 102 pounds so far. I eat well (I knew how to eat well before, I just didn't) and I exercise a minimum 90 minutes 5-6/days a week. Like any tool, it's how you use it. Yes, if you don't want to put in the effort, it won't be successful, but if you use it properly, make the changes you need to (including, the mental ones), then it can be life changing. No regrets for me at all. Having this tool enabled me to deal with the emotional/mental issues behind the eating. The physical part was a piece of cake compared to that.

As ever, people post on here about WLS being the "easy way" out, lording their "natural" weight loss over the "unnatural". That's ignorance about the reality of WLS.

If your friend is educated about her options and is willing to make the changes she needs to, then support her in her decision. This is no easy journey, WLS or not.

I do not regret mine at all. It made me feel like a normal person. I had a humungous appetite and it took that away. I had mine 11 years ago, and had 3 kids after the surgery. It is her decision ultimately. No matter which way you try and lose weight none of the options are easy, I don't care what anyone says. Everyone has their own experience with it. It is no one's decision but hers. Once I made the decision to do it, there was absolutely no stopping me. I met my husband when I was at my heaviest and he even tried talking me out of it but he failed. I can gain weight now and that is why I am here but I never gained it all back, even in the height of my pregnancies. I am now within normal weight range and have changed my eating habits entirely. Her journey is her own. It was a very good decision for me at that point in my life.

I considered having the surgary. I went to a vascular doctor because of severe swelling my my legs from blood clots. I am 5'1 and weighed 345 pounds. The doctor wanted me to have the surgery to get a lot of weight off my legs quickly before my legs started forming sores that would not heal. They sent me an email telling me about the different surgeries. After talking it over with my husband [who was willing to support any diecision I made] and talking to my friends of MFP not to mention lots of prayer I decided against it. I already have so many health problems that my fear was a stoke leaving me unable to care for myself and my husband could not stay home from work to care for me so I would have ended up in a nursing home. I called my doctor and told them to set a plan up for me to lose weight and call me. When they called I went to talk to the doctor to weigh in for the first time. The doctor put me on a 1200 calorie diet with only a trace of sodium. Also no diet or carbonated drinks. The first month I lost 17 pounds which threw all medicine levels out of range. I now have my daily medicine back the way it needs to be and to date I have lost 39 pounds in five months. I am feeling much better, I can walk a lot better.

I don't put anybody down if that is the route they decide to take but for me it was way to risky for me to take the chance. Best of luck to you and your friend. I pray she makes the decision that is right for HER.
Kaye

:flowerforyou: you sound like a true friend that is very scared for her. i am in the process of having surgery. my insurance made me wait 6 months to think about this procedure & read up on it. i personally know of several friends who had it & have done great. drs. make you go through psychological testing before they even consider you as a surgery pt. i have gone through 21/2 hrs. of testing before i could be considered. i also had to go as out-pt at the hospital for a upper gi,, chest x-ray, blood gas test (abg), labs,ultrasound, cardiac testing, pulmonary testing , nutrition session, anesthesia session & surgical. there are 5 group sessions you have to attend with ones that are going to have surgery & those who have already had it. 2 weeks prior to surgery, 2 weeks post surgery, 3 mos. after surgery, 6 mos. after surgery & 12 mos. after surgery. they also teach you at these sessions behavioral strategies, activities scheduling, meal planning & how to adjust to new eating behaviors, exercise, social support enhancement, communication, challenging unhelpful thought patterns & goal settings. a person does not just have surgery! it comes with all of the above. the dr. then decides if you are a candidate for surgery. it is truly a long process. i feel like your friend after knowing the commitment that she will have to make should make the right choice.

There is a great documentary series free on Youtube called My 600 pound life where they followed bariatric surgery patients for 7 years.

It makes me very grateful that I don't need this to lose weight so far. However, if once I reach goal I find I simply cannot maintain a healthy weight I will consider the surgery.

You should be aware that these patients had someone who might well be one of the best surgeons in the world do their surgery. The mortality and complications rate is much higher for less experienced surgeons so the most important thing your friend can do if she does decide to go this route is to find the very best surgeon available, someone who has done thousands of these. And then ask lots of questions about mortality rate and complications.