? for those who need to lose 85 lbs +

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underthecherrytree
underthecherrytree Posts: 532 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
If you had the opportunity to have gastric bypass completely free, would you do it? Why or why not? My friend just found out her insurance covers her 100% since she has a bmi of 48 and is considering doing it.

For me, I am not sure if I would or not because I feel capable enough of losing it through diet and exercise. If I was at a point where exercise was near impossible for me, then definitely.
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  • deprek
    deprek Posts: 101 Member
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    I've given thought to this before but ultimately came to the conclusion I would not.

    My reason being that even with the surgery, you have to make changes in your life. You have to change the way you eat. You need to exercise. It has to be a lifetime commitment. So I guess my main thought is if you are willing to do it for the surgery, then why not do it without the surgery.
  • ajhugz
    ajhugz Posts: 452 Member
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    I wouldn't do it because its not going to teach you how to eat. i know someone you gained their weight back even after having the surgery.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
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    No, I wouldn't. At least not at this point. Quite honestly I must say that right now I don't believe I have the self-control to maintain it forever afterward. I'm doing it (weight loss) this way with MFP and eating a calorie deficit and exercising in order to take the time to teach myself. Once I've done that, I won't "NEED" gastric bypass surgery anymore.
  • groversa
    groversa Posts: 450 Member
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    I think it would be very very tempting, but I don't think I would. I would MUCH RATHER tell people I worked my butt off to get where I want to be rather than saying I got surgery.
  • TerriAnne53
    TerriAnne53 Posts: 197 Member
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    I've given thought to this before but ultimately came to the conclusion I would not.

    My reason being that even with the surgery, you have to make changes in your life. You have to change the way you eat. You need to exercise. It has to be a lifetime commitment. So I guess my main thought is if you are willing to do it for the surgery, then why not do it without the surgery.
    I totally agree with this lady. Everyone can chose to change. and you need to change your habits and take care of yourself.
  • highcountrymama
    highcountrymama Posts: 19 Member
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    I went through the class in November and I'll have to tell you that it's tempting. To me its a medical response to a medical problem. When I was turned down by my insurance, I resigned myself to just be fat and die early.

    Fast forward to today. I quit Weight Watchers and started here. I'm doing 10,000 steps per day and trying to stay right around 1,300 calories and the weight is coming off. I am profoundly hypo-thyroid, even with medication, and didn't think it was possible, but I'm losing about two pounds per week.

    Thank goodness I was turned down. I can do this. Your friend can, too!
  • Aarjono
    Aarjono Posts: 228 Member
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    I wouldn't at this point for myself. I have considered it in the past and hopefully won't have to consider it if all goes well with my effort this time around.

    My sister had Roux-en-y and has since started having terrible, debilitating low blood sugar problems, which they are finding is a long term side effect that is showing up about 5yrs out. Plus since you essentially have no stomach, many medications can't be taken or don't work correctly because they can't be absorbed correctly.
  • RoadsterGirlie
    RoadsterGirlie Posts: 1,195 Member
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    No way in effing hell.

    And yes, I could have been a candidate. Oyvey...
  • wikitbikit
    wikitbikit Posts: 518 Member
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    I don't have any particular health problems beyond being fat and pre- All Sorts of Terrible Things, so no, I wouldn't do it. Surgery of any type is a big deal, potentially fatal. I am not yet in a position where it's any kind of life or death thing.

    My cousin had ... some sort of surgery done about a year ago. She could barely walk anymore, needed knee surgery... but her doctor wouldn't operate on her knees because she was too fat. He wanted her to exercise to lose weight so he could do the surgery, but she couldn't exercise enough to make any headway with her weight because her knees were so bad... and around and around. Other parts of her health were suffering and it was pretty much coming down to a life or death thing for her. It made sense that she had it done, to me.

    She looks great now and can walk and exercise and all that, but food is still a very weird thing for her. She can't eat much quantity-wise, and on top of that, there are a lot of things she can't eat period, no matter the quantity. For a really long time she couldn't stand to drink water because it had acquired a very specific, unpleasant taste to her. So... it hasn't been fun and games for her, but her quality of life is SO much better, and it's not something she would have been able to accomplish without the surgery.
  • NewCaddy
    NewCaddy Posts: 845 Member
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    I've given thought to this before but ultimately came to the conclusion I would not.

    My reason being that even with the surgery, you have to make changes in your life. You have to change the way you eat. You need to exercise. It has to be a lifetime commitment. So I guess my main thought is if you are willing to do it for the surgery, then why not do it without the surgery.

    I agree with this. I've known 3 different people who thought it was a quick fix. They all successfully lost the weight, but because they weren't committed to the changes you have to make, the weight is back on.
  • lostinthe619
    lostinthe619 Posts: 98
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    Nope, my roommate's ex-gf had it done, she didn't bother learning how to eat correctly and gained all the weight right back after losing it. Meanwhile at the same time I had lost my first 70lbs by eating right and working out hard. I feel that for some people that there's no other choice but to get it done, others try to use it as the easy way out.
  • Dianescraps
    Dianescraps Posts: 84
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    Nope, it's not for me at all. I hate having any surgeries.
  • blink1021
    blink1021 Posts: 1,118 Member
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    No not for me all the problems you can have from it. May be if it was death or have it I would consider it, but right now diet and exercise are for me .
  • Celeigh12
    Celeigh12 Posts: 763 Member
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    I'm so glad I didn't, though I don't judge those who do. I figure either way I was going to have to tackle my food demons and learn how to live healthily with food. I'm grateful I was able to do so without rerouting my insides!
  • MumOfADuo
    MumOfADuo Posts: 294 Member
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    Nope mostly because I have lost weight before so I know I can DO it...its just I stop at some point.....I have a couple friends that have had it done over the years and they have gained the weight back.....for me its also about all the feelings of worthlessness and feelings of failure that I have allowed to creep into my head over the years...if I chose to have the surgery, I would yet again feel like I couldnt even figure out how to lose weight.....we CAN do this....there is no magic to it.....:flowerforyou:
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
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    Simple answer: No

    Another person wrote "My reason being that even with the surgery, you have to make changes in your life. You have to change the way you eat. You need to exercise. It has to be a lifetime commitment. So I guess my main thought is if you are willing to do it for the surgery, then why not do it without the surgery."

    This is SO true. I do know a lot depends on circumstances. My place does the surgery & I fit the bill for it, went to a few seminars about it, at the time they were pushing the band (now it's vertical sleeve & roux en y). I have type 2, HTN & had bouts of heartburn and the BMI/weight that would allow the surgery.

    I have 2 cousins that had the surgery, lost the weight, doing fine....BUT.....

    I code medical records for a living. I see the complications that can happen with bariatric surgery. Not saying it will happen to everyone (heck, there are complications that can happen with something as simple as T&A, cholecystectomies and herniorrhaphies) but I was not willing to take the chance. I wanted to do it on my own, learning to eat properly, not having any issues with eating certain foods and not risking complications during or after surgery. Most bariatric surgeons require you to lose x amount of weight prior to the surgery anyhow, so why not just continue that loss on your own.

    Just my thoughts here.
  • cookiealbright
    cookiealbright Posts: 605 Member
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    No, I would not. I think I like to do things myself and be in control. Today is my birthday and I ate alot, had some drinks, with the surgery you have no choices. You just can't eat that much ever. Monday, I'm back on the wagon. My grandchildren's mother is getting the surgery and I'm afraid for her. She is so young and to be altering your body like that at such a young age is scarey to me, there's no going back. Her mother had the surgery, she was very heavy and could not excercise because she has MS so that was a different story and it seems like it's working well for her. I guess it depends on your situation, but for me...no. :flowerforyou:
  • aliann30
    aliann30 Posts: 291 Member
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    nope nope nope! I've known several people who have gotten the sleeve (became VERY popular in the office I used to work at), and a few who have had gastric bypass. As strict as their diet is, and it's SUPPOSED to be for the rest of their life (though I know one who doesn't follow it at all and suffers for it), why go through all that if you can be just as disciplined and lose it in a healthy way that does not permanently alter your anatomy for the rest of your life? Doing it with no surgery I can treat myself to cake on my birthday and not have a date with the porcelain throne afterward. I can drink at the same time as my meal (not having to wait 30 min afterward), I can drink as much coffee as I want, I can eat nuts and apples with the skin. Oh, and if you don't eat enough protein and exercise after the surgery you will lose a dangerous amount of muscle mass. So when you decide that you're "skinny" enough and think that you can start eating like a normal person, and the pounds start to pack back on, you will be severely worse off than you were before you had the surgery because your body composition will be mostly fat and very little muscle.

    THINNER does NOT equal healthier if you're not ready for a healthy lifestyle.
  • makelith34
    makelith34 Posts: 1
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    i would not either; my doctor wants me to do it but i did a lot of research and found even though many lose a lot of of weight at first a great many people end up gaining a fair amount of weight back and not just people who can't make the life change; i read many accounts of folks who completely changed their lifestyle, are following all of the requirements and still gained back a significant portion of their weight that they lost in the beginning.
  • agoofynut
    agoofynut Posts: 101 Member
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    I had given it a LOT of thought. Had a close friend have it done (and she looks fantastic) and was quizzing her on everything. Ultimately, I just couldn't. Fear of surgery and fear that I wouldn't be able to make the necessary lifelong changes and end up gaining everything back.

    I just realized that I would no longer be a candidate at the hospital I would have used. BMI has to be 40 or over and I've brought my BMI from 60.2 down to 38.8.

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