Worried about a friend with a "gastric sleeve" surgery
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susanswan
Posts: 1,194 Member
I don't want this to be a negative post to any of you. I am concerned about my friend who had a gastric sleeve surgery. She has only set out to lose maybe 70 pounds. I was rather shocked when I learned the consequences of the surgery. I know she felt it was a last ditch effort for herself. She had always been a nice trim gal growing up - I've known her since 6th grade (54 now!).
She is only 5 feet tall and was still under 200 pounds when she applied for the surgery. She told me she was able to lose 20 pounds prior to having the surgery and by now maybe 6 months or thereabouts she has lost a total of 60 pounds with 10 more to go. That just seems like such a small amount of weight for such a drastic surgery.
They actually cut the larger portion of the stomach away and it is GONE. In return she MUST eat largely protein as in meat and chicken, limit her veggies and fruit because they are not calorie dense enough, and take vitamins by the handfuls, and supplement with nutritional protein shakes.
She has always had TONS of hair like a sheep practically! Very kinky curly and largely unmanageable. Now she says that her hair is falling out which is more of a nuisance to her than a vanity issue. She said that is to be expected for the first year.....as with any major medical surgery. That just doesn't sound right for a major medical surgery to me. I know stress on your body can have that effect, but for a year?
She is very pleased with her weight loss and how she feels. She said she will start exercising soon. Has a hip problem from a "dancing injury" so wants to take it slow for now. She is being followed by the clinic that did the surgery for 3 years with support sessions up to weekly, but she says she goes about twice a month. She will also have nutritional counseling for that time and also exercise offered by the clinic for that time, too.
Have any of you undergone this or know of someone who has had it done? I am fearful because it is a very new surgery it sounds like. She said she doesn't count calories. I'm scared to watch her eat and realize how few she eats. She told me that she is to have only 3 meals per day and no snacks. They do not want to encourage grazing that may lead to weight gain again. She is amazingly dutiful in following her diet.
She is only 5 feet tall and was still under 200 pounds when she applied for the surgery. She told me she was able to lose 20 pounds prior to having the surgery and by now maybe 6 months or thereabouts she has lost a total of 60 pounds with 10 more to go. That just seems like such a small amount of weight for such a drastic surgery.
They actually cut the larger portion of the stomach away and it is GONE. In return she MUST eat largely protein as in meat and chicken, limit her veggies and fruit because they are not calorie dense enough, and take vitamins by the handfuls, and supplement with nutritional protein shakes.
She has always had TONS of hair like a sheep practically! Very kinky curly and largely unmanageable. Now she says that her hair is falling out which is more of a nuisance to her than a vanity issue. She said that is to be expected for the first year.....as with any major medical surgery. That just doesn't sound right for a major medical surgery to me. I know stress on your body can have that effect, but for a year?
She is very pleased with her weight loss and how she feels. She said she will start exercising soon. Has a hip problem from a "dancing injury" so wants to take it slow for now. She is being followed by the clinic that did the surgery for 3 years with support sessions up to weekly, but she says she goes about twice a month. She will also have nutritional counseling for that time and also exercise offered by the clinic for that time, too.
Have any of you undergone this or know of someone who has had it done? I am fearful because it is a very new surgery it sounds like. She said she doesn't count calories. I'm scared to watch her eat and realize how few she eats. She told me that she is to have only 3 meals per day and no snacks. They do not want to encourage grazing that may lead to weight gain again. She is amazingly dutiful in following her diet.
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My friend had a bipass and they cut out her stomach until it was the size of a shot glass. She's lost weight but not as much as she should have. She still has a lot of health problems, just not diabetes. Personally if lowering what she ate got rid of it then I beleive that she and her WHOLE family are literally eating themselves to death. They aren't supposed to graze because it stretches their stomach out faster but if I'm not mistaken my friend is supposed to eat 5-6 small meals a day. I'm personally not impressed with the gastric surgeries in my close friends and it seems that they just lead to more surgeries down the road i.e. tummy tucks, skin removal, etc It's nothing I'd do but to each their own.0
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Jasimineconley: Gastric surgery is only a TOOL... what people do with that tool is thier own choice... sadly, people have difficulty using there gifted tool and go back to there old habbits. To bad it did not work out for your friends.0
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I know it's an option but maybe the Bariatric clinics should spend a little more time screening there potential clients instead of handing gastric bipasses out like candy.0
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I kind of agree with the comment above. I've known two people who've had gastric bypass surgery, and they're required to eat healthy prior to the surgery to eliminate some of the weight. I'm sorry, but why can't someone just eat healthy to eliminate all of the weight instead of having risky surgery that honestly doesn't teach people how to eat healthfully? I understand the risks of being severely obese and the need for them to lose weight quickly, but they WILL lose weight quickly if they stick to a diet program. Certainly risk of death from gastric bypass surgery is as terrifying as risk of death from weight-related issues...?0
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I am a lapband patient, but I go to support group meetings on a regular basis and was given a great deal of information on all of the weight loss options prior to my surgery on 10/1/10. Let me address some of your concerns:
1. Hair Loss... YES, many people will lose hair during the first year with the sleeve and bypass. It is usually because they are not taking in enough protein. Even non surgery dieters not taking in adequate protein can experience hair loss. But, because weight loss surgery patients lose weight rapidly and make drastic changes in their eating, it more often happens to them.
2. Surgery is supposed to be performed on people with a BMI of 40 or greater. I don't know the numbers of your friend, but hopefully, she was in that range. Yes, it is drastic, but for many people, it is a necessary tool and the potential co-morbidities are much riskier in people with a 40 plus BMI than the risks associated with the surgery.
3. Until you have gone through the educational seminars, it is very difficult for you to judge a weight loss surgery patient. I have a staff of nutritionists available to me for the rest of my life at no charge. I saw them for three months prior to my surgery and I had to demonstrate my ability and willingness to make difficult changes before my surgeon would schedule my surgery date. This is the same with gastric bypass and sleeve patients. We also have to have a psychiatric evaluation, pulmonary evaluation, cardiac evaluation, endoscopy, colonoscopy if age dictates it, sleep studies......attend a certain number of support group meetings where we learn about what we should expect including extra skin, "dumping syndrome", band slippage, and a myriad of other things. We make an educated and informed choice before we have the surgery.
Each procedure has its own set of eating guidelines. The Gastric Bypass, Gastric Sleeve (which is similar to the Bypass) and the Lap Band all have differences, but they are all tools and are designed to help people loose the weight and keep it off. There is no promise in that, you STILL have to work hard and exercise and watch your food intake. But, SHE IS HAPPY! PLEASE SUPPORT HER!!!! Perhaps the best thing you could do, as her friend, is to attend an informational seminar on the procedure so you understand a lot more about it and can feel more comfortable supporting her.
I wish her the best of luck; it sounds like she is doing a fantastic job!!!
As for tummy tucks, etc. ANYONE who loses over 100 pounds, as most weight lost surgery patients do, whether it is from surgery or not, will be subject to skin removal surgeries because most people just don't have that much elasticity in their skin, so the future surgeries are not unique to these weight loss procedures, except more huge weight losses are accomplished by those people who are able to have the surgery.0 -
Oh, boy.......two of the things I hate to hear the most....
"If you can lose weight prior to surgery, why do you need surgery?" Well, because if you use the tool properly, you have a MUCH better chance of NOT yo yo dieting anymore. And, you are more likely to reach your goal than traditional dieting. There are many facts to support this and in our group of over 2,000 patients, the numbers have been even better than the national average.
Screening....please....see my prior post......I visited BOARD CERTIFIED doctors.......an ENTIRE TEAM OF THEM and they ALL agreed that weight loss surgery was warranted. The insurance company also reviews the information and my doctor will not accept self pay patients. When a CARDIOLOGIST, PULMONOLOGIST, PSYCHOLOGIST, GENERAL PRACTITIONER ALL clear me, what more would you ask?
If you don't meet the BMI threshold, the doctor should not be doing the surgery.0 -
As for tummy tucks, etc. ANYONE who loses over 100 pounds, as most weight lost surgery patients do, whether it is from surgery or not, will be subject to skin removal surgeries because most people just don't have that much elasticity in their skin, so the future surgeries are not unique to these weight loss procedures, except more huge weight losses are accomplished by those people who are able to have the surgery.
That's not strictly true. There's a lot of variation in the human body - variations in age, skin elasticity, levels of activity, etc. Also there's a lot of variation in terms of what people regard as acceptable post weight loss. Most people who lose weight in a gradual way, who stay hydrated, who moisturise and who are active don't need surgery. Rapid weight loss tends to produce a need for this kind of surgery.
I don't disagree with the rest of your post - I know people who've done really well from this kind of surgery. However, I don't think it's helpful to trade one kind of absolutism (gastric surgery is always bad) for another form of absolutism (everyone this size *will* have surgery anyway).0 -
Thank you all for your responses. I have never learned so much about this before. I do support my friend. We have been friends for over 40 years, but now live many states apart and mainly communicate through emails and an occasional skype or phone call. I would never discourage her or voice negativity about her choice to her and especially since what is done is done. It does make me feel better to know that she is in a period of transition and so is learning to eat properly. I understand that does take time to adjust to even with my own process of losing weight.
It just didn't seem to me like she was heavy enough to warrant this surgery being 5 feet tall and under 200 pounds which would give her a BMI of 39.1 or less. She only plans to lose 70 pounds, which is coincidentally what I plan to lose but I am 6 inches taller. I know she has had extensive screenings and her insurance was covering it. I think she was going to lose the insurance coverage for this if she didnt' do it now, so that is what kind of forced her hand for it. She is doing all of the follow up care and support groups like she is supposed to too. Just going to start adding exercise soon which will be new for her.
And please don't take this as an insult, but as a retired career hospital nurse I also realize that sometimes doctors also operate because they can. Of course they can help many, many people with a myriad of life saving surgeries in the process, but I do know that they also do operate because they can sometimes. It is just my natural response to question. I am perfectly okay with people doing what they feel is right for them when they are properly informed, which I believe she was. I just had questions that I feel better about now thanks to all of you.0 -
Okay I'm happy that gastric surgery worked for you. You are not most people I see getting them done. Also, I know you have to be screened but sure as the day is long there are people that will LIE and cheat their way through the screening process, just as they do with other areas of their lives. What's sad is that in this particular region a lot of women pop out kids left and right, then party and don't take care of themselves, then Medicaid steps in to "fix" their weight issues when they are being lazy. Now like I said before YOU are not THEM. Just wanting to not offend you as I must have in the previous reply. You also probably aren't sitting watching a household of 4 from 60's, to 30's, to a 9 year old eating themselves to death. I have done everything I personally can to help that family and it's truly heartbreaking to watch people do that to themselves.0
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You are a good friend to be concerned for her. Most of the hospitals around here won't perform any gastric surgeries unless you have 100 lbs to lose. I'm glad that your friend is doing well and that she is maintaining herself the way she is supposed to
Gastric surgeries aren't always bad it just depends on each individual and it's ultimately their decision. I hope she keeps up the good work and remains healthy and happy. 0 -
A friend of mine had the lapband surgery about 9 years ago. She initially lost around 120lbs but over time keeps eating more and more and stretches it back out again. Then every couple of years she has it tightened again and goes through the liquid diet etc all over again. She is currently almost the same size she was before she had the surgery! And she paid for it privately.0
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My MIL had the surgery a few years ago. She is slowly gaining the weight back. I think the surgery is great for some, but for many its just a patch job.0
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OP, I have no idea if this was the right choice for your friend. But if she is happy with the results, then perhaps it was. Here is a good article on the pros and cons of the different weight loss surgeries.
http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/search-for-guides-reviews-and-reports/?pageaction=displayproduct&productID=1693
It's geared toward diabetics, but it has good information on the the risks and benefits.0 -
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Her hair is probably falling out because she isn't getting certain vitamins or enough fat.
I'm not sure, though, what you think you can do for her since she physically cannot eat more and the surgery is done.
I think, based on what I've seen of others who had WL surgery, that her stomach will probably eventually stretch out a bit and she will be able to eat more. Hopefully she has learned to eat properly, though, because if not, she'll probably regain most of that lost weight, anyway. That's very common in WL surgery patients.
If she and her doctors aren't concerned, while I understand worrying about a friend, you should probably leave her be.0 -
All you have said about your friend is normal. My husband did gastric bypass almost 10 years ago and is so happy about it even today. He lost 145 pounds and kept 135 off. He is doing great. His hair came back and he is very happy.
Be supportive of your friend and give her thin body lots of hugs.0 -
I had the Gastric bypass in 2010. Very scarry thing as it was to save my life but almost ended it. Long story!! I had it due to a liver disorder and it was best to get the weight off. I am 5'2 and highest weight was 275. I was 230 at the time of surgery had to go on 3 week shake thing before surgery. I got down to 155 was great!! Did not last easy easy easily came back within the past yr. Got back up to 202.
I since have changed my eating habits and added exercise which I was not doing much of. I have lost almost 10lbs in the past 2 weeks. I have always been on the larger side so would be happy at 160. Hair loss common I cried cried I loved my hair!!! Yes its a quick fix and works but has to be a change of life or its coming right back on. So many stories I have heard. My dr recommended 5 sm meals a day. I also have since had low calcium which has caused teeth issues also. I was not the ideal after surgery person but trying now. 0 -
hi - i dont mean to be off topic, but did you say your friend had only 100 pounds to lose and could do it with the surgery?
I know going thru the surgery is a tough decision as the pain and what you have to deal with afterward is challenging, but.....i want to say that... humbly too... that i have lost almost 50 pounds by mfp, which is about half of that, and when i think to myself, that i didn't have to go thru that pain and that hard road your friend took, its a blessing that i didn't have to go thru that pain, i am squeamish, and not wiling to go thru the pain of surgery and recovery. and i too see a lot of people just eating and eating and eating and stuffing their face and not doing anything about it like the person posted above but i am halfway there... did it without that scarey surgery, not saying im better, but i feel like i have escaped having to go that scarey road of surgery to get to the same place as your friend. im too scared of the surgery and what you have to go thru afterward. which is why i turned to mfp. im grateful i didn't have to go that road. im half way there. thank you jesus.
i think that person (if i read it right) who only wanted to lose 100 pounds post-surgery, that might be a kind of dangerous surgery to have if they only have 100 pounds to lose, am i right? or is this surgery considered dangerous because of the possibility of the complications, including death, so it should ONLY be considered as a last resort, which is why people who only have 100 pounds to lose should not be contemplating it, whereas someone with 300 pounds to lose could because they are more far gone fat.0 -
I had vertical sleeve gastrectomy December 2012. At my heaviest weight I was 375 lbs. My one year surgiversary is coming up and I currently weigh 255 (80 lbs to go!). Its the BEST things I could have ever done and despite the few strands of hair I lost, I've GAINED so much confidence and the ability to live an active life.
One thing I must say to those who question why people have the surgery... I know how to lose weight, as I have lost and gained hundreds of pounds over the years. This is the FIRST time I've been able to get weight off and sustain it longer than 5 or 6 months... learning how to utilize this tool in MY personal journey towards fitness and health has been a blessing to me... as I am sure it is to your friend (OP).
Embrace her choices and support her. She'll love you for it.0 -
OP: I applaud you for trying to learn more about your friend's decision, as opposed to silently judging her. WLS is a personal choice, and the decision is based on a set of requirements that differ slightly depending on the physician and type of surgery, as well as insurance requirements.
Before I underwent Roux En Y Gastric Bypass in April 2011, I went through months of tests, evaluations, and seminars. They want you to get to the root of why you got to the weight you are, whether it's medical or psychological reasons. They also want you to relearn how to eat properly and live a healthy lifestyle. For me, the surgery was like a rebirth. A clean slate. It gave me a second chance to make my life better.
Many people say "why can't you just diet and exercise without the surgery? Don't you have any discipline?". My answer: No. I didn't feel like, at that point in my life, I could do it on my own. At 5'4" tall and 273lbs, I felt hopeless. The surgery was the push I needed I change my life and I've never looked back. I've lost over 110lbs., I work out 5 days a week (weights AND cardio), and track my food EVERYDAY.
Even doing all of this, I've still managed to put 8lbs on from my lowest recorded weight. It CAN happen. I underwent knee surgery in February and let my eating go. Surgery is not magic. Like many have said... It's a tool. It's up to you how you use it.0
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