Bariatric surgery... to do or not to do?
Replies
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Hey do what you need to do. I was going to do it then my BMI fell under what is required for my insurance company. (Ahhh the downfalls of being a tall woman!)
I say if it feels right to you and you're prepared to make the lifestyle changes it will require...then by all means....do what feels best for you. I have a few people telling me not to do it as well and I just kindly reminded them it was my decision and I had to look out for my health, whatever that took.
All the best.0 -
I have met too many people (through a previous job in social work) who had SERIOUS complications from various weight loss surgeries. No way. I would try everything else first.
Obviously I'm not a doc but I seriously think it should be a last resort for people over 400 lb. JMHO.0 -
I know where you are coming from...9 months ago my doctor recommended that I have gastric surgery.....I was "morbidly obese"(damn that is a gross term) had 5 cardiac stents placed and on 100 unit of insulin a day....I looked into it, watched the videos etc......and decided that I couldn't do it.....I wasn't going to be able to blend my food for weeks etc....so i began this journey to educate myself on healthy eating, portion control and begin an exercise routine.....I have since dropped 75 pounds, decreased my insulin in 25 unit a day(hoping to get off it soon) and just did my first 7 K race with my son on Thanksgiving day......and I should tell you I will turn 65 in January. It is never too late to get yourself healthy and happy...No matter how you do it you will have to re-think how you eat and how you live....for me the easiest way was this one...and it has become a lifestyle that I live every day and not a diet.....diets don't work except for short term, you have to commit to this long term.....please for the sake of yourself and your family do something so you can live long and enjoy yourself and them......0
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The amount of FUD and misinformation that gets spread on MyFitnessPal every time bariatric surgery is brought up is truly astounding... Seems everyone here knows a friend of a friend's uncle's friend's father's second-cousin-twice-removed who had surgery and nearly died. Well, having had surgery myself, having four close relatives who've all had surgery and been successful with it, and having volunteered at the weight loss center where I got my procedure done and talking and interacting with literally hundreds of patients in all stages of the process, I can tell you that complications do happen, but they're few and far between. Furthermore, if you actually talk to the people having those complications they'll tell you that it's a small price to pay for being healthier overall and that they'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Now, surgery itself is no magic bullet. The data shows surgery patients lose only about 50% of their excess bodyweight on average, in the long term. The surgery will only give you about one year of hardcore caloric restriction before your body adapts (the so-called "honeymoon period.") After that, you're pretty much on your own (that's when all the stories of weight gain after surgery happen.) This is what people mean when they say that "surgery is just a tool," you still have to do the hard work of eating right and exercising — before surgery, during your honeymoon period and for the rest of your life. Surgery just makes it possible for you to make those changes and stick with them long enough for them to become habit, but it's ultimately up to you to stick with them.
So go to your doctor, give it an honest shot at losing on your own and, if you end up deciding that surgery is for you, have realistic expectations. Good luck!0 -
Great decision. I had thought about it, went to a few seminars and talked to relatives who had it. I work in the health field coding medical records, saw enough to convince myself to do it my way, found MFP and the rest is history. If you are serious and take the time to weigh & measure what you eat, you can do it.
Wow, 116 lbs. That's amazing! Keep up the great work! Very inspirational
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My wife had it in 1999. She was about a week from death last winter due to long term malnutrition. Most of her internal organs shut down. She had a partial reverse surgery in the spring and now she's ok.0
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It's great that your trying to handle it on your own; just remember that the gastric sleeve while it has had some good results in aiding people in losing weight it's not a cure. It's not a quick fix you can easily fall back into old habits and ruin not only your progress but also your surgery. Also you will not be able to eat a proper meal after that surgery. There are also dangers sometimes after the stomach has been stapled off it either doesn't hold or it leeks causing problems for the rest of your body. I'd say listen to your wife and kids some risks just aren't worth taking.0
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I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. LOL. Only because of the small chance of dying. I lost 50 pounds in 2 months pre op. If you have a strong will power then go for it. I ate a high protein/low carb diet. around 1200 - 1400 cals a day and walked 2 to 4 miles a day. I had gastric bypass surgery done on 12/4/13 and so far I feel good, I'm not in any pain. Just discomfort. I was thinking if I can do 50 pounds in 2 months should I even bother with surgery. It's my life story up and down. Now I get a chance to start over and not stretch my pouch. Good luck in whatever you choose.0
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My sister and my step mom both had this done a week apart from each other. My sister had some complications and had to stay in the hospital longer that just 1 night. My step mom had no issues. If you do decide to do this it is a hard transition from eating solids to liquids. They have both been post op for a few months and look great. Another thing if you eat to much at all you will have vomiting issues. Please discuss this with your family as it will not just affect you but them also.0
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Bariatric surgery is very dangerous. Weight loss is mental and you will find lots of support on this web site. 3 out of 4 bariatric patients die of complications. I spoke with a very trusted physician who used to do the surgery and he told me the sad story of a woman who initially lost weight but began to gain again too soon. She was eating mayonaise among other things. She died of complications. He quit and started a clinic for weight loss. We are more than our stomachs. Good luck on your journey. Saying a prayer for you now. Sounds like your family cares for you greatly. Use them for support. You can do it!!!! This is not a diet; This is a lifestyle change that will bring you more joy than any donut or chicken wing
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It was the best decision I have ever made! I only wish I had the ability to have had it done years ago.0
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Its better to do it on your own. Bariatric surgeries are very dangerous I found out personally. A co-worker of mine got one and he regrets it everyday now. He has problems adsorbing vitamins/minerals and alot of medicines that damage the stomach can possibly kill him. He was taking advil for pain and ended up in the hospital with internal bleeding.
I would use it as a last ditch effort. I view losing weight as this. You need to battle your own demons. Having someone fight the battle for you will you feel like you won in the long run ? Just go on a diet and consume less. Hey you like a donut or a sugary drink just don't have so much of it. Go for a walk for 30-60 minutes a day. You can do it with a good mind set and have a goal. Going from 1 small goal to the next is very easy and motivating to work on the next. Making it seem like a huge mountain to climb makes it seem impossible and too easy to give up.0 -
Everyone is different and needs something to get them going . I too was determined I was going to get the gastric sleeve . My family was against it also and I heard nothing but grief from them about it . I cried one day and told them they just didn't understand , I could not fail at anouther diet one more time . I just couldn't ..
My BMI was 47,82 and I was in pain all the time and just so uncomfortable every day ...So I decided that if I wanted the surgery the first step would be to stop drinking soda - after 3 weeks I had lost 15 pounds !- no exercise or anything , but I no longer ate all the fatening things that go so well with soda french fries , Hamburgers , fast foods.... anyhow I did not have the surgery and started exercising slowly and ta da here I am today ...
I would not do it any differently but I for one understand your reasons for wanting it . I mean I don't know wy I stared doing everything I started doing I made no plan for it all
You have to do what you need to do to get healthy
I for one NEVER expected to like exercising ... so if you do give it all you have for 3 months I hope you come to a decision that works for you either way there's really no easy way out .lol it's be hard work both ways ,
Good luck !!0 -
I know where you are coming from...9 months ago my doctor recommended that I have gastric surgery.....I was "morbidly obese"(damn that is a gross term) had 5 cardiac stents placed and on 100 unit of insulin a day....I looked into it, watched the videos etc......and decided that I couldn't do it.....I wasn't going to be able to blend my food for weeks etc....so i began this journey to educate myself on healthy eating, portion control and begin an exercise routine.....I have since dropped 75 pounds, decreased my insulin in 25 unit a day(hoping to get off it soon) and just did my first 7 K race with my son on Thanksgiving day......and I should tell you I will turn 65 in January. It is never too late to get yourself healthy and happy...No matter how you do it you will have to re-think how you eat and how you live....for me the easiest way was this one...and it has become a lifestyle that I live every day and not a diet.....diets don't work except for short term, you have to commit to this long term.....please for the sake of yourself and your family do something so you can live long and enjoy yourself and them......
Excellent! Congratulations! :flowerforyou:0 -
My wife had it in 1999. She was about a week from death last winter due to long term malnutrition. Most of her internal organs shut down. She had a partial reverse surgery in the spring and now she's ok.
Yeah--that's the main problem I have with weight-loss surgery--it can lead to severe malnutrition if an attempt is not made to watch nutritional levels. That's the problem I have with the "IIFIYM" approach. When you eat junk food, it crowds out nourishing fare. On a calorie-restricted diet, that can lead to chronic malnutrition. Over the long term, chronic malnutrition will cause you to be at risk for the early onset of what used to be thought of, as "old age". Whoever thought that Type II diabetes would become so common among teenagers? Comes from their soda pop habit that was developed in early childhood. Docs are beginning to see youngsters as young as 9 years old who are already diabetic. The medical establishment used to think that obesity caused diabetes. The new research points to it having a common cause--excessive fructose consumption caused by our national sugar habit. As an example: The amount of fructose in a can of "orange" soda (sweetened with high fructose corn syrup) is equivalent to the amount of fructose in at least 10 oranges. I don't know anyone who sits down to eat 10 oranges at a meal--but it is easy to quaff a can of orange soda. A "fruitarian" might but researchers have recently announced the link between a high-fructose diet (like a fruitarian would eat) and pancreatic cancer. Steve Jobs was a fruitarian for many years (he even named his company after his favorite fruit, Apple Inc.) As most of you probably know, Jobs died of pancreatic cancer. Ashton Kutscher (sp?), the actor who was hired to play Jobs in the biopic of Jobs' life, tried a fruitarian diet (one supposes that he did it to "get into character") but had to quit on the advice of his doctor as it was apparently causing "pancreatic issues".
Throughout the animal world, animals will seek a supply of fructose when they want to add body fat to take them through a period of anticipated food shortage. Black bears will eat vast quantities of wild blueberries in late summer to prepare for the winter. Even human hunter-gatherers, in the past, ate fruit in summer and fall (isn't it great that God planned fruit to ripen throughout the summer and into the fall?) in anticipation of the winter scarcity of carbohydrates. They mostly ate tubers and meat in the winter--and whatever small amount of fruit they could dry for that period. For modern humans who never have a period of food scarcity, the fat continues to pile on. Skip the sugar and get much better health in addition to less body fat.0 -
Good for you! People think that weight loss surgery is the easy way out. But they couldn't be more wrong. Tho I am not against it .(I have a friend who underwent the proceedure 3 or more years ago) it is a grooling process. I think your family has cause to be concerned for your health, because they love you. A year ago i was wondering the same thing you are, but I would have to gain weight in order to meet criteria. I chose to start MY Fitness Pal, instead, and i have lost 60lbs in less than a year. My rules for success with MFP are ( and as silly as it sounds:
YOU MUST BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF YOU!!0 -
There is a lot of misinformation spread through MFP regarding Bariatric Surgery. This is a decision only YOU can make and you have to do it for the right reasons. The surgery is only a tool, and those that use it wisely will be successful. Those who think of it as a short cut will fail. Yes, you have to change your eating habits and yes you will only be able to eat smaller amounts. This is a tool some of us needed to accomplish this task. Others can change by using other tools. There is NO right or wrong answer. The only wrong thing to do is to make a decision based on what someone else wants. You do it for you. I had the RNY almost a year and a half ago. Any weight I lose now is attributed to my own efforts and determination. I am capable of eating normal portion sizes (not the portions of your first 3-6 months) and very few foods upset my stomach. This means that I need to continue using it as a tool..........and make healthier eating decisions and working out on a consistent basis. 120lbs ago I couldn't even walk up the stairs without feeling like death was going to find me at the next step..........now I do kickboxing everyday. You will find that some people object to the surgery because they fear their own failure and your future success will force them to face this, some people object to surgery because they don't understand the entire concept, and some people simply want to believe what they believe without ever looking at the viewpoints of others. You have to decide what tools are best suited for YOU and that is it. Having this surgery was the BEST decision I have ever made for myself.0
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This. There is way too much over complicated information out there, some in this very thread. If you decide to do it yourself, eat at a calorie deficit. That's it. I've lost 125lbs in 16 months. BMI 42 to 24 now. I did not go low carb, low fat or cut out sugar. Good grief. In fact, I have ice cream every single day. I have fast food, I enjoy holiday meals, I have popcorn at the movies. My goal has always been just to have a calorie deficit averaged out over the week and to hit my daily protein, fat, fiber and micronutrient goals. I do a bit of cardio, less than I used to. I started lifting 12 weeks ago and should've started 16 months ago. And that's it. Here's a great success story, a helpful thread and a great group.Its better to do it on your own. Bariatric surgeries are very dangerous I found out personally. A co-worker of mine got one and he regrets it everyday now. He has problems adsorbing vitamins/minerals and alot of medicines that damage the stomach can possibly kill him. He was taking advil for pain and ended up in the hospital with internal bleeding.
I would use it as a last ditch effort. I view losing weight as this. You need to battle your own demons. Having someone fight the battle for you will you feel like you won in the long run ? Just go on a diet and consume less. Hey you like a donut or a sugary drink just don't have so much of it. Go for a walk for 30-60 minutes a day. You can do it with a good mind set and have a goal. Going from 1 small goal to the next is very easy and motivating to work on the next. Making it seem like a huge mountain to climb makes it seem impossible and too easy to give up.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1103164-3-yrs-312lbs-lost-1yr-from-bodylift-and-maintenance
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress0 -
As several have already mentioned, the problems are more in our minds than our bellies...so I'm another vote for doing the serious work of trying to change your habits and the way you think before resorting to the extreme measures that put you at risk for so many long term problems. Yes, I know, obesity is a risky long term problem too...I just think that for most people, there are better solutions...especially if you admit you haven't really tried to lose weight in a long time.0
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This. There is way too much over complicated information out there, some in this very thread. If you decide to do it yourself, eat at a calorie deficit. That's it. I've lost 125lbs in 16 months. BMI 42 to 24 now. I did not go low carb, low fat or cut out sugar. Good grief. In fact, I have ice cream every single day. I have fast food, I enjoy holiday meals, I have popcorn at the movies. My goal has always been just to have a calorie deficit averaged out over the week and to hit my daily protein, fat, fiber and micronutrient goals. I do a bit of cardio, less than I used to. I started lifting 12 weeks ago and should've started 16 months ago. And that's it. Here's a great success story, a helpful thread and a great group.Its better to do it on your own. Bariatric surgeries are very dangerous I found out personally. A co-worker of mine got one and he regrets it everyday now. He has problems adsorbing vitamins/minerals and alot of medicines that damage the stomach can possibly kill him. He was taking advil for pain and ended up in the hospital with internal bleeding.
I would use it as a last ditch effort. I view losing weight as this. You need to battle your own demons. Having someone fight the battle for you will you feel like you won in the long run ? Just go on a diet and consume less. Hey you like a donut or a sugary drink just don't have so much of it. Go for a walk for 30-60 minutes a day. You can do it with a good mind set and have a goal. Going from 1 small goal to the next is very easy and motivating to work on the next. Making it seem like a huge mountain to climb makes it seem impossible and too easy to give up.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1103164-3-yrs-312lbs-lost-1yr-from-bodylift-and-maintenance
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
Yes--exercise, and particularly weight-lifting is an important part of weight maintenance, but for those who do not, can not or will not exercise, carb restriction (especially sugar elimination) is the answer. I have osteoarthritis and even though I do intense cardio sessions at the pool, most other exercise is difficult to impossible for me.0 -
Good for you! People think that weight loss surgery is the easy way out. But they couldn't be more wrong. Tho I am not against it .(I have a friend who underwent the proceedure 3 or more years ago) it is a grooling process. I think your family has cause to be concerned for your health, because they love you. A year ago i was wondering the same thing you are, but I would have to gain weight in order to meet criteria. I chose to start MY Fitness Pal instead, and I have lost 60lbs in less than a year. I have learned so much about food and how to eat. I started out the first month just using MFP. I did moderatly exercise but didnt go out of my way. I focused on learning how to eat properly (count calories). I knew that jumping into everything all a once would be too much and I would be frusterated and hungry ( exercise makes me hungryer or so I thought). I lost slowly a pound here 2 pounds there. I thought WOW! Imagine what i can do with a little exercise! So I decided to walk at least every other day. Try the Runtastic app it sincs your exercises to MFP for you. I use the Nordic Walking setting. I know that YOU CAN DO THIS! I did this and never thought i would ever be able to in a million years!! You are the MAN! YOU GOT THIS!!
My rules for success with MFP are ( and as silly as it sounds.)
YOU MUST BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF YOU!!
BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF! If you eat it log it, you are learning how to feed your body.
FORGIVE YOURSELF AND MOVE ON! If you mess up, you can make it up tomorrow!
TRUST THE PROGRAM! Myself and many others are living proof that it works!0 -
I had a BMI of 75 and knew early on if I couldn't fix what was broken in my head, then no surgery was ever going to get me out of the hole that I had dug myself into.... You have to teach yourself that the only way to adherence is a life long commitment to making the changes necessary for your long term success... Don't fool yourself it will take alot of hard work and dedication but in the end once you have seen your success it makes it all worthwhile... I will never down play someones decision to change there life but I will be that person that I never had in the beginning telling me "Look I was 560 lbs. , Homebound for over 2 years, unable to walk from one room to the next and used a computer chair to wheel myself from room to room.. You are never to far gone to regain control of your life if you are willing to work for it."0
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Nope. If it were me, i wouldnt consider surgery until i knew that i had tried my very hardest doing it on my own. You said you have not. I started at a 46 BMI and now i'm at 25. You can do this.0
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I had surgery in June and would do it again. I have committed and tried and lost a lot of weight only to gain it back and some. I was 327lbs jan 2013 and now I am 233. I eat anything I want but in super reduced portions. It's not just about changing your foods and eating habits but there are chemical imbalances in many patients that cannot be changed by will power. I love being able to eat a regular cookie or brownie when I want to, and now my stomach and body tells me when to stop and it's so much easier for me to listen because the consequences will be unpleasant. It is difficult to get your bathroom schedule in line and not everyone will go through it without complications. I strongly recommend taking your family to a seminar at your choice of surgeon(s) offices and even a preop appt if you get that far. My hubby was totally against it until he went with me and also did his own research. Now we are happier than ever, we exercise together, go out more often, etc. I would strongly agree with trying this first to see if you think you can do it 100% for the rest of your life.0
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Here's an interesting clip from Larry King Live (Joy Behar is hosting for him on this clip). Her guests include Andrew Weil, M.D. They discuss the research that strongly suggests that those who are genetically predisposed to obesity (apparently,about 60% of us) just cannot handle excessive carbs, and particularly sugar, because of the metabolic/hormonal/bio-chemical disturbance that it creates in the bodies of obese people---to one degree or another. It is a short clip--a little over 6 minutes.
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2009/10/05/gout/?shared=email&msg=fail
ETA: For those of you who are interested, there is a discussion of the obesity/ high uric acid connection in the written section following the clip. This is of special interest to me because I have gouty osteoarthritis.0 -
it's 2 out of a 1000 die. if you don't know what you are talking about, then you shouldn't give stats. if it was 3 out of 4 it would be banned by the fda. get a clue The hospital I went to had to loss of life out of 4000 surgerys.Bariatric surgery is very dangerous. Weight loss is mental and you will find lots of support on this web site. 3 out of 4 bariatric patients die of complications. I spoke with a very trusted physician who used to do the surgery and he told me the sad story of a woman who initially lost weight but began to gain again too soon. She was eating mayonaise among other things. She died of complications. He quit and started a clinic for weight loss. We are more than our stomachs. Good luck on your journey. Saying a prayer for you now. Sounds like your family cares for you greatly. Use them for support. You can do it!!!! This is not a diet; This is a lifestyle change that will bring you more joy than any donut or chicken wing0 -
I had been thinking about it too, and decided to try MFP. 60# & 8 months later I'm glad I didn't do it. I don't think it would have been any easier to lose the weight, but it would probably have come off faster. I really just didn't want to go through sedation & surgery and still have to work my *kitten* off with exercise & restrict my calories either way. I am happy with the rate of weight loss I'm achieving on my own.
Good luck for the next three months!! I think you will surprise yourself with how much you can lose in that time!0 -
I had the lap band in April and it has been the best thing I have ever did. Yes it requires a great deal of a lifestyle change and it is a lifetime commitment. I am 8 months in and I am down 88 lbs. I have about 80 more to go and I know I can do it. I have tried many diets and have not been successful. With my band I can control my hunger and stay within my calorie goal. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I have a great support system and that helps to! Good luck to you in your journey. It truly is a lifetime thing and a daily battle. I now workout 4-6 days a week depending on my work schedule, swim, walk my dog and my new years resolution is to run a 5k. I will do it!
The words DAILY BATTLE should put you off doing this if nothing else does. Life should never be a battle. All you have to do is go for a walk most days and eat a little bit less of the more calorie dense stuff.. nothing more. Please don't do that to your body when you really don't need to. Have patience and do what I said and you'll be get there. Your wife and daughter love you and want you around forever. Do you really want to never have a great time again on say your birthday? If you do it the way we are then yes you get a choice in having days you eat whatever you like!0 -
I had gastric sleeve surgery in October. I had lost 70 lbs in the 8 months prior to surgery using MFP and changing my habits. Because I was able to lose weight on my own, I realized I could use the surgery as a tool - not as a solution to my problems. Also, I had therapy for over a year before making the decision, because my feeling is that if you don't address the issues and reasons you became obese in the first place, it will be harder to address the physical issues and the cycle of losing and gaining will repeat itself, like it has with so many people. Yes, some people have had complications, but many (including me) have not. I know someone who drank a glass of wine one week after surgery. People like that will likely have complications. Not doing what you need to do can cause complications. But, if you do things right, it can be a very helpful tool.0
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I just wanted to say during these 3 months when you are going for it, you'll have to figure out the best way to eat so that you're not starving all the time to be within your calorie limit.
I have found I need massive quantities of low-cal veggies, like a bag of roasted broccoli as a side for dinner, to feel truly full and satisfied. I have found I need a really good amount of lean protein also, like 6-8 oz. of chicken breast or lean white fish too.
I look at plans like Weight Watchers and laugh because there is simply not enough food on there, not nearly enough protein or lean veggies to fill me up.
The best site I've found is www.canyoustayfordinner.com . She explains really well how to eat a LOT of food and stay at a 1200 calorie or 1500 calorie or 1800 calorie limit. She recently did a series helping her mom lose weight and I found her pictures of what her mom was eating to be very helpful.
Anyway, with her input and reading some of the Biggest Loser books and cookbooks, I've been able to stick to between 1200-1500 calories a day and that's with 60-90 minutes of exercise most days. You CAN do it and feel satisfied and nourished, it just takes some reading, planning, and persistence.0
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