WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY

It is not necessary for weight loss unless it is a last resort to lose fast b/c of other health problems. I have never considered it for myself but I do not think I have ever been to a qualifying weight either. My take in weight loss surgery is there is always a chance you will not survive any surgery, anesthesia itself is dangerous, so why take that chance with something that you can fix another way.

I had gastric bypass 10 years ago and kept off 100lbs for 9 years. A medical mistake took place last year that caused an explosion of the recent 30lbs.
I think it's a great option but something you definitely need to have all your facts on. It worked very well for me and I've loved the results. I have had friends have the surgery and they destroyed themselves. Either with excessive eating or excessive weight loss.
Like the previous writer, it's a tool. I had a great doctor and a he offers a great support team after the surgery and I still see him 10years later.
Good luck with it!
Jenn

I was on my way for the gastric sleeve. Just days away from setting a surgery date. Last minute, my insurance denied my coverage because I had lost too much weight in the three months leading up to the procedure. It was a blessing. I proved to myself that I didn't need the surgery, just a plethora of education on food in today's America.

I feel as if some people just need it. Others, such as myself, just needed education.

I had medical conditions that made me ineligible for the surgery. If it was an option for me, I would have probably done it - but I would have probably been one of those people who ended up gaining some of the weight back

Doing it on my own has ended up being a better decision for me

Edited: Jared the subway guy is still alive and supposedly did not have surgery

Yes he is still alive, he lost all that weight due to a medical reason, AND he hit on a friend of mine at a bar in Canada, and screamed "Don't you know who I am?!?!" when she turned him down.

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Why do people say that? It's so presumptuous to assume everyone knows or cares who you are. lol

A friend's husband had it a few years back, and he lost a lot of weight very fast. Here it is several years later, and he's gained a lot of it back. What a shame and waste of money. :frown:

My friend on the other hand, decided she wanted to lose weight through diet and exercise. She's lost a TON of weight and runs all the time now. She's going to be in this year's Boston Marathon. I think her way was not only more successful but cheaper!

I had the surgery 15 years ago and lost about 75 lbs. I gained all but 15 of it back over the intervening years. I know others who also gained back most of what they lost.

I was lucky and have had very few side effects, but I have had them. I have met others over the years who have had similar experiences to mine.

My doctor actually suggested I consider revision surgery as the field of bariatric surgery has changed a lot over the years. I decided I wanted to try losing weight loss the 'old fashioned' way first. She recommended MFP and I have since lost 45 lbs in less than 4 months. I have tried to 're-engage' my pouch to help with portion control and committed myself to following the post-surgery rules I have slid on in the past.

Surgery is a tool to help you manage portion control. However with poor diet you can defeat the tool. With or without surgery the only way to lose weight is to ensure you have a calorie deficit -- eat less and exercise more.

I had the gastric sleeve last year and I can say it was the BEST decision I ever made - except maybe my divorce, its a toss up really.

If you have a good weight loss center they don't just cut out your stomach and send you on your way. They have you see a therapist to determine if your mentally committed to the changes you have to make. They have you see a nutritionist who tells you all the ways your thought process on food and how you eat has to change. They have you see an exercise expert who tells you all the ways your body will change because of the surgery and the exercises that will help you the most. They have you go to support groups and remind you over and over and over again that the surgery is a tool, like weights and treadmills and food scales. It only works if you keep trying to make it work.

Yes people have it, lose weight and then gain it all back. Its because they stop trying. They stop asking their support system for help. They don't look for help from others who have gone thru the surgery, they just listen to people who aren't in the same situation and assume they know best.

If you haven't had the surgery, you shouldn't judge people who have. You have no idea how hard we all have to work still and FOREVER!!! If you think its cheating or the easy way you have a very narrow minded perspective and you should be better informed. You can exercise and lose weight and slack off and have cheat days/weeks. We don't have those options if we want to be successful. People who do everything their WL Team tells them to do have to carefully monitor food and water and vitamins and exercise - EVERYDAY!! There is no cheating and the consequences for slacking off and not monitoring these things can land us in the hospital. But we are people who know that this possibility is worth it for us to be healthy.

Stop telling people about the horror stories you have heard and be supportive. No two people lose weight the same way on the same diet and exercise program, if they did MFP wouldn't be full of people saying they are quitting because after 3 weeks they don't see results.