weight loss surgery

mumof3g
mumof3g Posts: 6
edited November 7 in Health and Weight Loss
I am not advertising that this is right but for me it has now come to the point that I have been accepted for weight loss surgery. So my job now is to decide on bypass or sleeve . If anyone has had these done please could you let me know your feelings on it and how did you decide? TIA
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Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    I am currently working with a gentleman now who had GB surgery. The loss of muscle and being weak put him into depression. He can't eat foods he used to enjoy anymore. He's had to quit working because he can't last long standing.

    Be SURE that this is what you want to do because there's no going back. It's a hard road to lose weight with just diet and exercise, but I'll be the first to tell you that this client is challenging for me. He's well within BMI now, but he's much more unhappier than he was when he was obese.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • elleloch
    elleloch Posts: 739 Member
    Yes I agree with Ninerbuff. Becoming healthier is a "lifestyle change," and the same is definitely true of weight loss surgery. With the surgery you will be forced to eat less and you will also have to deal with the effects it has on your body long term - not all of them are good :( My aunt and uncle both had it done. My uncle initially lost a ton of weight but he gained it ALL back. My aunt is now an alcoholic.
  • chickadee1014
    chickadee1014 Posts: 12 Member
    Bypass xxx
  • skinny0000
    skinny0000 Posts: 90 Member
    You've lost 22 lbs already! I beg you to give it one last try before you have someone cut into you!
  • christinad95
    christinad95 Posts: 201 Member
    I had a GB four weeks ago. I've been following the doctors orders and I cannot say my experience is bad. Before I had my surgery though I took nutrition classes and spoke with individuals on both sides of the coin regarding the surgery. Doing this allowed me to see where the reasons for the success of some but failure of others came into play. When it comes down to it, the surgery is not an easy fix that means you get to eat what you want and not exercise. You still have to eat healthy and exercise to be successful. The results of the surgery depend on you, the patient. Many people say they cannot eat the foods they once loved. Well my question to that is where those foods good for you in the first place? So my best suggestion is research, research, research. Sit with people for and against it, interview them and come to your own conclusions. Educate yourself on diet and nutrition completely, along with the surgery and you'll be able to make an informed decision. :)
  • Hippiemomof4
    Hippiemomof4 Posts: 10 Member
    This is something you must really think hard about, and no ones opinion here is going to matter which road you choose, as a nurse though I would do the sleeve, but only if you are absolutely committed to eating as they recommend because I have seen horrible blockages occur with these things, the reason I would choose this over the GB is because of the terrible effects it can have on your body, and there is always a possibility that if you are not compliant you can just gain it all back. You can gain it all back with the sleeve as well. The question you should be really asking yourself is Am I really ready to change, because if the answer to that question is yes. You dont need surgery. It will not help your health faster to have a GB or a sleeve, it may dramatically hasten your visible results, but if you are truly ready to change, then just change your diet.

    I have a former pateint who was 550 pounds at 5'3, at first she couldnt get out of bed, she started eating a diabetic diet and doing excercises for the bed bound. She lost 50 pounds and graduated to bedside activities, she lost another 50 and eventually she started creeping along on a treadmill, got down to 300 and started jogging. Now she is 180 pounds, and I have to be honest with you and say that her body looks a ton better than that of my friend who was in the 300 pound range and had a GB becasue her skin looks horrid. The GB patient also has terrible problems with hydration and electrolytes, she also cannot maintain her Blood sugar. She is in worse health than she was before the bypass.

    I know this doesnt really answer your question, but I just wnated to provide you with a point of reference that no matter how big or out of control you are, if you make a decision to change, you will.
  • jriber1264
    jriber1264 Posts: 3 Member
    I actually had the Gastric Sleeve last fall and have had a great experience. I chose the sleeve because before weight loss surgery I was always sooooo hungry, no matter what diet I tried, and the sleeve takes out the part of the stomach that secretes the hormone that makes you feel hunger. Also, I had heard that there's less chances of food intolerance with sleeve vs bypass ( I swear the only reason why my coworker lost weight with bypass was because she couldn't hold anything down). I'm happy to report that it's been a steady loss, I'm no longer starving all the time, and haven't had any problems with food intolerance (except I do have to be careful with things with a lot of mayo like chicken salad or seafood salad, it makes my stomach cramp up). The dropping of pounds is not as drastic as with bypass but I know people that needed to do skin removal surgery because they lost so much so quick and was told that surgery has a more painful recovery then the WLS and it can be a bit of a fight to get insurance to cover it and that's if they do. One thing that I would caution everyone about who is thinking of WLS is that it is a business and proper nutrition is not always covered. WLS is a tool not a be all end all. Being skinny isn't always healthy and forming the right habits beforehand is what's going to make the difference of having a healthy surgery and healthy life. If you have any questions or what so extra support I'm here! :happy:
  • mumof3g
    mumof3g Posts: 6
    I only lost that by doing the milk diet for 5 weeks
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
    RNY patient here. Surgery is not without its problems and it is not a miracle cure. You still have to exercise, watch what you eat, keep a food diary, count your calories, weigh yourself consistently and generally do all of the things that people who don't get surgery have to do to lose weight. On top of that you have to be really obsessive about eating your protein, drinking your fluids and taking your supplements. And you'll probably have to do all of that stuff for the rest of your life, if you want to be as successful as possible. The difference is that surgery gives you a temporary reprieve from the crazy, uncontrollable, addiction-like hunger that made it impossible for you to lose weight in the first place. But it doesn't last forever — that's how you see some people regaining all the weight they lost after a year or two, the body adapts and eventually you fin ways to "eat around the surgery" and load up on calories if you're not careful. It is ultimately up to you to learn proper eating and exercise habits and stick to them in the long term; surgery just makes it possible for you to do that.

    If you've tried, and tried, and tried to lose weight unsuccessfully and are really, honestly ready to use the surgery as a tool to help you make the necessary changes in your life to lose the weight for good, then I say go for it. I'm immensely glad I did.
  • mumof3g
    mumof3g Posts: 6
    I have tried to loose my weight for 14 years now and keep maintaining
  • skinny0000
    skinny0000 Posts: 90 Member
    A little tough love:

    You seem to be saying: I can't do this. I tried for so long.

    Let me tell you, if you have surgery, you still have to do it! It's not a miracle surgery!

    I think you can do it. And stay away from crazy fads like milk diets!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    I have tried to loose my weight for 14 years now and keep maintaining
    100% for more than a year? Because if not, then you're not trying that hard. Many people I've dealt with have told me the same story, then get with me and in a couple of months have great results. Why? Because they became COMMITTED. And there's a difference between trying and being committed. It's a harsh truth sometimes.
    Something you should really think about. Because as many have said, dieting and eating right continues EVEN AFTER the surgery. And if you don't have it down right now, it's going to be much more difficult even with the surgery.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
    A little tough love:

    You seem to be saying: I can't do this. I tried for so long.

    Let me tell you, if you have surgery, you still have to do it! It's not a miracle surgery!

    I think you can do it. And stay away from crazy fads like milk diets!

    I must say I agree with most of this. If your 14 years of trying involve crazy things like milk diets, then you haven't really been trying. Weight loss isn't something you do for a few weeks and you're done; it's a commitment to a new lifestyle. Your surgery will fail if you don't learn about proper nutrition and exercise and develop an understanding of what makes a healthy, sustainable diet — all work that you should do waaaay before you even consider surgery.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    RNY patient here. Surgery is not without its problems and it is not a miracle cure. You still have to exercise, watch what you eat, keep a food diary, count your calories, weigh yourself consistently and generally do all of the things that people who don't get surgery have to do to lose weight. On top of that you have to be really obsessive about eating your protein, drinking your fluids and taking your supplements. And you'll probably have to do all of that stuff for the rest of your life, if you want to be as successful as possible. The difference is that surgery gives you a temporary reprieve from the crazy, uncontrollable, addiction-like hunger that made it impossible for you to lose weight in the first place. But it doesn't last forever — that's how you see some people regaining all the weight they lost after a year or two, the body adapts and eventually you fin ways to "eat around the surgery" and load up on calories if you're not careful. It is ultimately up to you to learn proper eating and exercise habits and stick to them in the long term; surgery just makes it possible for you to do that.

    If you've tried, and tried, and tried to lose weight unsuccessfully and are really, honestly ready to use the surgery as a tool to help you make the necessary changes in your life to lose the weight for good, then I say go for it. I'm immensely glad I did.

    OP I have said many times that I have no issue with people using weight loss surgery as a tool to gain control as alk_509 has done. On the other side when I was 560 lbs. I was fronted the option of WLS and even after being trapped in my house for over 2 years I was unwilling to do the surgery because in my minds eye, if I could not fix what was broken in my head that had led me to 560 lbs. then no amount of surgery was going to cure what got me there in the first place... So I met with a therapist to get to the heart of my issues and spent the next 3 years and 3 months fixing me, both on the inside and on the outside.... Was it easy?? Hell no, it took alot of hardwork but now coming up on my 5 year anniversary I know that i have the tools established to make sure I never go back down that dark road... After all that, it is ultimately your decision but heed the advice of those that are saying make sure you understand this surgery is not a fix all end all.... You have to put in just as much work for the rest of your life to be successful... I tell everyone this journey is nothing short of a lifestyle change and will never have an end game.... Your always going to be a work in progress..... Best of Luck...
  • I am also considering weight loss surgery, but will only entertain the idea of the sleeve. I know people who have had both, and have known people regain their weight with both surgeries. I have a friend who is 7 years out from RNY (bypass) and has gained weight back and can still eat anything she wants with no problem. Not everyone goes through the dumping syndrome. I also have a friend who had the sleeve and certain foods make her sick. I would choose the sleeve because it's the "safer" of the two. Less complication rate, less malabsorption issues. Surgery is not the easy way out, it's hard work and it is possible to fail at it so make sure you are ready for that lifestyle change before doing something so drastic.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    I have tried to loose my weight for 14 years now and keep maintaining
    100% for more than a year? Because if not, then you're not trying that hard. Many people I've dealt with have told me the same story, then get with me and in a couple of months have great results. Why? Because they became COMMITTED. And there's a difference between trying and being committed. It's a harsh truth sometimes.
    Something you should really think about. Because as many have said, dieting and eating right continues EVEN AFTER the surgery. And if you don't have it down right now, it's going to be much more difficult even with the surgery.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    This is so incredibly true. I tried to lose weight for over a decade as well, but nothing happened until I changed my thought process. I literally had to change my entire life around for the positive before my weight started to budge a bit. I know I sound like a cheesy self help infomercial, but so much of this is a mental battle, and you CAN do it.
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
    I would choose the sleeve because it's the "safer" of the two.

    This is a common misconception. The VSG involves a much larger stitch line along the side of the sleeve than the RNY and its pouch, so it has a slightly higher chance for leakage issues. Having said that, with current laparoscopic technology, the chances of complications are virtually non-existent regardless of what surgery you choose.
  • toledochic
    toledochic Posts: 46 Member
    I had the sleeve last September. I have done really well so far. Everyone is different. The mental part of the surgery is probably the hardest part. Just do your research before you commit to anything. Good luck!
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    I have never had weight loss surgery but I have battled with weight loss. There are a tremendous amount of smart and successful people on this site that are willing to help you do it naturally if you are willing to do the work. Check out the "Success Stories" section and invest some time in reading this link. This is great information that will help you:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • mumof3g
    mumof3g Posts: 6
    Milk diet was by hospital. Im not saying I cant do this. I walk and exercise daily and not just a little wonder. I eat healthy I have reduced callories. I have done ww, sw and rc all with maintaining. This is last resort
    A little tough love:

    You seem to be saying: I can't do this. I tried for so long.

    Let me tell you, if you have surgery, you still have to do it! It's not a miracle surgery!

    I think you can do it. And stay away from crazy fads like milk diets!
  • leanne9876
    leanne9876 Posts: 301 Member
    I am not advertising that this is right but for me it has now come to the point that I have been accepted for weight loss surgery. So my job now is to decide on bypass or sleeve . If anyone has had these done please could you let me know your feelings on it and how did you decide? TIA

    I'm considering weight loss surgery as well, good luck.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    I implore you to hire a trainer - not some random shmuck at a gym, but a highly certified professional - and to give them full control of your diet and exercise for a couple of months.
  • leanne9876
    leanne9876 Posts: 301 Member
    I implore you to hire a trainer - not some random shmuck at a gym, but a highly certified professional - and to give them full control of your diet and exercise for a couple of months.

    I have done that in the past. I know everything I should be doing but food addiction is hard and no matter how much I try to control it in the end the food wins :( It's so hard.
  • seidel1325
    seidel1325 Posts: 94 Member
    (1) If you "eat healthy" why don't you open your diary? I think that statement is subjective and perhaps some feedback from other users might be helpful.

    (2) At one time I was obese, I tried to lose weight by eating healthy and exercising but I was always hungry. My doctor prescribed a weight loss suppressant for three months and I dropped 20 lbs. It wasn't a panacea, but I was then able to go from walking to jogging. I got so much "bang for my buck" while jogging (i.e. a lot more calorie burn for the amount of time I invested). Eventually I went from jogging to running. I was also able to keep losing weight without the appetite suppressant. I guess my point is have you tried less drastic measures first?
  • cfranz7715
    cfranz7715 Posts: 38 Member
    I was 333 pounds. I have been FAT all my life. Started weight watchers the FIRST time at 8 years old. I always did well then would loose my way somehow. I had the vertical gastric sleeve and have never looked back. It is a tool to help you loose weight. It is NOT a magic kind of thing. I have to eat right, paying attention to everything I still put in my mouth!! I also exercise. I've lost 129 pounds and have never felt better. It was the best decision I have ever made.

    This surgery does NOT fix your brain or your attitude or addictions to foods. Those things are very real and very much still intact. Be sure you are ready in your mind. You will be put to the test!! Trust me!!

    It is doable... : ) Good luck!
  • The advice to really consider all of your options and what they mean, long-term, is a great one. I highly suggest seeing a WLS "friendly"* psychologist for a a couple sessions to explore your strengths and barriers to long-term weight-loss before making a decision. The fact is, this is an incredibly personal decision that really rests on knowing so much more about you and your history than a message board will address. It's good to ask questions on this board and get perspectives, but realize that every response is given through the lens of another person's experience and what worked or didn't work for them might go differently for you given your circumstances.

    Everyone is motivated to have the right answer, because so much rides on it. If I had WLS and I gained it all back, then I'm invested in believing it was the fault of the surgery and not my own failures. If I had it and it worked, then I'm invested in saying it's the best. If I lost weight without surgery (or am trying), then I need to believe it's better than surgery because otherwise it's a lot of hunger and unassisted self-denial and work for a result that may not last (same could be said for WLS-you get my drift). If I'm a surgeon, I have financial interests in telling you WLS is the only way. If I'm a trainer, I have interests in telling you it's better or more "moral" to try harder to do it on your own (with my profession's paid help of course). Not to say that these folks all don't 100% believe in what they are saying. We all do because that is OUR experience based on our life circumstances including personality, emotional and physical health, finances, and our weight history. None of which speaks to you specifically.

    All this said: I don't have any experience with bypass or sleeve so can't comment on your actual question :)

    *when I say WLS friendly, I don't mean a cheerleader or surgeon-affiliated, but someone who is familiar with WLS and is not biased against it. Could be someone who does bariatric evaluations but doesn't work in the same practice as the surgeon.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I predict that in fifty years time, weight loss surgery will be regarded as we regard psychosurgery today. :noway:
  • Hi,
    I had weight loss surgery, I opted for a vertical sleeve gastrectomy or VSG. Mainly because my surgeon did not feel i needed a gastric bypass since i had on weight related health issues (yet). My personal choice came about after my initial approach at weight loss surgery. that was a few years back, and at that time I could not look at myself in the mirror and honestly say that I had tried everything. So for the next 3 years I tried everything i could get my hands on. I lost and gained the same 40 pounds again and again.
    After careful consideration and with the approval of my doctors, dietitians, mental health professionals, and with the piece of mind that God would let me make it through this journey I went ahead and had the surgery.

    I would like to say that it is a complete lie that any one surgery is less invasive than the other. I have worked in the health care industry for 13 years and I have seen people die from every single weight loss surgery there is available. I have also seen people left with irreparable physical damage due to a complication after weight loss surgery, you name it, I've seen it. Even if its just an elastic band, an inflatable band, a sleeve, or rerouting of the intestines... and so on, If you are messing with your gut you can end up in big trouble. That is why you have to be physically and mentally ready to do everything in your power to follow the guidelines of your weight loss surgery plan. Also you must find the proper surgeon and weight loss surgery TEAM to guide you thorough this hard journey.

    In my experience the surgery was a complete success, I am extremely lucky and a rare case. Hours after my gastrectomy I was ready to go and start my new life. I had no pain, no nausea, no complications what so ever. I woke up the next day and completely forgot I had had a major surgery. Not everyone has this great of an experience but it can happen. I lost a tremendous amount of weight within the first 6 months. After that i fell into what my "normal" weight loss trend would be. I am considered a "slow loser" in a sense but in the end I continue to lose more and more weight. I am not at goal yet but now it is easier than ever to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

    I would like for people to understand that surgery is not the easy way out. It is actually one of the hardest things you will ever do. You will never be able to eat a full "regular" sized meal from your fave restaurant. Actually you will rarely be able to make a meal out of anything. You just take a few bites and your are done. Also just because you have the surgery it does not mean that you are set and dont have to worry about food all over again. On the contrary, your whole life will revolve around food! getting enough calories in, making sure you drink enough, making sure you eat the right foods, learning what makes your new stomach happy and what makes it unhappy. It never ends, but one has to keep moving forward.

    In the end one has to make the decision and you can not worry about what others have to say, especially if you are an adult. you make your own choices and you have to live with them

    A final note: Every symptom post surgery, complication, side-effect, is possible with any of the weight loss surgeries available from strictures, failure to thrive, malnourishment , malabsorption, nerve damage, gastric leak etc.. And do not let anyone tell you otherwise, trust me it is well documented.
  • deenam66
    deenam66 Posts: 1
    I had Gastric Bypass just over 2 weeks ago. Other than obsessing about drinking water, taking my supplements and walking daily, I really haven't had any problems. Yes you have to measure out food and make sure you get tons of protein (my Dr wants me getting 60-80g after 2 months) and yes there will be foods that you can never eat again, but in my short experience, I am never hungry and cravings are manageable. They are not so horrible that you become depressed, as mine use to make me, and mine resolve themselves within minutes. Smells tend to make me crave something, but then when I stop and think, it's my brain not my stomach. I vote you do the surgery if you feel that you have tried everything you can think of. I believe that weight loss surgery (bypass or sleeve) makes it easier to manage eating and exercising, but it is a huge commitment. If you haven't gone to any informational meetings/classes about weight loss surgery I highly recommend it. My class explained why dieting and exercising prior to surgery is difficult based on hormones and such that one's stomach secretes that make you continually hungry because your body thinks it needs to keep the weight on (starvation mode). I don't know where you live, but Scottsdale Health Care in Arizona has great surgeons all of which got Top Dr last year. As long as you are ready to see food in a completely different way, and keep up your exercise I say go for it! Good luck in whatever you choose!
  • SkepticalOwl
    SkepticalOwl Posts: 223 Member
    The advice to really consider all of your options and what they mean, long-term, is a great one. I highly suggest seeing a WLS "friendly"* psychologist for a a couple sessions to explore your strengths and barriers to long-term weight-loss before making a decision. The fact is, this is an incredibly personal decision that really rests on knowing so much more about you and your history than a message board will address. It's good to ask questions on this board and get perspectives, but realize that every response is given through the lens of another person's experience and what worked or didn't work for them might go differently for you given your circumstances.

    ^^
    This
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