Weight loss surgery

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Has anyone here had weight loss surgery? If so did you find it helpful? Yea or Na?

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  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    My sister had the lap band. She still had to diet and no, it wasn't easy. Took her more than a year to finally lose 50 lbs; there were many months where she didn't lose anything at all.

    There is no quick fix.
  • _dixiana_
    _dixiana_ Posts: 3,262 Member
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    My MIL had gastric bypass about 12 years ago, she lost a ton of weight but then had a complication from the surgery and was in the hospital for 3 months and almost died. She still gets sick if she eats too much, which for her is still very little. My FIL had lap band and it didn't help him much. He lost very little.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
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    My mom has had the gastric sleeve procedure.

    I believe she will gain again if she doesn't actually put effort into learning about nutrition. She can fill her tiny stomach with a quarter cup of Mac and cheese, and that is all she will eat. She is essentially eating exactly the same in smaller more frequent portions. She will see initial success and eventually succumb to the same issues that caused her to regain every time she has lost in the past. Fen Phen, extreme exercise (hrs a day), Atkins, cabbage soup diet, 17 day diet. All ended the same for her because her mindset has never changed.

    I hope you consider at least trying CICO for a while before thinking about surgical options. There are no quick fixes even with surgery.
  • ridge4mfp
    ridge4mfp Posts: 301 Member
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    Just my opinion, but I believe no one needs weight loss surgery unless their life is in immediate danger. The lifestyle still has to change to have any long lasting effect. So many think the surgery is a magic pill and it is just not true. I find it kind of fascinating that many seem to believe that surgery will make them not want to eat. That is not true, either.
  • MsAmandaNJ
    MsAmandaNJ Posts: 1,248 Member
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    No surgery for me, but my mother had the gastric sleeve done. She dropped a lot of weight right away, put about 20 pounds back on within two years of her surgery. She overeats to the point where she'll have to vomit, this happens multiple times a week. I understand her reasoning for the surgery, wanted to be active with her grandchildren, but I feel she was not given enough information or guidance from the doctor, and that she just isn't honest about her relationship with food. She's convinced "gluten-free" and "low carb" is how she should eat, but is sedentary and does not count calories...vodka has about 100 in an ounce, "but no carbs". Had she actually changed the way she ate and became active, she wouldn't have qualified for the surgery (barely qualified for), but would've achieved her goal on her own. The surgery has not solved her problems, but I believe she expected it to.

    I've seen people blow through their band or stretch out their stomach, but I've also seen people commit to a different lifestyle and keep the weight off. That's key, whether you opt for surgery or not.
  • moonchildisme
    moonchildisme Posts: 83 Member
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    I had surgery last sept and have lost a bit of weight. I seemed to platoed for 3 months, so came here for support. Thanks everyone for your imput.