Weight loss surgery: Yes or No?

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Replies

  • Duchy82
    Duchy82 Posts: 560 Member
    Me personally no, I would never have weightloss surgery I know I can do it without.

    The thing is, its a highly personal choice but in the end both the surgery and using mfp require you making lifelong lifestyle changes for it to be successful. Wouldn't it then be better to do it slowly making small sustainable changes to your diet by using mfp then by invasive surgery with all the dangers and complications associated with it? You already know how to lose weight you just have to learn how to keep it off, right?

    To be honest if my gp would have said the only way you can lose weight is through weightloss surgery I would have been so annoyed I would have wanted to prove him wrong and done it by myself but that's just my personality :D
  • 150poundsofme
    150poundsofme Posts: 523 Member
    Hi, You and your family can go to many bariatric doctors' seminars and learn all about the different options with no commitment. You and your family can also go to all their support groups and hear from people who have had the operations. Also many patients have you tube sites where they talk about 1 week out, 3 months out etc. Also you can google bariatric weight loss and see all the pros/cons and also what you would need to eat after the surgery. This might help you come to a better understanding of your choices.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    What decided me against it was looking at the list of foods that I would have a hard time consuming both post-op and long-term. I'm a vegetarian who loves trying out new recipes. According to http://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/gastric-sleeve-diet.html#Long_Term_Main, starches, certain veggies I adore, and dairy would be off my list. My dad's had the surgery and can't eat untoasted bread anymore. If there were no other option, then of course, I'd do what I had to to take the weight off. But there are.

    Bariatric surgery has worked to varying degrees with my dad and sister. (Dad's weight is creeping back up. Sis's is higher than it was immediately post-surgery, but she's stabilized way lower than she was before the surgery). I'd never tell someone not to consider it. For me, though, the disadvantages outweighed the advantages. I'm eating less and moving more. And 9 months later, I'm more than 60% to goal.
  • missshea
    missshea Posts: 2 Member
    edited August 2017
    A lot of people go on the five bite diet to mimic the surgery. It's a non surgical bypass they say. It's very rigorous and you probably can do any healthy foods diet and still make changes without extremism, but if it were me, I would do that over having someone actually change my body. There is a book and Facebook groups if you look it up. I've seen a lot of people lose large amounts on it successfully!!
  • 76Crane76
    76Crane76 Posts: 133 Member
    I too have been considering it off and on for a number of years. What stops me is that I see the all the negatives of the surgery and I do not see as many positives. When I had my consultation with the surgeon, the gastric "sleeve" is not an actual sleeve that I thought was placed on the stomach, it was actually REMOVING the stomach and shaping the left-overs into a sleeve. It was too drastic for me. One thing I do remember from my consultation was that the surgeon told me that I HAD been successful in the past. I told him that I had failed countless times keeping the weight off...his reply was that I had actually been successful all those times at getting the weight off so I would be able to do it again. Here I am on MFP, preparing for the long-haul and the possibility of being on the app for the long-term. Good luck with your decision!
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    edited August 2017
    I agree that it's a very personal decision. I know several people who have had it, including my aunt, who had it in November. She's lost close to 80 lbs and looks like a different person. She also has a lot of loose skin, though, from losing the weight so quickly. She still uses MFP to track her calories and protein intake, too. Of the people I know who have had it, only 1 or 2 have gained weight back.
    I lost my weight by eating less and moving more. The idea of that kind of surgery terrified me. I'd never do it, but that's just me. I was much happier doing it the way I did.
  • Mandy_1982
    Mandy_1982 Posts: 160 Member
    I had sleeve surgery 3 months ago and I would do it again in a heart beat. My blood pressure is normal, my type 2 diabetes is reversed, and I'm more healthy and active than I've been all of my adult life so far. It's only a tool to help with weight loss, but a good one.

    I'm seeing a lot of negative on this thread toward it, so it's good to do you own research on it, not just listen to people who haven't actually been through it. Feel free to add me. Check out the MFP bariatric group as well.
  • ccruz985
    ccruz985 Posts: 646 Member
    Yes, absolutely yes. I had it six years ago this Halloween and it was the best decision I ever made for myself. My mother and three friends have also had it and none of us have any regrets. Let me explain something first though; while I believe it to be the best tool available, it is just that -- A TOOL. If you don't mean it as a real lifestyle change and if you don't change your relationship with food you will make yourself sick and end up gaining the weight right back. A lot of people who talk about the complications they had later on fail to tell the whole story about how they didn't follow their diets, didn't listen to their surgeons, and ultimately didn't actually change anything. I attend and speak at support groups, I understand that some complications do stem directly from the surgery. Do your research and when people make statements about the risk, consider the risk you take every single day living your current lifestyle. Everyone's opinions are nothing compared to the research you do for yourself and following what truly feels right for you. Feel free to request me and ask me anything you might be curious about, no limits.
  • ccruz985
    ccruz985 Posts: 646 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    With weight loss surgery you need to be able to do what you'd need to do without as well: manage your weight. You can easily cheat by for example constantly eating chocolate paste. Plus you'd need to be on vitamins and minerals for the rest of your life, including vitamin B12 shots.

    Vitamin shots comment is inaccurate. Myself and no one I know whose had surgery has to do that.
  • aguy0980
    aguy0980 Posts: 544 Member
    I honestly think it's a personal decision, based on what that person wants and their health.

    For me personally, I prefer to do it with diet and exercise (no surgery). I have seen a few people succeed and I have seen more fail after surgery. Some people view bariatric surgery as a quick fix. Losing weight is a complete lifestyle change. Although it isn't for me...I would suggest making an appointment and speaking to a doctor for more information. Good luck in whatever you decide!!!
  • garber6th
    garber6th Posts: 1,890 Member
    Like most things, people talk mostly about the negatives. I had surgery almost 4 years ago. The reason people fail after surgery is the same reason people fail at CICO weight loss approach - they don't do what they are supposed to do. Surgery in and of itself will not be the answer. It's a tool. Like with any approach to weight loss, there has to be commitment and and understanding of the process. Speaking for myself - I knew that pushing 400 lbs wasn't normal, so before choosing surgery I chose to have a year of therapy. I knew that I had to get things right in my head before I would get things right with my health. I am healthier than ever now. I had zero problems post surgery. I take regular vitamins, like MANY people do who never had surgery. I watch what I eat like MANY people do who didn't have surgery. The surgery helped me get out of danger faster than I would have on my own. I am grateful I had this option. All this said, surgery is NOT for everyone. It's not a miracle, it isn't going to do all the work, and like any other tool, you have to take care to keep things working properly.
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,750 Member
    thews300 & others have great advise. I am not that overweight so I can't speak from personal experience but I did work in ICU for 10 yrs & there was almost always someone there from wt loss surgery that had complications any/or infections. We do have 2 friends who kept it off for 20 yrs now but know others who haven't. The best thing to do weather you get it or not is to work hard on changing your eating habits & get informed before making a decision
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Vitamin deficiencies depend on the surgery. My bypass has more; iron, calcium, Folic Acid, vitamin D and B12. There are fewer deficiencies with the sleeve.
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