Surgery or no surgery...that is the question!

SchnookyGirl · February 2012

Hello All,
My name is Becky and it's been a LONG time since I've posted on MFP. I've got a bit of a dilema and am hoping for some insight / inspiration / advice. I'm 36 years old and weigh 370 pounds. Several months ago, my doctor suggested I look into Gastric Bypass. Now 6 months later, I'm scheduled for surgery on March 12th. My family doctor, diabetic doctor, and bariatric doctor all believe this is the best thing I can do for myself...not only will I have a tool to lose weight but there is a 90% chance of reversing the diabetes. Most of my family (parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings) are diabetic...some are heavy like me, others are slender and healthy. Bad genes indeed but in my case, lifestyle contributed to my early diagnosis.

I'm going back and forth on proceeding with the surgery. A few of my concerns to be against it: it's major surgery, i'll need to be on vitamins, calcium, etc. for the rest of my life, there are risks involved with rapid weight loss, gaining the weight back. A few of my concerns to be for it: jump start weight loss will hopefully give me motivation to continue, reversal of diabetes, health benefits of weight loss, reduction of medication.

Have any of you undergone the sugery and if so, what is your story? I know there are strong opinions and I can take it. I'm just looking for some open and honest discussion to help me make a final decision.

Thanks!!

Biomisty · February 2012

Hi Becky, I am also at a high risk of diabetes (both paternal and maternal grandparents and fater) which is one reason I am on my own journey. My aunt was recently diagnosed with esophageal cancer caused by vomiting due to her bypass surgery. I have also had friends that have become anemic with hair loss and a host of other problems. I have known success stories but many more that wished they had not gotten the surgery. A doctor told my 19 year old brother to get the surgery because he was 100 pounds overweight. He lost 100 in one year on his own. I know not everyone can do this but unless you have tried everything including: a personal trainer, a nutritionist, weightwatchers, MFP etc. for what it’s worth, I would not go through with this lift changing surgery until literally all your other options are gone. There are many statistics that say even though many lose weigh with surgery much of that is muscle making you an even more unhealthy person. Good luck to you!

joneswife09 · February 2012

Skip the surgery! Set small, obtainable goals for yourself. You will be so proud of all the hard work you have put into it and will more than likely get to see how your health will begin fixing itself. Its so much more rewarding!

Namaste1983 · February 2012

I HAD THE GASTRIC BYPASS AT 430 POUNDS AND GOT DOWN TO 290 POUNDS. I HAD A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE AND I BINGE ATE THROUGH THE STOMACH RESTRICTIONS. I GAINED MY WEIGHT BACK SLOWLY AND GOT BACK UP TO 380. IT TOOK ME A LITTLE ALMOST 3 YRS TO DROP 180 POUNDS WITH ONLY DIET AND EXERCISE AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN DO IT. HAVING THE SURGERY CAN'T FIX IT ALL. TO ME ITS WORSE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN AND YOU MAY END UP WITH ANEMIA (I GOT THAT, HAIR FELL OUT, DUMPING SYNDROME ETC) I SWEAR YOU CAN DO THIS, PACE YOURSELF. JUST TRY TO EAT ONLY 2500 CALS FOR THE NEXT MONTH, THEN 2000 CALS THE MONTH AFTER. ONE MONTH LATER SWITCH TO WHOLE GRAIN FOODS ONLY, THEN DROP SODA AND FAST FOOD IF YOU CAN. SMALL, STEADY, GRADUAL CHANGES CAN GET YOU THERE QUICKLY AND INSTILL HABITS THAT WILL KEEP YOU SLIM FOR THE LONG RUN. YOU CAN DO THIS WITHOUT SURGERY

ADD ME IF YOU NEED SUPPORT AT ANY TIME
SARAH

CyberEd312 · February 2012

I don't hold anyone at fault for having the bands or bypass surgery, it is really a journey only you can decide if it is best for you. 32 months ago I could barely walk from room to room (had a computer chair I would roll myself around the house on to get to the bathroom and kitchen) and had not left the house much in over 2 years. I had ate myself to 560 lbs., had all the Super morbidly obese systems including Full blown Type 2 Diabetes... When I finally went to the doctor for help those was the first words out of his mouth and my Endo Dr. "You should consider weightloss surgery) Well for me, this Was Not an Option..... I believed if I couldn't fix what was broken in my head that led me to kill myself with food than no surgery would ever fix that. To me the surgery wouldn't fix my emotional addiction to food, sure it would cause me to not be able to eat it but I have several friends that have had the surgery and most of them have struggled and 3 of them have put all the weight back on.. They literally have stretched their stomach back to where they can eat like they use to.. They never fixed what was broken and even though they used the surgery as a tool they still failed. Again I don;t hold it against any of them for doing what they thought was right but In my case it just wasn't a choice, I told the Doctor I will lose this weight with diet and exercise or die trying... So I began in Aquatic therapy (had to because I could barely support my own weight) with the help of my doctors and dietician and therapists I began this long journey., It has not been easy by any means and has taken alot of dedication and willpower but I can tell you it has been worth every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears....... If you feel like the surgery will help you than go through with it but just remember when you wake up from surgery those feeling to eat (the food addiction part) with still be there and you will need to deal with them but if you are having second thoughts do some serious soul searching before your surgery date... Good luck to you..... All my health issues have completely reversed including my diabetes ( A1c now avg. 5.4 from 10.0 32 months ago when I was diagnosed.)

bloodbank · February 2012

I HAD THE GASTRIC BYPASS AT 430 POUNDS AND GOT DOWN TO 290 POUNDS. I HAD A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE AND I BINGE ATE THROUGH THE STOMACH RESTRICTIONS. I GAINED MY WEIGHT BACK SLOWLY AND GOT BACK UP TO 380. IT TOOK ME A LITTLE ALMOST 3 YRS TO DROP 180 POUNDS WITH ONLY DIET AND EXERCISE AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN DO IT. HAVING THE SURGERY CAN'T FIX IT ALL. TO ME ITS WORSE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN AND YOU MAY END UP WITH ANEMIA (I GOT THAT, HAIR FELL OUT, DUMPING SYNDROME ETC) I SWEAR YOU CAN DO THIS, PACE YOURSELF. JUST TRY TO EAT ONLY 2500 CALS FOR THE NEXT MONTH, THEN 2000 CALS THE MONTH AFTER. ONE MONTH LATER SWITCH TO WHOLE GRAIN FOODS ONLY, THEN DROP SODA AND FAST FOOD IF YOU CAN. SMALL, STEADY, GRADUAL CHANGES CAN GET YOU THERE QUICKLY AND INSTILL HABITS THAT WILL KEEP YOU SLIM FOR THE LONG RUN. YOU CAN DO THIS WITHOUT SURGERY
ADD ME IF YOU NEED SUPPORT AT ANY TIME
SARAH

Usually I stay of these threads because I have nothing meaningful to offer - but Sarah knows what she's talking about. She's lost well over 200 lbs on her own, without starving herself or being a chronic cardio bunny. It can absolutely be done.

bevskiwolf · February 2012

I was afraid of gastric bypass because it is so life changing. I had the Realize Band and it saved my life and it can be reversed but I would never ever want to do that.

Just my two cents.

Hugs!

gregthegroove · February 2012

Whatever you decide, good luck to you. You are 370 lbs. I started at 404. Im now about 300 lbs. It took a year but with no surgery. One thing to remember, surgery will NOT fix your head and brain and why we got to the weight we got to. You being bigger, you will also drop your weight quickly which will get you out of the danger zone fairly quick. I would say within the first 6 months you can easily drop the 70 lbs to get to 300.

You need to drop about 20% of your body weight to really get out of a "danger zone" and greatly reduce risks of diseases such as diabetes. So if you can focus on small goals first, Im with alot of the people, you can do it on your own. All it is time and effort. What else do you have to lose but fat and weight? Give yourself an "HONEST" try. Try one last time for 6 months and see what happens. If you cant lose a good amount of weight, with honest trying, maybe revisit it. If you sabbotage yourself and cheat and disregard your food and calorie intake, it wasnt honest and you will never know. Give yoruself a chance and in 6 months eat about 1500 calories a day and work out or even move and walk 3 to 4 times a week one hour, LOG YOUR FOOD and use MFP!. See what happens. If you stay honest, you will never look back again. I promise.

sherbertriot · February 2012

I would probably do the band over the gastric bypass but if you need it, you do what you need to do. Surgery doesn't fix whats wrong inside of you but it can help you on the right path. Surgery could be a great decision for you,

gspea · February 2012

Hi Becky - While I do agree with a couple of the posts above. The decision is yours to make. You must understand that this is not a cure all - but only a tool in your diet arsenal. I am working toward having Adjustable Gastric Banding done. It is less invasive, does not (most of the time) have the malabsorptive issues. Yes you will need to be on a couple of supplements - but as we grow older we should be on vitamins and calcium.

I have had 5 friends who have had both the AGB and Bypass and 3 fell off the wagon and two have been very successful. But the ALL told me that it is up to ME to make the AGB work. The Three who have gained some weight have all admitted it was not the tool's fault but their own. They didn't follow plan.

If you don't have surgery - you will STILL need to follow a plan. Once you lose it and you go back to your old eating habits - you will gain it back. As alot of MFP members can tell you - I lost 100lbs 6 yrs ago - and gained all but 15 back. I am not again on the road to losing weight but have decided that I need that extra tool to help.

Good luck - which ever way you decide to go. Please continue on your weight loss journey with whatever plan you choose.
g

7funnygirl7 · February 2012

Hope you decide to stear away from the surgery! I had 3 friends (all women) who had it done...one sucessful (but with complications), the other two are back to their original weight and then some. I have been fat my whole life, my heaviest was my pregnancy with my son and at my last trimester was 325 pounds! I got down to 290 pds. and stayed that way for about 5yrs. I found my inner motivation (FINALLY)..LOL, got my **** together, joined curves and now joined MFP. I am happy to say since Oct. 21 2011 I have lost almost 20 pounds and almost 16 inches. I am still hugely overweight (256 when I joined here). I was in high gear to get surgery as well, but thankful I didn't as this is my life, my journey and I was meant to discover the real me and how, when and why I gained so much weight.~However long it may take to get the next pounds off I will keep my head held high and praise myself for my hard work! You can do this too! It is a life changing event know matter what you decide to do...you are not alone. Keep reaching for the stars....the skys the limit baby!!! BEST OF LUCK

mandy_lee86 · February 2012

This was my reply to this topic in another forum:

I have a Lapland and it helped me lose 80 pounds very quickly. But, guess what? In the last six months I gained 30 of it back. After my surgery I did not work out and I thought this "tool" was supposed to make me lose everything. As with gastric, you can eat as much as you want. The band does have issues with leaking, etc. Looking back on it, I woudn't do it again because it did not change my mind set of being addicted to food. The change your mindset on food you have to put i the sweat and tears and work through every pound. The lapband is a major "cop out." I would not suggeste it. I would suggest everyone to put in their sweat and tears into every pound so that you don't have the same issues down the road once you'ved reached your prefered weight. You will never get to your goal unless you have the mindset. When you finally have the mindset, you know deep down inside that NOONE/NOTHING is going to stop you from reaching your goal. I realized this a few weeks back and I've been full force since then. The pounds are coming off and it makes me realize that I was an idiot for putting it off for so long. Just my two sense... Good luck to you, whatever route you choose

gsdx7 · February 2012

My sister in law had this done, she lost the weight. Going on three years now she has put the weight on + some.I think the change must come from inside, you must be ready tp make the change.
Good luck

PinkEarthMama · February 2012

These aren't my stories, but I'll share them anyway.

My mom had gastric bypass when i was 18. It was horrible. She threw up tons, was constantly uncomfortable, and went through flash menapause as she couldn't take her medications by mouth. She threw up every time she ate something unhealthy. The weight FELL off in huge chunks.

And then she gained almost all of it back. The surgery didn't break her emotional attachment to food. All it did was make her unable to eat big quantities. It HURT HER and depressed her... and now she was going through withdrawl. She was constantly emotionally hungry. And, bite by bite, she ate through the gastric bypass.

My gorgeous friend started out above 300. She was told she had to lose some of the weight on her own, and keep it off for a year. She did. Now she's got a normal BMI, and is a size 12, and losing. She looks at feels phenomenal, works out every day. She never did have that surgery. Once she broke her attachment to eating, she was able to do it on her own.

I can't say the surgery will help you, or hurt you. But perhaps ask for 6 more months, and see what you can accomplish, knowing tht surgery looms around the corner.

Much love and support to you!!!

kkester63 · February 2012

I had the surgery 10 years ago. Was a great way to lose weight, you just can't eat. Side effects, like any near starvation diet hair loss, hormonal changes etc... The surgery works for 6 months to a year at which point you have reached a fairly stable weight ... from then on it's all up to you.

I dont' regret the surgery but even with it you can come back to being morbidly obese. I lost 200 pounds from the surgery, maintained 160 of it for 5 years. Stress and a few health issues occured and I started eating again despite the surgery limited intake. I got back to 460+.

To sum it all up. Gastric bypass is a fantastic tool, gets the weight off fast to improve your health. In the long run though it's all on you. I'd do it again in a heart beat so recommend it if you and your doctors feel it is a good choice. You will need to use the time it's really protecting you to break bad food habits. Join a support group, or therapy to break those food addictions. If you do that, you'll get those awesome results you want and can maintain them as well.

Anastacia1119 · February 2012

I haven't had the surgery myself, but, a friend of mine had the lap band surgery a little over a year and a half ago. For her, it was a life changing experience. Not only has she lost over 160 pounds, she has become an avid runner and will be running in her first half marathon next weekend. For her it wasn't a crutch, but a new beginning. She knew it would take hard work and determination to lose the weight. After working with her doctors, nutritionist and trainers she is down from a size 28 to a size 10. She is one of my biggest inspirations! If having the surgery is the right thing for you, so be it. I agree with the other posters here saying to exhaust every other alternative first. Either way, you definitely have a support system here to lean on.

tcmay72 · February 2012

THE BAND WAS THE CHOICE I MADE! I NEEDED HELP TO CONTROL MY WEIGHT, AT MY HEAVIEST 215 5'3". I LOST 30 LBS OVER SEVEN MONTHS OF STARVING OR AT LEAST THATS HOW IT FELT:0) I WAS SO PROUD, BUT I GAINED ALMOST ALL OF IT BACK IN ABOUT 3 TO 4 MONTHS. WITH DIABETES LOOMING, AND BACK TO 209 I BEGAIN TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER ANSWER. i HAD THE BAND PLACED IN AUG I QUICKLY LOST AROUND 30 LBS AND SLOWLY ANOTHER 10LBS. I AM NOW ABOUT 10 LBS FROM MY GOAL WEIGHT OF 155. i AM SO HAPPY WITH MY DECISION:0) I STARTED MFP TO HELP IN MY PROGRESS, AS MY DR. SAID FROM DAY 1 ITS NOT A FIX ITS A TOOL TO HELP IN WEIGHT LOSS. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS EXCEPT FOR A BIT OF HAIR LOSS IN THE BEGINING BUT IM FAR FROM BALD:0) EVERYONE KNOWS SOMEONE! BUT ITS YOUR STORY! HAVE IT PLAY OUT THE WAY YOU WANT IT TO AND GOOD LUCK

SixCatFaerie · February 2012

I HAD THE GASTRIC BYPASS AT 430 POUNDS AND GOT DOWN TO 290 POUNDS. I HAD A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE AND I BINGE ATE THROUGH THE STOMACH RESTRICTIONS. I GAINED MY WEIGHT BACK SLOWLY AND GOT BACK UP TO 380. IT TOOK ME A LITTLE ALMOST 3 YRS TO DROP 180 POUNDS WITH ONLY DIET AND EXERCISE AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN DO IT. HAVING THE SURGERY CAN'T FIX IT ALL. TO ME ITS WORSE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN AND YOU MAY END UP WITH ANEMIA (I GOT THAT, HAIR FELL OUT, DUMPING SYNDROME ETC) I SWEAR YOU CAN DO THIS, PACE YOURSELF. JUST TRY TO EAT ONLY 2500 CALS FOR THE NEXT MONTH, THEN 2000 CALS THE MONTH AFTER. ONE MONTH LATER SWITCH TO WHOLE GRAIN FOODS ONLY, THEN DROP SODA AND FAST FOOD IF YOU CAN. SMALL, STEADY, GRADUAL CHANGES CAN GET YOU THERE QUICKLY AND INSTILL HABITS THAT WILL KEEP YOU SLIM FOR THE LONG RUN. YOU CAN DO THIS WITHOUT SURGERY
ADD ME IF YOU NEED SUPPORT AT ANY TIME
SARAH

Usually I stay of these threads because I have nothing meaningful to offer - but Sarah knows what she's talking about. She's lost well over 200 lbs on her own, without starving herself or being a chronic cardio bunny. It can absolutely be done.

^^^THIS!!!

omma_to_3 · February 2012

The biggest issue people have is regaining due to not changing their habits (well, maybe not biggest issue, but most common). I would suggest that you push the surgery off a month or two. Then, follow the diet you would need to follow AFTER the surgery. Yes, it would be easier to follow after the surgery, but you still need to make that commitment. If you follow the diet fairly well for a month or two, not only will you lose a little weight, but you'll know if you can truly make the lifestyle change necessary to succeed with the surgery.

Good luck!

eayal002 · February 2012

I couldn't name all the risks with surgery, I'm sure your doctor has given them to you if he hasn't learn what they are.

Here are the risks of doing it through good diet, exercise and dedication:

NONE

Not saying do it or don't it is your decision but you can get the surgery now or a year from now. Give yourself that year to try it the non surgical way. In the long run you will feel better and will be more confident by doing it the natural way.

Good luck either way.

LJCannon · February 2012

Strong Opinions, indeed!! I won't try to sway your decision, only You and Your Doctor can decide what is right for you. MFP will be a valuable Tool in your new Lifestyle whether you go forward with the surgery or not.
I didn't click on your Profile so I am not sure how old you are, but don't let anyone tell you that you are "Too Old" to lose the weight or any other excuse. I am 54 and I lost all my weight without Pills, Surgery, or even Pre-packaged food like Jenny Craig. So I know it can be done.
:happy: And I do have Friends who have lost weight with Surgery. You have to do what is right for YOU.

Surgery or no surgery...that is the question!

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