Is having surgery to lose weight hard work?

From what I've read on some of the bariatic forums, it's not only hard work, it's more painful by far than muscle soreness or hunger. And they have to lose quite a bit of weight just to qualify for the surgery. It really does seem like a last resort procedure.

At first it may be a bit easier but in the end it is just as hard. I think the appeal is that it helps get you to a point where you can take control of your life again. Many people that are obese feel like dieting and exercise wont work for them. Haven't we all tried fad diets and exercise plans a million times? Losing weight is not easy no matter what route you take. I don't think the struggle to get fit should be looked down on because of the avenue you took.

My aunt just recently had surgery done ( with in a yr) she has lost about 100 lbs and it is definitely a hard road. She eats as much as you would give a toddler. Certain food can upset the stomach. This was a choice for her but it is not for everyone.

I had lapband and lost 25 lbs before it had to be removed. It was every bit as hard losing with the LAPBAND. It is still calories in and calories out. You still need to exercise. I wish I had my $17,000 back from the surgery.

WLS is a tool. I think it is a good and useful tool in some cases, but it still requires the effort to lose.

Just my humble opinion

My Mom is 65 has been over 300 for my entire life. I myself hit 303 as my highest point. She got surgery a little over a four years ago. She now is at her goal of 140 and has stayed there for almost 3 years. She STILL has to work out 5 days a week. She calculates everything she eats and in the beginning she ate very TINY portions but now she eats the same amount I have on my plate. I'm now only at 188 and started the EXACT same day she did to lose myself and I did lose 115 kept it off for six month and gained it back. I think the most important thing is her head space has NOT changed but it gave her a jump start to get to where she has NEVER been and she feels so much better about herself that she REFUSES to go back. She is off ALL her meds. She can WALK again without looking like she's 105. I was actually angry with her at first for doing this because I had heard so many horror stories but to see her now it only makes me happy. She got a second chance at life. It is not for everyone. I could not do it personally but if 23 more years go by and I go up and down like a yo yo like she did my entire life who knows. I'm hoping this time around will be my LAST time and I can get to goal and STAY THERE!!

I'm not an advocate of it however, it does have the best long term impact on weight loss by a large margin when compared to general diet/exercise/drug studies (this is in the research, not anecdotally). As others have mentioned, its not necessarily going to be the most comfortable journey, but you're kinda stuck on the road once you start (unless you go back under the knife). If you can stick to a better diet and lifestyle then it would be silly not to. Being healthy is about more than just weight!

Interestingly, these types of surgery DON'T JUST AFFECT THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. They actually alter the hormonal balance in the body, leading to reduced appetite and increased satiation (this can be seen in neuronal activity in the hypothalamus). The jury is still out on how this actually occurs.

Just some food for thought

I had RNY gastric bypass. Yes, it is hard. So many appointments, psychological changes, food restrictions, pain if you eat too much or something that isn't compatable with the changed stomach/bypassed intestine.

The surgery is generally done for multiple medical reasons--diabetes, morbid obesity, high blood pressure, etc. Losing weight is hard. Losing 200 lbs feels overwhelmingly difficult. Walking around with 200 extra pounds is also painful, limiting the ability to exercise.

People who have GBP can gain weight back if they don't follow their new diet and if they fall back on old habits, just like those who take a more "traditional"route for weight loss. As Deedlynn said, it's a tool. The point is to get someone to a healthy BMI and then keep them there, but, if the person isn't ready or have their head in the right place yet, it probably won't work permenantly. Thankfully, most trustworthy/reputable hospitals are requiring a big psych aspect in the pre- and post-op programs now.

My opinion; it's a cop-out, an easier way out. No different than someone taking steroids to gain muscle. Not to mention the potential life altering complications of surgery even death.

I guess opinions are like a@@holes, everyone has one and they all stink!!! That being said....

I have a lapband. I had no choice in getting my band if I wanted to lose weight.

From 1994-1998 I lost over 90 pounds through diet and exercise, then in 1998, I was in a car accident and ended up with a PERMANENT fracture of my L3 vertebrae, 10 weeks flat on my back, 8 month in a back brace and no exercise involving the core for over a year....guess what the weight came back plus a whole lot more. I am cursed to gain unless I can exercise.

By 2000 I was over 300 lbs and could not exercise without extereme pain, legs going numb and back spasms. I also could not lose the weight without exercise, so in 2003 I made the life saving decision to have a lap band implanted. I dropped 172 lbs over a 3 year period, then in 2007 my band slipped and I had to have it replaced. Due to complications from the surgery, I gained almost 100 lbs back.

I work out 3-5 days per week, two of which are with a trainer, I eat right and am working to become lean and fit. A lapband is not a cop-out but tool to help those of us who are not physically able to at 300 lbs to exercise sufficiently. I have to work twice as hard to get my nutrients in to keep my body from feeling starved.

Next time you want to be rude and dismissive you may want to think about how your words may affect others.

I know a ton of people who have done this and oddly enough their doctors make them lose weight in order to get the surgery done. Low and behold these people up and lose 15 to 20 lbs just to be able to get the surgery.

My thought process is not very pro-surgery in this case, because if they can manage to lose 20 lbs to get the surgery done, why can't they just keep going with the weight loss and ignore the surgery? I think people look for the easier way out. I'm not so sure I believe it's "just as hard" for them to lose weight. Although, I'm sure recovery from the surgery sucks.

I have seen other cases where people get the surgery because they have to, for one reason or another, and that's okay. You just make the best choice for you. I just wish people wouldn't just run for the easiest/fastest option...

I would do this as a last resort. Look up Carny Wilson. She had the surgery done, lost weight, gained weight and is having it done again. I think it is necessary for some people who have tried everything, but it is dangerous and is not a quick fix.

I have friends who've had/are having great success (like Robyn! :drinker: ), a friend who's had mediocre success, and a friend who died from complications. :frown:

The people who have great success work their *kitten* off. And they're people who've legitimately tried every traditional weight loss method. And it's ain't easy.

Due to complications from the surgery, I gained almost 100 lbs back.

I'm not being rude. Did the surgery cause you to gain the weight back or was it your eating that caused you to gain the weight back?

Combination of the two. I developed a pocket in my digestive track and my body started trying to digest everything above my band, when my doctor put in a new band he would not tighten it until the pocket disappeared. However, my body was used to surviving off of less than 600 cal per day, with the new band and larger opening, I was eating between 1200 and 1500 calories a day, my body didn't know how to use the extra caloris, so here came the weight.

I would say I have worked just as hard post-op as I did pre-op. My reason for the surgery wasn't just about the weight (at 290 lbs, I was on the lower end of even being heavy enough) but also because of a genetic predisposition of insulin resistance related to PCOS. There have successes in regulating insulin through the bypass surgery that yes, is a result of wt. loss but also there are theories that it has to deal with the nerves being cut (or something along those lines)

Pre-op I was always extremely active and did make extreme efforts to keep a balanced, healthy diet.

Now for maintenance it IS easier post-op as compared to weight loss pre-op, but that is largely due to the fact that certain hormonal levels have balanced out and now I can normally work with my body rather than constantly battling my syndrome. I feel now I can follow the rules and the numbers and they WORK. I've also gotten to a point where you would not know from the way I eat that I had surgery. I have normal (and by normal I mean the amount someone should be eating) portions and appetites. I can drink with a meal. I see these as a blessing because I generally feel like I have a normal, healthy life now that I didn't have before. For many people this is the curse because if they didn't develop good habits pre-op they can fall back into wt. gain easily.

The downside: With everything else balancing out so well, my GLP-1 spiked and I have episodes of hypoglycemia if I go overboard on simple CHOs w/o combining them with fat and protein. Taking the vitamins is a MUST and a lot of people eventually let this go by the wayside. I always need to be careful about alcohol as it hits much more quickly. But that just makes my bar tab cheaper

4 years this May, 120 lbs lost, no regain, still working towards my 'ideal' weight but happy to be putting in the work towards it and maintaining all losses.

My opinion; it's a cop-out, an easier way out. No different than someone taking steroids to gain muscle. Not to mention the potential life altering complications of surgery even death.

I totally agree.

Still hard work! I had the lap band last aug. instead of just feeling guilty for over eating you will feel a physical reminder. It is a tool not a cure. It has helped me stick to this new eating life style. In the past i would have already given up. I knew the lap band would be more work on my part, than traditinal gastric bypass, but it was the right choice for me:0) Good luck the biggest thing learned for me has been how quikly i ate, not no more slow and chew chew chew is my new way of dinning.