Just curious, how do you guys feel about gastric bypass

Generally speaking... being cut open and having a portion of your stomach removed/bypassed/constricted/stapled or otherwise mutilated should be a last resort. Too many possible complications that could endanger your health or even your life (and I've known 5 people who have had surgury... 2 of them had serious complications, one life altering)

Sadly, We live in a fast food, instant gratification society that focuses on the here and now and not the long term big picture. Nutrition, Counselling and Exercise is a far better combination treatment for obesity.

Explore the reasons why you are overweight or obese. In most cases it is about the lifestyle choices we make (and I'm not talking about thyroid problems or other medical problems either). Poor dietary choices and lack of exercise are a tandem for ill health.

We choose convenience foods over real/nutritious foods. We choose the quick road and forget to walk and smell the roses.
We all believe we can have the silver bullet that allows us to relax on the couch, eat cheesies or potato chips and still be healthy. It doesn't work that way despite what the TV says. The advent of consumer electronics has distracted us from motion and still offers us visual reminders of what the cultural ideal is.

Imagine if everyone in Canada and the US turned off their TV's and Computers and just moved 30 minutes more in a day. How much more productive would we be? How much healthier would we be.

Although not directly related to your question, I've done this myself...Here is a challenge to everyone here.. We'll call it a social experiment?

TURN OFF, UNPLUG and DISCONNECT for an hour a day. No Electronics during that hour. Do this for one week.

Spend the time eating a proper meal at the dinner table, engage in discussion with your family or a friend or go for a walk. Swim, Cycle, Run, Play football with your kids. Just do something other than stare blankly at a screen. Use the time to build a relationship and to work on your health.

Come back to me in a week... tell me if something didn't just feel good about it. Feel free to friend me. I'll be your advocate thru this.

I think most people will be surprised by the results.

Rant over.... Let the Challenge begin!

My sister did it in 2003 (gastric bypass). The outcome? She has gained back MOST of the weight. She had to have her gallbladder removed and hysterectomy, as well as 2 hernia surgeries not long after (coincidence?). She then became addicted to pain pills, then alcohol after she lost access to narcotics. She got 2 DUIs and lost her licence. She then lost her job and her ability to practice law in NC. Nope, don't recommend bypass. She also has BAD problems absorbing vitamins and is constantly anemic.

Don't forget the extra skin you are left with after losing 100+ lbs. Her health ins paid for the bypass, but would not cover the sagging skin as it was not causing enough infections to warrant it, but she couldn't wear a bathing suit or anything because the sagging skin was so bad.

When you have gastric surgery you are warned over and over to not drink alcohal. Mainly with the by pass, it can be leathal. I am so sorry about your sister but maybe her addiction to food was cross addicted to alcohal.
We are all different people and have to live our individual lives. I am open to any questions, and discussions if they are based on human interest or learning. But the feel of this is not so. Before you judge and post an opinion, educate yourself on the facts. See what the process involves. I am not talking about lap band because my hospital (UCLA) does not approve of them and will not do them.
I'm sorry to hear about that trying to do what she thought was right and it ended so badly. That's really too bad that happened to her. I can't say I'd blame the drinking and DUI's on a bypass, that's purely one's choice to drive drunk. Lucky she didn't kill herself or innocent bystanders or other drivers.

I have not had it but I know a lot of people who did. I think that sometimes the need for weight loss is more than just medical need. Being an obese person is very difficult. You are subjected to emotional and physical abuse because of it. You may feel alienated and depressed.

I applaud the work of people who strive for size acceptance, but for many this is not enough. Losing weight isn’t 100% about health, it is, for many, about self worth. I can understand that. I might not feel the same for myself, but I don’t pass judgment.

Ditto!!!

I've known a few people who've had it done and here are the results:

1. One lady still can't hold down food and vomits everyday.

2. One lady did not change her eating habits so she went from being morbidly obese to still being obese. Her weight loss stalled since she wouldn't change her diet.

3. One lady gained all her weight back and to see her you would never know she had a gastric bypass.

4. One lady had a lap band done and although she has lost weight, she is malnourished and looks very unhealthy. Her skin sags and she looks like she's aged about 10-20 years just in the last several months. She also looks very unhappy and has really brittle hair.

I'm not knocking it, but working in the medical field, I have seen far too many people get it and they were not even seriously overweight. Many times people don't look at the long term picture of overall health. I don't believe it's an easy way out because the long term effects on health are not easy. I've seen people have gastric bypass and have to have hernias repaired as a result of the surgery, or have to the surgeries revised, or subsequent health issues. That's not the easy way out by any means. However it is a CHOICE. I've seen people on this very site that were 400-500lbs lose weight w/ diet and exercise alone, so it can be done.

I am now waiting for a gastric sleeve . I am disabled have bad knees and weight about 495 I hate myself and if I don't get the help I need I know how much longer I'll be here

I am now waiting for a gastric sleeve . I am disabled have bad knees and weight about 495 I hate myself and if I don't get the help I need I know how much longer I'll be here

Do WHATEVER you need to do to get yourself healthy again. But in the meantime...Start trying to do something for yourself...For starters...Even if you are not actively trying to modify your diet or lower your calories...LOG YOUR FOOD IN ANYWAY.....Next...get yourself some supportive friends....There is a whole group of people on this board...myself included with a (100+lbs to lose)....Most of those people have sailed in the same morbidly obese boat that you are in now. Stop hating yourself...You can change.

ive seen people do it and they do drop a ton of weight, but they have all this access skin and stuff and it just looks weird.