Gastric Bypass Surgery

Yowsa! if the previous posts aren't enough to freak anyone out, i don't know what is hahah

I had lap band last year, it's working great! I did all to most of my research about weight loss surgery on www.ObesityHelp.com thousands of people who have had every kind of WLS. My name there is LChin1978, look me up! :)

L.

My sister-in-law went blind from the surgery. She was perfectly healthy when she had it done. Well besides being over weight, but that was the only thing wrong. I have thought about it too, and my husband has told me that he does not want me to have it done. There a to many things that can go wrong. They don't tell you all of the things that can go wrong with the surgery. I am the same age as you, and yes I am over weight as well. But if you eat right and exercise, you can lose the weight. I have the same exact thoughts going through my mine as well. Have you thought about getting a membership to a gym? Or even a treadmeal? In my senior year of high school I was over weight, I was also on the track team. For the first three years my coaches really didn't care if I ran, as long as I practiced my field events. But my senior year my life was changed to a wonderful coach that would not take NO for an answer. lol Because of him I was able to run 2 miles non stop, which I have never been able to do before.(and I have asthma)He made me run every day. It killed like crazy, but I was thankful in the end when I was able to go to my senior prom not fat. He did a lot of running with me as well, to encourage me. I went from a 24 to a 14 because of him. And I only did track from March to June. Running is really good. I gained all my weight back plus more, when I had complications with both of my children, and the 6 months after having my son I ended up with two herniated disks. 6 months after my son's first birthday I ended up having to have surgery on my back. So that laid me up for awhile. Which I gained a lot of weight during that time. Try not to have this procedure done. You might not think going blind will happen to you, but it can. No one can predict the side affects for everyone. Think of this, do you want to not be able to see your children ever again? Think of that! That is what played a major role in me not doing it. I really hope that you will take into consideration what I am saying. I would hate to hear of any mother not being able to see their children any more, because of a procedure.

I hope that you are not upset with what I wrote, I am just going off of what I know. Please let me know if I can be of any help. Take care!

Just one other thing me and my husband were married June of 2000. :-) June 29, 2000 Three days before our first anniversary we had our daughter. lol

I have seen this procedure work well for some people. The thing you will have to keep in mind, as I am sure the doctors told you, is that you must keep up with a regular, healthy, portion controlled diet and exercise program following the surgery. It can be the stimulating factor (because you look and feel better) to help you get on a healthy road. That is really the key no matter how you are trying to lose weight! If you look at it from that point of view, you will do fantastic! If, however, you feel that you will be able to continue with bad and unhealthy habits, just remember what you feel like now. The body has an amazing ability to adapt to the conditions that are placed on it, and even if you take out the stomach and replace it with something smaller, it will eventually adapt and "create" that part to be the stomach! This is an exciting step for you and I am proud of you for making the decision to take the steps you feel you need to live a healthier life! =) Way to be!!!

At this moment I don't have any advice, but I am glad that there is someone out there that thinks like me. I have considering this too. Before I got pregnant with my first child I was a size 12 and I was happy. After her I went to a 22 and then after my second child I went to a 24. I know my husband loves me the way I am but I don't like all this weight. Have you done any research on the Lapband? I am waiting for information in the mail right now? Is insurance helping with you at all with the costs? May I ask which doctor you are seeing about this? I have tried every diet, almost every pill, and I work at a gym and I get no results. Please let me know what information the doctor gives you. I have done lots of research on this subject. Good luck on this!

Hi A.,

I understand what you are saying. I had the same reasoning for going to the consultation. I wanted to be an example for my kids and help them to make good food choices, exercise, etc.

I underwent the lapband surgery 1 1/2 years ago and I am down 55 lbs. I have also had a baby in that timespan. People will comment about "taking the easy way out," but it isn't. You have to commit and make serious changes to your diet. The lapband is adjustable and removable. I had it done laproscopically so I was home the next day. I still have access to dieticians and everything went smoothly. I would hear the surgeons out and decide what is best for you. I was afraid to do the full bypass because it is permanent and things are changed/rearranged.

If you want more info., you can email me personally.

C.

Andrea,
I have known a few ppl to have this surgery.... One is now anorexic and fighting for her life.... one is the secr. where i work and has gained back more than dbl and one is doing very well....... 1/3 not odds that i am willing to take.... I am over weight also, but am joining w.w. with some girls from work... I drive school bus and some joined last year and did wonderful!!!!!!! Its watched close and is very safe...
whatever choice u make plz be sure u take EVERYTHING into consideration first
GOOD LUCK
tam

I know how you feel. I have been thinking about it too. My husband doesn't want me to get it either. If you have made the decision for a consultation, I'm sure that you have thought about the risks and the suffering you have to go through. It works for some people and not for others. I have a friend who it worked very well for. Anyway I just wanted to let you know that I understand and I wish you well. Please let me know how it goes and how you respond to it.

Good Luck and I know how it is to hear all the negative. I just wanted to show you a little support in whatever decision you make.

I have found a product that will change your life its call it works and it has a body applacater that you wear for 45 minutes and you will lose inches. The first time I tried it I lost 3 1/2 inches then within 3 days after the applacation I lost a total of 6 inches with one use, there are other supplements as well be I wont go in to detail be I would like you to try this as an alturitive. IT WORKS was on cnn as a affective alturnitive
the web site is www.itworks.net/R. Thanks for your time
R.

My boyfriend's aunt had this surgery twice. The first time she kept eating as she had been before and ripped her new stomach, the second time is working better, but she's still overweight. The docs will tell you that your new stomach is only going to be the size of your fist and if you don't eat right you can get sick. Also, you have to take supplements seeing as how you can't eat enough food to get all your proper nutrients. If you eat too much, you'll vomit it all back up. This is not just a quick fix, you have to alter your entire lifestyle and eating habits. I'm not saying you think this is a quick fix, I'm just saying what I think. My boyfriend's aunt eats alot of fruits and things, but she's still overweight because fruits have all sorts of sugars in them, which is good for you when your stomach's normal size but not so good when it's fist-size. Also, if she eats cake or something sweet she can only have 4 bites.

my best friend had this surgery and while she looked amazing, her life changed in an instant. she began appreciating how men now looked at her to the point where she cheated on her husband constantly and eventually left him and her beautiful daughter behind. she has lost all of her "real" friends because she hated hearing the truth. it bums me out because i lost someone in my life that i considered family. i just don't think that enough people are aware of how much this surgery alters you psychologically. in fact, my cousin has a friend who had the exact same outcome. i would hate for you to jeopardize what you have with your family without REALLY knowing what this surgery could do to you. i wish you luck if you chose to have it and i hope your life turns out better than the girls i know... or knew.

Hi,
A very close friend of mine, and her husband had the Gastric Bypass surgeries nearly three years ago. I have to say, my friend has had many complications ever since. She's had 6 operations and really is misearable most of the time. I often wonder if it was because she wasn't as "overweight" as she could have been. I believe the ideal weight criteria is 100 pounds overweight and at best she was 70 - she lied on her paperwork. She's very drawn, sunken and without energy. Her body doesn't work efficiently anymore either. Of course, I don't have all the explicit details. Now, her husband on the other hand, was more of an ideal candidate - 100 pounds overweight, health problems etc... He's done wonderful recovering from the surgery and maintaining his life afterwards. For him, I believe the surgery saved his life but my friend...invited trouble where there really might not have been any.

I'm not sure whether or not I was helpful, but I at least was able to share (2) personal examples with you.

Best of Luck to you!
M. M.

Getting GB done is a serious surgery, and yes there are many wonderful stories you may, but there are a lot of bad things too. Think about it, they are removing part of your stomach and a lot of your bowel. Each section of your bowel serves a purpose. A lady we know got the surgery several years ago, and she is now in terrible health. She has constant diarrhea, because so much of her bowel is gone, it cant absorb all the water it needs too. She has anal fissures do to the constant diarrhea. And it can cause kidney failure. I have two patients with kidney failure due to that surgery. This is something you need to think long and hard about. For one, the other way your kids will not be over wt. is if you feed them healthy snacks and meals. You need to teach them good eating habits while they are still young, it has nothing to do with you being heavy or not. If they snack on chips instead of carrot sticks now, then they will probably always prefer that. Just something to think about. Once that surgery opens you up and cuts out part of your stomach and bowel and throw them out, you cant get them back. What about lapband or something temp. That way when you reach your goal wt, they take it off and you still have all your own organs. With any procedure you get done, you will still need to learn portion control along with healthy eating habits or it is pointless. After GB you can still gain all the wt back by streching that little stomach back out. You are a mom now and your life belongs to your kids, so you need to be smart about this. Being heavy will for sure lower your life expectancy but so can drastic surgery like this. I would think about something less permanent for your kids sake. They want you around for a long time!! Good luck in whatever you decide!

L. W.
New Baltimore

You have to research the different types of surgery. There are about 3-5 different types of bariatric surgery. My husband had the duodenal-switch process and lost 200 pounds. It was a rough surgery but he is doing great now. I am scheduled in June for my surgery. This type has the highest success rate with less than a 10% chance of gaing weight back. If your bmi index is over 40 your insurance should cover it. Check with a different doctor. Good luck.

Hi A.~
I have had experience with patients who had the surgery as well as coworkers. There are LOTS of after effects that can be very hard to live with as well as dangerous. I trust that you will research that and not rely on the doctors success stories (they won't tell you about the failure rate, which is high). Despite popular belief, you can and will gain the weight back if you are not careful. I have seen successes in those who used the surgery in conjunction with life changes such as diet and a workout program (even just walking). I have also seen it fail for those who relied on the surgery to do the work for them. I have to say though, if you think you can stick to an excercise program and monitor your diet after the long/hard recovery period, then you can do it now...without the surgery. At one point in my life I lost >80 lbs on Weight Watchers and have kept it off even through 2 children (give or take a few lbs.) It's easy, inexpensive and you CAN do it!

One more note...I applaud you wanting your kids to grow up with good habits, but the surgery won't do that for them. The only way is to demonstrate good habits for them, and that will take care of the weight itself. I understand the mindset that the surgery can help you gain more control and change your habits, but that isn't the case.

Whatever you decide, do your research and pray!
Good luck!
~L.

Hi A.,
I know you have all ready posted your "what Happened" but I wanted to just give you the info I have. My best friend had the surgery almost 18 months ago and my ex-husbands sister had it about 5 months ago. Both are doing really really well. My friend has lost over 100 lbs and the ex's sister is about 40-50lbs smaller so far. I think the surgery is much less risky then it was just a few years ago.
I do want to recommend another option for you if you haven't tried it all ready. It's at the Center for Weight Management in Flint. It's basically a liquid diet that is only 800 calories a day. They start by cutting your intake to about 1200 calories a day on food and then switch you to the liquid 800 a day for 6-12 weeks depending on how much weight you want to lose. I did this about 8 years ago and lost 85lb on 6 weeks of liquid. From the start of the program to the end it was about 10 weeks for that amount to come off. I kept that off for several years and then had 3 babies. I have only gained back about 20lb. That however, is my fault since I've done very little to get rid of the baby weight. If you haven't tried this you should at least go take to them before you decide what you want to do. They are great people and work really hard to help you change your eating habits and support you in the process of losing weight, which is something I haven't seen with the gastric bypass program. This program is not cheap but neither is gastric bypass. Insurance does cover some of it. Some insurances cover more then others. You should compare what your out of pocket will be for both programs. Thier number is ###-###-####. Good Luck in whatever you decide!!!

A.-I work as a RN on a surgical floor where we get patients who are recovering from Gastric Bypass. It is a very big surgery with lots of possible complications and really should only be used as a last resort. Where I work they perform the Laproscopic Gastric Bypass and the Lap Band procedure(which is less invasive and removable). Having Gastric Bypass changes your life and in most cases for the better but you really have to change your eating habits or you get what's called "dumping syndrome" and that is no fun. Just really do your research before having the surgery and make sure that the hospital that you go to specializes in either surgery because I have seen patients who come to us because they had Gastric Bypass somewhere else and it got screwed up so they came to us to have it repaired. Email me if you want a name and phone number of a top surgeon who performs Gastric Bypass and Lap Band(no I don't get commission=) With any surgery you want to do your homework and ask questions and know that the surgeon and hospital are reputable. I hope this helps. Let me know if you need any more info. My email is ____@____.com Care
C.

I have a few friends that have had it done. The result is she has uncontrollable gas when she eats any food that she is not supposed to. I know alot of people who have done the wieght watchers meetings and have had wonderful success. Perhaps you should consider that route. I hope this is constructive and good luck.
J.