Weight Loss Surgery

[Gracey]

I am considering weight loss surgery and would love to hear feedback from anyone who has had it or who is considering it. Also, I would love to know if you recommend it or not. All feedback is greatly appreciated.

Gracey

[lisabinil]

Go to the Century Club Forum-there are a couple of good threads on this subject there.

[pooticus]

I wouldn't recommend it but that's me. 2 months ago I was at 314 and gaining about 8lbs/month! and was completely stumped about what to do to lose weight. I felt miserable...

I had been having terrible health issues this past year...and was in the process of getting diagnosed with all my crap...One of the things I asked for was to have help from a nutritionist at the hospital. I got it and now I've lost 42 lbs in 2 months! Actually I hope it will be over 42lbs tomorrow on my official weigh in!

Working with the nutritionist is the best possible thing for me. For the first time I feel like it's possible to lose all my weight and to get healthy again. I am too much of a chicken to do WLS because of all the risks involved.

It boils down to there are no quick fixes or magic solutions. You must figure out what is going on with your own body (or have someone figure it out) then gain understanding about your habits and cues for eating in order to be successful long term.

and hoping you find your way!!!! Come join us over at the Century Club!!! You can DO this!!!!

Hi Lis!!!! girl!!

[Gracey]

Originally Posted by pooticus

I wouldn't recommend it but that's me. 2 months ago I was at 314 and gaining about 8lbs/month! and was completely stumped about what to do to lose weight. I felt miserable...

I had been having terrible health issues this past year...and was in the process of getting diagnosed with all my crap...One of the things I asked for was to have help from a nutritionist at the hospital. I got it and now I've lost 42 lbs in 2 months! Actually I hope it will be over 42lbs tomorrow on my official weigh in!

Working with the nutritionist is the best possible thing for me. For the first time I feel like it's possible to lose all my weight and to get healthy again. I am too much of a chicken to do WLS because of all the risks involved.

It boils down to there are no quick fixes or magic solutions. You must figure out what is going on with your own body (or have someone figure it out) then gain understanding about your habits and cues for eating in order to be successful long term.

and hoping you find your way!!!! Come join us over at the Century Club!!! You can DO this!!!!

Hi Lis!!!! girl!!

Thanks for your response. Congratulations on your phenomenal weight loss. It is so inspiring to see someone who was my same weight do so well. I actually considered consulting with a nutritionist. I think that this may be a great solution for me as well. I think that consistent accountability and monitoring will be a great help. I will look for you guys at the Century Club. Thanks for your feedback.

Gracey

[pooticus]

Great Gracey!!! The other important thing about it is that if you work with one from the hospital and your doc (ask for a referral to an endocrinologist if necessary), they will do skads of blood work and the Nut will formulate a diet based on your blood work...It's really given me a new lease on life and I actually believe he helped save my life!

[sueo]

I had RNY gastric bypass on 12/7/04. At the max I lost 102 lbs, have gained and lost 10-15 lbs since I got to that point in November '05. It is a huge step to take. You need to research the surgery a whole bunch before making your decision. Attend information sessions put on by the surgeons who perform the surgeries. Attend patient support group meetings and listen to the stories, good and bad. Read WLS for Dummies and other books that have been published. There are websites out there which are mainly populated with WLS patients. Research mortality rates. Research the different types of surgery that are available. Investigate the fine print of your insurance policy to see if the surgery is covered, what your costs might be, what pre-requisites your insurer may have before approving the surgery. Contemplate what life will be like after the surgery.

For me, the surgery was a lifesaver. My asthma is gone (in fact, haven't had any respiratory or allergic problems since the surgery). My GERD is gone most of the time. My blood pressure went from 140+/90 to 110-120/70-something. I had arthritis before, still have it, although my joints are happier not carrying around that extra weight.

There are side effects of the type of surgery that I had. Due to the malabsorbtion from bypassing part of the small intestine, there is a life-long requirement to take adequate vitamin/mineral supplements to insure that you aren't deficient. I take 2 adult doses of multi vitamins daily, B-100 capsule daily, 2000 mg calcium citrate, 800 mg magnesium, 2500 mcg B12 siblingual/wk, 2 Easy Iron capsules daily, prescription vitamin D. I have blood work taken every 6 months to monitor. Common deficiencies are B12 (which is usually tied to iron deficiency), vitamin D (which is involved in calcium absorbtion). Not every one has the same issues. My particular one is vitamin D deficiency. I've also had low ferritin levels (iron stores in the body, my hair fell out too). I did have to have my gallbladder removed this summer (was perfectly healthy before WLS).

The surgery does not give you a metabolism transplant. I could gain weight practically without eating before, and I can still do that. I still have to be vigilant every day about what I eat. When I'm being noble, I keep a journal of every morsel consumed. One of my friends said that she thought that she'd never have to think about food again after the surgery, that her tiny stomach would be all-controlling in what she ate afterward. And that is not true. You are still the controller of what goes in your mouth.

I also struggle with the head hunger issue. I had surgery on my stomach, not my brain. There are days when I know I've had adequate food to eat, but the little voice in my head says "eat, eat". In times of stress, that little voice starts yelling, just like it used to. I can't physically eat a pound of chocolate or a loaf of bread anymore, in fact get sick if I eat a lot of carbs in a short period of time. But I could eat small portions of chocolate or bread continuously all day long and I'd be back to over 300 pounds. So finding other ways to deal with emotion is an ongoing struggle. Prozac is my new best friend.

The main focus in gastric bypass surgery is removal of serious co-morbidities (diabetes, high blood pressure, GERD, asthma, high cholesterol) as quickly as possible to become healthy so that you can take care of yourself in your day-to-day life. For many women, it is about being healthy enough to have children. It isn't about appearance. Not everyone gets to their goal weight. Most people who have been obese for some time and who are middle aged will have issues with excess skin (I think I could maim somebody if they get close enough to my upper arms when I'm exercising). I need reconstructive surgery all over the place, and don't know that I'll ever be able to afford it. But, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Oh dear, I've written a book. Please feel to PM me if you have more questions.

[Gracey]

Originally Posted by sueo

I had RNY gastric bypass on 12/7/04. At the max I lost 102 lbs, have gained and lost 10-15 lbs since I got to that point in November '05. It is a huge step to take. You need to research the surgery a whole bunch before making your decision. Attend information sessions put on by the surgeons who perform the surgeries. Attend patient support group meetings and listen to the stories, good and bad. Read WLS for Dummies and other books that have been published. There are websites out there which are mainly populated with WLS patients. Research mortality rates. Research the different types of surgery that are available. Investigate the fine print of your insurance policy to see if the surgery is covered, what your costs might be, what pre-requisites your insurer may have before approving the surgery. Contemplate what life will be like after the surgery.

For me, the surgery was a lifesaver. My asthma is gone (in fact, haven't had any respiratory or allergic problems since the surgery). My GERD is gone most of the time. My blood pressure went from 140+/90 to 110-120/70-something. I had arthritis before, still have it, although my joints are happier not carrying around that extra weight.

There are side effects of the type of surgery that I had. Due to the malabsorbtion from bypassing part of the small intestine, there is a life-long requirement to take adequate vitamin/mineral supplements to insure that you aren't deficient. I take 2 adult doses of multi vitamins daily, B-100 capsule daily, 2000 mg calcium citrate, 800 mg magnesium, 2500 mcg B12 siblingual/wk, 2 Easy Iron capsules daily, prescription vitamin D. I have blood work taken every 6 months to monitor. Common deficiencies are B12 (which is usually tied to iron deficiency), vitamin D (which is involved in calcium absorbtion). Not every one has the same issues. My particular one is vitamin D deficiency. I've also had low ferritin levels (iron stores in the body, my hair fell out too). I did have to have my gallbladder removed this summer (was perfectly healthy before WLS).

The surgery does not give you a metabolism transplant. I could gain weight practically without eating before, and I can still do that. I still have to be vigilant every day about what I eat. When I'm being noble, I keep a journal of every morsel consumed. One of my friends said that she thought that she'd never have to think about food again after the surgery, that her tiny stomach would be all-controlling in what she ate afterward. And that is not true. You are still the controller of what goes in your mouth.

I also struggle with the head hunger issue. I had surgery on my stomach, not my brain. There are days when I know I've had adequate food to eat, but the little voice in my head says "eat, eat". In times of stress, that little voice starts yelling, just like it used to. I can't physically eat a pound of chocolate or a loaf of bread anymore, in fact get sick if I eat a lot of carbs in a short period of time. But I could eat small portions of chocolate or bread continuously all day long and I'd be back to over 300 pounds. So finding other ways to deal with emotion is an ongoing struggle. Prozac is my new best friend.

The main focus in gastric bypass surgery is removal of serious co-morbidities (diabetes, high blood pressure, GERD, asthma, high cholesterol) as quickly as possible to become healthy so that you can take care of yourself in your day-to-day life. For many women, it is about being healthy enough to have children. It isn't about appearance. Not everyone gets to their goal weight. Most people who have been obese for some time and who are middle aged will have issues with excess skin (I think I could maim somebody if they get close enough to my upper arms when I'm exercising). I need reconstructive surgery all over the place, and don't know that I'll ever be able to afford it. But, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Oh dear, I've written a book. Please feel to PM me if you have more questions.

Thanks for your wisdom and insight and congratulations on your superb weight loss!!!! I am actually considering lap band but everyone with phenomenal weight loss seems to have had RNY. I know that there is a lot of work involved both before and after surgery. However, I need something that will restrict my intake permanently. My husband is "comfortable" with the lap band but I am more thrilled with the results of RNY. I am intending to pay for this cost out of pocket. My insurance company wants me to provide 12 months of diet documentation for the RNY which I am unable to do. However, I only can barely afford lapband. So, based on finances, I am leaning more toward the lapband. Any other feedback is welcomed. Thanks again for the info.

[sueo]

I know a couple of bandsters. They do have the restriction (as do I) but they do not have the malabsorbtion issues since there is no intestinal bypass. Their loss is slower, but still significant. It takes some time with the lap band to find their "sweet spot", as they call it. After the initial surgery, there may be times when more fluid is added to the lap band to increase the restriction. If too much is then added, some has to be removed. It is a back and forth process to find the best spot for you to be.

Any type of weight loss surgery is a tool, one thing to assist you in your weight loss journey. You are still the master of your eating behavior. I had to do a 3-month supervised diet with one of the nutritionist at my doctor's clinic to satisfy my insurance. They have now upped it to 6 months. It seems that it is impossible to do the required diet when you've decided that you want to have surgery, but the insurance companies hold the checkbook. After my initial frustration, I realized that the pre-op stuff was good training for after the surgery. After surgery, you'll have to adhere to a very stringent program (although less stringent with the lap band) for the rest of your life. I found that my patience increased tremendously during the pre-op diet. During my supervised diet, following the nutritionist's eating plan, I actually gained weight. The insurance companies want to make sure that you have followed a diet that adheres to what is supposed to be a healthy plan. Failure to lose in this type of plan is an indicator that you are indeed a candidate for weight loss surgery. If I had been able to lose weight by following that plan, I would not have needed to have the surgery.

Many insurance companies routinely deny all first applications, expecting that you'll go away and pay for the procedure yourself. For my surgery, with all the pre-op tests (like a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea), my bills totaled around $45K. I had to go through 2 levels of appeal to get the authorization. But it was a covered benefit in my policy, I jumped through all of thier hoops, and I wasn't going to let them off the hook. One of my friends had to take her case to the state insurance regulators to get her company to cover the procedure, even though it was covered in her policy.

Good luck to you wherever your journey takes you,

[BamaGal]

You got some good info already---I just want to add my 2 cents worth

I had WLS in 2004---lost 240 lbs

after a regain---which most people do--I've settled into a nice weight of 155 and am maintaining quite well---following a high fat moderate protein very carb restricted way of eating

as you have already been cautioned---the supplements will be an issue if you have an RNY---I spend as much on supplements as I do on food now---

as for you thinking of having the lap band---my advice is don't---the newest research in obesity surgery journal says that a majority of bandits end up having it changed over to RNY within 2 years---you just don't lose as well---then there is the added complication of ulcers being cause by the band itself and band slippage is also a big problem

although I had WLS---I owe my success to the fact I got involved in the LC community very early on---high fat low carb eating is what made me successful

I have 2 benefits from having the surgery---first---I get deathly ill "end up in the ER kinda ill" if I ingest sugar or anything too high in carbs---so that keeps me from eating those----second---I did not get myself gut-whacked to only regain all the weight--and believe me most people do---I'm a member on several WLS sites---very few there actually lost weight and kept it off---most never even lost all their weight to begin with

anyway----you will have to completely change your eating habits after surgery or you will regain---so why not just change them now and not put your body through surgery......give yourself a year of really following a low carb plan----Dr Groves is who I most subscribe to-----if after that year or even six months if you feel you just need the added benefit of a smaller stomach---then go for it----just really make sure you have what it takes to succeed post op----if people won't change the way they eat without surgery---they probably won't change it with surgery

but the final decision is up to you as an individual---just really, really, really do your research before you take that step

[Haziefrog]

I am tired and about to go to sleep, but I want to respond to this, I will post a longer response tomorrow. I had WLS (lap RNY) almost 5 years ago and I would do it again in a heartbeat, I was 325 and I am now 115-120 depending on the day). I plan on posting new after pictures on my 5 year anniversary next month. It has not been easy but it has been worth it!

Good luck and I will elaborate more tomorrow! Feel free to ask any questions I will do my best to answer them!

[Mysstwalker]

Hi Gracey! I am having gastric bypass surgery on January 30th. I posted my story, and what led me to it, in the Century Club forum under the title "A Quarter Ton Tale" if you might be interested in reading it. For me, nothing else has worked, not even low carb, or anything else. It is either have it and get the weight off, or I might not live to see 43 years of age. Good luck!

[pooticus]

Originally Posted by BamaGal

You got some good info already---I just want to add my 2 cents worth

I had WLS in 2004---lost 240 lbs

after a regain---which most people do--I've settled into a nice weight of 155 and am maintaining quite well---following a high fat moderate protein very carb restricted way of eating

as you have already been cautioned---the supplements will be an issue if you have an RNY---I spend as much on supplements as I do on food now---

as for you thinking of having the lap band---my advice is don't---the newest research in obesity surgery journal says that a majority of bandits end up having it changed over to RNY within 2 years---you just don't lose as well---then there is the added complication of ulcers being cause by the band itself and band slippage is also a big problem

although I had WLS---I owe my success to the fact I got involved in the LC community very early on---high fat low carb eating is what made me successful

I have 2 benefits from having the surgery---first---I get deathly ill "end up in the ER kinda ill" if I ingest sugar or anything too high in carbs---so that keeps me from eating those----second---I did not get myself gut-whacked to only regain all the weight--and believe me most people do---I'm a member on several WLS sites---very few there actually lost weight and kept it off---most never even lost all their weight to begin with

anyway----you will have to completely change your eating habits after surgery or you will regain---so why not just change them now and not put your body through surgery......give yourself a year of really following a low carb plan----Dr Groves is who I most subscribe to-----if after that year or even six months if you feel you just need the added benefit of a smaller stomach---then go for it----just really make sure you have what it takes to succeed post op----if people won't change the way they eat without surgery---they probably won't change it with surgery

but the final decision is up to you as an individual---just really, really, really do your research before you take that step

Excellent Post BamaGal!!!!