Gastric Bypass

[SquackDaddy]

Hey guys, I'm 44, 6 feet tall, and 350 lbs. I've been heavy since high school and have tried many times unsuccessfully to shed this extra weight. Also, my left hip needs replacing due to the fact that almost all the cartilidge is gone. I have finally taken the steps necessary to undergo Bariatric surgery (gastric bypass) and this all happens on Dec. 13th. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. Have any of you undergone this procedure? I'm looking for any hints or info that may help me on this journey to being fit and healthy once and for all. All responses are appreciated, but please, no haters.

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[rufus]

I know two people that underwent the procedure, both look great and are healthy and very active. I sincerely wish you luck on your journey.

 

[sr1911fan]

I have scrubbed in on many of these procedures, you must make a lifestlye change along with the surgery, the surgury will make you lose alot of weight fast but I have seen people gain it all back. The surgery has complications but weighting 350 has even more, good luck to you.

 

[Cougfan2]

While I have no experience to help you, let me extend my best wishes to you in your endeavor to improve your health. I am currently going thru recovery from reconstructive surgery on my left foot so while the procedures are vastly different, and for different reasons, I sympathize with what you will be going thru. They only advice I can give you is take it one day at a time and set a goal for what you want to do in your recovery. It gives you something to focus on and look forward to.

My goal is once I have recovered to start taking my dogs on evening walks weather be damned. Maybe just down the block and back to start with, but you have to start somewhere. I am also determined to be walking by Christmas (this of course is dependent on my recovery progressing as scheduled).

My other goal is to purchase a "from me to me" present of a Sig 238 Equinox to serve as a companion on those walks with the doggies. Hey, it's as good an excuse as any! .

Just take it one day at a time and accept support from the people around you, and most importantly don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. I am sure whereever you have your surgery done can direct you to support groups for people who are going or have gone thru what you are.

Best of luck.

 

[PlayboyPenguin]

I assume you are having serious health issues to make this decision. Issues that make the risks worthwhile. All I can say is be careful. My brother-n-law does the surgery on a regular basis (was one of the first doctors to do it in his area) and he will tell you it is very risky and not very successful. After three years he says he sees about a 10-15% success rate. Even worse, at the three year mark about 60% of the people have gained back more than they lost. It seems people tend to develop even worse eating habits after having the surgery. Then there is the fact it has one of the highest complication rates of all surgeries of this scale. The hard part for you, once you deal with the physical risks, will be changing your lifestyle and not relying on the effects of the surgery. Good luck to you.

 

[Mutoman]

I tend to agree with many of our fellow NFWA members; the surgery is only successful if one is ready to make some serious lifestyle changes. One of the main problems with failures associated after the surgery is that the surgery only temporarily inhibits the underlying issue: overeating. Regardless of being heavy all my life, I realize that there are cognitive issues at work that make it very difficult for me to not eat too much. I could have the surgery, but if I don't address those other issues (the actual or real problem) the surgery is only going to be a very expensive temporary fix.

However, some find the surgery results a good starter intervention to making lifestyle changes. Personally, if I was you, I would be very comfortable having the surgery for the extra benefit that the fast weight loss is going to have for you hip replacement. It would probably be very difficult to heal after such surgery when you are so heavy.

 

[ejmpnu92]

Good luck with your surgery. A few years ago, I almost went through the same thing, only because the docs thought I had stomach/intestinal/colon cancer. It turned out I did not(so I did not go through the procedure), but I went to all of the pre surgery classes, where they teach you how to live after. I would say, take what they teach you very seriously.
I have an aunt that went through the surgery, it worked well for about 2 years. Then, she decided that she could just eat all she wanted, when she wanted, and she has been yoyoing her weight ever since. When she got pregnant, no one knew, which would tell you how her body type was.
So, any advice I might give....follow the program....excercise(Ihave a hard time with this).....eat the right types and portions(portion size is often overlooked when dieting) of food....stay positive(even if there are ups and downs, being mentaly healthy is just as important as physcially.

 

[i8asquirrel]

Good luck to you! I had the Ruine "Y" procedure on 9-20-11 and have lost 68 lbs ...Its not easy and you will have to forever change your eating habbits ( something I should have done anyway) The Salem Hospital program I am going trhough is great! You have to go to support group and meat with PT. and Diet coach before and after surgery...
I wish you good luck on a life changing decision..

 

[SquackDaddy]

Thank you for the well wishes. I do understand that this surgery is not a "fix-all". I have made a committment to change my lifestyle, and have also been seeing a psychologist to help me get to the root of my overeating which lead me to this place in my life. I assure you, I am taking this VERY seriously, and will be following my DR's advice to the "T". I have a lovely younger (10 years) wife, and two beautiful daughters that I want to spend many years with......they are the real reason behind me wanting to get healthy. Family is EVERYTHING to me. This was a hard decision to make, but with the support of my Family, friends, and others, I hope to gain my life back and be able to do things I can't at this time.

 

[rufus]

You've got all the right reasons, you can do it. Git-er-done!

 

[Chee-to]

Good luck to ya, just remember "nothing changes, if nothing changes."

 

[Unka-Boo]

I commend you for wanting to lose the weight, but I'm not so hot about by-pass. My mom did it a few years ago, and completely regrets it, to top it off, it was only marginally successful.

Myself, I lost a little over 70 pounds last year ( went from 275 down to 207 ) My wife dropped 90+ pounds. We did it by diet, specifically this: Our Superior Quality Weight Loss Products Make Losing Weight Easy

Strict diet, almost zero carb and sugar intake, protein supplements and veggies. In short, it flat out works, IF you can stick to it ( which, if I can, anyone can ).

My brother was so inspired he did the same, but went with medifast, he's down 100 pounds ( from 330 to 225 ).

Pictures speak a 1000 words:

Before


After


My wife's




To put the pics in perspective, I went from a XXL shirt, 42 waist pant to a L and 34/36 ( depending on cut ), my wife went from a size 22 to an 8.

I have put back on 10 pounds over the last year ( OH NO!!! ), but I'm happy as can be. After being big my whole adult life ( I'm smaller now than I was in HS ), it's amazing how much of a difference 70 pounds can make....my arthritis thanks me! ( bum ankle, used to pop 2-3 Aleive a day, I haven't had one in almost a year now )


I guess my point is, there are other effective ways to drop the weight without to resorting to a non-reversible procedure. I HIGHLY encourage you to look into alternatives.

Regardless of what you do, congratulations on making a very difficult decision, it will be worth the effort in the long run!

 

[mjbskwim]

I HATE doctors and anything to do with me getting cut open. And with all on here thay have given you the success rates,I would truly look at different options.

Look at it this way.
How much do you want to lose? You are 6' so close to 150#.
How long will you be down from the operation? How about from the hip surgery?
How about taking that much time to go to some weight loss camp instead?

I drink now and just a social drinker but have stopped for years at a time...cold turkey.
I quit smoking after a triathlete (Major Heidi Grim US army) asked me if I want to tag along on a 100 mile ride that morning. Had 3 cigarettes in the next month and haven't smoked since

My mom was German and hence loved sweets and making them

Never have I been able to stop eating sweets.Even while doing my best at the gym and with people pushing me.
Never. Almost impossible for me. Heck if I could stop sugar I could get back below 200 at 5'10"

So YOU will need to make a huge change in your eating habits for this to work. How many calories does it take just to maintain that 350#s?
They interviewed the 700# guy,asking the secret of how he lost the 350# he lost.
He said move more eat less.

I hope you try to lose some weight naturally again before you get cut open.

Good luck with all of this

 

[CharonPDX]

I know four people who have undergone it, and three that seriously considered it before trying just changing lifestyle. (Wow, I have a lot of overweight friends...)

Of the four who underwent gastric bypass, two are still "thin" more than 5 years later. The two that re-gained the weight didn't change their lifestyle. The two that kept it off took up kung fu. (Those two are a husband and wife.)

The three that considered it and didn't do it, one wasn't successful, and has just "made peace" with being overweight, two went on major fitness routines and diet changes, and both have lost >100 lbs in the past two years. Both have kept it off by keeping up the diet and exercise routines. One just got accepted for sheriff deputy training. (He had been a 350 pound security guard two years ago, how he's under 160.)

 

[rufus]

He had been a 350 pound security guard two years ago, how he's under 160.

Wow, that's awesome.

 

[BigBull 301]

Good luck to you! You need to be there for your girls!

 

[billdeserthills]

My ex-fiance had a gastric bypass 12 years ago. At that time she weighed 100 lbs more than you do now, part of her procedure involved the removal of her gall bladder as well & she is almost always sick (she says) as a result. Also, due in part to the very fast weight loss she has a huge amount of excess skin everywhere on her body...
Speaking for myself, as I've just recently become full-blown lactose intolerant, so bad in fact that even drinking the Lactaid milk will have me running for the restroom. The obvious result is that since I can no longer consume any type of dairy product my weight is falling all by itself (Kinda) I'm 46 y/o and have always been overweight, but due to my blood pressure rising alarmingly due to being too heavy, I am currently at 215 lbs.

 

[pinecenega]

Once you heal up from the surgery, join a health club. Get a personel trainer. All this will help make the lifestyle changes needed to keep the weight off and stay/get fit. It also helps to have a good therapist, some one you can talk to on a regular basis.