Gastric bypass / Lap band...has anyone had it done?**update post 106**

[Dar]

First off I want to thank everyone for their comments and concerns, words of encouragement ect....

BUT if you are going to come here and make me feel bad about myself then please move on I have heard it all from my own family and I dont need to hear it from you too! posts of personal attacks will be reported right away.

Ok I admit it.. I am FAT!... but I need help!... my BMI is >42

I walk about 5km a day (i cant actually measure it because its along hiking trails but according to the pedometer its about 5km) the trails I walk are hiking trails, up hills down hills, not just flat concrete. Recently I have been in a LOT of pain when I walk so I took a week off to allow my injury to heal. During this time I went to the doctor for x-rays and he said I have arthritis in my right foot and ankle he advised me to shorten my walks to about 2kms... ok done....

I have also been swimming and taking aqua fit classes...

during all of this the weight on the scale has not changed, people say "Oh dear you are loosing fat but gaining muscle." or its just moving around your arms are looking bigger but your breasts are looking smaller

My clothes are fitting differently, my tops are getting looser but my jeans are getting tighter. my thighs are HUGE. I need to buy jeans 2 sizes bigger to fit my thighs.

I have been at this now for 3+ years. I started this as a way to deal with stress. It started off with kick boxing because I had a lot of rage to work out and it helped until i tore my rotator cuff

I know I am falling apart at 36

my job... I am a home care nurse... its physically demanding... in a hospital setting I have co-workers to help with the lifting and moving of patients.. in home care there is NO help

I eat right, lots of fresh fruit and veggies, I have to watch my fat intake because of my lack of a gall bladder. I am a BAD evening snacker .. BUT i will freeze the small individual yogurt containers instead of icecream, OR sugar snap peas and baby carrots no dip. I LOVE chocolate but have been able to curb that with Hersheys kisses... 1 will usually quench my addiction..lol 1 is not all that bad right?

I want to know from the people who have had gastric bypass, or a lap band procedure. I already know the risks and the results, pros Vs. cons supplements for the rest of my life, small meals, gastric dumping, vomiting, infections... and the list goes on and on... I have heard them all...

I want to know if:

1) would you ever recommend this to anyone? why or why not.

2) was there any unexpected side affects they no one told you about?

3) do you regret your decision?

4) if you had the total by-pass do you wish you would have had the lap band? OR if you got the lap band do you wish you had the total by-pass?

if you want to PM me your answers thats fine I can appreciate your wish for privacy.

thanks

I plan on calling the doctor tomorrow and get this ball rolling with the initial consultations

 

[PurpleChicken]

I ride with two women (yup, women bikers) who have had it done.

The first has lost a ton (no pun intended) and the second just recently had it and is doing well. I asked both many questions out of curiosity and they are both very happy with the bands.

 

[Slinkytoys]

I had the Lap-Band procedure done January 2009. If you'd like to PM me I can answer any questions for you.
Slinky

 

[redhen]

My friend/neighbor (and shes a biker too, PC..

..) just had it done. She had the gastric bypass..
Shes been okay. The only problem i think shes had is an infection at the surgery site. But i think thats cleared up now...
I think if i had it done..i would go with the lap band... because its removable.
I've been thinking about getting it done too..

 

[EweSheep]

Well I am FAT too LOL! By 80 lbs overweight! I often wonder about it but I know my Medicare and Medicaid will not cover it. I do not overeat but watch how much carbo or white stuff I take in.

In order for me to lose weight, I would literally starve myself, because with all the diets out there, none of them worked well. Got down to 123 lbs but it was hell getting thru that with a gall bladder problem. Ate alot of fruits and veggies and chicken and fish for seven years.

Gained all that weight after my DD;s birth, birth complications, BC gain, scatic nerve, arthritis and fibromyglia did not help matters. Walked two miles almost everyday at the Y until I came down with the plantar facitis two months ago. It was bad enough that I quit walking. Got some Dr Scholl's foot inserts and it helped out some.

My father has this problem all his life even the famed grapefruit diet LOL! He was so honest in his diet diary that the doctors could nto figure out why he is not losing much weight after he loses 20 lbs and it stopped at 250 lbs at his 5 foot 8 inch frame. He used to play football and still has that stature. So therefore his doctors said watch what you eat, elimanate alot of white stuff out of the diet and go whole wheat with less sugar. He loves his skim milk so he will NOT stop drinking milk. He has alot of health issues despite of a good diet in most of his life so it has to be genetics.

 

[bildo6]

a friend had the bypass done. he was sore for a few weeks and had to drink nothing but some weird shake mix stuff. also for some reason he cannot eat peanut butter anymore. his doctor warned him that he might not be able to eat one of his favorite foods, but had no idea what it would be. i guess when he tried to eat it, it came back up (to be polite)

he looks great and says he feels great. doesnt regret it one bit

 

[fldiver97]

First, I applaud you for having insight and you are making great efforts of living healthier!!!! What I have to say is not meant to be personal, negative or discouraging but 'food for thought'.....I have not had bariatric surgery but worked in a big hospital that did lots of them. I have unfortunately seen many patients with complications from the gastric bypass surgery, seen some die. I don't want to be a 'nay-sayer' but I think it is important to know what the risks are and even if the risk sounds minimal, it is still a major decision. ANY surgery comes with risks even if we downplay many as very routine procedures....things can happen. I have several friends and co-workers that had some type of bariatric surgery. The majority of them gastric bypass. I am sorry to say that many of them have/had problems: most did great with weight loss initially and even over the first 2-4 years. Some just regained the weight gradually and are now as obese as before. Many had some problems with nutritional deficits, wound infections, strictures at the anastomosis. One required many endoscopic dilations, a couple revisions of their surgery. A few did well and after weightloss and religious adherence to diet and life style changes say it was worth it. But they admit that it takes a lot and really requires to change and be persistent. Two co-workers had the lap banding and seem to do fairly well....one had some issues and a hard time adjusting but did loose quite a bit of weight. She then ended up getting plastic surgery as she needed a paniculectomy and her arms tucked. And we have all read the stories of the 'celebrities' .... in many cases overeating is like an addictive problem, turning to some other substance like alcohol has been a problem for a few. So any weight loss surgery requires body and mind to work. So, having said that...My mother was overweight most of her adult life, causing back and knee problems. She was always on some diet or other, managed to lose 10 or 20 punds here or there but always gained it back and then more.I absolutely had a fit when my mother gave it some thought but she also has several risk factors for surgery that make me extra concerned. Even when she was younger and in better shape she had problems with any surgery. She did a couple of years Weight Watcher, lost 60 lbs in less than a year and maintained for over a year....She thought she was fine on her own, stopped going to meetings. Gained it all back and then some. That's when my aunt put the bug about surgery in her ear. To make things worse, my dad was not supportive in my moms efforts and my mom does not really exercise other than walking a little bit but not much!! I was adamant that my mom try Weight Watchers again and stay with the program for support even after she lost weight. I also wanted her to start some exercise program after she started loosing weight but that's another story....not my mom.....! Anyway, she did go back to Weight Watchers, ended up losing 70 pounds or so and has managed to keep it off for over a decade now. She is more aware and basically now able to notice when she gains 2-3 lbs as her pants get tight. That is her trigger so to speak to lose just a couple of pounds again. Seems to (finally) work.....
My point is that many have not given a total diet and lifestyle change enough time/effort. I don't want to imply that that is the case with you but everyone with weight problems should take a few minutes and really do some soul-searching. It is NOT easy and I have to admire people that manage to lose tremendous amounts of weight and make huge changes to their eating and exercise habits. I also understand that it is absolutely discouraging to find a starting point....it is hard to lose weight if you can not exercise due to joint problems, getting winded, not having enough strength or energy.....and our environment is NOT helpful in the 'eating well' department.....Commercials, huge portions, sedentary jobs and life-style, stress and lack of time leading to fast food and take out, sodas and sugar everywhere...eating in the car, on the go etc. I love to eat, there is not a piece of carrot cake or a bowl of ice cream that is not sceaming my name. I have had times where I gained 20, 30 once 40 lbs that 'just crept up' on me , done the diets where I lost 30-40 lbs twice. Does not sound like much, does it.......I know but it gave me a little bit of an idea what my mom felt like, I know, just a little

To sum up my long rant.......good for you that you are ready to tackle this!!! Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Just make a very informed decision, don't let people sugarcoat any of your choices. None of them are easy. If I had to chose between surgical procedures I would choose the less invasive/reversible procedure. And keep in my mind that the fastest way may not always be the safest/best/easy way. Be kind to your body and your mind.....You want good and lasting results

 

[Jess-W]

My little sister had a gastric bypass surgery about 4 years ago. She had struggled with her weight since childhood as had my dad and his mother. They all suffered with type-2 diabetes. My sister's inability to control her blood sugar and sleep apnia (sp?) that was so bad that she would actually stop breathing more than 100 times in one night prompted her to get the surgery. Now, I can not speak for her personally (although if you'd like, I could get get her in touch with you. I'm sure she would gladly share her experience) I will tell you some things that I observed that you might want to take into consideration.

BTW: She is a professional chef and has a passion for good food as done everyone in my family.

Pros: No more diabetes or sleeps apnia

Cons:
Immediately following the surgery, she struggled with the protien shakes. They were hard for her to get down ( for many reasons I think: taste, texture, drinking them too fast and having them come back up, frustration that she couldn't eat what she wanted and get the nutrients she needed) and she suffered because of lack of protien. While she lost lots of weight (from about 240 down to 110 at one point; she is now around 140 and much healthier) her apperance suffered in many other ways. Some have improved and some have not. Her hair got incredibly thin and brittle, her skin dry and leathery.

She also does not have a gall bladder. One thing that I can tell you that is a little talked about side effect and one that can be embarrassing and can reek havvoc on you emotionally is what happens to your digestive system afterwards! There is not a tactful or polite way to say this so here it is: when you go to the bathroom or have gas, it will stink! Not an ordinary kind of stink but something that is hard to imagine. Not a room-clearing stink but a house-clearing stink! Depending on what you eat, it can happen almost instantly. We have been in restaurants where she would have to excuse herself before dinner was over.....and the smell does not confine itself to the bathroom you have just left. It seems to permiate everything. She was mortified! Now she carries something with her called Poo-porri at all times. It is something she sprays on the toilet water before using the restroom that is supposed to cut down on the odor. It is relatively expensive if you have to use it all the time. It helps some but not a lot.

Things you need to also consider: your body and digestive system will metabolize things you consume in a whole new way. Alcohol being just one of those things. The previous poster mentioned the need for some to find a replacement for what could be an addictive behavior or a behavior that is meant to seek comfort or solice. This could be extremely dangerous.

The thing that I watched her suffer from the most was not physical but mental. She went through both pre and post surgical counseling and like you had done the research but I don't think you can ever quite prepare for the reactions of other people and how damaging to your self esteem it can be. I know this sounds like a completely trite thing to say because I have seen the damage and hurt inflicted on the people I love because of their weight but sometimes being thin does not cure the hurt. It can make it worse. I watched my beautiful, funny, smart and talented sister suddenly be embraced, praised and fawned over by tons of people who had previously never given her the time of day. If fact, some of them had treated her like crap to say the least! I watched her run in to high school classmates that had previously been cruel suddenly treat her as if she were someone new. I watched as my sister became resentful and angry that none of these people had recognized or appreciated the wonderful and beautiful characteristics that she had always possessed and that they only recognized her new physical appearance. It was emotionally devastating to her and an incredibly difficult process to watch for those of us who love her. She will never be the same in my opinion. That took something out of her. That carefree openess that she had that made her eyes sparkle has been changes a bit to caution and skepticism. It makes me very sad for her. I miss who she was before her surgery.

She is here. She is healthier and free of diabetes and I am very glad for that. I wish she could have accomplished that another way.

Does she regret it? I do not know. If you like to visit with her yourself, I'd be glad to put her in touch.

 

[Mahonri]

I'm big.

But, I've lost 60 lbs in the past couple of years... and I'm still loosing.

I need to get off another 70 lbs to get where I need to be.
You sound like me. I exercise and nothing seems to come off. My problems are weekends around the house. I'll lose 4 lbs from Monday to Friday and gain it all back on Sat. and Sunday.

I have not had bypass or lapband surgery, but I have known a goodly number that have.

1) would you ever recommend this to anyone? why or why not.

I have known folks who have died from BOTH procedures.

2) was there any unexpected side affects they no one told you about?

See answer above. Also a couple who are still alive have had to have surgeries to remove excess skin

not having had the surgery, I can't answer the last two, but most folks that got the lapband that I've known, wish they would have just gotten the bybass.... it makes no sense to me.

I now have Type II diabetes and I HATE it.
Doc just put me on "Victoza". I inject myself with it every day. It keeps your digestive/gastric system from emptying so you feel full after just eating a little. It's been very helpful... like bypass without a bypass.

Ask your Dr. about Victoza.

 

[debilorrah]

Dar I know people who have had both. The ones that had the bypass are a married couple. She actually lost 130 lbs, then gained about 20 and is now in a comfortable size 10. He however, lost all his weight and then put most back on. She struggled with all the average side affects with an additional one that doesn't get talked alot about - hair loss. She practically went bald, had to buy a wig etc. She would rather had done the lap band, but it wasn't widely available then.

The gal I know that had the lap-band is happier than a pig in poo. No side effects, just a miniimized appetite. She had it done 5 months ago and has lost 65 lbs. Slower for sure, but since there were no side effects, better IMHO.