Thinking About Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery

Let me just say that wanting to take care of yourself whether it be with surgery or not is wonderful. I can tell you that I know alot of people that have actually had the gastric by-pass and a couple with the lap band. They both have had good results. All the people telling you try this diet or that diet or just exercise more, usually don't know what it is like to be heavy and what kind of toll it takes on your body, mind and your soul. Being overweight effects everything. Of course there are chances of complications, but with what surgery isn't there. You could have complications with the most minute surgeries, go deaf getting tubes, I mean having a baby or getting a colonoscopy, or something routine like that could cause damage or death. What out there doesn't have a chance of that. You have a higher chance in being killed in a car accident or crossing the street than having complications from the surgery. You may have side effects like vitamin deficiency(can be fixed w/vitamins), some hair loss(will grow back). Ok so those are cons, but the pros. You have better chance at living longer, you will have less chance of having other major health problems(heart disease, diabetes, etc)and will have more energy to spend with your family and feel better about yourself. Only you can make a decision like this. Hate to say it but if your fiance loves you and wants to see you happy, healthy, and around for alot longer than he will stand by you. Look at the long term. You could attend another seminar and take your fiance with you, or take him to an appt with you to meet the doctor. That way he can ask any questions, get a feel for the doctor and feel more at ease. Yours isn't the first to question it, so the doctors are more than happy to help you and your family. Sorry if I sounded so rough. There are also local support groups for bariatric surgery. You can go before your surgery for insight from others whove had the surgery or are in the same boat you are. You can also go to one online. I searched and found this one and if your doc is in Toledo. Then this is from his office. It is an online support group/forum.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/OH/a,messageboard/board...

Hope any of this helps and again sorry for being so forward.
T.

Hi A.,

This is a huge decision for you to make. But, I applaud you for thinking of yourself which most of us do not. Now, I have had a good friend and a good neighbor friend have the bypass done. My friend had some complications in the hospital and they were able to give her some blood transfusions, and she's been great ever since. She looks wonderful and feels wonderful. She didn't let the weight loss get to her head, which happens to some. SHe is a mother of 2 young girls and had the surgery about 3 years ago.
My neighbor had it done, and she did fine with the procedure and recovery. HOWEVER, her weight got to a certain point and stopped. NOW...you have to exercise and such, its a change of life, surgery alone won't do it for you.
I have a good friend considering the bypass. She went in to talk to surgeon about lap band but the surgeon told her she had too much weight to lose, that the bypass would be a better option for her unless she lost about 75 pounds before the surgery.
Have you talked to a surgeon, or attended a seminar, they are free. The lap band might be a good option since you are tall. I also am heavy and people never guess that I weigh what I do because I'm fairly porportioned well....
Hope this helps....Good luck and keep us posted!!

J.

I would definitely think long and hard about this. In my opinion, you should try other outlets first. Surgery is risky regardless, and recovery can also be really rough. Also, with the gastric bypass, you will not be able to eat like you normally would be able to. My mom's friend had it done and she regrets it. She is constantly having diarreah(sorry to be so graphic) because she can not tolerate most foods. She was in a lot of pain also and it took her a long while to recover. You are still so young and you should be able to lose the weight in other ways, unless there is a disability of some sort, but you mentioned your health is great otherwise. Just remember it is not a quick fix and that your digestive system will never be the same. My cousin lost 150 lbs by diet and exercise, so if you want more info. on that, let me know and I will tell you what she did in order to lose the weight.

I honestly don't recommend the gastric bypass - I've heard way too many horror stories firsthand! I was kinda in the same boat as you regarding your weight. I did have the lap-band done (and so did my hubby) and even though the weight comes off much slower, it's much healthier and much less invasive. A lot of the info you find online about the lap-band is from patients who had it done in Mexico. I attend the support group meetings occassionally and have never heard anyone talk about their stomach growing around the band. I highly recommend you attend the seminar at St. Lukes done by Dr. Thomas Oweis and Dr. Timothy Duckett. You can call Northwest Surgical Specialists to find out the next date. Definitely weigh all your options before deciding.

A.,

I know there are many pro's and con's to having this type of surgery. I think what is most important that you and your fiancee sit down and maybe make a list of these. List your health and the fact that at your current weight, any other type of weight loss plan is going to be rather insignificant. There are many support groups and discussions on line from people who have had the surgery. I urge you to check these out from all aspects, and pick out the best solution.

Good luck to you.
S.

I do not know Dr. White, but my dad had the surgery done at the Bariatric Center in Columbus about 2 or 3 years ago. He has lost about 150 and wighs about 190 and is about 5'10/ 6'0. He is healthy and can now ride a bike and exercise and do things that he couldn't do before. I t was a very positive life change for him. One that he has no regrets about. It was defiantely a good decision for him. I know a few people who have had this surgery. They all have had similar positive experiences. As long as you have a good doctor I would definately encourage it. I have seen firsthand what a great impact it has had on the lives of a few people that I am close to. I have read other peoples responses too. It is a huge lifestyle change. Someone mentioned diarhea... well if the person has that problem then they didn't listen to the diet changes and aren't avoiding foods they shouldn't be eating (high sugars, fats, etc.) but these are things that anyone wanting to lose weight should be avoiding. That side affect is your body's way of telling you that you've consumed something that you shouldn't have.

You should go for it now. Tell your boyfriend your goal weight Keep him invovled with the surgery and recovery. This will add to your life. You will enjoy your daughter and start helping her not to have the same outcome. I have a good friend who had the surgery and she hasn't looked back. She is more outgoing and loves to go to the park with her kids.

Hi A.:

I had the surgery back in 2000. I lost 140 pounds. I will tell you that it was my very, very last resort. I am happy I made the choice. I can tell you though that not everyone that has had it is happy years down the road like I am.

Some people see the surgery as a "quick fix". It isn't. It's a life long thing. It's a forever going to change the way you eat thing. Your stomach will never be the same. You have to change your whole way of thinking about food. You will literally become obsessed with food. Not eating it, but watching what you eat. I read labels on everything, everything. Shopping takes forever with me. It drove my husband nuts for the first couple of years. Now that I'm this far out, I pretty much know what most of the food I like has in it.

However, there are days when what I ate last week, I can't eat today. So I have to mark that off my edible list for a while and move on. Sugar is a no-no, unless you want to feel like your having a heart-attack and dying. The surgery does something funky to your intestines that sends too much sugar to your pancreas that it overloads and "dumps" on you and OMG what a feeling. THAT was a learning process. I no longer eat candy, cakes, patries, basically any of the ooey-gooey yummy things like cinnabons that I loooooved when I was 300 pounds.

They make alot sugar-free nowadays now so it's getting better.

This surgery is a personal choice. Just make sure you know, it is a tool and not a miracle cure-all for taking off weight. It can fail if you don't allow the tool to work with your body and help yourself stay healthy.

Good luck on your decision.

what youre considering is a very personal decision. i pray God will guide you to what you should do. however, by what i've read, your weight is dangerously high. i believe the surgery is somewhat risky too, therefore having a young child at home definately makes your decision a potentially life altering one for her. i'm 5'10" and i weigh 175. so i can imagine by weighing 410 lbs you dont get around very well. you need to be at LEAST half that weight. your daughter would benefit by having a healthy, fit mother that can play with her and have enough energy to truly "keep up" with a small child. so, if it were me, i WOULD do it. i think the pro's (in my opinion) out-weigh the con's. as for your fiance; his fear of you getting too skinny sounds like his insecurity. i have a friend that had gastric bypass surgery and she looks great! she is still far from skinny though. frankly, as happy as she is to of lost 100 lbs. she feels she could still stand to lose 50 more. and according to her height, she would need to, to be at her ideal weight. she seems to be at a plateau now. but she's much healthier and happier than she was. she wants to have children now! which was never an option for her before because of her obesity. your fiance obviously loves you and wants you around for his entire life, and that's wonderful! but your health is your decision. nobody else's. good luck and God bless you! - H.

I think it is great you are looking to lose weight and improve your health. It sounds like your fiance may be insecure. Is it possible that your fiance is afraid that if you lose weight you will want to find a new man? Some counselling may help to get any of those issues out into the open. In my view this is one of those issues that you have to do what is best for YOU. Losing weight will help you be healthier in the long run and insure that you will be there for your daughter.

Definitely , a radical decision. Try Cortisol Support from your nutrition center(Drug Store). My husband uses this and has lost 45 pounds since Dec 2006. Go to weight watchers , too. Start eating "tiny meals" every two hours, to curb hunger. Walking is good at your present weight. You will need to save the cost of the gastric surgery for the (sorry) flab, to be removed , after u lose weight. Envision a new person in the mirror and stick to it! Go A.!

A.-

Good luck making this difficult decision. I thought I'd respond because of my experience. I am young and otherwise healthy, but I was overweight also. I decided to have the lap band and did that last May '06 with Dr. Sonnanstine (if you're not 1,000% sure of your Dr, PLEASE go see Dr. Sonnanstine first - his whole staff is WONDERFUL!!!). My husband was worried about me also, so I took him to my appointments and my Dr sat down with the both of us and let us ask as many questions as we wanted. That was what helped sooth his nerves about the surgery. That might help if your doctor allows it. Also remind your fiance that the surgery is not going to change who you are, and the physical changes are gradual. You control your weight loss by how much you comply with the program. I went from a size 22 to a 12 in 8 months because I stuck with it. (So I'm still not even close to toothpick skinny.) However, I'm not pregnant with my second child, so my weight loss is taking a back seat to the pregnancy at this point. When I had my surgery, my daughter was 3 years old. She was young and it was fine. The bottom line is YOU need to do what YOU think is best for YOU!!! It sounds like you're putting a lot of thought into this, and that is great because this is such a big step. I don't regret my decision for a minute. I do think the key is finding the right doctor. So, if you haven't considered TriState Surgical Weight Loss in Florence, KY w/ Dr. Sonnanstine and his staff, I think they were my, and my husband's, greatest asset in helping us prepare for the surgery.

Good luck!!!
-A.

Hello A.. This is sooo a personal decision. I think it's great that your thinking of others, but this is for you. In the long run if you have the surgery your health will be much better. There is pros and cons to any surgery. I think as long as you have looked into all the information pertaining to the surgery and you feel comfortable with what you have learned and feel confident in the doctor who is performing the surgery it might be something to look forward to. I have a friend who had the surgery and she had a great outcome. She is healthier, looks great, and can get around better, especially her breathing. Please just remember to get all the facts, and make sure your doctor is board certified. Even ask for names of other patients who you can contact to get info. from. I think if someone loves you, they try very hard to understand what you need and want. What ever you decide, your love I would hope will back you up and support you. Your child is resilient and will love you no matter what. You will always be mom. Good luck with your decisions. My prayers are with you.

Dear A.,
I won't repeat what others have said....Just want to reiterate that after the surgery you will have trouble physically if you eat the wrong things. If you want to do this because you can't control your eating, you may still have that problem later. Also, complications CAN happen. I know of a very sad case, which I won't go into because I think her case is the exception not the rule, and I don't want to scare you away from something that has helped many people. I realize you want to improve your health and your life, which is great. Why not try a different approach first? One that is not invasive, does not affect your internal organs. I am using something called "The Diet Exit Plan," which is not a diet, but it helps you lose weight by changing the way you think about food and yourself. It's a gradual change...but it's not surgery, not changing my digestive tract (except by making me healthier, with its emphasis on healthy eating). If you're interested--and I promise you I am in no way affiliated with them except for using the plan myself--check it out by going to http://www.simplyslimming.com What have you got to lose? (except weight :D )
Blessings,
L.
PS Whatever you decide to do, I will pray for a great outcome for you!