Weight Loss Surgery If you've had it, or are considering it, share your discussions here

View Poll Results: Is life after surgery about what you expected it would be?
It's even better than I thought possible! 93 31.96%
Surgery was the biggest mistake of my life 18 6.19%
Pretty much what I expected - no suprises here! 27 9.28%
Managing eating and exercise is still a challenge, but I'm learning 123 42.27%
I feel normal, but that doesn't mean that weight control is easy 73 25.09%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 291. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 09-20-2005, 08:08 PM   #1  
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Default A Poll for Post Ops

thought this would be interesting - a look at what we really think about life after surgery

2011 update: please feel free to add comments about how you're coping. HOWEVER, some comments have been requests for help and advice, and several people have posted introductions, and these types of comments are getting lost. I move them into the main forum when I see them, but as we all know, I'm not perfect!

So, if you have questions, need some help, or want to introduce yourself, please post in the main forum so that you don't get lost!

Last edited by jiffypop; 11-04-2011 at 09:41 AM.
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Old 09-21-2005, 02:50 PM   #2  
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Good poll Jif! Even a year and a half after surgery, my answer was "Managing eating and exercise is still a challenge, but I'm learning".

I always read posts from people who say their only regret about having WLS is that they didn't have it sooner. I'm not sure I would have been ready any sooner - even though you couldn't have told me that at the time. I think I had to hit rock bottom, weightwise. Love my band, but there's days it would be so much easier to just eat the old way and to not go to the gym. That being said, I'm so happy I had WLS. It's changed my life.

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Old 09-26-2005, 04:55 PM   #3  
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I can't answer the poll, the surgery is not the biggest mistake of my life but it is a lot harder than I expected and not just eating and exercise... for me the side effects are serious.

I still would have had it, and I wouldn't have been able to diet down to 180 (my lowest), and I do need to diet now, but it's a different ball game, I feel like I have a chance now!
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Old 09-26-2005, 05:40 PM   #4  
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neenoon.. i'd put you in the "managing - but learning" category [which is what i answered as well]. it IS hard, especially the head stuff.
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Old 09-26-2005, 05:58 PM   #5  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jiffypop
neenoon.. i'd put you in the "managing - but learning" category [which is what i answered as well]. it IS hard, especially the head stuff.
Okeedokee. I did that. It is quite something this surgery (one kind or another really) and yes the head stuff is wooooo!
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Old 11-30-2005, 12:58 PM   #6  
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I had this surgery 11 years ago and at the time I felt I was making a good decision. While I did manage to lose 90 lbs it all came back...4 1/2 years after the inital surgery I had to go back in to have corrective surgery done. The staples used to resect my pouch became compromised and I developed some serious health issues. I also ended up with an abdominal hernia that had to be repair. Of course my story is the extreme side. Today I still suffer minor effects of the surgery. I never did get the desired outcome I was hoping for but I don't blame that on the surgery. I blame that on my thinking that surgery was going to fix it all. The truth of the matter is that losing weight, even with surgery as an aid, is hard work and requires commitement to a lifestyle change. The fact the my body could not hold massive quantities of food didn't change the emotional reasons why I was an over eater. Once I was able to recognize the behavior I was able to better control my triggers. Mind you I am still not where I'd like to be but I am better of physically than I was 11 years ago. The secret for me was my emotional health. JMO
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Old 12-25-2005, 10:56 PM   #7  
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I feel normal, but that doesn't mean that weight control is easy

Boy does that sum it up, it is a daily battle. It is all about making the correct choices, and sometimes I am not so good at doing that .
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Old 01-05-2006, 04:09 PM   #8  
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I am very pleased with the results of my surgery. I haven't had any side effects, just the regular dumping syndrome when I eat something I shouldn't (which I NEVER do on purpose). I have lost 75 pounds so far and I have a lot more energy. I don't recommend the surgery for everybody, but for me it was a good choice.
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Old 01-08-2006, 09:27 AM   #9  
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Wow, where do I begin. I am thrilled that I had the surgery. It has also been very hard for me and I have had a myriad of complications including 3 dilitations, an inability for find a good protein supplement, no interest in food and I need to force myself to eat. I have also been diagnosed with mal-nutrition twice and hospitalized for it. This weight loss is definitely NOT for Sissies. Thinking about sugars is out for me as I get dumping and that is not fun. I also have a touchy gag reflex so if I don't chew chew chew, what goes down comes back up.
One of the major positives for me is that I like to cook so I am putting together a cookbook for people to use as a guideline. I am able to use sugar substitutes and also sweeten with a little honey for a good sauce.
I also was so excited when I went to the store for the first time in November and bought a new pair of jeans(size 10). I don't ever remember being that small. At my 140 weight, people say I am "skinny". LOL That is a term I never thought I would hear anyone use when referring to me.
I believe we are some of the strongest people I know.
peace and love,
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Old 01-28-2006, 10:46 AM   #10  
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Smile Still a challenge...

I had the banding done 2 years ago, got pregnant 2 months later, and my son is now 6 months old. The surgery made my weight gain with my pregnancy very minimal, I actually lost weight after he was born. I can account 20 lbs lost to the surgery, the 2nd 20 lbs lost from having my son, and the last 5 lbs was all me. I started Jan 1st and have lost 5 lbs so far.

I really thought that I wouldn't be able to eat much at all, and I could drop weight very quickly. Before I had the surgery (years before) I thought it was an easy way out, and that it wasn't really an accomplishment to lose the weight if you had the surgery. That was VERY VERY wrong, it's still not easy...as I have found out post-op. I wouldn't change it though, the band helps me stop eating...though they should make something to re-wire your brain to change your eating habits instead-it would be so much easier. I will look at my plate and think I can keep eating even though my stomach is telling me no...there's no solution to that, just good old willpower!

Through better food choices (not dieting though), and exercising every day, the weight will come off little by little, hopefully.

Congrats on your success, what a dramatic weight loss, good for you.

Kelly
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Old 01-30-2006, 06:50 PM   #11  
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I'm new here. I had GB surgery in September of 2003. I quickly lost 90 pounds, but it stopped there. I started at 270 pounds, and am only 5 feet tall. I have gained back 10 pounds, and I have been battling with it for months. My biggest fear is gaining it all back. I feel like I'd rather die. Last fall I tried LA Weight Loss, but that didn't work for me at all. Right now I am reading a book about The Three Hour Diet. Anyone out there tried it? I could use some help here!
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Old 01-30-2006, 08:19 PM   #12  
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I hear you mama annie. I had two failed WLS's for complicated reasons and still had to figure out how to deal with my weight. I truly believe that most of us get to some point where we realize the only way to stay on top is to keep looking at those food choices. The surgery is only one tool that can help. Also, the banding is often considered low success for reasons such as the experience you've had. You can still make this work for you I' sure. Do you still feel the same restrictions in terms of how much you can eat, or the textures for instance that you felt in the beginning? Has your pouch stretched? Have you changed how you eat since before the surgery, or since you lost the 90 pounds after?

I'd have to have a lot more information about your current way of eating to venture any opinion about what the problem areas may be.
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Old 01-31-2006, 06:41 PM   #13  
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Thanks for writing! I had a gastric bypass, not a band. At first I could only eat 2 ounces, but of course that increases with time. I can now eat a cup or more at one meal. I can eat just about anything now. It hasn't always been that way, but there are few things that make me sick. I still have some trouble with meat, I don't like to eat much meat at one time. I can't tolerate soy protein products or whey either. I don't drink soda pop at all. I still have a hard time drinking enough water. I snack too much.
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Old 02-24-2006, 06:45 PM   #14  
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I just had my surgery on 12/8/05-so I'm definitly in the I"m learning category. I have dropped 53 pounds-long way to go-but I'm doing it. I have not had any problems with the surgery. I excercise every day-and watch what I eat-no fat or sugar-but I'm still having to keep watch over how much I eat. I am glad I had the surgery, but it IS still hard, like someone said above-at least it's not impossible-like it was before.
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Old 02-27-2006, 03:16 PM   #15  
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Some think that WLS is the magic bullet, and is the easy way out. That could not be further from the truth. I am very glad I did it, but daily, I am faced with eatting dilemmas. Quantity, and quality of what I eat everyday is a quandry. I must think all the time. I don't eat much, but what I do eat is carefully monitored, it has to be, or I will dump, or feel miserable, or not lose. I had mine in November of 2005 and have a ways to go, but I am on my way and it feels wonderful.
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