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

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 07-22-2012, 02:02 AM   #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
blb1980's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 20

Default I Am Not Sure About Surgery

I have been looking over the weight loss surgery section of the foum some tonight and I'm debating surgery. The past 2.5 years have been quite a journey for me. I've had my highs and my lows. Right now I'd say I'm at my lowest point having the hardest time the past 4 months losing weight. I started out at 363 lbs and got down to 231. First just exercse was shedding weight and when that was hardly working, I had to change the diet and then the diet wasn't working so I have been trying different ways of eating (still keeping exercise in) and nothing is working. I am now 237-239. I've actually been in the 230's gaining and losing. At 350 plus, I was going to do the surgery and even went to the intial meeting where you learn about it through a group seminar but once I realized I was losing weight without surgery, I decided not to do it. Now the idea is in my mind again. I have no idea why I'm not losing weight anymore. I am no where near an "ideal" weight and I think I just may still be on the outskirts of "morbidly obese" category. I have heard a lot of bad and good things about the lap band. Does the body have problems absorbing vitamins after surgery? What about hair loss? Is this a definite thing and if so, is it temporary? Does this surgery really decrease appetite? That's probably one of my biggest issues. When I cut my calories to 1600-1900 a day, I feel like I am hungry a lot and I absolutely hate being hungry. How soon can a person start exercising again after surgery? And last but not least... should I even have this surgery or should I just wait for my body to let me lose weight again??
blb1980 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2012, 09:41 AM   #2  
Eating for two!
 
jillybean720's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 6,018

S/C/G: 324 highest known/on hold/150

Height: 5' 5"

Default

Hi, and welcome, and DEEP BREATH And above all else, CONGRATULATIONS on the amazing progress you've made so far - that weight loss is a huge accomplishment!

Unfortunately, the answer to so many questions is "it depends" or "it varies." There are no guarantees with WLS just as there are none with diet/exercise/weight loss in general. The Lap Band happens to be statisticlly the least effective form of WLS of the four procedures commonly performed today (gastric banding, RNY gastric bypass, duodenal switch, and vertical sleeve gastrectomy). That doesn't mean it can't/won't work, just that a lower percentage of patients have success with it. If it never worked for anyone, they wouldn't keep offering it! As for your specific questions:

Does the body have problems absorbing vitamins after surgery?
After the band, no, because nothing is bypassed or removed. However, because you would be eating significantly less, you will still need to take vitamin/mineral supplements because you won't be able to get sufficient nutrition from food alone.

What about hair loss? Is this a definite thing and if so, is it temporary?
Google "telogen effluvium." It's the same thing that causes people to have hair loss 2-4 months after ANY surgery or even after childbirth (I'm going through it right now - had my baby in late March). Not everyone experiences it, but I would say more do than not. It is temporary.

Does this surgery really decrease appetite?
It can, but it's not a guarantee. With the band, there is the possibility of making your stomach hold much less food, yet still feeling hungry, which some people find miserable. However, there is also the possibility of the band pressing on a certain nerve that results in patients feeling almost no hunger at all. You won't know which end of the spectrum you'll fall on until you wake up!

How soon can a person start exercising again after surgery?
That depends on how you heal, the type of proceure you have, and your specific surgeon's recommendations.

And last but not least... should I even have this surgery or should I just wait for my body to let me lose weight again??
That is completely up to you. I would suggest you check with your insurance because many (I think it's even safe to say most) insurance policies require you to undergo a "medically supervised diet" for anywhere from 3-12 months before they will approve you for surgery. At this point, maybe you could find out your insurance requirements and then go through that diet if it is required. That will give you that many more months of trying without WLS to see how you feel, and then, if you do decide you want WLS, you will already have completed that most time-consuming requirement.

As far as diet versus WLS, have you tried low-carbing? That's what I have had the most success with, personally, any my research and experience has led me to the conclusion that a low-carb, high-fat diet is actually the healthiest way of eating for most people, with or without surgery. I so often hear people say that it's all about "calories in vs. calories out" and "a calorie is a calorie," but that has NOT been my eperience; I can lose weight while restricting calories overall, or I can eat low-carb and high-fat and still lose weight while eating MORE calories (and I am not alone in this observation).

If all you're looking for is something to help with your appetite and volume of food consumption, I recommend you also research the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG or "sleeve"). I went for the duodenal switch (DS) because it has the highest success rate for resolving most comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, which I was diagnosed with at 25; my diabetes is now "resolved" or "in remission" (different people prefer different terms - regardless, I have no symptoms of type 2 diabetes today).
jillybean720 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2012, 09:45 AM   #3  
Old Cackler
 
jiffypop's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: northern New Jersey
Posts: 7,525

Default

wow. blb. you've already lost more than 100 pounds, and that's really incredible. i don't know why you're not losing more weight. maybe more intensive exercise could help. intervals can sometimes break a stall. some people think that eating different calorie counts so that your body doesn't get 'too comfortable' at a certain intake can work. Have you been working with a dietician? WW? any other support?

ok. so having said ALL THAT. the lap band is a restrictive procedure - the only thing it does is restrict the amount of food you can eat at one time. It doesn't affect digestion or absorption. hair loss depends on how fast you lose - it's more the result of hormone disruptions from the fast weight loss than from the lap band itself. it grows back. I PROMISE.

I've heard that lapbands decrease appetite, but i've had a gastric bypass, so let's wait for the lapbanders show up for the real deal.

every doctor and every patient are different as far as exercise is concerned, but within a couple of weeks post-op, most people are moving again. they're not ready for a marathon or heavy weights, but they are easing into an exercise routine [or should be]

is surgery the right thing for you? only you can answer that - after doing a lot of research, asking a lot of Qs, and talking with your doc. it's not an easy choice to make, and there's a lot that goes into making the decision. take your time with it.
jiffypop is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2012, 10:00 PM   #4  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
blb1980's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 20

Default

Thanks for the congrats. I try to remind myself that I have come a long way but when I have been struggling for 4/5 months, it gets harder and harder to stay positive about continuing to lose weight.

I tried calorie cycling for I think a few weeks. It may have been longer. I pre planned every meal. Counted every little calorie. Wrote everything down that I ate. I drink nothing but water. That didn't seem to do anything. Now I'm not going to sit here and say I've followed a strict diet plan to the tee over the past 4/5 months because I've had a birthday where I went and had "fun" and I have had other slip ups but I would say I stayed on track about 75% of the time.

I was exercising quite a bit. Intervals? Is that where you go fast for a bit and slow down and speed back up? I mainly do group classes at my local Y for cardio currently zumba and piloxing but I was doing the treadmill and sometimes the eliptical one day of the week. All in all, cardio is around 45 min 4-5 times a week and strength training is 2x a week around 30 min


Also I was being told by someone (an instructor)to get a heart rate monitor and stay within a certain range so when I would look and see it was too high I would slow down. Now there's someone else in my other ear saying no don't hold back on the exercise and that I don't need a heart rate monitor so that part is confusing as well.

as far as surgery goes, I am wondering if this will help me with my food problems? I'm all the time worried about what to eat. How much? I'm hungry. I'm deprived. I'm starving. Having a "new" smaller stomach and eating less... will this help me at all? I'm going to call the bari center tomorrow to make an appoinment.

My boyfriend doesn't think I should have the surgery. He is paper thin and can eat a whole house and not gain an ounce. So he has no idea what it's like to be overweight. It's not his decision anyway. I have to be happy with myself. Inside and out. Right now, it's neither. I'd like to one day look in the mirror and like what I see. One day.....

Quote:
Originally Posted by jiffypop View Post
wow. blb. you've already lost more than 100 pounds, and that's really incredible. i don't know why you're not losing more weight. maybe more intensive exercise could help. intervals can sometimes break a stall. some people think that eating different calorie counts so that your body doesn't get 'too comfortable' at a certain intake can work. Have you been working with a dietician? WW? any other support?

ok. so having said ALL THAT. the lap band is a restrictive procedure - the only thing it does is restrict the amount of food you can eat at one time. It doesn't affect digestion or absorption. hair loss depends on how fast you lose - it's more the result of hormone disruptions from the fast weight loss than from the lap band itself. it grows back. I PROMISE.

I've heard that lapbands decrease appetite, but i've had a gastric bypass, so let's wait for the lapbanders show up for the real deal.

every doctor and every patient are different as far as exercise is concerned, but within a couple of weeks post-op, most people are moving again. they're not ready for a marathon or heavy weights, but they are easing into an exercise routine [or should be]

is surgery the right thing for you? only you can answer that - after doing a lot of research, asking a lot of Qs, and talking with your doc. it's not an easy choice to make, and there's a lot that goes into making the decision. take your time with it.
blb1980 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2012, 10:10 PM   #5  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
blb1980's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 20

Default

JILLYBEAN

Thank you for taking time to answer my questions! I really appreciate it!

Low carbing? I read at some website that eating 100-150 grams carbs / day is considered low carb? So I did try that last week. I counted carbs and didn't worry about counting or measuring anything else. It did not seem to work. I think I gained 2 lb. I may have overdone it on the fats? Or maybe I was eating too many carbs per day? Not sure. It was a week full of protein, fat, veg, and I guess low carb. The only veg I eat are raw spinach and broccoli. Sometimes green beans and asparagus and rarely potatoes but I know the potatoes count as carbs.

I exercised only 3 days last week. Tuesday I did strength training for 30-45 min at the Y. I am not sure how long that class is, then it was cardio right after for about 40 min. Then I did Piloxing Friday which is cardio for 40 min and Saturday another cardio class Zumba. I was missing a strength training session. I try to do 2 a week normally.

even still... how I gained 2lbs... I don't know.
blb1980 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2012, 11:37 PM   #6  
Senior Member
 
thinner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 174

Default

well the 2 pounds could just be a temporary water fluctuation. i don't know what your body is doing, but i know mine will stall and i have to do very intensive stuff to break it. and i cant always do it. so i know my body picks its set points and won't give up any fat without extreme deficits. since i have to eat regularly or crash, i usually do better by adding more intense exercise. fyi, i wasted a year of my life doing the elliptical, and machines in the gym. i have to do soemthing more intense, and yes, intervals is a great way to do that. you go out of that so-called 'fat burning zone" and use all of your energy for a short burst and then lesser energy. it's supposed to keep you burning calories for a longer time after you quit. and the 'fat burning zone', i've read that your body will learn to hold on to fat if it burns too much like that. whatever you find that works for you, but you have to just keep trying new things and give it time.
thinner is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2012, 12:28 AM   #7  
Senior Member
 
LaurieDawn's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,585

Height: 5'5"

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jillybean720 View Post
Hi, and welcome, and DEEP BREATH

I would suggest you check with your insurance because many (I think it's even safe to say most) insurance policies require you to undergo a "medically supervised diet" for anywhere from 3-12 months before they will approve you for surgery. At this point, maybe you could find out your insurance requirements and then go through that diet if it is required. That will give you that many more months of trying without WLS to see how you feel, and then, if you do decide you want WLS, you will already have completed that most time-consuming requirement.
Totally agreeing with this.

I had decided in May that I was ready to do the surgery option. My sister had gone from first appointment to surgery within six weeks. Not so much for my insurance. I am feeling good about my progress right now, and hope that I end up being successful without surgery. But I am still complying with all of the requirements because there's a good chance that I will eventually need to go that route.

And, BTW - the insurance companies are a huge pain to deal with, at least in my case. I'd start with the free seminar that most surgeons seem to offer, and then speak with the staff about the best way to approach your insurance company's requirements.

Good luck! And - wow - congratulations on the AMAZING progress!

Last edited by LaurieDawn; 07-23-2012 at 12:29 AM.
LaurieDawn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2012, 12:40 AM   #8  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
blb1980's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 20

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by LaurieDawn View Post
Totally agreeing with this.

I had decided in May that I was ready to do the surgery option. My sister had gone from first appointment to surgery within six weeks. Not so much for my insurance. I am feeling good about my progress right now, and hope that I end up being successful without surgery. But I am still complying with all of the requirements because there's a good chance that I will eventually need to go that route.

And, BTW - the insurance companies are a huge pain to deal with, at least in my case. I'd start with the free seminar that most surgeons seem to offer, and then speak with the staff about the best way to approach your insurance company's requirements.

Good luck! And - wow - congratulations on the AMAZING progress!
Thank you Laurie!

I like your quotes. I won't give up. I may run into road blocks and rant and rave a bit but I've told myself not this time. Giving up is not an option. I remember trying to lose weight about 5 years ago at 350 and got down to 309 and didn't see results for two weeks and gave up. Can you believe that! Now here I am 4/5 months later still struggling but I haven't given up. I've definitely hit a road block though.

My insurance does cover it and it didn't seem to be an issue but I have to do a six month diet thing before I can have surgery. And like you, I'm hoping that during the six months maybe I'll lose enough weight to not have it done. I know you have to start doing a certain diet phase and they told me what they were but I don't remember now. That was six months ago when I met with someone about the surgery.
blb1980 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2012, 09:32 AM   #9  
Old Cackler
 
jiffypop's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: northern New Jersey
Posts: 7,525

Default

just a caution, blb. while you're doing this diet and exercise regimen, please make sure that your doctor is tracking your progress. insurance companies want DOCUMENTED attempts at weight loss - WW attendance counts, but if you're not going to a group like that, your doc needs to keep track. [and yes, PITA for having to make the appt and do the whole co-pay thing].

also, one of the main reasons that insurance companies require the 6 months of documented weight loss is not really to see if you lose weight or not. It's to see if you can follow directions over time.

and one more point [no one said this would be an easy decision!!! ] the main reason that I had surgery was NOT to lose the weight. it was because surgery offered me the best chance of losing it AND keeping it off. So, once you get down to your goal, maintenance will be really important.

you're sounding calmer than you did at the beginning of the weekend - and it looks like you're developing a PLAN - and that's great. keep up the good work, and keep your options open.
jiffypop is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2012, 05:39 PM   #10  
Eating for two!
 
jillybean720's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 6,018

S/C/G: 324 highest known/on hold/150

Height: 5' 5"

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by blb1980 View Post
Low carbing? I read at some website that eating 100-150 grams carbs / day is considered low carb? So I did try that last week. I counted carbs and didn't worry about counting or measuring anything else. It did not seem to work. I think I gained 2 lb. I may have overdone it on the fats? Or maybe I was eating too many carbs per day?
When I go low carb, I stay below 50 grams of carbs per day, usually closer to 20-30. 100-150 is unlikely to be low enough to get you into ketosis, which is the state in which your body burns fat instead of glucose (carbs) for fuel. If you're truly eating low carb, you won't overdo it on fats because fat will be your body's fuel. Many find they need to INcrease their fat intake when they go low carb or else they feel sluggish. Personally, I aim for 65% or more of my daily calories from fat and less than 10% of my calories from carbs. I Dont' limit my total calories, just focus on the percentages.

Also, doing anything for just one week is not really long enough to determine if it works or not There are too many other variables, especially for women (many gain or lose throughout the month depending on their menstrual cycles).
jillybean720 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2012, 05:44 PM   #11  
Eating for two!
 
jillybean720's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 6,018

S/C/G: 324 highest known/on hold/150

Height: 5' 5"

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jiffypop View Post
just a caution, blb. while you're doing this diet and exercise regimen, please make sure that your doctor is tracking your progress. insurance companies want DOCUMENTED attempts at weight loss - WW attendance counts, but if you're not going to a group like that, your doc needs to keep track. [and yes, PITA for having to make the appt and do the whole co-pay thing].
Agreeing that you need to have your 6 months of weight loss attmpt documented. And, again, you'll have to check with your insurance - mine would not accept Weight Watchers or similar; it had to be with a doctor or dietician, and I had to go in EVERY month for that 6 months, and weight loss/diet had to be the ONLY reason documented in the medical record for the visit. Meaning, I couldn't go in because I had an infection and have them weigh me and think that would count - the appointments each had to be FOR diet/weight loss and nothing else or they didn't count, and if I missed one, I would have to start the 6 months all over again.
jillybean720 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2012, 07:11 PM   #12  
Old Cackler
 
jiffypop's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: northern New Jersey
Posts: 7,525

Default

pssst Jilly -

any new baby pics?
jiffypop is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2012, 06:25 PM   #13  
Moderator & Happy Chick
 
Leenie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Northern New Jersey
Posts: 12,125

Height: 5' 10"

Default

20 - 30 gms of carbs / day is exactly what the Atkins diet follows... we have a great bunch of ladies here that can help you if you decide to go that route http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/atkins-226/ When I did atkins years ago, I felt soooo good !!!! but it was difficult for me to follow

I remember losing 150 lbs with out surgery and when my body hit around 190 lbs it would not let me lose any more, it pretty much said to me "hey, we are comfy at this weight" The way I broke that plateau was to exercise more (a lot more) and really focus on my calories. I did lose a lot of hair during this time though. I really should have been taking some good vitamins and omega's... I just didn't know (this was in the 80's).

Surgery.... surgery is something that only you can decide for yourself, no one can or should make that decision for you but you...not even your boyfriend. You have already lost so much, I hope you are proud of yourself, I know I am and I don't even know you I do have a lapband... and yes, you can eat around it, small amounts of high calorie food..no problem. Greasy food goes down real smooth The lapband is not a cure, its only a tool to help you eat less. I can pretty much eat what ever I want and all day if I wanted. The only time you will toss your cookies is if you do not chew them well lol. There is nothing I can't eat and don't. The blessing I do find with the lapband is I do not go back for a second plate, and if it wasn't for that I would probably be back up to 300 lbs, probably more. I am not at goal but thats my fault.. not the band..its been really good to me so far

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask

Good luck and don't ever give up..you are worth it !!

Leenie
Leenie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-2012, 05:35 PM   #14  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
blb1980's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 20

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by jillybean720 View Post
When I go low carb, I stay below 50 grams of carbs per day, usually closer to 20-30. 100-150 is unlikely to be low enough to get you into ketosis, which is the state in which your body burns fat instead of glucose (carbs) for fuel. If you're truly eating low carb, you won't overdo it on fats because fat will be your body's fuel. Many find they need to INcrease their fat intake when they go low carb or else they feel sluggish. Personally, I aim for 65% or more of my daily calories from fat and less than 10% of my calories from carbs. I Dont' limit my total calories, just focus on the percentages.

Also, doing anything for just one week is not really long enough to determine if it works or not There are too many other variables, especially for women (many gain or lose throughout the month depending on their menstrual cycles).
You're right. I've given up carbs for now. On day 2. Feeling good about it. I'm actually doing this with my bosses dad who offered to rejoin the low carb diet with me. I've never done anything like this before. I didn't think I'd be able to handle low carbs. He did tell me a week l isn't long enough either. That I wouldn't see any results until week 2 and he also told me the feeling of being deprived of carbs is all mental. It's just day two so I can't say I feel like I'm deprived yet.

Remember when I said I gained the 2 lbs from counting 100-150grams / day? Well I gained another 2 lbs on top of that putting me back into the 240's. 241. I'm not happy about it but could be all the yo yo I'm doing. I'm doing this low carb diet and sticking it out though.

Probably the only thing I'm not sure about is how to know if I'm eating 65% fat? And is the other percentage the protein. All the green vegs I want?
blb1980 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-2012, 10:57 PM   #15  
Eating for two!
 
jillybean720's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 6,018

S/C/G: 324 highest known/on hold/150

Height: 5' 5"

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by blb1980 View Post
Probably the only thing I'm not sure about is how to know if I'm eating 65% fat? And is the other percentage the protein. All the green vegs I want?
I get my fat percentage by tracking my intake on the daily plate feature of livestrong.com - when I enter my food, it totals everything up and gives me a pie chart of percentages of fat, carbs, and protein. I'm sure there are other free food tracking tools that do it as well.

As for the veggies, it depends on what you decide. I count carbs, and even green veggies have a few, so if I am done with carbs for the day, then I'm done with veggies, too. But that's easy for me to say since I don't like very many veggies at all
jillybean720 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Related Topics
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Thinking about surgery... need help.. KimberlyHeidi Weight Loss Surgery 53 11-13-2010 09:24 PM
what to say to my friend about surgery? MissBliss 300+ Club 13 06-24-2010 03:57 PM
Yes, I am thinner but am I any healthier? Ophelia924 Weight Loss Surgery 15 10-15-2008 09:27 AM


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:54 AM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.