A Poll for Post Ops

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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
  • I go back and forth on this subject on an almost daily basis... lol I am happy to have had RNY, but have definitely had to relearn bad habits. I LOVE working out now, where I dont think I ever would have before. The biggest concern in my life right now is the extra skin. I absolutely HATE it. I have a hard time seeing past any weight loss and just look at the stuff thats hanging... even though its tightened up some, its still there....
  • Some Info that helped me
    Hi all, this seems to be a rather lonely site, not much posting. I had DS surgery in 2003, and same as others have reported, lost some, stopped too soon! I lost 65 to get to 220, I credit the surgery with 45 of that, a bit disappointing but can't say for sure I regret it. In 2006 I was sharing diet stories with a friend and found her method was really working for her! It was Metabolic Research Center. A pretty strict diet, with counselors, and I can say as someone who has also tried LA weight loss, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, Metabolic Research Center is the only one that has really worked well for me. Perhaps it was the great counselor I had in mine, Lakewood Colorado. They have a lot of classes too, for support and inspiration, and free yoga classes at least at the one I go to. Believe me, I am not an advertising agent for them! Just a customer! I lost 60 lbs in about 6 months with it, and I will admit I really didn't cheat that time. I regained some, tried to re sign up and do it again but failed to defeat my habits that time. Now I have regained about 25 lbs, but it was slow. I now feel ready to do MRC again, sparked by the recent return of the habit of buying a couple of candy bars at a time! Not good! It actually feels good to be back on the diet, it's disciplined but in a way that's sort of comforting and comfortable. Can't quite explain why that is. Anyway, it's working well for me (5 lbs, less than 1 wk) and I have talked to quite a few others who also say it is the only diet that really worked for them. Perhaps it's the combo of relatively normal eating, but little enough that wt loss is rapid, and great counseling. There is a lot of science behind this diet, and I like that. So, that's my share, for what it's worth.
    Kathleen
  • Extra skin
    Forgot to mention, there is a counselor at Metabolic Research Center who was running the yoga class who had remarkable skin even though she had lost 140 lbs! I'd never seen anything like it, you could see some wrinkling and stretch marks, especially on her middle, but her arms had almost no sag at all! I was really impressed and asked her what her secret was and she claimed it was using MSN. Of course I have started wolfing it! 2 big tablets 3 times a day she recommends. Love to hear from others who have had success with this.
    Kathleen
  • I had the WLS (the gastric bypass, not the lap band) in 5/2001. I weighed 321 lbs when they weighed me in pre-op. Today I weigh 240. I had lost down to 188 and lots of my hair had fallen out. I was unable to eat meat of any kind for approx. 3 years. I had a struggle with dumping syndrome sometimes even if I wanted for an hour before and after eating. I ended up in the ER on more than 1 occasion. I am now dieting again, but as I've read others say, it is different. Are there any diet plans that have worked for anyone? I do better if I follow a plan.
  • Hmm. I kind of straddle 2 answers:
    Managing eating and exercising, but
    it's just as I expected, so no surprises.

    I knew that even with the lap band, my eating was still going to be the battle. For me it's always going to be a 'head' battle. I still eat without thinking, and sometimes take much bigger bites than I can handle, and then because I'm eating mindlessly, I don't chew as well as I need to. But Agnetha (yes, I named my band....) lets me know pretty much straight away that Í've screwed up, and by then, it's out of my hands, I have no choice but to pay attention and let it come up--no point in delaying the inevitable.

    Which is what I wanted--I wanted to be physically unable to just gorge myself without thinking.

    I weighed exactly 128 kgs (or 281.6 lbs) the day I rocked up to have the lap band put in. That was 19th May 2008

    Today is 29 July 2008, and I'm down to 119.8 (or 263.56 lbs). That's a loss of 8.2kgs (or 18.04 lbs), within about 70 days, which in turn is an average of .82kgs (or 1.8lbs) of weight loss per week. That's pretty darn good, I think. (Unless I've done the math wrong!)

    I haven't been feeling too swift about my weight loss--I've been thinking that I should be weighing so much less than I do, and really guilty that I haven't been making as much effort to eat appropriately and drink water--and not getting any exercise (have been so darn slack!), but after looking at from a different view point I don't feel so bad. I feel like if I can just put in a little more effort, I will pick up the pace and just maybe I could reach my goal of being down to 100kgs by 1 Jan 2009--although I'm loathe to put a time frame on weight loss goals. It looks good on paper but doesn't everything?

    I even went for a walk tonight. And,I've got plans to do it again in the morning before work, so I'd better get off here and get to bed. that alarm tends to be a bit annoying when you're short on sleep!

    Cheers!
  • I had gastric bypass 7 years ago. I lost 110 lbs, met the man of my dreams got married, had 2 kids in 2 years and BAM...gained 70lbs back. I did great until my second pregnancy/post partum and I gained 40lbs. Surgery only works if you are metally and physically ready to make a life changing decision. I do not regret having it done for one minute but like has been said, I never realized the "mental" aspect of obesity until post op.
  • Stomach stappling
    I had my stomach stappled 18 yrs ago today. I was one that was obviously not mentally ready as I gained all my weight back on and more. I am 5 ft tall. When I had my surgery the doc told me I was the smallest he had done as I was 180lbs. I got down to 112lbs met my husband had a child 5yrs later and today weigh more then I did before I had the surgery at close to 200lbs. I find it very difficult no matter what I do to lose weight as I feel this surgery has messed up my metabolism. I still have to make my self eat and have gone to the dietician here whom told me Iam not eating enough so when I do eat my body stores it as fat. I try to calorie count to make sure i get enough calories but do this for a couple days then fall off and gain again. I find it a never ending battle. If I could go back I would have never had this surgery and would never recomend it either as I know quite a few people whom have had Wls and gained it all back so you really have to be mentally ready to lose and if you are then one should be able to do it without wls.
  • life 6 years after
    starting weight 308
    wls weight 285
    current weight 105

    i had roux-en-y gasrtic by-pass surgery 6 years ago and have maintained my current weight since acheiving it about two years ago. it is very important to go to a post op support groups (most hospitals have them). it helps to keep you on track.

    just remember that this is an on going learning procewss, not a magic bullet. the smaller stomach is a TOOL and you have to learn how to work with it. i know of a couple of people who gained the weight back, but it is because they just figured they could go back to their old ways and still lose weight.

    is it easy? NO!!!! but after three strictures and another operation to remove scar tissue i still think it was absolutely the best thing i ever could have done for myself.

    stay strong....the quality of life is well worth it.

    : kim
  • After GBS
    I am like MaryLou7878. Some of the people that had the surgery around the time I did (July 10, 2005 weighed 220 lbs am 5'2" a real rolly polley)think "now I can eat what I want and never gain" no not true. My surgeon told me months before my surgery to start sipping drinks slowly and to cut my bites up really small and chew for a long time like 30 chews before swallowing. I took everything he told me to heart and went on a almost protein only diet before the surgery. I lost weight steadily after the surgery and my surgeon wanted me to weigh the same time every week and I still do and not to let my weight get over 135 pounds if in a week I see it is at 133 I watch my carb intake. The first 4 years after surgery I have to go see him every 6 months so I knew I would have to account for weight gain if I didn't follow his suggestions. A lot of the people that had it when I did didn't take advantage of the every 6 months check up but I figure if I am going to go thru that discomfort I am checking in and it was covered by insurance so I thought why not take advantage of that benefit. I had such high blood pressure and conventional dieting wasn't gettting the weight off so surgery was the best answer for me and now my blood pressure is normal so don't have to worry about a stroke because of my weight. Exercise is very hard for me I don't like it and if I could lose weight from knitting I would be 125 and svelte! We have a history of diabetes in my family and my sister died from a weight influenced diabetic coma and I knew the possibility was there for me too. I have seen people I know get off of diabetic meds because of surgery and turn around and gain the weight back and go back on meds.

    Surgery for me is just another lifestyle change doesn't mean you never have food or exercise issues. I have had my hair thin some but not as bad as I thought try to get protein in with eggs and meat. Chicken was hard for me to eat the first 3 years and pasta is very rare don't know what's in it but I will get sick everytime I try to eat pasta. I can tolerate 8 M & M's with peanuts now and then (Christmas and Easter).

    My best advise is slow down your eating and chew it and weigh every week same time, same clothes (nude is good)and if weight is up back off the carbs.
  • I feel like a total failure!
    I had my gastric bypass in Feb, 2006. I lost 75 pounds within the first 6 months and then I was done. I couldn't seem to lose any more. I have to admit that I was one of those that really thought this would be the "magic bullet", but I'm here to tell you that it is NOT magic anything!

    I really wish I had paid more attention to what I was told to do and not tried to keep pushing it. I am over 5 years past the surgery and have regained 35 of the 75 pounds I lost. And now I am trying to figure out what to do next to stop this gain. I am so ashamed and really don't want to be one of the people that have regained all the lost weight, but here I am.

    If I could give anyone advice it would be to have the surgery, but follow the rules to the T. Do what they tell you and don't do what they tell you not to do. It is NOT magic. You still have to be dieting and exercising for the rest of your life!

    I wish I could do it over again. I know now what happens when you try to do it your own way.

  • Wls
    Mika, I do not know if you have seen or heard of it, but there is a website that talks about the 5 day pouch test. I have not tried it, but I have seen it mentioned in my dr's site. Evidently it helps get you back in the groove. It is something to look at anyway.

    Good Luck
    Tammy
  • Wow, this thread spans years!

    I had RNY 6-7-07 and the first three months were sheer misery. My body didn't like the anesthesia nor the painkillers post op. So I cried alot! I had to have help in the bathroom and bathing for nearly a month afterwards. In that same month, I went to the ER with terrible cramps in my back and shoulders and dehydration. I was given potassium for the cramps and an IV with saline and vitamins for dehydration. Boy that felt great! I felt the difference within 20 minutes. I was also on oxygen 24/7 for the first month. I couldn't breathe without it. I've never felt worse.

    After that 3 months, the clouds began to clear. I suddenly had some energy. I had been off oxygen and painkillers for 2 months. I lost 50lbs the first month and then it slowed and was a steady 15-20lbs each month for 5 months. Then it slowed some more. But I was doing well. I had no other side effects or complications. It wasn't falling off anymore and so I started working at losing more and did it. And it felt so good because I COULD! I COULD move! I COULD hike! I was able to do so much more. I was a really athletic kid, and I wanted to be an athletic adult too! And I was really getting there! It was like a miracle. But I followed the rules about 90% (no such thing as perfection) and I had dumping when I ate sugar, milk, too much fat or too many simple carbs. And I still do. I dump almost as easily now as I did back then. Which is good, because it keeps me off sugar! Mostly. I have learned to manipulate the pouch. I guess everyone figures it out eventually. But, I'm happy to say I didn't gain any weight from it. When I'm out to a nice restaurant, and I want to really enjoy my meal, I'll manipulate a little bit. I don't go to nice restaurants more than once every 3-6 months, if that. Manipulating it to be able to eat sugar was hit and miss. Sometimes if I ate a cookie on a full stomach, I would not dump at all. Sometimes there would just be a delay, but it would hit! So I gave that up. It was not worth the misery. I learned how to tolerate minor dumping, so I'd eat 6 M&M's, feel a little bit bad, and then 2 hours later, do it again. And I'd go all day at this game until I finished the bag. That was this Spring when my stress levels were off the charts. Of course, the more you eat of that stuff the more you crave it so I was doing it more frequently. Magically, I didn't gain weight. I can only assume it's because aside from that, I eat very healthy. Lean, organic protein and fresh, organic fruits and vegetables and high fiber whole grains and good fats only. "Bad" eating just means I have too many whole grains and not enough vegetables and usually I am not eating regular meals. Which for me, means I'm eating LESS. But I do NOT go back to eating junk! I haven't eaten low quality or fast food since surgery. And I do not want it. I crave real, healthy food. So I suppose that was the "magic" that prevented weight gain from that. I have had fat shift, however. Everytime I start exercising and losing weight, it shifts. When I suddenly stop exercising, it shifts. It did it alot the first 6 months after surgery. My body likes to redesign itself I guess! lol

    Today, more than 4 years later, it was the best decision I could have made. I've got an injury that is holding me back this year, but up until the injury I'd hike for miles, do 5 miles in 20 minutes on the bike, skii all day long 3 days a week, snowshoe... it was a dream come true. I'm learning to work around my chronic injury now, but once I get surgery on it to correct it and rehabilitate from that, I'll be back to conquering mountains.
  • Hello!
    I'm just 2 weeks postop from a LapBand and it was the best decision I ever made. My surgeon and his support team did a fantastic job in helping me understand that my LapBand was a TOOL not a solution. I have to journal, make good decisions, exercise and use my band just as someone uses a hammer. The decision to get this tool was a difficult one but with the support of my husband and my surgeon I am determined to be successful.
  • I had a gastric bypass six years ago. Best thing I've ever done. It wasn't easy, but I started feeling better and began leaving the house and socializing again. Four years ago I met the man of my dreams, and we were married 18 months ago. He loves to ride motorcycles, so he outfitted me with this awesome white leather jacket and black chaps, and away we went.

    Over the last 2 years I gained 25 pounds back, simply by eating too much, exercising too little and I'm sure that the margaritas every weekend didn't help. While I can't eat much at one sitting, I found that if I ate small amounts all the time (grazing), I could eat all I wanted. Obviously it's an emotional eating problem. Then the weight started coming back, and early this Spring I found I couldn't fit into my white leather jacket anymore. YIKES!

    My husband is also overweight, so he and I have gone on the Ideal Protein diet (under his doctor's supervision). So far I've lost 33 pounds and am back to wearing the jacket! Cutting out the margaritas, carbs and sugar are worth it!

    Weight on day of WLS - 4/15/2006 - 309
    Lowest after surgery - 188
    Before IP diet - 213
    Current Weight - 180
    Goal - was 170, but I've moved it back to 160. Trying to get to a BMI between 25-20.
  • I put best thing ever although my lapband has malfunctioned and I regained the weight lost I still cant wait for my bypass to be done so I get that life of being a\ble to move run sit in any chair reach my feet easily back again