Bariatric Surgery?

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Vyxxin

Vyxxin

RAF Chins
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
1,182
Location
Cambria County, PA
So, after a lifetime of weight problems...and finally being put into the "morbidly obese" class after two back to back pregnancies...I sat down and had the talk with my doctor. My weight has always been a challenge and a rollercoaster...I'd lose 10lbs only to gain 15 back :( The most I've ever lost on my own through diet and exercise was 30lbs. Now I'm at a point where I'm suffering health issues due to my weight. SO...I have spoken with my doctor and he agrees that it's time to consider this option. I was wondering if anyone on here has gone through the surgery (and of course, which one) and what the entire process is like and how the results have been. Thanks for any input.
 
If you can't do it on your own, go have the surgery done. I've heard the Lapband type is a good procedure. My mother was talking about getting it. I've known a few people that have had it done and had amazing results - it changes their entire lives for the better. They can do more, they are more confident and they are just so much happier with themselves.

When I lose weight I always do it naturally, but I am tough as nails when it comes to food. If I couldn't do it on my own, I would have surgery to help. I don't see that there is anything at all shameful about it. People need to be healthy and happy...go for it!

Now, with that being said, there is a lot of benefits to doing it yourself without the surgery. For one, you don't have to have surgery! The other benefit is learning how to eat properly and in the correct amounts. That's something that I learned how to do a couple years back and it made all the difference. Never go on a diet, you have to go on something that you will do for the rest of your life. The surgery is easier. That may be a good way to go because it will force you to eat the right things!
 
Thanks for the input...I am only 22yrs old...but like I said, I've been overweight since I was 12 (at 120lbs) and obese...then morbidly obese...I hit a number which I will not even mention with my last pregnancy that really upset me. I have joined gyms and lost weight...I have exercised on my own and lost weight...diets haven't been overly successful but have worked to some extent...but then I relapse. It's disheartening. Then, like I mentioned, I've had some recent health concerns that make me want to be healthy. For instance, I have to have my gallbladder out this month...my asthma is has gotten so bad that I now have to take daily medication and it's not entirely helping :( On top of all that...my father died this April at the age of 52 due to heart disease...his mother and father died youngish as well from heart complications. I'm scared to death that I won't be around for my children. I don't like the idea of surgery...up until this point I've never had surgery of any kind. I absolutely refused a c-section with both of my children for this reason. But the thought of someone else raising my children breaks my heart. Even the thought of not being able to play with them is upsetting. I've heard good things about the surgery...that it's life changing...my doctor is hopeful that this will be the case for me. He is very in favor of it...and says that at my age it should be a very good thing. Perhaps after the surgery I will be able to be more active and healthy.
 
I am in the same position. I am almost 29 and way overweight. My parents are both overweight and have been doing the diet rollercoaster thing for as long as I can remember. I am going to be meeting with a surgeon for a consult about lap band surgery soon. I have terrible asthma and I hate all the things I can't do. My husband is very active and athletic and I feel bad that I have to sit things out. I don't want to end up like my father. He is almost 56 and has been battling huge weight problems since his late 20's. He is now at the point that he can't have the surgery even if he wants to, because there is too much risk he would die under anesthesia!

I think if you and your doctor are comfortable with it, you should go for it. The procedure has been around for a while now and seems to be relatively safe.
 
Thank you, and I truly mean it. My insurance covers a lot of it because (in the long run) it's likely to save them money :( That's the sad truth I think. I know how you feel ABBY...my long time "other half" is very athletic and an outdoorsman...it really bites not being able to go on long hikes with "the family" which seems to exclude me more and more each day. It's terrible worrying about going to work each day because I'm not sure I'll have enough energy (having sleeping trouble due to breathing issues) to get through the day without being a total embarrassment or if I'll have a major asthma attack. It's just really terrible. Since finding out more about the surgery I've tried to encourage my older sister (29) and my younger sister (18) to find out more as well as they are both in the morbidly obese category.

Anyhow, I'm really leaning more towards the lap band (rather than gastric bypass) as it's said to be much less invasive with nearly the same results.
 
I just found out my insurance completely covers it so I've scheduled an appointment with my doctor to have the talk, and have been researching pre and post op lifestyle changes for the last week at Thinner Times Forum. I'm getting excited about it even though it will be a while off yet. I've been heavy for as long as I can remember - I was on Jenny Craig in the 5th grade. I work in Food Service now (not my intended career, I just ended up there) and that's absolutely no help at all. I've been lucky this far not to have any associated health problems, but I'm starting to. Plus, I've got diabetes from my dad's side of the family and heart disease from my mom's. I live alone and lately I've really been fearing that if something happens to me, what will happen to my animals? Even though going under anesthesia is a big fear of mine as well, I'm all in favor of this surgery. I know two people that have had the bypass and the results have been amazing - and one person who had LapBand surgery fairly recently who is also very happy with it. I'm so looking forward to being a much happier, healthier person as well.
 
I would do it if I could, I don't have any insurance but I've considering doing it when we finally sell this house so I could pay cash. I have heard about some type of device that goes down your throat during surgery that is even less invasive than the lap band. I'll have to check that out.
 
I think you should do it. For every reason you have said. I work with many morbidly obese people. Who all are so young and die from something due to their weight. Weather its bed sores or respiratory problems....the list goes on and on.
I think you desreve it. Surgery...isn't really that bad. I never had that one but I have had a life full of surgeries and I mut admit the fear of the surgery is worse than the pain of it most the time.
And I think it is cool that you are encouraging your sisters to do it as well.

Good luck with your choice....
 
I read a blog by a 24-year-old woman who sounds a lot like you. She just had lap band surgery about 6 weeks ago. She is very honest about how it is going for her. I'll PM you her blog.
 
Mish, I didn't know you were looking into it :) Best of luck to you! And thanks everyone for the encouragement...I'll be reading that blog next chance I get, thanks for the link.

Diabetes is something that runs bad on both sides of my family and during my last pregnancy I had gestational diabetes. From what they tell me, this makes you more likely to develop type 2 later in life :( AND...due to my gallbladder trowing stones recently my liver started to malfunction...and during testing of my liver they told me I have a fatty liver...not that it comes as a surprise but it was sort of a wake up call.
 
I looked into having this done about 2 years ago. I didn't meet the criteria for my insurance to cover it - my BMI was borderline obese and due to my bone structure being so large and being 5'11" with my weight, my insurance didn't find me fat enough to be covered. I'm honestly kinda glad that I didn't get it done, because I enjoy my food and I don't think I could give it up and it would be waste of money IMO. My insurance wouldn't cover lapband, just basic bariatric surgery. My grandmother had her stomach stapled 3 times and it failed each time for her, and she weighs over 300 lbs now. I guess I just kept seeing this happen to myself and said, forget it.

If you think you can set your mind to it - go for it. I honestly don't think I could have. I love my meats (in fact, I don't eat many veggies whatsoever, they make me sick) so I don't think I could have followed the diet. I've been a picky eater for years and have pretty much lived off of beef, steak and chicken for every meal. I've met many people who had this done and it worked great for them though. I guess I'm more comfortable with the way I am, and I'm in perfect health, so I want to stay the way I am.
 
I also talked to my doctor about this,
and it sounded great. but my boyfriend dont want me to do it says he likes me the way i am and how he fell in love with this me, not some skinny me.
and it's a life long thing, doctor appts to get the band adjusted and ect. and if your body dont have alot of elasticity then you will have to get some kind of plastic surgery to help with that.
its also really hard for me because you CANNOT drink for 1-2 hours before a meal not during a meal and not for about 30 mins after you eat and i couldnt do it, I have to drink something. my mouth gets all funky feeling.
 
I'm 70-80 lbs overweight. When I looked into the bariatric surgery, they would'nt accept anyone less than 100 lbs overweight. I've struggled for years, losing 34 lbs and gaining it back, several times. I'm 58 yrs old now. A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, take a pill, and borderline diabetes (Type II) diet controlled. I haven't given up. After much research, I've discovered the healthiest way of eating is as much raw foods as you can do. Cooking food kills all-most of the nutrients, enzymes, vitamins, etc.
Dr. Gabriel Cousins has a book "Diabetes Can Be Cured", I think there's more in the title, but don't remember now. He's a fabulous Dr.!
Losing all the weight brings the blood pressure and blood sugars back to normal (in Type II diabetes)

Anyway, GO FOR IT !! And encourage all your friends and family, that just can't lose on their own, to do it. You're still young now, and can prevent terrible health problems!
 
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I've had 3 surgeries - mis-diagnosed hernia, arthroscoptic left knee, and tumor in my neck. Knocked out every time! Only problem was talking for the first few minutes - seems like your mouth isn't connected to your brain, and you can't remember what you said! A week stay for the hernia, overnight for the neck, and outpatient for the knee.
Nowadays, the lap-band is done out-patient, with a 2-inch incision, and you go home in a couple-3 hours!
I looked at surgery as a necessity of life - it had to happen to live - and didn't worry about it!
Good luck!!
 
Bariatric Surgery is not a magical cure all. It will alter the way you eat for the rest of your life. If you can't stick to a diet now, there is no way you will be disciplined enough to be able to stick to the diet that is required for the surgery to be successful.

I know several people that have had various bariatric surgeries, some have been successful and some have not. The ones that were successful have made major changes in their lifestyles and eating habits. Those that were not successful did not make the necessary changes and were hoping it would be the magic bullet that cured all their problems without them having to do much.
 
OOops, I missed the edit time.

ETA: You better not plan on having any more kids. Last I read it is dangerous to have children for at least 5 years after having bariatric surgery.
 
menagerie said:
Bariatric Surgery is not a magical cure all. It will alter the way you eat for the rest of your life. If you can't stick to a diet now, there is no way you will be disciplined enough to be able to stick to the diet that is required for the surgery to be successful. .......

.
Click to expand...

From what I understand, two things might make this paragraph untrue for a lot of people: 1. a great deal of food and emotional counselling is required for anyone having the surgery, and 2. having the surgery physically forces a person to eat less and eat proper (getting full fast and needing nutrient-rich food) . Certainly if someone is just out to destroy themselves, they can, in time, stretch out the stomach and find themselves almost back where they started.
 
menagerie said:
Bariatric Surgery is not a magical cure all. It will alter the way you eat for the rest of your life. If you can't stick to a diet now, there is no way you will be disciplined enough to be able to stick to the diet that is required for the surgery to be successful.
Click to expand...

This is a very good point, and you're exactly right. Having the surgery requires dedication to the diet plan. If you don't follow it you're at severe risk for nutritional deficits (lap band) or stretching out your newly smaller stomach (gastric bypass). The woman I know who had lap band did tons of research, and she found that 30-50% of people with the surgeries don't keep the weight off (!!) because they don't follow the diet.

menagerie said:
ETA: You better not plan on having any more kids. Last I read it is dangerous to have children for at least 5 years after having bariatric surgery.
Click to expand...

For lap band it's only a year. I'm not sure about gastric bypass.
 
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