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Cndeariso
Member
06-28-2004
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 11:18 am
one of my employees is going through the process to have the lap band surgery in July. she tells me it is minimally invasive and that she will only be out one or two weeks. she also says it is adjustable and can be removed. thus, it is not permanent. i had another employee have the full gastric by-pass surgery just over 2 years ago. and, she is still suffering from it though she has lost a great deal of weight. she stays out sick a lot and has had at least 2 follow-up surgeries. can anyone else shed some light on the choices out there along with the pros & cons? dh is on Weight Watchers right now but he has 2 of his doctors pushing him to have one of the surgeries. we really don't want that. thanks in advance.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 12:44 pm
One female friend had the 'gastric bypass' a few years ago and has since regained her weight. Although I don't think she had any complications or further surgeries. A male friend had the 'removable band' put on last year and he is already regaining his weight. I have read about some amazing success stories. I just don't know any personally.
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Cndeariso
Member
06-28-2004
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 1:00 pm
mameblanche, the male friend, has he had the removable band removed? or even with it still there he is regaining the weight? i don't know any success stories either. all the other folks that i have known to have the by-pass surgery have since regained their weight. and, some are in worse health. i don't understand why doctors are pushing it so.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 1:28 pm
The thing about any of these is that they should be the impetus for a lifestyle change. If someone wasn't eating correctly and gained weight, had surgery and lost the weight, but didn't change his or her eating habits, the weight will come back. For morbidly obese, it may be the only way for that person to lose the weight needed in order to regain health. But in order for the surgery to be a success, that person has to monitor progress afterwards. And that may include psychological as well as nutritional counseling.
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Spygirl
Board Administrator
04-23-2001
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 1:38 pm
I had Gastric Bypass (Roux-en-Y) in 2002, just 2 days before my 28th birthday. I had no complications and resumed basic activity after only 9 days. I went back to my part-time work at 12 days. I hoped to lose 85 pounds and ended up losing over 110 pounds. I actually worried I wouldn't stop losing weight, and feel I was too thin for a while. I had bones sticking out and was wearing a size 3 (I'm 5'6"). After 2 years, I balanced out at a 95-100 pound loss. Nearly 5 years after surgery, I religiously take my vitamins every day and limit my food intake. Last year, I even started running. During pregnancy, I gained a whopping 44 pounds (plus 5 during the trying phase - lol) and I lost 29 pounds of it within two weeks of delivery. After 9 weeks, I'm 10 pounds from where I had previously balanced out (pre-trying). All of this is without any exercise since I can't b/c of my wound issues. I attribute the weight loss again to the surgery because I have been careful not to stretch that pouch very much over the years. It was the best thing I ever did for myself and I would do it again in a heart beat. It absolutely is life changing and cannot be entered into lightly. I accept without regret all of the annoyances and limitations that came with the procedure. It was 99% a psychological battle and I did not want to die early due to obesity or continue to compromise my own health. The surgery is a way to lose weight, but you have to keep it off. My only caution - DO YOUR HOMEWORK WHEN SEARCHING FOR A SURGEON. I drove 3 hours from where I lived to have one of the best surgeons in the country at the time. I firmly believe a part of my success is due to his skill.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 2:39 pm
And that is the success story I'm aware of .. she just posted. 
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 2:46 pm
Has it really been almost five years, Spy??
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Spygirl
Board Administrator
04-23-2001
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 3:10 pm
LOL, Sea! War, crazy, isn't it?? Time flies!!!
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Konamouse
Member
07-16-2001
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 6:50 pm
Spygirl is so right. The surgery isn't a cure, it's a tool to help the patient EAT LESS. With the bypass there is also serious nutrient malabsorption issues. Hence the vitamins. There is also issues with "dumping syndrome", hence avoiding concentrated sweets. Those who don't manage the psychological factors end up eating themselves beyond the pouch and regain lost weight. 'squeek'
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Cndeariso
Member
06-28-2004
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 6:55 pm
if a person couldn't control their eating before the surgery, how does the surgery help them gain that control?
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 7:15 pm
Maybe by boosting self-confidence?
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Ladytex
Member
09-27-2001
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 7:23 pm
a co-worker just had the band surgery. before they would even do the surgery, she had to go through counseling and seriously limit/change her eating. she had a lifestyle change even before the surgery.
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Costacat
Member
07-15-2000
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 7:24 pm
That's why I said it's a lifestyle change. You have to relearn how to eat. You have to change how you feel about food. And you have to address the psychological issues, and not just those that related to overeating (if that, in fact, was the case). Many people who are considered morbidly obese and who then lose weight still "see" themselves as overweight. And somehow manage to work themselves back to that stage. Surgery, by itself, isn't going to be the "cure." You have to also manage your life, your food intake (and vitamins and minterals), and your psychological and emotional well-being. (Sorry! Of course, this is coming from someone who's never had to diet in her life, but almost everyone else she's known has! I've know several extremes -- gastric bypass as well as Optifast. And saw, firsthand, the issues that arose after weight loss in both cases.) ETA: Sometimes, when people lose weight -- which was a struggle to lose in the first place -- they have more incentive to keep it off. But it's not a decision to be made lightly and should not be considered a cure to obesity. It's a method of managing it, a tool to be used with other tools that include appropriate diet.
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Cndeariso
Member
06-28-2004
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 7:30 pm
i truly appreciate all the different experiences offered here. i am trying to understand why someone would have the surgery. neither dh or i want him to have it. we feel it is too risky, he is too lazy and passive aggressive. counseling may be the answer for him. but, even that will have to be a lifelong deal as he will go right back to the way he was before if it were to stop. so, i just don't understand why the doctors are pushing him so hard to have it done. yes, he is morbidly overweight. yes, it is causing him health issues. i think he needs a coach, a personal trainer type of coach to help him. someone to stay after him and help him like they do the folks in AA.
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Spygirl
Board Administrator
04-23-2001
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 7:37 pm
if a person couldn't control their eating before the surgery, how does the surgery help them gain that control? Alone, the surgery does nothing more than offer a viable and guaranteed path to losing and managing weight loss long-term. "Guaranteed" in that if you hold up your end of the bargain and change your outlook on life and food, then the surgery will help keep those urges in check. Before surgery, I woke up thinking about what I was going to eat that day. Now, food is nothing more than a means for nutrition. Of course, I do look forward to the occasional comfort food, but because I can only have small doses, I don't overdo it. Costa is right - you have to re-learn how to eat. Everyday is a challenge. Food can be an addiction and I don't believe there is a surgery in the world that fixes addiction. This is a TOOL...one that worked for me. Once I felt what it was like to be thin, I knew I never wanted to be heavy again. And I work at making sure that doesn't happen. So, I guess you could say the surgery gave me the gift of "thin" and then I have to work to keep it.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 7:45 pm
If he needs a buddy system, I know of no better program than this. I used to belong, and hold them in the highest regard. It's the same 12 step program that AA uses. It's called OA Overeaters Anonymous: http://www.oa.org/index.htm The Twelve Steps of Overeaters Anonymous We admitted we were powerless over food — that our lives had become unmanageable. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive overeaters and to practice these principles in all our affairs. Permission to use the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous for adaptation granted by AA World Services, Inc.
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Max
Moderator
08-12-2000
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 10:06 pm
If a doctor is pushing weight loss surgery, I recommend getting a second opinion. Seriously. THere's no doubt that the lap band and gastric bypass can show phenomenal results for an obese patient, but as has been stated above, it's only one part of the process. As an obese person who doesn't have any health issues related to it (high blood pressure, diabetes and the like), I have been confronted with doctors who push the surgery without bothering to learn much of anything about me, my overall health, or my lifestyle. Personally, I attribute this to several things, not the least of which is that the drug companies really push surgery, particularly the lap band, as THE way to deal with the problem. I have two friends who are working towards having the lap band surgery. In order for their insurance to pay for the procedure, they are requried to work with an approved doctor for six months on their eating habits. There are a number of things that the doctor must then report on to the insurance company. If the reports are not to the insurance company's liking, they will deny coverage. On the face of it, this process seems like a great idea. The problem is that they've found a doctor who will "work with them" to ensure teh insurance company will cover the procedure. As a result, neither of them is really doing much to change eating habits or lifestyle. They both argue vehemently that once the band is in place it's impossible to regain the weight. I don't believe that, but that's what they believe. One of them really, really needs the help this surgery can provide. She has major health problems that are directly a result of her obesity. She maintains that her trigger for "full" doesn't work and that's why she can't stop eating. That may be true; I know that's a physical possibility at least. But still, without making some severe changes in food choices, it seems to me that she's going to have problems post-surgery. The other friend is not as severely obese and I'm at a loss as to why she wants to go through this. Again, without some real changes in eating habits, she's going to have problems. For one thing, she's not going to be able to drink full-sugar Coca Cola all day long like she does now. I don't think she really understands the ramifications of the surgery. I hope it works for both of them. I just have my doubts that it's going to be a cakewalk like they seem to think. As for docs who push this, I think they do a severe disservice to some of their patients. But in our culture, obese patients simply don't get the overall care they deserve. All too often doctors see a high BMI and pay attention to little else that's going on with the person's health and lifestyle. Obese patients must be their own best health care advocate and insist on being seen as a whole being, not just a high BMI. As for me, surgery is not something I'm willing to do. I'm big, but I'm mobile and I'm healthy -- healthier than many of my skinny friends. I hope those who choose to have the surgery will have as wonderful a result as Spygirl has had, but I fear that doctors aren't always considering the whole person when they push this as a solution.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 10:18 pm
ITA Max! It's not a magic pill. Life goes on afterwards, and they are still who they were before the surgery. After the honeymoon high phase, after a few weeks or months, the cravings for binge foods, the addictive behavior, rear their ugly heads and must be fought. Eventually, in most cases it becomes a losing battle. Pardon the pun. Those who succeed, IMHO would have succeeded eventually no matter what they tried, because of the determined mindset. It's the same for people who want to quit smoking. For some, going on the patch helps, and like my dh he never looked back, he was successful on the patch first time out. But most folks, I understand, fail because the cravings beat the committment. My attitude is that if you are really ready to make the ENTIRE leap then go for it, otherwise, it's just more pain and aggravation than you started out with. IMHO.
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Jeneane
Member
05-18-2005
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 10:26 pm
Just thought I would drop in and give a positive boost to this thread. I was 21 when I had the Gastric By Pass. It was very new and I went to San Diego to do it. I am now 42 and still thankful for this surgery. I even would support my daughter who is now "morbidly obese" if she ever wanted to do it. I have 3 children that would not have been easy with the weight I was carrying. I have balanced out at a size 10 which looks healthy for me. I do not have to watch what I eat and the only on going problem I seem to have may not even be due to the surgery and that it low Iron. I do have to watch my milk and ice cream intake be over the years I have lost the desire for them. I know that without this surgery I may not even be here today to be telling any story. I know that everyone is not the same but for me it was the only choice. It worked and I am doing great.
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Max
Moderator
08-12-2000
| Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 10:27 pm
Oh, and don't get me started about how much sagging skin some patients are likely to have after they drop 100+ pounds. My friends are in their 50s, so their skin is not likely to just recover on its own. That means that if they want the body they dream about, they'll have to endure some pretty painful plastic surgery once their weight stabilizes. This is another area that people don't seem to learn much about before surgery.
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Spygirl
Board Administrator
04-23-2001
| Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 12:02 am
Max, you are certainly right about one thing in particular (and more than one) - the surgeon who is doing the gastric bypass should never talk you into it - they should be trying to talk you out of it. That's why I said to do your research carefully before committing to a surgeon. I can see where many family physicians are advocating for their patients to have it, however, because they are the ones left treating the symptoms of obesity. And, like it or not, the surgery does work...it is just the people who might not. Another motivator for me today to keep the weight off is that I paid for the surgery myself rather than have insurance pay. The ins I had didn't pay for WLS under any conditions. I'd love to think I could have been successful no matter what means I tried, but the reality is that nothing did. I was overweight for 20 years and had been dieting for 18 of those - since the age of 10. I was active, had always played sports and could still get my butt up on water skis just weeks before my surgery...but another 20 years...doubtful. The weight would have taken its eventual toll on my joints and other parts of my body. Thanks for sharing your story, Jeneane. It is great to hear a long term success story!
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 9:12 am
Along those lines.. I want to have a boob-job, and dh is pretty much against it - he says that if I lose weight they will shrink too. But at 52 I'm sure they won't have the bounce for the ounce that they once did. If I lose weight my boobs will just shrink from salamies to sausages. Not exactly what I'm aiming for, which is Perky. I've mentioned it a few times lately, and dh seems to be getting to the point where he might not be so against it. I'm leery of surgery so its not like I'm a surgery-holic, like some folks who keep going til they are unrecogniseable. I just want to lessen the weight on my shoulders and bad back, and for all the other obvious health reasons. Again, I am JUST talking about maybe having a boob-job, nothing else. I'd like to be a healthy 36C again, instead of of a Double D.
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Texannie
Member
07-16-2001
| Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 9:24 am
My sister in law was very well endowed and also overweight. (partly due to undiagnosed hypothyroidism). When she went to have her breast reduction, the doctor wanted her to lose 40 lbs first (think the total she needed/wants to lose is 80). He said that if she didn't lose some of the weight first, she would have major sagging issues once she lost the rest of the weight.
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Cndeariso
Member
06-28-2004
| Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 9:25 am
Overeaters Anonymous may just be the thing for dh. RN he is in Weight Watchers at work every Thursday at noon. That seems to be helping him some. He is heavily influenced by peer pressure at work. So, he is hoping that by doing the WW he will actually get the weight off without surgery. He had lost 12 lbs. as of last week. He seems to do well until we go out of town & then he chucks it all out the window. That's where a coach would be most helpful. It is both dh's GP & Orthopedic doctors that are independently hounding him about the surgery. BUT both seem pleased that dh is doing WW and have backed off for the time being. I don't know of anyone that had had the lap band surgery so I will be watching this employee & her progress when she goes through it. So far she has had to undergo psychological testing and some educational testing. I'm not too impressed with the psychologist she saw though. That person told my employee that she had lied on her test and that there was no way she could be a happy person. The employee isn't but about 40 lbs overweight so I can't figure out why she is even having the surgery. <shrug> Thanks so much for everyone's input. I am certainly learning a lot.
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Skootz
Member
07-23-2003
| Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - 9:31 am
Mame, I would tend to agree with Texannie on this one. I would lose the weight first. It makes more sense then you will know what exact size you want to go to. Also....it would be a great reward for yourself after you lose the weight.
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