Someone was mentioning gastric bypass surgery

[Mattsmom277]

A few days before i recovered my dormant account, someone mentioned in a thread about gastric bypass surgery. Someone else mentioned a old member (that would be me) had the surgery. I just wanted to offer an ear and my own experience if the person is interested. It is for sure a huge undertaking, not to be taken lightly. I have known people Occupational Therapist (OT) not have the best sucess. That is normally those who do take their part of the process seriously and believe surgery is magic. Myself and others who had great sucess, tend to be ones who do their part ALONG with the wonderful benefit of the surgery. I had my surgery in summer 2004 and although I've gained about 10 lbs last 2 years, it has been due to having MS and being less active. I am still at a healthy BMI even with the extra pounds, and once my MS is more under control I will be able to lose that pesky 10 lb gain. Pretty good for a 5 year span I'd say. But at the same time, it is NOT for everyone.

Anyhow, just wanted to offer a ear if you'd like one. You could always PM me if you like

 

[Marguerite]

I'm the flip side of the coin here. I was told I was heading for gastric bypass if I didn't lose weight, and I knew I would need help to lose weight.

So I was put on Reductil, but on its own it wouldn't have done much. All it did was make it easier for me to diet effectively.

Instead of letting things get to the stage where I had no choice but surgery, I grabbed the chance to eat as if I had already had gastric bypass.

For me, the combination worked and I lost a lot of weight. It wasn't easy. I've since regained back a few kilos, but I'm still better off.

I'm not saying that going as far as gastric bypass is wrong, not at all. I was glad to not have to take that extra step.

But whichever way - you need to be committed to a positive outcome.

A woman I know saw my weight loss and wanted some too. She persuaded her doctor to put her on Reductil, but then didn't make any dietary changes in her life, nor even any lifestyle changes. She was disappointed that she only lost a few kilos, despite being on double the dose I was. She's been very quiet on the topic for the last few months and I haven't been game to ask her. But from my observation - she's not lost any weight to speak of. She was after a quick fix where she actually didn't need to do anything, and neither the pill option nor gastric bypass will help there.

People assume that overweight people don't care, or somehow deserve the weight problem. It's not true. Neither are overweight people lazy, or anything else (no more than other people). Dieting a lot - it's something that overweight people are often very good at. And long-term, diets don't work if they're too drastic. Whatever you do needs to be manageable long-term, livable with.

The Healthy Living forum is always worth a visit, to discuss the topic.

Marg

 

[Mattsmom277]

Marg, congrats on your weight loss!!! It is never easy, and there is no easy fix for sure. Whatever avenue someone takes to try to get to healthy weight require work and dedication and persistence, consistency, so many lifestyle changes.
My weight got to a point where I was having health problems and at risk for so many more. I made tons of changes before my surgery and did manage to lose some wieght which I was very proud of, but I still carried SO MUCh weight, that the benefit of the surgical help was the right path for me at that stage. It isn't for everyone for sure. For some it is a literal lifesaver. I never advocate for or against. But for those thinking about it, I always feel compelled to share what it takes of the individual, because I feel sad when I see people have surgery and believe magically they will get to some dream weight from surgery alone. It requires much of us ourselves, and the changes MUST be for life. I would do it again tomorrow myself if I was back pre surgery. But I sure did my homework and made sure before I started teh process that I was prepared for all that I would be changing and needing to do for life. I started those changes long before the surgery date. I wanted to be sure I would stick to it. I didn't want to do something so drastic, only to mess it up from not being prepared to commit for the long haul.
I love hearing stories of those who are able to lose weight on their own. I am full of admiration. My weight had ballooned to even my ability to exercise was limited and my health problems due to the weight held me back too.
In all these years I've never checked out that other forum. Will have to find time to do so

 

[Marguerite]

Sharing your story is good. Iam fully in agreement, whichever path someone takes, requires ongoing commitment and dedication.

I am glad Inow look good, but the msot important thing for me, too, was health. My liver was in big trouble. After the weight loss the liver results were still not good but the specialist assured me, the improvement would continue, I just have to (mostly) maintain my weight for the next few years.

It's funny - this evening I was tlaking to my sister about her husband's health problems. He's recently gained a lot of weight, he looks awful because his health has been badly impacted by a lot of things. He needs to loswe weight to get his health turned around but can't exercise and so says, "But I'llnever lose the weight now."
I said to my sister - as I began my diet, knowing my exercise would be greatly hamperedanyway - I tore a muscle in my leg. So even the half kilometre a day I had been walking, was gone. For months I lost weight on diet alone, with various people in my life 'hurting' at me for 'being ridiculous' about the diet. husband finally pulled the critics back in line. I also got the green light to continue, from the specialist who said, "I know you're not eating a so-called healthy diet - you can't, or you will gain. So eat as little as possible, keep it as balanced as possible and take vitamins for what you're not getting." As the doctor said - drastic times called for drastic measures. The health problems from over-dieting were nowhere near as bad as the problems I was facing, from liver damage.

I want to talk to my sister about my brother in law and his need to lose weight (and get his health under control). But I know neither of them would take it from me. There would be too many lifestyle changes needed from both of them and I don't know if they have the commitment.

It's difficult to just sit and watch...

Marg

 

[trinityroyal]

Marg and Melissa, I think you've both raised some very important points about the gastric bypass surgery and weight loss.

Too many people seem to think that the surgery will do all the work, without any other changes required.

Marg, like you, my husband would have been facing the surgery. He decided to try a medically supervised diet that was geared to his specific requirements, working close in hand with an endocrinologist. His blood levels were measured monthly, they had him on tons of supplements because on the early stages of the diet he simply could not eat enough food to get all of the nutritional requirements.

He has now lost about 225 lbs (100 kilos?) and has been able to maintain that weight for the last 6 months. The maintenance phase has been an interesting transition. Friends and family seem to think that, now that husband is "done dieting", he can go back to eating whatever he feels like. Although his diet is a bit more flexible than it was during the beginning of the prorgam, there are still so many things he doesn't eat, or that he eats in moderation. He's developed a real talent for saying "no thank you" over the last while.

But the key is, he's going to have to work hard at healthy eating habits for the rest of his life. It's the reality, and he accepts it.

Trinity