Body of Work: Still adjusting two years after weight-loss surgery

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  Posted by Joyce Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:24pm PDT

  I am 2 yrs after GBP, I followed the rules and still have a protein drink daily. It was not an easy way out, but I am so happy I had the surgery. I have heard so many horrible stories out there. Then they tell me well, my friend didn't eat like she was suppose too. There are stories good and bad about everything. I chose this, for me and I am happy with the results. I just had a tummy tuck and breast lift and reduction. I am starting to see the new me in the mirror. Good luck if you are thinking about having this surgery. My best advice is do your research on your Dr and the hospital. I looked long and hard for at least 6mos. before I set up an appointment

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  Posted by S. M. Mon Sep 15, 2008 2:20pm PDT

  I feel like I should point out that women's bodies are constantly in-flux and changing. That's why they tell you to get refitted for bras every 6 months. I'm only 22, I weigh what I did in highschool, and yet my hips are wider, my waist is smaller, and my bust is bigger. Women's bodies are like water, constantly flowing, changing, and moving. It's not a bad thing, just a female thing. Women need to stop judging their bodies on the same scale as men's.

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  Posted by Hope Mon Sep 15, 2008 4:12pm PDT

  I had gastric bypass surgery when I was sixteen years old and three hundred pounds. Now sixteen years later, I still have body esteem issues but I know that I am alot healther than I was. It is not the easy way out- as one reader wrote for some it is the only way out.

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  Posted by Mon Sep 15, 2008 5:59pm PDT

  you is so crazy and funny

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  Posted by Laurie R Mon Sep 15, 2008 7:56pm PDT

  Educate yourself on this matter. I work at a hospital where these surgeries are done 8 times a day, 3 days a week. Sadly, I have seen several people die from the complications that arrive from this surgery, most of them not right immediately after surgery but weeks and months down the road. Make sure your doctor takes your gallbladder out while performing the surgery or we will see you again in about 6 weeks. Find out the hard facts about vitamin deficiencies and what that will lead to down the road. There are studies out there by the AMA that state having this surgery can take 10 years off your life! If you are a morbidly obese individual then this is worth the risk due to the fact that you probably will be facing a premature death from poor health. If you are the average person electing to have this procedure done think long and hard, maybe try giving Weight Watchers (excellent program!) a try again or possibly join group therapy. 10 years off your life due to unstudied long term effects from the vitamin deficiencies, bowel problems and obstructions and the biggest factor infection seem like a harsh price to pay for being 80 pounds overweight.

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  Posted by Angela Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:09pm PDT

  Laurie R., as a nurse, you should know that no one is going to do needless surgery just because they feel like it. A doctor is not going to remove someone's galbladder just because a patient requests it. You are making generalizations.

  Weightloss surgeries are NOT cosmetic surgeries. It is very hard to get insurance companies to pay for weightloss surgeries, and one's weight is considered in proportion to their age, height, and co-morbidities. You're just another example of how UNINFORMED people who work in the health care field are about these surgeries, why they are done, who gets them, and for what reasons.

  If you're going to mention studies, which you, yourself negate by stating that they are "unstudied long term effects from the vitamin deficiencies" then you need to cite the information, rather than mention it off hand. You've done more to attempt to frighten people than to provide them with information, which is a necessary part of the process when considering weight loss surgery.

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  Posted by angels Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:44pm PDT

  I was going to get the gastricbypass surgery but when I went in for my final apointment were they talk about the proceder I changed my mind and went with the lapband instead they can adjust it if you need to lose more or if it's to tight and you wouldn't have to take it off all the patients that have this proceder done don't want to take the lapband off it stays in for life yes you still lose and gain but that's the beauty of it your not left with a large scare it's microscopicly done and you recover in four day's I was at 287lb. and came down to 240lb. I had the surgery done in december 14 2007 and all they do is put the lapband in place they don't fill it up untill thre mounths later in march I had my first fill only two cc's of saline was injected into the port whole it dosen't hurt then three mounths later I was asked to return for another fill this time he put in three cc's and after that I asked to return for the third time and they injected two mor cc's this time it was to much I was still trying to eat my regular rice and beans and it got stuck so I weghted a couple of mounths then went back because I started to throw up he took out one cc and it feel's better sometimes thing get stuck but with someting to drink it go's down I gained ten pounds since now I'm up to 250lb. well I need to loose the 50lb. before they concider me for the flap removel. I call it the apren. good luck to all who risked there life to get a chance at life. but if you really want true life give your heart to JESUS!!! and He will see you through.

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  Posted by Marcelle Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:26am PDT

  I had lap band surgery in 2006 and while I haven't done all the things that were mandated to be done (I had a baby shortly thereafter and could not afford additional fills for atleast a year afterward)I didn't lose very much. I lost 23 lbs in the first 6 months, then I got pregnant. Some weeks or months aren't good for me. I'm not going to say that it's days because days can turn in to weeks if you let it spiral. I have issues that I haven't dealt with, as stated above, negative self image is enough to put anyone into a downward spiral. The difference I think is that I'm willing to get up out of my spiraling and do something about it every now and again, and I'll keep doing it until it becomes second nature to me. Weight loss surgery? Not the easy way out at all. Just as the others say, you have so much to deal with other than losing weight. And the most important thing is that you love you. Stressing that this is the easy way out does scare those who are contemplating having the surgery, and it should be about doing something positive for onesself. If this is what you desire, go after it. But go after it well informed. Don't just fall into the crowd and have the surgery because you saw someone else who did and and it seems to have "worked" for them. You never really know what someone else is going through. The decision you make abou this will be totally your own, and it's your life. If you look at it that way going in then you'll more than likely make the correct decision. While I applaud this blogger's courage to speak so bluntly and honestly about her surgery, I do wish that we could hear more positivity from her, it seems as if she has harped on all the bad points she sees in herself and not many of the good. I just like "Linda Smith" would reccommend Lap Band to anyone. But note that, unlike me, you have to be serious about it, serious about the lifestyle, and believe me I was in the begginning. And then, life took ahold and distracted me. The one thing I am most happy about though, is the fact that without Lap band I would have been 50 lbs heavier than I was when I had the surgery instead of just 8. So be well informed and make your decision for your life, not based on someone else's.

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  Posted by La_La_La_Lola Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:44pm PDT

  I just find it so mindboggling that at one time the author believed that weight loss surgery was her only solution to being overweight, proceeded to have the surgery, had great success with weight loss due to the surgery, then bitches about it to the point of saying that it's an easy way out! Maybe I'm missing the point of her articles but I feel that she's a hypocrit to something that has greatly improved her life.

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  Posted by linda Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:08pm PDT

  My daughter had the by-pass a little over three years ago, she lost well over a hundred pounds and looked great. However, she has gained at least half that amount back and she is back to the struggle of dieting and getting depressed over the weight issue. I think that if you don't go into it with the right mind set, than you are setting yourself up for failure. This surgery is not a magic bullet and you can and do gain the weight back. Get deep into your head and find out what it is that is preventing you from reaching your goals. I think we all repress issues and once we can face them, right them, than everything else will fall into place. I admire anyone who has this surgery, it is not an easy thing to do and there are some who don't make it. It is a very difficult decision and one not to be taken lightly. God bless all who go through it.

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