success stories with gastric bypass surgery??

i just wanted to know what the statistics are for success with gastric bypass vs all the horrible things im hearing!!! i have had the lap band, hardly any weight loss, gained back, and cannot swallow large pills anymore. im thinking i need to go a bit more drastic and make major changes in my life. just need some advice on the gastric

You can do a search on the forum and look through the before and afters to see countless success stories.

Here are some stats about success rates  http://www.thinnertimes.com/weight-loss-surgery/gastric-bypa ss/gastric-bypass-outcomes.html

 

And here are some stats about the horrible things  http://www.thinnertimes.com/weight-loss-surgery/gastric-bypa ss/gastric-bypass-complications.html

Can you elaborate on what the "horrible things" are? I have been here on this forum for about 6 months now and the one thing that I have learned (and makes me really mad) is that many people attribute EVERY problem to bypass - including ingrown friggin toenails! Sorry if I offend anyone here but this is the number one reason I am not as present as I used to be here. I seriously mean if someone gets a wart post RNY it must because they had bypass surgery!! I had a very serious problem after surgery but hey - guess what?? It could have happened from ANY surgery!
I am going to take some serious crap for this but I don't care... seems like most of the problems posted here are NOT RNY related!!
However, as of an article I am reading while typing this (Few Know All the Risks of Obesity) http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/poll-americans-risks-obesity-18148034 most people don't realize that depression, sleep apnea, infertility, and yes even cancer can be worsened by obesity! To me that is the number one reason to follow through with WLS. I would do it all again in a minute! Now I apologize if I offended anyone and I will get down off my soapbox now!

Oh, sorry but I forgot to mention that I am considered a "success,"

You'll get no flack from me for this - I agree 100%    Now you understand why we vets say we have to ignore certain posts and posters or our head would explode LOL!!!!!

 

 

OP:   There are many success stories around on here - just read a few posts from the last couple of days - Laura posted a lovely account of her WLS story on here yesterday!

Most people who post on here are the VERY FEW who have problems - the vast majority of us sail through with zero problems or complications.

Sin Kim - I'm not even 3 weeks out and even I have a little collection of folks on my "blocked" list, and certain thread titles I just will not open up because things can get so repetitive sometimes...

And, as you mentioned, I so far have zero problems/complications. Unless you count eating breakfast too fast today and feeling like I was ready to explode...ugh not fun. Lesson learned.

I'm so sorry that your lapband didn't work for you.     I personally think that sometimes with WLS WE are the one's who govern whether we are a success or not by our choices.    Now that being said I am NOT blasting the lap band.    That is the only WLS if anyone comes to me and asks my opinion....I personally wouldn't do.   Not because it does NOT work...but because of the issues that can and often do eventually come up that can send someone to considering a revision.   ALL the WLS work if they are worked correctly by the patient.    I am 7+ yrs. post op RNY.   I originally lost 140 lbs.    I have had a regain ( not huge one ) due to choices that I made to eat things I shouldn't have.    Yep...LIfe does sometimes get into the way and I turned back to stress eating. It's a shame you can't get your "stinking thinking" operated on too.   LOL.    Gastric Bypass DOES work.   If you are scared about the malabsorbtion issues with the RNY....look into the Sleeve too.   Both are excellent surgeries.    My advice to you is research and do the WLS that will fit best for you and your lifestyle.    Good luck to you.

 

Hugs and blessings ~~~ Vivian

 

I tell the story of needing to make a long trip from New York to California.  You have one year to complete the journey, all the money and resources that you decide to use are available to you. 

You start with the diet and exercise route.  All you take with you is a map.  The map shows what foods to eat and how many steps to take for each day.  You set out on your trip full of determination, but soon feel tired, bored and one day you just give up.  You never got to California and wish you had tried a different way.

You rest and start the journey over.  This time you pick a bicycle and a map.  The bicycle is the lapband and the map is your food and exercise plan.  The bicycle takes you much faster than walking did.  But it is still a long trip and you find that everyday you want to go a little further off your map.  Soon you are stopping for pizza and ice cream and each stop makes your destination a little harder to get to.  One day you just give up and start back to New York.  The bicycle has worn out and broken and the trip back is difficult with frequent stops for adjustment to the tires and various repairs both to the bike and to you.

You still do not want to stay fat and decide to try again.  This time you debate about replacing the bike.  There is much better bike called the sleeve.  Its tires are permanently filled and it is better fitted to your body.  There will be much less chance of breakdowns on the road and you will never need a refill.  You take your map and peddle away.  It is still a lot of work and all of that work is up to you.  What you eat is absorbed by the intestines.  You lose weight by eating less and only by eating less.

Or maybe you decide that you would rather get a car this time.  After the RNY or DS you drive the car and follow the map, but the hard work is done by the intestinal changes.  The food you eat just does not get absorbed by the body and the miles of the journey are done automatically.    Because food you eat is not absorbed, the weight falls off easily and you sit behind the wheel and follow the map.  As you pass all the other people walking and riding bikes, some of them holler at you, “Cheater”. 

Sometimes you stop and try to tell them that it is so much easier and better to just get a car, but they are afraid of that contraption and continue to work on doing in on their own. As you pass the Hollywood sign and then stop to watch the sunset over the Pacific you ponder all you went through to finally reach your destination.  The surgery that you were so afraid of turned out to be so easy.  The goal is reached.  There will be more work to do but the car will last a lifetime and be up for all future trips.