Question:
Why will RNY work better than optifast for me? Or will it?!!?
I am just finishing up a 12 week required optifast program (required by my insurance since I didn't have 12 week documented weight loss attempt). I lost about 24 pounds on the fasting part (started at 250), but have struggled immensely during transition to food. The program isn't bad -- it now has losts of nutrition and emotional support, but I already knew all of that stuff anyway. I guess I am unsure how I will do with wls if I am back to my old habits now after only 12 weeks. Does the surgery alter the hormone that regulates satiety/cravings? Anyone out there ever failed at optifast but did ok with wls? Thanks for your input. — [Deactivated Member] (posted on December 29, 2002)
December 29, 2002
Because WLS physically makes ytour tummy smaller and adds malabsorbtion and
hopefully a bit of dumping with the RNY is MUCH more effetive than
optifast. Most here that tried it ended up heavier.
— bob-haller
December 29, 2002
I agree with the previous poster. RNY is far more effective.
You can't eat as much with rny, you'll probably get pretty sick if you eat
sugary foods, and the malabsorption will take care of much of what you do
eat. I think RNY works better all around.
— Darlene P.
December 29, 2002
Because (and I suspect you know this) RNY physically changes you. Well
regulated diets -- optifast included -- offer emotional support and
nutritional and exercise ideas, but don't offer the physical changes. RNY
does. Now sure, you can beat it, but you have to go out of your way to do
so. I am not hungry like before, and when I do eat, I know that I don't
have much room to maneuver -- so why fill myself up with crap? I don't. I
choose to eat high protein foods over carbs. You will too. We have all
been where you are -- indeed, I think I posted a question before my surgery
that asked "why can't I just stick to the eating plan that post-ops
follow without getting the surgery?" I look back at that question and
laugh; if I had been able to follow a diet, and if a diet was a long term
solution, I wouldn't have had surgery. Good luck.
— Tamara K.
December 29, 2002
I agree with the previous poster. RNY changes you physiologically - no
diet does that. I was on Medifast for about a year and lost over 100
pounds and gained it all back plus some. But with the RNY - I no longer
want the foods that I pigged out on before. I am sitting next to a bowl
full of wonderful chocolate candy from my son's Christmas stocking and it
doesn't even look good to me. I can look at it and remember that I loved
Peanut Butter Cups in the past, but I have no desire to eat one now. That
would not have been the case with a "diet" - even one like
Optifast or Medifast. The surgery is a complex thing - your tastes for
foods will change.
Good luck to you.
Open RNY 11/29/01 -160 pounds
— Patty_Butler
December 29, 2002
— judyguay
December 29, 2002
Original poster here. I have already decided to have the wls, but was just
feeling negative when I posted the question. It is hard for me to believe
that it will work when nothing else has. After reading many posts here, I
know that things can be different after the surgery. I just wanted
reassurance, I guess! Thanks for your responses.
— [Deactivated Member]
December 30, 2002
Define "old habits"...the WLS is just a tool and you do have to
alter your eating habits or you can eat around the surgery and gain back
weight. Those that are a year or less out don't face this, but further
out, some do have problems if their original pre-op weight was gained by
constantly grazing. The surgery works by reducing the size of your
stomach, hence, you eat alot less and fill up faster, so logic says you
will be satisfied quicker. However, keep in mind that 30 percent of
RNY'ers do not dump on sugar, so if your problem was grazing continually on
sugar/carbs, you can still do that with this surgery. No, not to the
extent of before, but talk to some long term post-ops and they will tell
you that you still have some work to do with this surgery. The surgery is
just a tool, and if you use it correctly, you will successfully lose weight
and keep it off. Its a wonder for getting the weight off the first year,
and the goal is to learn good eating habits and develop an exercise program
to serve you for the rest of your life. Just be aware...on a good note,
95% of traditional diets fail, with WLS, most succeed.
— Cindy R.
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