R U HAPPY WITH YOUR GASTRIC BYPASS OR........

Hi Everyone, R u happy with your gastric bypass ? Do you wish you would have picked another surgery?  I woke up a little while ago and I realized that I will be having surgery in a month and a couple of days and i am ****ing bricks I am scared and really nervous and even though it's normal to feel like this I am really worried...... P.S. I need to drop 20 pounds and I am having a hard time any advice??? I love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!! xoxoxoxo Liliana

Im 6 weeks out, I've some nasty problems (Both mentally and physically) and will probably end up with more (hopefully less nasty) but I'm glad I did this for myself. I looked into all the types of surgeries and none of them would have been as good of a choice. No matter which one I would have chosen, I would have to face to some serious challenges along the journey. There's no getting out of that. Maybe considering re-reading about the other surgeries, writing a list of pros and cons for each of them and a list of pros and cons about gastric bypass. Then compare and see who comes out on top. I had to mentally do that and for months I went between Lap Band and Gastric Bypass until I really read the experiences of people that were similar to myself. And finally, I am self-pay. I am NOT going to fork over $14K for Lap Band, have it not work properly due to my own sabotage and then fork over $23K to get it converted to RNY. I wanted this to be a first and last deal. I don't mean to put down the Lap Band or the folks who have it because I've seen plenty of success stories with it, but it would have NOT worked for me. Good luck and I hope to see you on the losers bench soon!

Hi Liliana :) 9 months out and down 134 pounds, I LOVE MY RNY!!!! I had my choice of band, rny and d/s. In truth I don't think it really mattered which surgery I had gotten. I know I would have made it work because I was at a point that I had to. In the short term RNY is a faster weight loss. In the long term I know I would have regained with the band, I still may with RNY, but with the band and my form of eating it was certainly a gaurantee. D/s has some side effects I didn't want, but if for whatever reasons I can't make RNY work long term I will be switching to D/S :P I have lost hundreds of pounds over the years through resticting my intake and cutting fat, carbs etc. The problem with dieting for me is the day that I indulge, I go insane and can eat  an enormous amount, like really cover a table with food and thats what I could eat in a meal. Everyone always says your stomach shrinks if you eat less long term, I have proven that theory wrong. When the day comes that I for whatever reason decide I want something I have chosen not to eat I know my RNY pouch will keep a 5000 calorie binge at 500 calories. The weight gain, if it occurs will be much slower and I will have more time to deal with the situation and solve it. I have gained as much as 30 pounds in one month in the past, that can really mess with your head. I have no reason to believe I'm never going to have one of those episodes again but with RNY its unlikely I will ever be able to gain more than 5 pounds in a month. After paying 20grand for the surgery I can assure you I will get help before gaining any more than 10 pounds ;) Good luck and work whatever surgery you get to the best of your abilities. Get a strong support network of friends and family helping you and stick with people in your same situation either here or a local support group.  20 pounds? Hmmm pick an easy quick fix diet and remember its only 1 month. My easiest 1 month diet was the zero calorie diet. Basically you only consume foods on the zero calorie list in as big or small portions as you want. It was great for me as I LOVE fruits, veggies, soup and chicken breast :) Some calorie free diet food choices: cauliflower, brocoli, string beans, lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, peppers, apples, oranges, pears, watermelon, cantalope, honeydew) I also added a large bowl of soup with every meal as a filler. I just used the watery broth kind like chicken noodle or vegetable. On top of that all the chicken breast I could eat. I lost 30 pounds in one month for Christmas a couple of years ago. HUGS PK

I'm 10 months post-op, and so far I'm very happy with my RNY. The first couple of months were hard, not just getting over the surgery physically, but you'll be surprised how mentally challenging it can be. Your old best friend (food) won't be there for you anymore, and you may be surprised how much you'll feel like somebody just died. Once you get past that, and get to the point that you can eat fairly normally, it's pretty easy. How to lose 20 pounds? Never could do it. I lost something like 5 pounds before my WLS, and it took 3 months. That's one of the reasons I had WLS, because I just couldn't lose no matter what. Lots of people do manage to lose a lot before surgery, and I wish you good luck with it.

Hi Liliana,

I'm pre-op too, so I can't give any advice on being satisfied with the RNY. However, I'm feeling secure in that decision. But there are plenty of other things I'm nervous about!

Regarding the weight loss, have you tried exercise? It doesn't even have to be a lot. I do 30-50 minutes of cardio at least 5 times a week, and weight lifting 4 times a week (alternating upper and lower body). I honestly think that this is helped my weight loss even more than the food modification.

Good luck!

-Jenna

Hi Liliana, I have lost 10 lbs in one week doing the pre-op diet my surgeon gave me.   3 High Protein Slimfast a day or other similar supplemant (atkins etc) 1 meal Lean Cuisine or WW Meal/or 3 oz Chicken Breast or Fish all the raw veggies you can have all day long sugar free gelatin 1/2 cup a fruit you can also have sugar free/fat free dressing on veggies or salad.  any non-calorie non-carbonated beveridge (water,crystal light etc) I hope this helps!! Kathi RNY Scheduled 6/25/07 SW 348/CW 325/ GW 155

Hi there, I am just about two weeks post op right now and can say that I am still perfectly happy with mine. Granted, I haven't had to feel the full impact of it on my entire life yet, at least not this soon out. Physically though, I feel fine. At least you've got some time to lose that weight. Hopefully you've already cut out the stuff like fast food, fried foods, deserts and such. Otherwise, in the past, restricting my carbs worked well for me to lost some weight temporarily and carb restricting will work well to skrink your liver too.....which is the whole  reason they want you to lose 20 pounds. Good luck!

Hi Liliana - I'm 2 months post-op and I am soooo HAPPY I had RNY. After considering all the options, pros and cons of all surgery types, and reading hundreds of profiles... I knew this was the right surgery for me. I had some rough spots, and I still do from time to time, but I have never regretted having this surgery. I feel so much better now and it gets a little better every day. Hugs, Elaine

19 months out and totally happy . Except I wish I had it done sooner. Even though I had an infection and had to be in the hospital another week I'm happy I did it. My surgeon suggests for losing some weight is 2 slimfast/low carb shakes twice a day and a good meal for dinner. I think they also said you can have two low carb/low fat snacks. I myself did the Atkins type diet. Consultation weight was 334 and pre op weight was 321. Now I am about 215/220 and feel good.  Good Luck Sandy

Personally, I wish I picked the lap band to be honest with you. The complications are easier to fix. I developed complications with the bypass that were complicated and dangerous and required another surgery to fix 4 weeks after. (which was out of pocket). I'm not saying that is going to happen to you, but it does happen. I agree with the person who said make a list of pro's and con's. I know a few people in my local area who are doing very well with the lap band. 1 of whom has lost over 300 pounds in 2 years. You might lose weight in some cases slower with the lab band, but in my personal opinion you will feel better, you will not have the malabsorption which in my case, made me feel weak, dizzy and unable to function about 90% of the time. My blood sugar kept dropping dangerously too low and it made me feel aweful.  Only you know what is right for you, but do not do what I did and rush to a choice thinking you want it all or nothing....I wanted the "best" right out of the gate and didn't think about what I could live with. Your quality of life with the lap band would be much better.  Deb