mish
In 1994, I was 24 years old and weighed 258 pounds. I underwent RNY gastric bypass. I effortlessly attained my goal weight of 135 pounds, but it came at a hefty price. During the first year, I had complications including malnutrition, hair loss, and anemia, despite being compliant with the strict nutritional and vitamin requirements. I also sufferred the common side effect of very embarressing gas problems and frequent bowel movemements which caused me to socially isolate myself and become depressed. This was probably the worst part of the RNY. No one wanted to be around me because I often emited uncontrollable, horrific smelling gas. I had the puffy face, pale gray-ghost look about me, you know that look you see in RNY patients. My surgeon told me to drink many Ensure shakes every day to keep me from being hospitalized for TPN (total parental nutrition- feeding tube). He also told me to drink more milkshakes and fattening stuff. Can you believe that? These complications were a result of the malabsorption part of the RNY bypass. This is scary stuff, folks.
I stayed 135 pounds for about 5 minutes, and then the re-gain started. Five years out, I regained about 30 pounds back. Surgeon said this was bounceback weight and was not concerned. Then came years 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12! During these years, I noticed the restrictive part of the bypass was no longer working. My appetite was enormous and I could eat a horse, just as I could before surgery. After around year 10, the gas/bowel problems went away, which I was very happy about, but on the downside, my weight slowly crept back up to almost 200 pounds!
What happened? Two very common things that happen to long-term RNY patients: 1) The stoma stretched which allowed me to eat a lot more food. 2) The intestines grew "villi" ( little finger-like growths) to increase absorption. This is why I stopped having the foul bowel/gas problems- increased absorption- hence, weight gain. The body is an amazing piece of machinery... when it's broken, it does everything it can to fix itself.
Now 12 years have passed, and here I was, almost 200 pounds, with a voracious appetite, and feeling like a total failure. I decided to join Weight Watchers for the umteenth time, lost about 20 pounds, then regained it within a year (suprise suprise). Then I tried Atkins diet, lost a few, gained it back, then did South Beach diet which was a little easier than Atkins, but still.... it was a DIET. I lost some weight only to regain it again (sigh).
At this point, I'm feeling like this big fat loser, who not only couldn't diet successfully, but couldn't even maintain a weight loss after the most extreme measure of being gutted like a fish (RNY). Talk about wanting to crawl under a rock and die....
I heard about the lap band and talked to some folks on the internet who had bands placed over their bypasses and were doing well. After about a year of researching and mulling it over, I decided to go for it. My insurance (Federal Blue Cross) would not cover the band because I was not fat enough. Hell if I was going to gain anymore weight, so I looked into Mexico where it costs half of what it does in the USA. I learned that Mexico surgeons have been doing the lap band for 5 yrs longer than USA surgeons. I chose Dr. Alberto Aceves in Mexicali, Mexico because he had a lot of experience in doing "band-over-bypass" patients and an excellent overall reputation. He has taught many USA surgeons on how to perform the band surgery, so I felt I was in good hands. He charged $8200.00 for the lap band, but I had to pay $12,500.00 since I had a prior RNY and there was a lot more involved to my surgery. My RNY was done open, yet Dr. Aceves was able to do my lap band laporascopically! I was soooo happy. The hospital was clean, the staff friendly, and he was a doll. He came into my room every few hours to chat with me. I got sick of seeing him!
My weight on the day of surgery in 1/06 was 189 lbs. Yes, I was a low BMI patient, but it was just a matter of time before I would have reached my all time high of 258. I saw the band as a tool to not only help me lose excess weight, but as a PREVENTIVE for future weight gain. Had the lap band been available back in 1994, I would have chosen it instead of the RNY for obvious reasons.
I have lost 68 lbs since I was banded!
My TOTAL LOSS since I started my journey in 1994 has been 137 lbs.
ATTENTION NEWBIES: Listen, and listen good! It took me 10 months and 4 fills before I reached my "sweet spot" (effective restriction). I lost close to NOTHING in the first 10 months! I was totally, utterly frustrated and wanted to shoot myself for failing yet ANOTHER WLS... but that was not the case- all I needed was to hit the sweet spot... then the band started working. Food was no longer the driving force in my life and the weight came off. So please, please, do NOT panic when the weight doesn't fall off right after surgery. It takes TIME... but be patient. It is sooo worth it.
I am very happy with my results. I am currently (5/19/07) below goal at 121 lbs. I am wearing jeans in a SIZE 6!!! I don't think I was BORN a size 6. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd be a single digit size. I could never have done it without the help of my wonderful, sometimes finnicky band! I just hope and pray I can maintain this weight loss throughout my life.
I hope I inspire at least just one person...If I can do this, ANYONE can.
NOTE: I would be happy to talk to anyone personally about my experience. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message.
