Question:
What are the long term results for over 10 yrs post op?
Hey ya'll. I just watched the Jenny Jones show. It was the one with the woman that had Roux-n-y surgery. I was really surprised to when the doctor said that he didn't know of any patient that had kept the weight off more then 10 to 15 years. Now out of everyone that has made this life change you would think at least one would have kept the wieght off. This really concerns me because its my biggest fear, that I'll loss all the weight then end up gaining it back again. Was what the doctor said true in your all's opinion and experience? what about the other surgeries (lap band, pouch, DS). Really worried so anything you can let me know would be great. Thanks and best wishs to you all. — shawna M. (posted on April 18, 2003)
April 17, 2003
Part of the problem with the older RNY's was that doctors didn't transect
then. Many old-timers have staple line disruptions and don't know it.
They just think they've failed when it's really a mechanical failure. That
said, there are still many old timers who have kept the weight off. I'd
suggest you join the Yahoo Graduate list
([email protected]). There are many members 8+ years
out who are doing great. Everyone is welcome to lurk, but you just can't
post until you're at least 1 year out.
— Leslie F.
April 17, 2003
I live in a small town. There are two women here who had it done years ago.
The one was probally 20 years ago, the other 10 years or so. BOTH gained
ether most or all of their weight back. As for me, I'm two years out (on
May 8th) and still in the overweight BMI range. :( I've lost 160 of the 190
I had hoped to lose. (Around 84% of my excess weight with is alittle higher
than what my surgeo said of 70%). I quit losing weight after month 19 (5
months ago) but thankfully I'm mantaining. There are no guarantees that
this wiil work or keep the weight off for good. It seems as soon as the
body is fat, it stuggle to put it back on again. However once we get it
off..... we need to watch and be carefull! ;)
— Danmark
April 17, 2003
There is a member here that is 17 years out and has maintained her loss. I
think her name is francine florence but not sure of the name.
— Delores S.
April 18, 2003
It would be great to see a long-term study of patients 10 years+ out, but I
don't think one exists. Therefore, I wouldn't put much credence behind
that doctor's observation -- he's more likely to see patients coming to him
with complaints about regain than he is to have patients stop by and say,
"Hey, look at me, still no problems, still at a healthy weight
here!" Plus, tv talk shows are not known for their in-depth, accurate
treatment of *any* subject. ;~)<P>It's clear there are big problems
with regain, however. This is just my opinion, but I think there are two
basic reasons for it: (1) surgical failure, as suggested by the poster
below -- things like staple line disruption, enlarged stoma, or surgeries
that were too conservative for the needs of the patient to begin with; and
(2) failure of patients to make necessary changes in their eating and
exercise habits as post-ops. I'd guess that most regain, by far, is
attributable to the latter factor, not the former. The hard reality is
that many of us have not had a "normal" relationship with food,
and many of us don't have normal metabolisms because of all the years of
yo-yo dieting. Reality check is, we will have to be eating a lot less than
we want to, surgery or not, if we want to be at a healthier weight than we
started at. Our heads live in the world of restaurant-sized portions that
would feed a family of four; our bodies got used to eating those portions;
our minds and bodies have to get used to a single portion, and it just
isn't easily done.<P>The poster below had a good suggestion, about
"lurking" on the yahoo Grads list to see how some long-term
post-ops are maintaining their weight (or fighting regain, or still
fighting to get to goal). Maintaining a healthy weight is just not easy
for lots of folks, especially former M.O.'s. It takes a lifetime of
dedication for most, and there will be struggles. People should know you
can't have the surgery and just expect recordbreakingly fast, consistent,
set-your-watch-by-it kind of weight loss, with no struggles along the way,
followed by hitting and staying at goal with no problems. That's a
fantasy; it doesn't happen. People should know they will need to focus on
making and maintaining healthy lifestyle changes with the aid of the
surgery, but that the surgery is easily defeated or limited in its
effectiveness without those changes. People should focus from the
beginning on what they're going to do differently THIS TIME to keep the
weight off, now that they've found this great tool to use (instead of
changing nothing and facing disappointment and frustration when the
"tool" supposedly doesn't work).<P>Plus -- ten years is a
long time. Many "normal" people don't weigh what they weighed
ten years ago. The benefits you can enjoy from improved quality of life in
the meantime are, as the commercials say, "priceless." As long
as you're aware of the regain risk, and start reading up on what to do to
try to fight it, I wouldn't punt the idea of surgery merely because ten
years from now, you *might* regain some of your weight (and what is regain
-- 20 pounds? 45? 100? It's all relative). Think how much more you'd
weigh in ten years without it -- how many more complications you'd have
developed from your weight, without it -- how much less you'd have enjoyed
your life in the meantime, without it -- and whether, indeed, you're likely
to be here at all without it.<P>
— Suzy C.
April 18, 2003
I'm confused!! I didn't think the gastric bypass had been around 15 or 20
years ago??? I know stomach stapling was, but I didn't think the bypass
was. Does anyone know how long ago this surgery first started?
— Kathy S.
April 18, 2003
I know a RNY nurse out 20 years. she looks good and reports she is healthy.
You would never know she was MO.
— bob-haller
April 18, 2003
I don't know how much more I could add to Suzy C's well written explanation
to your question below. Frankly, she nailed it. There just are not that
many 10-15 year post-op patients out there nor are there any studies
floating around either. Many who are that far out though did not have the
type of improved RNY surgery they are performing today. Most of us are 5
years or under. Hopefully some doctors and researchers will use us to
study the many issues and concerns that we post-ops have, regain being just
one of them. Unless there is a technical malfunction with your surgery,
however, there is no reason why we cannot maintain a normal weight for the
rest of our lives. Like any normal person, however, we will have to
"watch it", occasionally diet, keep up the exercise, choose to
not get carried away with the bad foods, and understand that some (a small
over time) weight gain is not the end of the world. If a pre-op is not
willing to do the above, I would seriously question their committment to
having this surgery.
— Cindy R.
April 19, 2003
I believe that majority of the longer term post ops are not hanging out
here with computers but are now doing what the rest of us have the desire
to do, go out and have fun :).
— tinky471
April 19, 2003
I've met some very early RNY, 1979 is the earliest I've met. I've met a
few who have maintained their loss, most have not. BUT. They may have had
mechanical flaw OR they were "too" proximal AND not one had any
realistic post-op teaching or nutrition info. They got a brand new car,
not one tool, no owner's manual! Almost all have bone damage & many
are chronically anemic, but they are healthy otherwise. I know a few who
were revised to more modern surgeries, got on a sound nutrition program
& are doing beautifully, wt loss & health. So, the question you're
asking doesn't include the variables, like exact type of surgery and the
tools (or lack of) that the person had. The surgery alone is not a ticket
to freedom. We have a physical, fatal disease. We can deal with the
disease, or we can deal with the treatment. Forever. NOT having the
disease is not an option open to us. My disease is in remission. Right
now, I believe that my participation in the formula is helping the
mechanical fix of the surgery. But I do not delude myself into thinking the
surgery can do it without my help, nor can I do it without the help of the
surgery. And yeah, I'd do it again.
— vitalady
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