Topic : Pros and Cons of Gastric Bypass Surgery

Nearly 5 years ago, I was 28 years old, and weighed over 400# (I'm only 5'5").  I had a duodenal switch gastric bypass surgery.  I did great with recovery, and the weight started to melt off.  My diabetes and malignant hypertension disapeared.  I thought I was on my way to a new, healthy me.  After about 1 year, and 130# weight loss, I started having "fainting spells".  My dr. ran every test in the book - including a stress test for my heart.  Everything was normal.  Out of desperation, he ordered an EEG to rule out seizure activity.  Surprise!  It was positive for seizure activity.  I started on medication for them, but they continued to be unstable.  At the same time, I noticed a large, painful bulge in my stomach area.  I had a ventral hernia.  I was scheduled for and had surgery, with a large mesh sewn into my abdominal wall.  The seizures continued, but I thought the hernia was repaired.  A year and 1/2 later, and the hernia recurred.  My weight loss had stopped with me at 240#, but not gaining anything.  I had surgery again in 6/06.  The seizures continued.  Then, my neorologist did a blood test to measure the Vitamin B12 in my system.  It was so low she was surprised I was still functional.  I went on Vit B12 injections daily for a while, then weekly for months, now every 2 weeks forever.  My seizures have stabled out as we explore the malnutrition problems.  Then, My hernia recurred.  I had surgery again on 2/1/07, with a 13 1/2 inch incision, and a large mesh put in.  I thought I was done.  I was wrong.  The hernia has recurred, and I am scheduled for surgery (yet again!) on Tuesday (5/1/07).  Would I do it again?  I dont know.  I just know that I have paid a very high price for my poor eating habits and binging that got me into this situation.  I am frustrated when people talk about WLS being the "easy way out".... there is NOTHING easy about it!    Take if for someone facing major surgery #5 in that many years.  Only the 1st (the WLS) was elective.  Now we just keep trying to put my body back together again.  Not to mention that since my surgery, I fell in love and got married.  And now the complications from my surgery will likely prohibit me from having a child.  I certainly didn't know that was a price I'd have to pay for this surgery!

Hello, I'm 29 years old.. 5ft and weigh about 300 pounds.  On May 24 I will have gastric bypass surgery done.  For about 2 years I have been going through the procedures to get this surgery approved with my insurance in which they did.  I have had many tests as well as seen a psychologist for emotional support.  I can say I'm happy I'm going to get the surgery, because I feel it will give me a happy and healthier life.  Right now my blood pressure goes up and down.  I have sleep Apnea.  My back and knees hurt.  I have difficulty tying my shoes or playing with my children.  I also feel so embrassed when engaging in intimacy with my husband even though he my best friend.  I'm getting so nervous of my upcoming surgery and truefully a little scare of all of the stories I have read about and listen too.  But for the most part it seems most people are happy that they received the surgery.  I believe if you are truely willing to change your life to loose weight, then I believe it will all pay off in the end.  Being fat is terrible.  I have been overweight ever since the 2nd grade and I just want me to come out of all this that has been keeping me away from the world.  I also want to live longer and to be able to enjoy my children and my husband.  So please pray for me on a healthy outcome of my surgery.  I will keep you updated once I have had the procedure done.  Let everyone enjoy life to the fullest and let all of your dreams come true!

I wanted to take a minute to encourage you.  My husband had the surgery on November 2 of 2006.  He has lost 120 pounds so far.  He has about 75 to go to get to where he really wants to be.  He is already smaller than I have ever seen him in the 15 years I've known him.  His blood pressure has stabilized, his knees don't hurt anymore and he doesn't snore anymore (which is great for me!).  His back still hurts a little, but the docs seem to contribute that to his body adjusting to everything moving around inside and his spine realigning after years of carrying all that extra weight.  He has had almost no complications.  He recently had a few spells of nausea when he first started a meal. It was like the first bite or two plugged up the entrance to his stomach and he had to go throw up.  He is learning to chew everything very well and getting used to his new portion sizes.  I think I have more regrets than he does because he never wants to go out to eat anymore and that was one of my favorite things to do.  I understand though and I definitely am glad he is so much healthier.  I think he may need a tummy tuck eventually because he carried all of his extra weight in his belly and it is sagging now.  I am more confidentb now that he will be around a while to help me raise the kids.  I know he would do it again in a heartbeat.  I hope everything goes as well for you. 

Probally not....DEC 1999 I weighed 330  Now I weigh a steady 167 

Here's the 100 percent truth...

In NYC @ Cornell I had this surg....They after the operation gave me medaction  liquid I drank it...and OVERDOSED me...I geuss my stomach was too small this was back in the day...

I was surronded by Dr's who pulled all narcotics out of me...So I was laying without pain medication with a belly incesion 8 inches long...Sent to the ICU for a few days...

When I came home the pain wasnt bad and life went on and I did as Dr Ordered...

 

I started dropping weight but the weird thing is I WAS THE SAME PERSON LARGE as I was as I WAS GETTING SMALL you know?  ME INSIDE KNEW THIS however the world acted and reacted differently towards me....I got smaller.....woooow  feeling good....But after every single meal or drink even to this day I AM SICK in my stomach!  TRULY   NOT ONE pleasant food experience...

 

SOMETIMES I CRAVE ICE  and water...

Oh Back to the brain and the world.....IT TAKES your BRAIN a few years to catch up as to how the world treats you too.  Like I remember when I put my first pair of jeans back on....

When guys started checking me out again....

ITS SO F WEIRD REALLY!

 

xox 

I had the rouxen-Y gastric bypass 6 months ago, and I would do it over in a minute.  That was the best decision I have ever made.  I was 25 years old, wighing 267 when I decided to go ahead and do it.  I waivered back and forth for approx. 1 year before I finally decided.  The months before my surgery, and i know this isn't what I hould have done but, I ate everything and anything that I wanted.  Knowing that I would not be able to ever again.  I weighed 300 lbs. going into my surgery.  Six onths later, I have lost 125 lbs, I am around 175# now.  It has begun to slow down now, and I realized it would.  My goal is 150, and I know I can get there.  I have found that you have to have plenty of support, and follow the rules.  I have only ate a few things that have given me a belly-ache, pinapple, too much natural sugar, oops, and meatloaf, a little too greasy.  anyways, I have not broken the rules as far as I know, no caffeine, no carbonation, under 10 grams of fat, and under 5 grams of sugar, and I am doing well.  I do get tired, and very emotional. Somedays I just cry, and don't know why.  I know I have lost so much, but yet why do I still feel so heavy.  I would love to hear from some of you.

 

My life partner of 5yrs had gastric y bybass in 2002 1 month after we got together I told her that she didn't have to go through with the surgery because I was attracted to her the way she was ,but she said she did it for herself not for me. She already had it scheduled before she met me anyway, so she went ahead and had it done. I was there with her at the hospital I stayed right by her side, she was in alot of pain after and when she got to go home she followed every rule.  Now it's 2007 and this December it will be five years since the surgery and things have changed drasticly over the years. She dosen't like the excess skin, she says the skin under arms are bat wings, she says  she has no breasts and she looks like a ninety year old women when she takes her clothes off (and she is only 42). She hasn't lost all her weight to her goal weight yet, and even when she does her insurance dosen't cover the skin removal surgery.  So she's depressed about not being able to get it removed.  The excess skin also pulls on her  lower back because it's sooo heavy. She also has given up on any emotional feelings for me or anyone else and our sex life is completly gone. She is always so bitter where before she was always so happy and bubbly. She also wore makeup and did her hair everyday and cared about what she wore and look like, she dosen't care about those things anymore. She said she did all that to make herself look better before because of all her weight, now she says she dosn't have to because she lost most it. She started out 340lbs and  went down to 160lbs but now I think she's probably 185lbs.  She also has alot of gas all the time, and the smell could empty a mall full of people. She says she wish she could bottle it up and send it over to Iraq. It would end the war, they wouldn't need any gun's or bombs. She's finding the lighter side of having to deal with it but really does bother her, the gas really dosn't bother me.  I just feel for her, espeacially when we are at the store or anywhere in public. She also has alot of dyearia ( it litteraly looks like foam ). Sorry about the grapics, but it's true and she has it all the time and sometimes she goes so much that she says her butt's on fire.

She even thinks, she is still too fat and she still see's herself as being the way she was before surgery. Anyway if someone can help her,  it would be awesome or if youv'e dealt with it yourself and can relate please respond back.   I just want o know if this surgery is so wonderful why is she so miserable???,  And what can be done to help ???.   I sometimes wish she would have  never had the surgery, even though I know she is glad most of the weight is off and can get around better.  But what a nasty payoff to beable to have  most of the weight off .

Please help me  help her ,she means everything to me and I love her with all my heart. After everything,  I'm still right here by her side. Even when she has gas in bed at night  I lay right by her and hold her, to let her know that she dosen't have to feel bad because of it .!

Thank You to everyone who reads this, and Thank You to everyone who can help and write's back.!!!!

 

Thanks,

Worried Partner.... 

 

 

Hi everyone,

   I had gastric bypass surgery in August of 2005.  I had tried every other way of losing weight including trips to Los Angeles and cruises with Richard Simmons.  I was successful losing weight but always managed to gain all of my weight back and then some.  August of 2005, changed my life forever.  I had the surgery and my life has gone downhill ever since.  In October, 2005 I had been deathly ill for about a month and my surgeon thought it was because my gallbladder went bad.  I had surgery and had it taken out and a couple of days after the surgery I became weak and paralyzed.  I could no longer stand on my own, get out of a chair, and I could feel my body shutting down.  Being a nurse, I was terrified and knew I was close to death.  I had a spinal tap and it confirmed Guillain-Barre Syndrome brought  on by the stress of the gastric bypass surgery.  In Guillian Barre Syndrome your immune system attacks itself including your muscles and nerves.  I was paralyzed and in a wheelchair for 6 months.  I have had to learn to walk again with lots of physical therapy.  I take 3600mg of Neurontin everyday to help me with all of the nerve damage caused or I wouldn't be able to move.  When I went in for surgery my weight was around 293 and I had gotten down to around 170.  I'm struggling because the surgery didn't get rid of the emotional reasons that I eat and I am still able to graze on food throughout the day and have eaten my way up to 200 pounds again.  I really feel like you need to get at the root of why you are overeating and obese in the first place.  If you don't, surgery won't be successful either.  I almost died and am still struggling with my weight and emotions.  Being a nurse, I thought I would fly through this surgery.  It has changed my life and I have had to give up my nursing until I am strong enough to help patients.  My balance and gait are still unstable, but I'm thankful to be alive and have a second chance.  Please think long and hard before you decide to have this surgery, because it could change your life forever.  When I laid in the hospital bed all of those months all I could think of was that I would have given anything for a second chance to walk again and exercise.  I have to be more careful now what I put in my mouth because of all of the side effects of the surgery than I have ever had to in my life.  Please do your research and be prepared to deal with the consequences if things go bad! 

Hi,

 I totally understand what your partner is going through.Eating the wrong foods is what causes the terrible gas. Vegetables, fried foods, and sugars are all triggers.  I have never hit my goal weight either but have had alot of complications from the surgery.  I am a 33 year old nurse.  My body is not pretty either.  Actually, I feel like my upper body looks ok but my lower body looks terrible with extra skin.  My husband complains all of the time because I don't want to have sex.  He feels like it is him that I am not attracted to him.  It's not him at all.  It's my issue with myself.  I hate how I look and if I can't stand how I look why should I make someone else look at me.  I understand when you say you love her no matter what she looks like.  Most of us who have been overweight all of our lives have that fat mentality in our heads and we still feel like we are that huge person even though we have lost weight.  Just keep supporting her and telling her how beautiful she is to you.  You may try and get her to a counselor or someone who specializes in weight issues.  I really believe she needs to find out what is causing her to overeat in the first place.  Surgery doesn't get rid of the emotional issues.  You can sabotage the surgery and gain weight back if you don't deal with them.  Hope this helps some, she is lucky to have someone like you to support her..Deb

I just had my GP surgery.Four weeks ago. I made a very impulsive decision. I mentioned it to my husband and boy did he jump on board. I was 305 and 6ft 3in tall. I found out that my insurance covered the surgery and two weeks later I did it. I didn't tell anyone, just my husband so I didn't have a voice of desention to reason with me. I'm embarassed about needing it. I gained 100 lbs after my hysterectomy in 2003 and after always being an athelete, the weight gain was very hard to take. I haven't had sex in almost a year because my normally wonderful supportive great husband told me that I just wasn't sexy anymore and he missed my old curves. I guess fat rolls aren't the curves he wanted me to have. He always talked about the way I use to look. The hysterectomy was accompanied by some post-traumatic stress regarding incest I suffered for many years so I was dealing with depression. The medication for depression contributed to the weight gain too just lots of stuff to deal with. Anyway, these first two weeks I lost 15 pounds and found myself upset that I hadn't lost more after living on soup and jello for two weeks. I can't believe I wasn't satisfyed with the weight loss. I thought it would be quicker. What diet can boost 15 pds off in two weeks. None. I can't say I'm happy or sad about it yet, its too soon. The tube down the nose sucked, the partially inflated lung sucks, eating is such a damn chore. Trying to find enough protein in my diet is work. I can see why malnutrition is a problem associated with GP. Eating is not enjoyable nor will it ever be. But I tell you, having a can of soup last 3 meals instead of one sure is saving on the grocery bill. Once I'm skinny again I'll have a better idea if its all worth it. You know being 6'3" tall (up to 6'6" if I where heels) I get stared and pointed at all the time. Strangers just have to ask me how tall I am and when I tell them they don't believe me. Its happened my whole life but less so since I'm fat. Many years ago my aunt who was 6'5" always told me they are staring because I'm beautiful not because I'm tall. I guess she might have been right, nah. Guess I better get use to all the gawking cause I'm going to be beautiful again, if I ever was.