Considering weight loss surgery, need feedback from those who've had it.

[zackly 13]

Hello, I’m a soon to be 65 y/o male considering bariatric surgery. I'm 5'10" about 240 lbs. My primary motivation is for weight loss which should improve my blood sugar control and overall health. I have been insulin dependent for over ten years and need ever increasing quantities of two types insulin(Lantus & Humalog) to keep my blood sugar in check. I am retired and live a sedentary lifestyle, mostly because I lack energy. I also have high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic retinopathy, compromised kidney function. I will be eligible for Medicare in March. My current health insurance does not cover this type of surgery (Obamacare). I do have several concerns about surgery. When I attended the surgeon’s seminar I asked the question “I think most people in this auditorium will tell you they eat because they are hungry. I have a tremendous appetite. My idea of Hell is being hungry and not being able to eat enough food to satisfy my appetite.” He told me that the band does not affect your appetite but the gastric sleeve and bypass do reduce your hunger by increasing or decreasing two hormones, ghrelin being one of them. Now, I’m a born skeptic and this doctor, who seems to be pushing the sleeve over the other two, obviously has a horse in the race. That is why I’m on this forum, to get information from people who’ve had the surgery. I’m a retired chef and have been in the food business all my life. It's a huge part of my identity.I’m afraid that I won’t want to or be able to prepare & eat interesting food that I love. I also love to entertain and dine out. For the last year I’ve been trying to eating low-carb with pretty good success. My blood sugar has improved but I’m not living the life I want to be. Up until recently I was very active, cycling, golfing, fishing, yard work, working out, etc. Now I lack the energy I need to do these things. I’m hoping that losing 40-50 pounds will make me healthier and give me more energy. Do you think it will? Thank you very much!

[BeagleLover 1,020]

I absolutely love to cook, try different cuisines and interesting combinations of spices. I had the sleeve the end of last September. I didn't feel like cooking the first month, but resumed my interest afterwards. I still enjoy eating tasty meals, but just don't eat as much.

Most of the part of the stomach that creates ghrelin is removed, so you don't have as big an appetite.

What I also like about the sleeve is that there is no re-routing of your intestinal tract. The upper part of the intestine which absorbs certain Vitamins and minerals is left in place. That translates into not needing as much supervision of your vitamin/mineral status post-surgery.

Best of luck in your decision.

Edited February 22, 2015 by BeagleLover

[ProjectMe 909]

I agree with everything said by @@BeagleLover I am 9 weeks PostOp and am not hungry. I eat because I know I should to get my Protein and nutrients in. I was also sleeved, which I chose because military bases no longer perform the band because of complications, and I was concerned about the malabsorbtive issues of bypass.

I also like to cook and try new things. My sleeve doesn't prevent me from this, it just prevents me from eating more than a few bites

[blondebomb 580]

you have come to the right place for "Proper Education" an "Personal Experiances" ..Im not male nor a chef however being married to an Italian we do luv to eat! we do enjoy going out an he LOVES to cook! trying to make a long story short bare me: Im 51 have battled yo yo dieting an weight since I was 17. my body started falling apart in my mid 20s. I have seen countless drs, specialists, thru countless testing blah blah blah..5 yrs ago I had to quit work for the 2nd time in 2 months my body refused to cooperate. the past 12 months I had gained again 40 pds in 2 months. finally got referral to endo after putting my foot down on seeing one. my immunologists couldnt understand why no other dr I had seen would refer me to well it was bc my thyroid panel was always on the low side of the "NORMAL" gold standard range. he did as I asked ...within 2 wks I was having an in office US on thyroid, (I had been complaining for 2 yrs of trouble swollowing) low an behold goiter on side the other thyroid "dead" shrinking. the PROPER bw on thyroid panel that I had researched from mary shoman had those tests ran sure enough I ended up on the biopsy table confirmed hashis, insulin resistant. with over 25 yrs of yo yo dieting an already the past yr of slashing calories down to 500 or less still having a difficult time of the numbers dropping I was prime canidate for sleeve to be done. that was farthest from my mind even though 20 some yrs ago I did think about it yet I never dreamed my ins would pay for it. now all of a sudden I have 2 specialists sending me to the surgeon, saying the sleeve way was best no switiching of organs an getting rid of the portion of the tummy of the stomach hormones that would never shut up an down sizing the tummy from a 40 oz to 4 oz would make all the differance in the world! before I knew it I was accepted online by our hopsital over here insurance was verified immediatly an within 2 wks I had started preop classes, going thru the mental evaluations didnt have to repeat the stomach endoscopys bc my internist had already done one a yr before , had all bw done by then I was on armour thyroid an got my levels where they are approved for surgery an released by my endo to go forward with it I also had severe apnea, fibro, lupus, polymyalgia , GERD, prediabetic, insulin resistance an hashis an list goes on, I had a surgery date within 3 months from start to table! I am 7 months PO..100 pds down would I do this again? YOU BET!!! best thing I ever did besides marrying my bes friend an hes my biggest supporter an having my 2 beautful adult kids! I am 51 (I dont know if I mentioned age earlier) but I am feeling now that my life is actually starting new! If I hadnt had this surgery for the tool it provides(its not "the miracle" but a tool) I saw myself with all the health dx I had there is no doubt I would have ended up being over 300 pds more miserable an bedridden! for me I dont wish that on anyone! thats honestly UNHAPPINESS UNHEALTHY (an no one can convince me that being fat is healthy) Im sorry I was FAT an theres no other term for me I use...I refused to be delusional anylonger an just living. I actually wasnt "living" I was merely in survival mode an that term I use bc I was merely breathing an a couch potatoe. no life! now I am all of a sudden able to actually keep up with my home , I am not out of breath as bad I do get some asthma a little an my meds for my autoimmune an inflammation do flare but controlled better. I have another 40 or so pds to go to make goal I havnt broadcasted my tool yet but only to a selected few I didnt need others "UNEDUCATED" neg comments bc the majority of ppl have no clue of the facts. this was hard enough the first month especially fighting with head hunger an going thru craving with drawls that the brain an body do go thru I needed positive support around me. but to eat there own. I will eventually help others if asked. I hope I have had a positive impact an answered some questions. your at the right place. my only regret is that I didnt do this 10 or more yrs sooner! I would do it again in a heart beat regardless of what I endured the first few months!! best wishes an keep us posted!

[Blue Sky 89]

I am only two weeks out, but I would say that if eating food is a priority, this surgery may not be for you. Weigh all costs and consider all avenues because you cannot get your stomach back. This is a lifetime decision.

[IcanMakeit 1,318]

I was sleeved also. My experience has been a bit different. In the beginning, I felt pretty crappy and had absolutely no appetite. But when my stomach began to heal, my appetite returned. My capacity is much less, and my hunger is a little less insistent, but after the first few weeks I never experienced the total lack of hunger others have described. This might be good news for a gourmand. They say "hunger is the best sauce."

I think the surgeon who seemed to be pushing the gastric sleeve may have been motivated by the excellent results he/she has seen from previous patients. My surgeon performs many different types of WLS but was very enthusiastic when I chose VSG.

WLS can definitely be an effective treatment for diabetes. My diabetes is in complete remission.

[amazon 579]

Welcome! This site is a great resource. Glad you're doing your homework

I would suggest going to more than one surgeon's seminar - if that's an option. It's also a good idea to talk to folks who have gone through it, as in go to the local support group. I know you'll get info from folks here, but talking in person to people, and hearing their experiences in that environment is useful, IMO.

Some would say 40-50 lbs to lose isn't enough to justify the surgery. But everyone's situation is different. You have a bunch of health problems that *could* be rectified, or certainly improved, by WLS. It really comes down to whether you can live the lifestyle - for the rest of your life. Because I can tell you, it's as much of a head game as a physical change. In no way is it a magic cure. It takes constant work. Your relationship with food will have to change. But eating well is still a part of my life. I just don't curl up with a bag of chips, or bowl of ice-cream any more. I'll still go out for a nice dinner...I just have plenty of left overs

I think I'd be a little concerned if the surgeon was pushing one type of surgery over another. It could be that he/she doesn't have experience in the others, but it's a red flag. You want to ask lots of questions about the surgeon's experience.

Personally, I went with the sleeve. It was the best choice for me. So far it's worked out well, but I'm only 6 months out. In that time I've come off of my diabetes meds, and my diabetes is officially in remission. I was only on metformin for it and it was reasonably controlled. I've also just had the best blood panel results I've ever had. So I'm quite happy with my decision.

You're doing the right thing by not just running blindly in to this. Ask us lots of questions - we love to share

[A2artgrl 15]

When I initially went in for my first consult, I was 100% skeptical of the whole process. I was semi-interested in information on the band, because there was no way in hell I was going to let anyone cut 80% of my stomach out. The doctor was very open to my concerns, but also gave me the stats for all of the procedures. He does very few bands anymore, because the post-surgery complications that occur 2-3 years post op (band slippage, total weight gain, etc) were happening more and more frequently. Long story short, I have 80% less of my stomach, and could not be happier with that decision (even though I was freaking out about it until the day of surgery). I was also worried that I would be hungry and unable to eat - rest assured, that doesn't happen. I have to remind myself to eat because I'm rarely hungry (I've felt physical hunger pains 2 times so far, 2.5 months out), and my life doesn't revolve around what I'm going to eat next. Make no mistake, it's a lot of work, but absolutely worth it in my eyes. Way to do your research - weigh out the pro's and con's of each, and make the decision based on what you are most comfortable with, because in the end, that's what is the most important. Good luck to you!

[Miss Mac 6,262]

You will just have a new motivation to get creative in the kitchen. We all don't need nearly as much food as we used to eat. Just change the formula to way more Protein and way less carbs. Dessert is an apple instead of apple pie a la mode. The stomach adjusts fairly quickly. It is the head game that is the crazy maker. So much of our eating is habit and timing rather than necessity. Put on your creative hat and you will be fine. Once you actually start to feel better internally, you may become a low carb evangelist.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

If I were you, I would try to do some true research (in medical publications) about outcomes for diabetics with both the sleeve and gastric bypass. Any librarian at your local library can help you do that if you are not sure how to find valid information on the internet. I would be most persuaded by the results for diabetics who were able to get off insulin and maintain a normal blood sugar.

Both the sleeve and bypass can improve or resolve diabetes, but I have read that bypass might be better (though I'm not sure). There is a lot more long term research about that with the bypass, but I haven't really done the research. I think you should do that, and then make the most informed decision based on your findings. There are pros and cons associated with both surgeries, so it behooves you to understand the implications.

[stanpry 66]

I will speak only of my own results. I had Lap Band surgery 1 year ago. I lost 84 lbs in 6 months. I don't know if this is typical or not. I had 1 fill after surgery. If you are looking for a magic pill that allows you to eat what you want you haven't found it. Any of these surgeries are just tools to help you meet your objective (weight loss). You can beat any of these surgeries. Have a milk shake. Eat candy, cake, ice cream, foods high in carbs. I eat out once or twice a week. I research what I will order before I leave the house. Temptation is always present. It's up to you to resist. Losing weight will improve your life. In my case best choice that I could have made. Take your time. Research your options. I took years to make a decision. I have no regreats. Best of luck in any decision that you make.

[Healthy_life2 8,324]

@@zackly

My surgeon suggested the sleeve because I'm a type one diabetic. I was prescribed Lantus and Novalog. I'm now Off Lantus and hardly using the Novalog. I rarely have high blood sugar levels. I now have low blood sugars. With the sleeve I'm still able to have sugar with no dumping syndrome. It helps when the lows hit I can use my glucose tablets.

food is still a wonderful part of my life. Love that hunger does not overwhelm me. I can enjoy people around me. Check out the world according to egg face and inside karens kitchen ( Bariatic tab) to see that food is actually still amazing after surgery.

Enjoy you're research. I hope you find what is right for you.

[samuelsmom 670]

I am 3 months out from surgery and so far, no regrets. While neither of us are chefs, my husband is a great cook and now that the kids are in college, we enjoy eating out more. After the surgery I had no appetite for about 3 weeks. By the 4th week it was back. What I have appreciated about this surgery is the ability to eat normally. My husband and I go out regularly and I know I can order something i will enjoy and have plenty left to take home for another meal! Also, nothing makes me sick. Chef Graham Elliott from MasterChef had the surgery in 2013 and has lost 150 pounds. There are quite a few articles about it online. Being a chef, they might be of interest to you.

Good luck.

[allielee 263]

I am a foodie.. I was banded in 2008 and was a success story.. Kept all my weight off for 6 years until my band eroded. I struggled with food with my band. I didn't tolerate meats or veggies very well but could eat a sleeve of Oreos.. I worked hard to make my band work. I had to work my butt off but I kept the weight off. I did throw up a lot with the band.. In May I was revised from band to bypass and damn I wish I had the bypass first! I love it. I eat whatever I want just tiny portions. I haven't thrown up once and honestly I'm healthier now than I have ever been! I have had no issues with Vitamin deficiency. I take the same Vitamins I did with my band but my numbers are better now! I didn't even consider the sleeve after my doc said a lot of the initial people sleeved are coming back to be revised to bypass. I was self pay for both so I didn't even consider the sleeve. Bypass helps me stay in control but I get to enjoy all foods! I love to cook.. I just don't really feel hunger but can enjoy the food I do make and eat..Feel free to msg me with any questions.

[Bob B 103]

I wrote a very similar post (about food professional, "part of my identity," etc) back in the fall when I was researching.

I own two restaurants, and while I'm not FAMOUS-famous, I am more famous than most chefs. I was worried about people not being able to identify with me, and, more importantly, feeling like I couldn't identify with myself if I had the surgery done.

I am 2 months out, and down 58 pounds. The hardest part of any of it was deciding to do it despite my concerns about how my identity would change.

I'm not the kind of guy who tries to sell his religion, but from my POV you and I have very similar stories, and WLS (sleeve) was absolutely the right thing for me to do.