Gastric Bypass Surgury. How much of what I have been told is true?

[Minnesotabrant 0]

I went to my first dietary consultation and was asked what kind of surgery I was interested in. I said adjustable band and was told not to get that because 30 to 50% of them had to come out, and that there was no hunger loss either; they hadn't done one in 3 years. That's not what the introductory class literature said; they had nothing but praise for it.

I took the class 10 years ago and banding had been around for 8 years and they were pushing it as the next new thing.

Now its the gastric sleeve. I was told that nutrient absorption was very high, better than gastric bypass and everyone was getting it, plus you would have no sensation of hunger. I would now need 60 grams of Protein and it pretty much has to be animal protein.

Strange thing is I still feel like I am getting the pitch here. I saw the suggested diet and it was pretty severe. like one boiled egg and a half a English muffin for Breakfast.< /p>

Anybody here been through this. How honest is the presentation I was given do you think?

Man I am eating like a horse and still losing weight atm. Only been a few days since my first appointment so I have time to start this. I do wonder about the veracity of what I have been told though.

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[Babbs 14,681]

Ha! One boiled egg and half an English muffin? The first 5 or 6 months, you can barely eat just the egg!

Sleeve surgery is a RESTRICTIVE surgery alone (although you do get a little extra help with hunger from the ghrelin that is cut away) Bypass uses a combination of restriction and malabsorbtion. Although the bypass is the "gold standard" of weight loss surgeries, the Sleeve is becoming more popular because of the sheer safety of it and lack of side effects. As a rule, weight loss is slower at first with the sleeve as opposed to the bypass, but long term losses seem comparable. Both cause restriction where little food can be consumed in one sitting. With the bypass, Vitamins will need to be taken seriously for the rest of your life.

Any surgery is just a tool. You'll still struggle with head hunger, and food choices should still be smart and nutritious. Forever. So choose the tool you feel will serve you the best for the long haul. Do your research to weigh the pros and cons of each. Good luck!

[sbg224 318]

It is true, I have heard, that many, many docs will no longer do the gastric band. My surgeon said he no longer does it, and that is in LA. I had other consultations with other docs and no one recommended the band. I chose the sleeve, and had it done 8/3. Good luck with your decision, sleeve or bypass, it is making that choice for your health that matters most.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

@@Babbs I am surprised that you consider sleeve as strictly "restrictive". My personal experience is that the sleeve is something quite different then simply restrictive - I was banded which was much more intensely restrictive vs sleeve ... and yet I have been much more successful with the sleeve.

[Babbs 14,681]

@@CowgirlJane

I'm not the one that considers it simply restrictive...the medical community does.

I was just pointing out the differences between the sleeve and the bypass, and by definition, the sleeve is just a restrictive surgery. But I also understand there is the ghrelin that gets removed which helps hunger.

Believe me, it's turned into so much more for me other than a restrictive surgery.

[Minnesotabrant 0]

Thanks for the tips. I was told that I wouldn't get hungy. This sounds more accurate a presentation. I called and like a week later I am going to a dietician so pretty much I am getting surgury 6 months later

[dream_small 15]

I had the band placed 4 yes ago, I got a puncture in my tubing and my port displaced within 6 mths. They didn't know I had a puncture and just scheduled surgery to re-place the port two additional times before figuring out I had a puncture, fibrin grew inside my tubing and wrapped around my tubing and my port came loose within 2 weeks of repositioning it during surgery. I am scheduled to revise to the sleeve tomorrow! I have been dealing with this band for 4 long years with almost zero results because of the band not me. My sister had the band and lost almost 100lbs and then after having babies her port became detached and the band has slipped from vomiting. My friend has the band and lost about 60lbs with it and is maintaining for at least 2-3 yrs now. But she vomits or "slimes" after every meal she has (which might be related to the types of food she eats, or the band being too tight or other issues). My dr tried to talk me out of the band but I insisted and it was a terrible decision because this will be my 4th surgery in 4 yrs. And from what I have seen most people will have to have additional surgeries at some point with the band. It is a foreign object in your body and without any problems with it, it will still need to be replaced eventually. This is just my experience and I understand there are a lot of people with success with it.

[dream_small 15]

I'll also add that after my friend lost 60# she still weighs close to 300#

[Minnesotabrant 0]

The Park Nicollet bariatric cehter at Methodist hospital in Saint Louis Park is a waste of time don't go there. Why do I say this? Well I was asked to come in early to go over my insurance to make sure is was still paying, (well she never showed up and they had me waiting around for her while my appointments were starting so I don't know if I have to pay for this or not.) Well there was the psychiatric exam where the psychologist actually told me I smoked after I told her I quit in 1995. Then she glared at me like I was lying. What else is wrong with this program you say? Then, there was the nurse (all the time I went to the dietitian they told me that weight loss was not a criteria but now it is). The main thing I remember from her is when I asked if you need to use the word diet she shouted "never use the word diet." What a waste of time. Then came a guy named Bobby and the first thing that comes out of his mouth bariatric surgery is a serious and you haven't tried dieting enough in your life so we will meet as a team and decide that your either will be considered not a suitable candidate or will be put on a weight management plan and have the surgery delayed. At that point I said it sounds like you are asking me to play some kind of game here and his eye lit up because he got me. So what else. Yeah, Bobby called and told me that I was not a candidate for surgery because of instances of some psychological disorder that I have never been diagnosed with plus I was rude to him as well during the intereview. When I asked for example of the instances of the psychological disorder he was referring didn't have any because he was just spewing out horseshit at this point. What else. I asked about weight management and he said I could go to that. He said he had many people who were successful on weight management. When I asked the numbers he didn't have them. What else? I thanked him for wasting my time and left. what else? If I do get a bill from these people I am going to look at suing them. Thats about it

What do you think, is weight management a waste of time or not? I could try a different center for that?

Edited December 18, 2015 by Minnesotabrant

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I am not sure I am completely following. Forget about the personalities at that clinic...

• Most people have made multiple dieting attempts before considering weight loss surgery. I think weight management programs are an excellent option to consider if you are lower BMI/don't have alot of comorbidities and maybe haven't been obese too long. i personally was rejected from one of those programs presleeve because i had nearly a lifetime of obesity and they told me I wasn't likely to be successful due to the disease process of obesity being so advanced. Best thing that ever happened to me as it really forced my hand...
• I was a little surprised that they are still saying 60G of Protein.. That was the recommendation years ago, but most Centers of Excellence are recommending a higher minimum Protein to help minimize muscle loss etc.
• Gastric Bypass is still considered the "gold standard" and is a good procedure. If you have diabetes or GERD (acid reflux) it might be the best procedure
• The sleeve is newer and less "proven" but I am 4 years post op and still maintaining a massive weight loss; so are lots of others
• There are people who are very successful with the lapband, including the owner of this site - but the statistics say it is less successful overall. I had a lapband for 10 years pre sleeve, so my perspective is that it is harder to get the band "just right" That doesn't mean that you are guaranteed success with any procedure.
• In general, WLS is the tool to enable you to lose weight, but become less important over time, maintenance is more up to you
• It is a complete FIB to say that sleevers are never hungry. In my case i went from 24/7 raging hunger to a fairly normal (like normal people experience) degree of hungery. I was pretty hunger free the first say 6 months or so post op
• In terms of picking a medical practice... sleeve was not my first weight loss surgery and what i learned is I really wanted/needed to be part of a bariatric practice where i felt supported, comfortable... and this sounds weird... where they believed in me. I switched practices after the process started because I didn't like the nutritionalist, didn't feel supported at the first one even though I believe as a surgeon, he was great.

Good luck what every you decide, but take your time, learn, research, form your own opinions.. listen to the doctors but ultimately you are the one that will live with this decision forever.

[Minnesotabrant 0]

Cowgirl. Thanks for the super nice response. I haven't really tried to diet but have lost considerable weight in the pass due to occasional loss of appetite as well as being so active that I really didn't have much time to eat. I do feel that I might look into it later this year at a bigger place. This place was punishing and I didn't even get to talk to a doctor. these were some kind of nurses and a psychologist making these decisions.

[Bigguy9347 16]

It sounds like the clinic that you went to were crack heads. I have been to several weight loss seminars and they absolutely do up-sale it. Even the Surgeon that I chose Sold it. Sold it so well even my wife wanted to get Bariatric surgery after the seminar was over she was ready to sign up. She 's not that big. they told her to gain about 45 lbs and come back. Crazy! Anyways If you have a BMI of above 40 or a bit lower with an ailment like diabetes or heart condition you are eligible . And unless you went in the psych's office and was talking like you could get the surgery and eat whatever and lose weight and not try and you didn't care about the risks involved. Then you should have been put through. It sounds more like someone had some sort of vendetta against you. Find another clinic with a fellowship trained surgeon. They are Considered the best of the best! Wish you luck my friend !!!

[Minnesotabrant 0]

My BMI is 44 apparently and I have diebetes. The interviews were repetitive intrusive and they glared at me and continued when I asked why they were asking the same questions over and over again. It might funding issue or maybe they have made some mistakes they are not talking about and are being extra careful. At any rate the place was not organized and for sure I wouldn't want these people near me.