360+ pounds?!? help!

[bugsy72 117]

I had the bypass on Dec. 1. Started at 302, now at 264 (including pre surgery diet loss). I choose RNY because I was diabetic, and had a lot of weight to lose, and i was hoping I would have dumping (and I do) because I was a sugar junkie, and i needed a tool to help me stay away from it! It made me feel more confident, knowing it was the "gold standard" in bariatric surgery. My surgeon trained under the doctor who invented this surgery (Dr Mason, I believe), so that made me feel confident in his abilities, as well. I am thankful for the malabsportion because it also helps me lose weight and will help maintaining my loss. I will take Vitamins etc the rest of my life. I realize that.

good luck...only you can make the decision!

[Sajijoma 1,324]

I was 386 on surgery day. I will be 2 months on Jan 9th and have lost 43lbs so far...that included a 3 wk stall with no weightloss at all. I'm back to losing about 1lb a day sometimes more, sometimes less. To be where I am right now, was nothing but a fantasy this time last year. I had rny and I absolutely do not regret it. My pouch is a bit picky about what it wants(which is very little), but I'm figuring it out and the fear of dumping (which I've not experienced yet) keeps me honest. I was a big time sugar addict pre surgery so I needed rny. The sleeve is fine if your problem is just quantity, but if it's about sugar and fatty foods, rny really is better.

[Terri Lynn1383837796 139]

I weighed 352 the day of surgery. I weigh 217 now. I could probably lose more, but honestly I an skin and bone on shoulder and collar bone area. I have alot of skin in butt, leg and stomach area....so I think I look out of balance now. I had the sleeve 10/21/13. I have been this weight about 10 months. Best wishes to you on which ever you decide!!

[Pinkgirl1234 761]

I will toss my hat in this ring. The concern I have with the sleeve, it is a fairly new option. Remember everyone jumping up and down and touting the band as the greatest thing ever. In 2014 there were more band > bypass revisions than band installations. Why? Long term data. The Bypass has been around since the 1960's! It has gone through so many revisions it is hard to keep track of them all. This is why the complication rate is so low. It is one of the most well understood procedures you can have. The sleeve, while very easy surgically (comparatively) lacks 10 year studies. It also lacks head to head studies at 5 and 10 years against the bypass. If I were going to wait 10 years, I would look at the studies and make up my mind then. However, after the debacle that was the band, I went with "The Golden Standard" the Bypass. And I do not regret it for even a moment. Surgery October 5th, weight in before surgery 295.9, weight this morning 234.4, 61.4 pounds in 9 weeks? I'll take it. And I feel great. But, to each his own. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do!

"You said it best"!!!

[SkinnyDown 409]

I had gastric bypass surgery exactly 7 months and 1 day ago. I started out at 345 lbs. I have lost 123 lbs so far. 72lbs to goal. That seems nothing in comparison to what I have done already. The major key to my success has been that I did on my own, extensive therapy work on food addiction issues. Without that, I would have failed already. I know me.

I'm off all my diabetes meds, and off all insulins. I am no longer considered diabetic.

I was taken off my cholesterol meds, and passed the 3 month mark, with flying colors, no need to resume those!

I was even taken off one of my heart meds because my blood pressure is completely normal now.

I think you have to make the choice that is best for you, and what is best for you depends on what you are dealing with before the surgery I needed to lose 195 lbs, and have severe GERD, so the clear choice for me was bypass, as you lose more on it, and sleeve can cause or make worse, GERD, my surgeon said. In fact had I not had complications he wanted to do a "Low limb" bypass, he couldn't however, as I had some pretty serious complications, during the surgery. But that would have had me losing even more, faster. I'm absolutely excited with my progress. Considering I have had nearly no ability to exercise, other than core strengthening since surgery, due to a badly infected toe I have been dealing with from a botched podiatrist treatment in July. I wonder how much more I could lose if I could walk daily! I'm getting better though, so watch out! Soon as I can get back on that treadmill things are going to change more!

I have absolutely no hunger still, I won't lie, I still have a struggle getting in my daily Protein and for sure my calories! But I do my best, and I get in my fluids. I don't have head hunger issues, as I have done so much work on that, and continue to, I do however keep finding myself wanting to go back to smoking, which I have quit almost 2 years ago. So watch out for those transfer addictions.. I can see how easily that could happen now!

Research, and see what is best for you. Ask your surgeon what is best for you, and take all your pre-existing conditions into account. The right answer will come.

As for those who say dumping happens to all bypass patients. That is not true. I haven't had that happen in 7 months. I also put nothing in my body that would cause that. Mal-absorption is also what helps us to lose, I still write down everything I eat and drink , and follow my program very closely. You get out of it what you put into it, I think.

Good luck with you! I know you'll figure it out. I think we all went through this. The answer will come!

You are a rock star!

Wow!

You've worked so hard at all angles and very single issue! Anyrhing that has come at you - you fought back and conquered! You are a true true inspiration and let us all learn a little something extra from you!

You should take a very proud bow my friend, for you are what we all try to be or achieve or become!

Just wow!

Also, good read and information you provided. All good points.

I am 3.5 months post op and have never dumped. I haven't put anything in my body to even have that chance of that happening. I'm no saying that I never will because I am human and I'm sure I will sometime down the road.

Thank you so much, for your kind words! I appreciate it. I'm sorry it took so long to respond to your post. I don't come here too often anymore. I just wanted to thank you, and wish you well on your journey. You're going to be great! I can tell by your attitude!

[swinglifeaway 64]

I will likely be around there. I'm 380 now and still have the 6 month supervised diet to go. I'm assuming I'll lose at least 20 pounds during this time.

[gowalking 10,790]

The lapband should be outlawed!

This was a good thread till I saw this. For heaven's sake, stop bashing surgeries that did not work for you. I understand you had issues with the band, but lots of others including myself have done well with it and are happy. Your initial post about why you are revising is fine. It's your story and you have every right to speak to it. But this post is unnecessary.

[Pinkgirl1234 761]

The lapband should be outlawed!

This was a good thread till I saw this. For heaven's sake, stop bashing surgeries that did not work for you. I understand you had issues with the band, but lots of others including myself have done well with it and are happy. Your initial post about why you are revising is fine. It's your story and you have every right to speak to it. But this post is unnecessary.

Honey you are new to the game.I just had a 5 hour revision surgery because My esophagus band stomach ....major organs are messed up from years of having that lapband!I am speaking from experience!I am not new to the rodeo of WLS!I have had the band since 2004.I will say what I please.

[gowalking 10,790]

The lapband should be outlawed!

This was a good thread till I saw this. For heaven's sake, stop bashing surgeries that did not work for you. I understand you had issues with the band, but lots of others including myself have done well with it and are happy. Your initial post about why you are revising is fine. It's your story and you have every right to speak to it. But this post is unnecessary.

Honey you are new to the game.I just had a 5 hour revision surgery because My esophagus band stomach ....major organs are messed up from years of having that lapband!I am speaking from experience!I am not new to the rodeo of WLS!I have had the band since 2004.I will say what I please.

With all due respect, you're missing the point of my issue with your statement. I'm very sorry you have had obviously serious issues with the band and your story is not to be dismissed. It's the blanket statement you made that I have issues with. There are plenty of long time bandsters who are just fine. Alex Brecher, the founder of this site, is one of the first people who comes to mind.

[winklie 518]

@@gowalking

The lapband should be outlawed!

This was a good thread till I saw this. For heaven's sake, stop bashing surgeries that did not work for you. I understand you had issues with the band, but lots of others including myself have done well with it and are happy. Your initial post about why you are revising is fine. It's your story and you have every right to speak to it. But this post is unnecessary.

Honey you are new to the game.I just had a 5 hour revision surgery because My esophagus band stomach ....major organs are messed up from years of having that lapband!I am speaking from experience!I am not new to the rodeo of WLS!I have had the band since 2004.I will say what I please.

With all due respect, you're missing the point of my issue with your statement. I'm very sorry you have had obviously serious issues with the band and your story is not to be dismissed. It's the blanket statement you made that I have issues with. There are plenty of long time bandsters who are just fine. Alex Brecher, the founder of this site, is one of the first people who comes to mind.

Again I will toss my hat into the ring. My best friend of 30 years, was banded about 5 years ago. He was all motivated and did everything right and initially lost some weight. He went from being 5' 8" and 280 or so, to today's weight of about 230ish, he fluctuates between 225 and 235. He did a tour in Afghanistan as a civilian two years ago, and lost a great deal of weight (Not a whole lot to do at Bagram). He came back and had a 1.5cc fill done that was just a bit too tight, but with his weight loss, the doctor assumed he would continue to lose weight and would grow into the fill. WRONG. He could no longer eat hard foods and as such sort of went on to soft calories. He endured this for about a year, and went in a couple months ago and they took out .5cc. Again he began to lose weight, but because there is no ill effect for him if he eats a snickers bar, he does. He walks 20K steps a day, including a 1 hours run every morning, but takes in so many calories he's hovering.

He asked his doctor about a revision, and was sort of upset that the band was not really doing much for him any longer. His doctor said that, he would be considered a success as he's lost and maintained 50+ pounds for several years. However the doctor said that the band is really being scaled back to a very particular group of people. Folks who do not have a great deal of weight to lose, and other very specific populations.

So in the end, is the band evil? No. The long term results are not what was expected, but if we go back in time, neither were the first bypass patients. A great many who died, as doctors spent about 10 years working out the right length for the Roux limb, they tried everything from as little as 25cm to the standard today of 150cm. A great number of those people with 25cm or 50cm Roux limbs are either dead, revised, or having a terrible time trying not to starve to death.

The Band was new, novel and pretty simple. In addition, Doctors saw a long stream of visits for fills, adding revenue. Best of all, it is removable with (not always, ulcers are a real problem) little side effects. So the big push was really a well calculated experiment. It works in some people, and not others. Those, like my friend who never dealt with food addiction, perform poorly compared to those who deal with this aspect.

Alex had the right motivation and mindset, and after having written so many books and being involved with this website, he is sort of forced to maintain his weight. If he had a big regain, it would have the effect that Dr Atkins dying had on the whole Low Carb thing. I do not think the band will go away completely, and I am sure that the makers are working on new revisions to stay profitable and in business. Much like the bypass did.

This gets back to my post here about the sleeve. Much like the band 10 years ago, there are no long term, peer reviewed head to head studies comparing the sleeve to the bypass. It has not undergone that revision phase that is so essential. Perhaps in 5 years the sleeve will be done a little differently, perhaps it will incorporate some bypass features into it. There is no telling. For ME it's too new a procedure, and I have GERD so it was a non starter. I hope that anyone having it has nothing but success, as I do with anyone having any procedure. But a quick look back at medicine shows that many times things that were seen as good turned out in the long run to have completely unintended side effects, anyone remember Thalidomide? Medicine is science, and science takes time to perfect.