General advice on WLS

[uglyduck16]

Hi everyone!

I would really like to have a gastric bypass, because from what i have read it gives you the best results, it shrinks your tummy so makes you are full and you can then only eat small portion sizes.
I think my mum would be happier if i had a band, as it is a less-risky operation- but i want the one that gives me the best reults in the long run. I think having the op would really help me so so so much!She is also worried about the fact that i am only 21, and what diet will i be able to eat in the future? I know she wants what's best for me but I think the band might not be right as I'm not sure that my eating habits/problems would be solved by it. I read the band only does 30% of the work and that you have to do 70%. With the best will in the world I'm not sure that I CAN do 70%! But I understand that with the bypass you physically CAN'T eat much so problem solved (to some extent).
After the op, you have to follow a special diet of liquid food , is this right? When are you able to eat solids again? What sort of food can you then eat- is it normal sort of food?
Also long-term, would you be able to go out for a meal with friends/family and just have a starter??
Sorry to ask so many questions but I'm just trying to weigh things up in my mind.
Thank you for reading this,
x Lizzie

 

[charliegirl]

Hi Welcome to minis, I am having the bypass tomorrow I started out wanting the band but from what I read on here and discussed with the consultant and the surgeon decided the bypass would be better. Your surgeon will help you decide as it depends on your eating habits also. Read through as many posts for banding and bypass as you can and ask as many questions as you want it might give you a better view of things....xx

 

[Big an Bouncy]

Hi and welcome,I would not say a bypass will be job done as you put it,you still have to work at the reasons why you overeat,and you can stretch the little stomach you are left with to take more food,if you dont watch what you eat.Some people have put weight back on.Have a good talk with your mum and your wls doctor.Personally I think you are very young and should explore other avenues.Have you thought of gastric balloon? Stays in for 6 months then taken out,no major surgery, done in a short procedure. you lose weight and exersize,while training your stomach to be satisfied with smaller portions.Whichever road you take you have to show you are willing to change the way you deal with food.How much do you have to lose what is your bmi?Have you tried ww and sw?Reductil or Orlistat? Best of luck x

 

[actionfish]

Hello lizzie,

I'm Lucy and I had my gastric bypass surgery exactly one week ago now. I'll start by saying that it was something I did after much consideration, this is major surgery and it does mean that you feel pretty rotten afterwards.

I was given the option of a band or a bypass, but because of the effect the bypass has on your chances of contracting diabetes and because the band is less effective I went for the more major option.

There is plenty of work involved in a bypass, it's certainly not true to say that the band will do most of the work for me, presently I am in the liquid diet stage, which I will be on for four weeks. In this time I am to drink lots of semi-skimmed milk, plenty of water and supplement it with shake powders for their nutritional value. After this I am going to be on a pureed diet for a further three weeks, then a textured pureed diet and then it's a gradual climb up to solids.

But there is always going to be a risk that I will slip up and it is not impossible to gain weight back on, I am trying to get myself into thinking about the bypass as a tool not a fix. I am told that I may not be able to tolerate some of the old foods I used to love, too much sugar can cause something they call 'dumping syndrome' where the system can't cope and you feel dizzy and sick. Obviously I will still have to steer clear of fats and oils, and my stomach pouch will stretch, so the quantity of food I can take is likely to grow.

All in all I would say that it depends on how you feel about it, it's all about the later effects on my health which led me to bypass over band. Be aware of the risks of both surgeries and take advice from your surgeon, I don't know how much weight you need/want to lose, but it's also a factor.

I am still very much in recovery (obviously) and the road has been bumpy, so I am still waiting to see big results, but I don't regret it and think I feel more and more sure of that as the days progress.

Take care,

Lucy.

 

[Perissa]

Hi Lizzie,

I've just had a bypass because I knew that a band would not work for me as it is too easy to cheat.

It depends what you mean by liquid diet. I was only on liquid for a day and then moved onto pureed food. Basicly you can have almost anything as long as it is low fat/sugar. I can now physicly not eat more than 2 table spoons full of food at one go and then only eat very slowly. I'm not hungry and I'm not craving either.

All being well I should be moving onto solid food from 4 to 6 weeks in (I am only 8 days post bypass).

I have been told that eventually I should be able to eat anything and everything I used to BUT in MUCH smaller quantities. In a restaurant you should be able to either eat 2 starters or a starter and a desert. However everyone is different.

I hope the day comes when I can go into Macdonalds and have a burger and fries and be stuffed, instead of the 3 BigMac and fries I used to have and then still want more.

 

[tammy]

Hi everyone!

I would really like to have a gastric bypass, because from what i have read it gives you the best results, it shrinks your tummy so makes you are full and you can then only eat small portion sizes.
I think my mum would be happier if i had a band, as it is a less-risky operation- but i want the one that gives me the best reults in the long run. I think having the op would really help me so so so much!She is also worried about the fact that i am only 21, and what diet will i be able to eat in the future? I know she wants what's best for me but I think the band might not be right as I'm not sure that my eating habits/problems would be solved by it. I read the band only does 30% of the work and that you have to do 70%. With the best will in the world I'm not sure that I CAN do 70%! But I understand that with the bypass you physically CAN'T eat much so problem solved (to some extent).
After the op, you have to follow a special diet of liquid food , is this right? When are you able to eat solids again? What sort of food can you then eat- is it normal sort of food?
Also long-term, would you be able to go out for a meal with friends/family and just have a starter??
Sorry to ask so many questions but I'm just trying to weigh things up in my mind.
Thank you for reading this,
x Lizzie

Hi Lizzie ald welcome to minis. i had the bypass doen at the end of may and can honestly say it is the best thing i have ever done. not only has my weight come right down but my health has improved no end.

i can't eat alot at all really but have continued to enjoy going out socially and manage a starter usually or share some off others plates. i can also drink alcohol as long as i stick to vodka and slim line tonic. my social life has not been affected by the bypass.

i was on a liquid diet for 2 weeks followed by mush. i did struggle initially to eat harder foods especially meat, pasta, fish and bread but seem to manage small quantities of all now.

i have only had a couple of episodes of dumping and that has been when i have pushed myself and eaten too much.

on the whole no major problems for me and a life changing experience!

good luck with your decision. just do your research and make sure the decision you make is right for you. ask your surgeon lots of questions and they will support you in your decision. keep me posted xx

 

[lovebug]

I had the band and its the best thing i've ever done. You have to work with it but its not majorly hard just takes time to get the fills right and then its easier. Weightloss slightly slower than the bypass but the upside is u can eat normally ( just in small qtys ) but u have to make the right choices . No one can decide for u we can only tell u our life stories . Think carefully and do your research. If u read my threads u'll get an idea of what happens and how i'm doing now and i wish u luck in your choice of weightloss. One thing i will say is at a certain age in life depending on weight of course and how it affects your life i have not had a family yet and decided to have a band so when i do i can have my band de-filled eat normally, give normal nutrition to my baby and then have it filled again and lose whatever i put on. Not saying u can't have a baby with a bypass ( before i get lynched !!) it just was a choice i made for myself and the future i intend to have for myself and my family to be . xxxx

 

[uglyduck16]

Hiya Everyone

Thank you so much for all your replies

charliegirl- thank you for the welcome Good luck with your op today, i am thinking about you and hope it all goes OK

Big_an_Bouncy - thank you for the welcome
I did not say 'job done', i just said that the problem would be solved to some extent.
I realise i would still have to work on all the reasons why i eat- and i am hoping if i do have this operation done, my doc will refer to somewhere where i can get some help to look at all the pyscological (sp?!) stuff.
I have tried ww, sw, ll , cd , slimming tablets - you name it , i have got the t-shirt!
I am only looking at WLS because it is my only hope, i am 17 and half stone and my BMI is 43.8

Lucy- hello, thank you so much for telling me about your op. How long did the whole process take- i don't mean the operation itself, i mean untill you got to the stage of actually having your op?! It is good that you where given the option of the band aswell as the bypass.

Perissa- congratulations on having your surgery! How long did you have to wait? It is really reasuring to know that if i do have this op, i will eventually still be able to go out for a meal with my family/friends etc and still have a social life!! hehehe!! I know what you mean about being able to cheat- that is why i want the bypass and not the band.

Tammy- hiya, thank you for the welcome! Your post has also reasurred me about having a life after surgery. It is great to hear that you are doing so well. I have got health problems- i have got a condition called Hypermobility Syndrome/Ehlers Danlos Syndrome type 111 (HMS and EDS 111 for short!!) It is a connective tissue disorders, that effects all my joints, it is caused by lack of collegen. I also have reflux, palpitations and RSD/CRPS - all of these will be helped by weight loss. I get pain 24/7 from my condition which I know won't go away but there sill be less pressure on my joints etc. if I loose a lot of weight. Docs are always telling me to lose. I am researching WLS like mad and wieghing all the advice/info up. I am talking to family and friends more openly about my probs ane everyone is very supportive - EVEN my 89 year old Grandad who I thought would be horrified!!!!!

Lovebug - thank you for your reply and for raising the issue of pregnancy! I don't think I can have children anyway and have always wanted to adopt/foster. I will try and read your threads later on today.

This website is brilliant and thank you all again for your welcomes and support

Lizzie xxx

 

[Perissa]

Perissa- congratulations on having your surgery! How long did you have to wait? It is really reasuring to know that if i do have this op, i will eventually still be able to go out for a meal with my family/friends etc and still have a social life!! hehehe!! I know what you mean about being able to cheat- that is why i want the bypass and not the band.Lizzie xxx

I have been VERY lucky. From reading here some people fight to get funding while mine seems like a walk in the park. At the end of the day though I met all the the PCT criteria for my area.

I spoke to me GP in July, who wrote to Shaw Somers. He wrote back saying that he would see me but I had to secure funding first.

So my GP and I completed the form - he actually gave it to me and I completed and returned it. At the same time I wrote to my orthapedic consultant as I require extensive surgery to me knees but my weight prohibits it, asking him to approve my application. He wrote to the GP stating that he supported my application.

In September my funding was approved but I was referred to a different hospital. Met the consultant on the 2nd October and had surgery on the 30th October.

 

[Big an Bouncy]

Hi one of my children also has eds!