Gastric Bypass

[pauline55]

Has anybody ever thought about having gastric bypass or gastric sleeve done? I have tried everything different types of diets but no success.

Pauline x

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello pauline55 and welcome to the Weight Loss Forum

There are some members who have had this done, some with success and some without. I do know that before they will consider the surgery you need to follow a very strict, very low calorie diet to prepare your body for the surgery. The majority of our members lose weight in a slow and sustainable way by counting calories, but not reducing so low that it's impossible to stick to long term. Have a look at the suggestions below and please ask if you have any questions.

Here are a few suggestions on how to get the most out of the forum. Please note if you are using the new HU App many of these features are not available so I suggest you use the full website version.

The first place to look is at the Pinned posts section to the right of your screen (bottom if you're using a mobile), read the Welcome Newbie thread first and move through to the challenges, where we hope you'll find at least one that will appeal to you. Move down to the Topics, to find a variety of threads, collated into specific topics for ease of access and we ask that you also 'file' your own threads, so that others won't miss your important news

Have a look at the NHS 12 week plan, as many people have had success with it. Also use the BMI checker to find your target calories, it's important to eat enough. This was a major turning point for me, realising I could eat anything I wanted as long as the calories are accounted for. Don't forget to take your starting measurements and a 'before' picture, as they can be very motivating on days that the scales refuse to co-operate

The forum also have group weigh-ins every day, as well as a new Daily Diary, if you wish to take part. The posts can always be found in the Events section on the 'home' page. And if you just want to chat, to say hello or share any news or struggles then look out for What's Happening Today thread.

You'll notice a grey box next to people's names, these are achievement badges, and as a new member you have a 'Newbie' badge. We've found that to get the best out of this community, we need to be active on the forum, as it's where we exchange information, get motivation and inspiration and make friends. We hope that you'll join us here, regularly, too. If you have any questions please just ask

Best wishes

Anna

[pauline55 in reply to IndigoBlue61]

Thanks for your reply Anna x

[IndigoBlue61 in reply to pauline55]

Good luck! 😀

[Hidden]

Hi and welcome

Wishing you all the best what ever you chose to do - I am doing the NHS 12 week plan

[pauline55 in reply to Hidden]

Hi cracker10 thanks for your reply. I am just toying with the idea at the moment. I am 58 years old and have been trying to lose weight fir the best part of 30 odd years! I have tried WW, SW, calorie counting, the 12 week plan on here, low carb, low fat you name it I've probably done it. I feel so depressed with my weight and health that i think desperate measures are needed but I don't really want yo go under the knife!

[Hidden in reply to pauline55]

Why not have a look at the Daily Diaries and see what others are eating to get some ideas

Have you recently done the BMI calculator? Making sure you are actually eating enough to lose weight? I noticed that 2 years ago you posted saying by the end of the first week calorie counting you were still hungry, I am just wondering if you were eating too little

Wishing you all the best with what you decide to do Can understand not wanting to go under the knife I wouldn't want to either - but you have to do what is right for you - please if you go down this route that you discuss it fully with your GP first and get the support you require in place

[Hidden in reply to pauline55]

Hi pauline55,

You story so mirrors mine. I joined the forum in May, started the NHS 12 week plan in June and have lost 9lbs in 3 weeks. I have 6 stone to lose. I am 60 and have tried all clubs you mention over the same time period with limited results. I have learned to be disciplined over the last few weeks and with that you will succeed. There's loads of help and support on here to motivate you so please give it a go. Good luck.

Kx

[DiZia]

Yes. I'm a morbidly obese 19 year old. I'm currently 21.2½st (about 297lbs).

I've thought about it, but I'm going to try dieting first. My reasons?

- Bariatric surgery causes rapid weight loss. This doesn't allow the skin time to retract as you lose weight. This results in extreme excess skin. I've accepted that at my size, it's guaranteed that I'll have some excess skin. By certainly not as much as if I have weight loss surgery. And I do not have the money to get any skin removed.

- With gastric bypass surgery, they reduce your stomach size dramatically. I've been watching a lot of YouTube videos on people that have had it done. Some say they can barely take a couple bites of certain foods without feeling sick. It causes many to throw up the food.

- There may also be some unpleasant side effects, like hair loss, as I already mentioned, excessive excess skin, deficiencies which have to be supplemented, pain, increased risk of alcoholism, etc.

- You have to really prepare mentally for it. To adapt to having your stomach shrunken so drastically. Losing weight without the surgery buys me time to slowly improve upon my mind set concerning food. And for those with an emotional dependency on food, the stark change can be distressing.

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Okay, I'll list some positives of the surgery...

- The weight comes off way quicker. It's really emotionally draining following YouTubers who've had their band/bypass/staple done after I started my diet, yet have lost three times the weight that I've managed to lose.

It must be amazing to step on the scales each day to see that you've lost another 2lbs. I'm so jealous!

- There's a higher success rate of long-term weight loss. Without the surgery, it ranges from 20-50% depending on the study (credible studies, not the silly tabloid "5% success rate" ones), but with the bariatric surgery, it's said to be about a 60-70% long-term weight loss success rate.

But, I've learned that if you eat enough calories at the start of your diet, you will not need to worry about weight regain as much as those that calorie restricted too much at the beginning of their weight loss. Because your metabolism would be normal. That's why they tell you on here to follow the calorie recommendation of the BMI calculator.

- If you have a food addiction/dependency, you're physically incapable of overeating. That's the biggest reason why most get it. People who have tried dieting for years without success, and use surgery as their last resort. It's also good for those who're too overweight to exercise, or those that have physical difficulties exercising.

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[EllaMidlands in reply to DiZia]

A really thorough list of pros and cons. For me I have been happy to finally lose weight myself and like the rewards it brings. I don't think surgery is an easy option though, certainly the pain factor and risk of infection puts me right off.

[Ceals in reply to DiZia]

Brilliant post DiZia really well researched information to support another forum member.

[pauline55]

Thank you everyone for your replies for which i am very grateful for. I have done a lot of research on it i.e. Excess skin and very little to eat and i must admit that i hate the sound of that but the fact that you won't need diabetes medication and blood pressure, cholesterol and all the other things that accompany diabetes sounds good but then you are just replacing these with multivitamins and protein shakes which will be just as bad as taking the other stuff. At the moment i take at least 9 different medications each day which depresses me.

I do hate the thought of my diet being extremely restricted and not being able to eat like a normal person. I am going to see my doctor in a couple of weeks to ask about bypass and discuss it with him but i think i know what I am going to do and that is to keep trying to lose weight naturally. I don't even want to be skinny i just want to be a size 14-16 so i can buy clothes off the peg which you cant do when you are size 24-26!

I will have another look at the 12 week programme and see if i can do it.

I'm sorry for going on and Thanks for listening to my waffle.

Pauline x

[kalahuchi]

Hi Pauline,

I remember having exactly this conversation with a very dear friend of mine several years ago who was also contemplating surgery. I told her of my very real concerns about the risk of surgery and pleaded with her to try just once more to lose the weight herself. Do you know what she did? Made up her own version of 16:8 fasting (no-one had heard of it at the time!) and went on to lose several stone - around six or seven I think - and has since emigrated to set up her own business in Latin America! - and yes, she's kept the weight off.

I, however, stayed big for many more years until last year I came across this community. The rest is history, as they say, but I've never, ever maintained my weight this long before so it might be time for me to throw away the yo-yo too.

Pauline, there's no magic wand and surgery certainly isn't an easy option but believe in yourself. Just because it hasn't worked for you before doesn't mean you can't do it this time. My lovely Grandmother used to say "try, try and try again" and she was right!

We're all here for you and I know you can do this if you give it everything you've got. Make getting and keeping the weight off the most important thing in your world - practice saying "no-thank-you" over and over again and plan ahead for every bit of temptation that's going to be put in front of you. This is your moment; just believe in yourself and you can do this.

Whatever you decide, we're all here to support you x

[pauline55 in reply to kalahuchi]

Thank you kalahuchi for your very kind words. I know that surgery isn't the easy way out. I think i am going to look at my diet again and try doing the 12 week programme again which will be the third time i have tried it.

Pauline x

[kalahuchi in reply to pauline55]

Dear Pauline,

I'm glad. I think the most difficult thing is to let go of our old ways and accept that we need to turn over a new leaf and learn totally new habits. For me I had to take things slowly over several weeks as I couldn't face making too many drastic changes all at once and I truly struggled with reducing my portion sizes and I also had to totally give up added sugar because I was pretty addicted to the stuff but after a few weeks I didn't miss it at all. It's one of the best things I ever did.

All I knew was things couldn't go on as they were as I was so unhealthy with high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney disease looming and I couldn't walk far; it even hurt my back to turn over in bed sometimes. This time last year I could get clothes to fit me and had to go to specialist shops and all of the clothes I liked didn't suit me; I felt pretty desperate.

I've learned many things this year but there isn't a plate of food in the world that could compare with the feeling I get when I walk into a dress shop now and can pick just about anything! I was a size 24 this time last year and now get into a size 12 and I know how important that is to you too. It's totally unbelievable and I'm not saying this to show off, but to help you to believe that you can have this too and it's worth saying no to every cream cake for ever-more to have my life back.

Hang on in there and it's worth all of the effort.

Good luck and I hope you'll keep posting - the support of the wonderful people on this forum is amazing and certainly got me through some very sticky moments x

[matets in reply to kalahuchi]

Awesome encouragement kalahuchi ! Thanks for sharing

[kalahuchi in reply to matets]

You're welcome matets and good luck with your own weight loss journey x

[Dipper]

Kalahuchi thank you for sharing, you are an inspiration. I have lost two and a half stone since January and have got at least another four stone to lose which takes me down to 12 stone. I will be happy being a 14-16 or at least at the moment I think I will be. It's reading stories like yours that keeps me motivated. x

[kalahuchi in reply to Dipper]

Hi Dipper,

congratulations on your fantastic achievement. With each stone I lost I used to think "can I keep this lifestyle going for life" and if the answer was yes, then I'd go on to the next. Right now I've got to the stage where although I'm fine at the moment, if I cut back any more on food or added in any more exercise then I'm not sure it's sustainable for me so I'm happy to stick where I am. You've come so far already, just keep up the good work and you'll be down to 12 stone in the blink of an eye x

[HubbysMissMouse]

Hi pauline55 just to let you know that when I first joined I wasn't losing weight on any diet I ever did in the past or this one at the time when I mentioned this and how many calories I was having in a day. I was then told that I wasn't eating enough calories and I should check how many I should have on the NHS bmi calculator and this tells you how many calories personally you should have in a day. If you don't eat somewhere between the two amounts it gives you your body thinks you are starving it and turns what you do eat into body fat and this weighs more than eating the extra calories does so it stops you from losing weight and sometimes puts weight on instead. Now I have done this I have managed to lose 2st and feel much happier. Please ensure you are not also making this mistake as it has helped many others on here as well. Good luck with your journey.

[pauline55 in reply to HubbysMissMouse]

Thanks HubbysMissMouse i will certainly try and eat enough calories so i can lose the weight.

Pauline x

[Liz32]

If you are having any doubts then I would not go ahead, I had a bypass done in April 2017 and my life has totally changed, you can't imagine the mental impact this surgery has on your life, eating and drinking is a social thing that you are no longer a part of, the weight loss is great but you pay for it and this is not an easy option.

[pauline55 in reply to Liz32]

Thanks for your reply Liz but i think i have already decided against it. There seems to be far too many complications for me like gall bladder issues, strictures and malasorption. I will try to lose some weight by following a healthy diet, try to cut down on sugar and portion control.

[Hidden in reply to pauline55]

That's good to know. I knew a young girl who had it and she was very thin but had permanently lost all her hair so she had to wear wigs. She was very malnourished and unhealthy. You can do it on your own.

[pauline55 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Mel I'm sure if i put my mind to it and stop messing around i will do it. I need to lose about 8 stone altogether but I'm not lol king that far ahead I'll do it stone by stone till i reach my goal.

[Hidden in reply to pauline55]

Did you measure? I just did today for my restart. My weight has been the same since July 5 so I'm on a mission. No alcohol or junk food for me!

[Liz32 in reply to pauline55]

That's the best option by far as this is unbelievable and I went to every single meeting pre op but never once were these issues mentioned! Your emotions are all over the place as it's so life changing and I am fed up with all the vomiting also can't touch sugar as you sweat and feel faint and totally ill also the hot weather is hard as you can't have a decent drink of anything and sips don't do it when the sun is out, so sugar free popsicles saved my life there good job my teeth don't mind. Good luck just take it slow and also try walks to stop the boredom munchies x

[pauline55]

No im always frightened to measure as i wont like the the m asurements lol! I will though and thanks x