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Gastric Bypass 07/1999 kept off 144 pounds for 14 years

S

Staceyjo

Member
It's been a really long time since I've been online with a support group. I had my surgery done 15 years ago when I was in my early thirties. Since then I've had 2 more children and am now well into my forties. I'm not sure there is anyone out there that had the open roux-en-y. I can't say I know much about the newer surgeries. I would enjoy hearing about others experiences and sharing mine with those that are interested.
 
Welcome, I had the lap band a little over 3 months ago. They do most surgeries with a laposcope now days and mine was done that way. I am doing pretty well with it I've losted 48 pounds so far. I still have a ways to go but that's ok I'll get there in dew time.

Tell me about your self and your experience with your surgery. Has it been hard to keep it off all those years?
 
Staceyjo said:
It's been a really long time since I've been online with a support group. I had my surgery done 15 years ago when I was in my early thirties. Since then I've had 2 more children and am now well into my forties. I'm not sure there is anyone out there that had the open roux-en-y. I can't say I know much about the newer surgeries. I would enjoy hearing about others experiences and sharing mine with those that are interested.
Click to expand...

Hello Staceyjo:
Welcome happy to have you and congrats on loosing the weight and keep it off please let me know how hard have it been
to stay on point with your eating specially the food you like. I have my bypass (Roux-en-Y) about one and half month ago I lost 45 pounds so far I am not a spring chiken anymore but I will continue to follow my doctors oder and stay on track with my eating and my activity level thanks for sharing your success with the group.

Joygirl55;)
 
Hello Staceyjo:
Welcome happy to have you and congrats on loosing the weight and keep it off please let me know how hard have it been
to stay on point with your eating specially the food you like. I have my bypass (Roux-en-Y) about one and half month ago I lost 45 pounds so far I am not a spring chiken anymore but I will continue to follow my doctors oder and stay on track with my eating and my activity level thanks for sharing your success with the group.

Joygirl55;)
 
welcome and congrats

I love reading that someone has kept the weight off. It scares me on an almost daily bases that I will regain my weight.
 
Staceyjo said:
It's been a really long time since I've been online with a support group. I had my surgery done 15 years ago when I was in my early thirties. Since then I've had 2 more children and am now well into my forties. I'm not sure there is anyone out there that had the open roux-en-y. I can't say I know much about the newer surgeries. I would enjoy hearing about others experiences and sharing mine with those that are interested.
Click to expand...

Hi Stacey,

Congratulations; 14 years and still at goal.

You are a leader for sure.

This is a success story worth telling us all about.

We probably can learn more from you and your experiences.

Today, the surgery is laproscopic.

I had the Roux-en-y as you did. The main reason I went with the bypass is I became type 2 diabetic in 2007 or so.

I knew there were immediate benefits with the gastric bypass in controlling type 2 diabetes.

The sleeve produces the same result, but it does take a bit longer if I understand correctly.

I would love to hear from you and post your experiences; especially with maintaining your weight for 14 years!

Are you ever hungry now?

I know I do not feel hungry ever. I am eating since I must to fuel my body.

The whole idea of knowing when I am full is wonderful.

I hope I don't ever stretch my stomach and maintain the learned discipline of staying between 1200 to 1500 calories and gettingmy 80-90grams of protein. I still cannot consume a lot of veggies or fruit and I do love them both. So I need to supplement with Metamucil for bowel reasons.

Just a note to you to enjoy. I would guess you have had similar accomplishments.

Here are mine to date:

Medical/Physical Maladies that have been resolved to date

• Diabetes resolved – off all meds, avg reading 110
• BP normal again – I am still taking bystolic 5mg. Resting pulse is around 60 and BP near or below 120/80. Without the bystolic my resting pulse is still in the 60s. However, my BP goes up to the high 130s/high 80s.
• Sleep Apnea resolved – I am not snoring nor do I believe I am stopping breathing. I will confirm this later this year. The air pressure from the CPAP machine was making me very uncomfortable; lots of burping
• Legs no longer swollen
• Waist size has shrunk – Wearing size 44 pants comfortably and just made it into 42 pants.
• Feet are smaller – I was able to put a pair of dress shoes on that I haven’t been able to wear.
• I stay under 1200 calories a day. Most days around 1000 calories.
• I have a lot more energy
• I can dance, dance and dance
• I can walk up neighborhood hills aggressively without having to stop; no longer breathless.
• My incontinence due to my prostatectomy has been resolved.
• I am able to sleep in my bed again. I had been sleeping In an upright chair to be comfortable.
• Dramatically reduced backaches; almost completely gone.
• I can bend over and tie my shoes now!
• I can see my toes again 
• I can do dance steps again that I couldn’t do. The belly is gone!
• Now wearing size 42 slacks comfortably and looking forward to size 40 slacks. Just got into 40s but they are snug.
• Starting to sleep on my side again! This has happened in years!
• Intimacy much improved !!! 
• Fit in to a small diner booth !
• I can run up and down stairs several times without becoming breathless
• I squeeze out between two cars that were tightly parked together. A year ago I couldn’t get out of the car; I would be trapped.
• I squeezed into a size 38 pair of pants. They are tight but they closed! (6/1/2014)
• Sleeping on side is comfortable now. (6/1/2014)
• Sleeping flat on my back is doing fine too. No longer need to be propped up. (6/1/2014)



Best wishes,

Ralph
 
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your success! I am 8 months post vertical gastric sleeve. I didn't have any complications from surgery, and am on maintenance right now. I've been pretty afraid of the maintenance part but find I'm still not hungry and just eat because I'm supposed to. A lot of my favorite foods from the past don't taste so good anymore, but some things taste just fine. That is very confusing, but it is what it is.
My biggest problem right now is gaining back the 5 pounds I didn't want to lose. I have to weigh in once a month at the doctors office and eat calorie-dense high carb foods. That is so foreign to me! The dietician even suggested that I buy full fat milk, but I'm not going to do that. It took me too long to get to like skim milk.
 
Congratulations! That is awesome! I had my surgery in July 2001; open rouex-n-y. Unfortunately, my story is not a success story like yours. I've regained some of my weight; that's what brought me to this site. I'm trying to get back on track and am going to start with the 5 Day Pouch Test.
I'm trying to figure out how much protein and vitamins I need each day.
Like Ralph, I'd love to hear what you're doing because you're obviously doing it right!
Kimberly
 
This is the first time in a long time that I have reached out to a support group also. I had the same surgery as you in 2005 and am now 52. I sure have had ups and downs and am looking forward to see what others have been through in their journey.
 
Ralph and everyone,
I am new here and haven't introduced myself yet but I was reading through a couple of the groups. I am really interested in hearing what Staceyjo has to offer. I am scheduled for surgery in September and I am getting nrevous. Ralph, your story of what has improved touched on a number of the concerns I have about life after surgery, esepcially the diabetes, Hi BP and the swelling.
I look forward to getting to know all you guys in the coming weeks.
Pat Bumpass
 
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