Those of you 7+ years out….

[Lilygirl]

Hello! My name is Rebecca and I am looking into getting the gastric bypass surgery as soon as my insurance will allow me to. My question is for those of you that had WLS seven years ago or more: how do you feel about having had the surgery now? What do you wish you would have done differently, if anything? How well are you keeping the weight off? Any other information that you want to share would be appreciated! Thank you.

 

[Kcuster83]

All good questions that I would like to hear answers to. I am at the end of my process for insurance approval, just waiting on my pre- surgery apt next week. Some days I think, are you sure you want to do this. Usually after reading too many horror stories. Other days, I am wishing that day was my surgery and I am so ready to get this going! I actually know 5 people who had WLS and only 1 of them kept the weight off for about 15 years now. Another 1 had a revisions from sleeve to bypass and still didn't achieve her goals. Other peoples lack of loss or regain create self doubt for me but I talk myself down from it. The things is 80% of the time I already eat very healthy I just eat way too much, so I think I can do this just fine with the eating restriction. WE GOT THIS! We WILL do this!

 

[Lilygirl]

All good questions that I would like to hear answers to. I am at the end of my process for insurance approval, just waiting on my pre- surgery apt next week. Some days I think, are you sure you want to do this. Usually after reading too many horror stories. Other days, I am wishing that day was my surgery and I am so ready to get this going! I actually know 5 people who had WLS and only 1 of them kept the weight off for about 15 years now. Another 1 had a revisions from sleeve to bypass and still didn't achieve her goals. Other peoples lack of loss or regain create self doubt for me but I talk myself down from it. The things is 80% of the time I already eat very healthy I just eat way too much, so I think I can do this just fine with the eating restriction. WE GOT THIS! We WILL do this!

I should if you know what type of surgeries did they have and if they didn’t reach their goals the 4/5, did they at least get healthier?

 

[Kcuster83]

3 had Bypass: 1 successfull 15+ yrs out, 1 lost about 100lbs but gained back about 70 within 2 years of surgery, 1 Iost about 150 but gained back about half of it but has maintained that weight for about 10 yrs now.
1 sleeve: Only about 1.5 yrs out and has lost over 200lbs but last time I saw her said she was going in the wrong direction.
1 had sleeve: lost a bunch but got pregnant and and gained everything back and never lost it so she had a revisions to Bypass and after about a year has only lost 30 lbs

What I can say for a fact, is that all 3 that have had a large regain or no success at all I see on a daily basis. They have all slipped back into unhealthy eating habits that got us here in the first place. I say this because, at first it had me doubting my decision and then I paid attention and realized why they were "failing or struggling". I actually tend to eat pretty healthy, and pretty balanced. My issue is eating too much of even the healthy stuff so I truly think that with the restrictions of the small pouch from bypass I will be successful. I am so beyond dedicated to this and after loosing 170lbs myself and gaining it back I am really looking forward to using this tool to better myself FOR GOOD and stopping all of the back and forth!

 

[eladams2015]

I had to actually do the math and figure out that I DID actually start this journey over 7 years ago. I had a lapband in 2013 - my error there was that I went for "value" over checking the group out. After a year of getting fills at EVERY follow up, I had erosion and a flipped port that led me to seeking a different doctor. I converted to sleeve, but was unaware of how significant the complication of GERD is with VSG in general, but amplified when it is a conversion.. that was in 2015. I ultimately converted to RNY in 2019 - I was not obese at all at that point, and my doc did a shorter bypass so that I did not lose too much weight. I would ABSOLUTELY do it again... only thing I would change is that I would have done the bypass from the start. I just had my skin removal in December. Before WLS journey began, I was miserable - 308 was the highest weight I recorded and I was very snug in my size 24 - and refused to buy bigger. As of right now, my size 4 jeans are loose in the waist - I need to get different cut of jeans due to my plastic surgery, but I need a belt to keep these 4's from sliding down.

This has not been an easy journey - but neither was being obese! I am healthy now... there are some hard days, but most days are not.

 

[Kcuster83]

C

I had to actually do the math and figure out that I DID actually start this journey over 7 years ago. I had a lapband in 2013 - my error there was that I went for "value" over checking the group out. After a year of getting fills at EVERY follow up, I had erosion and a flipped port that led me to seeking a different doctor. I converted to sleeve, but was unaware of how significant the complication of GERD is with VSG in general, but amplified when it is a conversion.. that was in 2015. I ultimately converted to RNY in 2019 - I was not obese at all at that point, and my doc did a shorter bypass so that I did not lose too much weight. I would ABSOLUTELY do it again... only thing I would change is that I would have done the bypass from the start. I just had my skin removal in December. Before WLS journey began, I was miserable - 308 was the highest weight I recorded and I was very snug in my size 24 - and refused to buy bigger. As of right now, my size 4 jeans are loose in the waist - I need to get different cut of jeans due to my plastic surgery, but I need a belt to keep these 4's from sliding down.

This has not been an easy journey - but neither was being obese! I am healthy now... there are some hard days, but most days are not.

Congratulations on your success! Sorry you had such a struggle to hit the "finish line".
I lost 170 lbs like 10 years ago and rewarded myself with plastics. It was the worse pain I have ever dealt with. I had my leg cut in half and rebuilt and didn't take one pain pill after being discharged and with the plastics I begged for more! You definitely don't realize how much use your abs until you have them cut apart! WHEW It was so bad. My biggest screw up was not waiting for a period between weight loss and plastics. I never allowed myself a "maintenance" period. to be able to adjust and understand how to maintain it. I just had to get the skin off, it was so much and nothing fit right. Now hear I am.. doing it all over again!

 

[Lilygirl]

3 had Bypass: 1 successfull 15+ yrs out, 1 lost about 100lbs but gained back about 70 within 2 years of surgery, 1 Iost about 150 but gained back about half of it but has maintained that weight for about 10 yrs now.
1 sleeve: Only about 1.5 yrs out and has lost over 200lbs but last time I saw her said she was going in the wrong direction.
1 had sleeve: lost a bunch but got pregnant and and gained everything back and never lost it so she had a revisions to Bypass and after about a year has only lost 30 lbs

What I can say for a fact, is that all 3 that have had a large regain or no success at all I see on a daily basis. They have all slipped back into unhealthy eating habits that got us here in the first place. I say this because, at first it had me doubting my decision and then I paid attention and realized why they were "failing or struggling". I actually tend to eat pretty healthy, and pretty balanced. My issue is eating too much of even the healthy stuff so I truly think that with the restrictions of the small pouch from bypass I will be successful. I am so beyond dedicated to this and after loosing 170lbs myself and gaining it back I am really looking forward to using this tool to better myself FOR GOOD and stopping all of the back and forth!

I am so grateful for this reply!!! Thank you.

 

[eladams2015]

C

Congratulations on your success! Sorry you had such a struggle to hit the "finish line".
I lost 170 lbs like 10 years ago and rewarded myself with plastics. It was the worse pain I have ever dealt with. I had my leg cut in half and rebuilt and didn't take one pain pill after being discharged and with the plastics I begged for more! You definitely don't realize how much use your abs until you have them cut apart! WHEW It was so bad. My biggest screw up was not waiting for a period between weight loss and plastics. I never allowed myself a "maintenance" period. to be able to adjust and understand how to maintain it. I just had to get the skin off, it was so much and nothing fit right. Now hear I am.. doing it all over again!

This recovery is definitely the most challenging. I had had c-sections in the past, and an abdominal hysterectomy, so at least I had some expectation for the abs being tough. I had five procedures at one time, and it has felt borderline too much at times, but I would not have wanted to split it into multiple surgical sessions.

 

[CHARI]

Hi, I am new to site. Had RY Gastric Bypass surgery May 2008. I had joined a support group in Prescott Valley AZ. In approx 5 or 6 months i lost 82 lbs. and then dropped another 25 a few years later. Now i have gained back the last 25 and another 15 with all the staying at home after Covid hit.
I am using Phentermine 37.5 mg appetite sup. med ( fyi: insurance does not usually cover this, but get a Goodrx card, and can find for about $9. or a Good rx Gold and pay half that) but I also looking for input on protein bars, and whey protein, as well as other food items. I am sure there has been some changes since i shopped for these products. I can't remember the protein bars that were rated as some of the best, but I can no longer eat hard items like big nut pieces or too crispy. I have tried some of the items Costco sells, but most are not what I am looking for. Does anyone remember what was great and popular in 2009? I am still taking the Bariatric Advantage vitamins daily. I am also trying to stay low carb and low sugar, and i can't eat artificial sweetners, I am allergic. What products do you like, please be specific with what you think is the best?