Gastric Bypass anyone?

[MONX]

I havent been in the bear garden for a while so apologies if anyone has posted about this however i did a search and it didnt bring anything up.

 

I am now a the end of my tether, i am considering asking the doctor for a gastric bypass because my weight is now seriously affecting my life and I wondered if any of my fellow caggers had had this operation or considered it.

 

As with everthing I do, i have fully researched it and have balanced the risks against the probable gains and the side affects and I still feel it will be beneficial in light of my current situation.

 

I am stuck in a vicious circle, through years of abusing my body my joints are giving up one by one and can no longer excercise properly therefore despite eating healthier (living off 1300 calories per day) there is little weight loss as I am still not burning enough calories.

 

Anyone had it done or considered it?

 

Thanks

 

Monx

[sillygirl1]

You need to increase your calorie count to at least 1,600 to loose weight, otherwise your body starts 'eating' itself, research this angle instead, it is far more enlightrening. Eating healthy does not suit everybody and can bring about other illnesses, especially joint related ones due to the body getting too much acid into it from fruit and veg.... Google Catherine Collins and get some of her articles, she knows her subject (and is a very nice lady to boot... I used to work down the corridor from her office.).

[watchinginvestigation2011]

1300 calories as said is low akin to a strict diet and you need more. I am overweight at moment to tune of 17stone odd, but do notice when I eat more as in regular but healthy, rather than as in me not routine and only when hungry but less at the I put weight on as apposed to healthy more food, lose weight without effort.

 

Hope that makes sence my dribble there, but meant to say easier to lose weight eating regular safer amount of food over safe period.

 

Gosh I remember when I though a pot noodle was a large meal, after that I went the other way.

 

Just be careful, gastric operation, its a big step xx

[caro]

I've considered asking my doctor about it and done some research too. I came to the conclusion that it wasn't for me. I too struggle with exercise in part due to a problem with my feet at birth, and my joints are dreadful. Someone at work was having knee problems to the extent of considering knee replacement. She's lost 4 stone and got no problems with them now.

 

Ideally I'd like to swim regularly but the time it takes and the cost, not to mention embarassment puts me off.

 

I've recently started pilates classes and find this is a form of exercise I can cope with. It helps build muscles so I'm hoping that will give me more strength to be able to do more exercise which will help with weight loss. Pilates doesn't look like you're doing much, but believe me you can feel it, and at least I feel I've made a start.

[MONX]

Thanks for all your replies,

 

I think the 1300 calories was a number my doctor decided that being quite limited as to the excercise that I can do was the amount that would mean a weight loss however this is not the case.

 

I have been to the accident and emergency last week because I have either torn the ligaments in my right knee or I have worn a hole in the cartiledge in the knee socket - either way my weight is now causing further problems with excercise and being mobile, this will obviously only get worse and the weight is not coming off with the current eating plan.

 

My cousin suffers from the same affliction (we're a family of fatties) and was also having problems with her back, her weight was making her spine crumble! She had the gastric bypass a year ago and has lost half her body weight, the doctor has said that the surgery she needed on her back was now no longer required as she was no longer putting a strain on it! She says that she would recommend it to anyone.

 

I have an absolute phobia of being under anaesthetic and having operations so believe me I am not seeing this as the easy way out. I dont want to go through with it unless it is completely necessary....ive read the horror stories of when it goes wrong etc.

 

I am just resigning myself to the fact that it might be the answer for me at this time....just wish i had the gumption to have done it the healthier and less invasive way of doing it earlier!

[caro]

Can't hurt to speak to the doctor.

[kittex]

HI Monx

I think it depends on personal choice,,if you are brave enough to have one and feel that its your only option left...then speak to doc and see how you feel then.

 

I have been overweight and i know how it can make you feel both mentally and physically. I saw a picture of myself at my sisters wedding...and was shocked.it was at that point that i decided to change.

I wasnt brave enough to consider surgery,,,i joined slimming world....i was 16stone 3.....i ended up at 11stone 4....and have been like that for over 3years....it changed my life .and weight...and i have every confidence in my abilty to maintain this weight...mind you though its now a way of life...i dont think about oo i cant eat this and that...i just get on with it.however...this plan may not be for you,

I wish you every luck in the world which ever route you decide to take....take the one thats right for you....not what anyone else wants for you...x

[PriorityOne]

A (male) friend at work went on the Cambridge diet recently. He started at 24 stone and has lost nearly 3 but when he started, he was told not to do any exercise at all because his calorie intake on the diet was too low.... Having lost a considerable amount now, he can do gentle exercise and goes swimming but the amount he's losing each week is not as dramatic now either.

 

Not sure that helps but it's something to think about.

[HSBCrusher]

I am not being paid to say this, but I find weigh[EDIT - PLEASE REFRAIN FROM PERSONAL ABUSE]chers works for me.

 

it is incredibly expensive though, and I am going to have to cancel it because I cant afford it. Shame really.

 

edit:

 

lol thats funny, weightwatchers

 

weight watchers!

[PriorityOne]

 

weight watchers!

 

Oh I get it.... weight watchers.... lol!!

[kittex]

Oh I get it.... weight watchers.... lol!!

 

 

 

 

Very Good.....lol...

[MONX]

Weigh[EDIT - PLEASE REFRAIN FROM PERSONAL ABUSE]chers was unfortunately unsuccessful for me, it did work initially but i got the urge to eat lots of sausage....!

 

On a more serious note, been to the doctor this morning (after seeing it mentioned on bbc breakfast spookily) and she believes that I fit the criteria for having the procedure and is going to refer me. The PCT who fund these operations should be sympathetic to my claim because not only do i fit the criteria but have already (with the current weight loss) doing what is necessary to prove that I am committed to a life change.

 

I just want everyone to know that I dont do this lightly...I am not looking for an easy way to lose weight and have seriously considered the pros and cons and the considerable risks and still feel that the standard of life I have at the moment is far worse than the risks and cons of surgery.

 

I have seriously tried to do this the healthy way, at one week away from my 46th birthday, if it was possible to do this by diet and excercise I would have acheived it by now. If anything time is running out and if I am going to be here to see my grandchildren I need to take this drastic but essentially life saving operation.

[Dodgy Geezer]

Ho Monx. I heard this on the radio today and thought of you. I hope it helps, Best wishes.

 

 

 

 

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[Elliebes]

try this diet I guarantee you will lose weight on it. porridge made with water and banana. later 2 hard boiled eggs and one banana, for lunch chicken and rice or fish and rice, for tea fish or chicken and salad or greens and NO EATING AFTER 6PM. If more people stopped eating after 6pm at night they would lose stones. Drink loads of water. Go for a walk 1 hour a day split into two half hours 6 times a week and you will see the weight starting to fall off. Either or try slimming world. take also your vitamins to avoid deficiencies. The diet sounds harsh but believe me you will get used to it. Your stomach will shrink naturally. You dont need a gastric bypass. Read up on what bodybuilders do to lose/burn bodyfat. If you havent got a heart problem take fat burners.

 

Using muscle burns more calories than killing yourself on cardio. Get to the gym and get on some machines. Gastric bypass is a last resort.

[MONX]

Thanks Dodgy Geezer it did help! Thanks for that.

 

Ellibies, I have tried that diet and something very similar about ten years ago, I agree the weight does come off fast however as I cannot excercise at all at the moment due to joint and ligament damage in my knees and I think the tests I had yesterday are going to confirm that I have the degenerative spine problem as my cousin, it does limit the amount of weight that I can lose.

 

From the testimonials from others that have had the operation it seems that because of the drastic weight loss, any underlying problems such as joint and ligament damage repairs because they are not being stressed so much, type two diabetes can also be eradicated as can high blood pressure, sleep apnea etc.

[Elliebes]

Hiya...well it seems youve made your mind up and are heading in the direction of a gastric bypass no matter what anyone suggests and then never exercise ever again in your life because of your ligaments and joints? Good luck with that.

[MONX]

Elliebes,

 

I am far from confident on a choice one way or another. I am so scared of having operations and being under anaesthetic I can assure you that I dont want to do this.

 

As I explained earlier, due to the fact that I cannot walk 10 feet without severe pain and the help of crutches dieting alone will not help me lose weight. I need to be able to excercise at least moderately to burn more calories that I am taking in. My calorie intake at the moment is 1300 which is considerably low but is not having the desired affect. My weight loss has stopped but because i cannot excercise.

 

From what I understand the operation will allow me to lose a large quantity of weight in a relative short period of time, therefore taking the strain of my joints and ligaments making excercise more likely and aid in further weight loss. This was the reason I mentioned the testimonials and in no way means that this is something that I would do just so that I didnt have to excercise again in my life!

 

I do feel your last post was quite judgemental (despite the smiley) and I wouldnt be asking for advice or views if I wasnt prepared to hear from people who wouldnt have the same point of view as me however I would say that i quite catagorically stated that I do not see the operation as the easy way out or a way to avoid excercise.

[Mungypup]

Drastic diets do give fast results, but also tend to have fast results when you come off them too, you tend to pile the weight back on and more. Lifestyle changes that can be kept up with are the best thing and you're more likely to see long lasting results. However, everyone is different, and that needs to be take into account. I'd never advise anybody to take fat burners. Not unless you know their full medical history. It isn't just the heart that they can affect, and for certain conditions they can be very dangerous. From personal experience I know how weight can affect joints as I have a joint/connective tissue disorder, and only need to put a little on to feel the difference it makes. You are right about muscle burning fat but that and stating that surgery is a last resort is about all I agree with Elliebes (no offence intended). I'm pretty sure Monx is aware that it's serious and a last resort and is looking for support in making a difficult decision. Most people who come to this decision do so not lightly, as it does carry significant risk. It's not for the many but for some it is the right answer. Whatever you decide Monx just make sure that you have the support system there to help you through your lifestyle changes and difficulties ahead. Make sure you get the appropriate medical advice, and make the decision for you. However you loose weight, you will find coping with your joints and excercise much easier. Not harder. So do not worry about that. You won't be left to 'never exercise again'. But I'm pretty sure I didn't need to tell you that last bit :-P Good luck chuck in whatever you decide. x

Edited April 14, 2011 by Mungypup

[MONX]

Thanks for the support Mungypup.

 

I really appreciate it, you are right this is the hardest decision I have ever had to make.

 

I have to hope that I am not one of:

 

1 in 200 that die on the operating theatre or shortly after

10% of whom get post operative infection

suffer from thrombosis

suffer from uclers

suffer from bowel obstructions (urgh)

hemorrhage of the bowel or stomach pouch

dumping syndrome (not what you think lol. this means that you get very severe shakes and sickness if you eat sugary foods after the operation)

 

You have to admit that the operation would have to be a very last resort if those were your choices lol!

[MONX]

I thought I would update this thread so that everyone who was kind enough to post a reply would know how things are going.

 

I have been through a series of tests to make sure that I would benefit from the operation should I get funding, be fit enough for the op and decide that I want to go through with it.

 

During these tests it came to light that I suffer from severe obstructive sleep opnoea which means that within one hour of sleep my body takes me out of deep sleep to restart my breathing 51 times! This is quite serious because it puts an enormous strain on your heart and lungs. I had to attend a sleep clinic and was prescribed a CPAP machine which pumps air down your nose through a mask to ensure that your airways are kept open during sleep. It took a while to get used to but I know use it every night and has cut my instances of sleep apnoea from 51 an hour to 3!

 

Last week I went to the hospital for a pre operative assessment appointment where I was prodded, poked, tested and swabbed! Pending the results of my blood tests etc being Ok the anesthatist is happy to proceed with the operation. I am now funded and on the waiting list. It is supposed to happen in February next year but there is scope for it to be moved forward to mid to late January!

 

So its all systems go. I have managed to lose a stone and a half eating protein, veg and then carbs if still hungry as this is the way i will eat after the operation. I know some of you might ask if I am losing weight now why bother with the op.....well in the past I never had problems with losing the weight, it was keeping it off and not adding to the regain that was the difficult part for me. The weight loss at this point is to aid recovery after the operation and to lessen the chances of having to have the operation as an open procedure rather than through key hole surgery.

 

As I have mentioned, I do not do this lightly. I realise that the mortality rate is quite high but the risks involved are nothing compared to the thought of living my life as restricted as it is now with little or nothing to look forward to but becoming more and more disabled.

 

I am determined not to dig my own grave with my knife and fork!

 

Monx x

[babybear39]

Just came across this thread. Good luck MONX

[MONX]

Thanks BB!

[babybear39]

I had weight problems after having my daughter and many corrective surgeries. I know what it's like. Suffered a bit of the same again this year after xmas but that was due to lack of exercise and a matter of just two stone. 'Luckily', I suffered a recurring problem from my coma and illnesses in that I periodically get, for no apparent reason, muscular issues with my chest, shoulder and abdomen which cause eating to be so painful. The latest bout lasted eight weeks and then another two weeks mildly. I'm back down to a size 10-12 now but I know that could change within days/weeks. My main concern now is that I don't let it turn in to an eating disorder, which my doctor has warned about. It's a horrible way to lose weight and an horrific experience.

[Fred Bassett]

I'm about three stone overweight at the moment, not helped by the fact that I gave up smoking about 4 months ago. I'm struggling to lose the weight, but I have to be honest and admit that it's mainly because I like beer too much - and pies, jelly babies, cheese, curries, chocolate - you name it, if it's unhealthy I probably like it. I know full well that I have to diet because my weight is now becoming an issue - currently I'm 14 stone but should be about 11. Anyway, the point of all this is to say that if you are having a big problem with your weight, you might be able to get your GP to prescribe either Weight Watchers or the local gym. Just a thought.

 

Regards to all.

 

Fred.

[MONX]

I had weight problems after having my daughter and many corrective surgeries. I know what it's like. Suffered a bit of the same again this year after xmas but that was due to lack of exercise and a matter of just two stone. 'Luckily', I suffered a recurring problem from my coma and illnesses in that I periodically get, for no apparent reason, muscular issues with my chest, shoulder and abdomen which cause eating to be so painful. The latest bout lasted eight weeks and then another two weeks mildly. I'm back down to a size 10-12 now but I know that could change within days/weeks. My main concern now is that I don't let it turn in to an eating disorder, which my doctor has warned about. It's a horrible way to lose weight and an horrific experience.

BB

 

I know that you have had some serious health issues over the last year or so, It must be alarming to be putting on weight and losing it so dramatically like that. Yes an eating disorder is not something else you want to add to your lot! As Fred suggests have a word with your GP and see what they recommend. I know my GP can prescribe sessions at our local gym and I have promised that i will be partaking after my surgery - until then I am doing some aquasizing which is low impact on my joints and is supporting my spine. I really enjoy it!

 

All the best

 

Monx x