Stupid question, I think.

OK. I had RNY, proximal in Nov. of 92.the amount bypassed was 75cm. I have lost from 275 to 120, that being a 155 pound loss. My question is what exactlly does the bypass do for us. the stomach, or making of the tiny pouch, being much smaller I understand ,but the bypass confuses me. we must be careful with our vitamins and always take them. we dont absorbe b12 and other vital goodies our bodies need , but we still have to watch our intake of food to keep from gaining back weight. so how does the bypass actually help in loseing or keeping it off. See I told you stupid question. thanks in advance.

The bypass in RNY actually bypasses most of your small intestines. And your small intestines is where you actually absorb your calories, fat, vitamins, etc. (the large intestines for the most part is only where leftovers get compacted). So when you are not absorbing what you are eating, that too contributes to your weight loss. (This is also the reason that the majority of bypass folks have gas. All these uneaten calories are a buffet for the bacteria which live in our intestines. They have a feast on those uneaten calories and the byproduct of bacteria eating is gas.) One of the reasons weight loss slows down the farther you get out from the surgery is that the body compensates for this minimal absorption by growing more microscopic 'fingers' called villi in your small intestines to absorb more from what you eat to make up for the bypass. Hope this helps! Kia

Kia, Thanks so much for that explanation. I, too, have slowed down considerably the last three months, and I wondered why this happens. I had never seen an explanation about this at all, so you have educated me! Sandy

THANK YOU ,THANK YOU that explains alot hugs