Gaining It All Back

I am considering the gastric by-pass. I am told by a co-worker that she know of three individuals gaining their weight back after having the by-pass. That is something I don't want to happen to me.

I am sure there are people that that can happen to....I am sure it depends on the idividual.......The surgery is only a tool to assist you in loosing weight.....I know of a woman that this happen to also....but once she was on out aways after surgery she slowly kept eating more and more and not using anything she learned from the training or surgery.....She ended up having it again later on...... So it depends on your will to keep using your tool and the things you learn from your doctors and classes once you have had surgery..... I consider the chance to have the surgery a blessing!!!!!! I can not wait to be able to enjoy life again and feel better and healthier again so I plan to work hard at disiplining my self as strongly as possible....... I have read on here that choosing to have surgery was one of the best decisions the people have made......I am lookikng forward to saying the same thing soon..... I wish you all the best in your decision on having surgery......I hope you will continue to check into things before you choose not too.....Hugs....Tammy H.

Thank you. I love the support. Hugs to you as well. Only if I knew my insurance would cover it.

Angela i have know of some that gained some of their weight back , yes, But not all of it and more than likely this person doesnt either. Go to a support meeting and listen to the people there that are 3 and 4 and more years out from surgery . see your own averages. I know a lot of people that have had the surgery and i only know of one that really gained a large amount of weight back and havent gained all of theirs before they stopped and use the tool again because it always works we just have to remember to use it. Jan

Thanks. As nervous as I am, I will pursue it, if GHPHMO covers it.

Angela, These people, like your co-worker, are just party poopers!!! Of course if you go back to sodas, ice cream, McDonalds, potatoes, pasta, white bread and larger and larger portions you could gain the weight back. However, if you don't have the surgery it is almost a given that you will continue to gain weight and even if you lose on a diet the odds are that you'll gain back what you lost plus more. People are afraid for you (or jealous) and they want to discourage you. As our dear Jan says, "Keep your eyes on the prize" and don't let naysayers swerve you from your chosen path. If you have researched the surgery and decided it is the right thing for you and you truly know that it is not a quick fix and that after surgery you cannot go back to old bad eating habits, you'll be amazed at the results you can get. Like Pam, I feel blessed every day that I was able to have the surgery, get off meds for diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterol and lose enough that I enjoy my life so much more. I don't know your situation but if you have a significant amount to lose you will be so much healthier and happier after surgery. It is not a magic bullet, you have to work at eating properly, take your vitamins, drink your fluids and exercise, but the results are well worth it. If you know what you want to do, go for it. Otherwise, keep coming on the board, asking questions, reading results and getting on the internet and doing good research. Choose where you'd like to have your surgery, if you decide to have it and go to a seminar. Some charge but many are free. You can see others who are in the same boat as you and ask questions there. I don't know where you live but if you're in driving distance to Springfield I'd like to invite you to Circle of Friends support group. We meet on the fourth Monday of the month and there is always an announcement on this board about time and place in the couple of weeks before the meeting. You can learn lots from this group. Hugs and love and don't let people get you down. Lana

Thanks. I appreciate your reply. I am nervous about having the procedure. I only hope my insurance covers it.

Angela, this is Dr. Hornbostel in Sedalia. All of the responses to your inquiry are correct and valid. Here's the straight scoop on gastric bypass. At five years, 2/3 of the patients have maintained at least 70% of their weight loss. That means that 1/3 have not. In any given program, about 5-10% of patients will not maintain more than a 25% weight loss. The procedure does not have a 100% success record. However, in 2007, this is quite simply the best treatment we have. Dieting, exercise, and medications are effective at 5 years in about THREE PERCENT of patients with body mass index over 40! That is not a misprint. 3% efficacy with medical therapy! Every patient has to decide for him/herself what they want to accomplish, what they want to spend, how much risk they are willing to take vs. the potential benefit. The bypass is a TOOL for weight loss. It will do about 75% of the work in the first 18 months. It will do NONE of the work after that. If you have not learned how to use the tool in the first 18 months after surgery, you will struggle to maintain weight loss long term. If you want to pursue this further, I would urge you to seek a free seminar in a center of excellence. Best wishes!

WOW! Thank you so much. I want to pursue this. Every weight loss program I have tried has been unsuccessful. I will find a free seminar in the St. Louis area. My next step is to find out if the insurance I am under with ATT (GHP, HMO) will cover it. If so, I will proceed. You explained it very well, please keep in touch.

Dr. Hornbostel, you are a wonderful person. I would love to have you perform the surgery if you were here in St. Louis. It is very rare to have a dr. willing to get involved with the concerns of people and send them real information. I love and appreciate your support and realness. Always stay in touch.