Why did you have WLS? A new question added... See top of first post.

I was able to get off blood pressure medicine before I had surgery, just from the weight loss. I wasn't diabetic, but my doctor did say that the surgery, especially the RNY, helped with diabetes even before weight loss began.

Thanks for the info. I believe you're right. I have sat down with my wife after posting this question and told her my reservations, and concerns. We decided that you guys are right. I am going to go ahead and follow through with the surgery. I hate these yo-yo emotions. I am usually a pretty level headed guy! LOL 

Oh, I missed the first part of the question, about losing weight and deciding not to go through with surgery.

Like Grim, I've lost at LEAST a thousand pounds over the course of my life. I went on my first doctor-supervised diet at age 9, my first diet pills at 11. While I could always lose SOME weight, I could never lose ENOUGH, and I could never keep it off long-term. I 'dieted' my way to being SMO. The only time in LIFE that I've managed to keep off everything I lost has been since my DS.

And yes, surgery makes some changes in your metabolism that doesn't happen if you lose weight the old-fashioned way, especially the RNY and, even moreso, the DS. The DS is often referred to as 'metabolic surgery'.

Doctors don't fully understand the mechanisms, but bypassing the upper part of the small intestine really changes the way your body metabolizes food, and how it responds to insulin. Surgeons in Europe have been doing just the intestinal part of the DS on NON-obese diabetics because it works so very well!

Both the RNY and the DS also cause you to permanently malabsorb some of the fat you eat. For the RNY, it's about 30%, and for the DS it's about 80%. Fat you can't absorb doesn't affect your cholesterol, so the DS is the go-to surgery for treating high cholesterol. (Most DSers eat a LOT of fat, in order to absorb the 30 grams a day they body needs to function properly---and we tend to have remarkably low cholesterol numbers.)

I'ts not the malabsorption of nutrients---i.e., vitamins and minerals---that makes these changes. We must supplement daily, in order to keep our levels in the normal range. It's the change in insulin response and the lipid malabsorption that's the magic. (*grin*)

I lost about 1,000 pounds before surgery. 100 pounds lost, 120 gained. 80 pounds lost, 110 regained. And so on. You get the picture.

The vast majority of us delay surgery for years, thinking we can do it without surgery. Most lose some, and gain it back. Ultimately, we have surgery because we can't keep it off. And afterwards we all say we wish we had done it sooner.

If I had the history of heart problems you have, and a young family, I would cut to the chase and get my butt up on the operating table as quick as I could.

Hey Grim,

Thanks. I do have a young family and a bad history in the family. I have not changed anything with the Dr, was just wanting to see what you guys think. You know why I am asking, obviously. Thanks for helping. I wouldn't mind having you as a friend. I like to have people around me who can be brutally honest even if it isn't the PC thing to do. I think you are that way. Thanks!

I have heard a lot of Negative things about the D S wls. I have 9 stents and open heart surgery and Weight loss surgery. I had a greenfield filter put in just min before they did my wls. The surgeon should of also ordered you to do a heart stress test before doing Wls. Sounds like we have alot in common.They help prevent blood clots in the heart. Did your surgeon say he would put one in you before wls? . I am curious why you choose D S over Rny? I read many posts from others that say the D S gives more problems  post op from too much malabsorption.

I Had wls because of my heart disease and I could not get my portions under control. I started changing my eating habits after my open heart surgery back in 2004. But could not get my portions under control..Had my first heart attack at age 46. I had 2 more heart attacks post op wls. I had too much calcium in my heart arteries is what caused my heart attack post op. I've always posted here in O H I regretted wls. To me wls reminds me of my abortion I had years ago. Got rid of one problem only to create another one.. So True...got rid of the weight ( still have kept it off) but having more of other problems. More so  dangerous for heart patients.

I'm NOT having DS WLS, I'm having RNY. Sorry you've had so many issues since your surgery. Not sure what to say. Actually,  I reread your post and it sounds to me like WLS has nothing to do with your problems. You said you had a heart attack prior to WLS, in fact you had 9 stents. That sounds like advanced heart disease, and WLS isn't a magic pill to fix all ailments. It sure won't reduce the amount of calcium that is clogging you're heart. What it will do however is prevent it from getting worse, or at least slow down the rate of build up. I wouldn't blame the WLS for your current heart issues. I would be thankful you had it, or you may have been even sicker than you are now.

I've had my stress test and have two thumbs up from cardiologist. I had heart attack at 43, there was no heart damage, but that's when they found the blockages. They installed three stents and my heart has been strong ever since. I've had other heart related issues, but we've narrowed it down to a connection between the gut and heart. When I eat, I go into afib. This is another plus for having the surgery. I actually wasn't thinking about that when I asked about not doing the surgery. Actually it didn't hit me until now. One more reason to go for it right there.

There is research that states that close to 35% of RNY'ers will develop diabetes around the 5 year mark.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23161525

Overall, 68.2 % (95 % confidence interval [CI], 66 and 70 %) experienced an initial complete diabetes remission within 5 years after surgery. Among these, 35.1 % (95 % CI, 32 and 38 %) redeveloped diabetes within 5 years. The median duration of remission was 8.3 years. Significant predictors of complete remission and relapse were poor preoperative glycemic control, insulin use, and longer diabetes duration. Weight trajectories after surgery were significantly different for never remitters, relapsers, and durable remitters (p = 0.03).

The RNY has a diabetes resolution of 82-95%. The DS has a resolution rate of 94-98%.

Think twice CUT ONCE!

Also I am working on a hernia repair and Gall bladder removal surgery soon. I have several small Hernias the cat scan showed.Had a heart stress test yesterday.

I had gall bladder surgery 2 years ago by the same Dr that is doing my WLS. It was a piece of cake. Only hurt a little bit for a couple days. Only stayed in the hospital one night. He did the surgery lapriscopically, so I only had 4 little 1/2" long incisions.