Would You Do It Again?

I am not sure wither I would do it again. I lost 30kilo but never got under 113.I continue to really battle my weight and eating patterns and can tolerate a lot more of the food than I expected to ie I can eat lollies but not a scone or muffin as they make my dump really badly. I had the surgery 6 years ago and did or know about the gas problem which is really serious for me I have "audible"  gas attacks at work which is unbelievably embarrassing and completely beyond my control and I have no idea what to do about it 

i suppose the surgery has saved my life but I still sit on the edge of diabetes and have had to overcome the beginnings of weight gain. So a sense of failure for not getting "skinny and farting at work are serious issues for me. Any ideas for the gas problem would be appreciate

I'd do it again, if for no other reason than with RNY the GERD is gone - 100% gone, and that makes me happy.  Now, being down 38 pounds in about 10 weeks doesn't hurt either.    I know that I'll never regain all my weight.  Maybe I'll have some regain but I'm committed to doing whatever is necessary to stay on top of it.  

I'm assuming your in recovery from the alcoholism and bulimia, and already know how to manage those conditions a day at a time.  WLS is no different, it's just a way to kick start the weight loss - still a day at a time which you're already familiar with.  I think that if you've made and continue to make healthy decisions about your life every day, one day at a time, you'll be successful.  We all will!

Just like Whitedove said. If you are diligent and work WITH your tool instead of letting your tool work for you, you will be successful long term. I'm only 10.5 months out, but I've been reading these boards for over a year and doing a lot of research on the stats. If you read more into the people that post who are struggling with re-gain, they are all eating the wrong foods. 

You have to stay on plan for the rest of your life (barring some adjustments for maintenance), not just until you lose what you want to lose. That never worked for me before surgery because of the physical hunger paired with my lack of willpower. This surgery has taken away my hunger pangs completely and once I got the head hunger out of the way (after the first few months), I now have a completely different relationship with food. I eat what my body NEEDS for sustenance rather than what I want to indulge in, and it doesn't bother me a bit. Before RNY, it was a constant battle to make good eating choices. EVERY SINGLE MEAL struck up an inner battle. I'm not saying you won't see things that appeal to you or smell good, but between the dumping, feeling overly full (stuck feeling), the results i see, and the lack of physical hunger, this is working beautifully for me and is not very difficult. 

Will I be successful long term and stick with it?! I sure hope so! I don't see an end in sight at this point! I'm not on the verge of collapsing or anything yet. 

The answer to your question for me so far, is YES YES YES... 300% worth it, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat! It has completely transformed me inside and out. 

BUT, this is more MY doing than my surgeon's. and THAT is what you have to ask yourself. Are you willing to make the changes for the rest of your life? Can you say goodbye to simple carbs forever? up to you, really! It's not for everyone. 

I am almost three years out.  I would do it again every year, no question.  And yes I have had some complications.

I think you have to look at WLS as the opportunity to start fresh.  It helps you get to goal if you are compliant, then it is entirely up to you to do the hard work to STAY at goal.  It is enitrely too easy to forget the hardcore ways and to allow old patterns and behaviours to set up shop again in post-op life.  Once the newness of being thin wears off and it becomes your new normal, it is simple to let things slide.  Vigilance is a must.

I battle my addiction to food everyday.  But I am worth it.  My health is worth the effort.  And I dare say that vets tend to move on with their lives and either post photo updates once in a while or post about regain that is almost always blamed on lack of exercise, stress, etc. We can outeat our surgeries.  I did when I had a LapBand.  Very few vets invest in the daily threads posted here which is a shame.  But that doesn't necessarily mean anything good or bad about WLS.  It is what it is and you must be the one to commit to it wholeheartedly.

I have never once regretted my choice to have RNY.  I hope you feel good about your eventual choice and wish you much success on your own WL journey.

It's major surgery and carries risks - I do not see your weight or BMI posted, so like everything with risks - you have to identify the pros and cons for you and make the right decision for you.

About your stats for success - the 75% gain back a good part is not the whole story.  Roughly, 25% of people gain it all back, even with weight loss surgery(WLS).  That compares with 95-97% of people gaining it all back without surgery.

About 50% of people keep off at least 50 pounds.  If you lost 100 and gained 49 back - for a net loss of 51 pounds - you may not feel great, but a 50 pound permanent weight loss may still be a significant health improvement for your body. 

Then it seems like 20-25% of people make the permanent changes needed and with the edge that surgery gives them, can live on a ~1000 cal/day diet for the rest of their lives. 

So, you ask youself - how significant is my weight problem? - I don;t know for you, you could be at 175 and unhappy or you could be a 400 pounds with many health issues.

So, you ask yourself - how hard are you willing to work at this?  You have one best chance with WLS, so if you are not ready to make permanent changes, I might suggest waiting until you are.  Even after surgery, expect to measure your portions, track your calories, avoid snacking and too much drinking, give up smoking, and working through the emotional issues that cause you to make unwise choices. 

Then, ask yourself what you will gain - for me I avoided knee surgery because I've lost 145 pounds and distanced myself from diabetes because my A1C is back down. 

About GERD - I discovered I had a hiatal hernia which was repaired during my RNY surgery - IT HAS BEEN HEAVEN without the constant heartburn. Again, that is a risk that might tip in the other direction for you.

Me personally, I ask WHAT THE F&^% was I waiting for?  I am at 18 months post-op, so this is still the honeymoon phase, but I worked to get down to a normal BMI, 13% body fat, and a size 6 from a 22/24.  I weight lift with a trainer and get in 10,000 steps most days - that is very different from my pre-WLS behaviors.  The WLS gave me enough help, that I could do the rest of the work, but WLS does not do it all.  I could not still be a cream-pie guzzling couch potato and keep the weight off.  

This is an important decision and I commend your wanting to make it an informed one for you.

Best wishes on your journey,

This is great! Thank you... I go in on Monday, and while I'm nervous, this is exactly what I needed to read. Reminders that this is not a magic surgery, but merely a good tool to help me in my efforts, for the rest of my life!

I am almost 5 years out and I haven't been sorry even one day that I had the surgery. I am off all medications and no longer need to wear CPAP at night. I have more energy and just feel better overall. I had one regain, but I caught myself at 15 pounds and got things under control. It is work to maintain, but you can do it. Good luck

Oh hells yeah I would do this again. I'm a little more than 2 years out but I know darn good & well that I wouldn't have lost this much weight & kept it off without my tool. So yes it was worth it & I've had no complications so far. 

One reason why you see more people on here that have regained is more often than not, people post when they have a problem. Very few people stick around after they have lost the weight. There are a few regulars that are here, but the successful people are off living their lives & only pop up on here every now & then to do a drive by posting. 

It usually starts with oh I haven't been on here for such & such or so & so but....you know there's always a but lol

One thing to keep in mind about regain is why they are regaining. A lifestyle change is a lifelong commitment & sometimes people can't keep up. Bad habits are hard to break, so if food was a coping mechanism in times of stress, it'll stay that way till people find another way to cope. Regain & head stuff is a pain to work thru.

My tool, as well as most peoples tool still works, but to use it right all the time can be a challenge, but so worth it. 

In my case I have not regrets. I am a recovering alcoholic. I know I never will be cured from this disease. I know I am a food addict also. 

I am almost 8 weeks sober. I had a drinking problem before surgery. I have been drinking since I was 14 years old. So drinking and getting wasted was not brought on by having the RNY. 

I am almost three years out from surgery. With AA and help from my therapist I am doing well. 

Having surgery is not a cure all. I have to work daily on my menu and to eat the right things. 

Doing things like being able to walk over 4 miles a day. The physical aspect of weight loss has been great. I will not lie. I am vain I like the way I look now. 

I am so glad I had surgery. There are a lot of people who want to help here. 

I did gain weight in the past year. I had to take a major look at what I was eating. When I stopped drinking alcohol I lost 17 pounds. I still feel restriction so it is a wonderful gift I gave to myself.

I am 6 years out and would do it once a month if necessary.

I have not had any complications at all. Life is good.