KEEP IT REAL!

I am pre op, and have a couple of questions about wls, and I need some honest answers. 1.) Name something about your post op experience that you don't like? 2.) If you were told that wls surgery would make you healthier, but not skinnier, would you still have had the surgery. 3.) Knowing now, what you didn't know then, would you still have had the type of wls surgery you chose (i.e. Lap band, RNY, DS etc..) Why? 4.) What are somethings that people didn't tell you pre op, that you wished you would've know? Please be transparent when answering these questions. I've asked a lot of questions on these boards, but I feel like sometimes people give these "Stedford Wives" type of answers. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE hearing the good stuff, but I also want to here about the not so good stuff, so that I can get a clearer view.

1.) Name something about your post op experience that you don't like? That I developed and unpredicted and unpreventable condition called Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) that caused both lungs to fail on the second day of my recovery from having the RNY. See my profile for more details. I also don't like that I dump on low grams of sugar, as this includes things like cough drops, cough medicines, certain supplementation. 2.) If you were told that wls surgery would make you healthier, but not skinnier, would you still have had the surgery. I'm not sure what you mean by "skinny." If I had been told that I would not lose excess weight, no, I wouldn't have had the surgery. I don't have aspirations of being model thin. My goal weight is actually going to put my BMI in the 25-27 range, but that's per my doctor and surgeon's orders. I didn't have the surgery to be skinny and fit into designer jeans, etc. I had the surgery to lose as much excess weight as I could to relieve my high blood pressure, relieve stress on my heart and relieve stress in my back and hips due to osteoarthritis. 3.) Knowing now, what you didn't know then, would you still have had the type of wls surgery you chose (i.e. Lap band, RNY, DS etc..) Why? I chose a malabsorptive surgery because that was what was best for me. That left me the option of the RNY and DS. I would have preferred to have had the DS, but my insurance didn't cover it and they were not purchasing the weight loss surgery rider in 2005. Economics and timing were the reason I chose the RNY over the DS, and the malabsorptive factor of each surgery (although they do not mechanically work the exact same way) were what drew me to further investigating the RNY and DS. 4.) What are somethings that people didn't tell you pre op, that you wished you would've know? Hindsight is always 20/20. It's difficult to anticipate what might happen to one patient because it may not happen to another patient. It's like trying to explain to someone what being pregnant is like... until you are pregnant, no matter what anyone tells you, you won't know what it's like. These are all very good questions! You should thoroughly investigate each surgical procedure and decide which one is going to be the one you can live with for the rest of your life. Each surgery requires a life style change that takes a 100% committment. Each surgery has its pro's and con's. Each patient is a different risk. Any procedure which requires general anesthesia and cutting or adding onto our current anatomies is a risk. The best and most successful weight loss patient is an informed one. Good luck, no matter which path you take to get to a healthier you!

1.) Name something about your post op experience that you don't like? I don't like having to remember to take 12 pills a day. Not all DS patients have to but I am taking what my surgeon has recommended. 2.) If you were told that wls surgery would make you healthier, but not skinnier, would you still have had the surgery. NO way! I don't aspire to be waif model I would like to weigh anywhere between 150 to 160. But If that was not possible with this surgery then I would not take the risk. I was "healthy" for a super morbidly obese person. I did not have any co morbs at all before surgery just extremely overweight. 3.) Knowing now, what you didn't know then, would you still have had the type of wls surgery you chose (i.e. Lap band, RNY, DS etc..) Why? Yes a resounding yes! I chose the DS for mechanical reasons more than anything(normally functioning stomach). I almost three months post op and sometimes I forget that I even had WLS. 4.) What are somethings that people didn't tell you pre op, that you wished you would've know? Physically there wasn't anything I didn't already know. I researched WLS for three years before I had it. I knew going into the DS that depending on what I ate I could be very gassy or have diarrhea. Its the emotionaly side of weightloss that I am not prepared for but I don't think you really can prepare for that. So far everything is great but I understand some people go into extreme depression. Good luck with your journey and I hope this helps!

HI I know i am Super late with this post but i'm still researching and learning lots of info about wls. I have a question about one of your answers to the question about regrets. Why do you have to take so many pills with DS? What type of pills are they? Is it because of complications? thanks , kristi

I know this is very late, and don't know if it will even get read... However, I noticed she never replied. The pills she probably takes are vitamins. Some get all of theirs in just two or three pills, some take a different pill for almost every nutrient. There are special vitamin formulas available for WLS patients, and DS in particular, so that you don't have to take as many seperate pills.

1.) Name something about your post op experience that you don't like? I don't like the frequent bouts of nausea - granted they are less in number since I got my gall bladder out in december - but I still have them. I don't like the fact one day a food will be just fine with me and then the next it makes me sicker then a dog. 2.) If you were told that wls surgery would make you healthier, but not skinnier, would you still have had the surgery. I was pretty healthy before surgery - I simply was fat. I had the surgery to lose weight - that is the bottom line. That has happended - 7 months out and 10 pounds away from goal. 3.) Knowing now, what you didn't know then, would you still have had the type of wls surgery you chose (i.e. Lap band, RNY, DS etc..) Why? I probablywould NOT have had surgery - I would have given a 100% (true 100%) effort to exercise and diet. 4.) What are somethings that people didn't tell you pre op, that you wished you would've know? No more tortillas. (VERY hard for me). No more pasta. Lots of bouts of nausea. Dumping sucks. Eating sucks sometimes. I could go on....but won't at this time. Read my profile - while I have not had any really "bad" complications - I have had some and really struggled to deal w/ the changes and nature of this surgery. Good luck. A

1)didn't like: I wasn't happy that my weight loss wasn't as great as I anticipated. I think my stoma was never small enough, so I never got hungry. I thought I would be able to eat less than I could. My surgeon has remedied this with an endoscopy procedure...so I actually have begun to lose weight again...due to the reduction of size of stoma. 2) I have lost around 80-90 pounds. I am still considered obese (maybe even morbidly)...but I am healthy and wonder how heavy or healthy I'd have been without surgery. I have gained a lot of good habits from surgery...exercise and better food selection. I have two young children and believe me, what I've taken off has helped me catch them a little easier. 3) I had a RNY laproscopically about 3 years ago...I think I would have opted for open (at the time) because the weight loss seems to be greater. However, my surgeon has made great strides and improvements on his laproscopic procedure...so if my choice was today I'd go with the laproscopic again. I don't have any information on the other types of surgery. 4) What to do if you are hungry too soon or feel like you are not able to get full. Which is "Talk to your Doctor" and keep at it until you are satisfied with the answer. I had gone to my doctor with initial concerns, but began to feel as if maybe I was just doomed for failure or had done something wrong. They had given me suggestions...drink a large glass of water 15min. before eating, etc...but I still never had a full sensation. So for more than 2 years I avoided going back to my surgeon to discuss this. Instead I just felt like it was me and I was the only person in the world who was still fat after gastric bypass surgery. When, in fact, there was some fine-tuning that could have been done. Overall, I am pleased...I am no where near where I anticipated, but I am healthier and able to move, which is a wonderful thing. And I had a wonderful, big baby two years after my surgery...she weighed 9lbs 10 oz and I attribute her nice size to the fact that I was able to eat more than the average post-op...so even what I complained about in the beginning, actually worked out to my benefit. Good luck with whatever you choose!

Hey Keep it Real. I appreciate your directness. I was that way before the surgery...I wanted to hear the nitty gritty. I seem to be one of those patients who is having a rough time. I am 1 month post op and I dont feel well most of the time. I weight 254 when I went in at 5ft.7. I have lost 27lbs. the first month. I don't have pain, but a general feeling of not wellness. And the fatigue is really huge. I don't have any other medical issues, so I went in pretty healthy. I was hemmoraging on the 2nd day of surgery through my bowels..quite a bit..so much so that I had to have a blood transfusion...this happens in 3% of the patients...they say you normally clot yourself and I did. I heard most people after the surgery had all this energy and felt great...just not my story. In fact, in the last 6 days, my appetite has completely fallen off where nothing looks good and my taste buds are a little tweaked...I see a nutrionist every week (my choice) and got on me to eat...yesterday I felt pretty good and today not so good as yesterday...I usually feel great in the morning and then start fading by noon. But if am not well in the morning...it is just going to be one of those days. I had the surgery for health reasons and weight loss. After 2 weeks, I was off blood pressure meds and my sugar count is now within normal range. I would still opt for the RNY vs. lap band as I just feel that I needed to do everything I could to get my eating under control and I didn't want to have to deal with possible adjustments, etc. from lap band. I don't remember hearing a lot of people talk about how lousy you can feel. THank God my job is flexible..but I have only been out 2 times at night this past month and just cannot commit to something in advance as I don't know how I will fee. I am in bed most of the time by 8-9pm...the Dr's. say nothing is abnormal...and I just need to listen to my body...Hope this helps! Kimberly

Hi Indie, I am almost 20 months out and below goal....this has been successful for me, but you asked for transparent......here goes. 1.) Name something about your post op experience that you don't like? I absolutely hate the way this has brought all my "issues" to the surface. I am forced to "deal" now and not be able to hide in food or other "coping mechanisms"....I hate the way this has forced me to face reality, which sucks mostly. 2.) If you were told that wls surgery would make you healthier, but not skinnier, would you still have had the surgery. Probably, just because my PCP literally forced me into this....she had given me 3 years to live. 3.) Knowing now, what you didn't know then, would you still have had the type of wls surgery you chose (i.e. Lap band, RNY, DS etc..) Why? No. I probably would not have had it at all. And for the reasons above. My entire life has changed. I am no longer working....I am on the verge of divorce...I have had three affairs......I am scared all the time.....I am vulnerable......I am an emotional wreck......I feel unemployable.....The only things in my life that are the same are my 2 dogs......I've changed the state I live in....I've sold 2 homes and blown the money from the sales.....I am not in love with the man I have been married to for 13 years....I am broke. Prior to surgery I was an over achiever and worked with an exemplary work ethic. I just don't care now. 4.) What are somethings that people didn't tell you pre op, that you wished you would've know? Just how much this would affect my mental stability and just how dramatic the lifestyle change would turn out to be. This is just for ME - I would undo this if I could for the most part.....and at the same time I would do it again.......Yeah, I'm left confused.....

yes i would have the surgery agian no i would not of had it ,if i didi not loose weight the first 6 weeks is the worst,i call it hell week , i had no complications, but adjusting to so little food was very hard for me ,and i only dumped 3 times from over eating,but that was horrible. once you make it through the first six weeks ,everthing gets much eaiser,you can call me and i will talk to you about anything you want to here just email me ,if you would like my number