I need help.....
My name is Anne,
I had Gastric Bypass a month ago.
I have a BMI of 58, and i have over 200 pounds to lose.
My surgeon never told me that he only bypasses 2 feet of intestine instead of 5-6.
I'm already hitting week long plateaus, and i haven't lost anywhere near the amount of weight i should have.
Plus, I'm able to eat a larger amount of food then i should be, so I'm sticking to the 1 ounce, but I'm constantly hungry, and I'm afraid my pouch is stretched, or just wasn't made small enough.
I'm totally distraught, and so disappointed!
It took me over 3 years to finally get an insurance that would pay for the surgery. I waited sooooooooooo long to have this surgery, and i feel like i was gypped.
I researched it and found out that at my BMI i was supposed to have 6 feet bypassed, and my surgeon only does 2 feet no matter what. HE NEVER DISCLOSED THAT HE DID THE OLD SCHOOL SURGERY.
I want a revision to get my pouch to the right size, and 4 more feet of intestine bypassed.
How do i go about this? Do i have to sue him, or just call my insurance? Will they give me a revision or is this going to be another uphill battle that goes on for years?
PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!
I feel for you, I also had what I consider a failed surgery, although I do not know how much of the intestines was taken out. I am 71/2 months out of surgery and only lost real weight right away. The dietician have made me join weigh****chers and all but told me this was my fault. I am very angry. I go back next week and have only lost about 2 more pounds. I would like to get more information about failed surgeries before I go back so that I don't feel like such a fool. HELP!
On October 9, 2009 at 8:26 PM Pacific Time, laydelott wrote:
I feel for you, I also had what I consider a failed surgery, although I do not know how much of the intestines was taken out. I am 71/2 months out of surgery and only lost real weight right away. The dietician have made me join weigh****chers and all but told me this was my fault. I am very angry. I go back next week and have only lost about 2 more pounds. I would like to get more information about failed surgeries before I go back so that I don't feel like such a fool. HELP! If you are eating junk food, not exercising, and snacking, then THIS IS your fault.
But if you are eating the right foods, the right amount of calories, and are exercising, then it's not your fault, and they should give you a revision.
I'm seeing a lawyer on Monday to see if i have a case. I'll let you know what i find out, just message me and I'll get back to you.
-Anne
Don't be silly. Everyone loses weight at different rates, and plateaus are normal for long-term weight loss. You can't gauge the success or failure of your surgery in a month, or two months, or even three. EVERYONE feels the hunger when we are on liquids and purees, no matter how small our pouch is, and HEAD HUNGER is an absolute b---h that pops up over and over again. I started out at a BMI of 52. I was RAVENOUS when I made my kids beef stroganoff a month or so out of surgery--my mouth was watering so much it was embarrassing! But my pouch was still small and tight.
You are doing the right thing to restrict your portions. Don't imagine failure before your weight loss journey has truly begun. I kept a diet journal, and do still keep one when I feel myself going out of control, and find it to be an excellent tool for weight loss. Keep taking your vitamins and watch that protein! Keep in close contact with your nutritionist as well.
Now, if your surgeon bypassed 2 feet of intestine and it is the RNY surgery, all this means is that the point of attachment for the distal stomach portion is at 2 feet rather than 6, and the gastric juices made by the distal portion are hitting the food sooner and having a chance to aid digestion sooner.
This really shouldn't have much affect on your weight loss if you are continuing to eat a drastically reduced amount of calories. You are going to drop weight no matter what, as long as you follow the rules. Just bear in mind that, as for most of us on this board, it probably took you years and years to reach your highest weight, and it may take a couple of years to get down to an appropriate, healthy weight for you. Focus on the journey, not the destination, and it will be easier. :)
Take it one day at a time, don't do the blaming thing or worry too much about not losing the weight "fast enough." What the heck IS "fast enough," anyway?! I was worried because I had only lost 56 pounds by the time I was about 4 months out. I was losing 10-12 pounds a month (after the first month's 30-lb. loss), which is absolutely fine, but felt I should be going "faster." My surgeon set me straight on that score!
I lost at that rate, hitting many a plateau and having to re-focus my efforts on eating well and staying motivated, until I got to 162 lbs. and a size 10. I stayed there for about 6 to 8 months, then lost down to 146, regained to 154, smacked myself in the face for sliding into old habits, then gradually lost again to 146, which is where I am now! To do that, I switched up my diet a bit, really going for the fresh veggies and salads in addition to lean protein, and included exercise 3-5 times a week for the first time ever. I feel terrific! And the total time it took me was 2 1/2 years.
You will get there, too. No insurance company is going to agree to a revision unless you have been proven not to lose weight for 2 or 3 years after the original WLS. I know this because a friend of mine went through something similar, but in her case there was no dietary follow-up or support and so she just sipped down milkshakes day after day and never lost a pound. Years later when they went in to repair a hernia and see if her pouch should be revised, they found it to be small and tight. But it was useless without HER resolution and direction as to what SHE put in her mouth. It could still have worked, but her head was not in the right place to give up junk and embrace the dietary restrictions necessary in order to regain her health. She died this summer of heart failure. She was 37.
Blessings on your journey. Don't be Distraught. Be Hopeful. :)
You are doing the right thing to restrict your portions. Don't imagine failure before your weight loss journey has truly begun. I kept a diet journal, and do still keep one when I feel myself going out of control, and find it to be an excellent tool for weight loss. Keep taking your vitamins and watch that protein! Keep in close contact with your nutritionist as well.
Now, if your surgeon bypassed 2 feet of intestine and it is the RNY surgery, all this means is that the point of attachment for the distal stomach portion is at 2 feet rather than 6, and the gastric juices made by the distal portion are hitting the food sooner and having a chance to aid digestion sooner.
This really shouldn't have much affect on your weight loss if you are continuing to eat a drastically reduced amount of calories. You are going to drop weight no matter what, as long as you follow the rules. Just bear in mind that, as for most of us on this board, it probably took you years and years to reach your highest weight, and it may take a couple of years to get down to an appropriate, healthy weight for you. Focus on the journey, not the destination, and it will be easier. :)
Take it one day at a time, don't do the blaming thing or worry too much about not losing the weight "fast enough." What the heck IS "fast enough," anyway?! I was worried because I had only lost 56 pounds by the time I was about 4 months out. I was losing 10-12 pounds a month (after the first month's 30-lb. loss), which is absolutely fine, but felt I should be going "faster." My surgeon set me straight on that score!
I lost at that rate, hitting many a plateau and having to re-focus my efforts on eating well and staying motivated, until I got to 162 lbs. and a size 10. I stayed there for about 6 to 8 months, then lost down to 146, regained to 154, smacked myself in the face for sliding into old habits, then gradually lost again to 146, which is where I am now! To do that, I switched up my diet a bit, really going for the fresh veggies and salads in addition to lean protein, and included exercise 3-5 times a week for the first time ever. I feel terrific! And the total time it took me was 2 1/2 years.
You will get there, too. No insurance company is going to agree to a revision unless you have been proven not to lose weight for 2 or 3 years after the original WLS. I know this because a friend of mine went through something similar, but in her case there was no dietary follow-up or support and so she just sipped down milkshakes day after day and never lost a pound. Years later when they went in to repair a hernia and see if her pouch should be revised, they found it to be small and tight. But it was useless without HER resolution and direction as to what SHE put in her mouth. It could still have worked, but her head was not in the right place to give up junk and embrace the dietary restrictions necessary in order to regain her health. She died this summer of heart failure. She was 37.
Blessings on your journey. Don't be Distraught. Be Hopeful. :)
"Fall down 7 times--STAND UP 8!"
On October 11, 2009 at 3:32 PM Pacific Time, Waterwench wrote:
Don't be silly. Everyone loses weight at different rates, and plateaus are normal for long-term weight loss. You can't gauge the success or failure of your surgery in a month, or two months, or even three. EVERYONE feels the hunger when we are on liquids and purees, no matter how small our pouch is, and HEAD HUNGER is an absolute b---h that pops up over and over again. I started out at a BMI of 52. I was RAVENOUS when I made my kids beef stroganoff a month or so out of surgery--my mouth was watering so much it was embarrassing! But my pouch was still small and tight.You are doing the right thing to restrict your portions. Don't imagine failure before your weight loss journey has truly begun. I kept a diet journal, and do still keep one when I feel myself going out of control, and find it to be an excellent tool for weight loss. Keep taking your vitamins and watch that protein! Keep in close contact with your nutritionist as well.
Now, if your surgeon bypassed 2 feet of intestine and it is the RNY surgery, all this means is that the point of attachment for the distal stomach portion is at 2 feet rather than 6, and the gastric juices made by the distal portion are hitting the food sooner and having a chance to aid digestion sooner.
This really shouldn't have much affect on your weight loss if you are continuing to eat a drastically reduced amount of calories. You are going to drop weight no matter what, as long as you follow the rules. Just bear in mind that, as for most of us on this board, it probably took you years and years to reach your highest weight, and it may take a couple of years to get down to an appropriate, healthy weight for you. Focus on the journey, not the destination, and it will be easier. :)
Take it one day at a time, don't do the blaming thing or worry too much about not losing the weight "fast enough." What the heck IS "fast enough," anyway?! I was worried because I had only lost 56 pounds by the time I was about 4 months out. I was losing 10-12 pounds a month (after the first month's 30-lb. loss), which is absolutely fine, but felt I should be going "faster." My surgeon set me straight on that score!
I lost at that rate, hitting many a plateau and having to re-focus my efforts on eating well and staying motivated, until I got to 162 lbs. and a size 10. I stayed there for about 6 to 8 months, then lost down to 146, regained to 154, smacked myself in the face for sliding into old habits, then gradually lost again to 146, which is where I am now! To do that, I switched up my diet a bit, really going for the fresh veggies and salads in addition to lean protein, and included exercise 3-5 times a week for the first time ever. I feel terrific! And the total time it took me was 2 1/2 years.
You will get there, too. No insurance company is going to agree to a revision unless you have been proven not to lose weight for 2 or 3 years after the original WLS. I know this because a friend of mine went through something similar, but in her case there was no dietary follow-up or support and so she just sipped down milkshakes day after day and never lost a pound. Years later when they went in to repair a hernia and see if her pouch should be revised, they found it to be small and tight. But it was useless without HER resolution and direction as to what SHE put in her mouth. It could still have worked, but her head was not in the right place to give up junk and embrace the dietary restrictions necessary in order to regain her health. She died this summer of heart failure. She was 37.
Blessings on your journey. Don't be Distraught. Be Hopeful. :)
I know i sound like a bit_h, but I'm an extremely hard worker and i would have never been satisfied with those results!
Sorry about your friend, that's very sad.
(deactivated member)
on 10/11/09 1:18 pm
on 10/11/09 1:18 pm
Anne,
Nothing in this life is easy. If 6 months ago you were loosing 5 pounds a month you would have been thrilled.
I lost 50 pounds straight out the door. Now in my third month I have been at the same wt for that last 4 weeks. I eat around 850 calories a day. I document everything I eat on My plate so I can see the breakdown of my foods. I do eat some 'white' foods but they are limited and measured, and planned for nutritional value. But normally just protein and vege. I eat fresh fruit once a day and no juice, water only.
I go back and forth with my frustration, but I realize that this is going to take about a year to get where I want to be. Patience is a virtue.
I feel your attitude is going to set you up for failure. You are still new so just keep with the rules. exercise when you can and don't weigh yourself every 5 minutes. (I am because the second this plateau breaks I am going to have a board celebration)
One last word of advice, these boards are full of people *****ally want to see you succeed. If you don't agree with what they say fine, keep it to yourself. They are just trying to help. Many of them are several years out. Give experience a chance.
Nothing in this life is easy. If 6 months ago you were loosing 5 pounds a month you would have been thrilled.
I lost 50 pounds straight out the door. Now in my third month I have been at the same wt for that last 4 weeks. I eat around 850 calories a day. I document everything I eat on My plate so I can see the breakdown of my foods. I do eat some 'white' foods but they are limited and measured, and planned for nutritional value. But normally just protein and vege. I eat fresh fruit once a day and no juice, water only.
I go back and forth with my frustration, but I realize that this is going to take about a year to get where I want to be. Patience is a virtue.
I feel your attitude is going to set you up for failure. You are still new so just keep with the rules. exercise when you can and don't weigh yourself every 5 minutes. (I am because the second this plateau breaks I am going to have a board celebration)
One last word of advice, these boards are full of people *****ally want to see you succeed. If you don't agree with what they say fine, keep it to yourself. They are just trying to help. Many of them are several years out. Give experience a chance.
greenpunchbuggie has deleted this message.
first of all, the industry standard is 100 cm (about 3 feet) if your BMI is under 50 and 150 cm (about 4.5 feet) if it's over 50. the main way in which RNY patients lose weight is because they have a tool (the pouch) which helps us achieve better eating habits which we will be needing to maintain for the rest of our lives. the malabsorptive component isn't the "main" part of the surgery.
second, you had surgery a MONTH ago. your body is trying to heal itself. if you assume you're going to lose 200 lbs in a mere couple of months, you are going to be disappointed.
your pouch hasn't stretched and i doubt it was made too large. i think your expectations may be a little high. follow the program and the weight will come off.
second, you had surgery a MONTH ago. your body is trying to heal itself. if you assume you're going to lose 200 lbs in a mere couple of months, you are going to be disappointed.
your pouch hasn't stretched and i doubt it was made too large. i think your expectations may be a little high. follow the program and the weight will come off.
Again, Focus on the journey, not the destination, and it will be easier.
People here are trying to help you to be successful, and many of us are several years out from surgery and speak from experience. Disrespecting our stories and belittling our weight loss is childish and unworthy, Anne. You asked for our help, but it seems like you just want someone to say,"Yes! Sue the *******! He is the reason you are morbidly obese! He must pay for ruining your life!"
My first year's weight loss was 130 pounds or so. That is NOT "WAAAAAYYY TOO LONG." The final 18 pounds took longer, but at that point it was a question of going from a size 10 to a size 6--both far smaller than the "average American woman"--who is currently a size 14. When I was a size 26, I would have been delighted to be a 14 again. When I was a 10, I was happy with my size, but wanted to improve my heart health and fitness. And since only 15% of WLS patients achieve "normal" BMIs and sizes like mine, I'd say I was doing pretty damn good!
People here are trying to help you to be successful, and many of us are several years out from surgery and speak from experience. Disrespecting our stories and belittling our weight loss is childish and unworthy, Anne. You asked for our help, but it seems like you just want someone to say,"Yes! Sue the *******! He is the reason you are morbidly obese! He must pay for ruining your life!"
My first year's weight loss was 130 pounds or so. That is NOT "WAAAAAYYY TOO LONG." The final 18 pounds took longer, but at that point it was a question of going from a size 10 to a size 6--both far smaller than the "average American woman"--who is currently a size 14. When I was a size 26, I would have been delighted to be a 14 again. When I was a 10, I was happy with my size, but wanted to improve my heart health and fitness. And since only 15% of WLS patients achieve "normal" BMIs and sizes like mine, I'd say I was doing pretty damn good!
"Fall down 7 times--STAND UP 8!"
Most Active
Recent Topics
What if you could look at your regain as the best thing that ever happened?
Brandi_L_Moran · 2 replies · 686 views
Brandi_L_Moran · 2 replies · 686 views
