Questions......

considering a revision for lapband surgery. I have heard a lot about dumping with bypass surgery. I don't know if I can commit to never eating another cookie for the rest of my life. Now I am reading that carbs cause dumping. Can someone explain this to me?  I want to understand for real people and not just doctors. Also, did anyone have hair loss?  Thank you for your time. 

Take a bottle of dish detergent and turn it upside down with the cap closed.  After RNY there is no cap on the end of the stomach so whatever you put in is going to quickly run back out.  If I eat sugar it dumps into my intestines and I break into a sweat, my heart races, I get dizzy, confused and a lot of pain in my chest.  I have to lie down for about 30 minutes of agony.  Sometimes I also throw up or get explosive diarrhea.

It does not happen every time and I usually know how much sugar I can safely eat.   It only happens to 30% of people who have RNY and I did not have an incident until more than five years out.

I had a lot of hair loss between months three and nine.  It grew back.  It can happen from any surgery and is caused by the anesthesia.  I was a hair stylist in the 1970's when women had anesthesia to deliver babies and many had the same hair loss during the first year. 

Don't get RNY if you cannot commit to the diet and lifestyle changes. 

sugar IS a carb. All forms of sugar including honey,etc,are carbs.mcarbs are also the sugar in fruit. Also flour,rice,pasta,tortillas,wraps,etc.

not everyone has hair loss.  I didn't.  I've never dumped, either - although I've never pushed the envelope, so who knows.  I've had cookies  - although only rarely and never more than one.

You do not have to commit to never eating another cookie for the rest of your life. There may be a rare person out there who dumps from just one cookie, but that is not typical. What happened for me is that I am now satisfied with a much smaller portion. I can eat a few bites of a dessert and throw the rest away, whereas before surgery I want two or three desserts. Now, those few bits completely satisfy me, and I don't even want more. I do feel terrible if I eat more than a small amount of sweets, but that helps keep me in check. There is no reason why anyone needs more than one cookie in a sitting anyway. As for the hair loss, it grows back. No one could even tell that I lost more hair than normal for a couple of months.

I've never dumped, but I do get reactive hypoglycemia if I eat too many simple carbs in isolation. Some people will claim they've given up cookies, bread, pasta, rice, etc. for the rest of their lives, but some choose not to be as restrictive and find that they feel fine with a small amount. It's more about whether you can stop once you start, though. Whether or not you go "whole hog" on restrictions is up to you and your WLS program. For me, there's nothing I *can't* eat in small enough amounts, although there are definitely things (like bread and pasta) that I just choose not to eat any longer.

I lost easily 2/3 of my hair. My labs have all been great and I've consistently gotten > 100g of protein almost every day since surgery. Sometimes it's just from the shock to your body, but it's temporary. I had my hair cut right before Christmas, and my hairdresser said I have a lot of little wispy new growth coming in. To be honest, I kind of enjoyed it -- I only have to wash my hair twice a week now and it's infinitely more manageable.  :)

Thank you. I do like a cookie occasionally. My hair is rather thin as it is, though. 

I am 8 yrs out and still have dumping syndrome, however, I realize I can eat things with sugar, but not over 12g of sugar or it feels like I have the flu= hot flashes, I have to lay down for about 30 mins, nausea, have to use the bathroom....BUT, you get use to it. Before, my life was food, now its all about health and looking and feeling great. Yes, if I crave sweets, I now keep a dark chocolate bar in my freezer and ever night I might pinch off a square or 3...lol but I dont eat the whole think like before, not because I dont want to...I physically cant. I will eat ice cream, but its sugar free and a small amount. Your life changes after surgery and food is no longer an addiction but fuel...its hard to explain. Just remember, NOTHING tastes as good as SKINNY feels!  Good luck!~

Nicole

Thanks!  I am definitely not worried about getting skinny. I just want to b able to walk for more than 10 minutes! Everyone is making the bypass sound not so bad. I am beginning to think it might be the right choice for me. The sleeve seems so much like the band. 

I had 2 friends have the band. 1 only lost 35 lbs and gained back 30. :(  The other cheats her band by drinking milk shakes, which slide through and doesn't get the band filled regularly so she can eat more. She hasn't lost more than 20 lbs. I have 7 friends, 5 are doctors and all of us have lost over 100 lbs and kept it off. Good luck!