Question:
Why will RNY work better than optifast for me? Or will it?!!?

I am just finishing up a 12 week required optifast program (required by my insurance since I didn't have 12 week documented weight loss attempt). I lost about 24 pounds on the fasting part (started at 250), but have struggled immensely during transition to food. The program isn't bad -- it now has losts of nutrition and emotional support, but I already knew all of that stuff anyway. I guess I am unsure how I will do with wls if I am back to my old habits now after only 12 weeks. Does the surgery alter the hormone that regulates satiety/cravings? Anyone out there ever failed at optifast but did ok with wls? Thanks for your input.    — [Deactivated Member] (posted on December 29, 2002)

December 29, 2002
Because WLS physically makes ytour tummy smaller and adds malabsorbtion and hopefully a bit of dumping with the RNY is MUCH more effetive than optifast. Most here that tried it ended up heavier.
   — bob-haller

December 29, 2002
I agree with the previous poster. RNY is far more effective. You can't eat as much with rny, you'll probably get pretty sick if you eat sugary foods, and the malabsorption will take care of much of what you do eat. I think RNY works better all around.
   — Darlene P.

December 29, 2002
Because (and I suspect you know this) RNY physically changes you. Well regulated diets -- optifast included -- offer emotional support and nutritional and exercise ideas, but don't offer the physical changes. RNY does. Now sure, you can beat it, but you have to go out of your way to do so. I am not hungry like before, and when I do eat, I know that I don't have much room to maneuver -- so why fill myself up with crap? I don't. I choose to eat high protein foods over carbs. You will too. We have all been where you are -- indeed, I think I posted a question before my surgery that asked "why can't I just stick to the eating plan that post-ops follow without getting the surgery?" I look back at that question and laugh; if I had been able to follow a diet, and if a diet was a long term solution, I wouldn't have had surgery. Good luck.
   — Tamara K.

December 29, 2002
I agree with the previous poster. RNY changes you physiologically - no diet does that. I was on Medifast for about a year and lost over 100 pounds and gained it all back plus some. But with the RNY - I no longer want the foods that I pigged out on before. I am sitting next to a bowl full of wonderful chocolate candy from my son's Christmas stocking and it doesn't even look good to me. I can look at it and remember that I loved Peanut Butter Cups in the past, but I have no desire to eat one now. That would not have been the case with a "diet" - even one like Optifast or Medifast. The surgery is a complex thing - your tastes for foods will change. Good luck to you. Open RNY 11/29/01 -160 pounds
   — Patty_Butler

December 29, 2002

   — judyguay

December 29, 2002
Original poster here. I have already decided to have the wls, but was just feeling negative when I posted the question. It is hard for me to believe that it will work when nothing else has. After reading many posts here, I know that things can be different after the surgery. I just wanted reassurance, I guess! Thanks for your responses.
   — [Deactivated Member]

December 30, 2002
Define "old habits"...the WLS is just a tool and you do have to alter your eating habits or you can eat around the surgery and gain back weight. Those that are a year or less out don't face this, but further out, some do have problems if their original pre-op weight was gained by constantly grazing. The surgery works by reducing the size of your stomach, hence, you eat alot less and fill up faster, so logic says you will be satisfied quicker. However, keep in mind that 30 percent of RNY'ers do not dump on sugar, so if your problem was grazing continually on sugar/carbs, you can still do that with this surgery. No, not to the extent of before, but talk to some long term post-ops and they will tell you that you still have some work to do with this surgery. The surgery is just a tool, and if you use it correctly, you will successfully lose weight and keep it off. Its a wonder for getting the weight off the first year, and the goal is to learn good eating habits and develop an exercise program to serve you for the rest of your life. Just be aware...on a good note, 95% of traditional diets fail, with WLS, most succeed.
   — Cindy R.