Anyone else on here have gastric bypass or lap-band?

[rileyandfredsmom]

I had GB in Feb. of 2005 and am not happy with the GB boards I have found so I thought I would ask around here....just looking for people in my age range to talk about their experiences and successes.

Me, I had surgery on Feb. 22, 2005 and have lost a total of 147 pounds. I am maintaining at 138 for about 3 months but eventually I will have plastic surgery that should remove another 10-12 pounds. I work out 3-4 times a week and try to maintain a healthy eating lifestyle, some days are harder than others...although I DO NOT eat anything with over 4 grams of refined sugar or white stuff, including pasta or rice. I will occasionally have bread, but only occasionally and never an entire sandwich. If I have a hamburger, I eat only the bottom part of the bun, same with a hotdog...and generally speaking those are the only times I actually eat bread.

I have had a good response from co-workers and family, although my DH thinks I have lost a little too much weight (I tend to agree sometimes but am terrified of trying to put on even 5 pounds - scared of where it might lead). Overall I think I am healthier and happier!

Anyone else?

[kimbyj]

I have not had GB or anything else. I want it or fit the criteria for it but I saw the topic and was interested in the process of it.

Congrats to you and your success!!! I have been watching a show on cable about this topic and the plastic surgery that people have gone thru after significant weight loss. I think they might be in a different place though - most of them seem to have lost between 200-400 pounds.

I hope you find a good support group! BEST WISHES!

[linda_loo]

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[rileyandfredsmom]

Hey Linda - Congratulations on your decision...I'm sure you are very excited!

OH is an awful site - to me it is a bunch of people making excuses for why they are yet again failing when they have been given the last chance for successful life changes. I used to visit the board at bariatriceating.com but felt that the whole board is so oooh and aaah over Susan Maria that I couldn't deal with it.

So, are you on an all liquid diet yet? Do you have everything ready for the post-op world yet?

[linda_loo]

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[rileyandfredsmom]

Linda - I remember my pre-op, there was a girl in my group that said, and I quote "you mean, I won't be able to have my root beer floats anymore" :eek: Are you kidding me? I constantly lecture my Dr. about performing surgery on her....my Dr. thinks I'm nuts though so what can I say! :D

Hey, don't go on the "i've got to eat everything I'll never be able to eat again" binge before your surgery...as I'm sure you know, this makes the surgery more difficult to perform and 9 out of 10 of those foods you will be able to eat again, just not in the large portions you are eating them in now. That said, sugar free cake is OK but it sure doesn't compare to the full-on sugar kind! I do miss that!

What is your exercise plan post-op? That is so important...I was on my elliptical machine 3 days after surgery - mind you, I was only able to go for 4 minutes but I was on there! The sooner you get up and moving, the better you will feel in the long run.

[searching4mysoul]

Hey girls! I had RNY on 3/17/06, so I'm just about 4 months out and down 80 pounds. I didn't know anyone before I had surgery and i just couldn't get into the message boards no matter how hard i tried, but I found a few people I could relate to through their blogs.

But anyway, I am very excited for you, Linda! I remember being so nervous before surgery, but mostly just because I thought for sure someone was going to run into the room at the last minute and say i couldn't do it. haha But really, it hasn't been nearly as hard as I thought it would. I'll be thinking of you!

Lyndsay

[linda_loo]

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[rileyandfredsmom]

welcome aboard Lyndsay!

It is funny that you guys are scared someone will tell you that you can't have the surgery right when you are going in because I never felt that way. BUT, the morning of surgery, I was doing fine, was excited and ready to go. My DH was standing in the pre-op area with me and the Dr. had been in and the nurse and the anesthisioligist came in and gave me a shot. A few minutes later the nurse looked at my DH and said "we are ready to go, we'll come out and give you updates as the surgery progresses" and my DH leaned over and kissed me. I started yelling in my head "Wait, I don't want to have the surgery, I don't want to die" but I was already too out of it to talk! If I hadn't had that shot, I would NOT have had the surgery and I was never nervous up until the exact moment we were headed down the hall.

This surgery changes you in so many ways, not just the internal plumbing!

[linda_loo]

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[rileyandfredsmom]

Oh Linda - how disappointing! I did think about you the other day and wondered how you were doing. But, it is better to be safe than sorry and September will be here before you know it!

I've been having a difficult time of late - I can't stop losing weight and now my Dr. is telling me to put on 5 -10 pounds but I just can't seem to. I eat all the time but it's like food just runs right thru me - my spine and collar bone are sticking out too much and is making me a bit self conscious. I even have the bump from the collar bone sticking out on my shoulders - not too cute. I'm going to have to meet with a nutrionist to see what I should do....although I would much rather have this problem than being morbidly obese again!

[linda_loo]

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[DelSol]

I just wanted to say Congratulations to all you for taking this step.

I do have a question, what is the criteria for the surgery? When are you a good candidate for the surgery? I was thinking of the lap-band.

DH & I are TTC and we've been trying for 3 cycles with no luck and I am over weight so I don't know if that is something that is playing an issue or not. I've tried a lot of diets and each one makes me feel like I am starving, I know dieting isn't easy but for once I would like to be able to diet and not feel starving afterwards and then eat to make up for it. I joined Curves in January but haven't gone consistently for the past 3 months and I do water aerobics at the YMCA but I go once a week but that is because they charge too much for classes so I am thinking of joining the YMCA since with the membership I can attend 2 swim classes for free and pay for the one I go to for a discounted price.

Sorry for the rambling.

[linda_loo]

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[fastlayne224]

I am so glad to see this thread, I haven't had any luck with other message boards about gastric bypass surgery.

I had my surgery on 9-1. I had the RNY and after a pretty rough patch, I have lost about 55 lbs. I feel pretty good, but my energy level is pretty low. All my levels are good, getting plenty of protein and vitamins, but my energy level is zilch. Has anyone else had this problem and if so, how long did it last?

Best of luck to everyone!
Erica

[amypooh]

rileyandfredmom - Do you know if insurance will pay for plastics post WLS?

I had the lap-band in July. My lowers stomach has a huge skin flap now I want it gone! But I dont know if I should purse it or not.

[Noniitis]

Hello all I had Lap RNY May 17 2001... so I am 5.5 years out.

I truly has been the best thing I have ever done for myself! I maintained my goal weight for 2 years until I got pregnant. I am up 30 pounds from goal. I have had most of my plastic surgery completed now < lower body lift, breast lift w/augmentation, 5 zones of lipo> so if anyone has any questions about that I am a pretty open book. I was a fascilitator for a local support group for 3 years and quit when my life got crazy busy with parenting and all that goes with it.

I was the first in my family to have it done. then my Mother < got rid of 145lbs> had it done 8 months later then my younger brother< got rid of 215 lbs> had it done 5 months after that then my older brother <got rid of 280 lbs> had it done the next year. We all had it down by the same surgeon and none of us have had any complications. We all feel very blessed.

As far as plastics after WLS I was in the process of fighting the appeal for my insurance company to have the tummy tuck done at the mayo clinic in Rochester. I was denied immediately which truly is par for the course. The plastic surgeon there highly reccomended the lower body lift for me. I would have had to pay the difference in price. I started hearing people in my support group talk about two different women who went out of the country for plastics. So I talked to both of them about there experiences and decided to have al the work done in Brazil.

[linda_loo]

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[rileyandfredsmom]

I'm back among the living (work has been hell the past 4 months and we bought a house during this time) and I noticed this thread is still active.

My weight has continued to fall although not as quickly. I am down to about 133 but should really be around 140-145. I was out of town for 15 days and lost 5 pounds because my pouch was VERY angry about being off schedule. She rejected everything I put in there. It wasn't pretty.

But, I am finally able to get back onto my weight training program and hope to build more muscle to compensate for the weight loss.

Regarding whether Insurance will pay for plastics, only if the hanging skin causes medical problems such as rashes/sores that won't heal. Fortunately, mine isn't that bad (somewhat unsightly but not detrimental to my physical health). A coworker of mine did just have plastics that were covered by insurance but she created her sores so that insurance would cover it.

Linda - I'm so excited you finally had the surgery, 73 pounds is TREMENDOUS! Way to go.

Noniitis - I am probably going to Brazil for my plastics as well. They have some of the best surgeons in the world and great programs (and prices) too. Fortunately, I won't have to have the full on tummy tuck (my stomach muscles are firm and fit) but I will have to have the skin removed. And really, not that much but I have worked too hard not to have the body I have always wanted. I will also have to get my thighs done. Those just aren't cute! And my boobs....they have shrunk to nothing. And maybe my butt lifted.....BUT THEY WON'T BE ALLOWED TO TOUCH MY BIG TOE! :D I always tell people, 'What I can't get by working out, the surgeon can get in the operating room!'