Last resort: Gastric Bypass

[Guest (Lightsider)]

In the UNITED STATES we are being fed to death with things that simply should not be part of our diet. high Fats, sugars and mega carbs. It is a real trap and some times a person can get so large that exercising is destructive on the knee. It is a damned if you do and a damned if you don't decision.

If one gets Bariatric surgery they will lose weight. In 2 months one can expect to lose 50 to 70 lbs. And over the course of 18 months lose about half their body mass,

The surgery is not easy, It can take a month or more to gt through toughest part of the surgery. The liquid diet which eventually converts to more solid food. And if you happen to eat something with Sugar or Fat you will start what is cal the dumping syndrome. It does get better. You can find an excellent sugar substitute called Stevia. Taste just like sugar and is a natural by product.

The upside to the surgery is that you will lose weight. I was shocked i lost 70 lbs in 2 months and my energy is back. Now I am on a trend of consistanly losing weight rather that Consistanly gaining weight.

One also commit to taking vitamin supplements every day. Multivimins, and B12's. B12 are by far the most important supplement because if you do not take it, it can cause nervious system problems. If it gets worse you may be required to get a b12 shot every 2 weeks or so.

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And if you have medicade medicare the operation is completely covered. I had a 1000.00 deductible but the state stepped in and paid the rest of the bill.

It is a life style change that is not be taken lightly.

More later when I wake up.

[JJ]

I am very happy that the surgery worked for you and that you are continuing to lose weight. I know from knowing people who have had it that there must also be a commitment to changing your relationship with food. And for us trans particularly I think, with changing your relationship with your body.

There was no way for me to obtain the surgery and I thought I was doomed to be forever huge once I let it happen and my muscles atrophied from being bedridden for 2 years due to health issues. The weight didn't cause them but certainly didn't help them either. But I found that by swimming I could exercise. And built up to swimming at least an hour a day. Vigorous swimming. Now I also hike 2 or more hours a day because swimming built my muscles back (And I admit T helped speed that process for me). Swimming is an exercise that can be done by even the severely overweight and is also excellent aerobic exercise.

I have also lost 120lbs and will lose about 55 more. By then I will have lost well over half my body mass.

For me it is a miracle I rejoice in all day every day. I'm sure you feel the same.

I lost the weight because one day I realized there was something more important to me than food. It was having the body I need . It was being a man in the world and the best man I can possibly be, Whenever I got hungry at first I asked myself what I really wanted. And it worked. Now I like what I eat and the way I eat. It satisfies me and I don't get cravings. I eat whatever i want one day a week and that helps too. Because if I get a sudden craving for something I know I can have it soon. Also keeps my metabolism from falling.

And whether you lose through surgery or another way I strongly recommend keeping a daily log. I am not the kind of person who likes regimes but that log makes a huge difference to me. I use the free one on Livestrong.com because I find it most user friendly.

My point is that there are options to losing weight. Surgery is one. If you can obtain it. But other things work too. Slower to be sure, it has taken me many months and will take a few more.

Congratulations on what you are doing! And keep up the good work. It is so worth it.

Hugs

Johnny

[~Nova~]

I coached a post -op triathlete through an Iroman triathlon. She was well over 300 when she got the surgery and raced at about 175. She is an incredible athlete and looks great.

Best of luck to you.

Autumn

[Guest (Lightsider)]

Writing a post at 3 am when you are half awake is a dangerous thing. Glad I was not sleep walking when I did that. If any one is considering this course of action please feel free to contact me. I will be very honest, the first month is the worst! I thought I was going to die during that time. But at a certain point my energy went through the roof and I caught my self jogging up a flight of stairs.

[Guest doc_zoid]

Congrats on your surgery. As a collective whole we need to change the American relationship with food. Bariatric surgery practices are doing a lot by educating patients about proper nutrition. And the parallel between BS and SRS and dressing can't be overlooked, both are positive transitions that can lead to a better life. So congratulations again on a big step in the right direction. Bariatric surgery is great, I haven't had it but have witnessed the positive change it can have in people's lives and the lives of their families. I have struggled with weight too and got up to 400lbs before coming to the same realization that Johnny did and am now at 180-200lbs(go go gadget cycling). Good luck!

Sidenote on excess: There is interesting research coming out of studies of BS patients that suggest that the human digestive system is too long for current needs. We evolved longer digestive tracts to get the most benefit out of each calorie. The modern diet of calorie rich dense foods paired with a long digestive tract is a recipe for obesity. (http://www.vegsource.com/news/2009/11/the-comparative-anatomy-of-eating.html) Couldn't find the surgical cohort data to link to.

~DZ

[Guest Pammy]

I would like to point out that although BS can be a wonderful thing to many people, it is not for everyone.

My beloved weighed over 300 lbs and stands 5'4". She was recently diagnosed with nine different food allergies while questing for BS. These are common foods what she was eating on a daily basis. I can vouch that she didn't eat to excess or unhealthy foods. She ate mostly vegetables and tofu (yuck!). She ate sensible portions. But once she eliminated corn, wheat, shrimp, soy products, gluten of all kinds and more, her weight magically began dropping. She showed me articles that showed a link between such food allergies and massive weight gain.

Now, it has only been a few weeks so she hasn't lost any huge amount of weight yet, but her bariatric surgeon says that she doesn't need BS at all and to continue on the new diet and exercise regime. Her energy is much higher and she is even wearing out the larger dogs on their daily long walks. She was even able to stop taking insulin for her diabetes (with her doctor's blessing) because her blood sugar levels went to normal almost overnight.

What I am trying to say is, try having yourself tested for food allergies before you commit to major surgery like that. It's not a magic bullet.

Love

Pamela

[Guest doc_zoid]

Pamela,

That is a great idea even if you are not considering BS as some food allergies are symptoms of illnesses like Crohn's and Celiacs. If these are left untreated then there can be serious long-term health consequences in addition to added weight.

That's really wonderful for you and especially your wife. Food allergies are tricky. I am really gluten sensitive (ie: get cold sweats, muscle cramps, GI issues if I eat bread) and the difference in energy levels is like night and day between on and off the white stuff (flour).

Have you also switched your diet as well to help support her? If so, do you feel any difference?

[Guest Pammy]

Sorry, I'm a baaaad spouse. There is no way I could survive on her diet as I suffer from Crohn's as well as Grave's diseases. I *live* on sandwiches, pasta and noodle soup.

Of course, circumstances also dictate that she is 700 miles away from me and is likely to remain there for some time, so it isn't too hard on us diet-wise If she comes back, however, we are going to need hers and hirs refrigerators to hold our respective food!

love

Pamela