Have you had weight loss surgery?

I am wanting to get some feedback from people who have had bariatric surgery. What procedure did you have? How successful was it? Have you kept the weight off? Do you think you are happier now, having lost the weight, but being restricted in what you can eat for the rest of your life? Any thing else that you can think that may be useful or relevant would also be great. I know with any large community you have your trolls and keyboard warriors, so I know I am going to get the diet and lifestyle advise, but I am just going to say up front, you have no idea of my circumstances and what I have done or why I am considering this, so don't bother. Those of you who have had the surgery, I can't wait to hear from you. The more advise the better. Cheers.

Comments

        • +1

          Does my head in and it's not even about me. All the best whatever your decision.

      • +4

        You obviously know nothing about basic biology. It really is exactly that simple. There's NOTHING else in the equation. You don't eat, you starve to death. That's being very blunt, but its the absolute truth.

        I've helped people lose 10's of kg's and keep it off years later. I also have friends and family that have had weight loss surgery. I'm also well educated on nutrition, eating, exercise and human biology.

        What I'm hearing is someone that's interpreted my advice (which is identical to what doctors and nutritionists say) as a personal attack.

        People always want the easy way out (hence why diets exist), and often have to fabricate or exaggerate excuses to justify their choices to both others and themselves.

        It's your life and your choices, but don't accuse me of knowing nothing because your opinions differ from mine (which are backed by science).

        Best of luck to you.

        • +2

          The problem with the basic biology is that it excludes the physiology. For some the calories in = calories out thing is quite straightforward, they do it, and they lose weight. But for the vast majority of the overweight and obese it doesn't work. In fact it has borne out in the evidence now that no diet works in the longer term, at a population level - it all gets put back on. I know you will haul out a few examples of where people who've kept the weight off but they're not the majority. The problem with calories in = calories out is that it doesn't take into account the effect of human metabolism and hormonal influence. The best example is chronic stress - you get a consistently elevated level of cortisol, the 'stress' hormone, which interprets your stress as a survival threat, which switches your metabolism to starve mode. Starve mode means that every single little bit of energy from food is stored instead of burned, meaning even low calorie diets stop working. The best test case of this was the earlier Biggest Loser contestants, a large proportion of whom have been permanently stuck in 'starve mode' from a prolonged period of stress and ultra low calorie diet. People in this state could eat as healthy as you please and wont lose a bit of weight - they might not gain, but they definitely wont lose. The same thing happens to women particularly who've crash dieted their whole lives, eventually you get this metabolic escape.

          I don't expect most people to be across nutrition science because all of this has only started becoming evident in the last few years, but I would like to say that calories in vs calories out has been thrown around for years (along with other variious forms of restrictive diets) - I would ask anyone considering telling an overweight person this, that if it truly worked, it would have worked at a population level. But it just doesn't. (Makes for great TV though).

          • @MessyG: "…even low calorie diets stop working."
            Wrong. Your body is still burning energy unless you're dead or have been frozen solid. If your body isn't converting food into energy then instead you will break down body tissue, primarily fat, especially if you have lots of it. Either way, you still burn energy, and the basic principals hold true.

            • -1

              @Viper8: The basic principle is true but it doesn't take into account human physiology. You cannot starve a human indefinitely and expect it to work in the longer term, ergo, diets stop working. The chemical process itself works, but you're missing many pathways there. Like I said this is fairly new research so I don't excpect most people to know it, but just think about what you are saying. There's a chemical principle there that yes burns energy, but it hasn't worked at a population over time - in fact it's had the reverse effect. This isn't a simple, linear process - there's many other biochemical pathways involved, so again, have a think about this dogma that hasn't helped over a 30 year period and question the utility of rehashing it online.

              • @MessyG: I'm not really sure what your specifically debating this time, but again, stress or no stress, if you eat less energy than you burn, you loose weight. End of story, unless you believe in magic and fairies.
                Sure there is infinite complexity in how your body burns energy and utilizes consumed energy, but that's beyond the scope of and irrelevant to my original comment.

            • @Viper8: Also, just to pre-empt the usual request for 'proof', here is the Royal Australian College of Physician evidence review on this subject. Page 19, first para under Weight Management for Adults.

              https://www.racp.edu.au/docs/default-source/advocacy-library…

    • I agree with calorie in and calorie out as this has helped me a lot in my weight loss. But I think a lot of people miss an important point of food volume vs calories. Where you need to account for food volume in and food volume out. This helps feeling normal and satiated and stick to the life style change in the long term

      When I feel hungry I will eventually cave to snacks for volume
      example:
      https://is.gd/WyTXI4
      https://t.ly/d9b8

      Also don't believe the 'it won't keep me full for long with'. As long as you have some lean meats and/or whole meal bread/brown rice you'll be fine. snacking on a bit almonds is best as you can't eat too much and it'll keep you full

      Also if you really want truly long term results you should track what you eat. Many studies have shown tracking food works:
      Here is a recent meta analysis: https://today.duke.edu/2019/02/tracking-food-leads-losing-po…
      Tracking food for me was an eye opener and really helped me change my relationship to foods. Which then led me to seeing the importance of volume

      Lastly OP don't ignore all the advice in this thread as it will help you after your surgery, which is almost as important. Otherwise you'll just be wasting money on this serious surgeries
      Confirmation bias can be really bad when you're making this decision

      We're here to help and wish you all the best in your next step. We're rooting for you OP :)

  • +5

    I was 167kg. I would recommend the surgery to anyone.

    The people writing here its simple to lose weight blah blah have no idea because they are not fully
    addicted to refined sugars, carbs etc. The only way off these is to completely eliminate processed food
    from your lifestyle.

    I had a gastric sleeve and got down to 105kg now very stable.

    Gastric sleeve is not the instant solution to weight loss it is a tool.

    Food input after 12 months is around normal.
    Initial weight loss is due to your stomach being swollen for 12 months post surgery.

    After a period of recovery I started a weight loss program at a local
    crossfit gym combined with a strict keto diet ripped the last 30kgs off in 4 months.
    The trainers there had me eat more food once every three hours to speed my metabolism up.
    It was a simple can of tuna every three hours worked a treat and plenty of water 6 litres a day for me.

    Diet is still extremely important even after sleeve.

    • +1

      What about all the people that used to weigh as much as you that simply reduced their intake of those foods and all foods? Going cold turkey and/or getting surgeory isn't the only solution (though results are much slower), and suggesting that it is is extremely harmful. As with everything in life, all in moderation.

  • +3

    I had a mini gastric-bypass almost 2 years ago. I could lose a decent amount over the years but my appetite always got the better of me and I would put it back on and then some. I wasn't a fan of the surgery, particularly being a bloke because of the stigma behind it. But I have gone from 180KG to around 110KG. That took less than a year. Have a bit of loose skin but overall feeling much better. If I had any advice for you that I wish I received or took more seriously, it is this;

    DO YOUR RESEARCH. I cannot stress this enough. This is a tool, not a magical cure. If you are mentally not prepared to eat significantly less or have other emotional or psychological issues, you will be MORE unhappy after the surgery.

    It is painful, in particular the first week or so. Getting used to eating less is very hard mentally, and I found myself realising that I was an emotional eater to some extent. I overcame this eventually but it was tough. Physically, it will take you at least 6 months to adjust. Prepare yourself to be sick a lot while eating until you get used to it.

    Ultimately, I would only advise this if it is a last resort. There are weird physical effects of weight loss surgery such as always being cold - and I was 'that guy' who would wear shorts in the middle of winter. Now I am always cold, especially in winter. DO YOUR RESEARCH. And ask yourself if you are mentally prepared for this challenge, it is not as easy as everyone thinks. Ultimately I am glad I got it because I doubt I would ever keep the weight off in the long run, and getting older that gets hard. If you have any questions, shoot me a PM, happy to help however I can. All the best.

    EDIT: Also prepare to most likely lose your gallbladder. This is a common 'side effect' of the surgery that most face.

  • +5

    I remember doing research a couple of years ago, based mainly on the un-insured price of such surgery. It was going to be $20k+.

    I came across another option, which seemed hideously expensive for what it was, but offered, for all intents and purposes, a trial-run of these restrictive surgeries on offer.

    Essentially, they inserted a balloon into your stomach via your mouth, so no actual surgery. The balloon lasted for around 6 months, and then disintegrated and passed through the body.

    Still would have cost $6k+, but perhaps an option for some who are unsure about the more permanent forms of stomach restriction.

    I also really hate the righteous so-and-so's who think it all so easy to just eat less. The vast majority of them have no idea what it's like.

  • My colleague had a surgery. Not sure how much she lost but she is nearly half her size. She went through a lot of pain and agony after the surgery. She couldnt eat much and was surviving on liquid in the first couple of weeks. She is happy and maintaing a strict diet in order to keep herself in shape. You need to mentally prepare yourself if you choose to go under the knife. Its not an easy path. I wish you all the best.

  • -5

    Eat a plant produced product (fruit) you lose weight. Eat an animal processed product (basically everything except fruit) and you gain weight.

    Think of fruit as negatively charged to neutralise the positive weight increase caused by animal products.

    Nice and simple.

    Fruit = weight—

    Everything else = weight++

    • +1

      No life threatening surgery or heartattack causing exercise required, enjoy :)

    • Try telling that to a diabetic.

      • +1

        "This is not true; people with diabetes can eat fruit as part of their healthy eating plan"

        Anyone can eat fresh fruit. Whether they are diseased or non-diseased is irrelevant.

        • Sure diabetics can eat fruit, as part of a balanced diet for them, not at the expense of everything else.

    • Think of fruit as negatively charged to neutralise the positive weight increase caused by animal products.

      Genius!

      Just make sure you connect yourself to the negative terminal of the fruit, otherwise known as the cathode. Wouldn't want to mix those up and put on positive weight!

    • +1

      You do realise that dried fruit for example, is ~50% sugar?
      Fruit in general is composed of water, fiber, sugar and vitamins. Where will you get your minerals, protein and healthy fats from?
      I guess in essence a fruit-only diet is basically fasting, hence the rapid weight loss. Though there will also be a tonne of negative health effects.
      You're either trolling or a complete fool. Its hard to differentiate the two I guess.

      • No, fruit is a 'whole' product it is not a composition of separate ingredients which is why you cannot just mix water, fiber, sugar and vitamins together in your kitchen to make an apple or banana :)

        Mother nature knows exactly what we need to eat and how to serve it so we can be healthy.

        The trick with eating fruit the right way is not to process it other than the simple fact of chewing and swallowing it. Don't blend it, dry or cook it. Eat it fresh just as mother nature intended.

        • “Fruit” as we know it didn’t exist a few thousand years ago. We have been hard at work breeding it to taste more and more sweet. Go find a wild banana, try and eat it. Not nice. We also have access to fruit all year round, this is also new. A few hundred years ago you could only eat each type of fruit for a small time of the year.

          Some zoos have stopped feeding (or severely limiting) their animals fruit intakes because they’ve been getting T2 diabetes. They can no longer be healthy on fruit because it has changed so much.

          Fruit is ok. But it’s barely “natural” due to the intensive breeding that humans have been doing. So it’s wise to limit your fruit intake.

          • @ChickenTalon: Human interference is a problem and those animals getting diabetes from eating those fake human made Cavendish bananas unfortunately the blame is put on poor plants for what humans have done.

            At the end of the day, we still trust plant produced oxygen over human polluted air we should also still trust plant produced fruit over human processed food.

            It's just about finding real oxygen and real fruit. Not bottled oxygen or lab fruit.

  • +3

    I know you mentioned you don't want other advice, but I would recommend surgery as a last option. Obviously, any surgery has risk, and thus my option below. Risk-free.

    Have you tried intermittent fasting? Call the 16/8 etc. and you can still enjoy food. More of an eating style change, rather than a diet.

    This will inspire you hopefully. Either way, hope you get want you want.

    https://www.reddit.com/r/intermittentfasting/

    • -3

      Fasting is not risk free because if you fast for too long then you will perish…

  • +1

    Hi OP, my cousin had this surgery years ago. I'd recommend the gastric bypass based on her experience.

    She was over 130 kg and after a year lost 60 kg, after that stopped diet and gym gained 15 kg, but didn't gain more and has sustained the majority of weight loss over the years. No loose/excess skin at all, perhaps because she was going to the gym daily during the first year.

    At the start, she could only eat very little, the stomach stretches over time but even then never as it was before.

    Best decision she ever made. Surgery has minimum risk and it's life changing.

    Don't listen to the haters, if you want to do it go for it. Every body is different, for some people just by skipping dinner loose weight, for others even with diet and gym is really hard.

  • +2

    Hello OP,

    I've now lost 100kg in total with no surgery. What I did was a combination of calorie counting on MyfitnessPal, intermittent fasting (not eating for as long as possible after waking up, never having breakfast) and for the first month or so having shakes to lower appetite.

    Heres some tips:

    • Keep junk food at home, just slightly out of reach. You need reminders that you are choosing to live a healthier lifestyle and you have chosen to not eat those things. It'll help when going on holiday or shopping with temptation.
      • Slowly decrease your expectations of how much you should eat per meal. A footlong subway is a good benchmark. Pretty much should never be more filling than that.
      • Apart from hot chips, I avoided nothing. Hot chips have an unbelievable amount of calories compared to what else you can eat. Steer clear.
      • Melons, strawberries and blueberries are great fruits to both fill you up and are low in calories.
      • Have caffeine everyday.
      • Do exercise 30 mins everday. There's an afterburn effect on your metabolism making this well worth doing.
      • Calories are calories. However, protein foods costs more energy to digest and burn, plus fill you up more.
  • No

  • +3

    Hi. I had the surgery about 5 years ago, gastric sleeve. Everything that could go wrong did. I ended up in ICU. Collapsed lungs, renal failure. Developed a leak had to have stents put in twice. Was in hospital for 2-3 months and off work for 6 months. Ive probably put on a few kg this year from being a tad lazy. I think I've been lucky all the foods they said I'd have trouble with I've been able to eat but it also turned me off of a lot of food. White bread I now hate it and prefer the grainiest bread I can find. I find fruit too sweet now.
    About 1 year post op I could eat about half a jnr whopper. Yes it sometimes sucks you can't eat that little more of something and you can still over eat especially with sweets if you snack all day. Good luck and even after all that went wrong I'd do it again.

  • My friend had liposuction. It all came back very quickly as she didn't change her eating habits. Gastric might not have this problem. I say go for it if your doctor suggests it

  • I wish you the best whichever way you choose but more often than not it's about correct eating habits. There are too many easy routes to weight loss, that are short term fixes.

    The majority of people who are overweight are in denial about their diet. As someone who has exercises 3-4 times a week with a poor diet, I can undeniably say, my diet which I thought was good, was the cause of my weight gain. After I cut out all that junk food, sugary foods, I lost a lot of belly fat.

  • Knew a big couple, they did the thing, she kept it off, he put it all back on, good luck and make the right decision for you!

  • I have at least 3 of my friends who have done this surgery. I come from a country with one of the highest obesity rate in the world, also one of the highest bariatric surgery in the world(its cheap here). What i can tell is that everyone will notice that you had that surgery, and stretch mark is going to be really bad(Especially if you are not working out.). Unless you are over 150kg i wouldn't recommend you doing it. I have lost around 20kg in 3-4 months, but i have followed a very strict diet and walk everyday. A year of strict diet and working out going to save you lots of money and teach you how healthy life style is. Speak to a nutrition specialist and make a decision later.

  • +2

    Hi OP first of all best of luck with this journey. I've looked after many bariatric surgery patients both for theanaesthesia and the short post op ICU stay. The vast majority of them are totally fine and do very well after the surgery in terms of recovery. Some have very bad pain (esp if they have chronic pain), nausea / vomiting and very occasionally, complications do occur. That's not common but definitely does happen from time to time.

    What I find Most interesting are the patients having redo surgeries where the original one "stopped working”. I believe that the psychology behind obesity for many people is far deeper rooted than simple weight number in kg. For some people a single psychologist session preop to "assess suitability" is just a joke.. how many of them go deep into why obesity occurs and the impact obesity already has had on psychological well-being? Expecting every person to be like the poster "lost 70kg doing amazing!" Is just not realistic.

    • +1

      I can't applaud this enough. I've looked after a few too and the psychology behind obesity and morbid obesity is complex and the idea of single therapy session on this is just cruel and laughable. OP I don't know if you meet criteria but there are a few public obesity clinics around that combine surgery with a long term programme, although they are for the morbidly obese. Failing that the single best thing you can do other than research and read heavily, is to start seeing a psychologist regularly. Get that relationship with them established before you do this because they're going to need to guide you through the self-identity crisis that comes with this. If you can get the ball rolling with exploring how you came to be at this point in time in your life, and setting in some tools ahead of the surgery and postoperative period, you'll reduce your complication rate, and reduce your risk for chronic pain afterward. I think it's good you're researching this - there's a lot you need to know about it that you wont necessarily take in in one consent session with your surgeon. Your body right now is intrinsically wound up in your identity so it's important you've worked through that identity prior, during and post operation.

      Also have a plan if you spend all this money and a complication happen that means it has to be removed. You don't get your money back. Will you be in debt? Can you cover this? Can you afford to do it again if that happens? I've only seen that happen once but my patient was beyond devastated and in debt from it.

      Does a dietitian come with the surgery? If not you need to start seeing one regularly, from now. If you were at a public morbid obesity clinic these are the team that would be involved aside from the doctor. You need support through it - most people don't understand so having trained professionals who you see on a regular basis about it is very helpful and again good for reducing post op pain and complications.

      • The shrink and the dietician both seem to be neglected in the FB groups discussing these surgeries, which is typical human nature I guess. They're the two vital things to make the surgeries actually work long term & not just be another crash diet, but they involve hard work on the individual's part, so no quick fix no hype :(

        • Even this is an old post. Depending on which surgeon you use. I used darebin weight loss centre.

          Your first visit is with their nurse. If you are willing to go ahead with the surgery after the information given you must see first a dietician and psychologist. If these are successful only then do you meet the surgeon.

          Follow up visits with surgeon, dietician and psychologist (if needed) see regular 6 month -1 year occurance for the rest of your life.

          To make sure you are on track hut a do checking your blood and vitamin levels are in check.

  • Have you considered fat freezing?

  • +1

    Hello there I'm not sure how old this forum post is but I just found it. I personally dealt with obesity for many years and one day stumbled upon a weight loss surgery forum and was amazed at the new procedures.

    The lap band is now pretty much obsolete.

    So my choices were the bypass or the sleeve.

    After much research I ended up having the BYPASS, I had to sign up to hospital cover private health insurance for 12 months before they would pay for the surgery but there was still a Gap I had to pay of $4000.

    It was the best money I ever spent. I had a few meetings with the surgeon leading up to the surgery and I personally started my own diet prior to surgery which allowed me to shed around 28kgs on VLCD of protein shakes.

    I had the bypass surgery and spent 6 days in hospital for various tests and observation and it was great my first time ever in private hospital and my own private room.

    Yes I was quite sore for a few days with multiple incision sites as mine was done laparoscopally.

    I'm now of many medications and my diabetes is gone.
    My blood pressure is good.

    If you have any questions serious questions feel free to email me willcoxmark56@gmail

    Well let's just say it has totally changed my life.

    Within 9 months I lost 70kgs and I've kept it off now almost 6 months.

    In the beginning I could only eat very little and very soft food but now over a year later I can eat most things just small portions.

    I've been maintaining nearly 6 months and can enjoy all kinds of food even some treats and my weight has not changed at all so if your read the scientific side of surgery it can and will actually alter your gut biome and your metabolism if you go for the BYPASS.

    for the first time in my life I'm actually fit and healthy and feeling great.

    Yes there is alot of negativity out there against surgery but some people have no other options; id been on many diets before but they don't last and the surgery changed the way my body processes food and my metabolism so now is like I'm a healthy fit metabolism.

    Sure it is possible to have surgery and not make much progress so you still have to be strict and committed and mentally prepared for all the changes in your life…

    You can't just sit back and expect the surgery to be a magic trick.

    I hope this helps.

  • I'd suggest members considering this move to join the FB Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/AussieGastricSleeveSupportGr… which is full of people with experience and pre-op folks with all sorts of questions on the subject.

    I was sleeved at 62 years of age, lost 50kg, diabetes gone, other co-morbidities gone. After years of yo-yo dieting, all the while being very active, I swim 2ks per weekday morning, and being always hungry, never felt full. I discussed it with my long term GP consulted a bariatric surgeon and 3 weeks later was operated on. Never a moment of regret. Never a downside.

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