skylily

Hello, I am 12 days post-op (open surgery), and have only lost 2 kilos (4.4 lbs). My metabolism sucks. Has anyone ever done worse than that?

Thanks ElleG, it's just frustrating. The last couple of days, a little bit has crept back on.

Thanks girls... xox

Hi, yes I had open surgery 12 days ago and have only lost 2 kilos (4.4 lbs). It's kinda depressing.

Yep

Hello, this is my story so far. Four years ago I went in for a lap band. My stomach was perforated but they didn't pick it up and I left the hospital in some pain which escalated over a few days to a 'please just kill me' type of agony. I was rushed in for emergency surgery one night and they opened me right up, took out my band, and cleared it up in there. The next three days I was in ICU and nearly died, and then the next seven days I was on the ward. Those seven days were the worst. I have pretty bad back problems and can't sleep on my back. Because of the abdominal surgery it was impossible to sleep on my side. I was hooked up to all these machines and a catheter and they took my blood every three hours. I didn't sleep for just about all that time I was in hospital. I could only get somewhat comfortable in a recliner chair and the one they scoured the hospital for was small and crappy and they wouldn't allow me to hire a good one in. It was pure psychological and physical hell. In the end I signed myself out waiving them of responsibility because I knew I had to get home and get some rest. I was so sad I went through all that and had nothing to show for it but ugly scars. I thought there was no way I could ever go back in to hospital. But, four months later I went back in got a lap band. Why? Because I resented paying out a few thousand dollars, having scars, no lap band... most of all because I was SCARED not to. I needed help. I have lost and gained thousands of pounds in my life. My heaviest was 165 kilos (363 lbs). I had lost 20 kilos leading up to surgery and so went in at 147 kilos (323 lbs). Anyway, it was keyhole (THANK GOD) and was a walk in the park after all I had been through. So now I had my lap band... and guess what... I didn't lose any weight. Yes I did everything I was supposed to and didn't lose anything. My body has got to a point of having the worst metabolism ever. It doesn't care when I drop my calories to near to nothing. I might drop a little in the first few days then it STOPS! I was bereft. Then I thought 'f*%k this'. So I went on a year long super low carb, going to the gym nearly every day, routine and I did drop another 20ish hard earned kilos. So now I was at 121 (265 lbs) and no matter what I did since I cannot get below that figure. So after some time I put back on 10 kilos and then made myself get back into line and took it off and then hovered around 123 (270)for a couple of years... which in itself was an achievement. The band has NEVER helped me lose wight but I believe it did help me from piling it all back on. Anyhow, I got it removed three weeks ago because it was more trouble then it was worth. It was a 10 ml band and the most I could ever get into it was 2 ml. I would choke at night and was convinced this was the way I would some day die. From choking on my own Fluid. I have had GERD for 20 years but when the surgery was done the surgeon tightened up my stomach sphincter and that helped it not be so severe but the band caused its own problems in that regard. So I still took Nexium every day. Now, I have no band (which is bloody amazing lol... such a relief) , very little acid reflux, but I am scared to go too long without any tool at all. The surgeon told me there was a lot of scarring around the band and I have to go back and see him in a week. I'm praying he won't say he won't do it because of too much scarring. I've read that most USA surgeons wait for several months for scarring to settle down and then do it so hopefully he will say that, but because he is Australian, and we don't do as many GBP ops here, I'm not sure he will. I CAN'T be left with no options. There you go, there's my story, SORRY IT WAS SO LONG. I know that there are people who have been through worse things, and I didn't want to sound too dramatic, but I'm just telling you how it was for me. At this stage I am so scared and have found myself getting quite depressed this week. Had a good cry today. I NEED my doctor to say the GBP can go ahead. PLEASE KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR ME. xox

Thank you so much, you're so kind. I will do the same for you... keep you on my prayer list.Good luck with Thursday. Hopefully the removal will go as smoothly as mine went. The only bad part was the awful constipation afterwards, so you may want to be mindful not to let it get to crisis point

Hell again, well I had the follow-up appt yesterday and yes, the bypass can go ahead. PHEW Will probably make it November because I have a busy work schedule up till then. I am so RELIEVED. In the meanwhile I have been eating low GI and loving it. It's slow weight loss but very healthy. Hopefully I can shed some more weight before the surgery... which has to be open by the way... not pleased about that bit but he is very thorough and because I have had complicated previous surgery in that region he wants to be meticulous with sutures etc to minimise the risk of leaks etc. I can't argue with that

Hi Mimz. Thanks. I had the follow up appt yesterday and yes, am going ahead with the bypass. Probably November as I'm too busy with work till then.

Sorry to hear that, I hope you heal and feel better soon xox

I'm glad that part's all over for you The long walk home. So pleased he went ahead despite the scarring. Hope you're feeling better soon xxx

Thanks very much momlambert. I appreciate your support xox

Thank you oldoneyoungagain. A double whammy.

And people think having wight loss surgery is the easy way out. It's bloody hard.

Hi, I am inbetween as well. Not sure when or if my revision surgery is, will know next Monday. I have a lot of scarring but am having no problems with food. In fact it feels so fantastic not to have that rotten thing in anymore. No choking or reflux. Have you spoken to your doctor yet about what damage they found when they removed your band? I hope it gets better for you real soon xox

In Australia, 10/1/12 is 10th January but in the US it is 1st of October. I presume you mean October which means in six months you have lost a whopping 63 lbs. That is fantastic really. I hope your weight starts moving again for you soon xox

Hi again Mimz. Are you scheduled for surgery yet? I've heard that GBP does wonders for GERD. Wouldn't it be wonderful to be finally free of that?! Losing some weight would be an extra bonus. Yes it is scary... no matter which way you/we turn it's pretty scary. Here is my story. Four years ago I went in for a lap band. My stomach was perforated but they didn't pick it up and I left the hospital in some pain which escalated over a few days to a 'please just kill me' type of agony. I was rushed in for emergency surgery one night and they opened me right up, took out my band, and cleared it up in there. The next three days I was in ICU and nearly died, and then the next seven days I was on the ward. Those seven days were the worst. I have pretty bad back problems and can't sleep on my back. Because of the abdominal surgery it was impossible to sleep on my side. I was hooked up to all these machines and a catheter and they took my blood every three hours. I didn't sleep for just about all that time I was in hospital. I could only get somewhat comfortable in a recliner chair and the one they scoured the hospital for was small and crappy and they wouldn't allow me to hire a good one in. It was pure psychological and physical hell. In the end I signed myself out waiving them of responsibility because I knew I had to get home and get some rest. I was so sad I went through all that and had nothing to show for it but ugly scars. I thought there was no way I could ever go back in to hospital. But, four months later I went back in got a lap band. Why? Because I resented paying out a few thousand dollars, having scars, no lap band... most of all because I was SCARED not to. I needed help. I have lost and gained thousands of pounds in my life. My heaviest was 165 kilos (363 lbs). I had lost 20 kilos leading up to surgery and so went in at 147 kilos (323 lbs). Anyway, it was keyhole (THANK GOD) and was a walk in the park after all I had been through. So now I had my lap band... and guess what... I didn't lose any weight. Yes I did everything I was supposed to and didn't lose anything. My body has got to a point of having the worst metabolism ever. It doesn't care when I drop my calories to near to nothing. I might drop a little in the first few days then it STOPS! I was bereft. Then I thought 'f*%k this'. So I went on a year long super low carb, going to the gym nearly every day, routine and I did drop another 20ish hard earned kilos. So now I was at 121 and no matter what I did since I cannot get below that figure. So after some time I put back on 10 kilos and then made myself get back into line and took it off and then hovered around 123 (270)for a couple of years... which in itself was an achievement. The band has NEVER helped me lose wight but I believe it did help me from piling it all back on. Anyhow, I got it removed three weeks ago because it was more trouble then it was worth. It was a 10 ml band and the most I could ever get into it was 2 ml. I would choke at night and was convinced this was the way I would some day die. From choking on my own Fluid. I have had GERD for 20 years but when the surgery was done the surgeon tightened up my stomach sphincter and that helped it not be so severe but the band caused its own problems in that regard. So I still took Nexium every day. Now, I have no band (which is bloody amazing lol... such a relief) , very little acid reflux, but I am scared to go too long without anything at all. The surgeon told me there was a lot of scarring around the band and I have to go back and see him in a week. I'm hoping like hell he won't say he won't do it because of too much scarring. I've read that most USA surgeons wait for several months for scarring to settle down and then do it so hopefully he will say that, but because he is Australian, and we don't do as many GBP ops here, I'm not sure he will. I CAN'T be left with no options. There you go, there's my story, sorry it was so long. I know that there are people who have been through worse things, and I didn't want to sound too dramatic, but I'm just telling you how it was for me. xox

As all of us who are or have been overweight know, no-one else can talk us in to losing weight. It's not gonna happen till 'we' are ready. However as you lose weight and start enjoying a healthier life he will probably get motivated to come to a decision himself to get on with it. It's easier for men to lose weight and when he is ready to make the diet and lifestyle changes then his own weight loss and sense of well being should be enough to keep up the motivation... hopefully. In the meanwhile tell him to quit harping on about you leaving him because that's not gonna happen but him harping on annoys the hell out of you lol. And if he doesn't lose any weight for a long time, if at all, well, just remember that we all expect and want people to accept us the way we are, it's no different for him. Good luck xox

Me me me, I'll join I'll come back when I have time and fill you in xox

Well that's great to hear michelecaples. When did you have it done and how much have you lost? If you don't mind me asking how much were you when you had surgery?

I am reading about people having great success and others frustrated at their very slow losses. I have this fear of it being the same for me. Little or no weight loss. I told my doctor that when I go on a low cal diet my body gets used to it within a week and stops losing. I told him a few months ago I documented my diet over a few weeks and my calorie intake (at the time) was between 600 and 1100 per day, and I was exercising and I lost NOTHING. He said that was physiologically impossible. I didn't say anything to him at the time but I will. I feel affronted that he disbelieved me. I have yo yoed all my life and now at 48 my metabolism is stuffed. I don't want to go through the operation and not lose weight. I want to know why this time will be different. I need more answers. This site is very helpful. I know some people only want to read the positives but I want to have a broad understanding of how it is in general for a range of people. Some people lose a massive amount and some lose hardly any, yet both are trying just as hard. My heart goes out to the slow losers who hoped by taking this drastic action they would finally start a new and slimmer life. We all live in hope and hope like hell we will be one of the 'success stories'. I wish you all success. For those whose weight is hardly budging, hang in there, slow and steady is better than nothing. xoxox For the ones who have lost heaps WOOHOO, fantastic

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you Perth newbie Hi Mimz, I'll go see if I can find it

Hi, what state are you from? I am from Vic. I had my band removed a couple of weeks ago and there was a lot of scarring where the band was. My surgeon said before the surgery if there was too much scarring he wouldn't do an RNY because it would be too difficult to make the pouch small enough. I have my next appt in 2 weeks and I hope like hell he's not going to tell me he wont do it at all. I know that if he does go ahead he will have to do open surgery. GOOD LUCK with your surgery xox PS Since the band has gone, it's such a relief... no reflux, no choking etc

Thank you oldoneyoungagain, and I you