Down South Aussie

Nice hand out. thanks for taking the time to find and post.

hmmm i might have to give this a go. I have been trying the 4 packs from Walmart and then if i like the flavor i have been then buying a bigger pack from Sams club (works out about $6 cheaper for 12). I have not been mixing flavors yet, definitely going to give that a try. Strawberry/Choc Caramel/Choc Banana/Caramel ok the list goes on, i will definitely have to get to mixing

I had my referral sent over on Dec 26th, got a call on Jan 4th from the bariatric services group, had my intro meeting on Jan 12th and my first class on Jan 16th. So even over the holiday time frame it didn't take too long.

So i am right in the middle of getting my requirements done (NUT, Psych, classes etc) and i am still undecided if i want to go with the sleeve or the by pass. So my question to the community at large is; if given the opportunity would you change the type of procedure you had and why? Im curious what people think, both those that are just now post op and those who are years out and everyone in between. Thanks in advance everyone.

That is very good to hear, one of my concerns was the whole restriction issue, would the sleeve not give me enough. One of my concerns is that im always just feeling hungry. I do have a sweet tooth but it is something i can keep control of.

Thanks, im really torn, my goal is about 85% of my excess weight, which traditional wisdom says go for the By-pass, but the idea of having my intestines moved around and the additional potential for risk doesn't make me feel all warm and fuzzy. I have type 2 diabetes, again traditional wisdom says by-pass but i have been reading some medical studies recently that were published on the JAMA network that show at 5 years there is actually very little difference between the sleeve and by-pass on diabetes, even weight loss at 5 years was only slightly different (just a little in favor of the by-pass for more lost). sooo torn.

Interesting, I didn't know that either, thank you.

Personally, i have told my Wife and Children, they are for the most part supportive, my daughter is concerned only because she has been misinformed about some of the statistics regarding how dangerous the operation actually is. My wife is completely on board, she plans for us to live to 101 and 103 so that we can be married for 80 years and without this it probably wont happen, not even close. Outside of my family there are only 3 other people who know, my wife's best friend (a support person for her), one of my good friends (support for me) and my Boss so she understand why i will be off work for a bit and not able to travel for 2 months following the surgery. Im not personally trying to hide this, but at the same time im not going out and flying the banner to let people know. Im a fairly private person and i will let my results speak for themselves. I decided that only those who NEEDED to know before hand would know, so those who will be my support and those who i may impact with my mood swings as i change my habits about eating.

Im in a similar position as you, the good thing for me though is that i also work from home. When i was at one of my classes i asked one of the nurses and they said that they dont want people going back to work under any circumstance in less than a week because of the fatigue factor and if i plan on going back after only a week i should let my work know that we will play it by ear at that time because you just dont know how your body is going to react. As some here have shown, you may bounce right back and be ready to go after only a few days, but you may also have some heavy fatigue. Everyone has a different experience.

This is really an important point and something my wife and i have discussed at length as im going through the pre-op phase. I actually just came back from my weekly meeting and today's topic was the support you need during this process. One point she made is that the dynamics of a close bond may change, someone may have liked the way the family dynamic was and this journey will not only impact you for the weight loss but also impact those directly around you as you learn to interact with those people and your environment differently. Talk about it and maintain open communication is often the best way to stem this off.

No trainer requirement here, but a couple of the classes i can go to are about exercise. I have to go to 12 classes over the course of 3 months while im doing my diet program. The classes have many different topics from the considerations before and after surgery to psych changes to nutrition.

I guess one way to look at it is, are you putting the relationship in just as much danger by not having the surgery? That is how my wife and i looked at it, I may not be around in 10 years if i continue on the road i am right now. Are the health dangers of being over weight just as dangerous to your relationship in the long run as it might be if you get healthy. It is certainly tough for those around you to think that what they have come to know in you might change, and inevitably change scares people.

So far my Boss has been great, she is allowing me to take an extended and early lunch on Tuesdays ( i just make up the time during the week) so that i can attend my classes and has been completely on board when it comes to the requirement of not traveling following the surgery. I figure be up front with those required, but feed them the information slowly, let the idea that something is not right sink in, then let them know that there will be some changes coming and what you will need. You will be surprised how much people will actually want to help you.

I explained to my Boss that i had some sudden health concerns first. For me my decision to have WLS is grounded in a sudden increase in my liver enzymes and big jump in my A1C. At first it was worried that i may need for emergent surgery but that has not been the case. So since then i explained to her that one of the options to help with both my Diabetes, liver enzymes and high cholesterol is some form or another of weight-loss surgery and that i have chosen to follow that route right now unless something should arise that requires time lines to move forward. I told her there is a bunch of things i need to do in order to make this journey happen and if this is the final route taken i would be off work for about a week (I work from home at a desk most of the time) and that i would not be able to travel for 6-8 weeks following. Apart from this i just dont tell people, that way im not lying to them i'm just making the choice to not share a whole truth. Now if someone was to ask or was to notice and say something then yes i will share and politely ask that they keep the information to themselves.

For me personally i have chosen to keep those who know to a very small number. I figure others dont need to know more, they will see the results. I have informed my boss as it will impact my work, but no one else will know from my work until the next time they see me on a trip (i work from home most of the time). As for my family, that is a whole other kettle of fish. My mother had a lapband done, has since learned to cheat and now has gained back all of her weight. One sister is obese, bordering on morbidly obese but she doesnt seem to want to do anything about it. My other sister is only 28 and already on a multitude of pills to help her live. Ultimately my family lives in another country and my immediate family is here with me my extended family is back in Australia so they may not see me for another 2 or 3 years. As for my immediate family, my wife is completely on board she figures the cost in time, money and effort is going to pay off because i will be around longer. My son is very supportive and is happy i will be able to do more with him. My daughter is a little scared of the 0.3% who have complications and that i will fall into that category.

I have not dabbled on the post surgery side of this forum too much. I am still pre surgical and still trying to decide between the sleeve and by pass though i may be over thinking it too much. I dont have reflux or GERD, i do have type 2 diabetes but it is fairly well controlled and for me at least very much weight related so either procedure should help in that department (also read an interesting study on which procedure is better for diabetes yesterday and long term they are showing it is actually pretty even). I have Hypertension and cholesterol issues but either procedure should help with both of those. So for me so far it seems pretty even, until i read that the removal of the stomach section not included in the sleeve helps alleviate the sensation of hunger, which is a HUGE problem for me. I am constantly feeling hungry, I can easily sit down to a 1 pound steak with veggies, some shrimp and a large potato and then throw back a dessert and not long after still feel peckish. So my question for you that have had the by pass, even though you still maintain the stomach do you still have that sensation of feeling hungry, or because the stomach in large part is not being used to process food does the sensation stop because of the small pouch? I worry about having a small pouch if i still have the sensation of wanting to eat and feeling hungry down the road. im also a little concerned about being stuck to my source of hydration if i only have a 30 to 50 cc stomach pouch, where as the sleeve at least gives 50 - 90 cc. I understand sipping sipping sipping, but im thinking long term, months or even years after surgery. I have no trouble with hydration right now, on a low day im still hitting 64oz and if im active i may go closed to 128oz in a day of just water, but it certainly isnt sipping that much i may currently drink 8oz at a time Thanks for the help, i figure best to ask those that know and have actually had the surgery, and yes i will also be discussing it with my surgeon when the time comes.

Thanks Sadiebug, nice to know it can be done with RNY

Thanks Tarver11, appreciate the reply. I know this isn't the magic bullet but as you say it is going to be the behavioral changes that will make the difference.

Cool, thanks for the reply I really appreciate it. I know bread is one of those things that i might struggle with but like you said, head games, and you just have to win.

Thanks Rainbow warrior. That is part of my concern with the RNY, i want to get back into more exercise and i cant get through my mind having a teeny tiny pouch and making that happen. Which part of NSW are you in? i grew up on the Northern beaches of Sydney and my parents have since retired just outside of Gosford. Also spent many a summer driving up to Armidale where both my parents are from. Living in the US now though.

SadieBug, thanks so much for the honesty. I know there is still going to be a segment of will power in this process and re wiring my thinking. I think the Detox part is going to be big for me.

Just curious if anyone is entering into a pre-op exercise program either by choice or as a requirement and if you are, why type of exercise are you going to do?

And these are two more reasons im a little worried about RNY. While it seems i could loose a little more than the sleeve i also think that is just the stats and i have to wonder where i think i will fall in those stats, i want to believe i am going to crush this new lifestyle and i will be one of those that defy the odds to lose 80% of my excess weight with a sleeve rather than the typical 65%. thanks for the response.

oh breads are going to be a big one for me post op, i can be a bit of a 'bread *****' as my daughter puts it, i will do anything for some warm crusty bread with butter on it. So hopefully that taste will change for me. I can throw back a pint of ice cream and love a good cream sauce on Pasta but found that pasta is something that can trigger some higher blood sugars. Thanks for the reply.

Thanks Kim, i too have an iron stomach but i also follow instructions to the T as you do. I guess it is going to be lots of changes from the food i eat to how i eat it down to how i drink, as i mentioned i could easily chug 250 ml of water right now and feel comfortable, i will even down a 20oz bottle of water without a second thought i think that is why i have no problem with the 80oz my program wants me to get up to right now, just the idea that 6 months after surgery i wont be able to take a good deep refreshing drink kind of messes with my mind. Thanks again for the reply.