Hi everyone.. I am new here.. I just had first consultation this week for a gastric by pass.. Did go into this wanting the band but after group class I changed my mind as to much risk with dislodged bands..

So I am hoping to have a gastric by pass as I have a chromosome deletion 16p.11.2 which causes extreme hunger so after years of diets where I always regain weight lost and much more, I am now on the path to gastric by pass..

But I am under no illusions this going to solve all my problems but cannot live in this heavy body anymore...now the doctors tell you wants going to happen it sounds quite straight forward and a bit sugar coated.. So I am asking you lovely peeps..

What pro's and con's you have found living with a gastric by pass????

I'm pretty new to it (5 weeks out) but so far my experience has been great. I did develop pneumonia and got readmitted for 3 days just 2 days after being released, so that first week was no picnic. I started feeling a lot more energy around the 2-1/2 week mark. I've followed the liquids/food plan very faithfully and haven't had any problems with tolerating foods or anything tasting "off". No nausea and only 2 episodes of vomiting after eating something that was really too dry (chicken breast).

At 4 weeks out I was cleared for exercise including lifting weights, so I'm getting back into that routine now. I'm losing weight at a good pace even though it was MUCH quicker those first 2 weeks.

Pros -- I don't feel like I'm controlled by food anymore. I really don't feel any hunger. I don't walk by and snack on something just because it's laying there. I get full on the smallest portions of things.

Cons -- There's a lot of planning and coordinating involved -- have I waited 30 minutes since drinking anything -- has it been 30 minutes since I ate -- logging everything that goes in my mouth so I can keep up with the Protein counts -- packing food in my purse and car everywhere I go just in case I'm out somewhere and it's time to eat and there aren't healthy choices around.

I might sound a little sugar-coated but so far, my experience has been wonderful and dropping the pounds has greatly improved my self-esteem!

Thank you so much for replying ginger snap.. And taking the time to read my post..

I am so sorry to hear you got pnemonia, I had it in 2012 and it was so draining...now have to have the pnemonia jab as don't want that again.. He he he x

So lovely to hear your story of your journey so far, think I am so trying to find fault as just sounds to good to be true that one day I really will skinny..

Seems like I have been here so many times at the start of something with me being skinny and healthy at the end but it never arrives.. But hearing your journey is giving me confidence..

I think I need to start planning my year (sept to August) then it works with kids school hols with the op wrote in for November and maybe jotting some goals might be able to do through the year after the op and pounds start to fall of to keep me focused.. Always fancied a bit of a adventure holiday with the kids x

Thanks again for replying x

Congrats on your decision to take control of your health! I am by no means a veteran yet, but I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on this whole process now. In my opinion:

Pros -

• Obviously, the rapid weight loss in the beginning is awesome!
• I totally lost any desire for most 'bad' foods.
• I came off my blood pressure meds the day I went home from the hospital.
• I have much more energy.
• My joints feel so much better; my arthritis pain is diminishing somewhat.
• Being able to exercise and move with much more ease.
• Shopping in the normal size clothing section.
• So many more I could list, but you get the idea.

Cons -

• I couldn't drink Water without experiencing pain in my pouch for the first couple of months. I had to drink my liquids warm to avoid pain. This made it so much harder to get all my water in each day.
• Learning to time meals and drinking so that these activities are appropriately spaced apart.
• After a couple of weeks, the Protein drinks were gagging me! I went through several different ones trying to find one that didn't nauseate me. Same goes for the chewable Vitamins - yuck! Eventually, though, you will be able to swallow your vitamins.
• In the beginning of the soft, and then solid, foods phase you never know what you will be able to tolerate, so you may end up feeling sick or get a stomach ache from something you eat (even from a food that you always loved - my worst enemy so far is chicken breast and I used to eat it all the time)
• You may not get the support you are expecting from your family and friends. Expect a lot of negativity from some. This is why I only told a few select people. The rest of the world has no idea that I had the surgery.

Good luck with everything! Keep us posted on your progress.

Hi and welcome.

As you can see from my profile I had bypass surgery almost 10 months ago and of the best gifts I ever gave myself.

I have so much more energy.

I am off of diabetic meds, high blood pressure meds, high cholesterol meds, migraine meds and a few others. It's great to be rid of those.

I am so much more healthier then I've ever been.

I have had a few bouts of pain from foods that didn't agree with me or I had it once when I ate to much of an omelette. Never going to do that again it was horrible.

Drinking Water in the beginning on a schedule was hard and now it's easy no problem.

For me not drinking with meals was a big change but I got used to it quickly.

Giving up soda and sparkling water was kinda hard but I did it way before my surgery and now it's fine being without it.

You in the beginning need to experiment with what foods you can eat and tolerate. Now I do better with certain foods then I did in the beginning.

This is a life changing operation but boy does it feel good when I can buy stuff on line and it fits without trying it on in a store or going to a regular store and not have to go into the specialty shops anymore.

You have made the right decision to do this because you will be so much more healthy and that's the most important part. Being smaller is the second best part.

Good luck to you and best wishes.

You won't regret it! SO many pros, too many to list. You might find that you can get a whole lot of information about your topic on the post-op board for bypass. I am 3 months out and down nearly 50 pounds. My only regret is that I didn't do this sooner! Blessings to you on your journey.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to reply really means a lot.. It's nice to hear from people who understand.. I am the only fat one in my whole family and as much as they say they understand, I think u have to walk in a obese person shoes till you really understand the limitation this puts one a person,,

I do wonder if I was in a wheelchair and have an op to walk again if I would get the same response..

Anyway like you have all said I am in control now and it already feels so exciting the person I am going to become and not be the person my size has made me..

No limits here I come!!!!

So glad found this forum has really gave me confidence xxxx

Love hearing about all your journeys xxx

Tweety, you go, girl! Sounds like u got this!