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I'm considering the sleeve or gastric bypass...



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I'm not sure which to choose?

I am waiting on a referral to go see a WL doctor. I'm nervous! I keep gaining weight! I think in the last year I've gaine 100lbs. My blood tests show no abnormal levels to explain weight gain! It's so hard to lose the weight! My knees and back hurt all the time! My self esteem is down in the dumps! I have no energy! I feel trapped in this body of unhealthiness! I feel ashamed I've become this way! I weigh 282 and am 5'6.....45 BMI! ????

So frustrating!

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Welcome!

This is a great site for getting the opinions of others who went before you.

Most if not all of us felt as you do right now. Ashamed of how we became obese and confused as to why it was happening to us and most certainly frustrated about losing, regaining and gaining more on top of it.

It is great that you are looking at WLS as a long term solution for yourself. I remember initially being terrified of the idea but knowing I would die without intervention.

Go to a weight loss seminar by your local bariatric center of excellence. They are usually free and will provide a mountain of information about all of the types of WLS, their risks and what you can expect from each.

The two most effective surgeries for WLS are the Verticle Sleeve and the RNY Gastric Bypass. Both provide excellent permanent results and can be used as a tool to get yourself healthy. The biggest reason why one is chosen over the other is dependent on ones personal health history. This is why you should not choose until you meet with your WL doctor.

For example, if you suffer from Reflux/Gerd already the best option for you will be bypass. This is because the sleeve and band can make this disease much worse. If you don't suffer from reflux/Gerd then you may decide that the sleeve is better for you.

Either way, work with your surgeon to figure out what will work best for you. Both will get you the results you are looking for in terms of significant weight loss.

Good luck to you!

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Welcome to BP @betterlife7. The above post is absolutely correct about GERD. However, RNY has more complications in general and is far more notorious to what we all refer to as "dumping syndrome," which is a feeling of sickness caused by eating something that cannot be digested by the pouch, most commonly sugars. I would say that unless you have a serious problem with sugar and you feel that is primarily responsible for your weight gain, I am a strong advocate for sleeve (although you need to sit down and discuss this intensively at your consultation and also see what your insurance has to say). Eventually, we can eat just about anything we want with impunity, albeit with dramatically reduced portion sizes. Even years out, we will become full just on hors d'oeuvres, but eventually, the ultra-vigilance can stop, because the volume restriction helps us lose and maintain our desired weight.

And, perhaps most important to me, the hunger hormone ghrelin, which is produced by the part of your stomach that is removed during a sleeve, no longer causes the unbearable hunger sensations that occur when you lose weight with diet and exercise.

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As you can see, the opinions we have and why can be varied. The main thing is that you go in with your eyes open and make the choices you need to make without the boogey-man in your head affecting your judgment with fear. I was strongly encouraged, based on my weight alone to go the bypass route. After researching it and taking in to account that I somehow managed not to acquire type 2 diabetes or any significant metabolic problems from being morbidly obese for 25 years, I chose the sleeve. The reflux/GERD thing is significant but an over the counter acid reducer every 2 or 3 days keeps it in check. I'm only coming up on my 2nd year so I can't predict with absolute certainty how I will feel about this as years go by but I believe I made the best possible choice for myself.

Either way, it's important for you to understand the overall consequences, both good and bad, that are possible with each choice available and weigh that against your weight, health, preferences, needs and medical advice. One thing I can't stress enough is the importance of having proper emotional/psychological supports in place not only to help with making the decision but help with the journey, which can be difficult in ways you may not expect.

*HUGS*

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I feel as you do. The last 2 years my weight is out of control. I went to my consultation 8/19 and my surgery is 9/11 ( Friday ) I'm very excited. I'm having the sleeve. Good luck to you !!!

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I have an appointment on the 30th for my regular Doctor.....it takes forever to get in! And I want to ask for a referral to go see a bariatric Doc!

I'm nervous they'll tell me no. But I'm at a 45 BMI and I'm 145lbs overweight! ???? i feel so low about myself! But I also feel like people will judge me for having the surgery!

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@@betterlife7 yes people will judge you for doing the surgery but they are also judging you for being obese for being a woman for eating poorly while being obese people judge for all sorts of reasons the only thing you can control is your reaction to the judgement. Oh and another thing if your weight is killing you like its killing me I have a bmi of 50 right now will you let peoples judgement stop you from getting healthy and die

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    • LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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