I debated on whether to post this or not, but I kinda need input...

[BrandyBSN]

Have any of you Personally undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass? I'm scheduled for late December early January-ish to have laproscopic surgery.

I have done all the medical research, but now I am looking for others that have personally experienced it so that I can get a better idea of what it is like. I know all the mortality/morbidity statistics, high infection rates, complications, leakage, but I have no one who I "know" that has had it done to compare notes with.

So, if any of you are willing to tell me about your surgery, please email me or PM me, or if you're really willing, post it here. It would be nice to here personal stories instead of medical journals.

Thanks in advance,

Brandy

[tizmonster]

I have a family full of fat people. I elected to have a gastric bypass when I was 23 years old. I was in the first 10 patients @ Ohio State University Hospital.... I'll be turning 50 next year.

I think my procedure was a lot more drastic than those they are doing today...but I can tell you I would do it again! My brothers and sisters are all over 300 lbs. I'm currently @ 154 - and I know that if I hadn't gone forward with with...I probably wouldn't be here today. The only challenge I have with it is anemia...but that is handled with iron management. The other suggestion I can suggest to you is getting involved in physical fitness program. Big

influencer for me is a little dog that must be walked 4 times a day.

It becomes a lifestyle. It took me about a year to feel better - but my incision was about 12 inches in length on my abdomen. The procedure today is not soo invasive.

I wish you best wishes. Bobbi - aka tizmonster :balloons:

[ARKYRN]

HI BRANDY, I AM NEW TO THIS - JUST REGISTERED TODAY. I CAN GIVE YOU A FIRST HAND OPINION. I HAD "THE" SURGERY IN DECEMBER OF 2001. NOT LAPROSCOPIC THOUGH. I READ ALL THE RESPONSES TO YOUR POSTING AND I AGREE WITH MOST OF THE ADVICE GIVEN. OF COURSE I DON'T KNOW YOUR SPECIFIC PHYSICAL STATS (AND THEY DO PLAY A PART IN YOUR OUTCOME) I CAN ONLY RELAY YOU MY EXPERIENCE. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 80# OVERWEIGHT AND TO DATE I HAVE LOST 72#. MY #1 ADVICE IS TO CHECK OUT YOUR SURGEON. SOMEONE HAS ALREADY MENTIONED THIS AND THEY WERE RIGHT ON!! MY SECOND ADVICE IS AFTER YOU HAVE CHECKED OUT YOUR DOCTOR DO EVERYTHING HE ADVISES YOU TO. THIS SURGERY HAS BEEN THE BEST THING I HAVE EVERY DONE. I WOULD DO IT AGAIN IN A MINUTE. IT HAS TOTALLY CHANGED MY LIFE. GOOD LUCK!!

[Tookie]

Interesting Thread -

Good Luck Brandy with what ever you choose.

Tookie

[Cyn-D]

Hi, this is my first reply. I come here occasionally and read posts. Anyway, I too am considering this surgery. I dont know how you feel Brandy but I really feel that this is my only option left. I could lose weight but it ALWAYS comes back and it is soooo hard to do. I am now the largest I have ever been and too am having all kinds of problems from nothing more than all this weight such as horrid, horrid reflux, extreme fatigue (even more so since I have fibromyalgia too), pain everywhere--FEET FEET, sciatica!, back pain on top of many arthritic changes in my body. I am afraid that if it gets much worse that I wont be able to work. I have 2 grandchildren and I want to be able to play with them more. I just cant handle it. Not to mention what it does to your psych. I have been on both sides of this coin and the other is much better. I just want a permanent solution. Well, not sure that my story is gonna help you any but just wanted to say that I know where you are coming from and pray all the best for you. I know another nurse who had this done about 6 mos. ago and she had lost 88 lbs so far. This post has brought a lot to light I think and am thankful for all the input. God Bless:roll

[HRHNurse Carol]

I had the Roux-en-y surg. just this Sept. 30. I was scared but I didn't feel I had any choices left. I am a small boned 5' 9" 41 yr old woman who got up to 328# and knew I wasn't stopping there. I developed diabetes a couple of yrs ago. I have a lot of joint and back pain. Being obese has made it difficult for me to form relationships, for whatever reason, and I know that I have missed my chance to ever have children because of that. I had breast cancer in 1994. I've fought very hard to live and I couldn't see letting this disease get the best of me. And trust me it is a disease. I am a well disciplined person and I have tried every way to lose wt. that exsists. I failed every time. My decision to have this surg. was a last resort decision. I actually wt. a lot less than most of the people my surgeon operated on. But why wait till it got worse? I felt so sick and miserable and in pain all the time and it was affecting every area of my life, including my career. Am I glad I did it? Oh heck yes- I'd do it again. I have lost 48# so far. I am off all diabetic meds. I am still obese but I still look better than I did. I still hurt, but I know it will get better. I can think more clearly now, and I have more energy. The surgery really wasn't so bad- I wasn't able to have it done laproscopically so I have the big abd. insision. But I was given good pain control. I got great nursing care, which I always do when I am a pt. My surgeon was recommended to me by my breast surgeon, who is very protective of me and I really trust her. The surgeon who did the bypass is rated one of the top 100 surgeons in the US. I do believe that choosing the right surgeon is a top priority in success in this. Before surg. I was told many times that death was a possibility and I even signed a statement that I was aware of that. But...my surgeon has done a lot of these and hasn't lost one yet. It's mainly a combonation of good surgery and good nursing care with a little plain luck thrown in. I work 3-11 so I haven't been able to attend a lot of support groups but I have been in touch with people I've met at the groups. I think the after care support is very important. The food hunger, especially under stress doesn't magically go away. I need help dealing with that- food was my companion for many years, even if it wasn't my friend any more, and it's hard to find other ways to deal with life. I am in a learning process but I feel I will succeed and be better for it in the long run. This is just my story. There are many out there, both positive and negative. Research thoroughly before you do anything. And let us know your progress. It's important to us that care about what happens to you and it's important to help others.

[NurseKimberley]

Brandy I had surgery 5 weeks ago (12-11-02) and would talk to you about it if you need! I had lap RNY. [email protected]

[Momto3RN, RN]

Brandy, I have to put my two cents in.

As you already know, this is a highly risky procedure that has certainly benefited some people with exceptional/unusual circumstances.

Knowing that you're only 23 years heightens my fear of you taking a drastic step. The majority of weight-loss programs, including Weight Watchers(no criticism intended, it's probably better than most programs) will help you lose weight but not with methods that you can use every day.

They always seem to recommend "Eat less and exercise more" and people do that and end up bigger than ever in the long run, myself included.

I was fortunate to discover that eating MORE healthy, normal foods and exercising MODERATELY but CONSISTENTLY was the key. I went from a Jenny Craig die-hard bulimic to a healthy, energetic, optimistic, lean person. The thirty-pound weight loss was a side-benefit.

Please explore less drastic options.

I would love to help you in any way I can!!!

[MrsK1223]

Hey Brandy...I had lap rny in oct 2002 and have done very well. I just gave a big spill about WLS on another post and would be very happy to talk to you about it. Email me at [email protected]. You can check more out about it on http://www.obesityhelp.com.

[jfpruitt]

Brandy, I recently underwent a new procedure called Lap Band. Its where they place a small band around the top part of the stomach that can be tightened and loosened for restriction. It is all done lap and the recovery time is very short. I would STRONGLY encourage you to check into this procedure first before trying the bypass. The bypass is SO permanent and very mutilating. Whereas the band is so much safer and not permanent if something does go wrong. You can always convert to a RNY later if the band doesnt work for you. There are so many that regain with the RNY once the body adjusts. The great thing about the band is that it can constantly be re-adjusted to fit the needs of the patient. You are so young, have you considered how hard it would be to become pregnant with the bypass? With the band, there is no such worries. I'm very happy with my band and have lost 50 pounds since August. Some have lost 80. Please, Please check into this first before the bypass!!!

[NativeButterfly]

I posted earlier about the fact that I was researching the Lap Band. Well, I had it done last Wednesday. I have not told any of my family because they think I am crazy. But, it is a choice I had to make for myself. I wish you the best of luck in your decision Brandi. If I can be of any help, please email me at [email protected].