Comments on: The Gastric Bypass Diet

By: Ana

Ana — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:39:38 +0000

Hi everyone, I had a BP surgery in April, and have lost a good amount of weight. It was one of the best decisions of my life. The first months my stomach was upset almost all the time and I had some pain. But now I feel normal again, and have been overeating a little at times, and would hate it if my stomach pouch starts growing. I guess that those who have already gone through the process or are on the process should support each other so that we don´t gain the amazing amount of lost pounds.

By: Cindi Lu

Cindi Lu — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:31:45 +0000

I have just finished reading your post, and although I do believe that gastric bypass should not be the first option chosen for weight loss, I cannot agree with many of your statements. It is not true that only two ounces of food can be eaten at a time. My post surgery diet started with about four ounces of food per meal, and now I can eat about eight ounces. I am satisfied and healthy. I have lost more than 80 pounds, and have more energy and enjoyment of life than before surgery. My health has also improved.

I believe that every individual is different, and weight loss surgery is a personal choice. I am tired of people putting erroneous material on the internet to scare people away from what can be a life saving and life altering alternative.

By: Steve

Steve — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 02:11:36 +0000

I was sent to a bariatric surgeon to schedule bypass surgery. I am 150 lbs overweight. I do not sit, eat bags of popcorn, or tubs of ice cream, nor am I in line at the all you can eat buffets and I walk 4 miles a day, I had a heart attack 2 years ago. My grandfather died at 66 from a heart attack. My father died at 57. I am 57 now. I had a stroke last year. If I dont have this surgery I will be dead in 2 years. Ive tried all diets, Ive taken the pills, Ive been put in the hospital under lock and key with rigid diets and gained weight. The nutritionists said I should not have gained weight with the diet I was placed on. This scares me but I have NO other option. IT is so easy to say DIET. Part of the problem I see is that people look at us and demand we look skinny over a weekend. It wont happen. Being overweight you are discriminated against and society treats you like crap. I can go to Outback take out for dinner for the family and I am asked, you want to eat that here or do you want that to go. When you go to a store, the salesperson does everything to not take care of you. So, for me, diet is not going to work. My only choice is surgery. I need to hear from others who have had it. I need to get my mind into getting through this so I can continue to live and lose the weight that came to me when i was in my 40s. Thank you. Some of us need the support.

By: alisa mcclain

alisa mcclain — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:41:59 +0000

I haven't read all the responses, but I wanted to chime in.

I had gastric bypass 8 years ago. Best thing I ever did for myself. Starting weight 340, got down to 190, now hover around 205 (after a pregnancy). I don't think I would have ever lost the weight on my own, and I still have to be careful to maintain this weight, but it's a battle I can manage rather than one I am always losing. I am still not thin, and obese by technical standards, but I exercise daily and move freely, even completing a 1/2 marathon at about 200 pounds. I am fat but fit. Before, I was just fat-fat and no where near fit.

Also, the surgery did cause me to address the issues that made me eat. You cannot eat much immediately after surgery, period. Those 6 months of being confronted with my shit were HARD and I simply could not eat to shove them back down. I saw a wonderful therapist, and I would recommend that for any gastic bypass patient. But, I don't think therapy alone would have gotten the weight off.

Dieting has a 2% success rate. Gastric bypass has 85% success rate. If I had cancer, I'd want the treatment that was most likely to work. Why is morbid obesity a different disease where I should stick with a treatment method that sucks?

By: lillian

lillian — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:11:15 +0000

Hi I am 5'2' and weight 245 lbs, and am seriously considering gastric bypass. Some of these statistics are scary but I wonder how many of those 300,000 obese patients would have died if they hadn't had the surgery. Surgery is risky but so is morbid obesity. I have diabetes and osteoarthritis. My knees pain all the time and I can hardly climb a flight of stairs. The idea to try to follow the bypass diet is interesting. The link given earlier on this site is closed. Does anyone have a copy of the diet or a current link?

By: Veronica Taylor

Veronica Taylor — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:06:30 +0000

I was disturbed by reading the beginning of this blog since I felt it was nothing but negative and left no room for the possibility of surgery. I just had my surgery May 18th, a little over 2 weeks ago. I will say that I was staunchly against any surgery until I finally gave in to the fact that no diet worked for me. I was even on a closely monitored diet accompanied by medication like xenical and adipex and even that didnt produce results. I can only advise those unsure like I was to do research and talk to people who have actually had the surgery and ask the questions that are really burning in your mind. I am fortunate that my insurance covered 90% of my surgery. I am not gonna lie and say that its been easy because it hasnt but I found an excellent surgeon that I trusted with my life. Support from friends and family is crucial because this is NOT an easy decision to make. I know my road is just beginning I did this not only for me but for my daughter. Yes you can die from this surgery but you can also die in a car accident, random robbery or anything else in life.. not to mention the effects of being obese in the first place. If you can lose it the traditional way go for it, but for those who have truely hit rock bottom just consider it please do the research to see if it will be good for you. You are the only one that can make that decision and its best to go into it with an open mind hearing both the pros and cons before making your life changing decision.

Btw, I am 17 days since surgery and I am down 23 lbs, feeling overall great from the actual surgery and looking forward to phase 2 of semi- solid foods..

By: Linda Atkinson

Linda Atkinson — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:12:10 +0000

I'm sory your brotheralmost died having the surgery but I had it Feb 11th of this year and it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I have lost 48 pounds and I'm in the best health I have been in 15 years. I went from a very unhealthy 222 lbs to 175 as of today and I intend to lose 35 more pounds. I haven't had an asthma attack in 2 months. My blood pressure is aboslutely perfect, in fact my doctor is going to take me off my meds. My blood sugar is normal. I can actually walk up and down the stairs without getting out of breath. I feel great!

I watch what I eat religiously, I haven't had a bite of sugar since Feb 11th and I don't miss it. I watch how much I eat, but I can eat more than 2 ounces now, still no pork or beef until June 14 but I haven't missed it that much, not enough to go against doctor's advice and I haven't had dumping once.

I think someone who can get insurance to pay for the surgery like mine and who wants it would be foolish not to do it.

By: Galen Russell

Galen Russell — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:05:51 +0000

Hello all,

Its Galen again....I haven't written in a good long while because I am emjoying my new life. I am almost 2 years from my gastric by-pass and life couldn't be better health wise. I weigh 210 and have weighed within that range for nearly a year. I eat almost anything I want and the only things i have to stay away from are rich dairy foods and real greasy fried stuff. I do take a bite of ice cream and cake, and i thouroughly enjoy a good burger (well a half of one) and a fried chicken dinner! As far as the dumping goes.... its non-existent in my life. When I OVEREAT I do feel discomfort but it only last a few minutes and no bathroom sprints are needed. I function absolutely normal. No meds, no special diet, nothing. As I've said before, Its a personal decision. I can screw this up if I obsessivily overeat. I am still responsible for my own actions. Also I would like to say that I firmly stand beside all I've written. I've never said it was for everyone... but it saved me from a terrible existence and many health problems. I am posting my email in case anyone would like the real truth and would be more than happy to discuss it with pre or post- operative candidates

Sincerely,

Galen Russell russell_galen@yahoo.com

By: Bevi

Bevi — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:39:13 +0000

I am overweight, of course, but my type 2 diabetes had worsened and instead of Metformin, the doctor said I needed to take insulin injections. I wanted a gastric bypass to help my diabetes, and any weight loss would be an added benefit. I got the operation 2 weeks ago, on October 14th, I was never in pain. I was in the hospital for 2 days. The first day I was up and walking, I even went outside of the hospital for a walk. The next day I walked non stop for hours and then I got to go home. The next day I went for a 2 hour walk out in nature, breathing deeply, as it is oxygen in the blood that makes things heal fast. It really, really works… And, back to the diabetes, in less than 2 weeks, the glucose has steadily dropped to all normal readings. Before the operation I was expecting the worst, lots of pain, dumping, Hell Week, etc. Nothing bad happened. Tomorrow I am going to the hospital to get the staples out and talk to the dietitian. I will get to eat pureed food starting tomorrow. Which is good because I am so tired of just liquids. Although I have tried different things now and then to see if I would get dumping and nothing happened there either. (Carrot cake, fried fish and potato chip experiments) I had to test… and I expected trouble eating these bad things on the liquids stage. Still nothing. I hope it continues on so well and I don’t develop any complications. But I am very glad I had this operation and I would definitely do it again. It’s been ALL good. Every second. The hard part is that now I have to use total self control every day because I don’t have dumping to help me along. I have to be extra strong. But then again, dumping sounds terrible and maybe using self control is better than dumping anyway…? We’ll see how it goes.

By: Michael Howard

Michael Howard — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 03:17:22 +0000

I will have bypass surgery monday. Not because of weight loss but rather due to the co-morbidities of sleep apnea and diabetes. The doctor treating my apnea has told me that I will never live long enough for the weight or diabetes to kill me. He and the second and third opinion is that I will die first of an enlarged heart due to apnea. Latest information is that apnea triggers a chemical signal to the brain that the heart must work harder. At the same time the brain triggers a second chemical signal that the heart is working harder and needs a greater amount of food, inducing hunger. As far as I can determine after a great deal of research a bypass is the only way to break the chain of diabetes and comorbidities. I have been so advised by endocrinologits, dieaticians, sleep therapists and my own doctor. On this basis I am having gastric bypass sugery from a thouroly researced surgeon. If everyting goes wll I will respond to this post in 2 years