Gastric Bypass surgery....good...bad?

I have an appointment tomorrow to go see a surgeon about getting a gastric bypass surgery. I've been overweight for most of my life and have tried just about every diet on the planet but without much success. I am really looking forward to seeing the surgeon about a Gastric Bypass. There is no cost for me (we are military) so that is not a factor. They will even do body lifts after the weight is lost.
I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with the procedure. Was it a good thing for you or bad? Was it worth it? What can I expect? I've done lots of research on the web but hearing from real people is so different!

Yes, I have always exercised.. it's kinda goes along with the whole dieting thing. to diet and not exercise is just stupid. I was walking 4 milesa day and doing weights but would still only lose a small amount of weight over a period of months and then just stop losing period.

Been there.

I had it about 5 years ago when I was 50. I lost 195 pounds in a year and a half.

You said all the right things when you said you were overweight most of your life and had tried a lot of diets. I don't approve of it for people who gained weight in adulthood and don't want to diet.

You may not have any choice if you are in the military of the type of surgery you have, but if you do, go for the duodenal switch. It has fewer complications. You should also have it done by laparoscope or partially by laparoscope to minimize the incisions, if there is any choice. Big incisions make it hard to move after surgery, and you really need to move to prevent complications. If you still have your gallbladder, it should be removed at the same time because weight loss causes gallstones.

I am going to tell you the bad parts about this surgery, because you need to know what you are going to live with if you have it. Your stools will be greasy and foul-smelling for the rest of your life. You will have more intestinal gas than you had before, and it is foul, too. Your hair will probably get thin in the first year, although it will probably grow back later. You will probably get acne in the first year. You will probably have to give up carbonated beverages for life (they aren't dangerous after your stomach heals, but give you gas because you don't belch naturally). You will probably be lactose intolerant after surgery, which may or may not improve. You will have to take special vitamins for the rest of your life. You will have to have a lot of protein in your diet for the rest of your life. If you have the RNY type of surgery, you will not be able to eat things with a lot of sugar in them. If you eat a lot of fatty foods, you will get diarrhea. Plastic surgery to remove extra skin helps, but may never look natural. The kind of tummy tuck they do after major weight loss, which involves tightening ligaments as well as cutting off skin, is major surgery with a huge incision. Any surgery in an obese person carries a high risk because anesthesia in obese person is dangerous, and because they do not walk or breathe as easily after surgery as normal persons.

Now the good part. The weight loss is effortless and fast. Expect up to 30 pounds in the first month. Most people can get within 20-30 pounds of their ideal weight, and some reach perfection. It seems impossible to eat at first, but your stomach will expand. If you have the duodenal switch, you can eat normal-sized meals after a couple of years. You can eat things that used to make you feel guilty. If you have type II diabetes, it will probably go away. If you have hypertension, it will probably go away. If you have high cholesterol, you can be pretty much guaranteed it will go away (mine was 250 before, 130 after). If you have sleep apnea, it will probably go away. You will start feeling light and energetic.

My surgeon required that we attend support groups hosted by his office before the surgery, so I had no surprises. I met dozens of people who had had the surgery, and not one of them regretted it. Not one.

Some advice on eating after surgery. They tell you to eat a lot of proteins, and this is important so you lose fat instead of muscle. It is hard to fit a lot of protein in a small stomach. I refer to the four food groups as meat, eggs, cheese, and nuts. They tell you to stay away from milk at first, but cheese is okay because the lactose in it has been fermented out. Same with yogurt. Cottage cheese usually has milk added to it after it is fermented, so it is iffy.

I am giving you a link to my surgeon's website that has diagrams of the different types of surgery. There are a lot of other things on the website you might find interesting.

Good luck.

Any surgery should be a very last resort.
You mentioned diet, but not exercise. Have you ever really and truly committed to a doctor-supervised weight management program that included intense exercise? That should be something to enroll in (commit to it, not just "try" it) before considering surgery.

Let me tell you鈥y mother鈥檚 good friend got the surgery done, except the doctor did it wrong, and she didn鈥檛 know. She was fine for a while, until one day, she got this sudden attack while she was at home alone. My mom told me that the pain she described was UNBEARABLE, worse than childbirth, or anything. She couldn鈥檛 move. Somehow, she got rushed to the ER, and there they found that the doctor had done the surgery wrong. I think she鈥檚 dead now.
On the other hand, I know someone else who had it done and is fine.

OK THEY TAKE OUT PART OF YOUR STOMACH AND IT CAN BE VERY VERY VERY RISKY I WOULD MAKE SURE TO HAVE A GOOD TALK WITH THE DOCTOR AND ASK HIM FOR THE TRUTH AND HOW MANY HE HAS DONE HOW MANY WERE GOOD AND BAD FOR MY OPINION I WOULD NOT DO IT SRE

ok a guy i know dad and mom had it done and he looks a ton better the only thing is he looks so uneven i suggest going to the gym after like a mounth or when you are ready and strong
the thing is enless you are so fat <not just a little bump or a little or some fat>
if u dont know already <i think you do> that it cuts back your craving for food
hope the appointment goes well
!!!!
GOOD LUCK!
LOL U R LUCKY U GET IT DONE FOR FREE!!:D

I would not go into this surgery without being fully armored with the facts regarding the pro's and cons, alternatives, and health risks associated with it. This surgery is very risky. If I were you I would ask your doctor about the morbidity and mortality rates associated with it. You also need to ask him what your diet will be like afterwards, for the rest of your life. I really do not believe in this surgery. In my opinion the risks are not worth taking if you value life. The optimal weight loss plan is good nutrition and exercise. There are so many complications associated post operatively. Do your research well. See more than one physician as this is a life altering and potentially life ending procedure. I am sorry I cannot be positive on this for you but no surgery is without risks and this one is riskier than most.

Seek more opinions than what you see on this webpage. I have been in healthcare for 15 years. I have seen as many bad results if not more than good results.