Ask the Gastric Bypass Patient Who Tried Everyting Else Before Resorting to Surgery

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
21

Zoe, way to go! You must be really thrilled with the “new you.”

Yes, my preference for foods has changed rather dramatically. In fact, that’s one reason it’s easy so far for me to stay off sweets. I’ve done a complete 180 where they’re concerned and now they all look sort of congealed and yucky to me. I put a chocolate chip in my mouth from a chocolate chip muffin and couldn’t believe how gritty and gross it was.

I also actually spit out a french fry. I will never eat them again. Blech! It may be that the oil in the fryer needed to be changed or something, but I’m not risking it on another french fry.

I used to hate cottage cheese and now I eat it nearly every day and rely on it as a staple that I can ALWAYS eat even when I’m having difficulty.

Mmmm…cold asparagus sounds good. I feel really lucky that it’s very easy for me to eat raw veggies. I can eat a pretty large amount of salad for someone with a stomach so small!

My completely un-tested, uneducated theory about why peoples’ tastes change after surgery? I think it’s because you have to actually slow down and TASTE what you’re eating. There’s no more stuffing things into your mouth absent-mindedly. You have to chew everything so carefully that you have a longer time to consider whether you really enjoy something or not.

I don’t think I ever really tasted my food before!

L

22

Zoe:

How funny about you sneezing when you’re full. My nose runs like a marathoner when I’m full!

VCNJ~

23

How much did the surgery cost? Does insurance pay for it? How overweight do you have to be to have this surgery?

24

Some insurance companies do pay for this surgery. I have Blue Cross/Blue Shield and they covered EVERYTHING without a question.

You do have to qualify. You need to have a BMI (body mass index) of 40 or above OR have a BMI of 35-40 with “co-morbidities.”

I think this works out to a general guideline that if you’re 100 pounds or more overweight you qualify without question. If you’re 75 pounds or more overweight you need to have some kind of danger to your health (diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.) that surgery would help. I believe I was around 140 pounds overweight prior to surgery…and counting, since I couldn’t stop gaining.

Depending on where you have gastric bypass surgery, it costs between 25 and 35 thousand dollars. And I DO know horror stories about people who were in the hospital being prepped for surgery when the insurance company called to say they weren’t paying for it. I don’t know what those companies were though, I’m sorry to say.

Oddly, Blue Cross/Blue Shield is where I started doing my research. The statistics they have on the benefits of weight loss surgery are overwhelming…stating that it adds an average of 7-12 years to a person’s life. I have always found it strange that the very people who probably don’t want to get stuck paying for such a thing actually were very PRO-surgery and outlined a situation in which it was the only way out for many people.

So I guess the answer is that if you have the right insurance, they will cover it without even calling you to ask questions. If you don’t, there may be a struggle. And it’s WAY too expensive to pay for yourself! (Unless you’re independently wealthy!)

25

This is all quite fascinating! Unfortunately, I just got a memo from Blue Choice that they are no longer covering ANY weight loss surgery. I think they also cut down the number of nutritionist visits to 2 per year.

Naturally, since I was starting to seriously consider this option. Could just be my particular grade of BlueChoice, though. …sigh…

26

It makes me really angry when I hear this. Since people who are considering this option are usually at the very end of covering their other options, it seems really horrible to have this rug pulled out from under you.

There are other ways to pay for it…loans, switching insurance if possible, etc.

And TWO visits to a nutritionist a year? I know it’s a different situation, but my most intense and lengthy appointments before and after surgery were with the nutritionist. I actually had to have little “classes.” Two visits a year is a complete crock of you-know-what.

L

27

'Zactly! And what they did to our co-pays is pretty bad as well. I am starting to see my insurance as only for really bad things. If you can eek out some health care otherwise - good for you.

After that memo I started to feel sort of singled out for benfits denial and that made me a bit angry. Everything in the memo was about weight loss, food, nutrition, supplements and vitamins. This was also after the new January enrollment.

28

I want to weigh in on this thread (pun intended). I’m seriuosly considereing surgery myself. My first choice was the Lap Band, but Blue Cross Federal doesn’t cover that.

They do cover RNY and VBG (Vertical Banded Gastroplasy), and VBG is choice #2.

What gives me the willies isn’t so much the plumbing changes as much as the idea of having my abdomen cut open. Obviously, I want the laparoscopic procedure.

My questions:

How long for recovery? Light activity? Go for broke?

I want to resume Tae Kwan Do training as my exercise program. Do I have to be careful of a shot to the belly after full recovery?

Are you lactose intolerant now?

Does Splenda cause dumping?

What about higher order carbs and dumping? Does something like rice or whole wheat bread also cause it?

How do you deal with some kind of activity that requires lots of carbs (running a marathon or a long backpacking trip) and the dietary constraints?

Can you handle spicy food if it isn’t fatty or carb-loaded?

29

I had the laproscopic procedure. As it was explained to me, it is slowly becoming the preferred method because of the shorter recovery time and less chance for hernia and infection. Actually, there’s about zero chance for hernia.

I took two weeks off of work, but could have gone back after a week. Surgical pain was gone in ten days. This varies depending on complications you may have, etc. but it seems that most people take two weeks and then go back to their basically normal routine. At my two week check up with the surgeon I was told to “go for broke.” Go swimming, take up boxing, whatever.

I believe after you are healed, you are just that…healed. So a jolt to the abdomen shouldn’t be any worse than for a “regular person.” But I’d certainly add that to a list of things to ask your surgeon.

I am not lactose intollerant. I can also eat fruit (which contains sugar that can also cause dumping). I know of people who are though. I don’t think anyone can tell you if you will or will not be lactose intollerant after surgery. It’s one of the risks.

I eat Splenda daily, and in fact, started eating it immediatly after surgery whereupon I became addicted to sugar free popsicles. :wink: I don’t know anyone who has trouble with artificial sweeteners of any kind.

I also don’t have any trouble with the kind of carbs you mentioned. The only problem with them is that they are more difficult to eat. Bread, pasta, and rice seem to get stuck more easily than other foods and I can only eat them in very small amounts. I do great with potatoes though.

As far as the carb intake in order to, say, run a marathon, I’m not sure how people handle this. I have a hard time getting in the 120 grams of carbs the nutritionist suggested. However, I know of several people who ran full marathons after gastric bypass surgery, so I know it’s possible. One of the ways I manage to get carbs in is by eating crackers and other less “squishy” things that don’t feel so much like they expand in my stomach.

I have done longer hikes and found that good energy food like nuts and raisins kept me from feeling like I was starving.

L

30

I forgot about spicy food: I love it and eat it all the time. I asked about this early on and was told that it is not a gastric irritant and I can have whatever spices I want.

The only caveat early on is that you can’t really eat AND drink at the same time. So if you’re accustomed to taking sips of water or eating bread to help with your burning mouth, you may end up suffering!

31

Thank you for starting this thread. I have thought about this surgery for a long time, but have always come to the conclusion “If I don’t have the self control to control my eating now, how is surgery going to magically make me able to control my eating afterward?” I know most would probably talk about the physical effects of overeating after the surgery, but I have been an IBS sufferer for a number of years and am “used” to those kind of things already. So I guess that’s my biggest fear…

I’m a very picky eater. I do not eat fruit of any kind. I only eat a small number of vegetables, and those are never raw. Most of my foods are sweets and high-carb items, as well as quite a bit of meat (especially hamburger).

I have no question I would qualify for the surgery - I won’t get specific, but I’m much larger than any of the people discussed on this thread thus far. Until recently, I’ve been luckily devoid of most weight related problems. But in recent years I’ve become borderline diabetic, and started to have serious joint pain, most especially in my knees.

My doctor recently gave me a referral to a new obesity clinic opened at the hospital my insurance covers, so I’ll be talking to them soon.

Any more details you can share about how your cravings changed and how you dealt with eating new foods would be appreciated.

32

You are right…surgery does not “magically give you self-control.” But there are a few things that help and give you an advantage you’ve never had before.

First of all, there are some mystery hormones involved. Right now, your stomach produces hormones throughout the day that cause you to feel hunger “peaks and valleys.” You produce more “hunger hormones” leading up to meal time.

After surgery, your hormone levels (those produced by your stomach) will flatline. You will produce only a VERY low, steady level. It is believed that this changes your appetite dramatically.

Second, you will be prepared by your surgical program to make the changes that you have to make. If you don’t feel you can make them, or if the surgical team is afraid of that, they will not allow you to have surgery.

The things that you crave and have trouble controlling now will be exactly the things that are problems post-surgery. You will be completely OFF of bread, rice, and pasta for at least 4 weeks and maybe more. I know what you mean about ALREADY eating until you’re sick and not seeing that that will be a deterrent. But the fact of the matter is, if you eat ONE extra bite of any thing once your stomach is full it will instantly come back up. If you drink water to try to wash it down, THAT will instantly come back up.

I think the struggle with this gives you the time and the incentive to change how you eat, if that makes sense.

Also, the stuff you tell yourself before surgery can help enormously. For example, I think I’ve talked myself into my distaste for sweets now. It may have to do with changes in my body, but it also could be because I was SO sick of being controlled by those foods and SO ready to give them up because I really did “HATE” them in a way.

As you get foods added back to your diet by the nutritionist, et al, it is kind of scary. I ate no solid food for four weeks and was actually terrified to try CHEWING anything. Some people I know of had a big problem with this as it is such a psychological drive to CHEW. But I was so scared that I would cause myself problems that I just pushed that aside…staying out of the hospital and not rupturing my staple line was more important to me than chewing food.

I think if you’re determined enough you will understand that you didn’t go through surgery in order to continue abusing yourself, know what I mean?

I still get hungry. I still have to decide between eating lean chicken breast and cheese covered nachos. I just find the decision to eat well is easier to make now, even if I’d really rather have the nachos.

33

Have you had any malnutrition or malabsorbtion problems?

How about having to get your stoma stretched?

34

Can you drink decaffeinated coffee or tea?

What about alcohol? I’d love to drink a beer again (can’t because of diabetic oral meds), but I realize carbonation is a problem. What about an occasional mixed drink or wine?

35

These questions are about your nutritionist and medical advice:
Your nutritionist encouraged you to have your Roux en Y gastric bypass?
You exausted every other non-surgical avenue before going under the knife?
Did anyone test your metabolism and compare it to your intake?
Have you told your doctors you’re cheating? More importantly, have any pointed out that if you’re cheating just a 1/2 year into the procedure, the odds are you will likely start breaking other rules that could lead to weight gain or injury? My boss had it done. His situation sounds similar to yours. Even though he doesn’t like discussing it, In the past 4 years, I estimate he’s put on about 25% of his initial loss.

36

After four months my blood work showed that I was slightly anemic and I had to start taking a bit more iron. But that was the only issue I had with nutrition.

And I haven’t had any other complications at all. I don’t know what the incidence is of having your stoma close too tightly or heal closed completely, but I was told it was a risk. Just not something I ended up having to deal with.

37

I drink decaffeinated coffee all the time. The regular stuff was starting to creep into my diet and I decided to cut it out.

I do have wine now and then, (see below for my discussion about this with the nutritionist) but have to be careful because it affects me a great deal (i.e., I get drunk quickly) and if I have more than two glasses it makes my stomach feel the same way I do when I have too much fat.

I haven’t tried beer because carbonation makes me feel YUCKY!

38

The nutritionist and other professionals that I saw recommended me for surgery. I would not say that anyone “encouraged” me. It was very much presented to me in a “this is one of your options” kind of way. Ultimately I made the decision that it was a good move for me.

The surgeon did point out to me that although I didn’t have any weight related health problems yet, that did not mean surgery wasn’t a good idea.

Yes, after 10 years or more of struggling, I believe I exhausted all my other options. I’m not lazy, I enjoy physical activity, I don’t lack willpower, and if I could have done it by then, I would have. I believe the statistics regarding people who get to be as overweight as I was bear this out.

I did have my metabolism, thyroid, and other digestive functions tested to rule out all other problems prior to having surgery. All my systems were normal.

I do keep a food journal prior to going to the nutritionist and it does include any “cheating” I’ve done. Last time I saw the nutritionist, I asked her specifically about drinking wine. I was told that it IS a gastric irritant, but if it’s not causing me any problems a glass now and then wouldn’t do me any harm. I was warned not to let the amount “creep” into something more serious, since people who can no longer abuse themselves with food often turn to other means.

I was told the same thing about caffeine. I had snuck up to about three cups of real coffee a week and the nutritionist said that while it’s not GOOD for you, that small amount wouldn’t be particularly harmful. I’ve subsequently given it up entirely, since I’m trying to take this opportunity to be healthy.

Also important to note is that I’m much more afraid of getting back into habits with things I had trouble with before. I.e., I’ve never had serious health problems or overwhelming cravings for wine or caffeine before. But I HAVE entirely cut out the things that are problematic for me. That is more important to me at this point.

Gee, I can’t imagine why your boss doesn’t want to talk to you about his weight swings :rolleyes:

39

Thanks for your answer, Choosy.

Do you know anything about the WLS called the duodenal switch (with biliopancreatic diversion)? It’s the one I’ve been looking at, and while the statistics appear even better than R-N-Y, few people seem to have heard of it. One doctor warned me off of it, but wouldn’t tell me why.

40

I’m really sorry to say that I know very little about the duodenal switch other than that my surgeon would not perform it and my insurance would not cover it. If you go to www.obesityhelp.com you will find links to all different types of surgery and you can even locate people who had each specific type and ask them questions. Also, you can find surgeons who perform those types of surgeries in your are. That would be a better resource.

I think the duodenal switch is less common because of the severe malapsorption it causes, but I’m not positive about that.