Gastric Bypass surgery

OP, If you don't mind my asking, what is the liver shrink diet? I've never heard of that one.

Are you having a Roux-en-Y or something else?

R2, Roux-en-Y with robotic assistance.

R1, the diet shrinks the liver to make access to the stomach easier. I have a protein shake for breakfast, an apple for mid-morning snack, another protein shake for lunch and for dinner I have 4oz protein (chicken or turkey) with 2 cups of non-starchy veggies (I alternate raw broccoli and raw baby carrots) with a drizzle of Skinny Girl raspberry vinaigrette dressing (Ugh, I know...but it is both fat & sugar free).

My sister did it maybe 7 years ago, in her late 40s. We both had childhood trauma, and for her obesity was one of the results. After the surgery she lost over 100 pounds in a year, and then had to have a couple plastic surgeries for excess skin removal and a breast lift. I think it was great for her. She's kept the weight off in the years since, and in many ways it was both physically and psychologically transformative. I wish you as much success as she experienced!

OP - have you tried Ozempic first?

There's a significant but not majority of people who gain all the weight back. My friend did after a year.

I'd so any of the shots first - this is major surgery.

6'3 and 330 doesn't sound like you'd qualify for gastric bypass surgery, OP. Are. are you paying for the entire thing out of pocket?

Don't look at me!

Diet and exercise are the ONLY WAY.

OP have you tried Ozempic or something similar already?

R5, my insurance will not cover any weight loss injection. I'm also not diabetic so my doctor would not prescribe Ozempic.

R6, I have hypertension and bad LDL. My private insurance (Blue Cross) is paying. I just make my co-pays.

R8, my doctor gave me free samples of Wegovy awhile back and I was losing 10lbs/month on it but those samples ran out and my insurance says no.

That sucks. I assume you have Kaiser

OP- I just woke up from a nap. I thought how is OPEN HEART surgery going to help you lose over 100lbs?

I' m having a Rose Nyland moment.

I don't know what your financial situation is, OP, but after my insurance stopped covering Zepbound, my GP switched me to a compound pharmacy version that's costing $350 a month and it's working reasonably well.

[quote]That sucks. I assume you have Kaiser

NEIN!

OP- a beloved family member of mine had gastric bypass and months later, she encountered a slew of health issues because she didn’t adhere to the very strict instructions on how to live post-surgery. It is no joke. I hope you take it all very seriously and had the requisite counseling leading up to your surgery. Wishing success and health to you.

I lost a significant amount of weight not through Gastric Bypass or Wegovy or any other weight loss drugs. I did it the old fashioned way- HARD WORK. But it is also hard to keep the weight off. I weigh myself every day so I am aware of even the slightest weight gain and then I cut back on my calories the next day. I've lost 50lbs from my peak weight of 274lbs. Two years ago at this time I was down over 60lbs from my peak. Still- at least I've kept most of the weight off. I know if I'm not careful I can easily gain back ALL of the weight I lost. My main weakness is sweets. I exercise seven days a week. I walk about 21 miles a week for exercise.

It seems crazy for an insurance company to not cover weight loss medications and opting instead for more expensive/invasive surgery.

OP what is your A1C?

Gosh. I don't know what's happening to me.

I can't find my snark. I just wish the OP well.

Could it be a strokeeeeeeeeee?

[quote]my doctor gave me free samples of Wegovy awhile back and I was losing 10lbs/month on it but those samples ran out and my insurance says no.

Both Wegovy and Zepbound have coupons for those whose insurance doesn't cover it.

I know $499 a month is not cheap, but I would really try it before gastric bypass. Even from a $$$ point of view, you probably have a deductible and co-insurance. I would not be surprised if you are paying at least a few grand for the surgery.

[quote]I lost a significant amount of weight not through Gastric Bypass or Wegovy or any other weight loss drugs. I did it the old fashioned way- HARD WORK. But it is also hard to keep the weight off. I weigh myself every day so I am aware of even the slightest weight gain and then I cut back on my calories the next day.

Sounds like a..awful existence. Have you considered the medications?

R17, last time I had blood work, about 2 months ago, it was 5.9. My glucose was 114.

R18, thank you

R19, In total I have spent about $400 between office visits, the shrink and post-op meds.

R17, I take Ceylon Cinnamon daily to help keep my blood sugar low. Diabetes runs in my family as does heart disease.

Can you get the band instead of the bypass? Your weight is high but it's not massively high for your frame.

Band is less invasive.

I know this is all a bit late considering your surgery is coming up soon, but the cutting out your stomach is a severe procedure.

Insurance companies make zero sense to me.

I agree with the posters that are telling to wait. 6'3, 330lbs is big, but not crazy huge. You've already changed your diet. Did you try keto? I know, it's really hard to stay on, but the diet restrictions when you get bypass surgery aren't great either. Seriously, pay the money for Wegovy and Zepbound for now. Combine it with a keto or modified keto. The surgery is serious, and there's always a danger of complications. It should be the absolute last resort.

Just want to wish you good luck, OP and to salute you for taking on a difficult step. You must be very brave.

That's my thing, 6'3/330# does not seem huge to me. It sounds like they approved the surgery because he had co-morbidities, not because of the # on the scale.

I wish you all the best OP, but this still sounds strange to me.

Seems a shame, OP. Like someone having an amputation because his insurance doesn't cover antibiotics.

“Back in the summer 99’, I realized my life was out of control…”

Wilson* Whaleson, tomato, tomahto

I actually had the lapband from 2006-2019.

Lost 125lbs on it. It eventually slipped and I had trouble eating anything and would vomit it back up...with blood.

After removal old habits came back.

Tried keto and lost 60lbs then put it back on.

Ironically there is no stomach removal with Roux-en-Y bypass yet there is with gastric sleeve surgery.

R15, that's great for you, but there are medical conditions which prevent other people being able to do the same.

Are you familiar with Insulin Resistance? It's when someone's body produces insulin but doesn't know what to do with it. Instead of having energy to function, intake is stored as fat, the body can be subject to pathogenic infections and all sorts of other horrible symptoms occur.

I can't function without metformin.

There are other health conditions and medications which make weight easy to gain and hard to lose.

But you keep doing you, mate.

I'm sure everyone here is grateful for your insight and compassion.

I know 2 people that had bariatric surgery. They had their surgeries only a couple of months apart. It's been a couple of years and both have lost tremendous amounts of weight and no serious adverse effects. The reality is that most people that are substantially overweight are unlikely to maintain significant weight loss with just diet and exercise. I'm not saying that it shouldn't be tried first, but once you've tried and failed repeatedly, you either accept being fat or go the surgery route. Good luck to you. Chances are it will be a success!

For the rest of the world many of the replies here encapsulate American thinking - it’s not my responsibility, what’s the easiest fix and who can I blame?

Had mini gastric bypass surgery 3 years ago, OP. Best thing I ever did. I have confidence again. No complications.

I have a friend who was able to get on one of those weight loss medications covered by her insurance because she was diagnosed with sleep apnea. Some insurance companies will accept THAT diagnosis instead of the Sugar.

R35 The hell is a mini-gastric bypass?

This explains it better than I would, R36!

R34 Your Royal Highness, of the 2 women I know that had the procedure, one was a Native American and the other was NOT American. Make of that what you will you pompous ass.

My son did it and it was a real success. He worked hard before the surgery to get as healthy as possible. Since the surgery, he has continued CrossFit and marathon training. He worked really hard on his mental health, which is critical to not regaining the weight. I wish you all the best.

Oh I absolutely believe you r38. You svelte young thing.

[copy]6'3 and 330 doesn't sound like you'd qualify for gastric bypass surgery, OP. Are. are you paying for the entire thing out of pocket?

That's what I'm thinking - doesn't sound obese to me - not at that height. I believe there are athletes with those same measurements in the NFL, though of course they have a different build.

Trust me, I have a bit of a gut but my weight is pretty evenly distributed. I have thick, solid thighs so jeans, pants are difficult to find. I don't have man boobs either (thank Christ) but I do have an extra chin. Fortunately I work in a warehouse where I can wear shorts, sweatpants, tees, etc... all year round.

The guy in this pic is a lot like my body type...

My 600-lb Life's, 1000lb Sisters, etc... are extreme types.

Most bariatric surgery is performed on patients 100-150lbs overweight.

My friend is 5' tall and has been obese all her life (I've known her for 30 years). She went for the surgery in the early 2000s, when it was fairly new. She started to lose weight gradually, saying she 'had no appetite', then quickly gained it all back within a year or so. She never learned (even post-surgery) you can't start off your dinner by eating a loaf of Italian bread and a pound of butter - one slice of bread with no butter is sufficient. Today, at 68, she's confined to a wheelchair to getting around. She hardly leaves the house except for endless doctor's appointments.

Laying in the hospital now.

Surgery went really well. Just went for my first walk.

Trying to get water down.

Well done, OP. It's hard at the start, but you'll be feeling fantastic in no time. Keep walking, keep hydrating.

R45 you are now lying in the hospital, rather than laying eggs. I wish you well. Stay on top of your psyche, as the reasons we eat poorly are usually psychological.

How’s it going, OP

Pretty sore but getting more mobile everyday. Yesterday I was finally able to get the 2 shakes down plus liquids and my meds.

Was also able to shower yesterday which made me feel a lot better.

Still pretty tired and sleep alot but that is from the pain meds. I have constant dry mouth. I'm having some pretty crazy dreams where I eat something then remember I had surgery and feel guilty.

I'm on 300 calories/day but never feel hungry.

I am the person at R33 who knows 2 people that had the procedure. One of then is a pretty close friend. She said she regretted doing it for several months due to the recovery being difficult. Now, at 2 years post-op, she's glad she had it done. She's not skinny, but she's just a little overweight vs. morbidly obese. She continues to lose weight but at a much slower rate.

Are you having the sleve or the Carnie Wilson stomach in a dumpster surgery? Understand if they bypass your stomach your solid shit days are over and you will possibly have to deal with pooping your pants. Frequently. You think you are farting and oops. It is not a fix either. You will still need to learn healthy eating habits. The irony is if you actually learned them first you would probably lose the weight, just slower and not have to deal with loose skin.

To be honest, I'm not familiar with either "the Carnie Wilson stomach in a dumpster surgery" or whatever a "sleve" is.

I had the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Glad you're doing well, OP!

I'm thinking of having gaystric bi-pass surgery.

Those boys are just too flighty.

Three people at a former workplace got it, and it very successful for one; partially successful for the other two

R22, you are not that smart at all. STOP TAKING THE CINNAMON and everything else that will lower your blood sugar. Instead you are so happy to MAJOR SURGERY, where most people have severe side effects from.

I do not know how some people get through the day

r52 The sleeve is a reduction of the stomach; it is removed to make the Sleeve like a stomach. What they had was a smaller pouch of the stomach and an altered small intestine. The Sleeve has less complications post-surgery with fewer issues of nutrient absorption. What you had tends to lead to more weight loss, though. Carnie Wilson had two surgeries. Her stomach was reduced in size and then later she had lap band.

R47- I always HATED the expression- You need to get LAID.

It sounds like a bird laying eggs.

I don't need to GET LAID . I'm not a bird you idiot.