ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass and Lap Band® Forum - View Single Post

Dara · 01-10-2005, 07:36 PM

Leigh:

Welcome to the forum. I'll try to answer some of your questions.

Q1 : Does anyone have any words of wisdom that might help me out? Why do you think one is better than the other? I did not research much about the lap band. My interest was primarily in gastric bypass because I had a long history of yo-yo dieting. I could lose weight pretty successfully, but I could never keep it off. I wanted something PERMANENT.

Q2 : What foods can you absolutely not eat, or eat much of. (lots of sugar is a given) Also, if you want to include what happens when you eat them. There is no food that we "absolutely" cannot eat, even sugar. However, we must make intelligent food choices in order to lose weight, maintain weight, and not harm our "tool." With ingesting the wrong food or the wrong amounts, our tiny stomach (called a "pouch") can be stretched or harmed (i.e., ulcer). Personally, I cannot eat much sugar or fats. With both, I "dump" or become ill. In my particular case, I have a rapid heartbeat, sweat, feel shaky and need to sleep it off. Believe me, it is NOT a good feeling, but a very good motivator not to do it again!

Q3: What were your complications, if any? I may not be the right person to answer this question. There are others on the forum who can give you detailed information about complications they experienced. Luckily, I have experienced virtually none.

Q3: Any regrets? As I've said before, my only regret is that it took me five years to decide to have the surgery! It's been a lifesaver for me. Pre-surgery, I had many comorbidities (weight-related illnesses) for my age and my health was deteriorating rapidly.

Q4: Are you hungry? This is another question that might be better answered by longer post-ops. At nine months post-op, I still have yet to experience hunger pangs. I just feel "empty" when I need to eat.

I hope these answers help you. I encourage you to read the other sections of the forum. You will find lots of information there. Good luck with your decision.