Rate of success - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

valleyfree · 12-04-2009, 03:16 PM

I heard from a friend today that the rate of success (keeping it off) for weight loss surgery is only like 30%. Do any of you know if this is true? That's scary if so.

AirForceW1fe · 12-04-2009, 04:23 PM

Not sure where they are getting the information but the studies I have read have it an 89% success rate. Sucess is defined by the person no longer being obese.

The thing to remember about this surgery is that it's not a cure for what got us here, it's a tool. It can either be used to maximum potential or not. That is a personal choice we all make. It will not change your relationship to food, it for sure did not change my addiction to food. I struggle with it everyday. I restricts the amount of good you can eat at one time but does not rewire our brains. Wish it did lol.

People can and have eaten around it by making poor food choices, grazing etc. From the long time post op's I have spoken to it gets really hard after about the 2 year mark. The amount of food you can consume in one sitting increases. So this can be dangerous for some. My surgeon gave me a great piece of advice I think which was to always eat like I did when I first started solid foods. Small meals, 4-6 times a day, focus on protein first always. This to me seems to be the key to the food part of it.

So long answer, it's success rate is whatever we make it out to be, barring any complications of course, we own whether or not it works long term.

katzz87 · 12-04-2009, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AirForceW1fe

So long answer, it's success rate is whatever we make it out to be, barring any complications of course, we own whether or not it works long term.

She said it all! But this tool (aka the pouch) makes success doable...if we chose to follow the pouch rules.

mburgs · 12-04-2009, 04:47 PM

I guess scientifically the overall success rate depends on who they are pooling, if they are only looking at GBS or if banding is included, and how far out people are.

But what everyone else said, WLS isn't a straight cut guaranteed cure to obesity.

poet_kelly · 12-04-2009, 05:03 PM

Well, this study found a success rate of 93% in morbidly obese patients but only 57% in super obese patients.

Late Outcome of Isolated Gastric Bypass

I didn’t read the whole thing, just skimmed through it. I’m not sure what accounted for such a different in the success rate between the morbidly obese and super obese patients.

I’m not real clear on how they are defining “success” either.

I found something else that said after 10 – 14 years, patients gain back an average of 10 – 13% of the weight they originally lose.

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Procedure

Then I found this study which said that they found a significant increase in weight between 5 years post-op and 10 years post-op, with patients who had been super obese gaining back more weight than those who had originally been morbidly obese. They gave a failure rate of 20.4% for the morbidly obese patients at 10 year post-op and 34.9% for the super obese patients.

Weight Gain After Short- and Long-Limb Gastric Bypass in Patients Followed for Longer Than 10 Years

Kelly

prettysweet860 · 12-04-2009, 05:13 PM

Wow that is something. I have a friend who had GB surgery and within 7 years she gained half her weight back. Also, she has OP and her teeth are just falling out. She stop doing what she was suppose to and is now worst off physically. Her legs hurt so bad. In addition, she had a tummy tuck but now she wants to get another surgery, the lap band. However, none of the doctors want to really touch her, because it is dangerous. She is sad and depressed for letting herself go.

mistymee · 12-04-2009, 06:06 PM

First you need to define 'success' and 'failure'.

I've lost over 130 lbs... my doctor considers me a rousing success. But I'm still considered 'obese' by BMI standards.

So, is this a success or a failure? Where is that line drawn? Who decides? Many people tell me I'm a success. I often feel like a failure.

That said, I'm 'in remission' with my diabetes.. off both oral meds as well as insulin, off high blood pressure meds, cholesterol meds.. I've put off my certain knee replacement surgery.. my arthritis has improved so much I don't take meds for it at all... I can run up four flights of stairs at once, have an active life.. and pretty much live the life of a 'normal' sized person. I buy clothes in the regular section of the store- wearing anywhere from 12 to 16 depending on brand/cut.. sex life is grand!

So.. does this sound like a failure? A lot of people would look at 180 to 190 lbs at my height as a failure.. recently there was someone that had their surgery at this weight.. (which, in my opinion is so dangerous that the doctor should have his credentials looked at but that's another post for some other time- or not) where would it fall, in those studies? Quality of life, even if I did regain 20 to 30 lbs would STILL be enormously improved vs. the 317 I started out at.

lwilson21 · 12-04-2009, 07:04 PM

I totally agree with Mistymee in that it's all about the quality of life. Getting of the of meds (Diabetes, 2 for high BP, cholesterol, arthritis) and the C-PAP machine mean so much more to me than achieving a specific number on the scale. Being able to simply walk without excruciating knee pain would be some degree of success in my book. I don't think it's as black and white as success or failure, and that type of "extreme" thinking is part of what got me to 344 lbs. (highest ever weight.)

Leah

cinwa · 12-04-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prettysweet860

Wow that is something. I have a friend who had GB surgery and within 7 years she gained half her weight back. Also, she has OP and her teeth are just falling out. She stop doing what she was suppose to and is now worst off physically. Her legs hurt so bad. In addition, she had a tummy tuck but now she wants to get another surgery, the lap band. However, none of the doctors want to really touch her, because it is dangerous. She is sad and depressed for letting herself go.

Sadly, your friend is not alone and we have people here who have long term issues.

In fairness, awarenes to our nutritional and supplemental needs wasn't known a few years ago and that combined with non-compliance has cause some severe issues.

Things have come a long way over the past 5 years.

valleyfree · 12-04-2009, 10:35 PM

Wow, thanks for all the responses. I especially like the stats on those reports. I'm still debating over RNY or vertical sleeve...and I guess I'd be considered morbidly obese, so it sounds like either of these tools will really give me a chance to make some permanent lifestyle choices. I almost wonder if my friend had her stats backwards......I find some people subtly trying to dissuade me a little.

Anyway, thanks!