Bypass or band: reasons for opting for one or other

[hopelesscase]

Im really interested in your story Alison. Perhaps I havent done enough research, but yours is the first personal account I have heard of someone who feels the bypass has failed them.

I hope you dont think Im being rude by saying this - but surely, if you didnt eat the way you did, you would continue to lose weight.

I know its about willpower and I struggle with that like you do, but you have been given a chance to get the weight off and I cant understand why you are eating a full packet of biscuits.

Please please dont take offence to that Alison. Everyone here knows that I am nothing but supportive, and I would hate to think that I am upsetting you by asking these questions. Im only asking as Im sure everyone else is thinking exactly the same.

sam once again you come up trumps asking the question everyone is too scared of asking.

alison sorry you have had the experiance you have had and i find it intresting because i have a friend who also had the same surgeon as you. she basically went to see her dr to ask if he would apply for funding for her. she got that and then went off to leeds for her op. she has done well with her weight loss but when i see her food choices i fear for her that she will eventually gain weight.
she had no psycological assessment no diatetic input etc. I personally feel that all this is necessarry preperation to make sure we are in the best place possiable prior to surgery.
Have you read the thread about the pouch test (shel help us out here) maybe it would be worth trying this to see if you can retrain and start that weight loss up again and get where you want to be.
take care
hc

 

[hopelesscase]

im sorry things have not worked out well for you in the last 6months or so...but i cant understand how you could eat such volume of food with the restriction of your bypass??? can you or someone else explain this to me please x

you can actually stretch your osophagus so in effect that becomes another pouch if you overeat.

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

i cant understand how you could eat such volume of food with the restriction of your bypass??? can you or someone else explain this to me please x

the pouch can be stretched back to the size of a normal stomach over time allowing normal eating to be resumed, this can happen for many reasons mostly emotional eating, if this pattern in eating starts to happen the help should be found, a good wls providor will help with counceling and getting to the route of why the individual patient feels they need to sabotage there progress and help to nip it in the bud before it gets to out of hand.

 

[alison65]

the profs excuse for being able to eat more is he does the pouch different to every one else? he does it more like a tulip shape than an egg cup shape.
i wish i had had input from a counsellor or someone before hand, mine was made too easy as i work for my gp, i just said one day(not in consultation) that i wish i could have liposuction and she said what about gastric bypass instead, i said ok laughing next thing i know my pct funding was typed sent, two weeks till the yes, 4 weeks to first appt, two months then done.
i sort of rolled along with it all.

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

the profs excuse for being able to eat more is he does the pouch different to every one else? he does it more like a tulip shape than an egg cup shape.

oh thats the 1st time ive heard of pouches being made in different shapes, has anyone else had theres done the same as alison ?

 

[charliegirl]

I chose the bypass as I wanted quick results and something I could not cheat at. When I read on here how some banders have to wait until the right amount is in it put me off because I wanted to hit the ground running and get on with it. I dont have the will power the banders have and would of cheated big style. Something I cannot do with the bypass, just one spoon too many and you certainly know about it.

Can I just say that not everyone needs the psych assessment to make the bypass work I have not seen one nor a dietician at any stage of this and I feel I am doing well and dont have any problems in fact the life changing op has been the icing on the cake to a great many inprovements in my life.

Alison I am really sorry it has not worked out for you. I am sure there will be people reading your posts with fear runing through their veins right now in case it happens to them. In life nothing is guaranteed except death and taxes everything else we need to work at. I hope you get some support and help with getting you back on the right track hun (((hugs)))....xx

 

[Sambucca]

the profs excuse for being able to eat more is he does the pouch different to every one else? he does it more like a tulip shape than an egg cup shape.
i wish i had had input from a counsellor or someone before hand, mine was made too easy as i work for my gp, i just said one day(not in consultation) that i wish i could have liposuction and she said what about gastric bypass instead, i said ok laughing next thing i know my pct funding was typed sent, two weeks till the yes, 4 weeks to first appt, two months then done.
i sort of rolled along with it all.

THank you for posting again Alison. I can see that you were almost snowballed into this without enough time to research and understand how you were expected to work with the bypass.

Have you discussed your current eating habits with your GP? Could you be referred for counselling or to a dietician?

I do hope you manage to get back on track Alison. I really feel for you hun xxxxx

 

[charliegirl]

I agree with Sam you were steam rolled into this without any prep time. We all had the chance to research either before requesting the op or whilst waiting for things to go through the system. It is such a shame for you as you would not of been prepared in anyway for it....xx

 

[mermaid2708]

thanks for the explanation re: stretchin. i have heard much about the egg sized pouch...my surgeon makes the pouch the size of his little finger in the op, as he knows it will then stretch to the size of the egg. i still find it hard, though i DO have a great deal of compassion, to understand the huge volume of food that was eaten by the bypasser who feels she has failed...even before wls i would have struggled to eat that amount in a day to be honest.

 

[tesmaralda]

i know some surgeons use a banana shaped pouch as opposed to the more traditional shape. I have heard of 1 person who had a stomach stapling revision by Mr Khan and now weighs more than she did pre bypass, but that is down to her eating habits and she has streched her aesphegus. It is very hard to stretch the pouch in a short space of time but is easier to stretch the aesphegus. This can also happen in banders especially if the bnd is in the wrong position or slips.

But as Sam said I would definately go back to your Gp and see what help can be offered as it does sound like you have had very little in the way of preparation for the op and support after the op.

 

[alison65]

i have been referred to a dietician at the hospital who told me i had to eat lots of carbs to make the op work and lots of water??
i then went to see my gastroenterologist(i have bowel problems)who said no you need to eat lots of protein but as i have tried both and neither works i will have to put up with losing half my excess weight only.

 

[Sambucca]

Im no expert Alison, but from what Ive seen on here, lots of protein is the key. Carbs will make you retain water as well, and will make you feel hungry.

Good luck babe xxx

 

[mermaid2708]

agree with above...i was told protien all the way!

 

[charliegirl]

Yep it is the protein you need, veg and then carbs....I would be kicking someones butt for not supporting you through this, you had major surgery with no back up....heads would roll if it was me....xx

 

[shelbell]

Have sent you the details of the 5 day pouch test Alison, I found it really useful, and it's designed for people who have lost touch with their pouch or developed bad habits so if you want to kick start the weight loss again it might be worth a go.

Alison I think that the NHS has completely failed you in giving you such a radical surgery with no preparation or aftercare. In my opinion everyone should have to undergo psyche assessment, pre-op re-education, and post-op aftercare for as long as needed. I know *some* people say they don't need psyche evaluations, but that's open to opinion.

 

[alison65]

Have sent you the details of the 5 day pouch test Alison, I found it really useful, and it's designed for people who have lost touch with their pouch or developed bad habits so if you want to kick start the weight loss again it might be worth a go.

Alison I think that the NHS has completely failed you in giving you such a radical surgery with no preparation or aftercare. In my opinion everyone should have to undergo psyche assessment, pre-op re-education, and post-op aftercare for as long as needed. I know *some* people say they don't need psyche evaluations, but that's open to opinion.

thanks shell i will give it a go, don't get me wrong everyone i am happy with the results so far i am in a normal size 16-18(can shop in primark) no more big knickers lol i have not taken my pain killers for a very long time, i can walk again, infact i can run now, am looking forward to the birth of my first grandchild in september.
lifes not all bad.
cheers for everyones input much appreciated.

 

[Sambucca]

Ah Alison, thats a much more positive post. THis morning it sounded like you have "given up" trying to lose the weight. Its lovely to hear that you are now wearing normal clothes and are pain free and more energetic.

Thats lovely to hear. xx

 

[I will get there one day!]

What an interesting and informative thread!

All the best Alison - I hope you get the support and advice you need.

 

[jaynefrances]

I chose bypass over band as my health has started to deteriorate and i feel that i need the quicker results you get from a bypass to regain my health before its too late.
I also struggle with maintaining willpower and although you need this for both options i felt that the reduced absorption element of the bypass would give me that extra "boost" to maintain the momentum.
Through researching and chatting to people on here i was aware that it is possible to stretch the pouch with either procedure and as a volume eater i know this is a risk so i am hoping that i will succumb to "dumping" to assist the weight loss process as i have PCOS and experience sugar cravings and insulin highs.

 

[brett30]

as too the diff size pouches ........ every doctor has his own way of doing the op and what kinda pouch they make ..

i know the hospital im going to they have 2 surgeons and one makes a pouch and one makes a tube .. and i asked a million questions about this and how it would effect the after life of a pouch ..

and there is no effect as in weight loss you still have same reaction no matter what shape the pouch is made its the over all size of the pouch that matters ....

only diffrence is the tube will alow you to eat some foods that the pouch wont and vice versa .. u can eat a bit more meat with a tube than a egg shape pouch ..

was have met people with both kinds and they have all lost weight and done what its suppose too ..

but there is the odd 1 or so it does not work for like anything .. just like the odds of getting through the op theres odds on if its going to work for you or not ..

i think if you are ready for this and you are wanting a life changing thing then you set your mind to it and make it work ..

but if you go in to this not knowing what its about and what its suppose to do and what your suppose to do to help it along then u can make it fail no matter what kinda of op you have had .. theres ways around everything ..

im so sorry to hear about whats happened to you alison and its the first true story i have read also from a bypasser that its not worked for and thats how few there are cause its not common that it does not work ...

and i hope you get the help and support you need now we all want this ASAP and most are willing to do anything to get on that table and have it done ASAP .. even when we hear bad storys of surgeon or that u have to have open surgery as its a last dich atempt to fix a life time battle for most .......

i hope now they help you and do what is needed for you all the best hun and keep us informed on whats going on with you xxxx