VERY, VERY NEW

[Margen]

Hi All, I am just beginning my weightloss journey. I haven't decided which route to go. I would appreciate any thoughts you may have to help with my decision. I always thought I could lose the weight on my own, but it has been too long with no success. It's time I try another plan. I just went to a seminar-went in thinking lap band and left thinking gastric bypass. I am 100 lbs away from what I would like to weigh. 15 yrs ago, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism...that was the beginning of the end! I have never felt the same, and my weight keeps going up, and my energy levels keep going down. I take 200 mcg of synthroid daily, and go for routine bloodwork, so that's not the issue (so the doctors tell me.) Please share your ideas with me. Thanks! Margen

 

[suzz69uk]

Hi Margen, welcome to forum.

There is alot of support and advice to be found here but only you can decide which option would benefit you most with the advise of your doctor/specialist. Which ever option you choose, I wish you lots of luck.

 

[Caren]

Hi Margen, im pretty new here too. I've been trawling through all the forums and have found some great advice. Everyone here is so helpful and friendly, and ive often found answers to my questions just by looking. I too thought band at first but am going for the bypass, good luck

 

[Snow White]

Welcome! I am very new here as well. You will learn so much from everyone here. I was also going for the band but after a lot of reading and talking to people who have had both I have now asked for a bypass.

Good luck in whatever decision you make xxxx

 

[Amrac1]

Hi,
I am 17 months post gastric bypass. I think we have all been in the place you are at. Its full of hope, confusion and emotion. My advice would be do do lots of research into all the differing types of bariatric surgery. Trawl through the net looking at all options. We all have differing reasons for the op we chose to have. For me I had the bypass because 1. I was a type 2 diabetic and the remission rates post bypass were better than those for any other op.
2. I knew my op would be open surgery so wanted a one stop surgery , so to speak.
The other thing to consider is if you are having it on the NHS what will your area cover.
Good luck
xxxxx

 

[TwinkleTwinkle]

Hi Margen, Welcome to a really fantastic site. You will get loads of advise but then it is up to you. My decision was made by the surgeon after deciding what kind of eater I am. If I had a sweet tooth, a band would not be as successful as you can use "Slider" foods which are very high in calories, if I was a grazer a bypass could also fail as I would just be eating loads in small amounts. I knew portion sizes were my downfall so this is when it was decided a bypass would be best for me. Hope you can make your decision soon so you can move on, on your weight loss journey x

 

[Lilyscent]

Hi and Welcome, Good Luck with you wls journey xx

 

[penguina]

Hi and welcome, you will find lots of information on here, and hopefully this will help you on your way. I am underactive thyroid, but this wasn't picked up until I started my weight loss journey, but I have been overweight all my life, so it didn't stop the process.
I take 150mcg thyroxine a day, but pre op felt as if I could do with more.

I started thinking band and ended up bypass, but that was to do with food choices, large portions, and also bypass seems to have better results for T2 diabetes which I also found out I had during the process. I am sure you will find the right path for you, and good luck with it.

 

[jaxx]

As others have said, only you can decide which type of surgery to opt for. But like you, I went thinking of having a band but ended up with the bypass. I knew I could cheat with the band and that I would still be able to eat sugary foods. I was also impatient and didn't want to have have to wait the 6 weeks between surgery and having the band filled. Plus I also didn't like the idea of having an injection to fill or de-fill the band.

So you can see each person has different reasons for deciding on the particular type of surgery. You need to weigh up what type of eater you are, whether you're patient enough to wait between fills or if you want to start seeing immediate results, what the possible complications are, if each type of surgery will suit your lifestyle and how disciplined you'll think you'll be.

Hope this helps in some way and welcome to the forum.

 

[flutterby1966]

Hi and welcome. As everyone says, do the research and ask lots and lots of questions. We will all try to help, by providing honest and open comments, but ultimately you need to make the choice that is right for you in conjunction with medical guidance. Our journeys have all started in similar places and we are all heading in the same general direction, but may have decided on different routes to take...there are no 100% right or wrong choices. Most important I think is to get your head round what you are looking to achieve and be realistic...we will all be routing for you x