Glad you're here...

[Marquis Mark]

Hi All,

I was introduced to this board by someone who found me on OH. After reading a lot of posts, I'm really glad you guys are here.

Here's my story:

Been fat since I was 8. Have lost and regained the weight (with bonus) on my own three times. Got to the point where I was afraid to diet again for fear of coming back even heavier.

Went to OA for eight years. Couldn't "surrender." I'm willful and rebellious and didn't take to instruction well, even though I wish I could have. It really works for the people that work it.

So almost 6 years ago I had a VSG. I was "only" 41 BMI at the time. Top weight 330 (but I'm 6'3"). 8 months later only got down to 260, and a year after that I was back to 285 where I've been for the last 4 years or so. EWL=25%. I'm now a 37 BMI.

My sleeve is stretched to the size of a "tennis ball", according to Dr. at Kaiser and he has offered to revise me to a RNY. Says he doesn't believe in the DS. Worried about deficiencies down the road.

After doing some research the RNY ain't happening for all the reasons you guys know. Plus I've read that on a revise from VSG it only averages 25% EWL (correct me if I'm wrong). I'm not putting myself through all of that to lose a lousy 25 pounds.

So that leaves me wondering if I should get a DS.

Good to be here. That's where I'm at.

Mark

 

[Munchkin]

Obesity is a disease. Not a character flaw. A DISEASE! Forget all that I need/deserve to suffer to lose weight crap. If you lost the weight 4 times over you have more willpower than 90% of the people out there. And you have been fat since the age of 8... Pretty much before you even made a lot of your own food choices. That should tell you something.

Willful? Rebellious? I wonder why they don't pull that bogus crapola on people with broken legs or cancer? Here's why. They accept that cancer and broken legs require treatment. They don't believe obesity is a disease. The fat boy should be happy to exist on crumbs. He has not suffered enough to find the path to true enlightenment. Hear the Angels sing? A normal BMI. It's OK for you to live a life of extreme deprivation and spend 30 hours a week at the gym. It is only through deprivation you can become pure and worthy.

So you spent decades proving that wasn't going to work for you. Failing over and over. But guess what? It's not because you are lazy or snatched a few more crumbs. It's because obesity is a disease. 95% of the people who start out significantly overweight and diet down to normal gain it all back plus a few friends. 95%. That's pretty much everyone. And every time you lose the weight it's harder than it was the time before and it comes back faster. And you have to eat even less to get the same results. Because you have a metabolic disease. Surely in your heart of hearts, you know thin people eat more than you and don't exercise as much either.

Try really hard to embrace this. You didn't fail. The medical community failed you. The only thing that will help you is surgery that addresses your metabolic issues. Malabsorbtion is the key and the DS is where you need to be. The RNY is a fail because very little is bypassed and your body can adapt. That's why many RNY folks start gaining at around the 2 year mark. The DS bypasses a lot more than the RNY

You have some huge advantages. First is the Man Factor. I can't scientifically prove this but men do better with this surgery than women. They almost without fail lose all the weight and seem to have less trouble keeping it off long term. Next, you know about nutrition because your whole life has been some kind of diet. The DS diet is easy. High protein, high fat, and low carbs. You have probably done Atkins 10 times. Just think Atkins Induction while you are in the losing phase. You get to lose weight and eat! The down side is you have to get pretty extensive labwork at least once a year and choke down a couple small handfuls of supplements every day forever. And you will probably have stinky poop.

The DS is probably your only option. Today there is nothing out there that will give you better odds. You need to see a real DS surgeon and be prepared to fight with your insurance company. It will take some time and effort on your part but I am guessing it will be a cakewalk compared to what you have already been through.

Spend some time reading here. I got my first diet when I was 6 weeks old...and I was breastfed. So, yeah, I understand. And even with the DS, I am still fat. But I would be REALLY heavy if I had done nothing.

 

[southernlady]

Welcome, @Marquis Mark
What SHE SAID ^^^^^

You didn't fail. The medical community failed you.

That needs to be your new motto.

I'm not against OA and the other types of help groups but if surrendering worked, we would ALL be skinny!!!

Some reading:
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/diet-and-exercise-alone-are-no-cure-for-obesity-doctors-say.2527/
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/o...long-term-weight-loss-almost-impossible.1819/
http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/r...e-or-does-the-procedure-fail-the-patient.245/

And now the newest news which hasn't been posted here yet. They think they have finally discovered an obesity gene.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/297991.php

 

[star0210]

I've already shared this with you via private message but I'm nearly 9 months out from my VSG to DS revision and I've lost 73% of my excess weight.
And I have one of the most stubborn bodies out there...it does not WANT to lose weight. Lol

 

[Marquis Mark]

I'm grateful to all of for your willingness to share your experience with me.

"It is only through deprivation you can become pure and worthy" - that really resonates. I think the kind of messed up patholigized thought is what lies at the core of a lot of overweight people's suffering.

Thanks.

 

[Munchkin]

The only thing I plan to surrender to is some bacon. I am heading out to brunch!

 

[Charris]

If you already have the sleeve the most natural path for revision would be a DS in my mind since sleeve is one half of the DS.