Epiphany

I had an epiphany. I have a girlfriend who got the gastric bypass about 3 months ago. She has lost 70+ pounds. She has mostly done it with drinking shakes and having one real meal a day. She will mostly likely reach her goal before me. We are very close, and I'm thrilled because she her health was very bad just 3 months ago. She is doing v. well. Off all kinds of meds, and hopefully her liver is fully functioning again. I have to say that sometimes I get a twinge of "I wish I'd done bypass too" and anyone who knows me on this board, knows I've said it a couple of times. But because of prior surgery complications, bowel surgery, it was not an option. So this is where my path led me and where I'm meant to be.

However, like I said, I've had an epiphany. Even though she will reach goal first, and started 3 months after me, she is going to one day have to start eating 'normal' foods. I don't know the statistics on all this but I've read that some bypass people gain back because they never learned how to eat properly. If this starts to happen I'll be able to help her. But at least with this epiphany, I can accept this slow loss better now.

I have renewed hope, especially with help from salsa, and indigogirl. Thanks all. I think you guys are great. Glad to have found the slowlosers.

Good luck and keep up the hard work, but also keep supporting your girlfriend in her loss too!

I have thought the same thing at times (why didn't I have the bypass). My sister had the bypass and what happened to her (as the statistics show) is she lost a bunch of weight and then gain a little back. With the band, it is much slower and steady but I don't think there is the weight gain at the end (because you have always been on solid foods). Anyway, my doctor says that after 3 years, the band and bypass end up being about the same weight loss.

My mom works with a woman who had gastric bypass. This woman has had nothing but problems since day one. She lost a bunch of weight, but her health is in the toilet. She's so disappointed with doing gastric bypass.

I chose Lap Band because I didn't want my interior re-routed. I just wasn't interested in cutting on my stomach. We may lose it slower, but I think our bodies respond better - skin, tissue, muscle - it all just responds better.

We didn't gain this weight in a couple of months - why should we lose it in a couple of months? Slow and steady does it every time!

I am grateful for your reply. This is such a huge thing we are all doing. Sometimes it is easy to forget that this was a big decision. I had the option to do either and I chose this one and when the weight doesn't come off like we think it makes one wonder if we made the wrong decision.

When I step back and look... I see rationally that this was really the best option for me. I just need to be patient, and believe in myself, and move forward one step at a time.

I've known and know of bypass patients who have regained all their weight. But, I've also known of lap band patients that don't lose, or gain back their weight.

One of the biggest reasons I went w/ lap band was that it would always be there for me. It wouldn't stretch out.

But with either we still have to make good choices (something I'm slowing coming to terms with). I think overall there's an impression that bypass is easier b/c you don't during the weight loss phase have to leave choices up to willpower. And, it can take us so long to get the right fill level.

Best of luck to you both!