11 THINGS I WISH I KNEW BEFORE WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY & GASTRIC BYPASS

Weight loss surgery is a controversial subject to say the least. Four months ago I had gastric bypass surgery in Mexico. Bariatric surgery is never easy but to have it and be a part of the medical tourism business was pretty scary. Then I got home and the real struggle to lose weight began. I'm sharing with you some of the complications I faced from having RNY, and some of the mental, emotional and physical challenges I've face and that I wish I knew before I had weightloss surgery. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Luv you much! Melissa

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[saleemansari]

I am an obesity doctor based in London, UK and your video is truly fantastic. I learn the most from listening to the experiences of our patients so i want to thank you for sharing your experience which is common to so many patients i see after surgery. Thank you Melissa, with best wishes. P.s., Obesity is a chronic disease which requires lifelong management, and you are managing it so well Melissa, congratulations

[teresaosburn]

i had gastric bypass surgery 3 years & 9 months ago, have lost 249 lbs & have kept it off. hang in there, i am for you all the way! it was the best decision of my life! it was either life or death & i chose to live. i used to wear size 32 & now i wear size 14. you go girl! i am so proud of you.. yea i got all the neg comments too, i just blow it off.

[wrinklesandsprinkles]

I lost 100lbs on my own in 1 year through lifestyle changes. I taught myself about nutrition & began water aerobics 7 days a week after work. Toward the beginning of the next year I endured 2 major health difficulties & my weight plateaued. Nothing more would come off & I began feeling the effects of the health complications. So I had Gastric Bypass surgery about 2 yrs later. That was 15 years ago and I have learned allot. It is very easy to become malnourished & dehydrated! I still experience nausea & vomiting every week. Whomever says having this surgery is “taking the easy way out” has no idea what they are talking about & it aggravates me so badly. The surgery affects one for the rest of their lives.🌺

[sugarfree]

I went from 470 down to 160. 60" waist (Sz 6X) to a 29" waist (sz 10). I was still considered "overweight" by medical standards and I looked Anorexic and felt just as insecure about that as I did about being super sized. The Peanut Gallery once were telling me that I'd be so pretty if I just lost the weight to telling me that I needed to stop losing weight because I looked sickly. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. I am 12 years out and the physical issues that I've had in the past decade due to the surgery persist. I have to wear loose clothing as waist bands and wearing bras cause tremendous stomachaches that stop whatever I'm doing until they subside. I have to have intravenous Iron infusions as I struggle with such bad Anemia that my oxygen depraved red blood cells collapse and look like flat tires under the microscope. The severe Anemia causes me to be short of breath, causes my muscles to cramp so badly that I cannot walk, causes chronic headaches and brain fog. I thought I was developing early onset Alzheimer's before I was told it was due to the Anemia, my brain doesn't get enough oxygen. Was surgery worth it? The answer is a mixed bag for me. On one hand, It saved me from dying at 32. On the other hand, the quality of my life has not improved by the weight loss. I just have different health issues to contend with. Nothing about this surgery and the journey after the fact has been easy. The greatest positive from the entire process is that I have learned to mute the peanut gallery. Nothing anyone thinks or can say bothers me anymore because I do not have to fit into that box they live in. Obesity is more a psychological issue than a physical issue. The head is the toughest opponent to defeat in my opinion.

[myliverandme]

P.S. some friends will end up JEALOUS of you when you are losing weight-especially if they have always been the thin one! Ridiculous when they should be happy for you. 😳

[carlamunne]

I’d have my surgery all over again. No regrets. I have experienced all of these things! I am 6 years out from surgery. I was 383 the day of surgery, and in 2 1/2 years I was at 175 ( I’m 5’8”). You’ll find out who’s really on you team very quickly!

[stacylbrewer]

My best friend had this surgery and I would never, ever say she took the easy way out. I saw all the same struggles that you went through. Constant nausea and vomiting was the worst. She ended up going from 350 to 200 pounds and I was so proud of her! Thank you for sharing this experience with us, so more people will understand more about the process. Congrats on your weight loss. So happy for you and proud of you!

[xlightninglifex]

I am in the beginning stages of WLS and suffer from fibromyalgia and diabetes. Watching this has given me hope that one day I will feel some what normal again. I have been in chronic pain for 15 years of my life. Doctor after doctor said they couldn’t help me. 2023 is take back myself year! Thank you!

[AngieO]

Congratulations, I am 19 months post op for RNY. I have lost 156 lbs since surgery. Best decision of my life. I am 51, soon to be 52 and I was diabetic, on 5 blood pressure pills a day and had sleep apnea. I have been overweight my whole life. I never told many people about my choice die to negative feedback. I did the surgery so I can he healthy and live longer and be more active. I will soon have my 1st grandchild and I look forward to being able to keep up with him. There are some complication, but for me they are worth it. Now my biggest problem is I have no padding on my butt and hurts to set and I am always cold, no fat to keep me warm so I layer up. Also, I had to have a EGD to open up a structure and I did develop a bad ulcer and had to have a revision to remove the ulcer and reconnect my small intestines back to my pouch. Good luck and many blessings. Do what's best for you. Love you lady

[cathyhopkinson]

My thought is, unless they wrote the check for it, they don’t have a right to say anything about it or even have an opinion about it. Period!

[jagaruni]

I just had bypass surgery this week and this is the best thing I could have seen today. Thank you so much for going through this. I'm still getting over the pain and preparing myself mentally but your example has really helped me get into the right mindset.

[juliannehaywood]

I felt the same way right after surgery! Once they put a giant overhead fan on me, it calmed me down. I lost 154 lbs., 21 of them from my tummy tuck!

[leannsmith]

Nailed it! Top three are my top three also. Oh the saggy skin, thinning hair and those emotions messing with you daily. I didn’t know that fat cells have hormones and when they start melting away it really messes with your mind. The emotional roller coaster of losing weight and also losing your forever friend of food, just hurts. This surgery makes you tough!!!

[lisam]

I had Gastric bypass in 2009. I lost 200 lbs in a 🎉 year. I never drank before surgery but with the weight loss started going out and drinking and enjoying life. I became an alcoholic and my life became very dark. It's a common problem with weight loss patients and I know several people who had the same problem. I am now in AA 2.5 years sober, PRAISE GOD! Just a warning. Dont let one addiction turn into another one that can kill you. ❤

[annallen]

I had Bariatric surgery in August 2022 and it certainly has been an adjustment and an experience that is unimaginable. Everything that you said is absolutely correct. Some people will find that it is an easy way out but it’s actually hard because the one that I still struggle with is that even though, you’re feeling full physically. Emotionally, your still wanting to eat what your body is going to reject. It is hard to concentrate and feel like your food life is over. But the truth is that it takes mindfulness and structured discipline to get through it and reach your weight loss goal. The judgements that are received due to having WLS is that due to certain health factors. It is not optional for people like be that has health issues that effect my mobility. I actually lost thirty pounds on my own for knee surgery but then hit a plateau and wasn’t physically able to loose more. This was the best option for me and yes it does has its ups and downs but I was happy that this option was available because it has definitely changed my life for the better. Thanks for making this video and good to see you doing well.

[-hours]

I am studying a master of rehabilitation counselling and my final project is on psychosocial support for post-bariatric surgery patients. I'm also focussing on food addiction in the context of obesity. This has been so helpful. Well done for doing what you knew was right for you and sharing your journey with us. Food addiction is real. I too have overcome food addiction and obesity which lead me to this career. Thanks again. I hope you make more videos and let us know how you are doing now!

[deannaroby]

Sometimes having a significant life event like this is beneficial because it lets you know who your real friends are so sad that friends judged you. You look amazing and even more important seem to feel better physically.

[GracefulBeautyWithSheri]

This was very interesting Melissa. You're so brave!!!And so inspiring! Oh and beautiful too!!! What if you do a "what I eat in a day" type of vlog. That may be really helpful for people considering the surgery. Or have you already done one and I missed it? That's amazing how much weight you lost! You go girl!!!

[fiftyfeistyandfabulous]

I had roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery in 1994. Back then, there were no psychological assessments required or any preparation for dealing with the emotional changes. I’ll be talking about it when I launch my channel. It was a very hard first few years.

[gracefaith]

Hi Melissa, so happy I found this video. I'm 55 yrs old and currently going through the process working up to my pre OP. I appreciate your honesty on what you wish you had known. Your Journey is very inspiring to me and You look Fabulous 🌹 Thank You for sharing! Grace and Peace, Big HugS and much love.
~Kaye