[yotlyolqualli]

In the roux en y bypass surgery, which causes weight loss through restriction and mal-absorption, the stomach pouch is drastically reduced. They cut and then staple a small, very small pouch from the original stomach. That causes the "restriction" part of the weight loss results. The end of the small intestine is detatched from the original stomach and surgically attatched to the new stomach pouch. However, before it IS attatched, a good part of the intestine that absorbs nutrition, is removed. That causes the "mal-absorption" part of the weight loss program. As Little Fish said... these surgeries "are not without risks and complications".

That's why I give all the negative aspects of my own experiences so in detail. My life, my body, my relationship to and with food, my health and psyche have all been permanently changed... some to the good and some not. This cannot be undone and should only be used as a life saving TOOL. This is merely a tool and it will only work as well as you wield it.

As I said... I didn't do it for cosmetic reasons, nor did I do it to "feel" better. I did it to save my life. It worked. It did what my PCP and I wanted it to do. It resolved my diabetes. But I did it only AFTER I tried many times and many different ways to lose weight. I cut out all sugar, stopped eating or drinking anything with sugar in it and STILL went from pills to insulin within the first year of being diagnosed. By the time I underwent the bypass, I had been on insulin for nearly 5 years. As I said... this was a last resort for me. One I am glad I took, but one I wouldn't recommend for any other reason but a life saving tool.