[yotlyolqualli]

I had the roux en y gastric bypass surgery, laproscopically, in Dec. of 2007. My heaviest weight was 359 and I got down to 135 (way too low, my dr's were NOT thrilled lol). I've gained some of it back, but it's slowly coming back off as well.

This is not the "easy way out"! In fact, I have had major health issues since the surgery. I did not have the surgery to look better, nor to even FEEL better. I had it because I was dependant on massive doses of insulin, my diabetes was still out of control, the insulin was beginning to damage my kidneys and there was no where to go but down the road my sister (who died 3 weeks ago from complications of diabetes at the age of 51) was headed down. So... I opted for surgery.

The hardest part was and is for me, getting in the nutrition I need. I will NEVER be able to get the nutrition I need for health, through diet, ever again. Not only is your intake restricted through the surgery, your body's ability to absorb nutrition has also been permanently altered (reduced). I have been chronically anemic and malnourished since the surgery.

Also, I've had a stomach ulcer, bowel blockage, complications with adhesions (scar tissue) in the abdomen, my gall bladder removed, low hemoglobin, a catastrophic GI bleed and a resulting exploratory abdominal surgery, since, and both directly and indirectly caused by, the bypass.

However, the diabetes, that was the death sentence hanging over my head, has been completely resolved. My H A1C's have been normal since, I am on no medications whatsoever for diabetes. My bp's (I was pre-hypertensive before the bypass) now has a tendency to run low and my cholesterol is well within the normal range.

I feel better. More energetic, I can do things that I haven't done since my early teens and I feel better about myself. Those things, however, are just the peripheal side effects.

Life is crazy... this time in my life, right now, I am possibly facing another GI bleed (my hemoglobin has dropped 2 points in the last month) I am also anemic, off the scale anemic and of course, malnourished. The question I get asked most often is... if you could go back, would you do it again...

My answer is an unequivacable YES! Yes, I would do it again! At 42 (my age right now) my sister had already lost toes, her eyesight and her kidney function was already becoming compromised. I would do it again, but I'm also in the place now, where I can, knowledgeably, warn people. This is NOT easy nor for the faint at heart. It's hard! Hard hard hard and it is PERMANENT! Once it is done, there is no going back. Nor is it a perm. fix. People can and HAVE gained all their lost weight, back. It is not something you have and forget about it. It is definitely a lifestyle change and if you don't understand that before going into it, it will be devastating for you.

Everything changes, especially your relationship with food. Even now, food tastes differently, you see it differently, you want it differently and, believe it or not, part of healing from this surgery, is grieving your past relationship with food. You lose weight (for most) so fast that your psyche can't keep up. I still, 5 years out, look at chairs and wonder if they will hold my weight. I had to force myself (before beginning to dress plainly again) to stop clothes shopping in the BBW sections. The first time was exciting, the consequent times could cause me to almost go into panic attacks. Everything changes.

But, to me, for me, even with all the changes, both good and bad, the surgery was "worth it". I only speak so strongly about the negative aspects, to caution those who are considering it, to truly look at ALL the aspects of it, and then decide.

Good luck!