Re: Queen of slow losers here.

[Guest guest]

I think everyone is at least somewhat scared that after all this, they won't

lose the weight. As you said, we've spent a lot of time and money on this

procedure, and we don't want it to fail. And we're food addicts, so we are

worried about not being able to keep the weight off. To this end, we must

be realistic about our goals. While I would love to weigh 125 pounds, a

more reasonable goal might be to lose 75% of my excess weight and KEEP IT

OFF in the future. As I have said here before, I have lost (and gained) at

least 500 pounds in my lifetime. Losing has never been that difficult for

me. But if I don't keep the weight off, it really doesn't matter how fast I

lost it or how many pounds I lost each month. While most of us won't be

" supermodel " thin after our loss, I think the vast majority of us will be

able to be thinner, and stay that way in the future. It may only average

out to 4 pounds a month. But if it stays OFF, then I will claim success.

Joanie

5/25/04

Drs. Walsh and Rutledge

>From: " KJ _ " <kay_jays_here@...>

>Reply-

>

>Subject: Re: Queen of slow losers here.

>Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 08:02:24 -0500

>

>Hello everyone,

>

>I know this is going to be a touchy subject but someone has to talk about

>it.

>Is anybody concerned with the amount of slow loser there are? Maybe it's

>just my thinking but there seems to be a lot of them. There seems to be

>more

>and more slow losers and people that don't hit their goal then there are

>people that do. Look at the mgb friends board out of almost 3000 surgerys

>there are not many sucess stories there. You pay 17.000.00 you expect

>results after all don't we do this because we have failed at other diets

>and

>consider this our last chance? There just seems to be a lot that aren't

>making it.

>

>If it took two years to lose 95 pounds that's about 4 pounds a month. At

>the cost of this surgery how can you say that is success? If you could of

>stuck with a slim fast diet you could of done better then that for a whole

>lot less money. I know if we could of done that we wouldn't of needed this

>surgery. Does that mean if you lost anything at all this surgery is a

>success?

>

>Come on jump on me I am ready for it :-)....these are just things that need

>to be addressed. I mean after all clos must be concerned about it or they

>wouldn't be doing a study on it. I have noticed a trend of people with

>weight of 240-280 are the ones that have the most problems with losing as

>fast. Has anyone else noticed this? I'm not saying that everyone in that

>area has a problem but a lot do.

>

>We talk about the sucess I think this is something that needs to be talked

>about as well.

>I really feel for the slow losers they should get the same sucess as others

>do. I know they try just

>as hard if not harder to loss their weight.

>

>Guard is up ready for the punches :-),

>KJ

>

>_________________________________________________________________

>Is your PC infected? Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee®

>Security. http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

8/12/2004, kay_jays_here@... writes: << I thought I would share some

info with you. Dr. H. was at the KC picnic and he said that Dr. R. is doing

some research right now to find out why some lose slower then others do.

Hopefully it will be of some help to all us slow losers.>>

Geez, I'd love to get on that Stat board!

Only, I'm quite sure I know why I lose slowly. I can out-eat any of my

thin/healthier friends, from good, " real " food to piles of sweet junk - if

people

weren't told I had an MGB, they'd never guess it.

I am no doctor or statistician, but just general data gathering...from what

I've seen reading posts, it seems that many of us slow losers are those who

have yo-yo dieted for decades and have literally wrecked our metabolisms.

My question is more like: Given a patient's history of yo-yo dieting, why

wouldn't the stomach be stapled smaller and/or bypass be longer than 6 ft? There

just seems to be too many patients having revisions. I know I don't have the

money, time or energy to do this twice, nor would I subject my body to it

twice. To be honest, I don't think it's fair to have to pay for it a second time

if

the first time proves inadequate (just my opinion).

I went into this expecting a 1-shot deal, meaning the ability to make wiser

food choices and get this weight off, within 1 year's time. Unfortunately, the

MGB has made me loath proteins and has absolutely FUELED my sweet tooth to the

point of frightening proportions. I can eat an entire Entenmann's cheese

danish in 1 day. That was discovered by accident. It is now a food that is

totally

forbidden in my house.

I could go on and on, but anyway, that's just a minor contribution for anyone

who cares to read it.

Regards and be well.

Still a junkfood junkie,

Patty H

8/25/03, Stsvl

5'4 " , 253/176/???

[Guest guest]

8/13/2004, smootgen@... writes: << So as it turned out, in order to

reach an acceptable weight I asked Dr. R to operate on me THREE times.>>

No offense, but not all of us can afford this thing three times. I also knew

the risks, but I feel that they are incredibly downplayed and like most anyone

else, felt confident enough from CLOS marketing pitch that 'it wouldn't

happen to me'.

For $17,000, I expected the good doctors to know whether or not 6' of bypass

was adequate enough for me to reach near goal weight. After all of the details

and painful preparations we pre-ops go through, I would expect it to be used

to individually tailor the surgery to MY case. Given my history of lifelong

obesity, yo-yo dieting, etc etc, is it realistic to assume that the same surgery

of a " recent " obese patient would provide the same outcome/effect?

Just food for thought.

Glad you reached goal.

Struggling on this end.

Patty H

8/25/03 Stsvl

5'4 " , 253/176/???

[Guest guest]

The revisions are the same cost ($17,000) as the original surgery.

Monroe

Dr. Walsh/Dr. Dasher

CLOS-High Point

704-682-0260 (cell)

336-841-0326 (office)

npm@...

www.clos.net

Re: Re: Queen of slow losers here.

Questions, are the revisions, expensive.????????? Just out of curiosity.

Miriam

7/1/03

250/155/150

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/15/04 9:52:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

NCGorgeous1963@... writes:

<< I can eat an entire Entenmann's cheese

danish in 1 day. That was discovered by accident. It is now a food that is

totally

forbidden in my house. >>

Just because you can doesn't mean you have to. Even though we all had the MGB

we still have to make choices of what we put into our mouths. If anyone has

issues with binge eating they may want to consider a program like OA because

they may be dealing with issues that will definately cause the MGB to fail. I

believe we all have the potential to outeat our bypasses if we so desire - it is

up to us to use every tool in our power (DR. PHil, a counselor, OA, weight

watchers, topamax - a medication sometimes used to drs to help people who binge

eat) in addition to the MGB to insure our success. You can not go back to the

way you were eating an expect not to regain your weight you will not have

success. It isn't about a revision of your MGB its about a revision of your

eating

habbits, emotional reasons for eating, and getting a plan to combat it when

it hits (like alcoholism), quite frankly if you have these kinds of issues and

don't deal with them, most likely you would outeat a revision as well.

Good luck!!

Busching

(who deals with the demons of binge eating, emotional eating - etc everyday

but will succeed!!!)

[Guest guest]

Please understand BEFORE you read my comments that I am not one who

effortlessly got to my goal weight therefore I know where you are

coming from concerning the weight you are versus the weight you want

to be. The things I am saying below are only my opinions... not

a " defense " of the doctors or the procedure itself.

> My question is more like: Given a patient's history of yo-yo

dieting, why

> wouldn't the stomach be stapled smaller and/or bypass be longer

than 6 ft? There

> just seems to be too many patients having revisions. I know I don't

have the

> money, time or energy to do this twice, nor would I subject my body

to it

> twice. To be honest, I don't think it's fair to have to pay for it

a second time if

> the first time proves inadequate (just my opinion).

*****If you had for example surgery on your colon due to a growth of

some sort and the growth returned - thereby making the first

surgery " inadequate " - would you expect the surgeon to re-do the

operation for free? I realize that this surgery is more expensive

than something like a wart removal (which usually returns), etc. but

if you read the manual THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES..... never has been

and honestly could not be. We are all very different individuals. I

would consider a revision (assuming I had the money - which I don't)

if I was still 100 pounds or more overweight - i.e. I would have

started at maybe 350 for my height instead of the 286 where I

started. I would still realistically like to lose at least 25 pounds

but would never consider a revision - the risks of then having

complications down the road due to the extra bypass, etc. I would not

want to assume. At 25 pounds overweight my health risks are not

nearly as great as my risks at 150+ pounds overweight. I of course

wanted the surgery for " vanity " reasons but my main reason was so I

could see my children grow up --- that I believe (barring being hit

by a bus, etc.) I have accomplished at least from a health standpoint

related to obesity complications.

>

> I went into this expecting a 1-shot deal, meaning the ability to

make wiser

> food choices and get this weight off, within 1 year's time.

Unfortunately, the

> MGB has made me loath proteins and has absolutely FUELED my sweet

tooth to the

> point of frightening proportions. I can eat an entire Entenmann's

cheese

> danish in 1 day. That was discovered by accident. It is now a food

that is totally

> forbidden in my house.

*****Obviously the key word in this statement is the " ability " to

make better food choices. Let me first say that I also have a sweet

tooth and can tolerate sweets quite easily so I am not living in a

glass house throwing stones. However ----- whether or not I make the

choice to give in to these " impulses " is totally and completely my

choice. Amazingly if I " tough it out " for a week or more, making

nothing but good choices (in other words " diet " - but in actuality

simply eating healthy foods) amazingly the sweet tooth lessens

considerably. It is always my choice.

> I could go on and on, but anyway, that's just a minor contribution

for anyone

> who cares to read it.

>

> Regards and be well.

> Still a junkfood junkie,

> Patty H

> 8/25/03, Stsvl

> 5'4 " , 253/176/???

***I see from your stats that you are 2 inches or so taller than I am

and you started at 30+ pounds less than me. I bet you wearing maybe

a 22 prior to the MGB and I bet you can mostly wear a size 10 or so

now. Not too shabby!

I too went into the surgery " hoping " that I would wake up a year

later and be at my goal weight and never having to worry about my

weight ever again ----- BUT knowing that there were other

possibilities.

At almost 4 years out I am down from a largest size of 30/32 to a

14. Would I " like " to be a 10 - absolutely! Did I ever want to be

any smaller than that - no! I am in the minority in the fact that I

didn't want to be " skinny " . I wanted to be " normal " . I always said

that I wanted to be a good solid MEDIUM in just about anything I

tried on.

As for bypassing more, making the stomach smaller, etc. There are

good reasons why Dr. R does not make the stomach any smaller that he

does. It is so that we can lead a more " normal " life and not have to

be as restricted as those with the Fobi pouch, etc. That is one of

the reasons we have less complications in general. In bypassing more

than 6 feet you run a much greater risk of lifelong complications of

chronic debilitating diarrhea, vitamin deficiencies, etc. Would you

trade the maybe 25 pounds you wish you had lost for something that

might have made you miserable, chronically sick, etc. I wouldn't and

won't. Also, you have to realize that while the surgeons are

performing the bypass on the intestine the intestine is not " at

rest " --- it is still " pulsating " i.e. moving stool through it -

albeit at a lesser rate due to no food in 24 hours, etc. The amount

that the surgeon bypasses is an approximate basically - they are

pretty good at gauging how much but it is still not an exact thing.

They are looking through small scopes and there is no ruler there.

My wish is that we would all get to our goal weights, never have any

complications and somewhere down the road almost forget the fact that

we were ever obese. Unfortunately, like with cancer patients,

diabetes patients - any health problem - we are all different. Some

of will have perfect outcomes, some will have " acceptable " outcomes

and some will unfortunately be in the medical community

considered " surgical failures " .

I am glad I had the surgery - still believe it was the way to go for

me - and faced with the same information, etc. would do it again.

in GA

MGB 10/04/00

Highest weight 320, preop weight 286-1/2, lowest weight 158, current

weight 185

Lower body lift 02/20/03

Thigh lift 03/19/03

Brachioplasty and breast reduction 11/07/03

[Guest guest]

<standing and applauding> VERY WELL SAID!!!!!!!!!!

xoxoxo

cathy s in va

> Please understand BEFORE you read my comments that I am not one who

> effortlessly got to my goal weight therefore I know where you are

> coming from concerning the weight you are versus the weight you

want

> to be. The things I am saying below are only my opinions... not

> a " defense " of the doctors or the procedure itself.

>

> > My question is more like: Given a patient's history of yo-yo

> dieting, why

> > wouldn't the stomach be stapled smaller and/or bypass be longer

> than 6 ft? There

> > just seems to be too many patients having revisions. I know I

don't

> have the

> > money, time or energy to do this twice, nor would I subject my

body

> to it

> > twice. To be honest, I don't think it's fair to have to pay for

it

> a second time if

> > the first time proves inadequate (just my opinion).

> *****If you had for example surgery on your colon due to a growth

of

> some sort and the growth returned - thereby making the first

> surgery " inadequate " - would you expect the surgeon to re-do the

> operation for free? I realize that this surgery is more expensive

> than something like a wart removal (which usually returns), etc.

but

> if you read the manual THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES..... never has been

> and honestly could not be. We are all very different individuals.

I

> would consider a revision (assuming I had the money - which I don't)

> if I was still 100 pounds or more overweight - i.e. I would have

> started at maybe 350 for my height instead of the 286 where I

> started. I would still realistically like to lose at least 25

pounds

> but would never consider a revision - the risks of then having

> complications down the road due to the extra bypass, etc. I would

not

> want to assume. At 25 pounds overweight my health risks are not

> nearly as great as my risks at 150+ pounds overweight. I of course

> wanted the surgery for " vanity " reasons but my main reason was so I

> could see my children grow up --- that I believe (barring being hit

> by a bus, etc.) I have accomplished at least from a health

standpoint

> related to obesity complications.

> >

> > I went into this expecting a 1-shot deal, meaning the ability to

> make wiser

> > food choices and get this weight off, within 1 year's time.

> Unfortunately, the

> > MGB has made me loath proteins and has absolutely FUELED my sweet

> tooth to the

> > point of frightening proportions. I can eat an entire Entenmann's

> cheese

> > danish in 1 day. That was discovered by accident. It is now a

food

> that is totally

> > forbidden in my house.

> *****Obviously the key word in this statement is the " ability " to

> make better food choices. Let me first say that I also have a

sweet

> tooth and can tolerate sweets quite easily so I am not living in a

> glass house throwing stones. However ----- whether or not I make

the

> choice to give in to these " impulses " is totally and completely my

> choice. Amazingly if I " tough it out " for a week or more, making

> nothing but good choices (in other words " diet " - but in actuality

> simply eating healthy foods) amazingly the sweet tooth lessens

> considerably. It is always my choice.

>

> > I could go on and on, but anyway, that's just a minor

contribution

> for anyone

> > who cares to read it.

> >

> > Regards and be well.

> > Still a junkfood junkie,

> > Patty H

> > 8/25/03, Stsvl

> > 5'4 " , 253/176/???

>

> ***I see from your stats that you are 2 inches or so taller than I

am

> and you started at 30+ pounds less than me. I bet you wearing

maybe

> a 22 prior to the MGB and I bet you can mostly wear a size 10 or so

> now. Not too shabby!

>

> I too went into the surgery " hoping " that I would wake up a year

> later and be at my goal weight and never having to worry about my

> weight ever again ----- BUT knowing that there were other

> possibilities.

>

> At almost 4 years out I am down from a largest size of 30/32 to a

> 14. Would I " like " to be a 10 - absolutely! Did I ever want to be

> any smaller than that - no! I am in the minority in the fact that

I

> didn't want to be " skinny " . I wanted to be " normal " . I always

said

> that I wanted to be a good solid MEDIUM in just about anything I

> tried on.

>

> As for bypassing more, making the stomach smaller, etc. There are

> good reasons why Dr. R does not make the stomach any smaller that

he

> does. It is so that we can lead a more " normal " life and not have

to

> be as restricted as those with the Fobi pouch, etc. That is one of

> the reasons we have less complications in general. In bypassing

more

> than 6 feet you run a much greater risk of lifelong complications

of

> chronic debilitating diarrhea, vitamin deficiencies, etc. Would

you

> trade the maybe 25 pounds you wish you had lost for something that

> might have made you miserable, chronically sick, etc. I wouldn't

and

> won't. Also, you have to realize that while the surgeons are

> performing the bypass on the intestine the intestine is not " at

> rest " --- it is still " pulsating " i.e. moving stool through it -

> albeit at a lesser rate due to no food in 24 hours, etc. The

amount

> that the surgeon bypasses is an approximate basically - they are

> pretty good at gauging how much but it is still not an exact

thing.

> They are looking through small scopes and there is no ruler there.

>

> My wish is that we would all get to our goal weights, never have

any

> complications and somewhere down the road almost forget the fact

that

> we were ever obese. Unfortunately, like with cancer patients,

> diabetes patients - any health problem - we are all different.

Some

> of will have perfect outcomes, some will have " acceptable " outcomes

> and some will unfortunately be in the medical community

> considered " surgical failures " .

>

> I am glad I had the surgery - still believe it was the way to go

for

> me - and faced with the same information, etc. would do it again.

>

> in GA

> MGB 10/04/00

> Highest weight 320, preop weight 286-1/2, lowest weight 158,

current

> weight 185

> Lower body lift 02/20/03

> Thigh lift 03/19/03

> Brachioplasty and breast reduction 11/07/03

[Guest guest]

a cover girl, and smart TOO!!!!! gosh i am proud to know you gals!

it is good to hear from the " old timers! "

cs in va

> In a message dated 8/15/04 9:52:07 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

> NCGorgeous1963@a... writes:

>

> << I can eat an entire Entenmann's cheese

> danish in 1 day. That was discovered by accident. It is now a food

that is

> totally

> forbidden in my house. >>

>

> Just because you can doesn't mean you have to. Even though we all

had the MGB

> we still have to make choices of what we put into our mouths. If

anyone has

> issues with binge eating they may want to consider a program like

OA because

> they may be dealing with issues that will definately cause the MGB

to fail. I

> believe we all have the potential to outeat our bypasses if we so

desire - it is

> up to us to use every tool in our power (DR. PHil, a counselor, OA,

weight

> watchers, topamax - a medication sometimes used to drs to help

people who binge

> eat) in addition to the MGB to insure our success. You can not go

back to the

> way you were eating an expect not to regain your weight you will

not have

> success. It isn't about a revision of your MGB its about a revision

of your eating

> habbits, emotional reasons for eating, and getting a plan to combat

it when

> it hits (like alcoholism), quite frankly if you have these kinds of

issues and

> don't deal with them, most likely you would outeat a revision as

well.

>

> Good luck!!

>

> Busching

> (who deals with the demons of binge eating, emotional eating - etc

everyday

> but will succeed!!!)