What should you expect from life after gastric bypass?
Quality of life is the ultimate goal of any weight loss surgery. Since gastric bypass surgery almost always results in significant and fast weight loss, this alone can give you your sense of self back. It can enhance your esteem dramatically and can also improve your overall health.
Choosing weight loss surgery is a very personal decision. Although losing weight is good for your health and your self esteem, you will encounter some challenges. Life after gastric bypass may have some surprises in store for you.
Immediately after gastric bypass surgery, food intake is almost nil – you’ll be on a water fast until your internal wounds have had a chance to heal. You then gradually you will begin eating solids. (You can learn more about the post-gastric bypass diet here.)
Big changes in diet during the first two months after gastric bypass
The first 2 months are the toughest as the body and mind become accustomed to the new way of eating. After surviving the first few months of life after gastric bypass, you will begin feeling like yourself again. You are adjusting to your new life. Food doesn’t rule your days or nights anymore. You are seeing dramatic weight loss and life is good again. You may be receiving support from a nutritional counselor and behavioral counselor, so you can learn to eat the high-nutrient, low-calorie foods your body now requires.
It takes time for your body to repair itself after any surgery, and weight loss surgery is no exception. You’ll be asked to take it easy for a while, so you have time to heal. Exercise will be added back into your routine, but be sure to ask your doctor before starting any strenuous exercise program.
You’ll also want to watch carefully for any signs of complications resulting from your surgery. Ask your doctor about the risks and find out what symptoms you should be concerned about, and what is normal.
The hardest few months in your life after gastric bypass
Around 6 months after gastric bypass or lap band surgery, there may be an emotional let down. The weight loss is becoming a normal occurrence and the newness is beginning to wear off.
A few things that can make life after gastric bypass more difficult than you expect:
Sometimes the urge for sweets is overbearing. You may feel the need to cheat and eat the goodies, but that will lead to an uncomfortable feeling of nausea, diarrhea, cold sweats and rapid heartbeat. Experiencing the dumping syndrome once or twice is usually enough to deter any more attempts at eating forbidden foods.
Some patients also experience depression after gastric bypass surgery. This can be caused by the very-low-calorie diet you’re now eating, or may be your body’s way of slowing you down after major surgery. This is something you should always discuss with your doctor.
One year of life after gastric bypass – getting back to normal
Around a year into the weight loss, you are becoming pretty comfortable with your new life. You have learned how to eat out with friends and family, and you have more energy and stamina than you have felt in years, maybe decades. About half the excess weight or even more is gone by this point and you are feeling pretty baggy in your skin.
Besides the sagging skin, there is the challenge of clothing yourself. In this new life after gastric bypass, it seems you need to buy new clothes every month. One good tip is to buy at Goodwill and donate the clothes back when you are through with them. When your weight stabilizes, then you can go treat yourself to that brand new wardrobe.
If you are married, you will find that romance has returned to you relationship. Other aspects of home life has gotten better. You can play with your children again, and long walks with your spouse hold new meaning. Working in the garden is enjoyable and shoveling snow doesn’t wind you like it used to. If you are dating, you may find it awkward to eat out. Explaining the post- gastric bypass diet may be embarrassing. Don’t let the anxiety rule your life. You are in charge now.
Remember, the new you is the old you in a different body. You just weigh less and have more confidence. Life has changed for the better. You are healthier and more vibrant. Gastric bypass or the lap band has given you a whole new world to shine in. Take advantage of this. Go out, have a blast and live life to it’s fullest!
Read personal stories submitted by gastric bypass patients, and see first hand how they experienced life after gastric bypass.
, about her personal experiences with sugar addiction.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I was googling and came across this article. My father underwent bypass in oct of 2010, and started off at 450 (he’s been a yo-yo dieter most my life, but generally in the 400 range. he’s 6’1 but a pretty small frame. the *only* time in his life he hasn’t been atleast chubby was during basic in the army when he hit 160! I didn’t recognize him when I saw the photo. by the time I was born a few years later he had gained quite a bit of weight back) and lost around 50lbs pre-surgery and now 5 mths later hit 299.
Since I live quite far from him – seeing him for the first time since the surgery was shocking, even though I assumed he wouldn’t look THAT different since with such a small bone structure 300 still looks pretty big (he carries his weight around his middle, his thighs are smaller than mine and i’m a size 4!) and he yo-yoed a lot over the years. He looked not only quite a bit different….but the last few years especially the diabetes complications – legs totally numb now – and back/knee issues all started creeping in bigtime and gave him a strange gait when walking that even though he didn’t complain pained ME to watch him walk.
seeing him walk through the mall with my two active little monsters like a NORMAL person for the first time in I can’t remember how long (he had trouble walking when I was a teen even, but got dramatically worse a few years ago) brought tears to my eyes. I could care less if he’s fat or thin, healthy or not…..as long as he’s happy. Of course i want him to live long and play with his grandsons, but his happyness is utmost in my mind. Still, seeing him able to walk around so easily…..sooo touching!
He commented about the sweet thing and how they wanted him to take these horrid tasting vitamins that upon further inspection had the exact same ingredients and vitamins as regular old gummi vitamins. he said “why pay hundreds for those terrible things when I can buy these for cheap!” and since they don’t use sugar (sweetner sub) he considers them his little “sweet treat” every day and helps him quell the cravings for sweets.
I commented about the clothes (Which brought me googling) how I love the adjustable waist jeans I buy for my kids. both could fit into a 2T in the waist, even though my 7yr old wears a 10 and 4yr old wears a 6 or 7….both “slim” sizes, and still need the excess waistband taken in! (obviously they don’t take after my dad….yet!)
the waistbands have elastic with buttonholes and buttons inside to make them tighter like an internal belt.
I had to wonder…..if adult size clothing wouldn’t fill a neiche market for bypass-ees. so they could skip a few sizes and not need to buy clothes all the darn time. I gained 70lbs during each of my pregnancies, and after the inital 30lb loss in delivery (I had HUGE babies, 9.5 and 11 lbs respectively) I stayed about the same until around 6m post….then was needing to buy new pants every 3 weeks or so. I’d buy pants too tight and a week later they were too small! I went from a 16 down to a 4 in a matter of a few months – and no….I didn’t lift a finger. Just how my body deals with childbirth and nursing I suppose. I was frustrated with pants that never fit….I can only imagine how bypass folks suffer. It’s nice to need smaller pants (duh!) but can get frustrating to constantly have to buy new clothes – esp knowing you’ll be doing it again in a matter of weeks!
My dad commented he hasn’t bought new jeans yet (I was so pleased for him. he was able to buy dress pants in a REGULAR store and not big and tall. b&t always struggled as he was at the top of their sizes too! 60-something waist to a 48 I believe my dad said! thats what would get me worked up if I were him!) but I am thinking i’ll buy him a pair perhaps and sew in my own elastic waistband adjustment thing like my kids pants do…..see if it helps him any on clothes issues.
Frankly, I am 155 KGs.
I have already done the Lap Band and lost a lot but now I am gaining again.
I thought about performing the by pass surgery but I am very muchh scared. I am due to do it on May 9. I don’t know if I will do it or not.
Regards