The Lost Road of a Failed Gastric Bypass Surgery

In 1994, I had a RNY surgery. At 350 lbs and 26 years of age, I felt like my life was over, I felt like my husband and my child would be better off without me. I felt like I could not face life at all. Knowing that suicide was totally against my religious beliefs, I had to find a solution and find one fast to get out of this prison called a BODY. I heard from a friend about the RNY surgery and what it had done for her, she went from fat to fabulous what seemed to be overnight to me. Inside, I was desperate to find what she had done, so I called her doctor in Michigan, yes I did no research, I had no idea what it was all about, all I knew is, what she had and the results she had I had to have it, if it caused my life.

Long story short...I went to Michigan to have the RNY surgery. I was not scared until they wheeled me into the operating room, it looked like a chop shop, not what I had been a custom to with previous surgeries, but I was down for whatever, I put my life in God's hands and I went to sleep...you know God watches over children and Fools.

I was not prepared for what drastic changes and alterations that had taken place.

I had no sound eating advise, my doctor never said stay away from carbs ( what was carbs) , all I knew is that I would be thin in a couple of months ( 7-15 month). I had no support groups, no doctors in my area knowledgeable on the RNY and possible risk and care for RNY patients. I didn't know I was not supposed to drink sods pop, I didn't know I wasn't supposed to eat and drink at the same time, all I knew is that I would be thin....now I did hear but I did not exercise, drink plenty of water, take vitamins daily, come for yearly check-up....all I heard is that the weight will come off and you will be thin. I can't leave out I was told about the dumping but I was not told that it would stop, so as a hard head person, I ate sweets as much as could be tolerated, you know a candy bar here and there, a piece of cake here and there.

Two babies later( Dec. 1996 & Jan.1998) I found that my 199 lbs body was getting to tight for my clothes, and I was buying bigger sizes even after the pregnancies, even when there was no baby people thought I was pregnant....Now spinning out of control and wondering what went wrong, and so fast...I knew I had to do something, but what....... I did not know, remember no support groups, limited information, and new procedure in my area ( I was only aware of the surgery being done in Michigan 6-7 hours away - one way).

Feeling sluggish and trying to mother my children and my husband I couldn't get a handle of my tiredness and why I was not feeling like myself. Every meal after the pregnancy was a meal of convenience meaning something that won't make me sick, and something that didn't require me to be on my feet for a long time, so I opted for fast food, I ate pizza at least 3-4 out of 7 days, hey it's the only food I can feed a family of 8 for under $16.00 for 2 extra large one topping pizza's.

Now the scale is tipping 250 lbs and every month I see a pound creep on here and there but, hey... I think I got this....then I wake up from this dream with severe anemia, and 181 B-12 level, mild memory loss, and all the old symptoms of Lupus (soreness, stiffness, and joint pain).

10 years wiser, I began to take my life back by using proper supplementation, and regular doctor visits, but why is the weight not coming off, I'm logging my food, I'm exercising, I even got a personal trainer, and still something was wrong, and I became tired of going to the gym 2-3 times a day for 1.5-2 hour a time.

I began to reach out for help, even though I was shame when people found out I had a RNY several years ago. I got sick of people asking me what happen, your still fat, as if I couldn't see that every time I ran by the mirror...you know...... I was a diva from the shoulders up( I was always told I had a pretty face), so I thought,...... but what about the rest of me. I was fooling myself, and every time I went up a flight of stairs, I knew that rest of me needed the attention that I gave my face.

After much soul searching and research, I decided to have the lap band around my RNY pouch. I knew it was a fairly new procedure but here I go again, that's what my husband said, then I would reply but I'm not that same old Lana, I'm 10 years wiser and I see the fault in me, and my surgeon which cause me not be successful in 1994, so don't put me on the HISTORY channel cause I got a new preview, staring the sensible Lana who loves herself, and who has learned that you don't get nothing in life for free. You pay for everything you get and everything you get you pay for( with regards to the WLS Surgery).

AND HERE I AM BANDED AND LOVIN IT!

Mother of six who refuses to give up on her dream of being thin. I share my joy and sorrow of my gastric bypass and weight loss surgery adventures.

---

Rating The Diets: A Mindless Exercise?

There has been a recent surge in the experts weighing... Read More

The Diet Pill They Don?t Want You to Have is Back

It comes as a surprise to many consumers that the... Read More

Change Your Habits for Effective and Long Term Weight Loss

More likely than not a diet with end up a... Read More

WLS Patients Report Frequent Dizziness: What Causes It?

Many gastric bypass patients report frequent spells of dizziness. In... Read More

Free Weight Loss Tips - Help For Beginning a New Diet

If you are about to begin a diet, the number... Read More

Dash Diet -- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)

Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure. Blood pressure... Read More

Obesity, Whats The Big Deal Part 4

In this issue, I am going to focus more on... Read More

Gastric Bypass Surgery ? A Mortality Rate to Be Scared Of?

Success stories on the gastric bypass are everywhere, but how... Read More

To Diet or not to Diet, That Should Be The Question!

Diet information is everywhere. In advertisements, on TV, in magazines;... Read More

The Answer to Combining Diet & Exercise for Maximum Weight Loss

Put simply, your resting metabolic rate is the minimum number... Read More

Pick Up Your Pen and Lose Weight!

Although every dieter knows that keeping food records is a... Read More

Obesity and Weight Loss ? Muscle and the Importance of Low Body Fat!

Today you have a good chance of getting diabetes or... Read More

When Gaining Love Means Gaining Weight!

Do you tend to find your weight increases when you... Read More

BMI: Between Meal Intrigue Hits the Highway

If you've been pursuing a lighter, healthier version of yourself,... Read More

Milk: The Weight Loss Drug

Lose Weight - Grab A GlassIn childhood, we heard it:... Read More

Weight Loss Psychology- Sticking to an Exercise Program!

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE NUMBERS!The health clubs are always racking... Read More

Speed up Metabolism

Metabolism is essentially the speed at which our body's motor... Read More

Lose Weight & Achieve A Healthy Metabolism By Balancing And Adjusting Your Meals

How many meals do you eat in one day?Close study... Read More

Fitness Wars: Revenge of the Girth

As of the writing of this article, May 16, 2005,... Read More

What is Real Hunger?

In order to identify hunger, you must first understand what... Read More

Binge Eating: Will This Cycle Ever Stop?

Here's a letter from my email:Dear Carol,I took your teleclass... Read More

Health Secrets of Cayenne

For many years, herbalists believe that Cayenne is the most... Read More

Weight Loss with NO Dieting! The Five Mindsets for Success

Any dietary plan on the market has some portion of... Read More

How Safe Is the Atkins Diet?

The Atkins Diet Seems To Never Go AwayFad diets come... Read More

Dieting 101 - For Those Who Want to Start But Dont Know Where to Begin

Okay, so you've read some of these articles, done your... Read More

Ephedra Is Back - But Is It Safe?

It's been called the world's oldest medicine, the miracle fat... Read More

Do You Make These South Beach Diet Mistakes?

The South Beach Diet works, for most people. Its low... Read More

To Lose Weight or Not to Lose Weight... A Guideline for Men!

To begin this article I must start with it's conclusion.The... Read More

Staying Toned After Weight Loss

Staying Toned After Weight Loss Following significant weight loss,... Read More

Eating for Health, Happiness and Successful Weight Control

Don't diet, just eat and lose weight!First, the following "diet"... Read More

Low Gi Diet or Low Carb Diet ? Which One Is Best?

These days, most everyone has heard of low carb diets... Read More

Weight Loss Methods

On the market at any given time, there are hundreds... Read More

How You Can Chew to Lose Weight

There Is A Right Way to Chew!Chewing your food is... Read More