Have you had Weight Loss Surgery - the dudes want to hear about it

(carl) #1

Hey ketofreaks, @richard :hat: and I are looking for those of you who’ve had weight loss surgery, lap-band, stomach-stapling, etc. and have arrived at keto with good results. Essentially we want to find out whether there’s a show around warning people considering this drastic measure and instead embracing a ketogenic diet. Please leave a comment here.

(Frederick Finch) #2

I have.

I would be happy to share my experience.

Fred

#3

I haven’t had any weight-loss surgery, but as a counterpoint, I rode a metaphoric rollercoaster from 320+ lbs to as low as 153 lbs with a lot of ups and downs along the way so that I estimate I must’ve lost over 300 lbs in total without surgery and I started out as a raging T2DM with out-of-control lipids. My lipids are still high, but my TG:HDL ratio is fantastic and my LDL fraction shows Pattern A. My last HbA1C was 5.2, fasting insulin < 3.0 uIU/mL and HS-CRP 0.13 mg/L.

I did a lot of that weight loss/gain under the CI:CO paradigm and just wish I had found LCHF/keto even sooner because that’s when I was finally able to get off that rollercoaster!

#4

Hi, I had a gastric bypass 10 years ago. I went from 350 to 170 and was thrilled. Slowly but surely about 5 years later my weight started creeping back up. I was just shy of 290 when I found this WOE. I’m down 62 lbs since October 2016 and feel that I now understand why I could never succeed on “traditional” diets. I am still grateful for the surgery but I wonder if perhaps it wasn’t necessary if I had known about Keto.

Moreover I have had severe vitamin deficiencies and I found a new addiction (now in recovery) after the surgery, both of these are quite common side effects of the procedure.

I think this would be a good show topic but I would be careful being too negative about WLS, rather I would focus on this as an effective, affordable, safe alternative for weight loss even in those who have lost hope.

(Bacon for the Win) #5

I had WLS (R n Y) at 250 lbs in 2005. Lost ~100 lbs, and still managed to get back up to 200 lbs by 2013. In 2014 I returned to low carb, and in 2016 went keto. I hover around 150 now.

I wish I had known more about nutrition in 2005. If I had, I never would have had surgery. At the time, on my way to 250 lbs, I was running marathons and triathlons, eating all the bagels and pasta my running friends were eating. The dietitian I saw before WLS said she never heard of a runner eating carbs and gaining weight (HA!).

After WLS, I continued to eat the same foods, only less of them. I was still doing triathlons so it was a challenge to get enough “energy” in so as to not “bonk.” It’s no wonder I started gaining weight again.

My husband is diabetic which led me to read the Zone books by Barry Sears in the 90s. At that time it wasn’t sustainable for me as no one else in the family was interested. I had great success but could not keep eating by his formula. Too complicated and hard to follow. In the early 2000’s I found Mark’s Daily Apple (MDA) and had limited success eating primal. Again little family support even though both kids were off to college. Enter WLS and instant success.

In 2015 we found Whole30 and this was a game changer. We had a beach vacation planned with some “skinny” friends and my husband decided he didn’t want to be the fat guy on the beach. We started W30 the day of Super Bowl 49 and had amazing success. With both of us on board 100%, meal planning was a breeze. With BG under control, snacking was no longer an issue. We both maintain A1cs in the low 5s.

I’ve turned to keto because I still have a tendency to over eat carbs. I work a 12 hr night shift on a busy surgical floor and it’s nice to get through the night without being “hangry.”

I would absolutely warn people against having WLS. While I haven’t seen all the drastically bad outcomes that many speak of, I now think it’s inherently wrong to alter our basic biology. There’s nothing wrong with our bodies, just what we put into them.

There are other medical concerns post-WLS. Absorption of meds has changed and the use of NSAIDS is discouraged. On another thread someone mentioned being constipated, and after WLS the ability to have a naso-gastric tube placed is gone so one had better not develop a blocked bowel.

So my 2 cents on the topic would be to avoid WLS and give keto a try.

#6

I find these stories very interesting. The concept of going through weight loss surgery (which in itself has risks and complications), only to regain a large portion of the weight back, brings up several questions. The two major ones are:

  1. were you eating less, same or more after the surgery? (Before going keto)
  2. what do you think caused the weight regain?
(Bacon for the Win) #7

@Fiorella

In my case, (and in the case of a lot of patients I see) the weight returns because we return to the same eating habits. We continue to eat the high carb foods which made us fat in the first place. Immediately after surgery the stomach has lost the capacity to hold more than (approx) 4 ounces of food. A decade later I can pack away a meal as if surgery never happened. So as long as we continue to make high carb choices, it seems weight gain will continue to be an issue.

FWIW my husband also had WLS, two weeks after me. His results were similar to mine. Large loss at first then slow regain of most of the lost weight. LCHF has him back to his lowest weight since post-op.

#8

Very interesting, @NelleG. Would you say that the “quantity” of food decreased after surgery, while the “quality” (ie high carb) stayed the same?

(Bacon for the Win) #9

exactly @Fiorella. The ability to consume larger amounts of food does return as surgery gets further in the past. It seems, for me anyhow, that I can consume an endless quantity of processed carbs, same as before WLS. When keto, there is an absolute limit to how much fat I can consume without becoming ill. So W30 got me away from the processed foods and keto has helped me refine eating habits.

I have three coworkers who have undergone WLS and are each in the process of regaining weight. Of course all think the way I eat is crazy and I have not told them that I also had WLS. I think I would lose credibility as a LCHF advocate if that were known.

#10

Really? …I think you would make the best LCHF advocate, since you lived the experience. You don’t speak of theory, but real life instead.

(Bacon for the Win) #11

@Fiorella, true. It still amazes me that educated health care professionals (my co-workers) still think high carb is the way to go. One young woman in particular told me just the other night that she needs to eat every two hours. When I (as usual) told her she should look at LC, I got the usual reply…“Oh I could never do that!”

They pretty much regard me as the lunatic fringe while they eat their chips, and other processed crap.

#12

Yes. It also highlights the importance of WHAT you eat. Most of us still eat a lot less than we did pre op, even many years out. But it is still just as easy to put on weight if you eat carbs.

(Mariela) #13

Hi Fred,

I read your story on the Podcast for WLS and totally got inspired. I too had RNY and want to know if I need to alter my macros because of my surgery or just go for it, full keto? Did your having RNY change how you did Keto?

(Frederick Finch) #14

I did not alter my macros but I do pay attention to some different things. First, I take an additional B3 supplement because of reduced absorption of nutrients. I also take a daily multi-vitamin.

Other than that I went head first into keto and have not looked back. I did not alter my macros but I do notice that I don’t absorb as much fat. I don’t have issues with this but you might.

be sure to pay attention to how you are feeling. I eat way more salt than I thought I would. I have zero sugar cravings and don’t have any of the crashes associated with carbs.

(Mariela) #15

awesome, thank you is much.

(Mark Heard) #16

Had a lapband back in 2005 - lost 45kgs, had ongoing band issues (esophageal dysfunction) - band was “drained” but left in place & put 35kg’s back on.

(Lisa marie t) #17

I had gastric bypass rny in 2007.I only lost 100 lbs n 49 inches.on jan 31st my stepdadad of 28 yrs died in my mom n my arms.to say I was traumatized was understatement. I self sabatoge. Raising a child with abusive Hub.ruined me mentally.
Now in 49. Single mom to a awesome teen boy.separated almost 9 yrs.
Struggle with high Bp n pre diabetic.
I am worried about all the salt will it affect my BP? I’m on day 4.going thru keto flu but my heart is fluttery off n on today or is it aniexty?..I weighed a week or so before I started.funny day of wls I was 250
I’m. 342 now.my goal is to lose 165.
But I’m breaking it down small goals I’d be happy with losing 10 lbs a month.
I’m apple shape n wls told me apples the hardest to lose.
I’m raising my son n help my mom a lot.being fat is too hard.I just was wondering if wls ppl have experienced different effects on keto.
???
I notice after keto cofree I’m tired I think it’s the cream lol

(Lisa marie t) #18

Surgeon told me rny gastric bypass is sensitive.we weren’t given info on eating after.or councilor. It’s sensitive to emotions etc…for ex. I suffer severe depression .i self sabatoge. …didn’t know that then. Sleep apnea even affects surgery…no idea why? The surgery is a tool to help ppl lose weight quickly the 1st year which is honeymoon phase.I know ppl.from wls group became anerexic. …alcoholics n my one friend killed himself.stemming from wls hormones n such plus sh**load of scars from skin removal.
I’m 49 now I have high BP I’m on med. I’m pre diabetic.
I’m wondering how the salt water n salt on food affects was n BP for pPl?