I have been planning this gastric sleeve surgery (removing 3/4 of my stomach) for almost as long as I've been diagnosed with LC. My goal with this procedure is to loose 100-120 lbs. All of you know how bad it is to be 100 lbs overweight. My knees and ankles, hurt, I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides and was just diagnosed with early stages of diabetes. Like many of you I am trying to get healthier so I can get off many of the drugs I am on. I may talk a good game by calling myself the Imodium King but I know that I need to get off some of these meds. When I told my Bypass surgeon that I have MC, he thought the procedure and the diet (I would be on) may help my MC.
However the more I read here, the more I wonder if the procedure and diet would help or worsen my condition. My original thinking was that having 75% less food going through my system had to improve the symptoms of LC. From reading here, I realize the quantity of food will likely make only a little difference. I also have to wonder if the food I will be eating on my bariatric diet will help or hinder my attempts to control my LC. The diet will mainly consist of baked, broiled or grilled fish, chicken or beef. I would also be eating a lot of egg beaters and protein shakes. 90% of my caloric intake will be protein.
So I guess my question becomes, would this type of diet be easy to make gluten free? There will be no breads, grains, cereals or flours and very little vegetables and fruits. My main worry (I think) will be the protein shakes.
What do the Potty People think? Good or bad?
Bariatric Surgery and MC- Is this wise?
Moderators: Rosie, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hey Skunk
Since you asked a feel I can give my opinion.
Removing 3/4 of your stomach is forever. It can not be put back. I would try everything else before I did that.
Eliminating all grains,dairy and soy and eating as close to the vine as possible will probably turn many of your health problems around and stabilize your weight, high blood pressure high cholesterol, high triglycerides and early stages of diabetes.
In other words real fruit and vegetables that you can tolerate . Seafood, pork, chicken and beef if they work for you in moderate amounts. Stay away from all processed food. In other words if it has an ingredient list do not eat it.
I have recommended this to several people including my older brother after his heart surgery and the pounds melted away and everything else continues to stabilize.
Well you asked and I hope this helps.
Love
Matthew
Since you asked a feel I can give my opinion.
Removing 3/4 of your stomach is forever. It can not be put back. I would try everything else before I did that.
Eliminating all grains,dairy and soy and eating as close to the vine as possible will probably turn many of your health problems around and stabilize your weight, high blood pressure high cholesterol, high triglycerides and early stages of diabetes.
In other words real fruit and vegetables that you can tolerate . Seafood, pork, chicken and beef if they work for you in moderate amounts. Stay away from all processed food. In other words if it has an ingredient list do not eat it.
I have recommended this to several people including my older brother after his heart surgery and the pounds melted away and everything else continues to stabilize.
Well you asked and I hope this helps.
Love
Matthew
Skunk Ape,
I am kind of a surgery-phobe, so you must take my thoughts with a grain of salt. Since the intent of your surgery is to address your larger health picture... a safe, easy option would be to try the diet first, and postpone your surgery temporarily, until you are stable. All surgery risks are more concerning when we are having other health issues, so - anything you can do to increase your chances of success, and decrease your risk, can only be good.
You know that you have significant digestive inflammation, and at this time, messing with your digestive system seems like an elevated risk.
I was not overweight, but effortlessly have lost some pounds since I got sick (bad - too fast) and have maintained and lost more, gently (good) since I stabilized and corrected my diet.
Diet changes are free, without side-effects, and benign... I had a 'minor' surgery once, and it took me a week to recover just from the anesthesia - and I was healthy at that point. It seemed to be a personal quirk that I reacted that way - but the last thing you need is a quirky reaction right now. (I later had another, even more minor procedure and insisted on a local anesthesia - annoying to the surgical team, because I asked questions, but much better for me)
Perhaps this surgery is the best thing for you. But I would not do it now, even so. I would institute the diet others have recommended, and do whatever possible to feel better and stronger, before any procedure - and this one is a pretty big deal, considering it would affect your digestion for the rest of your life.
If it turns out that surgery is the best path - then that will still be true some months down the road.
Wish you speedy healing, and good luck with this decision,
Sara
I am kind of a surgery-phobe, so you must take my thoughts with a grain of salt. Since the intent of your surgery is to address your larger health picture... a safe, easy option would be to try the diet first, and postpone your surgery temporarily, until you are stable. All surgery risks are more concerning when we are having other health issues, so - anything you can do to increase your chances of success, and decrease your risk, can only be good.
You know that you have significant digestive inflammation, and at this time, messing with your digestive system seems like an elevated risk.
I was not overweight, but effortlessly have lost some pounds since I got sick (bad - too fast) and have maintained and lost more, gently (good) since I stabilized and corrected my diet.
Diet changes are free, without side-effects, and benign... I had a 'minor' surgery once, and it took me a week to recover just from the anesthesia - and I was healthy at that point. It seemed to be a personal quirk that I reacted that way - but the last thing you need is a quirky reaction right now. (I later had another, even more minor procedure and insisted on a local anesthesia - annoying to the surgical team, because I asked questions, but much better for me)
Perhaps this surgery is the best thing for you. But I would not do it now, even so. I would institute the diet others have recommended, and do whatever possible to feel better and stronger, before any procedure - and this one is a pretty big deal, considering it would affect your digestion for the rest of your life.
If it turns out that surgery is the best path - then that will still be true some months down the road.
Wish you speedy healing, and good luck with this decision,
Sara
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TooManyHats
- Rockhopper Penguin
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- Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2011 9:30 pm
- Location: New Jersey
My answer is that I totally agree with Matthew.
However, if you are still considering any type of weight loss surgery, how about a gastric lap-band instead? In the worst case, if the diet worsens your MC condition, you can have the lap-band loosened and follow along with what Matthew suggested. A lap-band is not nearly as drastic as gastric bypass.
Gastric bypass is forever, a lap-band can be "reversed" should the diet make your MC worse.
However, if you are still considering any type of weight loss surgery, how about a gastric lap-band instead? In the worst case, if the diet worsens your MC condition, you can have the lap-band loosened and follow along with what Matthew suggested. A lap-band is not nearly as drastic as gastric bypass.
Gastric bypass is forever, a lap-band can be "reversed" should the diet make your MC worse.
Arlene
Progress, not perfection.
Progress, not perfection.
Surgeons live/love to perform surgical procedures. I've never encountered one who wasn't ready and willing to operate at the drop of a hat, any time of day or night.Skunk Ape wrote:When I told my Bypass surgeon that I have MC, he thought the procedure and the diet (I would be on) may help my MC.
Frankly, I don't see how the procedure might help MC, (I'm not suggesting that it will make it worse, I just don't see any way that it would help), except that it might force you to follow a GF diet, (but you can do that without the surgery, of course).FWIW, I agree with Matthew. If you are going to eliminate the grains anyway, you don't need to sacrifice most of your stomach to do that. You can do that diet, without the surgery, and it will almost certainly have the same results, because body fat comes from eating carbs, not from eating protein or fat.
The stomach does not absorb any nutrients, all it does is to initiate the digestive process. The theory with the surgery is that you will feel full sooner, and eat less. Cutting out grains, and replacing them with meat, veggies, and fruit, will also make you feel full sooner, and inspire you to eat less.
I don't see anything in the items you named that would contain gluten. I suspect that you are correct - the protein shakes will probably contain either gluten, dairy, or soy, or some combination. Those shakes may not be essential, if you eat real food, instead, (meat, veggies, fruit).Skunk Ape wrote:So I guess my question becomes, would this type of diet be easy to make gluten free? There will be no breads, grains, cereals or flours and very little vegetables and fruits. My main worry (I think) will be the protein shakes.
My colon was surgically removed about 16 months ago. I didn't have much choice, because it was necessary to prevent me from bleeding to death. Given a choice, though, I would still have it. I'm pretty sure that if I had asked, at the time, the surgeon would have told me that removing it would eliminate any digestive system issues. Of course, I'm glad to be rid of the bleeding risk, but frankly, I can't see how removing it made my life any better, otherwise. My diet is even more restrictive, now, because I have to pretty much eliminate fiber. I sure don't plan on givin' up any more body parts, if I can possibly help it.
Anyway, there's my 2 cents worth, as well.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Skunk Ape,
Chiming in with a few thoughts . . . bariatric surgery is not without risk, especially when you are removing so much of the stomach or if you also opt for a duodenal switch. IMHO surgeons downplay potential side effects but they can and do happen. Dumping syndrome, dairrhea, GERD and vomiting are not unheard of, even with so-called safer procedures. However, I also know that some people do not experience many side effects and are happy with the procedure.
My guess is you have tried many diets before and always regain, so dietitng is really hard for you (as it is for all of us). The post-op diet for bariatric surgery is high in protein but people don't stay on this very long. In all honesty I don't think people can really stick with a 90% protein diet for any length of time, despite best intentions. We live in a carb filled world and you will be tempted. Try to be as honest as you can with yourself before you jump in.
Why not try some diet restrictions now . . . try eating GF/DF/SF and high protein now - you might start to see some results. It takes a few months to complete the pre-op requirements for surgery (dietitian and counselor evaluations etc) so you have time to work on some diet issues before you take the plunge.
Good luck,
Mary Beth
Chiming in with a few thoughts . . . bariatric surgery is not without risk, especially when you are removing so much of the stomach or if you also opt for a duodenal switch. IMHO surgeons downplay potential side effects but they can and do happen. Dumping syndrome, dairrhea, GERD and vomiting are not unheard of, even with so-called safer procedures. However, I also know that some people do not experience many side effects and are happy with the procedure.
My guess is you have tried many diets before and always regain, so dietitng is really hard for you (as it is for all of us). The post-op diet for bariatric surgery is high in protein but people don't stay on this very long. In all honesty I don't think people can really stick with a 90% protein diet for any length of time, despite best intentions. We live in a carb filled world and you will be tempted. Try to be as honest as you can with yourself before you jump in.
Why not try some diet restrictions now . . . try eating GF/DF/SF and high protein now - you might start to see some results. It takes a few months to complete the pre-op requirements for surgery (dietitian and counselor evaluations etc) so you have time to work on some diet issues before you take the plunge.
Good luck,
Mary Beth
"If you believe it will work out, you'll see opportunities. If you believe it won't you will see obstacles." - Dr. Wayne Dyer
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MBombardier
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1523
- Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:44 am
- Location: Vancouver, WA
My ex-husband was extremely overweight and had the surgery. Sure, he lost a bunch of weight, but he was really unhappy with the side effects. He had to eat six times a day, even waking at night to eat because he could only eat a couple of tablespoons at a time without vomiting it all back up again. He had the dumping syndrome that Mary Beth mentions, too, I believe. I have to agree with what everyone else has said, and I would like to also add this--I understand that many who have the surgery who don't change their eating habits gain the weight back because as they continue to push the limits, what is left of their stomach expands.
Marliss Bombardier
Dum spiro, spero -- While I breathe, I hope
Psoriasis - the dark ages
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - Dec 2001
Collagenous Colitis - Sept 2010
Granuloma Annulare - June 2011
Dum spiro, spero -- While I breathe, I hope
Psoriasis - the dark ages
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - Dec 2001
Collagenous Colitis - Sept 2010
Granuloma Annulare - June 2011
Depending on which procedure you choose, there are many side effect or very few. The bipass is pretty bad and has the most because it by passes much of the digestive system that absorbs nutrients. The band probably the surgery that causes the most issues with people as it restricts the opening of the stomach causing things like blockage. People commonly have to go back to surgery to adjust the opening. Not to mention the fact they commonly slip out of position or slip complete off. The band (don't know why they call it that as there is no band) has very little to no side effects. With the band nothing is by passed so your digestive system absorbs nutrients as a normal system would. the opening has no restriction so there is no blockage concerns. It doesn't require any adjustments and will not slip off. It just makes my stomach that has become stretched (from 51 year of indulgence) smaller.
Don't think I haven't researched this. I have been looking into this for almost 5 years. Yes the bypass is kind of scary. If the sleeve procedure hadn't come out I wouldn't be doing this. I have talked to my GI and he said the benefit far out way risks. My family doctor who has had me on doctor supervised diets said it is something I really ought to consider. My GI and Family Practitioner who have no affiliation to my Bariatric surgeon have nothing to gain from this. like I said, I have been looking into this for five years and feel this is truly my best option. For those who think I would loose the weight with a gluten free diet I have been on a all meat and green vegetable diet for close to 2 years and it isn't working.
Don't think I haven't researched this. I have been looking into this for almost 5 years. Yes the bypass is kind of scary. If the sleeve procedure hadn't come out I wouldn't be doing this. I have talked to my GI and he said the benefit far out way risks. My family doctor who has had me on doctor supervised diets said it is something I really ought to consider. My GI and Family Practitioner who have no affiliation to my Bariatric surgeon have nothing to gain from this. like I said, I have been looking into this for five years and feel this is truly my best option. For those who think I would loose the weight with a gluten free diet I have been on a all meat and green vegetable diet for close to 2 years and it isn't working.
Have you had your thyroid parameters thoroughly checked, including looking for antibodies, (Hashimoto's and Graves' disease)? Not just TSH and T4, but also Free T4 and Free T3? Hypothyroidism is often overlooked by doctors who rely on the standard indicators, and "normal" ranges. People with MC are 7 times as likely to have thyroid issues, as someone in the general population, (according to our own poll), and untreated, or undertreated hypothyroidism will absolutely preempt any dieting success.Skunk Ape wrote:I have been on a all meat and green vegetable diet for close to 2 years and it isn't working.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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MBombardier
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1523
- Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:44 am
- Location: Vancouver, WA
Thanks, Tex, I was going to say something about that, but I was in a hurry and forgot. That's an excellent idea. Another parameter to have checked is the reverse T3 because if the reverse T3 is overwhelming the T3 on the cellular level, everything else can look great but your thyroid metabolism is still out of whack, and you won't lose weight.
I know the great frustration it is to be eating everything right and the needle on the scale acts like it is nailed in place. I also know the almost terrifying feeling of gaining and gaining with no reason, almost like air is making you fat. And today's culture has no patience with someone who is overweight. I have a dear friend who weighs about 350 lbs. She is a lovely, well-educated woman who takes good care of herself and always dresses nicely. The stories she has told me of the rudeness and disrespect towards her of the medical community are shocking.
Doctors (as a whole--not necessarily yours or mine) are more like mechanics nowadays. High blood pressure or high cholesterol? Take a pill. Cancer? Chemo or radiation. MC? It's a minor inconvenience, and it will resolve itself in a few months. T4 and TSH in range? You don't have a thyroid problem, so your excessive weight means you just need to learn discipline. I had a doctor tell me once that I should put the scale by the refrigerator and when I was tempted to eat more than the 1200 calories a day that she dictated, that I should step on the scale and remember how much I weigh.
You have done your research about this procedure, and it sounds like you have a caring GP and GI, and not that many of us have that. Sometimes, though, doctors want to "fix" things, and they want to do it fast because they want you to be better. They may not give us as good advice as they think that they are giving us.
The medical community understands thyroid issues almost as little as they understand MC. If this is the first time someone has suggested that you may have a thyroid issue--or has told you that you don't because your TSH and T4 are in range--you can google Mary Shomon and come up with an enormous amount of good, reliable information.
And you may not have thyroid issues. But it would be a tragedy if you had this operation, it didn't help your LC, and you still didn't lose weight because you actually just have hypothyroidism, or something else entirely unrelated to the weight.
I know the great frustration it is to be eating everything right and the needle on the scale acts like it is nailed in place. I also know the almost terrifying feeling of gaining and gaining with no reason, almost like air is making you fat. And today's culture has no patience with someone who is overweight. I have a dear friend who weighs about 350 lbs. She is a lovely, well-educated woman who takes good care of herself and always dresses nicely. The stories she has told me of the rudeness and disrespect towards her of the medical community are shocking.
Doctors (as a whole--not necessarily yours or mine) are more like mechanics nowadays. High blood pressure or high cholesterol? Take a pill. Cancer? Chemo or radiation. MC? It's a minor inconvenience, and it will resolve itself in a few months. T4 and TSH in range? You don't have a thyroid problem, so your excessive weight means you just need to learn discipline. I had a doctor tell me once that I should put the scale by the refrigerator and when I was tempted to eat more than the 1200 calories a day that she dictated, that I should step on the scale and remember how much I weigh. You have done your research about this procedure, and it sounds like you have a caring GP and GI, and not that many of us have that. Sometimes, though, doctors want to "fix" things, and they want to do it fast because they want you to be better. They may not give us as good advice as they think that they are giving us.
The medical community understands thyroid issues almost as little as they understand MC. If this is the first time someone has suggested that you may have a thyroid issue--or has told you that you don't because your TSH and T4 are in range--you can google Mary Shomon and come up with an enormous amount of good, reliable information.
And you may not have thyroid issues. But it would be a tragedy if you had this operation, it didn't help your LC, and you still didn't lose weight because you actually just have hypothyroidism, or something else entirely unrelated to the weight.
Marliss Bombardier
Dum spiro, spero -- While I breathe, I hope
Psoriasis - the dark ages
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - Dec 2001
Collagenous Colitis - Sept 2010
Granuloma Annulare - June 2011
Dum spiro, spero -- While I breathe, I hope
Psoriasis - the dark ages
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis - Dec 2001
Collagenous Colitis - Sept 2010
Granuloma Annulare - June 2011
My family practitioner is not an MD but a DO. The whole philosophy of a DO is to find the cause and fix it. Treating symptoms with medicine is not what DO's do. http://www.mommd.com/whatisdo.shtmlMBombardier wrote:
You have done your research about this procedure, and it sounds like you have a caring GP and GI, and not that many of us have that. Sometimes, though, doctors want to "fix" things, and they want to do it fast because they want you to be better. They may not give us as good advice as they think that they are giving us.
I had an appointment with him today and I asked him about the thyroid parameters. He said I absolutely don't have thyroid problems and I definitely don't have either Hashimoto's and Graves' disease. He said my parameters are fine.
Age: 51
What doesn't kill you, just makes you stronger.
What doesn't kill you, just makes you stronger.
good luck with the surgery. It never would be my choice, but easy talking for me at the moment. I belong to the "don't want to loose anymore" group here.
"As the sense of identity shifts from the imaginary person to your real being as presence awareness, the life of suffering dissolves like mist before the rising sun"
Hi Skunk Ape.
A couple of years ago I lost 45KGs (99lbs), and have only had a smaller amount creep back on. I only found out I had MC at the end of the weight loss process.
There are a couple of things I have realised.
1. MC and gluten intolerance messes with our ability to feel full. Basically, the grumbling uncomfortable feelings we get in our gut can totally destroy our ability to feel and identify the sensation of hunger and eat accordingly. This ability can be re-learnt.
2. No diet will work without psychological change. People keep treating obesity as a physical problem, or a lack of willpower. It is a symptom of deeper psychological issues, generally a need for more self love or self esteem. We need to find ways of dealing with emotions rather than self medicating with food.
These two things will be an issue for you now, and will still be an issue after you have surgery. If you can address these before surgery you may be able to avoid surgery, or at least go into it with the best possible chance of success. Paul McKenna's books and CD are a reasonable start to dealing with 2, if you don't have access to a suitable expert right now.
Good Luck, whatever you choose to do.
Lyn.
Feel free to PM me if you would like to discuss confidentially.
A couple of years ago I lost 45KGs (99lbs), and have only had a smaller amount creep back on. I only found out I had MC at the end of the weight loss process.
There are a couple of things I have realised.
1. MC and gluten intolerance messes with our ability to feel full. Basically, the grumbling uncomfortable feelings we get in our gut can totally destroy our ability to feel and identify the sensation of hunger and eat accordingly. This ability can be re-learnt.
2. No diet will work without psychological change. People keep treating obesity as a physical problem, or a lack of willpower. It is a symptom of deeper psychological issues, generally a need for more self love or self esteem. We need to find ways of dealing with emotions rather than self medicating with food.
These two things will be an issue for you now, and will still be an issue after you have surgery. If you can address these before surgery you may be able to avoid surgery, or at least go into it with the best possible chance of success. Paul McKenna's books and CD are a reasonable start to dealing with 2, if you don't have access to a suitable expert right now.
Good Luck, whatever you choose to do.
Lyn.
Feel free to PM me if you would like to discuss confidentially.