I'm having a gastric bypass when I weigh 9 stone

[HenleyHenleyHenley]

Hi all,

first time posting my own thread so apologies if this is wrong.

just looking for some advice really and some reassurance to anybody who's had a gastric bypass. Yes, im 9 stone, 5'5 and already slim.
I have a very complex medical history including an incurable cancer which is currently stable and lots more. Due to the cancer and chemo and many many surgeries I have had, I found out today that when I eat to about 40% of my stomachs capacity, the other 60% of my stomach flips / folds down. I'm under my oncology team who include gastro surgeons and had a Bavarium swallow today to find out why I'm being sick every single day after every meal. I have something called a gastric volvulus. Normally it's urgent or an emergency but my stomach flips back again after I've been sick or after my stomach has emptied into my intestines / bowel.

im on the list for surgery and the treatment is cutting away the bit of stomach that flaps. Roughly 60% of it. Essentially a gastric bypass.

has anyone here had a bypass? I am worried about losing more weight when I'm slim already.

AIBU to think, as much as this needs sorting, that a gastric bypass on a 9 stone slim woman is insanity?! I trust the consultants and realise this is the only way to fix it, but I am really worried. Its a small surgery compared to the huge surgeries I've had but I'm terrified!

if anyone has any experience or clarity on what the recovery is like, please please please could you reply, I'm so nervous.

thank you

shameful bump

Sorry I don't know anything about this but if it has been recommended it definitely isn't insanity! Sorry you have to endure this and I hope it sorts things out for you.

I think you should ask MN to amend your title to add "for medical resons" so people know and actually click.

Gosh. I'm so sorry for your health troubles.

I have not had a bypass but I have had a gastric sleeve and lost 119lbs. I now weigh 9st.

Have you spoken to your team about how you will maintain your weight? They must have a plan in place?

Well they can get that extra info from taking 20 seconds to read the post. A title is the basic facts and the opening post is context.

If people weigh in based on the title without even reading OPs post then that's on them!

It's definitely not an insanity if it's medically recommended. I would also imagine you will find it easier to retain weight with a small-but functioning stomach rather than a constantly vomiting one. Best wishes it all goes well with a speedy recovery and that you soon can eat much more easily

Sympathies, that all sounds very difficult to live with. I hope the surgery does help.

I'd suggest changing your title to ask if people have experience of surgery for gastric volvulus. The last thing you need is the inevitable crowd who only read half your OP and tell you you're being silly.

It all happened very quickly today, I'm waiting to see my actual consultant but the consultant on duty showed me what he found and said that I'd need it surgically fixed and the usual surgery is a bypass. I'm due an appointment in the next week to confirm everything.

I lose weight very easily and during cancer and the chemo I went down to 7 stone with ease, not intentional of course. That's the main thing that worries me. From reading online I'll be on a liquid diet after for a bit so I guess I'll need to have those very heavy calorie dense drinks after.

im terrified :(

I don't think this is the same as a bypass. I think it's the removal of a dysfunctional part of your stomach. A bypass reroutes your entire system and changes hormones and nutrition absorption. Surely they wouldn't be doing that?

Ah thank you, I'll request to get it amended. :)

from what I've read it's pretty rare but I'm just grateful for any experience at this point.

They will be removing 60% of my stomach, the whole part that flips and twists so I'll be left with 40% of my stomach.

this is all new to me and I only found out today but I'll get more in depth answers when I see my consultant.

Thank you, that's what I keep telling myself. If my stomach is only functioning at 40% now and I am committing, hopefully a working 40% will be better than what it currently is.

just hope the recovery isn't too harsh as I'm a single mum to a little girl 😔

I’m guessing it’s the lesser of two evils. You may have a smaller stomach but at least you’ll be able to retain the contents. Versus retaining nothing and loses masses of weight. How have you been able to stay 9 stone with after each meal? Is it a recent thing?

All the best, fingers crossed for a smooth procedure and recovery.

That sounds more to me like a gastric sleeve and that's a very different procedure to a bypass x

The other thing to remember is this - you've had cancer and chemo and got through them. This is just routine surgery (to the people doing it, which is what counts). You can do this!!

I'm on a low dose of mirtazapine to help with my appetite. I don't vomit up the whole contents of my meals but a good portion of it. I also have 3 meal replacement shakes each day. I guess because I'm small perhaps I don't need an awful lot to maintain. If I don't have enough for a few days I will lose weight quickly which is my worry :(

I don't know anything about any of the weight loss surgeries, I know there are a few different types. What does a sleeve entail compared to a bypass?
is it an easier surgery? (I hope so!)

It is really important to discuss this with your clinical team, but i would also ask for nutritional support post surgery.

Not me, and not bypass, but someone I knew has issues following surgery for cancer and was even slimmer than you are to start with. They have been given a specialist diet to follow which includes calorie dense food and been well on this for over 10 years. In their case it was all about managing their calorie intake rather than volume of food.

Thank you ❤️❤️

That's really good to know, thank you. I will absolutely ask for nutritional support leading up to and after.

As it's removing the useless section that isn't doing anything other than present a risk to you anyway, it's not as much a bypass as a getting rid of a problem. So you should be able to to eat more normally without that happening. I'd try and look at it as purely coincidental that the same procedure happens to achieve two aims - like a lens transplant can be to avoid wearing glasses and also restore sight to somebody with cataracts or a medication originally intended to treat cancer turns out to be brilliant for treating automimmune diseases.

The advantage of all those thousands of operations is that there is a wealth of expertise in performing them and information about how to ensure that you get adequate nutrition afterwards - and it's probably significantly lower risk/higher chance of success compared to those from undergoing surgery whilst morbidly obese.

A sleeve is when they remove a portion of your stomach so it does sound like that's what you'll be having.

I have lost 8 stone with a sleeve so I can understand your worry. Yes, you will be on a liquid diet for a bit but I know there are very calorie dense drinks which could be more suitable for you to keep your calories high. When on a normal diet then you'd probably have to try to eat calorie dense food in small amounts which will be easy enough. I think that yes, you will lose weight to begin with but as I've seen in the gastric surgery community, a lot of people do put the weight back on so it can be done purposely if needed.

Sorry you're having all this trouble. It sounds like one thing after another but hopefully the surgery helps in the long run x

I had a gastric sleeve when I was at goal weight (10.5 st).
While I eat less, the weight hasn't fallen off, and I still need to watch what I'm eating to manage my weight.

Everything is fine, although sometimes I do miss being able to eat a full meal, esp when out with friends.

Thank you, this is really helpful. Congratulations on the weight loss too, that's a huge amount! Amazing x

I feel like it would be better to have a smaller fully functioning stomach as opposed to one that doesn't work and makes you vomit after most meals. I'd drink cream based coffees/drinks/soups to maintain your weight. I'm sorry this is happening to you, take care.