I found a website that discusses the Gastric Bypass option for obesity. This is a surgery to alter the size of your stomach pouch to take in smaller portions of food. There is a ton of info and resources on this site.

Morbid Obesity

The reason I am looking is that I am seriously thinking of getting this procedure done. I've worked for years at losing weight and I am almost at the end of my energy to try anymore. I am still in the early research phase of this, and I welcome any feedback.

my Mom worked with a woman who had this done - and it is not for the faint of heart!!! She has had some pretty significant complications and that is not uncommon. She has been back into the hospital 4 or 5 times and she's still not done yet. I heard on some report somewhere along the line that 1 in 6 people that have this done do not live to see their "thinner self".....

You've done well so far with dieting, which tells me that you have the self control to do it if you want to. If you can do it, why take the "easy" way out by having it done like you mention? Is it worth the risk? Based on how you speak of Sagus and the boys, I'd say probably not.

A surgical technique that is very common outside the US and is gaining popularity here as the techology has improved, is the laparoscopically placed band around the top of the stomach. It is a relatively simple and complication-free approach, typically takes under an hour to perform, and when done by an experienced surgeon, gets very good results. It also involves placing a small device under the skin into which fluid is placed (like a portacath) to adjust the volume of the band around the stomach. The procedure is referred to as a "lap-band." A few years ago a similar procedure was done and the results weren't all that great: the newest device is very effective. The main complication is that the device can erode into the stomach, which happens around 1% of the time. If it does, since it happens slowly over time, there's no danger; it just stops working and can be removed with a scope in the stomach.

Yep, I checked this out, and it costs $17,000 here. So that's out.

My daughter-in-law had the gastric bypass several years ago. She did have some complications but came through them fine and has dropped 150 lbs in the last year and a half. She went from a size 24 to a size 8 and looks great. The only thing it does is force you to eat much smaller portions, which I would think a person could do on their own, given enough self-discipline. I don't have any, but I'm not morbidly obese, so I don't qualify. PTL.

Catty (who's making it, inch by inch)

Guys thanks so much for your input... Dr Sid.. thanks for that alternative.. I am on a very early research, so I am not even sure if this is the path to take. I am not trying to take the easy route, I am trying to take the route to success after a long road of frustration and depression. Whichever way that route takes me (naturally or by surgical augmentation) has yet to be determined.

I found a website that actually discusses this procedure. For those interested here it is:

Lap-Band

I had one patient that was actually severely malnourished after having the procedure done. You could look at her and tell that she had lost a lot of weight very quickly. She was nothing but skin and bones and ended up in rehab. I don't think that is common though. I personally haven't seen any other serious complications. Do what it takes to keep you healthy. Take your doctors advice about the decision and whether the benefits outweigh the risk to you and your health. Lots of luck!