Four years ago today, I had Gastric Bypass Surgery. I now weigh a little more than 100 pounds less than I did when I awoke on May 26, 2006 and 120+ less than when I started changing my consumption habits in preparation for the procedure.
People always ask, "Doesn't it feel a lot better?" and the answer to that is "Of course," though I must add that I never felt that bad when I was heavier. I felt clumsier and I now find that I fit into the world a little better. My blood pressure, which used to only hover around normal via a daily drug, now gets there on its own. Before the operation, I was showing signs of trending into Diabetes and now I don't. My sleep apnea has not gone away but an awful lot of aches and skin tabs have. I now wear shirts that are 1-2 sizes smaller and pants that are five sizes smaller. I've given away an awful lot of clothes and taken a lot of old ones out of storage.
I decided when I had the surgery not to recommend it to anyone else. This is tricky because when people ask me if I had any complications or problems, the honest answer is no. Research and meeting others who've undergone the procedure has made me realize I had what was just about the best-possible experience…but it also makes me realize what can and does go wrong for some. It's a lot more of a gamble if you're in poor health before the surgery and/or you don't have a great surgeon. That may seem obvious but when folks ask me about this, it sometimes sounds like they're asking how the new Nikons are; like if I'm happy with mine, they can just swing by Costco, get the exact same thing for the lowest price around and be exactly as happy as I am. Doesn't work like that with doctors and surgical procedures.
So I don't recommend having it. I do recommend investigating it if you could stand to lose at least 100 pounds or more. And I certainly recommend that if you do have a health problem of any kind — not just surplus poundage — you take control of your life and do something about what's ailing you. One of the joys of losing the weight for me was feeling like I'd taken charge of a situation that was out of my grasp. In some ways, that feels better than being able to tie my shoes without using a backhoe.