Has anybody had obesity surgery?

If so, what type did you have, are you happy you had it done, how long ago did you have it done and has it been overall a success? Did you have to get onto your GP all the while in the first place to get it done? Or if there is anybody else who wants to comment then feel free. I am considering having surgery and maybe opting for the gastric band.

I'm a nurse and one I've the clinics I'm responsible for is the weight management one; a lot of patients attend thinking they can be given gastric band surgery without any effort, so to speak, but the regulations are quite strict - at least on the NHS in the UK.

They need to be referred to a weight management consultant via their GP or any hospital clinician, they need a BMI over a certain amount and need to have shown they have tried all other methods before being put forward for surgery. Even then, you may be asked to lose a certain amount yourself to reduce the risk of complications during the operation.

Some are very happy with it and you can see a massive difference, while others still continue eating excessively and don't show much effect. Eating too much following gastric banding can make you regurgitate though, and you can find it difficult to digest any large, solid foods. That said, I've known of patients putting things like Mars Bars in a blender just so they can swallow them - that's how desperate some of them get.

Good luck if you're considering it, but you'd need to be pretty big in the first place to be considered for NHS treatment, and you need to deal with the psychological issues behind eating if it's to work long-term x

In all surgeries, get a second opinion. My exwife's sister died of complications from the surgery.