Weight Loss Surgery Forums

A Blast From The Past! OH Members Share their DS surgery Successes in Before & After photos: Featured in in OH Magazine since May 2008! OH Member: Lori Username: LorindaBlack Weight loss: 109 pounds Method: Duodenal Switch Surgeon: Margret Inman MD, FACS Gaining control over my eating habits has been one of the best things about my weight loss surgery. Day-to-day life is no longer physically painful, and I wake up each morning with a smile on my face, ready to start the day!

My decision to have WLS was like that of many others. I was at the point where I could barely perform daily chores and activities. I had missed out on a lot of things that made me sad and angry: picnics, school functions with my daughter, my husband’s work parties and even holidays. The worst day for me was when my husband Jim took my daughter and I out to dinner. I tried to get into my seat, but was literally unable to fit in the booth. I sat in silence during the entire meal, with tears rolling down my cheeks. It hit me then that I really needed help.

I went to the doctor the following week and she told me if I did not do something about my weight I would probably be dead in the next 10 years. Her words scared me and made me really think about all the failed diets I had been on in my life. I was heartbroken at the thought of leaving my daughter alone in this world. I wanted to see her graduate high school, finish college, get married and have children of her own. Could I possibly lose this weight and change my destiny?

Although I knew my husband loved me for me, regardless of my weight, it was hard for him to truly understand what I was going through. Being a military man, he has always been in great shape, loves to exercise and maintains a healthy weight effortlessly. Seeing me go through multiple attempts to lose the extra weight led us to believe that just "eating better and moving more" was not going to be enough. He suggested that I call my cousin who had WLS two years prior and see what she had to say. I called her and she gave me a basic idea of what the surgery was about and also told me about a website that could answer a lot more of my questions. She told me about ObesityHelp.com

I immediately went onto the site and read as much as I could on the Main Forum and the Texas Forum. I quickly learned about a procedure called the Duodenal Switch (DS) and began to read the threads on that board as well. I researched WLS as much as possible, and messaged with many of the OH members that posted regularly. I visited their profiles and finally spoke to a surgeon about having the DS and he agreed that it would be an excellent surgery for me. The following weeks happened very quickly and after completing insurance papers, having tests and many doctors’ visits, I set a date for my surgery.

Once I picked a date it became so real for me and I became nervous and excited all at once. I knew I needed to gather as much information as quickly as possible before my surgery and so I went onto OH and was able to get a list of items to bring to the hospital and to have when I got home to make my recovery easier. On March 5th, 2008 I had my WLS in Denton Texas by Dr. Daryl Stewart. The surgery was a success and my husband called my "angel" Kayla to give her my status. She then reported it back to the message board and gave them daily updates on me.

When I first got home things were pretty hard. I was in a lot more pain then I thought I would be in, but my husband took time off work to help around the house, to do the shopping, cleaning and taking care of our daughter and the animals. I was so thankful that I had him to help me during this time because laundry, dishes and grocery store runs were not things that I could manage. He helped organize my vitamins, counted my protein to make sure I got in at least 100 grams per day, and cooked meals for the family each night. He even printed out Lori B.’s profile because she had listed everything she ate for the first few months and he used it to meal plan for me.

Three months later, my husband informed me that he was leaving right away for Iraq. I was crushed and I didn’t think I could make it without him. I have been with him since I was 16 years old and he was the biggest supporter for me and my new post-op life. He is my high school sweetheart and the love of my life, and I felt like it was his strength that kept me going. He was my rock and now he would be gone. At this point I was still recovering and learning how to adjust to my new habits and body changes. By the time he left I was hopeful I would be ok but secretly very skeptical that I truly would be. I had been away from him before on other deployments, but this time it was different. I needed him.

A Blast From The Past! OH Members Share their DS surgery Successes in Before & After photos: Featured in OH Magazine in May 2010! Erika G. Username: Geberika Surgery Type: : Duodenal Switch Weight Lost: 114 pounds in 8.5 months! Surgeon: Michel Gagner, MD Since having my DS, I love summers! I used to wear sweats from May to August. Now, you’ll find me at the local water park with my four kids – wearing a bikini!

In the weeks after he left to serve his country overseas it was hard for me to admit to anyone that I needed help and even harder to find help. I tried to find local support groups but unfortunately there were not any in my area and the one I did find was 50 miles away and only dealt with RNY patients. My surgeon does once-per-month meetings; however, his office is four hours away. I honestly felt very alone and wasn’t sure what to do next, so I turned to my friends on the OH forums. They shared ideas with me every day on things like how to manage this new way of living as a single parent and how to incorporate the new foods I needed to eat so that my daughter could remain healthy as well.

Going through this process alone can be overwhelming but there are some things I have learned along the way. You can make your life a lot easier if you just plan. I purchased two pill reminder boxes from the drug store; each one is a week supply so that I only have to worry about it twice a month. I set my cell phone alarm to go off every time I am supposed to take my vitamins so that I never forget them. Meal planning is hectic and something my husband used to do so I found myself a bit lost in this area at first. I didn’t want to cook every day so I would make large casseroles, meat and cheese trays, low carb desserts and then I could just grab them when I was ready to eat. I also visited the daily "what did you eat today" thread and planned my shopping list from things other members ate that week. It took a lot of the thought out of what I would be cooking.

A year and a half later, here I am and I have had so many unbelievable experiences along the way. I remember my first plane ride after I had lost 100 pounds. I was able to not only put the seatbelt on with no extender; I was able to put my tray down with room to spare! I remember calling my sister the first time I bought clothes in a regular department store and realized I didn’t need to shop in the plus sizes any longer. I even recall the first time I bought something in the juniors department. My fondest memory though, has to be going back to that restaurant and getting in that same exact booth from months earlier. I fit, and I fit with ease. To this day when I go out to eat, I specifically ask for a booth because it means too much to me that I can slide in so well.

On my way to meeting my weight loss goal, I learned that my husband would be coming home for a two week break. In the days before he was to arrive, I became very excited and nervous. I had sent him pictures from time to time but decided to stop several months before he got home so it could be a surprise for him when he first saw me. I wasn’t at my goal weight yet, but I had already dropped over 100 pounds so I knew I would look completely different to him. I went shopping and found a beautiful, sexy outfit and some new shoes as well as had my hair done. I met him at the airport and I couldn’t have imagined how many butterflies I would have in my stomach. I had welcomed him home many times before but this time seemed so different, I was different and he was going to see all my hard work from the past year. When he came around the terminal corner I saw him and I saw him see me for the first time. His eyes lit up and a huge smile came across his face. He started to tear up which made me start to cry also. I ran right to him and hugged him so tight! He picked me up and squeezed so hard, I wasn’t sure he was going to let me go at all. By the time we left my body hurt from his hugs and my face hurt from smiling so much.

I knew when my husband left for Iraq I would have to depend on others outside my home for support. I never thought what I would find would be such a great reward. It hasn’t been an easy road and at times it has been more difficult than I imagined. If there was one thing I would like others to know, it would be that regardless of what or where your support system is, there are people out there who care. I have found a group of men and women on ObesityHelp who I trust and we lean on each other like a real family does. We get together in real life for parties, keep each other motivated, celebrate daily "wows", exchange Christmas cards and of course are there with prayers when needed.

This journey has been the experience of a lifetime. The saying "It’s the Journey, Not the Destination" really holds true in my heart. I have lost over 150 pounds which is all of my excess weight, however, it’s not the weight loss that means the most to me; it has been the past year and a half that I will remember forever. I have accomplished something that I set out to do and you just cannot beat that feeling. For the first time in my life, I love myself, my entire self, inside and out.