Weight Loss Surgery Directory

By Location By Map


  • Username: devoneberhardt
  • Location: Baltimore, MD, USA
  • Member Since: 4/3/2009
  • BMI: 27.9
  • Post Op
  • Surgery Type: RNY (10/23/09)
  • Surgeon: Thomas H. Magnuson
Before & After

There are currently no before and after photos for this member.

See these instructions if you wish to submit your own Before & After photos.
Surgeon Testimonial

Thomas H. Magnuson
What was your first impression of him/her? rnVERY NICE, ALSO KINDA GOOD LOOKING, VERY PROFESSIONAL, VERY KNOWLEDGEABLErnHow did your impression change over time? rnSTAYED THE SAMErnHow would you describe his/her office staff? rnVERY ORGANIZED AND RESPONSIVErnWhat did you like least about him/her? rnNOTHINGrnWhat should future patients know about him/her? rnHE IS A EXCELLENT SURGEONrnHow much does he/she emphasize aftercare? rnIT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANTrnDoes he/she have a structured aftercare program? YESrnHow did he/she address the risks of surgery? rnA FEW TIMESrnHow would you rate him/her overall? rnON A SCALE OF 1-10, I GIVE HIM A 10rnWhich is better, surgical competence, bedside manner, or are both great?rnBOTH WERE GREAT, VERY PLEASANT AND DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.rnrnrnTHE ONLY BAD EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD WAS NOT WITH HIM, BUT WITH HIS NURSE PRACTIONER, WHEN I WENT FOR MY 3 WEEK FOLLOW UP TO HAVE MY G TUBE REMOVED. HER BEDSIDE MANNER WAS NOT AS I EXPECTED IT TO BE.
Hello, my name is Devon and I started my new life on October 23rd, 2009 at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Md.  I had an excellent Surgeon named Dr. Thomas Magnuson.  The whole experience was great.  I started out at 370 lbs and less than a year out I was at my goal weight of 200 even.  I would suggest this surgery to anyone in the same situation that I was in.  It has changed my life tremedously and I feel great, physically and mentally.   Thank you ObesityHelp.com for all your support and walking me through this time in my life.  
devoneberhardt's Blog
devoneberhardt's Blog


New 1 year out pics and post hernia repair surgery.
on October 24, 2010 3:11 pm
Hello everyone, well I am going through all of the same pain of my open gastric bypass all over again. I am 6 days out of open hernia repair surgery, I had my whole scar opened back up to repair 1 nine inch incisional hernia caused from the gastric bypass surgery, then the other hernia was a three inch umbilical hernia caused by the first hernia.... Anyway, so now I am walking around with 2 drains hanging out of my belly and another 32 staple scar down the middle of my belly and wrapped up in a belly binder.  Most of the serious pain is gone but I am still very uncomfortable still.  And I also noticed that my muscle relaxers I have work better than the dilaudid they sent me home from the hospital with.  Well anyway, I was really second guessing having the abdomnioplasty because of all the pain i was in wth this surgery, but I am already thinkgin well maybe it wont be that bad...lol .  I will probably start working towards that goal within the next few months or so.

So I have posted some new pictures since I am a year out, but I can not figure out how to change my avatar picture, it keeps uploading a pic, but when I check my profile the picture hasn't changed, so I am confussed.  If someone can help me out please let me know what I am doing wrong.  And if you get a chance check out my new pics and let me know what you think.
Be the first to leave a comment.

My Hernia
on September 21, 2010 1:18 pm

Well I hav to go back into surgery on October 18th to have 2 hernia's repaired.  I have 2 incisional hernias, the first one is about 8 inches in length and the second one is underneath the first and is about 2 inches in length.  I am extremely scared to go back in the hospital and have another surgery.  My surgeon said it is only an overnight proceedure,  so that puts my mind at ease a little, but I am still a little scared.  I was only supposed to be in the hospital for 3 days with the RNy and winded up being there almost a week because of my blood pressure not being normal.  Then about 3 weeks later winded up being back in the hospital for another 5/6 days for an absess that had formed where the feeding (G-Tube) was.  I have had a few complications from this surgery (the absess, these 2 hernias, a vitamin D deficiency and an Iron deficiency).  I know that these are all fixable, but it worries me a  little.  I am very blessed that these are all that has caused me problems.  I am very happy that I decided to have this surgery though. It has changed my life in so many ways.  I have so much more confidence, energy, and feel so much better.  My health has increased dramatically. My sugars are back to normal, and so is my blood pressure and my cholesterol.  I don't have no where near as much back and joint pain as I used to and I can get around so much easier.  I can play and run with my young daughter, I can wear my car seat comfortably and I look ok in my clothing.  My anxiety about being in public is no where near as bad as it used to be and I don't mind doing things by myself as much now.  This surgery has changed my life drastically and I would make the same decision if I had to do it all over again.

Thank you ObesityHelp.com for all the support and information you have given me about weight loss surgery.  I am so greatful for this website and for the surgeon Dr. Thomas Magnuson for giving me a new life and a second chance to live.  Now I can be the best mother and person I can be.

2 comments | Leave a comment.

I have reached my goal weight.
on September 17, 2010 5:14 pm
I have reached my goal weight of 200 lbs even.  I want to stay here at this weight. I don't want to loose no more at all.  So now I have to learn how to maintain my weight.  I have to make an appt with dietary to find out what I can do to maintain.  I don't want to loose much more because then I will start looking too small.  I am almost 6 foot tall and have a very large frame so too much more weight loss will make me look sick.  I am in a comfortable size 14 and can wear some size 12's depending on how they are cut.  I am so excited about how much I have lost.  I am less than a year out of surgery and have lost a total of 170 lbs.  I feel so much better about myself and my health has improved tremedously.  I love feeling better and more confident about myself.  I have 2 hernia's that have to be repaired on October 18th.  One of them is 8 inches and the other one is 2 inches long.  I am scared to go back into surgery again less than a year later  but I am starting to have severe pain from this hernia so now I can no longer put it off.  But after I have that done I am going to prepare to maintain this weight so I can get the extra skin removed.  I have real bad loose skin on my upper thighs, lower belly and upper arms. I look good in clothes, but as soon as I take them off it is a different story. 
Be the first to leave a comment.

The Gym
on December 16, 2009 11:46 pm
Well I started the gym yesterday and went yesterday and today.  Both days for 30 mins.  I enjoyed it too.  Just wanted to mark that down in my journal.
2 comments | Leave a comment.

4 1/2 weeks post op.
on November 29, 2009 10:35 am
Well I am just checking in,I got on the scale this morning and it said 317 lbs.  I am down to 317 lbs from 370 after a weight gain while in the hospital of 17 lbs during week 3.  I can't believe my progress, that is a total of 53 lbs in a little over a month.  I don't see a major difference in the way I look except in my face.  I have been wearing sweats because of the comfort level, so I am not sure about size's if I went down any or not.  I need to try on some of me jeans from pre op and find out I guess.  I have a follow up with my primary Doctor on the first and then on the eleventh with the surgeons office. I feel week sometimes, not sure as to why I am eating as much as I can, getting in fluids and protein and all  supplements, every now and again I may miss one dose of calcium, but I am getting better at remembering, it is hard to remember to take it 3 times a day.  That is my new goal to remember to take calcium 3 times a day.
1 comment | Leave a comment.

Browse pages: next >



Archive

Tags
My Story

Well this is a little about me......

I Yo-Yo'ed with my weight all my life as far back as I can remember, I was up and down.  I remember being average up until I was about 6ish and then from there I started to become a fat girl.  I stayed fat/chubby until I was about 11/12 and slimmed out real nice, I WAS NEVER SKINNY AT THIS POINT, but I was average sized. (approx. 155lbs and 5ft 8in)  Then I slowly gained a few pounds, not a whole lot until I became pregnant with my son at 16 and I blew up.  I stayed heavy around 260 until I graduated high school in 1997 and I did drop down to 225.  I stayed between 225 to 270 until I was about 22/23 and I dropped all the way down to about 165 lbs and I was skinny (at last, at last), well that was between 2002/2003 when I started to loose and my smallest was about 2004/2005 (AGAIN I WAS 165)  Oh by the way I am 5ft 10in so  yes 165 is skinny for  me.  Well I fluctuated from 165 where I looked a little too skinny at times  to 185 where I  looked and felt great.  (MY GOAL WEIGHT IS 185, THAT IS WHERE I FELT MOST COMFORTABLE).   Well here it is 2009 and I weight my very most I have ever weighted at 368.5lbs (I FEEL GROSS AND NASTY)  I have gained 183 lbs which is double my goal weight in 2 1/2 years.  It started to slowly pile on when I got pregnant with my baby girl ( now 19 months old) and just kept adding pounds and adding even after I gave birth.  I am 30 pounds heavier since I had her.  And now before I  continue to gain weight and get any bigger since it is not going down I have decided to do something about it and have the RnY Gastric  Bypass.