ObesityHelp.com: Making the Journey Together
 
  • Name: BetterNetta ..
  • Username: LarnettaBrown
  • Location: Humble, TX, USA
  • Member Since: 1/1/2006
  • BMI: 25.5
  • Post Op
  • Surgery Type: RNY (01/19/06)
  • Surgeon: Carlos A. Ferrari M.D.
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Mine (3)
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Goals

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Surgeon Testimonial

Carlos A. Ferrari M.D.
My first impression of Dr. Ferrari is that he is quiet. He doesn't talk a lot (very straight forward). He will explain the procedure and answer any question that you have. He made me feel comfortable with my decision and after my first visit I felt as though I had nothing to worry about. His nurse, Blanca, is the best, she makes up for Dr. Ferrari quietness. After I had surgery, Dr. Ferrari made me day by visiting me each day.
Latest Surgery Support Comments

  • Comment by piperkc on 2/5/06 7:38 am
    "It's never too late to be who you might have been." ~George Eliot “The Greatest healing therapy is friendship and Love.” ~ Hubert Humphrey "Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, any one can start from now and make a brand new ending" " The great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, but in what direction we are moving." ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes "There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow." ~ O. S. Marden "Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil." ~ James Allen "I asked God to give me happiness. God said, "No. I give you blessings. Happiness is up to you." ~ Author Unknown "Goals give you more than a reason to get up in the morning; they are an incentive to keep you going all day. Goals tend to tap the deeper resources and draw the best out of life. "Put yourself in a state of mind where you say to yourself, 'Here is an opportunity for me to celebrate like never before, my own power, my own ability to get myself to do whatever is necessary." ~ Anthony Robbins " ~ Harvey Mackay "Life is a challenge, but if you don't stand and risk you will never know if you were able to win or lose. Challenges are not a thing of winning or losing; they are a way of learning from them to become a better person every day! ~ Alexsander Rodriguez, P.R "Don't ask for it to be easy, ask for it to be worth it." Dan Kuschell "The most important question to ask is not 'What am I getting?' The most important question to ask on the job is 'What am I becoming?'"You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true. You may have to work for it, however." - Richard Bach "In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins; not through strength, but through persistence." ~ Jackson Brown "I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning." ~ J.B. Priestly "Each of us has an inner dream that we can unfold if we will just have the courage to admit what it is. And the faith to trust our own admission. The admitting is often very difficult." ~ Julia Cameron "The block of granite which was an obstacle in the pathway of the weak becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong. That block of granite is often nothing more than a decision." ~ Thomas Carlyle "Being yourself is not remaining what you were, or being satisfied with what you are. It is the point of departure." ~ Sydney Harris "Risk! Risk anything! Care no more for the opinion of others, for those voices. Do the hardest thing on earth for you. Act for yourself. Face the truth." ~ Katherine Mansfield "Too often we are scared. Scared of what we might not be able to do. Scared of what people might think if we tried. We let fears stand in the way of our hopes. We say no when we want to say yes. We sit quietly when we want to scream. And we shout with the others, when we should keep our mouths shut. Why? After all, we do only go around once. There's really no time to be afraid. JUST DO IT." ~ Nike advertising campaign "I am convinced that attitude is the key to success or failure in almost any of life's endeavors. Your attitude - your perspective, your outlook, how you feel about yourself, how you feel about other people - determines your priorities, your actions, your values. Your attitude determines how you interact with other people and how you interact with yourself." ~ Carolyn Warner "Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives." ~ Author Unknown "It's never too late to be what you might have been." ~ George Eliot "For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it." ~ Author Unknown "Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to the end, requires some of the same courage which a soldier needs." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson A wish changes NOTHING; A decision, changes EVERYTHING "So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will,they soon become inevitable." Christopher Reeves "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior." Isaiah 43:2-3 Everyone has beauty but not everyone sees it. "If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they may have planned for you? Not much." ~ Jim Rohn May you always have an Angel by your side. Watching out for you in all the things you do. Reminding you to keep believing in brighter days. Have a speedy recovery Angela in Corpus Christi 291lbs BMI 45.60 -234lbs Dr Michael Grace Open RNY Life began May 16, 2002 I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears. Surely..I will heal you." 2 Kings 20:5
  • Comment by Seven on 1/21/06 6:40 pm
    Cingratulations on your surgery. I wish you a speedy recovery. Remember you have a strong support system here on OH waiting to advise and assist you in whatever way we can. Come over to the Texas Message Board and keep us updated on your progress.
  • Comment by Cyndi M. on 1/16/06 3:36 am
    {{{{{{{{CONGRATULATI ONS ON YOUR UPCOMING SURGERY}}}}}}}}} ~~~~~"Everything in our lives happens for a purpose and that purpose is to prepare us~~~~~~~~~~~ May God give you courage, strength and guidance throughout your new journey. You are about to embark on the most amazing transformation of you mind, body and soul. Your big day is almost here, this is the day, your new life will begin, I cant promise it will be easy, cant say it will be hard, I can say that with all the complications and everything I had to go through, It was well worth it. I have never felt better in yearsss, I’m off all medications, have sooooo much more energy. So if you hit a bump in the road, hang in there and remember it will alll be worth it in the long run. Sending Prayers your way that the Lord will guide your surgeon’s hands. May the guardian angels wrap their loving arms of protection around you during your surgery and recovery . Remember your not alone in this journey, many of us have been down this road, we are here to offer love and support. Looking forward to hearing from you on the loosing side. Huggs and Prayers Link to my profile 8-19-04 surgery date weight 297.5 height 5f 2 -119.5 weight losss http://www.obesityhe lp.com/morbidobesity /members/profile.php ?N=M1087435160
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My Story

1/2/06; I am a married mother of 3 boys (10, 8, and 4 months). I decided to look into bariatric surgery one year from today after discussing some of my options with my PCP. Like many, I have battled with being overweight for many years. I am at my all time high of 271lbs at 5'5. After thorough research, I have made up in my mind and heart that the RNY is for me. I have visit with other doctors and seminars, but I have chosen to meet with Dr. Ferrari to hopefully perform this procedure. He was highly recommended to me by my PCP, Dr. Montes.


1/4/06; I visit with Dr. Ferrari today. The visit went fairly well. His assistant Luly is such a nice and friendly person. So the ball for this show is about to begin. Fortunately, I have already been given the test needed for this procedure (i.e. EKG, blood work, ultrasound, chest x-ray, sleep study, and etc.) So far it looks like I need to only see a Psychologist and take some stomach test that checks for bacteria.


1/13/06; Dr. Ferrari's office submitted my information to the insurnace on 1/5/06. Today I found out that I have been APPROVED. I have a schedule date for 1/19/06. I know that is right around the corner. I wanted the earliest date because I have been waiting on this for a year, and I just want to get beyond the surgery part in a quick hurry. Am I excited? Yes!!! I don't think it has really hit me yet. I will keep you updated.

This is me the morning of surgery, 273 lbs.
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1/22/06; Hello...everyone. Well I am officially on the losing side. Surgery went well. I came home from the hospital yesterday and I am now 3 days post-op. I want to be honest, but be cautious that everyone is different. So allow me to share with you my experience after surgery. Once they woke me up from surgery, and may I add that I don't even remember when they put me to sleep, I instantly felt a pain in my upper stomach near my chest. It was a constant pain. The nurse explained to me that more than likely it was gas because they fill your stomach with air during surgery. In any case, it was horrible. I stayed in a recovery area for, well I'm not sure how long, but I was moved to my room in what seemed to be a short period of time to me. The pain medication put me out for most of the first day. Let me say that the sun does shine at the end of the tunnel because by late that night my body began to feel a 100% better. I say that to say that my pain was only temporary and was managable, just a little uncomfortable. The staff and nurses were excellent. Dr. Ferrari came and visited me everyday, which was nice to see his face. Now I am on a full liquid diet. It is amazing how I don't eat or drink much. I have to literally remind myself to take sip of water or gatorade. In addition to that, I may eat a few teaspoons of broth or grits (prepared very liquidy). Before I close, I will like to add that anyone who is considering or schedule for surgery, to relax because overall it's not that bad and it will be over before you know it. Best Wishes to All!! And most importantly, take good care of yourself.

2/1/06; Just thought I would tap in and say Hi, and also to announce my progress. I went to the doctor's office today for my 2wk check up, and I was please to learn that I have lost 19lbs. I was initially afraid to get on the scale because I have kind of cheated by eating soft foods a few days earlier; the liquid thing was just boring me to death. But I told myself that I need to step the game up a bit and really get focus on losing this weight. I need to begin to excercise because I can see that I have no problem with holding food down. It seems as though my new pouch can handle all of the old stuff. I was hoping to be intolerant to many foods of the past. Oh well, I just need to work harder.

2/8/06; I guess I spoke to soon. I was doing great with holding foods, but about 3 days ago I began vomiting. I'm not sure why. Although, I can admit that one day I ate too fast. Other than that I have really tried focusing on chewing my food until it is very fine. I definetly need to bring this up with the doctor. I have heard of this thing called a stricture, and I truly hope that is not the case with me. My next visit is March 1st, but I will call the dr. sooner if these episodes continue.

2/27/06; A couple of weeks ago I finally contacted my doctor's office and informed them of the continous vomiting. They advised me to go back to liquids for a week and then try soft foods. I did that for two weeks and unfortunately the problem didn't get any better. So today I broke down and called the doctor's office again and they set up for me to see the GI doctor immediately. I am scheduled tomorrow to have a simple procedure (EGD). They will stick a small tube with a camera and see if there is scar tissue, if so they will dilate the opening so that the food can pass. I will let you know how that goes. At first I was nervous, but then they assured me that they will put me to sleep and I will not feel anything. This is an outpatient procedure that takes no longer than a hour.

3/1/06; The EGD (performed 2/28/06) went wonderful, no complications or pain. I have been able to hold down my food over the past day. I went for my 6 wks visit today and was told that I am 35lbs down since surgery. I can see the difference in my clothing tremendously.

4/4/06; I just wanted to drop in to make note of my 3wk plateau. Last week was the first time that I saw the scale move since my last doctor's. At first, I was really getting concern and was about to call the doctor to see what I was doing wrong or to make sure that the procedure was still going to work on me (smile). It's funny because I hear others say that they think that they may be the one that WLS does not work on. Well now I can say that I understand how they felt, because I honestly was begining to believe that it was not going to work for me. Thankfully, the scale is moving again and I can have some peace until the next plateau.

4/19/06; Today was my 3 month visit with the doctor. I am sad to say that I did not reach my weight lost goal of 55 lbs. I have lost 45 lbs so far, not very happy with the slow weight loss, but I wouldn't give it back for the world. I was informed by the nurse and doctor that my B-12 level was low, so they gave me a B-12 injections. I have since purchase B-12 strips from Avon. The strips are like a cinnamon flavor and dissolves pretty quickly. Until next time....

5/19/06; I am 4 months out today and down 57 lbs. That's 12 lbs down from last month. I can't see much of a difference, but people are really beginning to compliment the new slimmer body. That's a good thing :)8/19/06; Seven months out. WOW, it has been a couple of months since I have posted. As far as my health everything is going great, I have had no serious complications. The only thing I can comment on is feeling fatigue often and of course as I have stated before, my slow weight loss. Although I complain often about my weight coming off slowly deep down I am glad for the fact that I don't have that sudden transformation look. Meaning that I don't have to worry about people questioning a drastic weight loss and wondering what is going on with me. I am down to 193 lbs, for a total of 80 lbs lost since surgery. I look forward to seeing the 180's and then the 170's. Until next time be blessed.

6 months post-op
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9/10/06; Oh Wooow, I hate to have to journey times like this. It will be almost 8 months for me in a few days. Unfortunately I have gained 7lbs;therefore, I am back to 200 lbs. I"m hoping that this gain is a wake up call for me. I have always said that I am a slow loser, but what I haven't acknowledge is that I am the reason for that. I have eaten any and everything since surgery. No foods causes me any trouble. Although I have dumped about 2-3 times, it was not because of the type of food, but how fast I had eaten it. I must admit that during this process that I have not yet learned how to control my eating habits. I still eat the same foods that caused me to gain the weight over the years. I am a big junk food eater, and it so happen to be that this surgery does not prevent me from eating all the sugary foods that I like. So that means I have to dig deep down and learn how to eat better. I have to learn control. I refuse to accept that I am going to be obese for the rest of my life. I have lost 73 lbs thus far and will like to lose at minimum an additional 30 lbs before settling. My goal this day forward is to begin an exercise regimen (I have only exercise twice since surgery), stay on top of my vitamins, and watch my food intake closely. I know that this is something that I should have been committed to since the begining, but I have fallen and need to get back up. I intend to post more frequently to keep track of my thoughts and habits. Until next time Be Blessed.

9/17/06; Well folks...its has been one week since I have recommited my life to focusing on my weightloss to the fullest. I have worked out 5 days out of the week and feel great. The workouts are getting a little easier as the days go by. I have lost 5 of the 7 lbs that I had gained, so I am cool with that. My goal, which may be over board, is to lose 5 lbs a week for the next 4 weeks. Wish me luck :).




10/10/06; I will be 9 mos out in just a few days and I am behind my target weight. My workouts are going great. I am still working out at least 4 days out of the week. I must say that my previous goal of losing 5 lbs a week is definately unreasonable. My honeymoon period is truly over. I think I can manage to lose 6lbs a month if I really try hard. One thing that I can say has happen since working out is that I have much more energy than before. I'm able to run after my 13 mos old son, who keeps me going throughout the day. I'm begining to think about PS often. I plan to have my tummy done at my "1" year surgiversarry. Originally I thought about going out of the country to save money since I currently do not have medical insurance; and even if I did have insurance there is no guarantee that they will cover me. Therefore, this surgery will be out of the pocket :(. Anyway I was thinkging about going to Mexico or South America, but my husband is totally against it. He feels that is too far away from home in the event that something goes wrong. Me on the other hand, feel like other countries have competent Dr.'s and will know how to handle emergency situations. We shall see how this pans out.



 

10/19/06; I am now 9 mos. out and down to 188 lbs.  I'm still working out at least 3x's a week with my trainer.  I can't wait to see the 170's. Lets see just how long that will take, probably another 3 mos.  Especially now that the weightloss has pretty much stop and I have to work really hard by watching what I eat and exercising.  I am proud of myself for taking my vitamins and getting in the minimum protein requirement faithfully for the last 6 weeks.

11/25/06; Well I am now 10 mos. out and as of today I am down to 184 lbs;however, about 3 days ago the scale read 182.  My workwouts are still at least 3x's a week with my trainer.  I'm not losing much weight, but I can say that I can see small changes with my muscles developing.  Thanksgiving Day was two days ago and I did pretty good. I didn't eat nearly as much as I thought I would, but for  whatever reason the scale is up two lbs. 


11/10/07; Oh my it has been about a year since I have updated my profile.  As of today I weigh 160 lbs, which is the original goal weight that I had set for myself; however, now I want to get down to 150 lbs. That way I will be at a normal weight. In two months I will be two years out from my gastric bypass surgery. Life has been great to me.  I am scheduled to have reconstructive surgery on 12/4/07. I will be having a Lower Body Lift by Dr.Quiroz (out of the country). I will be sure to update in a more timely manner than I have in the past.  Take care and be blessed.

1/01/08; HAPPY NEW YEAR'S...Today I am 4 weeks out from my LBL with Dr. Quiroz in Mexico. I'm not going to even lie, but this surgery was no walk in the park. It hurts like HELL, way worse than the RNY. But you get through it and at the end of the road are results that make it all so worth it. My experience in Mexico was great. The doctors and nurses are wonderful. I would go back for future procedures without a second thought. My focus now is to completely heal from the procedure and to get my weight down to 145 lbs.

 Do you notice my pattern? Evertime I lose a couple of lbs I lower my goal weight. My BMI now would consider me at "Normal" weight, but a pound more would place me back at "Overweight". So I figured if I can get down to 145 lbs, I will have a cushion and better chance of staying at a "Normal" weight. Unitl next time, be safe.



 



 

 


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