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Surgeon TestimonialDemesvar A. Jean-Baptiste M.D.Dr. Jean-Baptiste is a caring, competant and patient doctor. His credentials are amazing, he trained at the top schools and had a fellowship in advanced bariatric and laparscopic surgery at UPenn so he is up on all the latest techniques! I haven't found a more thorough surgeon...all the tests he puts you through are because he wants no surprises. He makes an effort to know all his patients by first name and in a short time has built his center to be extremely comprehensive, adding experienced staff and experts to help all his patients. He even has a bariatric post-op nurse on staff now! His support groups are well attended and he has a 100% success rating from all the surgeries he has performed. Now that I am a post-op I can tell you this, that Dr. J-B is a gifted, skilled and talented surgeon. In addition, he is a compassionate and comforting with a wonderful bedside manner. It is rare to find someone with so many great qualities all wrapped into one package! I am so glad I found such a talented, smart surgeon, and I am confident that we have forged a life long relationship! I feel wonderful and it's all because he did a great job! Kudos to Dr. J-B and his entire surgical & office team! |
Hello Everyone! If you need a "buddy" call on me! I have done extensive research on WLS and may be able to offer advice as a lightweight.
5 Year Surgiversary on November 13, 2011 11:32 am
5 Years have passed since RNY and it has forever changed my life! On surgiversary day i weighed in at 130 lbs! From May till November I lost 20 lbs and am now off insulin! Yoga has reshaped my body and mind! I still like to dance and the gym is my second home. My pouch is small and cannot hold alot of food, I am content eating small meals and enjoy dark chocolate as my guilty pleasure. My husband is a great support system and my bariatric friends, many whom I've met through facilitator of a support group, are wonderful people!
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4 Year Surgiversary on November 14, 2010 4:54 pm
My 4 year surgiversary has come and gone. I was 148 lbs at Year 4. I have had a gain of 8 lbs each year since 2007. I still exercise and watch what I eat but I am guilty of having bad cravings and being a carboholic! I am still happy I had WLS even though I am now a size 10 and shouldn't complain about it!
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3 Year Surgiversary on November 11, 2009 4:53 pm
November 9th was my 3 year surgiversary! The last 3 years have been a life changing experience for me. Since my last post almost a year ago, I have been trying to maintain my weight and even try to lose a few lbs. My support group is going great and growing. My husband's PD has pretty much remained the same. My son's virus is much better and he can speak well. I am still addicted to shopping and have begun to think about having a lower body lift. Healthwise, my A1C is up to 7.2 despite oral meds and a bit of insulin and I am a bit anemic so I've increased my iron. I still exercise, mostly taking dance and movement classes and I have lots of energy. On the day of my surgiversary I weighed 140lbs!
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Happy New Year! on January 4, 2009 2:04 pm
Well it's 2009 and I know I still look good, based on what others say however, I feel like a blob, I've gotten up to about 139 and I have to start watching and being more aware for the new year!
I am taking 2000 mg. of Vitamin D now and my A1C levels have crept up to 7.1 so I may be taking some insulin to combat that.
I hope that 2009 will be a good year for me and for my family, we are all facing some challenges, my husband with his Parkinson's, my older son with getting a job and my younger son and his virus that we hope will be going into remission.
On the bright side, I've been experimenting with some new recipes and have enjoyed making some interesting dishes.
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2 Year Surgiversary! on December 3, 2008 7:18 pm
November 9th was my 2 year surgiversary! It was a glorious day that was celebrated with several of my new bariatric friends who have become very dear to me. We feasted at an Asian Fusion Restaurant and shared 3 dishes for 5 of us...then we went out for fancy coffee at a local coffee house.
At my 2 year post op appt., I was 8 lbs more than a year ago post op and the same weight since my 18 month post op visit to the surgeon. My vitamin D levels are low - something I will address with my endocrinologist.
I feel great and still love my new body and my wardrobe...I've really become a compulsive shopper...my favorite store is Chico's...and I love Soma for bras and shapers!
I spend about 5 days a week at the gym because I can eat more often and I want to be able to maintain the weight without depriving myself of the foods I enjoy.
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Mid Year Update on July 3, 2008 11:05 am
It's about time that I post an update....my weight has stabilized at approximately 134 lbs. I am working hard to keep it at that and spending many hours at the gym where I do classes such as fitball, zumba, abs express and nia as well as the elliptical, bike and strength training. I am wearing size small, 6's and 8's and my closets are still packed with thrift/consignment shop designer finds and great clothing from friends and store sale and clearance racks!
My husband is looking better, he has started to go to the gym and is taking medication and although his condition will not improve, he is feeling good.
My son still has rrp, the virus has not gone into remission and he will have surgery again soon to clear his airways.
Life is busy, we have summer hours at work, I am enjoying my new bariatric friends I have met and some of us even went to the PA Pilgrimage in May! I run a support group that meets once a month and I always look forward to it and meeting my old and new friends there!
RNY was the best thing I ever did for myself, I feel great and do not feel my age! I have too much energy now!
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Happy New Year! on January 19, 2008 6:25 pm
It's a new year and hope for all it will be a good one...2007 had it's challenges but for the most part for me at least, it was a great year...a year that I reached a normal BMI and slimmed down to below goal weight. For my husband it brought the sad news that he has Parkinson's Disease and for my son who is presently 23, the news of RRP, Recurrent Respiratory Pappilamotosis that brings tumors to the vocal cords causing him to not be able to speak above a whisper. On Dec. 12 my dad passed away suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack at the age of 82. We did see both of my sons graduate from law school and college and my dad was there to see it and for that I'm so glad!
My weight has pretty much stabilized at approximately 130 lbs. I am wearing a size 6 and living with the flabby areas on my abs and stomach and thighs. Thank goodness for shapewear!
I am still so addicted to shopping and have a huge amount of clothing and so much to pick from! My favorite store is Chico's and I never pay full price there! I've been getting some great deals!
I am going to the gym as often as possible and I find it a huge stress reliever and a social outlet.
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Surgiversary! on November 9, 2007 11:25 pm
Today is my one year surgiversary! I am writing this from Los Angeles CA, where I came to spend this wonderful milestone with my "angel", Cheryl. Cheryl and I met on OH in August of 2006 and it has taken us all this time to finally meet in person! We are having a great time together, and plan to make this a tradition of celebrating every November! This morning I weighed in at 127.6 for a total loss in one year of 95 lbs! I actually purchased a size 4 pair of slacks out here on the clearance rack! What a feeling! Cheryl looks great too, she's lost 100 lbs and has kept it off for one year! Check for pictures here soon!
The year has just flown by and I am feeling so good! I have energy and strength I never thought I'd have. My loose skin issues are livable.
Cheryl and I have been reminicing about our experience and how much OH has helped us and still continues to help us. I am blessed with a wonderful new set of friends that have become a very important part of my life, many that I've met through my surgeon, at the peer to peer support group I run and through OH!
My diabetes is under control with meds and my doctor hopes that my pancreas will continue to produce insulin as long as possible so that I will not have to take injectable insulin. although it could be inevitable 15 years down the line. In the meantime, I must work hard to keep myself healthy and continue my exercise at the gym.
I received some great news while I am out here that my son passed the NJ Bar! Of course, we are extremely proud! I am blessed with a wonderful family; two adult sons who have grown up to be fine young men. My husband of 30 years is amazed at my progress and especially likes people telling him that his wife looks like a teenager!
Although I've been lax at keeping up with my journaling, I hope to at least try to post once a month! I welcome your comments and questions.
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Update on September 12, 2007 6:54 pm
Wow the time has gotten the best of me and I again haven't posted for a few weeks. Things are hectic now with work and stuff...my weight is doing well, I am down 93 lbs and weighed in today at 130.4. I am a little concerned that I'm getting too thin but I know it's just a temporary situation. The gym has been good to me and one of the reasons I'm still losing. My main goal is to tone and maintain my weight. I finally cleared my closet and even took out some size 10's that were too big! I took alot of clothing to the tailor and she did a great job of taking in my 12's and 10's! I am wearing 6's and 8's and small tops. My closet is getting full again! This weekend is my 35th HS reunion and no one from the class has seen me in 5 years...ya think that they'll be shocked??? I wasn't heavy in HS so maybe people will remember me that way. I may wear my sigrid olsen skinny jeans in a size 6!
in november I will be flying out to los angeles to meet my "angel", cheryl...we are counting the days till we meet face to face. cheryl is my sister that was separated from me at birth! we are going to be together for 4 days having lots of fun! we will be celebrating our surgiversaries and cheryl's birthday and we promised to buy something overpriced and extravagent in a boutique!
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Below My Goal! on August 17, 2007 10:26 am
Hi! I haven't posted in almost a month. My weight loss slowed down and there wasn't anything to report. I was exercising at the new gym since the beginning of July...today the scale showed that I have lost 90 lbs! So I'm almost 2 lbs below the goal I set which was 135. Size 8's are fitting well and small tops are getting smaller! It's still amazing that I am losing even though I'm adding more carbs and eating more often. My appetite has definitely increased but I still get full on bulkier foods. The hard part starts now, trying not to graze and eat carbs all day!
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My Story 9/24/06 -- I have been contemplating weight loss surgery for about 10 months. I know several people who have undergone gastric bypass and have had tremendous success. I am considered a "lightweight" with about 85 lbs to lose. My BMI is at 40 with diabetes, sleep apnea and lots of muscle pain and weakness. I am at my highest weight ever (about 225lbs) and am on high doses of diabetes medication. My endocrinologist suggested GBS as a "cure" of diabetes and I am finally going through all of the pre-certifications to qualify. I have never been thin but my weight issues began in my late teens and escalated after the birth of my second child in 1984. I am now 52 years old and I am tired of trying every new diet, having moderate success and then gaining back everything I have lost and then some. I am a regular visitor at my local Curves, a program I enjoy because it's easy and social. I can't imagine being thin, let alone what life will be like as a thin person!
9/25/06 -- Good News! Dr. Jean-Baptiste just called to tell me I was approved! I cannot believe that it was so easy! He got me approved just with the nutrition and psych evaluation! He has a great relationship with Blue Cross Blue Shield! My gallbladder ultrasound is on 10/2 and endoscopy and colonoscopy are scheduled for 10/17.
10/2 -- Had to change my ultrasound to next week because I left the prescription on my desk at work! Saw the cardiologist last week. He wants a nuclear stress and echo before he gives clearance but he is glad I'm getting the surgery done.
Oct. 9 - Had my gallbladder ultrasound, bloodwork and a visit to the nutritionist today. I have about 4 weeks to go. I made a wonderful new friend on this website, Cheryl, who is helping me with my profile and has become my "buddy" in this difficult journey to get thin and healthy. I want to publicly thank her for it and to G-d for bringing us together. We have many commonalities and are similar in many ways! Oct 17- Today I had my colonoscopy and endoscopy done... I even survived the prep...I was starving until I left at lunchtime to get some chicken broth from the kosher deli and it made a huge difference! I was able to get through the afternoon and had it again for dinner before I started to "excrete"....the bowel prep was fine better than I thought it would be and the stuff I had to drink wasn't bad at all. It showed me that I could get 64 oz of liquid in me in about 2 hours!!! The procedure went smoothly and I happened to meet a nurse in the unit who had RNY and was down 89lbs! She even paid for her surgery ($12k) because her doc didn't take any insurance...she looks amazing and has very little flab! She weighed 227 at surgery day. She gave me a little packet of protein powder from Champion and 3 calcium chews from bariatric advantage to take home! I really think that God brought us together as I was having another bout of self doubt today! I told my boss that I will be having surgery and will be out for 3 weeks (this nurse also said to take the full 3 weeks) and he was fine with it. I didn't tell him what kind of surgery I was having but told him that everything was fine and that I was doing this to prevent health issues in the future...nuf said! Next Tuesday I go for the pre-op testing and a nuclear stress test. Thursday night is Dr. JB's support group and I look forward to attending.
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