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Surgeon Testimonial Michael A. Snyder My first impression of Dr. Snyder is that he passionately wants to help obese people become healthy. That impression never changed. He gives you all the tools you need to be sucessful in his program, right down to employing a registered dietician and a notebook of things to expect, things to do to prepare, a shopping list of things to have on hand for after the surgery, a list of expectations as to what you should be doing after surgery to become healthy, and many more tabs.rnrnThe office staff was very helpful, although I sometimes had trouble getting calls back. I just had to be my own advocate and keep calling and leaving messages, and emailing when the calls didn't work.rnrnI didn't dislike anything at all about him. He is high energy, and sometimes that's a little intimidating to someone who is basically sedentary like me, but I hope that as the weight comes off, my energy levels will go up, too.rnrnHe demands execellence of himself, and he demands it of you, too. Make sure before you have your surgery that you KNOW what you are going into, and the side-effects you could experience because of it. Make sure you follow his eating suggestions BEFORE surgery so that you know how you'll eventually be eating after surgery. LOSE WEIGHT before surgery, it helps him be able to move around in your belly. He does address the risks of the surgery, both physical and emotional, and warns you that there will come a time you'll wonder \"why did I ever do this?\" I told him that time would never come.rnrnHis aftercare program is excellent. There are several different support groups you can attend at the hospital, and he requires visits to his office the week after surgery, then 3 weeks post-op, then 6 weeks post-op, and then again at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, and thereafter once a year. At the first 3 appointments, you also attend nutritional classes so you know what you can be eating and how to transition to the next steps.rnrnI would rate Dr. Snyder a 10, extremely competent, enthusiastic, personable, helpful (he even gives you his personal pager number in case you panic or have problems). And his bedside manner is great, along with his surgical competence.... both are wonderful! Member Interests
Erica Alikchihoo's Journey Click Here To View Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery. I was always "lush" - "curvy" - no skinny-mini for me. I look back at pictures of myself, and I was NOT fat, but I was constantly TOLD I was overweight, and my parents constantly had me on "diets". I was 5'9" and weighed between 140 and 145 most of the time. But my relationship with my parents was not the best, and I ran away from home at age 16. Ended up being kidnapped, raped, beaten and held hostage until I believed that I deserved to be where I was. Took me nearly a year to get out of that situation, and only then because he killed two of my pets. I was so afraid of him that I left the state, made some bad decisions, ended up pregnant, and had to come back home to my Dad and Stepmom's. I had the baby, and then to prove to my... Latest Surgery Support Comments
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I got to my room at about 3:30, and they were already giving me sips of water. I had oxygen on, and this huge catheter in my neck 
, with all these "pik lines" so that they could give me lots of different meds at once, but that meant that I didn't have any IVs in my hands or arms, so I could put on a robe or other piece of clothing without having to maneuver around IVs. Within 2 hours, I was up walking with this very interesting walker 
. It had a padded platform with a semi-circular cutout that came up to just under my breasts, and you lean on it and hold on to some upright handles attached to the front of the walker. On the side, it's got an oxygen tank to that they can hook you up to while you walk. I walked twice that night, and then 6 times the next day. But, they actually disconnected me from the neck IV several times - once to go to the shower - and two or three times to walk, and so I only had to use that high platform walker three or four times. They were willing to take the oxygen off for my walks after noon the second day. The Upper GI came back great, and I was drinking enough fluids and passing gas, so they asked me if I wanted to go home on Wednesday! 
I was pretty excited! Problem was, they told me "absolutely NO STRAINING!" But I couldn't move around in bed without straining.... and that became an issue. Plus, there are just a few little things that they DON'T tell you about when you're ready to go home from a bypass surgery. Like what to expect - stool-wise. They could have saved me two very embarrassing moments. 
, or coughing, and it was making it hard to take a deep breath yesterday and the day before, so I called my surgeon's office. They told me to take a pain pill and use a heating pad for a couple of hours, and if it wasn't better, then to go to the ER to rule out a blood clot in the lung. Well, it wasn't better.... so we spent 3 hours sitting and reading in the ER, waiting for blood work, x-rays, and the result of a CT Scan. Lucky for me, it was all negative.... so I know it's just a pulled muscle. Right now, I'm sore and stiff, but that works it's way out after I've walked for a while. 
My partner and I - well, our social life pretty much revolved around food and eating out. I made the decision I did because I felt like it was killing me. But for her, it hasn't been so easy. She's basically lost her "sushi" date every Friday night. 
She's basically lost her "spur of the moment - you want to go out?" partner. 
Even though I have repeatedly assured her that I don't mind her eating in front of me, she is still self-conscious, and will disappear into the den to eat while she plays on her computer. One of our support group leaders said at one of our sessions, that sooner or later, we would get to the point where WE, the WLS patient, would look at other people's plates and wonder to ourselves in a nasty way - "How can they EAT that crap!?" 
She is afraid now that I will think that way about her.
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