I need a favor--WLS outcomes survey

Thank you Diane.  Yes you have hit on some very good points, because often the obesity not only hindered our health but sometimes even doing the daily things like laundry.

Thanks for sharing your story with me.  I hope I can paint a very clear picture for them of life as an obese person and then the freedom and health that WLS can bring.

Take Care,
Nicole

Nicole,

I agree with Diane, you really have come into your own. Your confidence and assertiveness is fantastic to see.

My surgery was June 2005. I have bi-polar and my psychiatrist and I worked on finding a way to make sure that I could still get my meds and not damage the pouch. We changed my pills to liquid Lithium carbonate and liquid Depakote. Within a week, my poor pouch had a huge ulcer. I fought with the ulcer, puking, etc for about 6 months before we got it under control. I still take the prilosec daily to make sure the ulcer stays away as I take about 20 pills a day.

I have lost about 130 lbs and would go thru the ulcer, puking all over again to not be 300 lbs. I credit this surgery with giving me the ability to chase after Princess Nemi, go back to work for the first time in years ( darn jab ended).

I agree with others that still having bad relations with food, emotional eating does not get fixed with the surgery. I still fight with that everyday, I lose the fight alot too. But I still try, that is what I can do.

If you want anymore info,  don't hesitate to email me and we can chat.

Have a great day and I think this is a great thing you are doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Karen

Karen,

Thank you for sharing!  Will you be at the PNC support group tomorrow?  IF so I would love to chat with your a bit more about some questions I have.  I don't have your email address, so perhaps I could get that from you tomorrow night as well if you are there.

Thanks for the support!  The growth this past year has all been supported by the loving, kind people like you that I have met here and through PNC and MG coffee.

Have fun chasing Princess Nemi!

Nicole 

Hi Nicole,

"Complications" is a loaded word.  What I mean by that is you can have complications due to the surgery but it could be as simple as an injection site reaction.  I had "Complications" with the morphine that I was given for pain.  Just about the time my dad stopped in for a visit while in the hospital I was sitting up and started dry heaving.  A direct result of the morphine.  Also considered a "Complication" associated with the surgery.  The serious nature of the reaction is in the eye of the beholder and not necessarily life threatening.  (But I will tell you that dry-heaving with a freshly minted pouch was not my idea of fun!)

f

Yes, I know that complication much like many other terms used in the medical and psychology world is loaded and open for interpreation.  Part of the point of gathering stories is also to show that yes there maybe complications, but often times they are not directly related to the surgery itself as in your case with the morphine....A friend of mine also pointed out that when people who have had WLS die it is always attributed to the WLS not the actual cause like a heart attack, stroke, etc.  Thank you for sharing your story with me and I could not even imagine the pain of dry heaving with a new pouch...ouch!

Take Care,
Nicole

I was one of the lucky ones as well.  I've had no complications associated with my surgery.  I also followed all of the rules to the letter, and I think that helps a lot.  I lost 100 lbs in about 8 months, and the last 10 in about 4 months, so I got below my goal within a year.  I now have energy to do things I never did before - walk for miles, just be up and about all the time.  It's been a life-changing experience for me.  I never realized how small my world had gotten until I started to explore after feeling so much better after surgery.  The only negative I have to say about the whole process is something many of us on this board have talked about.  Surgery doesn't fix your head!  I've come to realize after surgery that food was an addiction for me, and I've had to deal with transferring addictions after surgery.  It's not fun, and I wi**** had been addressed prior to surgery, but I still wouldn't trade surgery for anything.

Renee,

Yes it is truely amazing at how small our world becomes the larger we get.  I was amazed at how much I was missing before surgery. 

Yes, I too have struggled with the mental aspects that got me to where I was pre-op, but that is one of the reasons I feel I need to educate my professor and classmates, because those of us on this journey often rely on the help of mental health professionals to work through everything and be successful long term.  I am starting to seriously consider specializing in working with Bariatric patients once I am done with school (which will be another 4 years since I have 1 1/2 years of undergrad and 2 of graduate school).  I do hope that you are able to find help in dealing with the transfer addictions, there are some good therapists out there, it is just a matter of finding them if you haven't already found one.

Thank you so much for sharing your story with me!
Nicole

Nicole, holy mackeral!!  Gorgeous gal!  Even Roger asked who that was and then went" holy SH**!!!"  lol

You have my permission to use my pictures  I think you can find them on my page.  if you need anything else just holler  :)

I started out at 315 lbs and am now 165lbs. in one year

I've gone from a size 26-28 to a 8-10

I've gone from not making it to the mailbox without 2 stops to walking 2 miles (would go further but due to other problems I can't)

I can walk, breath, chase my grandchildren and am enjoying life.

As for problems Other than this last couple of weeks I've been pretty problem free.  I"m down now with the flu and was fighting it last week unknown and dehydrated.  It was my own fault for getting complacent with the water....  REMEMBER THE JUG!!!  lol

Please post what happens.  I"m so damn proud of you gal...  go get 'em!!!

*hugs*

Lori,

Oh my gosh look at you, you are really shrinking!  Thank you, yes most people at work and school did not recognize me after the makeover!

Thank you for sharing and the approval to use your before & after photos.  Yes, water is very important.  When I was down with the flu I actually drank falt diet sprite or ginger ale or the light gatorade to keep myself hydrated.  I hope you are feeling better!

Hugs!
Nicole

HI

Sounds like a good project.

I have had several serious complications.  The day after surgery I had complete kidney failure. Two months after surgery I got a severe MRSA infection in my leg and was on IV antibiotics for almost 3 months.
I do know of two people who have died from surgery, one a friend of mine.
I have had an excellent results from the surgery. My co morbidities were so bad surgery was really my last hope.  My diabetes was completely out of control. The week before surgery I was taking between  225-250 units of insulin/day. My AIC before surgery was 12.1.  Now , I take 14 units of Lantus before bed and 10 units of Byeta twice a day. Two weeks ago my AIC was 6.3.
When I first came home from the hospital I was able to walk on my treadmill at .5 mph for 90 seconds.  Monday I walked between 1.8 and 2.2 mph for 38 minutes with a minimal amount of pain.

Yes, I did have  problems surviving the surgery, but now I am more than just existing, I have a life.  That alone should say something positive for the surgery.