sunkissedcutie

  • BMI 31.1

Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

I was moody due to lack of self esteem.. I could not find any clothes to fit. They made me feel like a sack of potatoes.. To add to the problem I was extremely larged breasted which made anything I wear even bigger and baggy. I did not like to eat out at all because people stare at you and watch every bite you put in your mouth... like I am going to Oink or someething. I hated to fly the flight attendant always came over to me no matter what and wanted to see for herself if the seatbelt was fasten and would offer the extender... How embarrassing.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

I worked as an RN... Some doctors treated me like I was slow, idiot, or just fat and lazy... Several hospitals I worked at made me buy my own Scrubs as I could not wear a Doctors Scrubs. I just could not find anything to fit...

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

I enjoy any motion I can get with no lack of air.. No more huffin and puffin. I like to walk... I love to sing.. I have more lung capacity.. I do alot more things now then before.. and yes.. the ultimate question... Being a thinner you makes your love life the ultimate experience.. I love the feeling of a hug where a persons arms can encircle me.. no more little hug with a pat on the shoulders...

How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it?

I learned from a friend I went to high school with. She had always been very obese and had the stomach stapling. I liked the new her.... by this time I had had 5 children all C sections and it was an awful mess hanging on my tummy.

Describe your experience with getting insurance approval for surgery. What advice, if any, do you have for other people in this stage?

I did not have problems with the stomach stapling it was approved due to my weight.. It was when I got in trouble and needed help to correct my stapling that I could not get help... It took an Attorney and a couple of phone calls to get my insurance to pay half for my bariatric Surgery as it turned out as the Stapling had become Stenotic causing me to throw up, get ulcers and bleed. I lost most of my stomach and was one of the first 200 people to have Biliopancreatic Surgery by Dr. S. Ross Fox in Auburn Washington. Only advice I can say is the Squeaky Wheel gets Fixed... SO START SQUEAKING!

What was your first visit with your surgeon like? How can people get the most out of this meeting?

I thought when I met Dr. Fox i was not going to like him and he was nothing but a soft soaper to get patients... as I was held up in his office for hours and I had a long drive to get to him 7 hours. But... when I met him... I immediately like this warm compassionate man... He was not condescending, not lecturing me on my condition but telling me what could be done to help me... He was dead tired... from being in Surgery all day it was almost 6 pm when he got to me... He just sat on the floor in the office while talking to me. He was a very real person. Not fake at all.. Get the most out of your meeting by taking a list of questions on what you are having done... Prepare yourself a list after researching your surgery or procedure... and if thats not enough ask your doctor if you may bring a hand held tape player in to keep track of all he says... As when a Doctor says you will be a size 5 in no time... a heavy person just kinda goes over to LALA Land and does not listen 100% after that..

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I okayed the surgery because I was trying to loose weight, but was vomiting continous over a 5 year period and not losing weight... The blood in my throwing up made me get help, and I had begun to have high blood pressure. I also was Diabetic by this time.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

I discussed each option with my doctor and we decided what was best for my life style, profession and sucess rate.

What fears did you have about having complications or even dying from from the surgery, and what would you tell other people having the same fears now?

I had no fear of dying... I was confident in my doctor. My biggest fear was losing too much weight... Main question to Dr. was if you lose this weight how does it stop. I was assured less than 3% of patients have that problem. I became part of that 3% and had to have a revision a year later but...... because my mind was still thinking Overweight... I was still practicing my previous habits of not eating regular wholesome food... Everything was still Diet.. So I was not giving my body the amt of calories it needed to maintain or slow the progress of weight loss. If you listen to your Doctor and start reading on your Diet Regiment NOW instead of after you will know what to look for and how to correct it.

How did your family and friends react to your decision? Would you have communicated anything differently if you could now? How supportive were they after your surgery?

My family was shocked that I would go to such extreme... My family on both sides are extremely moribidly Obese... I did not want to end up like that for life.... My family was supportive until I had complications from too much weight loss and then even the regular doctors were not supportive it was you got what you deserved.

How did your employer/supervisor react to your decision? What did you tell him/her? How long were you out of work?

My employer was a hospital where I was night supervisor on a Labor and Delivery Floor. The Hospital Director of Nurses was the first to pull me aside more than once and ask me how she should go about recommending this surgery to several other overweight nurses... I was mortified that they would want to place that on my shoulders... Each person is themselves.. Some people get along fine overweight... This is a personal decision not one to made by anyone but you and then to confide in your doctor... But my work loved my weight loss. I was out of work about a month i believe... I lived in Alaska and had to fly south to Washington to have the surgery and then I had to stay until I got the green light to go home....

What was your stay in the hospital like? How long where you there? What things are most important to bring?

My original surgery in 1990 was wonderful.. The surgeon had his team trained at the hospital.. Therefore the surgical team and the nursing care on the floor you went to after surgery knew all about how to take care of you. I was in the hospital for 5 days. Most important thing to bring... is good slippers that don't slide... and get up and Walk, Walk , Walk dont lay in bed... Sit up and read, bring a journal and start writing in it from day one... Y ou will never regret it.

Did you have any complications from the surgery? If so, how did you deal with them?

Surgery itself no... not a one...

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

I felt wonderful in one months time I had lost 40 lbs. I could bend without being out of breath...I had NO Anxiety!!

Describe your first few weeks home from the hospital. What should people expect from this period?

I had alot of discomfort but that is because I did not have adequate help so I put strain on my incision... My doctor kept me as pain free as he could... He realized my dilemma when I popped open a 2 inch portion of my incision from bending too soon... adjusting to drinking your food was major... my body was not hungry but my brain was starved... I learned alot about behavioral modification during the first few weeks with my new life ahead of me... I also learned that what looks awful pureed... still tastes the same going down... So presentation of your food is very important.

How far did you travel to have your surgery? (If far, how did this affect your aftercare?)

I flew down from Alaska for the surgery when it was approved before that... I drove from Eastern Oregon to Auburn Washington for my meetings with Dr. Fox and for my testing. My aftercare required me to stay close by so I stayed in Portland with my sister and she drove me to Auburn for my follow up post Op appts.

Please describe in detail what things you could and couldn't eat in the weeks and months following surgery. What foods have been off limits? Please explain how your dietary tolerance changed week-by-week, and then month-by-month since surgery.

After my Gastric bypass, I was on a shot glass diet... Anything you could see thru and fit in a shot glass I got... All juices were diluted with water half and half... I did not eat solids. I drank soups, lots of water and took my vitamins which made me full... When i graduated to soft food it was just that Soft. I ate soft foods, well cooked vegies, fat free gravy when i had that... Meat was hard to tolerate... I pureed it but was hard to eat it that way... You certainly don't want to throw up after such a big surgery. My life diet has changed... I don't eat bread... It is filling and if you eat much of it there is nothing left for your meal... and if it gums up in your tummy you get sick.. All my veggies to this day are cooked well so I can digest them.. I love veggies but do cook them well.. Fresh Veggies over time I have added back in.. Some are more tolerated then others... I eat fresh fruit once in a while not often... as with my surgery anything with sugar or the word... ose on the end of it means... A day or night in the bathroom. Not my idea of a great way to spend my time. I do not have any desire for Soda's, Pepsi, Coke etc... I lost my taste for it after the surgery... Thought I would get it back but didn't... A godsend to me as it was part of my weight gain. I do not overeat.. I eat small meals... and put my meal up to eat later. Its very important to start counting vitamin intake after this surgery and to keep track that you get enough protein.. This can be very dangerous if you don't. I did not keep track of my protein and ended up in the hospital very ill.. So the short of it is... Keep your vitamins on board... Eat healthy... Your Choices depends on how you spend your time.. I know I can not have anything with milk in it... I do not tolerate it... causes the back door trots, cramping and bloating and awful flatus.... not worth the discomfort... I am able to tolerate a fresh green salad now with some protein mixed in it, chicken breast etc... but can't eat it everyday as it will also cause me to bloat and cramp. My new digestive system does not digest fresh stuff very well. I have learned to buy shredded lettuce and add fun small veggies to it and savor it... Its a treat to me... and what a treat.. I do not eat Candy as a practice... It gives me a tummy ache and also the sugar issue... If I overeat... I pay dearly for it by bloating and much discomfort. So my diet consist of cooked veggies, protein... mostly i get in eggs, chicken breasts boneless and skinless. A treat for me is a roasted chicken... I eat some fish but don't care for it. I can have an occassional food that has been deep fried but only a small amt. I eat beef cooked slow and tender but don't tolerate beef as well as Chicken... Pork I love but its either too rich or too dry... My family expect me to wake up with feathers one morning and start clucking!!!

What was your actvity level in the days and weeks after surgery?

Activity level was excellent... Have to remember you had surgery to lose weight not be sick... Get up and walk and move around... What a feeling to cross your legs or to bend to the floor or squat without falling over...

What vitamins and/or dietary supplements have you taken since your surgery?

I just take vitamins now and keep count of my protein.. I do take a RX for Calcitroil as I do have a problem with Calcium.. I also have problems with Iron... about every 18 months to 24 months I may have to go in and get an Iron Transfusion... as I don't absorb enough iron so try to work on things with Iron in it. I make sure I get plenty of my B vitamins... as they are a source of your energy level.. I also use alot of lotion on my body now as my skin is dryer and my hair need a good condtioner to maintain its health. I DO RECOMMEND AND DO NOT IGNORE THIS... BE SURE TO KEEP A RECORD OF ALL YOUR BLOOD WORK AND GET IT AS YOUR SURGEON REQUIRES. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR AFTER CARE... I ALWAYS HAVE MY COPIES TO KEEP TRACK FOR MYSELF AND TO GIVE TO MY FAMILY DOC IF I RUN INTO A PROBLEM.

What side effects (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbace, dumping, hair loss etc.) were worse for you? For how long after surgery did they persist? How did you cope with them?

well I did quite well until my protein level dipped real low.. I then lost my hair, stopped menstrating, dumping was only a problem if I ate something that had a hidden ingredient in it like real butter, or sourcream.. Dumping is not fun... I had no nauseau until I got low protein then i started swelling and was sick to my stomach.. I coped well with all but my hair loss. I was buying everything to try and keep it in my head.. Little did I know the treatment for hair loss laid within my dietary habits.

What was the worst part about the entire bariatric surgery process?

The NG tube... I hated it... it made me gag.. I only had nausea from it, not the food or liquids. The other thing was the people who looked at me like I was from Mars that I would go and have surgery to have weight loss... Alot of people consider it weak and lack of will power... All I have to say is walk in my shoes please for a week and tell me how weak I was....

What aftercare support group/program do you have? How helpful/important is this?

I didn't have in Alaska where I was at.. but the Doctors office had an advocate i could call and talk to... This is very important part of after care... as well as good communication with your surgeon... Dr. Ross Fox was excellent in following up on phone calls and taking my calls in the evening or even the weekends... I did not do this as a practice at all... but it was very nice to know my doctor cared beyond the hospital walls.

What is your scar like? Is this what you expected?

I had a wonderful scar.. Small in width but very long scar. and what I expected.. He told me before he did it.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

I plateaud after a second surgery a year later... I lost to much so they did a revision... I had dropped to 100 lbs from 248lbs in less than 12 months. so they lengthen my small bowl to absorb more... took me 8 months to get up to 126 lbs.. I stayed there until I started having problems with Asthma and did not know it but also has MS... They put me on steroids a couple of times and each time I gained some weight.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Yes they do treat me differant but you know what... My friends who loved me when I was overweight are my real friends... The others are artificial...I don't need friends like that.. People base their opinion on you by the way you look. I am astonished by the open remarks made by people who do not have a weight problem about those that do... They truely think all heavy people are pigs... and overeat.
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