NANCY M.

Obesity & Me

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

I HAVE HAD WEIGHT PROBLEM ALL MY LIFE.I GUESS IT REALLY STARTED TO BOTHER ME WHEN I WAS IN THE 4TH GRADE.KIDS WERE SO CRUEL WITH THE NAME CALLING. I TRIED EVER DIET THERE WAS. I WOULD LOOSE A LITTLE AND THEN GAIN A WHOLE BUNCH. THIS WENT ON ALL THE REST OF MY LIFE.WHEN I HIT THE 250 MARK THATS WHEN MY HEALTH PROBLEMS HAPPEN.MY BACK HAD A CRACK DISK HAD SURGERY 20YRS. AGO THE DR SAID I HAD ANOTHER ONE THAT NEEDED TO COME OUT BUT SAID FOR ME TO LOOSE 100 POUNDS AND COME BACK THEN. WELL NEEDLESS TO SAY I NEVER LOST THE 100 POUNDS AND MY BACK JUST GOT WORSE.THEN Arthritis SET IN MY BACK AND HIPS AND ALL MY JOINTS.IN 1994 I HAD CANCER IN THE RECTUM.I HAD RADATION AND CHEM.THEN SURGERY,SO FAR IT HASN'T SHOWED BACK UP THANK GOD. I GAVE BIRTH TO 2 CHILDREN WEIGHING OVER 200 POUNDS AT THAT TIME, WAS DIFFICULT BUT EVERYTHING WENT OK.I STARTED HAVING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE ABOUT 4 YRS AGO.I AM SO SHORT WINDED WHEN I WALK JUST A LITTLE WAYS.WITH ALL THESE PROBLEMS MY DRS.TOLD ME IF I DIDN'T LOOSE THE WEIGHT I'D BE IN A WHEELCHAIR IN 6 MONTHS.WELL I WAS ALMOST THERE.I HAVE BEEN USEING A CANE FOR THE LAST 5 MONTHS. HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO MY OWN SHOPPING OR GO ANYWHERE.I JUST COULDN'T STAND LIVING THIS WAY.I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERRY ACTIVE. THIS IS WHAT MADE ME DECIDE TO GET THIS SURGERY.I DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE.I HAVE BEEN GOING TO A PAIN CENTER GETTING STERIOD SHOTS IN MY BACK.THAT DIDN'T WORK.THE DR. ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE INTRESTED IN A STOMACH BYPASS SURGERY, HE SAID THERE WASN'T ANYTHING ELSE HE COULD DO FOR ME.I HAD ALSO BEEN TO A ORTHOPEDIC FOR MY KNEES AND HIPS AND BACK. HE SAID I NEEDED A TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT ON MY RIGHT KNEE.AS FOR THE BACK THERE ISN'T ANYTHING HE COULD DO FOR ME UNLESS I LOOSE THE WEIGHT.HE SAID IF I LOST THE WEIGHT MY HIPS PROBLEY WOULDN'T BOTHER .SO YOU SEE I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE.I'M 54 YRS.OLD AND NO WHERE READY TO END UP IN A WHEELCHAIR.

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

THE PAIN CONSTANTLEY HURTING. NOT ABLE TO WALK VERRY FAR OR ABLE TO BREATH RIGHT.THE SHAME OF THE WAY I LOOK.I HATED IT.NOT HAVING ENERGY TO PLAY WITH MY GRANDKIDS.KNOWING THAT I HAVE TO DO THIS SURGERY I HAVE NO CHOICE.MY KIDS HAVE TO WAIT ON ME I HATE HAVING TO CALL THEM FOR HELP TO BRING THE GROC.IN FROM THE CAR CAUSE I'M TOO EXGUSTER TO DO IT.NOT ABLE TO FIND CLOTHS THAT FIT ME OR HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH TO GET THE RIGHT SIZE FOR ME.

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'M STILL NOT ABLE TO DO MUCH BECAUSE OF MY ARTHRITIS IN MY BACK AND HIPS, BUT i am able to walk a little without getting short winded. thats great. I CAN WALK TO THE DRS. OFFICE AND i am not short winded...FEBRUARY 20,2003 IT'S BEEN 1 YR AND 3 MONTHS AND I FEEL WONDERFUL.I'VE LOST 129 POUNDS.I'VE GONE FROM A SIZE 28 TO SIZE 16-18.I NEVER DREAM I WOULD EVER GET INTO THIS SIZE.I HAVEN'T BEEN IN THIS SIZE SINCE I WAS IN JR HIGH.MY HEALTH HAS INPROVED SO MUCH.I CAN WALK UP TO 2 MILES A DAY AND DON'T EVEN GET WINDED.I GO TO WATERAROBICS 3 TIMES A WEEK FOR 2 HR A DA.THIS SURGERY HAS SAVED MY LIFE.I THANK GOD EVER DAY FOR THIS SURGERY.I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY BACK I HAVE 2 HERINATED DISK FROM THE YRS OF BEEING OVERWEIGHT.BUT I'M STILL LOOSING AND HOPING MAYBE IT WILL GET BETTER.I HAVE A LOT OF LOOSE SKIN NOW THAT I AM HOPING WILL TIGHTEN UP WITH THE EXERCISING I DO.I ALSO WORKOUT WITH WEIGHTS TO TIGHTEN MY MUSCLES.I'M EATING JUST ABOUT ANYTHING NOW.I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO EAT SWEETS AND THAT IS MY WEAKNESS,BUT I TRY TO KEEP IT LOW.I EAT 3 PROTEIN BARS A DAY WHICH HELP KEEP MY PROTEIN CHECKED.I HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING ALL MY WATER IN FOR NEVER HAVE BEEN A WATER DRINKER BUT I TRY.I DRINK ALOT OF JUICES CRYSTAL LITE AND DECAF TEA.IF I HAD IT ALL TO DO AGAIN I WOULD NOT HESITATE TO DO IT.I JUST WISH THEY HAD THIS SURGERY 20 YRS AGO AND I HAD GOTTEN IT THEN.IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO E-MAIL ME OR ASK ME ANYTHING I'D BE GLAD TO HELP IN ANY WAY.DO I HAVE ANY REGREATS-DIFFENTLY NOT!!THIS IS THE BEST GIFT I COULD OF EVER GIVEN TO MYSELF.I'M 56YRS OLD AND FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN GIVEN A NEW LIFE.I WENT TO LAS VEGAS AND WALKED ALL OVER THE PLACE ,BEFORE I COULD NOT DO MUCH WALKING.NOW I CAN WALK THE MALL AND IT DON'T EVEN BOTHER ME.

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

MY PAIN CENTER DR. RECOMENDED THAT I HAVE THIS SURGERY DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.HE SAID HE COULD DO NO MORE FOR ME.I HAD HEARD FROM MY NEICE A FRIEND OF HERS HAD A SIMILAR OPERATION DONE several yrs. AGO BUT I NEVER THOUGHT I'D EVER THINK OF DOING IT.I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST to RISKY.but when the Dr. give up on you then you have no other choice

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

I WAS VERY LUCKY MY DRs. office did all the filling for Insurance and it was aproved in just a couple of months.ALL I CAN SUGEST IS NEVER GIVE IN KEEP TRYING TO GET IT APROVED.

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

take notes if you can cause its hard to remember everything he say.Listen to every word.Cause this is your life he will be working on. I was very nervous at my first visit.Here stood a tall verry thin young Dr. telling me he understood why I can't loose the weight.He was telling me alot of the times is the genes in our body that keeps us from loosing.I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT BUT DIDN'T THINK ANYONE ELSE DID.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

Iwas at my wits end.I knew if Ididn't get this surgery that I didn't have much longer to live.I liked the Dr. he was very straight and foreward on how important it is to stick with the diets following the surgery.How important it is to heal and to not life heavy things.I JUST REALLY LIKED HIM.

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

MY STAY IN THE HOSPITAL WAS THE BEST.I WAS THE ONLY PERSON ON THAT FLOOR SO I HAD A NURSE THAT WAS SO HELPFUL.I WAS PRETTY MUCH OUT OF IT THE FIRST DAY.I WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING.I FOUND OUT I HAD SLEEP APNEA.MY DAUGHTER STAYED WITH ME THAT NIGHT.THE BREATHING MONITOR WAS KEEPING ME AWAKE.THAT THE ONLY THING THAT I DIDN'T LIKE.I DID GET UP THAT NIGHT AND WALK LITTLE.DR. WAS VERRY STRICK ABOUT THE WALKING.I WAS THERE 3 DAYS.I REALLY DIDN'T USE ANY OF MY THINGS THAT I TOOK. I JUST Wore THEIR GOWNS AND STUFF.REALLY DIDN'T NEED ANYTHING ELSE. I DID WEAR MY LOUNGER WHEN I WENT HOME CAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO WEAR ANY THING TIGHT AROUND MY STOMACH.

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

MY SURGERY WAS 4.5 HRS. THE DR. SAID THEY HAD SOME PROBLEMS AROUND MY NAVEL. I HAD LEASIONS WHERE I HAD A NAVEL HERNIA OPERATION SEVERAL YRS. AGO.ALSO WITH MY BREATHING.I HAD TO TAKE DEEP BREATHS BECAUSE OF MY SLEEP APENA.I ALSO HAD MY GAULBLADDER OUT THAT AREA WAS MORE PAINFUL THAN THE OTHERS. IT IS STILL BOTHERING ME.12-14-01Now it been 5 weaks sincE my surgery and I HAVE NO MORE PAIN FROM MY SURGERY.

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

WHEN I GOT MY SURGERY DATE I FIRST WAS HAPPY AND EXCITED. THEN A FEW DAYS LATER I BEGAN TO GET SCARED. I WAS SO AFRAID I WOULDN'T MAKE IT. PLUS I HAD HEARD A GIRL WAS BRAIN DEAD BECAUSE OF THIS SURGERY.THAT REALLY SCARED ME. BUT I PUT IT IN GODS HANDS.I'LL HAVE TO ADMITT THE NIGHT BEFORE I COULDN'T SLEEP. THAT DAY I DID ALOT OF PIGGING OUT!!I DIDN'T HAVE TO FAST AT ALL.i ALSO DID ALOT OF PRAYING!!I ALSO SPENT THE DAY ON THE COMPUTER TRYING TO KEEP MY MINE OCUPIED.

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

I GO BACK EVERY MONTH TO see Dr. MacDaniels he will give me my b-12 shot and also my iron and calicum.we talk for a while about the diet and how I was doing.IT has been 5 weeks and I've lost 55 pounds.He said I was exactley at where I'm suspose to be ,he was verry pleased with the weight i lost.I also go every 2 weeks to a support group session with my scycoligest(ms)i REALLY THINK I AM GETTING VERRY GOOD SUPPORT.My family and friends are verry suportive of me and say they are so proud of the weight i've lost.1-22-02 I think it is very important to continue the suport sessionsafter the surgery.It helps alot .

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

MY SCARS ARE PRETTY MUCH WHAT i EXPECTED.THEY HAVE HEALED UP RIGHT 1-22-01 my scares are very lite now hardly can see them.NOW THEY ARE STILL RED BUT THE Dr. said they will fade out in time.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

12-14-01 so far none I'm still loosing weight.1-2-02 i haven't felt like i've lost any weight so i must be plateuing.I CAN EAT JUST ABOUT ANYTHING NOW.I'VE LOST 55 POUNDS SO FAR.1-22-02 I AM IN A PLATUE Ican tell I HAVEN'T LOST MUCH. i am having a hard time getting in my water.I AM WORKING ON THIS .

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

1-2-01 NO i HAVEN'T NOTICED OF PEOPLE TREATING ME DIFFERENT IN FACT THEY ARE VERRY SUPORTIVE.
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