Topics in this digest:
1.1. Re: Hello
From: Beth
1.2. Re: Hello
From: krsandahl@aol.com
1.3. Re: Hello
From: mlsande21@comcast.net
1.4. Re: Hello
From: Ruth DeGraff
2.1. Question
From: Kathleen Reeder
2.2. Re: Question
From: julrey223@yahoo.com
3a. Re: I could use feedback!! (about dealing with excess skin)
From: Kathleen Reeder
Messages
________________________________________________________________________
1.1. Re: Hello
Posted by: "Beth" bethlibby@rocketmail.com bethlibby@rocketmail.com
Date: Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:32 am ((PST))
Hi Rebecca,
My doctor pushed me to lose weight, but never pushed for the WLS. I went to a seminar on WLS with a friend of mine who wanted to go and wanted company. I had the surgery and she didn't. The decision to have the surgery was the decision I ever made. I had my GBS on 09/08/2008 and to date have lost 152 lbs. I was 366 lbs at my highest and am 214 lbs currently. I was taking two medications for high blood pressure and 5 for diabetes, now I take one for each and those are each half the dose from before. I had bad arthritis in my knees, I could barely walk. Now I walk a mile and a half a day. I have had no problems related to the surgery except occasional back pain from shifting weight and worsened skin conditions due to excess skin (I had problems prior, but now its worse). I never had the problems with dumping and vomiting others have had and I the only food I couldn't eat after the surgery (besides the food restricted by my doctor) was chicken due to its consistency, but even that has gotten better 16 months out. But I'm one of the lucky ones.
My best friend had the surgery and dealt with infections from the surgery for months after, but they have since resolved, and she is now healthy and says the surgery is the best decision she ever made. A co-worker of mine had the surgery and had real problems, she couldn't eat very much at all and lost weight way too quickly. She also tried to commit suicide two months after the surgery. She had issues prior to the surgery, and she confided that she failed her psych eval, but her program did the surgery anyway. Shes doing okay now and she is at a healthy weight. Apparently many suffer a post surgery depression, which I had not heard about until I joined a WLS support group on line. Again, I was lucky because this did not happen to me. I also have another coworker whose sister died as a result of WLS.
WLS is a serious and personal decision which requires a lot of thought. It is not a quick fix. You have to be mentally prepared for all of the changes to your life. You will not be able to eat what you want, when you want. You have to be prepared to exercise. You have to be prepared for all the potential complications.
But to say that one should just lose weight with diet and exercise, I'm sorry but that's offensive. That is the same line I have gotten my entire life from everybody. It's no less offensive from someone who has had the surgery. If it were that "easy", there would be no need for WLS and there is a need. I was in a bad way medically. I couldn't exercise, the surgery allowed me to lose the weight so I can now exercise. I tried dieting and I couldn't do it, not long term. Is the surgery a cure all, absolutely not. But I could have told myself that I'd just lose the weight with diet and exercise, and I would have lost some, but I probably would have gained it back and then some. I'm healthier and yes happier now. An added bonus, I quit smoking to have the surgery and haven't smoked in almost two years!
Good luck to you in whatever decision you make.
Beth (Sorry about the length)
--- In afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com, "beccay10" <beccay10@...> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone. I am in the process of trying to decide if WLS is right for me. My PCP recommended it and I have my first consultation with my surgeon on Monday. I am surprised that there isn't more activity in this group. How is everyone doing? Where are you at in the process?
>
> I have checked out several other message boards, but I am looking for a variety of opinions. One in particular seems to be very popular and active, but the website also sells ALOT of expensive products, so I want to make sure I get varied opinions about if all those things are necessary or if it is better to learn to eat regular, everyday food.
>
> Thanks for all your input so the newbies don't have to reinvent the wheel!
>
> Rebecca
>
Messages in this topic (87)
________________________________________________________________________
1.2. Re: Hello
Posted by: "krsandahl@aol.com" krsandahl@aol.com krsandahl
Date: Sun Dec 13, 2009 1:09 pm ((PST))
Hi - my name is Kristin,
I haven't has WLS yet but I am set for Jan 4. I am looking forward to bringing in the New Year as a healthy new me. I would love to hear anything anyone has to say - positive, not so positive. I am not so nervous about the surgery as I am about complications down the road. It seems this procedure has come so far. I have seen alot of expensive products myself so I am curious as to whether or not anyone here has purchased them and are they necessary? I am especially interested in the supplements people are taking after the WLS.
Thank you!
Kristin
-----Original Message-----
From: lawanda davis <lilbitspanky@yahoo.com>
To: afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sat, Dec 12, 2009 2:19 pm
Subject: Re: [After Weight Loss Surgery] Hello
Hello my name is lawanda and i had gastric bypass on feb .17 this year and have lost 120 lbs so far. This was the best decision i have made for my self. I feel 20 years younger. Good luck on your journey.
----------
Sent from AT&T's Wireless network using Mobile Email
------Original Message------
From: beccay10 <beccay10@yahoo.com>
To: <afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Sat, Dec 12, 2009 04:08 PM
Subject: [After Weight Loss Surgery] Hello
Hi everyone. I am in the process of trying to decide if WLS is right for me. My PCP recommended it and I have my first consultation with my surgeon on Monday. I am surprised that there isn't more activity in this group. How is everyone doing? Where are you at in the process?
I have checked out several other message boards, but I am looking for a variety of opinions. One in particular seems to be very popular and active, but the website also sells ALOT of expensive products, so I want to make sure I get varied opinions about if all those things are necessary or if it is better to learn to eat regular, everyday food.
Thanks for all your input so the newbies don't have to reinvent the wheel!
Rebecca
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Messages in this topic (87)
________________________________________________________________________
1.3. Re: Hello
Posted by: "mlsande21@comcast.net" mlsande21@comcast.net mlsande21
Date: Sun Dec 13, 2009 1:45 pm ((PST))
Hi Kristin......what type of WLS are you having?
----- Original Message -----
From: krsandahl@aol.com
To: afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2009 1:09:22 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Re: [After Weight Loss Surgery] Hello
Hi - my name is Kristin,
I haven't has WLS yet but I am set for Jan 4. I am looking forward to bringing in the New Year as a healthy new me. I would love to hear anything anyone has to say - positive, not so positive. I am not so nervous about the surgery as I am about complications down the road. It seems this procedure has come so far. I have seen alot of expensive products myself so I am curious as to whether or not anyone here has purchased them and are they necessary? I am especially interested in the supplements people are taking after the WLS.
Thank you!
Kristin
-----Original Message-----
From: lawanda davis < lilbitspanky@yahoo.com >
To: afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sat, Dec 12, 2009 2:19 pm
Subject: Re: [After Weight Loss Surgery] Hello
Hello my name is lawanda and i had gastric bypass on feb .17 this year and have lost 120 lbs so far. This was the best decision i have made for my self. I feel 20 years younger. Good luck on your journey.
----------
Sent from AT&T's Wireless network using Mobile Email
------Original Message------
From: beccay10 < beccay10@yahoo.com >
To: < afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com >
Date: Sat, Dec 12, 2009 04:08 PM
Subject: [After Weight Loss Surgery] Hello
Hi everyone. I am in the process of trying to decide if WLS is right for me. My PCP recommended it and I have my first consultation with my surgeon on Monday. I am surprised that there isn't more activity in this group. How is everyone doing? Where are you at in the process?
I have checked out several other message boards, but I am looking for a variety of opinions. One in particular seems to be very popular and active, but the website also sells ALOT of expensive products, so I want to make sure I get varied opinions about if all those things are necessary or if it is better to learn to eat regular, everyday food.
Thanks for all your input so the newbies don't have to reinvent the wheel!
Rebecca
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Messages in this topic (87)
________________________________________________________________________
1.4. Re: Hello
Posted by: "Ruth DeGraff" ruthd15@verizon.net ruth0815
Date: Sun Dec 13, 2009 7:42 pm ((PST))
I had gastroplasty in 1991. I weighed 355 and lost a whole 65 pounds. I
developed severe G.E.R.D., and would aspirate food into my lungs by
coughing at night while I slept. It was awful, and as a result of many bouts
with pneumonia & bronchitis I now have C.O.P.D. I needed to have revision
WLS to repair my . esophagus a upper GI showed that my pouch was intact, but
my esophageal sphincter was gone. I had 7 different doctors that said that
I needed this repair. Our insurance wouldn't pay for the repair saying the
original cause of the G.E.R.D. was the gastroplasty. I was in the process of
filing a claim with the national insurance something (don't remember name)
and my husband's work got new insurance. During the 6 years that I fought
with the insurance company. It took the new insurance company 30 minutes to
authorize the surgery. I had a RNY in January of 2007. It was not a
standard RNY, and my surgeon explained to my daughter who is a R.N. I will
never puke again. The surgery went fine and they were about to transfer me
to my room when I coded. They brought me back, and I made a full recovery.
They never did figure out what caused me to die. I have lost over 110
pounds, but I am still at 240. I know that's still a lot, but I feel great.
I now wear a size 16. I haven't been this small since 1967. While I was
fighting to get fixed I developed Coronary Artery Disease, I have a stent in
my heart, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a thyroid disorder. I
also have sleep apnea. I was diagnosed with that before the 1st WLS. My
blood pressure runs about 120/65, and my cholesterol is great. Would I do it
again? YOU BET! In a heartbeat. I can but clothes off the rack. I don't need
Lane Bryant or Roman's. I can bend over and pick stuff up off the floor
without hanging on to something. A flight of stairs makes me slightly short
of breath, instead of gasping for air, and I'm off of oxygen. I hope to take
off more weight, but I'm comfortable. That's my story. We have to do what's
right for ourselves, and everyone is different.
Ruth D
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Messages in this topic (87)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
2.1. Question
Posted by: "Kathleen Reeder" kat_reeder@att.net kat_reeder@att.net
Date: Sun Dec 13, 2009 12:15 pm ((PST))
I had my surgery on Oct/2005 and lost the required weight and health problems. However, I have (and had before surgery) Osteoporosis and VitaminD dificiency. My PCP suggested that I start drinking regular milk. What is our biology going to do with regular milk, I had rou-n-y.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Messages in this topic (106)
________________________________________________________________________
2.2. Re: Question
Posted by: "julrey223@yahoo.com" julrey223@yahoo.com julrey223
Date: Sun Dec 13, 2009 12:21 pm ((PST))
I am not sure if this helps but I am 3 months out and I drink 2 cups of skim milk a day. My Dr said that's fine it just counts as one of my meals its 180 calories and 18 grams of protein.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
-----Original Message-----
From: Kathleen Reeder <kat_reeder@att.net>
Date: Sun, 13 Dec 2009 12:15:05
To: <afterweightlosssurgery@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [After Weight Loss Surgery] Question
I had my surgery on Oct/2005 and lost the required weight and health problems.� However, I have (and had before surgery) Osteoporosis and VitaminD dificiency.� My PCP suggested that I start drinking regular milk.� What is our biology going to do with regular milk, I had rou-n-y.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Messages in this topic (106)
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
3a. Re: I could use feedback!! (about dealing with excess skin)
Posted by: "Kathleen Reeder" kat_reeder@att.net kat_reeder@att.net
Date: Sun Dec 13, 2009 12:44 pm ((PST))
My insurance won't cover any plastic surgery. Even breast reduction wouldn't get approved and that is even though I wear a 32H bra and had my PCP, Chiropractor, Physical Therapist and Dermatologist (I had a suspicious spot right under my left breast) wrote letters recommending the reduction. So, I haven't had any. I just dress in Rider slimming jeans and tops with 3/4 length sleeves and loose drapings over the stomach and low necklines to draw the eye up. Naked? I don't do at all.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Messages in this topic (2)
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