Hi everyone!
I found a BUNCH of beautiful photos of butterflies on
the web today and am in the process of editing them for size. Given
that butterflies could be seen as symbolic for change and growth, I
will be listing a new butterfly photo every day which can be seen on
Unfortunately when your COBRA runs out, you'll probably only be able to get
BCBS from the state where you are currently residing (although I could be
wrong, i would call and check) I think if you go straight from COBRA you don't
have to go through underwriting and qualifying, whch is a plus,but if your
coverage lapses for any amount of time, you will and it can be difficult to get
on.
chrissy
Hi friends,
Just wanted to update.. I came home Sunday afternoon after my surgery on 6/26,
feeling like a million bucks! I couldn't believe it, because I had an open RnY..
Monday was still good, Tuesday late morning started getting pretty yucky (felt
like food I ate a month ago was still there) and spiked a pretty good fever.
Called my surgeon late that night, and he first told me to get to the emergency
room (1 hr. away!). Talked to him for a few more minutes, and he said to push,
push, push ice water, and take Tylenol gelcaps. I did as he said, and felt
better an hour later.
Yesterday, however, was not good... I finally got to try some yogurt, and it
seemed to go well, but a little later started feeling rotten, very weak, no
energy, same awful feeling in my stomach, and my fever wouldn't go down even
with the Tylenol. My son had to come rescue me when I was too weak to make it
from the bathroom back to my recliner!
I knew I was getting dehydrated, but I was also getting discouraged, and doing a
whole lot of the "what the heck have I done" thinking.
Made an emergency call in to my surgeon's office, and talked to his nurse for a
bit. She talked to him, and told him what was going on. She called me back 45
minutes later, and said he was prescribing an antibiotic for me. My DH picked
it up on his way home from work. Got two of them in last night before bed, and
have had two so far today, and I have to tell you, what a difference!!
I was able to eat breakfast today with no problems at all, and I've been able to
finally get in all the water I need (plus some!).
I guess my point is, if you have ANY questions about your recovery, call your
surgeon's office!! I had figured that what I was going through was normal, and
I was just being a baby about it.. Now, I am sooo glad I called!
Don't doubt yourself! Call your surgeon's office with questions! Why do you
think we paid them such a princely sum? <G
Hugs to all, and thanks for all the super information which is shared here!
Donna, Open RnY
6/26/03, St Marks Hospital, SLC, Utah
(Not ready to share)/140ish?
Hello to all. I am sorry I have been slacking for a while. But I
wanted to post I have lost 20 pounds since surgery and I am happy.
My surgery was June 10th. I am now on soft foods and everything so
far has been great. No pain no throwing up nothing at all. I am full
of energy and I feel great
Vanessa
Miami Fl
My doctor requires an ultrasound of the gallbladder prior to surgery. If
there are stones present he wil remove it, or if there is anything during the
surgery he finds, he will remove it. Otherwise he does not remove healthy
organs
just b/c. He does, however, prescribe actigall for the first 6 months during
rapid WL to avoid the gallstones
chrissy
open RNY 02/19/03
310/230
Unfortunately, I only handle one specific BCBSTX contract, so I can't answer
all of your questions, but I'll tell you what I know. First, I'm not positive
Walmart is a self-funded policy (your customer service should be able to tell
you that). If it is self-funded, then the rules are theirs, meaning they
wrote the exclusion. Unfortunately, if it is a specific contract exclusion,
then
it is usually pretty much a given they will not cover it. Some plans have an
grievance process (like ours) but only if you go through with the services
and then you canappeal the denied claims. Generally, the appeal (from what I
have experienced) is not overturned. If your policy is self funded, I would get
your hubby to get with his benefits coordinator (i think you said this was his
insurance), the person at his employment who handles his insurance-generally
human resources--and find out if they have a board of trustees or someone you
can plead your case to for changing the benefit plan. if changes are made to
the plan, they are generally done during the open enrollment time..whenever
that is for you. If it is a BCBS plan, I honestly am not sure where you would
start.
as for paying for the services related to the gastric..that depends on the
plan. For instance, the plan i work for does not cover any services if the
diagnosis is obesity...this includes office visits, labs etc. IF you have
comorbidities, and they are billed on the claim, or as the primary diagnosis,
and the
testing is appropriate to that diagnosis, we will cover. BUT, I would not
encourage you to ask your provider to commit fraud, so you may want to tread
lightly on telling them how to bill :)
anyways, I hope this helps! Sorry I don't have more encouraging news
though...:(
Chrissy
Can someone tell me what DS is? My surgeon only offered RNY and it
worked out for me. Just curious? Sandy
Hi Group- first of all - I want all of you to know that in the week or so
that I have belonged to this group I have heard/read/thought about more so many
things concerning the Gastric Bypass surgery that I am considering than I ever
thought possible. You are a WEALTH of information and I thank you from the
bottom of my heart.
So - here's my dilemma - my husband and my business partner are both AGAINST
my having the surgery. I am a very healthy obese person - no blood pressure,
diabetes, cholesterol or heart issues at all. They both are trying to
convince me that being 5'5 and 330 lbs isn't all that bad since I am "cute,"
"perky"
and a wonderful person as is. Secondly - I am unbelievably afraid of
throwing up - isn't that silly? At age 48 I haven't thrown up since I last got
drunk when I was 22! The idea of throwing up or even "dumping" scares ME silly.
I eat 3-4 meals a week out with clients and I can't imagine that dumping would
impress them very much.
Lastly - I am in the south suburban Chicago area....anyone have any
suggestions or ideas on experts in this type of surgery in my geographical area?
I
already know about Dr. Cahill in Evergreen Park, IL, The Wish Center and The
Barriatric Treatment Center....any other ideas?
As always - your sage advice is greatly appreciated.
Happy 4th!!
Karyl
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1578261651/damurah-20
I took with me to the hospital one of my own pillows (actually it was one of my
daughters, I often use one of her pillows for comfort/security reasons...like if
she is out of town, etc) and I took lip balm to keep my lips moistened, sugar
free Riccola lozenges to soothe my throat (they intubate you during surgery and
your throat can be sore afterwards from that) a deck of cards (which I didnt
use) and a magazine (I didnt read it), my favorite smelling skin lotion (I used
that alot) and a lil bar of Dove soap (my favorite, and I could shower the day
after surgery since I only had the five small incision lines) and my large mumu
type dress to go home in, loose fitting undies, some flip flops and thats about
it. I had the lap RNY and started applying liquid vitamin C ( I got this at a
GNC), triple antibiotics and Nupercaine Ointment (from Rite Aid) to stop the
itching of the staples and to encourage healing. The first week or so I kept
small four by four dressings and paper tape (got
those from the hospital but you can buy it anywhere) just so that my clothes
didnt rub against the incisions and staples, the ointments kept the incision
line softened and felt really good. My doc didnt recommend this (he wasnt
against it either) and I have found it really makes things easier and more
comfy.
Hope this helps,
Angie P
Where do you all get sublingual (SP?) B 12? health food stores?
Natasha Gittings
lap rny 11/19/02
340/239/150-160
You can print a card from
http://www.gastricbypassfamily.com/MedicalAlertCards.html
Pamela
11/19/02
116 lbs gone!!
Miami
It's interesting to hear about everyone's different dining out
adventures. I have emailed the folks at Obesityhelp to see if there
is any way we can add a member forum to the website that would allow
folks to post "good" restaurants in their area.. I have searched and
have yet to find any information on this! Does anyone know of
anything like that? I think it would be a good idea.. plus it might
make more businesses aware of the needs of WLS patients!
Trish
Mexican:
I order a side of pintos and cheese then remove some of the meat
(usually shreaded beef or chicken), sauce, and lettuce from my
hubby's meal and spread it over my beans and cheese. Tastes great
and all I'm missing is the tortilla, but I get all the flavor.
Italian:
Order spaghetti and meatballs without the pasta. Afterall, that is
where the flavor is, right? Would you go into an italian restaurant
and order just a plate of spaghetti noodles without sauce? Probably
not. Most Italian restaurants carry egg plant or other vegetable
dishes like parmasean and lasagna.
Pizza:
I usually get a small (hubby and son like the same kind so they
usually share their pizza) Canadian bacon or ham with mushrooms. The
Canadian bacon and ham both have less fat than some of your other
choices and most post-ops know that mozzerella is one of our ok
choices. I slide the toppings, sauce, cheese, meat, mushies, off the
crust onto my plate and eat it with a fork. Afterall, lol, that is
where the flavor is right? Would you go into a pizza place and order
just a plain crust, no toppings?
Fast Food:
Oh the possibilities these days. Most places have a great variety of
salads. I will occassionally get a GRILLED chicken salad and ask for
one of their light dressings. I find I can make 3-4 meals out of one
of these salads. If you are craving a sandwhich, order a grilled
chicken sand then just remove the bun and eat the rest. Afterall (uh
huh, the phrase again, lol) that is where the flavor is right? Would
you go out for fast food and order only a bun?
Asian:
One of my favs... The best thing about this is that the main entrees
consist of proteins and veggies which are perfectly legal for
posties. Although you may want to be aware that cornstarch (carbie)
is usually used to thicken the sauces, you can easily choose
something suitable. I like beef/broccoli, cashew chicken,
chicken/mushrooms. Just forgo the noodles, rice, eggrolls (unless
you eat just the insides), and wontons and your meal will still be
wonderful.
American/Steakhouse:
There are not a lot of things you CANT have. I have taken a piece of
my hubby's steak and done fine with it. Salmon is a little fatty,
but has so many great nutrients and you can always enjoy your
leftovers later. Chicken dishes are always a good choice. I have not
had one encounter where a restaurant would not allow me to order off
the childs menu. On one occasion I found that most of the foods on
the childs menu were fried or fatty so I asked if I could order off
the senior menu, telling them that because of surgery I was not
capable of eating a regular adult meal. The restaurants and
personnel have always been obliging.
Breakfast:
Omelets, omelets, omelets... Yum. A little ham and a little cheese
and you have a great protein packed breakfast out. If you don't
tolerate real eggs well, most places do provide egg substitutes, all
you gotta do is ask. A veggie omelet is good too. Just ask for a
side of salsa to spice it up a little. Ordering a la carte is great
for breakfast. You can chose one egg and a side of ham. If you dare
(which I don't yet) crepes with sugarfree syrup contain less carbs
than a regular pancake does. Since crepes are made mostely with eggs
you've got a sweet little protein source as a bonus. Just skip on the
hashbrowns and you can get a low carb breakfast any place.
Hope this helps some of you that are concerned with eating out and
worried that your choices will be severely limited. They aren't.
All you have to do is have some creativity. The further I get in my
weightloss and the longer I live by the eating plans the more I find
that my choices and way of eating don't have to be boring.
Good Luck,
Toi
-97 lbs and loving my new eating style.
hi family.
the group's just over a year old now,& the more i read the more
i notice that although we're aaaall different, we share a number of
concerns.
as a pre-op, i was afraid not to have surgery, since i was tired of
feeling sick & tired. i was in suspense when it came to my ins
approval & medical clearance(high platelet count).
in the hospital, we walked so far that they almost called security on
us. there was no way i was risking a blood clot.
in the early post-op period: could it be possible that i'll never
enjoy food again?
now @ 14 months out: is regaining a possibility? how long to wait
before having ps? what if i need a revision?
etc...
lori h.
Dear Tanya,
Do a search in your browser (i.e. just type in Maury Povich) and see if his
website pops up. They are pretty much all online and love getting show
ideas. Are you searching for your adoptive family for for a child? Sally
Jessy Raphael helped us adopt our daughter, but she's gone off the air now.
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro
Dear Beth,
I've never gotten sick from sugar (it's EXTREMELY rare that I'll even have
any). I get sick (also rarely) if I eat too much or too quickly.
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro
Hi I HAD SURGERY APR of 2002 I have lost 85 pounds. but have not lost
anything sence last DEC . So I cant get it to move. Its been to long
for it not to move. when I eat I emty in one HR and iam reddy to eat
again. does this happen to anyone else, and what do you do? help.
LINDA
hi sonya. here's how i deal with restaurants, & i'm sure there's
pleeeeenty of tips the group'll come up with. i take leftovers home
to our eager dogs (great dane & greyhound). or i get an appetizer
(shrimp cocktail, chili, soup) & then have a taste my hubb's food.
it's beyond funny when the waiter keeps asking whether i liked the
food & am i sure i want nothing to drink.
lori h.
14 grateful months out
Hi Lindy,
It sounds like you are proximal. Usually, the way I understand it, it
breaks down like this: proximal = up to 100 cm. bypassed, medial = up to
125 cm bypassed and distal = greater than 125 cm bypassed. My surgeon
bypassed 230 cm. on me (but then, at 386 I was no lightweight here...
hahahahaha). I'm not sure, but I think that all of the surgeries cause a
certain amount of malabsorption, but you are certainly much less
malabsorptive than I am. The larger you are, the more intestine they
bypass and the more malabsorptive you become.
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro
I have wanted to try to chat with some of you who are online, and I
have tried to click the chat button, but it doesnt seem to work.
Maybe I am trying at the wrong time?
Beth
There have been so many of you who have said you have gotten sick. I
guess I have been lucky and have never thrown up. I have been very
very careful to make sure I dont eat sugar, do you think sugar is why
you get sick? Just curious, because I never want to throw up, lol.
Beth
Ok, I have a question. My nutritionist told me to take a
multivitamin with iron, calcium and sublingual b12 or a b12 shot. I
have been taking just a regular multivitamin that you swallow,
chewable calcium, and I got a b12 shot. I have been hearing that
others are told to do other things, and Im confused. I have been
doing fine now with taking all that, I was forgetting before, I also
havent had any problem with hair loss. I am a little bit tired, but
not like I was at first, the b12 shot helped alot, which I need to
get once a month. I guess Im doing the right thing which is what I
was told, but I dont know if there is anything I can do to help even
more.
Thanks,
Beth
open ry 4/29/03
266/226/140
I have no regrets either, had no complications, returned to work full time after
two weeks off and have no problems watching people eat while dining out. Dont
have any cravings, did recently have one bowling ball experience (my support
group calls it a "come to Jesus calling" if its severe)....but overall this is
the best thing I have ever done for myself.
Angie P
280/240/ good health
05/29/03....five weeks
I have noticed since my surgery, that I prefer all my to be either really hot
(like soups) or really ice cold (like the water, half and half juices). I used
to be the type that didnt mind luke warm things, even pop but now.....most of my
water is ice with a bit of water only on the very bottom, which I sip on. Dont
know why this happened, but for me...its a big change.
Keep on keepin on!
Angie
hi Karla,
my name is Christopher Carroll, i had my surgery may 9th 2000 i was over
760 LB when i went in, at that time i was married for only 4 years and me and
my wife were scared to death about this but i realized if i didn't do this i
would had died with in that year that i had it, my wife was so worried she
cried every day but we sat down with our pastor from our church and she realized
i
needed this and if i didn't have it i would die any way, when i went in that
day of surgery i was scared to death but i did discusses with my family if i
did die what to do. any surgery you go in for you are never sure if you are
going to wake up or not, and for me during surgery, i had several problems, they
had to put a stent into my heart for the blood flow when they did that my
heart stopped 4 times and they had to try to restart my heart, they said i died
4
times but somehow they got me back. so IM here to talk about it, and like i
said before i looked at it as if i didn't have it i would be dead by now, and if
i didn't have this surgery i would probley be dead, so i went in saying that
if i died at least i tried something to get ride of the weight, because ive
tried everything for diets to not eating, everything you could think of, before
surgery, i was on 40 pills a day, on oxygen 24/7, a c-pap for sleeping, in a
wheel chair, a nurse to take care of me, and much more but now i have nothing
IM working a full time job, IM living in Florida now me and my wife, and
enjoying life, and the only thing i take is one flinstone vitamin a day.
for the eating after, ill tell you a secret, go out and buy yourself a baby
spoon,fork,and plate and a sipper cup and use those to eat with and drink
that will teach you the amount your going to eat, and learn how to chew your
food
at least 20 to 25 times each bite, ive tried to swallow food and got sick
where i threw it up or it sat in the pit of my stomach and i felt like shit for
a
few hours, so you live and learn with this surgery after, everyone will tell
you to not eat this and that, you have to see what agrees with you after
surgery and what doesn't, foods you might like now you might not like after, so
its
like going back to 1st grade and learning how to eat all over again and how
to eat, but you will get it and it takes time, for me i didn't have a job
because i couldn't work but now IM working a full time job after 10 years, and
enjoying it and living in Florida IM having a ball,
well if their is anything else please email me be glad to chat with you, if
you would like my home number to chat email me and ill give it to you. be
glad to help and chat in anyway i can. have a great night.
your friend in surgery
Christopher Carroll
7400 us highway 1 lot#7
micco Florida 32976
Hi,
I usually just read the posts daily and I haven't posted in a long time. My
name is Dawn and I am from Aurora/Naperville (western suburb of Chicago, IL).
I just turned 40 a couple of weeks ago and this is my "birthday" present to
me. I am married and have 2 girls, 11 & 14 yrs old. I just wanted everyone to
know that after a long hassle with United Healthcare losing my file
repeatedly, I was finally approved and all the waiting and tests have been worth
it
because I am scheduled for surgery in 12 short days. I'm having OPEN Rny by Dr.
Klem at Central DuPage Hospital on July 14th. I had my history & physical
with my primary yesterday and will have my last appt with the surgeon on July
8th. I have started drinking protein shakes to help with post op healing. I
know that the next 2 weeks will go by quickly and I have to start gathering all
of the necessary thing to have on hand for the hospital and once I get home.
Any suggestions from post ops would be helpful.
Dawn from IL
245/ /135
7/14/03
Dr. Klem
Hey there! I see your surgery date was right around the time of mine
(2/19/03). Nice to meet someone with a similar date! Congrats on the weight
loss
thus far..that is AWESOME! I can understand what you are saying about being
able to eat more and also the triggers! I have found I can eat more food than I
could 2mo post op, but it is still not too much I guess. I mostly notice it
with soups and stuff that is easy to digest. However, I can really relate to
the "triggers". My toughest time since surgery was about 2 weeks ago. I lost
2 dear friends in the same week, both of whom were also co-workers. Sally
lost her battle with brain cancer and passed away on Sunday (Father's Day). One
of my best friends, Tommy, decided to take his own life by swallowing 7
bottles of pills the Thursday prior, he was on life support through the weekend
and
passed away that Monday. I wanted nothing more than to just pile in the
food, and stuff the emotion way down. In fact, stupid as it is, I attempted to
do
just that. After visiting Tommy in the hospital, my friend and I went to a
chinese buffet. Fortunately, my "tool" would not allow me to be too stupid. I
threw up, proceeded to eat more, and threw up again. At that point, I was
kind of cursing the surgery because I just wanted to EAT. But, I got through
that, I took a step back and realized what I was doing to myself, adn the fact
that it was not helping anything. I got myself back on track, and I am so very
thankful for this tool that I have now, because otherwise, I don't think my
binging would have stopped with the chinese food. It forces you to deal with
emotions you would normally cover up with food.
Anyways, I just wanted to say I understand what you are saying!
Chrissy
Open RNY 02/19/03
310/230
Well, I just found this group yesterday and reading the post I now can
understand the feeling of wls. My surgery was on June 11, 2003 RNY
open-however, I did have other problems that were fixed at the same
time. My colon was malrotated and bypassed and my gallbladder removed. I
spent a week in the hospital which was a nightmare. Getting around better
but having stomach cramps and gas problems too. I too have been asking why
I did this for the last three weeks even though I've lost 35 lbs
already. The only thing that helps is ice chips and the water that melts
from it. Eggs are a big no no and protein shakes only upset my stomach.
Well, I do have a few questions since I'm all new to this.
1) What does DS stand for and in relation to RNY?
2) What is the segmented weight original weight/how long/how long?
Cindy/VA
244/207
I will try to answer your questions, to the best of my knowledge. First of
all, the reason plans and Medical Necessity criteria etc seem to differ from
state to state is because each BCBS is a separate entity. However, there are
been some that have begun to merge and streamline their technologies and benefit
plans. For instance, BCBSTX merged with BCBSIL in 1998 (when I came on
board). We now share the same technology, bank accounts, name (Health Care
Service
Corporation) etc, just like a merged company. There is also the Regents
Group, which is some states merged together, more of the western states. So
even
though they share the name BCBS, each state has different plans, processes,
technology and criteria.
Another reason there may be so many conflicting situations within the same
state is because there are so many diffrent plans. The basic BCBSTX POS and PPO
plans cover WLS if it meets medical necessity criteria. The HMO plan does
not cover it (not sure why, its excluded though). However, they are doing away
with the HMO's (mine went away at the beginning of the year, but I was
changing anyways, and I think my POS plan is even better now). Most employers
can
choose to purchase one of these three plans, OR..if itis a larger plan, such as
the State of Texas Employees, Walmart etc... then they may choose to fund
their own insurance and write their own rules/exclusions etc. If this is the
case, the entity pays BCBSTX an administrative fee, and we process all of their
employees claims and the money is paid out, but it actually belongs to the
entity we administer for. We are then considered a third-party administrator.
If
this is the case, the entity gets to write their own benefits, and change as
they see fit. (ours just changed their benefits-drastically-mid plan year!
From 90/10 (network) 70/30 (out of network with 500 cyd) to 80/20 network and
60/40 out of network. And I believe they are increasing the Out of pocket in
September). They also write the exclusions to the plan (such as WLS) and they
also write up the grievance (or appeal process). Thats what I do, my title is
actually "grievance specialist" hehe. Anyways, insurance, and the medical
field in general, is very complicated.
I'm sorry this is lengthy, but I hope it helps. If you have any other
questions, please feel free to ask...I will try my best to answer :) As for
your
testing, if you are currently on COBRA, then your benefits have not changed. If
you were covered by a plan that covers WLS on the date of service, then you
will be covered. However, if you change to a different insurance (as COBRA
only lasts 18 months I believe) then any services rendered after that will be
covered according to you new insurance policies. Best of luck to you!
Chrissy
Hi Mark,
Thanks for you post, and I appreciate your open mindedness. I am only four
months post op, but I would be happy to share my thoughts on the matter right
now. Before surgery, I was 310lbs. And I don't mind admitting now, I could
eat HUGE quantities of food. I would go to Fazoli's and order a family size
spaghetti and meatballs and eat almost all of it (and the breadsticks), or I
would go to Subway and order 2 ft long sandwhiches (and yes eat them all).
Sometimes I would go to 2 or 3 different fast food restaurants and eat it all in
one
setting. So to say I did anything in moderation would be a joke.
Right after my surgery, I didn't want anything really. I was still on a "
high" of finally being on the "other" side. I watched the commercials on TV and
think, ooh that looks good, but didn't really want it. Of course I was still
having help and my mommy cooking my meals for me! As I got back to work and
into my daily routine, I did find it harder to cope. It seems crazy, but I
missed being able to go out and order whatever, and just dig in. I guess it is
sort of a comfort-I haven't quite figured it out. But I started feeling really
depressed about it and like I was going crazy b/c I couldn't understand why I
was sad about it when that i what I wanted. That is when I joined this
support group. I also spoke to my surgeon, who advised me it is perfectly
normal.
Not only is it a big adjustment, but it is also a shock to your system and
depression can be a common side effect.
Like you, most of my get togethers etc revolved around food, and I felt I
would never be able to dothat again. But, in all honesty, my day to day life
(now that I'm further out) has not really changed. I still go out to eat with
friends, or to parties with food. For the most part, I still order the same
types of food too. The difference is, I eat a very small amount. In the
beginning, I learned to always take note of where the bathroom was, b/c when you
are
trying new things, you don't always know if they will agree with you. But
even getting sick, which was one of the things I dreaded most, is not that bad.
After the surgery, we do not produce any stomach acid, and the volume of food
is so small, that it really is not that bad.
I was lucky, and have not had any complications post op. The worst problem I
have is the scar. I had an open RNY, and the scar keloided (got raised and
FAT), so its not too attractive to look at. But I have lost 80lbs in 4 months,
so I say that it is a small price to pay. I don't regret my surgery at all,
but I can attest that it is difficult at times. However, when the weight
start falling off, it is a great motivator! If you have any other questions,
I'd
be happy to respond if I can. Feel free to email me privately if you like.
Best of luck to you in your research and your journey, whichever path you
choose!
Chrissy
Open RNY 02/19/03
310/230
Thank you so much for your sweet comments! You just made my day :) I can't
wait to welcome you to "the other side" (WLS side that is..hehe)
and me...a hellraiser? hehehe..naaaaaaah
Chrissy
Open RNY 02/19/03
310/230
Caroline,
I don't know if it has to do with your gallbladder, but I remember about 2
months or 3 months out, I stated having pain in like the upper right quadrant of
my tummy (kind of like you are describing). I started to get worried about
it, and I remember someone else had just posted something on here about the
same thing... fortunately it has passed for me...maybe it is just a wierd side
effect??? If you find out what causes it, let us know :)
Chrissy
open rny 02/19/03
310/230
Please everyone go see my babies picture and vote! PLease PLease
PLease!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.photowow.com/r/contest.asp?p=vote.asp&c=14&i=1967
Has anyone used US Bariatric for their surgery? (Drs. Marema and
Perez) at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale)
If so, what did you think about them?
Thanks!
Mark
Hi, I am just beginning my process. I live in Arizona and have Cigna
PPO insurance. I am really stressing that I won't be approved. I
ahve heard so many horror stories about the insurance companies. I
just needed to vent.
Thanks,
Tammy
hi natasha. if it's any consolation, the gallbl removal was a piece
of s/f cake. i remember napping after getting home & was just fine
afterwards. probably a 1 on a scale of 1-10. what was a hideous
nightmare were the gallstone attacks.
lori h.
Mark I was going to drop you a letter with all the wonderful pluses that
this surge. has done for me.
But TJ and Pamela said it so well. My heart aches for Jayme because there
are those that have some problems - Jayme you are in all are thoughts. I am
like most I would go do it right now in a minute for me this has been
WONDERFUL very few problems and I agree with TJ and Pamela moderation and
control we can still have things just small taste and this does it for me !
Mark I loved food but not as much as I love my new appearance.
Robin O - Calif
211-142-135
If you have a copy of the evaluation letter your psychologist wrote
for you, would you please Email me? I'd appreciate it so much!
Thanks!
Patti
I really don't know whether I am distal or proximal?
I called my surgeons office today,but they were in a seminar. I have
gotten co confused on this subject!!
From what the nurse tech. told me today,it sounds like I am
proximal.She didn't know the difference!!!!
She said the Dr. does all his patients the same with the exception of
how much he bypasses. That is determined by the person and their BMI.
She said between 75-100 is what is bypassed. And that we are NOT
malabsorbsive. Does this sound right??
Are you guys distal or proximal?
My dr. considers me a light weight and the nurse suspected that I was
only bypassed by 75. That is just her guess.
Thanks for all your help.
Lindy G (very confused)
Alabama
Lap RNY 3/20/03
-62 lbs.
230/168/100 4'11"
Dear Mark,
I had my surgery 9, almost 10 months ago. I regretted doing it for about
two weeks in the very beginning when (1) I realized how very tiny my meals
were, (2) when I thought I'd never be eating my favorite foods again, and
(3) when I was sleeping in the middle of the day (not like me at all!) and
feeling like I'd been dragged by a mack truck. All of those complaints
passed. My meals are still tiny (comparatively speaking) compared to what I
used to eat... usually around 2-3 oz. of protein, a few bites of green
veggies or salad and some kind of fruit, but mostly I stick to protein.
I had initially be considering DS because I had so much weight to lose and
felt I would be better served with the DS. I wanted to be able to "have my
cake -- literally -- and eat it too" but ultimately decided against it
because I didn't like what I had heard about the severe bouts of diarrhea
and gas if you eat too fatty or rich foods. I don't like spending the
better portion of my day in the bathroom.
I figured it would be a fairly even switch on the malabsorption thing (I've
had distal RNY) and my surgeon assured me I would lose equally whether or
not I had the RNY or the DS, but he felt strongly that the DS complications
were worse than the RNY. He does both surgeries, so it wasn't a matter of
him not being able to perform one or the other. He also says that the RNY
is the "gold standard" and we're in New Jersey, so it's not a Florida thing.
I've got a couple of friends that had the DS. Two of them have had it
revised to the RNY. It wound up, for them, that keeping their pyloric valve
was not all they thought it would be and the diarrhea (I'm talking majorly
severe, here) was too much for them. The third person, it's interesting.
She compares herself to me a lot. She can eat 2 to 3xs as much as I can at
a sitting, and is losing at the same rate I am. She's two months behind me
and has lost about 110 lbs. so far. It scares her completely that she can
eat so much and eat almost anything she wants because the DS does not make
you dump, but she has found that if she eats a lot of stuff with high fat
content, nuts, etc., she will stop losing or even gain weight.
There's something to be said for both surgeries and the type you wind up
getting ultimately is up to the surgeon that you choose (they don't all do
DS). There are some groups in NY where there have been quite a bit of DS
patients and they are thrilled with their results. If your surgeon does DS,
ask him for a list of his patients or go to his support groups (with the new
HIPPA laws, I don't think he can give you the list of people) and talk to
people who've had both surgeries. See how they're doing and how they feel
about it. You will usually hear good things from people who attend support
groups and are doing what they need to do. The ones who complain (not all
the time, but for the most part) are the disenfranchised who try to go
through life following surgery without any support or anyone to ask
questions of.
As for me, I decided on the RNY and never looked back. I had extremely
minor complications in the beginning (my incision line opened up in two
places and took about a month to heal). Beyond that, I've had absolutely no
complaints to speak of. I can tell you, though, that at this point in time,
I can eat absolutely anything I want to. I've found that I don't dump to
any great degree. I also find that the surgery has made me less food
conscious and that, because I don't want to be malnourished, I make much
better food choices now. It leaves me very little room to eat the junk food
I used to thrive on and I don't miss it hardly at all... just every now and
then, but I find, with the weightloss I'm experiencing, that the littlest
taste of it, though it wouldn't "hurt" me, is just not worth it.
Good luck in your search for information. Check out duodenalswitch.com for
more information and people you can chat with about that form of surgery.
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro
Reminder Reminder from the Calendar of Gastric_Bypass_Family
Mercy Hosp support group/information meeting
Wednesday July 2, 2003
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
This event repeats on the first Wednesday of every month.
Event Location: 6th floor
City, State, Zip: Miami
Phone: 305 854-4400
Caroline,
I have experienced this before my surgery also. My doc. told me
it was probably just trapped gas. Sometimes it went away
quickly...sometimes it took a while.
As for wether or not they can fix gallbladder wothout surgery, there
are medications and some herbal remedies that I had actually read
about, (when I was preparing to tell people I was having my
gallbladder removed instead of WLS, so I would be educated and be
able to answer questions...LOL)so you should definetly talk to your
doctor. They might want to do an ultrasound which should tell them
if your gallbladder is clear or not.
Hopefully it is just gas and it will go away soon!
Luck to you!
RaeShel;O)
Hello all,
I have a question about headaches. I suffered from severe migraines
before surgery and unfortunately am still having them. I woke up
this morning with one that has been tolerable but is getting worse
as the day goes on. My question is this, I can only take Advil
Migraine for my headaches (nothing else has any effect) but am not
allowed to swollow the pill intact (they are liquid filled capsules)
so I want to know how to take them. I know that I have to empty the
pill out but have tried this before and it makes my lips go numb
kind of like novicane and tastes awful. Any suggestions?
Tanya in TX
Hey everyone,
I haven't written on the board for a while, I wanted to wait till I
had something to tell. Well last week on Thursday and Friday, I
attended my dr. Lecture, had my psych eval, pulmonary workup, and
cardiac workup as well. I also met with Dr. Snyder himself, and had
my consult. He said I was a good candidate for the surgery and so
now I just have to wait to get insurance approval to get a date.
Because I am in school (no trad student) I am praying that he is able
to schedule me in early august, but he said he didn't know because
the insurance can take alot of time :(. Then I asked him about early
fall. He said maybe, I live in the mountains and the mountain pass I
have to go over gets closed or chain restrictions if it gets really
cold, so he said he would buy me a hum v if that's the case. Anyway,
I just wanted to let you all know what was going on. Good luck with
all of you and God bless
Marcie
nice to have you posting again. great job on the wl!
thanx for complimenting the group, it means a lot.
lori h.
Hi I am new here and am 6 weeks post op. I have lost 30 lbs so far...
Natasha
post op laprny
I have tried several ways to drink these horrible things, but no
matter what I do they end up coming back up. Any advice? My doctor
says to keep trying different ones, but nothing has worked.
Help!!!
Jayme
I had open RNY on the 9th of June. Lately when I drink anything by
mouth I have horrible stomach cramps. I went to the ER with it so
bad Friday night. I had xrays and a scan done and the doctors said
is was normal. Anyone else have this? How did you cope? Please
email me personally, I need help, advice, and some encouragement.
Jayme
mikeandjaymeg@...
Thanks for all the support you all!
Note: forwarded message attached.
Hi
I wood like to know if anyone had trouble with weight loss after
surgery. I had surgery one year ago APR. AND I STOPED LOSING SENCE
DEC.My DR. said i was eating to much out the day.Iseam to empy very
soon after eating like one hour.does anyone have this happen to them
and what do you do to stop this. HELP ANYONE! LINDA
First, thanks to those of you that are responding to my previous
post. I appreciate it. I hope to still get more feedback on it.
I am still trying to decide on whether I prefer RNY or DS. I was
wondering why those of you that had RNY chose this surgery as opposed
to DS.
Once again, your input is appreciated!
Regards,
Mark
Hello,
I just joined this forum. I am considering having RNY. Actually,
until yesterday, I was dead set against that surgery. I ONLY wanted
DS. But, a few factors have changed my mind and now I am open to RNY.
I attended a seminar last night at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft.
Lauderdale for Dr. Marema's group, US Bariatric, Inc.
(www.usbariatric.com). I spoke with a few people that had the surgery.
It occurs to me that the people I spoke with had nothing negative to
say about the surgery - they all said they would do it again in a
heartbeat.
What I want to hear is from the other side. I want to know if anyone
regrets having the surgery. Does anyone really miss eating a big
steak or a big juicy hamburger or a piece of cake? Does anyone have
cravings that they just can't satisfy now?
Right now, when my wife and I go out, it is usually to go to a
restaurant. When we socialize, we meet for dinner. At home, I do the
cooking.
These are all things that will change if I have the surgery.
It becomes important to eat your protien. You are pretty much on an
Atkin's style diet. Is it difficult to maintain this? Do you miss
eating pasta, or a potato, or a sandwich?
I guess I am really interested in the post-op mindset. It's a drastic
change from the way you eat before and after the surgery.
Anyway, I would appreciate all feedback - especially anyone that
regrets having the surgery. I just have to know both sides before I
make a decision.
Thanks!
Regards,
Mark
keep us posted on what the doc says. @ about 10 days post-op, i
pulled something when i was twisting around & taking care of bathroom
business. it went away a few days later.
about the gallbladder, some docs prescribed Actigall. i sacrificed
mine after a vegetarian, no fat diet when i was 22; boy did i get
bony!
a six month postie co-worker just had hers removed, the gallbl & some
"sludge".
lori h.
Hi everyone,
The last 3 or 4 days, I've been noticing a pain in my right side,
just under my breast and inside my ribcage. It comes and goes and
sometimes it is sharper than other times. Most time it feels like it
is pulsing if this makes any sense. I am really worried that this
means I am developing gallbladder problems. Could anything else be
causing this pain, and how concerned should I be? Perhaps I just
pulled something while swimming? I've been on MAJOR diets before
and lost tons of weight in very short periods of time, yet never
experienced this before. Also, if it IS a gallbladder problem, does
this mean that surgery is guaranteed? Are their other ways for drs
to treat gallbladder problems?
Many thanks,
Caroline
Lap RNY 5/2/03
367/320/150
My obesityhelp.com profile is at www.tinyurl.com/bkld :)
OK guys,
Yet another of my seemingly endless questions.
Everytime I eat my egg, (which is the only solid thing I am allowed
right now), It seems I constantly BURP! Like I am swallowing gas or
something. I am eating slow and taking tiny bites. It doesn't happen
when I drink anything. Just when I eat.... what the heck is the
deal? Is anyone else going or gone thru this?
In advance......THANKS for the ADVICE!
RaeShel;O)
<A HREF="http://www.bigpete803.com/index.php"
Survival" recovering from morbid obesity</A
THIS IS HIS WEBSITE AND YOU CAN FIND THE ADDRESS TO SEND HIS FAMILY A CARD,
PLEASE ALL READ HIS SITE, AND SEND EMAILS OR EVEN POST SOMETHING ON HIS SITE.
PETER HERIDA WAS AN INSPIRATION TO ALOT OF PEOPLE, DONT TAKE LIFE FOR
GRANTED, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOUR TIME IS, AND HE WAS DOING SOMETHING HE LOVED
AND
THAT WAS ANSWERING EMAILS ABOUT THE SURGERY. SO MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT.
YOUR FRIEND IN SURGERY
CHRISTOPHER CARROLL
MICCO FLORIDA
PETER YOU WILL NEVER BE MISSED, GOD BLESSED YOU WITH A GREAT GIFT AND A GREAT
LIFE!!!!
In a message dated 7/1/2003 1:32:34 AM Central Standard Time,
I'm so sorry to hear about your sister's troubles. It takes something like
that to realize how blessed some of us are with our insurance. I know it is
hard for me, as I work for BCBS, on a contract that excludes any type of
WLS...but my personal insurance covered everything for $25. Unfortunately, if
an
insurance company has it set up as a contract exclusion, they do not have to
cover the surgery, even if it is deemed medically necessary (as most are). Best
of luck to your sister, and I truly hope she finds a way to get this done as it
sounds like she would truly benefit. Please keep us posted!
Chrissy
Dear Beth,
Have your sister write to Ricki Lake and Oprah. Both of them are very
concerned with weightloss and have covered surgery on their shows. As
someone who has been greatly helped by a talk show hostess (Sally Jessy
helped us adopt our daughter), I think they are great and would be
interested in her story.
Dear Caroline,
I am a huge proponent of crock pot cooking. It takes nothing at all to do
this. Just slice your veggies (carrots are great in there) and potatoes (if
you're gonna use 'em). Put some spice on top of them if you want to. Take
a nice sized piece of meat or poultry (I love doing pot roast in there).
Turn it on high and leave it alone for 6-8 hours. The meat will be so
tender it will fall apart on your fork. Yummy... (Don't uncover the pot
while it's cooking to check on it, that ruins the effect. Just forget about
it for 6 to 8 hours). How easy can ya get?
Dear Brenda,
I swear by the Champion Pure Whey Stack chocolate flavor. Check it out at
muscledawg.com -- do a search of manufacturers, then of product. Good luck.
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro
Hello Guys,
Can anyone recommend Protein powder? The best tasting please and I
need recipes too on how to fix it so it taste decent. My surgury is
7 days away July 8th. Please help me with my food expectations.
What do you think I should buy for when I get home to eat? Also
Vitamins crushed or whole? Can I put them crushed in Protein poeder?
Help, getting desperate for hospital info, tubes, pain, etc.
Anything you can think of I need to be prepared for. Thanks you guys
so very much.
Brenda
almost forgot: there's some prot supp recipes in the files section.
lori h.
Dear Coraly,
You don't have to worry about the approval letter expiring. The surgeon
will apply and get an extension automatically (just follow up on this so you
don't get lost in the cracks...). Good luck.
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro
Hi all - I was on the Atkins diet for 2 years and found that <A
HREF="www.synergydiet"
has the greatest selection of low carb/sugar free products that you have ever
seen!! They have a sugarless BBQ sauce by Walden Farms that is pretty good.
I hope this helps whomever was looking for this product.
Karyl in IL
Dear RaeShel,
When you try bread (and I know you will), make sure it's toast. Bread not
toasted can become a lump when it hits your pouch and cause a blockage, or
changes to sugar so quickly you can dump from it (at least that's been my
experience every time I foolishly try -- again -- to have it not toasted).
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro
You have been blessed and the love will just be wonderful !!!
Robin O- Calif also known as Nona
hi coraly. unfortunately, i didn't know about the cleveland clinic
when i researched 17 months ago. 14 months ago i had surgery in
miami...
have you called the office & explained the special circumstances? let
them know how tricky insurance comps are, & that they only gave you 90
days.
lori h.
Hey babe,
I don't know why you think your window of opportunity is closing. At least
for me (distal RNY), my surgeon told me that my "honeymoon" could last
anywhere from 12-18 months. You're just at the beginning of your journey
sweetie. Keep doing what you need to do and enjoy the ride.
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro
Dear Caroline,
The first time I tried the vanilla, I had a bad reaction to it (I dumped).
After a few months, though, when I was really, REALLY bored with the
chocolate -- I'm not a chocolate person, I prefer vanilla -- I tried it
again and I absolutely love it. I also bought the strawberry. Of the 3,
the chocolate is the sweetest, then the vanilla, then the strawberry. I've
taken to mixing in a little vanilla davinci syrup in all of them and it
makes them fabulous! Ya just gotta experiment until you find your comfort
zone with all this stuff.
Dear Group,
I want to coordinate and run a dating service for WLS people. There have to
be a bunch of guys who've had the surgery and they can't all be married. I
love helping people find their match and get together. If you know anyone
who'd be interested in this, please have them e-mail me. I'm going to
develop a questionnaire and start e-mailing different groups and see if I
can get a bunch of guys together, 'cause there are certainly enough gals
around and interested in this. Whaddya think?
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro
yesterday, a vascular specialist spoke @ the cleveland clinic,
weston(20 minutes north of miami). topics included deep vein
thrombosis, venous insufficiency, phlebitis, the greenfield filter,
etc. he stressed the importance of hydration & ambulation for the
post-op period & that some wls surgeons prepare their patients with
anti clot injections.
then the bariatric surgeon said that they are scientific studies that
suggest that attending support groups keeps weight down. ok, i'm
there!!
anyway, a 6 month post-op friend invited me to the meeting a couple
of hours before it started;perfect timing, since my hubb is outta
town. it was great spending time with her & like always, i learned a
BUNCH. there were a number of testimonials, including a wls
pregnancy. oh & another thing, the vascular doc stated that hydration
& ambulation are paramount when it comes to air travel.
healthy wishes, family!
lori h.
I had surgery March 20, 03 311/259.
I have had this nagging pain in my rectum area for months that
everyone seems to want to relate to bowel movements but it comes and
goes and can last for hours. Not to be graphic but has anyone else
had this problem. Sometimes it is so painful I cannot sit or walk. I
have been to the ER twice and a GYN twice but no one can find any
infections or medical problems. HELP!!!!
Michelle
hello all,
thanks for your writing back, the quote i sent was made by a friend in CT.
that was posted on OBESITYHELP.COM and i thought i share with all of you, if
you would like to read Peter's story you can CLICK ON THIS <A
HREF="http://www.bigpete803.com/index.php"
Battle for Survival" recovering from morbid obesity</A
was a truly inspiration to me and others that have gone threw this, Peter was
their for my surgery every step of the way and even when i went in for surgery.
he will be missed forever, i hope you all can read his story and his life. if
the link above dosent work you can find it under "WWW.BIGPETE803.COM" so hope
all of you can
your friend in surgery
Christopher Carroll
TO MY FRIEND IN HEAVEN PETER
YOU WILL FOREVER BE MISSED
Hi Christopher,
I know you are friends with Peter Herida. Do you have a confirmation
on his passing? The man has been such an inspiration to me, as have
you, and my heart hurts to hear of his demise. My family's prayers
are with you and Peter's families.
Peace and Prayers,
Toi
thanx. oh, & btw, i commend you for your perserverance & steadfast
attitude. soon, you'll be out of the 200's for good.
lori h.
You're welcome Kim, and thank you too for your feedback here.
I think what you've been told is right, "if you do what you are
supposed to do, you should be successful" but the trick is knowing
what rules are really rules to be followed and which ones are bogus.
Unfortunately, this is really hard to figure out sometimes.
A great example of this is that many post-ops are told they can take
tums, Viactiv, coral calcium, etc. for their calcium. But by
following their doctor's orders (which is easy to do with Viactiv -
yum LOL), they are hurting themselves. For one, our post-op bodies
are not able to absorb calcium carbonate which is what these things
are and built up calcium carbonate in the body can cause problems
such as kidney stones. The same is true for iron - we need to be
taking ferous (sp?) form of iron, not the more commonly found feric
form of iron - for the same reason of absorption issues).
An issue came up in another group I belong to that is a good example
of this too - I have been working on getting my Trinsicon (ferous
form of iron, B-12 and intrinsic factor) in, and the ONLY way I've
been able to do it is by drinking it down with hot tea. But when I
mentioned this in the group, one of the members told me that her
nutritionist said tea is off limits because it decreases iron in the
body. I was quite worried about this "rule" because, afterall, it
doesn't make sense to take the Trinsicon if the effect will be
negated by the tea I drink to get it down. So I did some research
online and found that it is true that tea (and coffee too)
interferes with the absorption of iron. BUT reading the fine print,
it interferes with the absorption of feric forms of iron (found in
foods, often multivitamins, etc.) and not ferous forms of iron (such
as my Trinsicon). I was SO glad I checked into that because now I
know that that rule about "no tea" is a bogus one and that my
drinking tea to down the Trinsicon is just fine :)
Sending smiles,
Caroline
Lap RNY 5/2/03
367/321/150
Hey guys......
DOes anyone know if BBQ sauce, specifically honey BBQ is well
tolerated? I make a killer chicken and rice dish with Honey BBQ
sauce and brown sugar (which I will replace with the brown sugar
twin) smother the chicken and bake it and then pour the resulting
sauce (after the chicken is baked) over the rice. MAN is it good.
The chicken turns out so tender I can make it fall apart on my fork
Oh man, I am drooling now!
RaeShel;O)
Quote:
This is the hardest post I have ever had to write. My good friend and an
amazing human being Peter Herida (BigPete803) passed away yesterday. Many of you
know him as the guy from Oprah. Peter had an amazing journey. He start out
weight was 863 pounds. He was never expected to live through the surgery. In the
first 10 months he lost 560 pounds, and ended up losing 608 total. He had been
homebound for 20 years because of his weight prior to surgery, he had also
been in a wheelchair for 12 years. He got a new lease on life after surgery and
he embraced it to the fullest over the past few years. I first met Pete at the
first support group meeting I attended. Even though it had been 3 years since
his surgery he still attended each and every support group meeting. He said
that the doctor's there could save a persons life, but he could provide someone
with hope. He also worked as a volunteer for the hospital and visited and
supported weight loss surgery patients on a regular basis. He has answered tens
of
thousands of emails over the past few years providing support. He also did
many speaking engagement not only to the patient community but also to the
medical community to educate them as to the needs of pre and post op patients.
When
I had my gastric bypass he was there to hold my hand in the recovery room and
again when I had my plastic surgery. Over the past few months we have spent a
great deal of time together. He became very close to myself and my family. He
had become Uncle Pete to my kids. Peter knew that he was dying due to medical
condition unrelated to the weight loss surgery. We had several conversations
about it. He did not share this information with everyone he just wanted to
live each and every day that he had left to the fullest. He did not want anyone
to feel pity for him because he had finally gotten his life back and now he
was going to die. He was not bitter or angry. Instead he looked at as he should
have died years ago and God had given him a second chance to have a few years
to really enjoy life. He had several goals that he wanted to achieve in the
little time that he had left. Number one being featured on the Oprah Winfrey
show, that became a reality a couple of months ago. Another was a video on
weight
loss surgery that he just completed, another was his poster of two girls in
his pants (he says that he and God had a talk about that one) and he wanted to
complete his book "Battle For Survival". He asked my help in achieving these
goals. We managed to get just about everything done. The book I have most of
the information for and I will do my best to complete it and make him proud. He
wanted for the proceeds from these items to be donated to patients that had
been successful in losing the weight and are unable to afford the plastic
surgery afterwards. I will also work to make sure that this becomes a reality.
Over
the past few months I have had the privilege of helping Pete get out and do
everything that he wanted to. We have been shopping, to carnivals, an aquarium,
parks with my kids, etc. He also wanted to attend the ASBS conference in
Boston last week. We went and he had the time of his life meeting surgeons and
people from the Bariatric community from around the world and telling them his
story. After the conference he had one last wish he wanted to go on a cruise to
the Bahamas and really live it up. We spent last weekend jet skiing,
snorkeling, swimming and just having fun. He knew that his time was getting
close and
asked me to go to lunch with him on Wednesday. He thanked me and told me "I have
lived more in the past eight weeks than I did in the past twenty years" he
then gave me a hug and drove away. Those words are forever etched in my memory.
That was the last time I saw Peter. On Thursday I tried to call him several
times. When there was no answer I drove to his house to check on him. He had
passed away at his computer doing what he always did, providing support to one
of
us. Peter Herida's amazing spirit will forever be alive in my memory as I
hope it will be in yours as well. There will be a tribute page added to his
website within the next week. Anyone wishing to send a message to his family can
either sign his surgery page, or send it to me via email. If you would like to
send a card please contact me.
I called today my surgeon to get my surgery date and they gave me a date of
November 4. Ahhhhh!!! I have to wait four months for my surgery and I got a
predetermination from my Insurance valid only for 90 days. I'm a patient at the
Cleveland Clinic and Dr. Szomstein in Weston, Florida. They are great but I'm
not happy with the fact I have wait four months for the surgery and the
predetermination letter from the insurance is valid only until September. =(
Coraly
263
Miami, Florida
Pre-op
My sister weighs around 450-500 pounds. As some of
you know from reading my posts, I had open rny on
4/29/03. My sister has been trying to get approval
now for over a year. Her problem is that the
insurance company covers the surgery under a "rider"
clause in her policy. Basically, the company she
works for has to purchase this rider in order for it
to be covered. If they purchase it (and they have
told her they aren't), it will make everyone else's
insurance that works for that company go up, so of
course no one wants that rider. She has tried so many
different things, she started a letter writing
campaign to congressmen, talk shows, and even as far
as the president. She just keeps hitting a wall
everywhere she turns. She is now trying to change the
legislation on making the surgery medically necessary.
The way the legislation reads, is that insurance
companies "shall make available" to anyone needing
this surgery. Her insurance company found a loophole
in the legislation that basically they are making it
available through this rider, if it is opted to be
purchased. She needs this surgery so much more than I
ever did. She has so many medical problem directly
related to her weight, and I am afraid she will die
very soon if she cant get it. She doesnt have the
means to pay for it on her own, or even to try to
finance it. I just wanted to know if anyone here has
had a similar problem, and what if anything you did
about it.
Thanks for listening
Beth
open rny 4/29/03
266/226/140
Wow, when I first started asking the question about
not losing fast enough, I thougt I was different from
most others who have had wls. Now I see, that alot of
you also have reached these mini plateaus the way I
have here in the beginning. I suppose things arent
wrong the way I really thought they were with me. And
I have broken this last plateau I was in, losing
another 6 pounds. I have now lost 40 pounds in two
months and a day, lol. I am happy with that, and
things seem to be looking up, mainly because of all
the support here from all of you who are going through
the same things. Thanks everyone!!!
Beth
open rny 4/29/03
266/226/140
That was such a sweet, thoughtful post! Thanks for the encouragement, I bet
you look wonderful!
Chrissy
Caroline
My doctor advised me in the beginning to read all of the ingredients. If
sugar (or high fructose corn syrup, etc) is not listed as one of the first three
ingredients, then there shouldn't be enough sugar in it to cause any type of
dumping syndrome. although if you are lactose intolerant, you might want to
try a lactaid or something first, or watch the amount. The only yogurt I have
been able to find that did not have sugar listed in the ingredients was the
plain yogurt (which is nasty by itself). My mom had the idea to toss in the
fresh fruit and splenda and then blend to make my own. So far, i have not have
had any problems with it, and I have found out I am very sensitive to sugar.
Fortunately, sugar was never my weakness, i was a potatoes and pasta kind of
girl *sigh*
I actually realized I am down 80lbs in 4.5 months, which is great, but then I
realize I still have another 100 lbs to go *sigh*. ANd the "honeymoon" phase
has just about ended for me...so now I am really trying to work harder on
this, cutting out the pastas (I have been eating in small amounts, like
spaghetti
or something) and working on getting more protein in, and more water (except
today-oops). I'm hoping to "kick it up a notch" on the scale...or in this
case.. kick it down a notch! :)
Anyways, I was hoping for a short cut on the yogurt, but really, it tastes
really good when you make it yourself, and its easy to add in the protein powder
as well. :) Just a thought!
Chrissy
Open RNY 02/19/03
310/230
Dear Lori Anne,
Regarding your post to Shannon, I used to tell people (and I'm sure you've
heard this one!), "I may be fat, but you're ugly and I can diet..." Used to
leave 'em with their mouths hangin' open. Hahahahaha. Don't mess with
Brooklyn babe. (I'm from Jersey now, but ya can't get the Brooklyn outta
this girl!).
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro
Hi Chrissy,
When I eat it, I buy either the Columbo light or the Dannon light. A friend
of mine told me that she's buying the cherry vanilla and throwing some
chocolate protein powder in and having herself a "chocolate covered cherry."
Sounds good to me... gotta try it. She says it boosts the protein from 8 to
about 16 just by adding a spoonful...
live each day like it's your last... love like you've never been hurt...
Deb in Hazlet, NJ
"Debbie Dancer"
distal rny
September 3, 2002
386/237/160?
BMI 60/35/24?
-149
-69.5"
Angel to Bill (8/14/03), Debbie (waiting for a date) Ilene (6/26/03), Roy
(7/29/03) and Ro
I did had my surgery on April 16. About 3 weeks post op, I started a
plateau. I did not loose one pound for 4 weeks. You might remember
me posting questions about calories and protein grams. I was eating
right and exercising daily. It just did not make sense to my
dietician or me (a professional dieter).
I started the plateau the day I went from 45 to 60 grams of protein.
The plateau broke when I went back to 45. In the last 3 weeks, I
have lost 15 lbs. I am working my protein back up to 60 protein
grams. The scale still seems to be moving.
Moral of the story, plateaus do break. Just hang in there.
Sandy
Hey guys,
I have another post-op question for you. I have been waking up
in the mornings feeling just slightly nauseated, it usually goes
away quickly so it is not a big deal....but today...Nothing I eat is
settling well in my tummy. I have felt uncomfortable all day
long....almost nauseated but not quite. I haven't eaten anything
different than I have in the last 3 weeks. Is this normal? I am
guessing yes.......but again...any confirmation and/or advice would
be SOOOO appreciated!
Thanks!
RaeShel;O)
Here is the posting from his website. From his very dear friend.
Kristal
ND
This is the hardest post I have ever had to write. My good friend and an amazing
human being Peter Herida (BigPete803) passed away yesterday. Many of you know
him as the guy from Oprah. Peter had an amazing journey. He start out weight was
863 pounds. He was never expected to live through the surgery. In the first 10
months he lost 560 pounds, and ended up losing 608 total. He had been homebound
for 20 years because of his weight prior to surgery, he had also been in a
wheelchair for 12 years. He got a new lease on life after surgery and he
embraced it to the fullest over the past few years. I first met Pete at the
first support group meeting I attended. Even though it had been 3 years since
his surgery he still attended each and every support group meeting. He said that
the doctor's there could save a persons life, but he could provide someone with
hope. He also worked as a volunteer for the hospital and visited and supported
weight loss surgery patients on a regular basis. He has answered tens of
thousands of emails over the past few years providing support. He also did many
speaking engagement not only to the patient community but also to the medical
community to educate them as to the needs of pre and post op patients. When I
had my gastric bypass he was there to hold my hand in the recovery room and
again when I had my plastic surgery. Over the past few months we have spent a
great deal of time together. He became very close to myself and my family. He
had become Uncle Pete to my kids. Peter knew that he was dying due to medical
condition unrelated to the weight loss surgery. We had several conversations
about it. He did not share this information with everyone he just wanted to live
each and every day that he had left to the fullest. He did not want anyone to
feel pity for him because he had finally gotten his life back and now he was
going to die. He was not bitter or angry. Instead he looked at as he should have
died years ago and God had given him a second chance to have a few years to
really enjoy life. He had several goals that he wanted to achieve in the little
time that he had left. Number one being featured on the Oprah Winfrey show, that
became a reality a couple of months ago. Another was a video on weight loss
surgery that he just completed, another was his poster of two girls in his pants
(he says that he and God had a talk about that one) and he wanted to complete
his book "Battle For Survival". He asked my help in achieving these goals. We
managed to get just about everything done. The book I have most of the
information for and I will do my best to complete it and make him proud. He
wanted for the proceeds from these items to be donated to patients that had been
successful in losing the weight and are unable to afford the plastic surgery
afterwards. I will also work to make sure that this becomes a reality. Over the
past few months I have had the privilege of helping Pete get out and do
everything that he wanted to. We have been shopping, to carnivals, an aquarium,
parks with my kids, etc. He also wanted to attend the ASBS conference in Boston
last week. We went and he had the time of his life meeting surgeons and people
from the Bariatric community from around the world and telling them his story.
After the conference he had one last wish he wanted to go on a cruise to the
Bahamas and really live it up. We spent last weekend jet skiing, snorkeling,
swimming and just having fun. He knew that his time was getting close and asked
me to go to lunch with him on Wednesday. He thanked me and told me "I have lived
more in the past eight weeks than I did in the past twenty years" he then gave
me a hug and drove away. Those words are forever etched in my memory. That was
the last time I saw Peter. On Thursday I tried to call him several times. When
there was no answer I drove to his house to check on him. He had passed away at
his computer doing what he always did, providing support to one of us. Peter
Herida's amazing spirit will forever be alive in my memory as I hope it will be
in yours as well. There will be a tribute page added to his website within the
next week. Anyone wishing to send a message to his family can either sign his
surgery page, or send it to me via email. If you would like to send a card
please contact me.
They have 20 of protein each and looked really good when they advertised them
on a shopping channel--I may have to go this route because my insurance will not
pay for a operation--I hate health plans
Melissa in WV
http://Welcome.to/LockYourHartOnKids Come for a visit! 25+ childcare photos!
how do u get to that group chat tonight ??
where do u go to get in that meeting tonight
Reminder Reminder from the Calendar of Gastric_Bypass_Family
Mercy Hosp support group/information meeting
Wednesday July 2, 2003
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
This event repeats on the first Wednesday of every month.
The next reminder for this event will be sent in 1 day, 22 hours, 3 minutes.
Event Location: 6th floor
City, State, Zip: Miami
Phone: 305 854-4400
Good Day to you. I just wanted to say your husband really has the right
idea( MODERATION) if you use this tool with the surge tool you will do
great. Use moderation so you dont just go off track. Pick your special times
to indulge and reward yourself. I have found that if I journal my food for
the day it helps me to make sure one that I am getting the nutirtion I need
as well as how much I am eating. I have soda about 3 times a week and enjoy
it. I now am a size 6 and feel great.
Robin O - Calif
Dec 5 2002
211-142-?????
Everyone,
I need some help. I have seen so many posts about people eating yogurt,
something I love. I have not been able to find any sugar free yogurt. Can
someone please give me some brand names and/or stores they can purchase them at?
Or
do you just make your own? To get mine in, I have been buying plain yogurt,
fruit and blending with splenda, which is good, but I'm lazy sometimes! hehe..
any help would be appreciated.
Chrissy
Open RNY 02/19/03
310/230 (80lbs!!!)
Amen!
In a message dated 6/30/2003 6:56:30 AM Central Standard Time,
Thanks for the response Caroline... that might be it. I must admit, I hardly
eat anything, usually one meal a day. its so hard to make myself. I see so
many people on here doing such a great job with allof this, but I must admit I
don't manage my time well at all. Between racing out the door to work in the
morning, and sitting in front of the computer all night doing homework, I
have been bad about getting all my protein in and supplements down. This is
probably why all my hair is falling out!!! But, I am working on it. Thanks to
everyone for the inspiration :)
Chrissy
Open RNY 02/19/03
310/230 (80 lbs!!!)
Maybe we should start one? Or a singles group..hehe. I'm starting to notice
that I am getting more attention from guys (whether it is because of the WL
or because my confidence is increasing, or both, i don't know) but learning to
deal with it has been very difficult for me! I am very shy normally, and I
feel like I need to go get that "dating for dummies' book or something..LOL
Chrissy
OpenRNY 02/19/03
310/230 (80lbs!!!)
Hi All,
Just a quick note... had my surgery last Thursday morning (open
proximal RnY), and came home from the hospital yesterday. I had
virtually no pain with my incision site, just some expected
tightness. I honestly had more problems when I had my lap gall
bladder done years ago! I was up and walked to the nurses station
that evening, and walking laps around the nurses station the next day.
Since home, I am having a hard time getting in my walking (I have a
very little house) <G
eating my jello, and sipping my water. I have a wee bit of a fever
this afternoon, and so am upping my deep breathing..
My poor fur-babies (plz read = cats) want so badly to be comforting;
my little one wants to curl up on my tummy. OUCH!
I am having some spasms of the GI tract, which are weird feeling, but
are not unpleasant or painful. My DH is picking up some herbal tea on
his way home from work which should help that.
My email is going to take me about two weeks to get through it all.
Thanks for any well-wishes.
I am so thankful for this list, and all the information I have
learned here.
((Hugs)))
Donna
Post-Op (6/26/03)
Proximal Open RnY
Dr Halversen, SLC
Hello Tanya you sound up and like all is well for only a week out.
Water Water - and more water and smile alot.
Robin O - Calif
Can anyone out there tell me which flavors don't have aspartame in them? My
husband did the grocery shopping last night and bought a boat load of those and
not a one of them didn't have aspartame. He bought every flavor on the shelf.
Thanks.
Debby in WI
Hello ladies Michelle you will have this behind you in the net week ! You
must be so excited I know I sure was. You will smile and smile and smile.
Good Luck my prayers are with you.
Natasha - Wow over 100#'s you must feel wonderful ! I still say thank You
God for this tool it is such a blessing for all of us.
Robin O - Calif
Dec 5 , 2002
211-142-?????
Reminder Reminder from the Calendar of Gastric_Bypass_Family
Weekly Group Chat!!
Monday June 30, 2003
7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
This event repeats every week.
Notes:
Who can tell me about tasteless protein! Is it in liguid form or
pill form? I was under the impression that protein is the only thing
you cannot buy in a bottle but is only available in food!!!! I hope
I am wrong -- I'll run all the way to get some! please help and
thank you so much for being here!
muttie@...
Hello Everyone.
Guess what My daughter just told me that i'm
going to be a grandma Yipieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
I'm so happy.
Beth Vanhoven from NY
Pre-op Openr RNY Oct3
Hello,
My name is Steve, I first posted when I joined this site
sometime back, I am pre-op but have gotten my date it is Aug.4th. Now
I am what you might call nervous excited, its less than 6 weeks away
and what I am wondering if anyone has gone to where I am going. My
doctor is Doctor Schauer in Pittsburgh Pa. I am having my op at UPMC
Presbyterian my pre-op is July 23rd I would love to exchange thoughts
here or in email with people that have been there. Do you have a chat
night? If so when?
Thanks Gang,
Steve
I found this on the internet:
Peter Herida, who shared weight loss story, dies
June 28, 2003
Associated Press
MERIDEN, Conn. -- Peter Herida, who once shared his struggles with obesity
with the nation, has died. He was 49.
The Meriden man was found dead in his apartment on Thursday. An autopsy
revealed he died of natural congestive heart failure.
Herida once weighed more than 800 pounds and in 1998 underwent gastric bypass
surgery. His dramatic loss of 500 pounds was featured on the "Oprah Winfrey
Show" earlier this year. He also was scheduled to be on the cover of the first
issue of "WLS Lifestyles," a Connecticut-based magazine for weight los