New to the message board...

[Guest guest]

Hello...

My name is . I'm 36, single (no kids), 300lbs, 5'6 " and am

just beginning the process of having WLS through Kaiser Harbor City

or Kaiser Fremont (I'm moving from S. Calif. to N. Calif. in July of

this year). I've been reading as much about Gastric Bypass surgery

as I can on the web and am kind of glad that it will take about a

year before I'll actually have the procedure. There's so much to

prepare for and educate myself about. First off, I'm really scared

of dying during the surgery or afterward due to complications. I take

it from all I've read that it's pretty normal to have those fears.

But my life is one of isolation and unhappiness because of my weight

(I've been overweight since I was a 8-10 years old). I don't want to

wait until I develop life threatening problems because of my

obesity. I'm lucky not to have any medical problems because of my

weight - yet. My blood pressure and cholesterol are normal and I'm

not on only medication other than Tums for when I get heart burn.

But I've tried Weight Watchers and Phentermine and Overeaters

Anonymous and other weight loss programs over the years and they just

haven't worked. The real motivator for me going this route is #1 -

my health. But just as importantly, I want to have children and I

can't at this weight and my window of opportunity is slowly closing.

So other than my fear of death from the procedure (which is big) -

I'm slowly moving forward. I have an appointment with my primary

care physician at Kaiser Harbor City next month to find out how to

begin this process.

Question. In reading all the posts here I haven't run across someone

who has chronicled their experience after surgery. One week after

surgery, 2 weeks after surgery, 1 month after surgery, etc. What

it's like to come home after the surgery. Can you stand? Can you

walk to the bathroom alone? Can you take a shower or bath? Do you

need someone with you for a few days after coming home or a few weeks

or a few months...or not at all? Is there a place or a site where

there's that kind of detailed " day in the life " description of

someone who has gone through this or who just had the surgery and is

going through coming home now and what it's like? I know each

person's experience is specific to them but it would still be nice to

know a little bit more about...well...everything.

Thanks for listening...and for sharing.

~

[Guest guest]

,

I don't know if you have been to obesityhelp.com, there's alot

profiles and people that document their journey. I find it very

educational and rewarding site, especially their messageboards.

I'm , I had lap rny surgery 11 months ago. I barely remember

what stages I went through. After surgery I felt my stomach swelled

up and that lasted a good 2 months or so. I walked for 5 minutes or

so at 9 hours after getting out of surgery. Though before,

immediately after waking up I asked the doctor if I could take a

walk, he told me to wait a few hours. I was able to stand by myself

about the day after surgery. I was afraid of falling, being so clumsy

due to having the monitors and " glucose " bag hanging around. I was

able to use the bathroom after the catheter was taken out the next

day. I had no problem taking a shower 3 days after surgery. I just

covered the bandages. Didn't take a bath, that's something I'm

looking forward to doing someday, when I'm a little smaller. I stayed

with my mother for a week at her house. She didn't help me in

anything, well, she did make me some broth for dinner. I was told

that if there were going to be any complications from surgery it

would occur within the 1st week. My mom drives a car & my husband

doesn't drive so it was convenient. When she took me home I wasn't

able to drive for a few weeks, though I was only off work for 3

weeks. So, I'd say I did alot of walking around when I wasn't

driving. As I progressed the swelling started going away, I think it

was around 5month-6months before I started feeling normal. I've lost

63lbs since surgery for a total of 103lbs, still need about 60lbs to

get to goal.

I hope my story helped a little.

Best wishes on getting your surgery.

>

> Hello...

>

> My name is . I'm 36, single (no kids), 300lbs, 5'6 " and am

> just beginning the process of having WLS through Kaiser Harbor City

> or Kaiser Fremont (I'm moving from S. Calif. to N. Calif. in July

of

> this year). I've been reading as much about Gastric Bypass surgery

> as I can on the web and am kind of glad that it will take about a

> year before I'll actually have the procedure. There's so much to

> prepare for and educate myself about. First off, I'm really scared

> of dying during the surgery or afterward due to complications. I

take

> it from all I've read that it's pretty normal to have those fears.

> But my life is one of isolation and unhappiness because of my

weight

> (I've been overweight since I was a 8-10 years old). I don't want

to

> wait until I develop life threatening problems because of my

> obesity. I'm lucky not to have any medical problems because of my

> weight - yet. My blood pressure and cholesterol are normal and I'm

> not on only medication other than Tums for when I get heart burn.

> But I've tried Weight Watchers and Phentermine and Overeaters

> Anonymous and other weight loss programs over the years and they

just

> haven't worked. The real motivator for me going this route is #1 -

> my health. But just as importantly, I want to have children and I

> can't at this weight and my window of opportunity is slowly

closing.

>

> So other than my fear of death from the procedure (which is big) -

> I'm slowly moving forward. I have an appointment with my primary

> care physician at Kaiser Harbor City next month to find out how to

> begin this process.

>

> Question. In reading all the posts here I haven't run across

someone

> who has chronicled their experience after surgery. One week after

> surgery, 2 weeks after surgery, 1 month after surgery, etc. What

> it's like to come home after the surgery. Can you stand? Can you

> walk to the bathroom alone? Can you take a shower or bath? Do you

> need someone with you for a few days after coming home or a few

weeks

> or a few months...or not at all? Is there a place or a site where

> there's that kind of detailed " day in the life " description of

> someone who has gone through this or who just had the surgery and

is

> going through coming home now and what it's like? I know each

> person's experience is specific to them but it would still be nice

to

> know a little bit more about...well...everything.

>

> Thanks for listening...and for sharing.

>

> ~

>

[Guest guest]

Hi

As I read your response, I remembered that the first week I returned

to work was very tiring. I did want to take a nap, but what I did was

put my head on my desk for a few minutes. At work I answer phones and

type in the computer. On my 15 minute break I walked for 10 minutes &

30minutes at my lunch time, well a few days only. By the second week,

I was getting stronger, and not so tiring.

> > >

> > > Hello...

> > >

> > > My name is . I'm 36, single (no kids), 300lbs, 5'6 " and

> am

> > > just beginning the process of having WLS through Kaiser Harbor

> City

> > > or Kaiser Fremont (I'm moving from S. Calif. to N. Calif. in

July

> > of

> > > this year). I've been reading as much about Gastric Bypass

> surgery

> > > as I can on the web and am kind of glad that it will take about

a

> > > year before I'll actually have the procedure. There's so much

to

> > > prepare for and educate myself about. First off, I'm really

> scared

> > > of dying during the surgery or afterward due to complications.

I

> > take

> > > it from all I've read that it's pretty normal to have those

> fears.

> > > But my life is one of isolation and unhappiness because of my

> > weight

> > > (I've been overweight since I was a 8-10 years old). I don't

> want

> > to

> > > wait until I develop life threatening problems because of my

> > > obesity. I'm lucky not to have any medical problems because of

> my

> > > weight - yet. My blood pressure and cholesterol are normal and

> I'm

> > > not on only medication other than Tums for when I get heart

> burn.

> > > But I've tried Weight Watchers and Phentermine and Overeaters

> > > Anonymous and other weight loss programs over the years and

they

> > just

> > > haven't worked. The real motivator for me going this route is

> #1 -

> > > my health. But just as importantly, I want to have children

and

> I

> > > can't at this weight and my window of opportunity is slowly

> > closing.

> > >

> > > So other than my fear of death from the procedure (which is

big) -

>

> > > I'm slowly moving forward. I have an appointment with my

primary

> > > care physician at Kaiser Harbor City next month to find out how

> to

> > > begin this process.

> > >

> > > Question. In reading all the posts here I haven't run across

> > someone

> > > who has chronicled their experience after surgery. One week

> after

> > > surgery, 2 weeks after surgery, 1 month after surgery, etc.

What

> > > it's like to come home after the surgery. Can you stand? Can

> you

> > > walk to the bathroom alone? Can you take a shower or bath? Do

> you

> > > need someone with you for a few days after coming home or a few

> > weeks

> > > or a few months...or not at all? Is there a place or a site

> where

> > > there's that kind of detailed " day in the life " description of

> > > someone who has gone through this or who just had the surgery

and

> > is

> > > going through coming home now and what it's like? I know each

> > > person's experience is specific to them but it would still be

> nice

> > to

> > > know a little bit more about...well...everything.

> > >

> > > Thanks for listening...and for sharing.

> > >

> > > ~

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Hi , I don't think we make the choice as to where we go, but I have heard Fremont and one of my friends from here went to Richmond. It really does'nt matter I guess. Yes I attend a support grp on the first Monday of the month. It is very informational and helpful. I have met a lot of people in the various stages of the process. Keep me posted and I can let you know where the mtgs are and when you get here we'll meet at the grp. wrote: Hi ...Thank you for writing back. I'm actually moving to Modesto (or Riverbank) myself on August 1st of this year! So I think I'll end up going through Kaiser Fremont if I have a choice - if not, I'll go where ever they send me. I will check out ObesityHelp.com. Someone

else recommended that site too for additional information. I definitely want to join a support group for people preparing for the surgery and for people who have gone through it. Do you know of any groups like that in the Modesto area? I know this is going to be a long journey but I'm really glad it's begun.~ Hello...> > My name is . I'm 36, single (no kids), 300lbs, 5'6" and am > just

beginning the process of having WLS through Kaiser Harbor City > or Kaiser Fremont (I'm moving from S. Calif. to N. Calif. in July of > this year). I've been reading as much about Gastric Bypass surgery > as I can on the web and am kind of glad that it will take about a > year before I'll actually have the procedure. There's so much to > prepare for and educate myself about. First off, I'm really scared > of dying during the surgery or afterward due to complications. I take > it from all I've read that it's pretty normal to have those fears. > But my life is one of isolation and unhappiness because of my weight > (I've been overweight since I was a 8-10 years old). I don't want to > wait until I develop life threatening problems because of my > obesity. I'm lucky not to have any medical problems because of my > weight - yet. My blood

pressure and cholesterol are normal and I'm > not on only medication other than Tums for when I get heart burn. > But I've tried Weight Watchers and Phentermine and Overeaters > Anonymous and other weight loss programs over the years and they just > haven't worked. The real motivator for me going this route is #1 - > my health. But just as importantly, I want to have children and I > can't at this weight and my window of opportunity is slowly closing. > > So other than my fear of death from the procedure (which is big) - > I'm slowly moving forward. I have an appointment with my primary > care physician at Kaiser Harbor City next month to find out how to > begin this process.> > Question. In reading all the posts here I haven't run across someone > who has chronicled their experience after surgery. One week after >

surgery, 2 weeks after surgery, 1 month after surgery, etc. What > it's like to come home after the surgery. Can you stand? Can you > walk to the bathroom alone? Can you take a shower or bath? Do you > need someone with you for a few days after coming home or a few weeks > or a few months...or not at all? Is there a place or a site where > there's that kind of detailed "day in the life" description of > someone who has gone through this or who just had the surgery and is > going through coming home now and what it's like? I know each > person's experience is specific to them but it would still be nice to > know a little bit more about...well...everything. > > Thanks for listening...and for sharing.> > ~> > > > > > > >