MY story, my progress, long detailed post

[Guest guest]

Hello folks .. Many will know me, some will remember me and some won't

know who I am from Adam and that's okay, as long as you will take the

time to listen to what I have to say about this list, this surgery and

my health today. I am sending this to both lists in efforts to inform

and educate people about the success and benefits of this surgery.

I've been in the MGB process since 3/13/99, at which time I weighed a

whopping 384 lbs. A friend of mine had found Dr R on the internet and

encouraged me to check him out. I did so and was apprehensive, scared

and excited. I had no idea of my true weight but I knew I weighed over

350 as I couldn't weigh on my Dr's scales.I went to see Dr R for clinic

and carried my fiance (now my darling husband), my sister and her

husband. We met my friend and her sister there as she was going to her

last clinic visit before surgery (back then you had two clinics). Dr R

was very open and honest with me and said I couldn't have surgery until

I lost 30- lbs. I was devastated to be " too fat for fat surgery " . But I

did not give up. Time went by, weeks and I did not schedule a second

apt, my friend subsequently had surgery and my husband started asking me

when I was going back. I had not revealed my true weight to him so I was

a bit afraid. We visited my friend in the hospital and saw that she was

okay and gonna " live thr it " . I got sick and dropped about 10 lbs and

decided that I would try and talk Dr R into doing surgery on me, over

the limit. I also decided it was time to free myself and allow my fiance

to know JUST how large I was.It was the best decision I could have made

and he loved and supported me at 384 l bs. We went to clinic and met

with Dr R and discussed my dilemna. He then told me he could probably be

talked into doing my surgery but asked me point blank " Why would you

want me to? Don't you want to go in with all the odds in your favor? " At

that point my respect for him zoomed and I, along with my fiance,

committed to losing the other 23 lbs. I did the 12 day diet (low carb,

high protein) and gained a lot of support from the support board on the

internet at the MGB site and the 12 day diet site. . I lost the weight

and had the surgery on June 17 ' 99 weighing 354, having high blood

pressure,severe and chronic menstrual pain and bleeding, urinary

incontinence, bouts of reflux sometimes, back pain, knee pain,

everywhere joint pain it seemed, depression, insecurity and inferiorty

complexes , etc. I, needless to say was a wreck. I stayed in the

hospital 3 days and did fine other than a lot of pain which was

addressed medically with the morphine pump.

I currently weigh 221 so I have lost a total of 163 lbs since I met Dr

R, 133 since surgery. I am happy and much more well adjusted with

relation to my weight issues. I have had an extremely tough year, losing

both parents to sickness and disease and that has been difficult.

Without the aid of this surgery and the weight loss, I would have NEVER

been able to care for my sick parents as intensely as I did. I spent

MANY MANY hours at Pitt Memorial Hospital walking those VERY LONG halls

to their rooms when they were hospitalized over and over for sickness. I

was able to be there for them emotionally and physically thanks to the

changes in my life due to this surgery. I can say NOTHING but positive

things about having this surgery. All of my health problems were

resolved almost immediately after surgery when the weight started

dropping off.

I do have to tell ya that I have high blood pressure again but it

started a few weeks ago, right before my mother died (Aug 6) and I think

is related to stress not my physcial condition. My Dr believes that

too. My weight loss has slowed down tremendously and I am at a plateau.

I also know that my eating habits aren't good right now, I am doing a

lot of emotional eating due to depression and anxiety over the loss of

my two parents. I plan to address that issue with a therapist as soon as

I find time, excuse me, MAKE time to go. I have to do that for myself.

I need, no, let me preface that, I WANT to lose another 40-50 lbs. If I

never lose another pound, I will always be glad I had this surgery. I

look good, wear a size 18, sometimes 16 and feel wonderful with respect

to my size and weight loss. I can exercise, climb stairs, walk, shop

til I drop and my sex life is wonderfully improved with my increased

energy, agility and self esteem. I now take care of myself, wear make

up and do my hair. Something I had given up on pre-op cause I felt it

didn't matter at 384 lbs. Plus I didn't have the energy. I have gained

some awesome and VERY close friends here who love and support me daily.

Without them I don't know how I would have handled losing my parents. I

received hundeds of emails and posts when my father died in Oct and my

mother this past Aug. It made a difference in my ability to handle

things, I promise you that.

I experienced hair loss and I am here to tell ya that mine stopped and

started growing back a few months ago. I was fortunate to have long

thick hair so it was only noticeable to close friends/family and my

hairdresser. Its fine now and coming back curly. *LOL*

I am extremely dismayed and disappointed in all the negative rhetoric

from . I won't go into details about that as I am sure you are SICK

of this but I felt compelled to write as I know many of you are scared

and frightened and reconsidering this LIFE SAVING procedure. I ask that

you look at things objectively and realize that 's unhappiness is

harming the group and may prevent someone, maybe even you, from having

this life saving procedure. Please, please email post-ops if you are

scared and have questions. . I am 15 mos post-op and doing great. One

person should not sway you , no matter how intelligent that person is or

how eloquent a writer they may be. LOOK at the big picture here and see

the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of satisfied, more healthy,

happier patients that are eternally GRATEFUL for this surgery. Would I

do it again, YOU BETCHA, in a NY minute.

Why have I taken the time and emotional energy to write this email?

Because I feel a responsibilty to you to tell you my story and let you

know how this has changed my life. I feel a responsibilty for this list

as I am the reason it is here. I asked Dr R for this support group and

within 24 hours he had created the preop list. I care deeply about you

all and about your success, your health and the well being of these

lists. Please feel free to email me or call me. I will get back to you

by mail as quickly as possible and if I am not home, leave a message and

call me back later. I don't mind calls as late as 10 or 1030pm. My

phone number is posted on the contact list I believe.

I wish you all well and I do care about you deeply,

Cheryl

[Guest guest]

Cheryl,

All I can say is WOW!!! I personally appreciate all you have shared. Thank

you very much!

Terri K :^)

[Guest guest]

Dear Cheryl:

You can't imagine how much I appreciated and enjoyed your posting. I am a

newbie and am now in the process of preparing my packet for Dr. Rutledge.

It will be mailed in next week. My BMI is 58 and I weigh 340 lbs. I am a

RN and I am falling apart with mobility issues and exhaustion with each 12

hr. shift. I am 39 years old. I wanted to write you because I really

admire you and really understand alot of the issues you discussed in your

email about how you felt about yourself preop. I can really identify with

that. Congrats on your continued success. Please email me and update me on

how you're doing. What do you eat? Do you work out? How did you feel at

first? What did you feel initially postop? Were you frightened? Do you

have any adverse side effects now? May I use you as a contact? Please

email me if you want to at: vivienrn@.... I would appreciate all

the info you could provide. Thanks again.

Continued success,

Vivienne, RN

MY story, my progress, long detailed post

> Hello folks .. Many will know me, some will remember me and some won't

> know who I am from Adam and that's okay, as long as you will take the

> time to listen to what I have to say about this list, this surgery and

> my health today. I am sending this to both lists in efforts to inform

> and educate people about the success and benefits of this surgery.

>

> I've been in the MGB process since 3/13/99, at which time I weighed a

> whopping 384 lbs. A friend of mine had found Dr R on the internet and

> encouraged me to check him out. I did so and was apprehensive, scared

> and excited. I had no idea of my true weight but I knew I weighed over

> 350 as I couldn't weigh on my Dr's scales.I went to see Dr R for clinic

> and carried my fiance (now my darling husband), my sister and her

> husband. We met my friend and her sister there as she was going to her

> last clinic visit before surgery (back then you had two clinics). Dr R

> was very open and honest with me and said I couldn't have surgery until

> I lost 30- lbs. I was devastated to be " too fat for fat surgery " . But I

> did not give up. Time went by, weeks and I did not schedule a second

> apt, my friend subsequently had surgery and my husband started asking me

> when I was going back. I had not revealed my true weight to him so I was

> a bit afraid. We visited my friend in the hospital and saw that she was

> okay and gonna " live thr it " . I got sick and dropped about 10 lbs and

> decided that I would try and talk Dr R into doing surgery on me, over

> the limit. I also decided it was time to free myself and allow my fiance

> to know JUST how large I was.It was the best decision I could have made

> and he loved and supported me at 384 l bs. We went to clinic and met

> with Dr R and discussed my dilemna. He then told me he could probably be

> talked into doing my surgery but asked me point blank " Why would you

> want me to? Don't you want to go in with all the odds in your favor? " At

> that point my respect for him zoomed and I, along with my fiance,

> committed to losing the other 23 lbs. I did the 12 day diet (low carb,

> high protein) and gained a lot of support from the support board on the

> internet at the MGB site and the 12 day diet site. . I lost the weight

> and had the surgery on June 17 ' 99 weighing 354, having high blood

> pressure,severe and chronic menstrual pain and bleeding, urinary

> incontinence, bouts of reflux sometimes, back pain, knee pain,

> everywhere joint pain it seemed, depression, insecurity and inferiorty

> complexes , etc. I, needless to say was a wreck. I stayed in the

> hospital 3 days and did fine other than a lot of pain which was

> addressed medically with the morphine pump.

>

> I currently weigh 221 so I have lost a total of 163 lbs since I met Dr

> R, 133 since surgery. I am happy and much more well adjusted with

> relation to my weight issues. I have had an extremely tough year, losing

> both parents to sickness and disease and that has been difficult.

> Without the aid of this surgery and the weight loss, I would have NEVER

> been able to care for my sick parents as intensely as I did. I spent

> MANY MANY hours at Pitt Memorial Hospital walking those VERY LONG halls

> to their rooms when they were hospitalized over and over for sickness. I

> was able to be there for them emotionally and physically thanks to the

> changes in my life due to this surgery. I can say NOTHING but positive

> things about having this surgery. All of my health problems were

> resolved almost immediately after surgery when the weight started

> dropping off.

>

> I do have to tell ya that I have high blood pressure again but it

> started a few weeks ago, right before my mother died (Aug 6) and I think

> is related to stress not my physcial condition. My Dr believes that

> too. My weight loss has slowed down tremendously and I am at a plateau.

> I also know that my eating habits aren't good right now, I am doing a

> lot of emotional eating due to depression and anxiety over the loss of

> my two parents. I plan to address that issue with a therapist as soon as

> I find time, excuse me, MAKE time to go. I have to do that for myself.

> I need, no, let me preface that, I WANT to lose another 40-50 lbs. If I

> never lose another pound, I will always be glad I had this surgery. I

> look good, wear a size 18, sometimes 16 and feel wonderful with respect

> to my size and weight loss. I can exercise, climb stairs, walk, shop

> til I drop and my sex life is wonderfully improved with my increased

> energy, agility and self esteem. I now take care of myself, wear make

> up and do my hair. Something I had given up on pre-op cause I felt it

> didn't matter at 384 lbs. Plus I didn't have the energy. I have gained

> some awesome and VERY close friends here who love and support me daily.

> Without them I don't know how I would have handled losing my parents. I

> received hundeds of emails and posts when my father died in Oct and my

> mother this past Aug. It made a difference in my ability to handle

> things, I promise you that.

>

> I experienced hair loss and I am here to tell ya that mine stopped and

> started growing back a few months ago. I was fortunate to have long

> thick hair so it was only noticeable to close friends/family and my

> hairdresser. Its fine now and coming back curly. *LOL*

>

> I am extremely dismayed and disappointed in all the negative rhetoric

> from . I won't go into details about that as I am sure you are SICK

> of this but I felt compelled to write as I know many of you are scared

> and frightened and reconsidering this LIFE SAVING procedure. I ask that

> you look at things objectively and realize that 's unhappiness is

> harming the group and may prevent someone, maybe even you, from having

> this life saving procedure. Please, please email post-ops if you are

> scared and have questions. . I am 15 mos post-op and doing great. One

> person should not sway you , no matter how intelligent that person is or

> how eloquent a writer they may be. LOOK at the big picture here and see

> the hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of satisfied, more healthy,

> happier patients that are eternally GRATEFUL for this surgery. Would I

> do it again, YOU BETCHA, in a NY minute.

>

> Why have I taken the time and emotional energy to write this email?

> Because I feel a responsibilty to you to tell you my story and let you

> know how this has changed my life. I feel a responsibilty for this list

> as I am the reason it is here. I asked Dr R for this support group and

> within 24 hours he had created the preop list. I care deeply about you

> all and about your success, your health and the well being of these

> lists. Please feel free to email me or call me. I will get back to you

> by mail as quickly as possible and if I am not home, leave a message and

> call me back later. I don't mind calls as late as 10 or 1030pm. My

> phone number is posted on the contact list I believe.

>

> I wish you all well and I do care about you deeply,

>

> Cheryl

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Vivienne-

I am an RN, also, and I am beginning to find my weight to be a hindrance to

my earning potential. As a matter of fact, I am out of work for a week

because of arthritic pain in my ankle.

I am 49 years old, BMI 43, weight: 314 lbs. This latest incident with my

ankle convinced me--------------I MUST GET THIS DONE. So, I sort of

understand how you feel.

Welcome to the group,

Regina in Charlotte