texxasmike

[color=#333333]Here is my story about weight loss and how I decided surgery was best for me.[/color]

[color=#333333]I have been overweight since 5th or 6th grade. I gained more weight through high school (235lbs 1986). I was able to control my weight (260-280) in college with exercise and some attention to eating right. (1993-1997) In college I hurt my lower back and ended up with scar tissue that hurts when I walk and the pain increases as I continue to walk. [/color]

[color=#333333]1998 - 2007 my weight continued to gain until I hit a new high of 360lbs. I tried to diet and exercise again for about a year and of course I gained that back plus more. I still tried to eat right and exercise, but the pain from my scar and the pain from just moving stopped me. I asked my Dr about weight loss help he gave me phentermine (that stuff made me crazy). When I asked him about weight loss surgery - his answer was - You don't need weight loss surgery to lose weight. You just need to exercise and eat right. If you can lose the weight with surgery you can lose the weight without surgery. [/color]

[color=#333333]2008 my health insurance ended weight loss surgery coverage. [/color]

[color=#333333]12/2011 - I'm at my wits end with losing weight and I need help. My previous doctor was no help. I start thinking I'll try a new doctor.[/color]

2/2012 I need refills of my current prescriptions and I don't want to go back to my old doctor. I resolve myself to find a new doctor.

[color=#333333]Feb 17 - first appt. with Dr. Iannone. After listening to me and looking at my overall health (BMI 56 - 403lbs.) he recommended weight loss surgery as a tool for successful weight loss. He gave me the name of Dr. St Laurent and told me to go online and look at his calendar to attend a seminar. [/color][color=#333333]Feb 27 - I went to the seminar and listened. I filled out my forms and left my insurance info with his insurance specialist. The key points I heard about the gastric sleeve compared to other surgeries are: [/color]
[color=#333333]Gastric Sleeve removes 85% of the stomach. (other procedures leave the stomach whole)[/color]
[color=#333333]The hunger hormone Grehlin is produced by the stomach.[/color]
[color=#333333]Without Grehlin you won't be hungry all the time.[/color]
[color=#333333]When you eat you will only be able to consume 2-3oz at a time (or suffer the consequences (pain & vomiting being the main issues)).[/color]

[color=#333333]March 1 - Dr. St. Laurent's office calls to let me know my insurance covers bariatric surgery. [/color]

[color=#333333]March 7 - Psych eval with Dr. Lindeen. The psych eval is just to determine if the patient understands the full implications of weight loss surgery. I had to fill out a life satisfaction questionnaire. Most of the time was spent discussion the before and after surgery lifestyle changes that must happen to be successful. The Dr. wanted to be sure I understood that surgery isn't a cure, but it is a tool to successful weight loss. (Cost not covered by insurance $325)[/color]

[color=#333333]The rest of March was spent waiting for my previous Dr. to fax my medical records to Dr. St. Laruent's office.[/color]

[color=#333333]April 2 - meet with Christina, my dietitian, to go over the pre and post op diet (in general). My medical records arrive. Make appt to meet with Dr. St. Laurent. (Cost not covered by insurance $75)[/color]

[color=#333333]April 9 - meet with Dr. St. Laurent and team to discuss the surgery options and the pros and cons. Dr. agrees with my desire for the gastric sleeve and will submit the paperwork to my insurance. I am tentatively scheduled for surgery on May 3rd but told not to make any appts until after insurance approves. (394lbs)[/color]

[color=#333333]April 17 - Insurance company sends a letter saying that the surgery is medically necessary (approved).[/color]

[color=#333333]April 23 - Heart Stress Test to make sure I am OK for surgery.[/color]
[color=#333333]Trans-nasal esophageal scope and stomach biopsy - (camera up my nose and into my stomach - looking for stomach issues and bacteria.) [/color]
[color=#333333]Dr tells me I must lose at least 12lbs before May 3 or he won't perform the surgery. [/color]
[color=#333333]Pre-op diet starts. (10 days) Three protein shakes per day + 1 meal (5 ozs. meat + 2 cups raw veggies) every doctor has their own pre-op diet so yours could be different. [/color]
[color=#333333]Given post op diet and a shopping list. [/color]
[color=#333333](Cost not covered by insurance $1200 post op dietitian visits for 12 months - also paid $300 to cover my annual deductible)[/color]
[color=#333333](387lbs)[/color]

[color=#333333]April 24 - Pre-op appt with hospital. (I paid the hospital $1700 to cover the rest of my annual deductible.)[/color]
[color=#333333]The hospital performs: Blood work, urinalysis, post-op breathing exercises and chest x-ray.[/color]
[color=#333333]Pre-op appt with bariatric center. Talk with a bariatric nurse (two years ago she had the same surgery I was having and she went from 230 down to 135.) She went through the entire surgery from admitting to discharge. [/color]
[color=#333333](387 lbs)[/color]
[color=#333333]Note: very hungry between shakes (don't cheat your pre-op diet).[/color]

[color=#333333]April 25 hunger between shakes is minimal[/color]
[color=#333333]April 26 hunger between shakes is gone[/color]

[color=#333333]April 30 - just a bit stressed my scale says I have only lost 6 lbs on the pre-op diet.[/color]

[color=#333333]May 2 - even more stressed my scale says I have only lost 10 lbs on the pre-op diet. [/color]

[color=#333333]May 3 6:45am my scale says I have lost 12lbs (no food or drink since midnight.)[/color]

[color=#333333]7:45 drive to the hospital with my sister and mom.[/color]
[color=#333333]8:20 arrive at hospital (early by 40 minutes).[/color]
[color=#333333]8:30 take my before pictures [/color]
[color=#333333]8:40 check-in and start the process[/color]
[color=#333333]8:50 taken back to surgical waiting area.[/color]
[color=#333333]9:00 admitted - change into surgical gown and get really cool purple sock with tread[/color]
[color=#333333]9:10 weigh-in on hospital scale 368lbs. (found out that I lost 19lbs on my pre-op diet and determine that my home scale is junk)[/color]
[color=#333333]9:15 get my IV and shot of heparin[/color]
[color=#333333]9:20 belly shaved[/color]
[color=#333333]9:25 mom and sister return[/color]
[color=#333333]9:25-9:50 I meet my anesthesia team (Dr and two nurses) as well as Dr. St. Laurent.[/color]
[color=#333333]9:50 rolling to the operating room[/color]
[color=#333333]9:55 count back from...[/color]
[color=#333333]2:00pm wake up in recovery & ask what time it was (Pretty gross but I start burping out the gas used during surgery.) This is expected because the surgeon fills your belly with CO2 to make room for the tools and let him see what he is doing. Not all of the gas exits the body through the incisions so your body absorbs it and puts it in your belly. [/color]
[color=#333333]2:20 wheeled up to the fifth floor. Mom and sister are there waiting for me. [/color]
[color=#333333]2:30 nurse comes in takes vitals and hands me the pain button. Unexpectedly, there is very little pain just lots of pressure in my stomach (gas from surgery) so I keep burping.[/color]
[color=#333333]2:40 ask for my CPAP so I can get rid of the O2 [/color]
[color=#333333]3:00 moved just a bit to get comfortable (not really possible on a three inch thick mattress)[/color]
[color=#333333]3:10 eyes dry so I ask to use my eye drops (given the ok).[/color]
[color=#333333]3:30 asked if I was ready to walk - Heck yes! anything to get out of that bed! Very thirsty at this point but not allowed fluids. [/color]
[color=#333333]3:50 return to room after a good walk. [/color]
[color=#333333]3:55 breathing exercise[/color]
[color=#333333]4:10 Nausea and pain meds arrive from the hospital pharmacy[/color]
[color=#333333]4:30 my ride to x-ray arrives.[/color]
[color=#333333]4:40 live x-ray to confirm no leaks in staple line. [/color]
[color=#333333]5:00 ice chips and orange Popsicle arrive.[/color]
[color=#333333]5:01 first ice chip gone.[/color]
[color=#333333]5:30 Popsicle gone. [/color]
[color=#333333]6:00 still chomping on ice chips[/color]
[color=#333333]6:30 Mom and Julie go home. [/color]
[color=#333333]The rest of that night is a blur of people taking vitals, a couple of shots and IV change. The first night I hit the pain pump about 8 times - mainly due to shoulder pain and to drown out the hospital noise. [/color]

[color=#333333]May 4 8:00am - full tray breakfast arrives[/color]
[color=#333333]Start with banana Popsicle (strange I hate banana Popsicle) and get through it in about 10 minutes and it tastes so good.[/color]
[color=#333333]Try the beef broth and get about 4 baby spoons down[/color]
[color=#333333]Try the apple juice and get about 2oz down over 15 minutes.[/color]
[color=#333333]Still chomping ice chips.[/color]
[color=#333333]8:45 done eating (drinking breakfast)[/color]
[color=#333333]9:30 mom arrives[/color]
[color=#333333]9:45 walk again[/color]
[color=#333333]10:15 nurse has hospital pharmacy deliver liquid vitamins gives me a dose and puts the bottle in my bag to take home. [/color]
[color=#333333]10:30 ride home arrives (sister with husband and son) and my discharge is approved.[/color]
[color=#333333]11:00 Get dressed. [/color]
[color=#333333]11:15 lunch tray (the only thing I want is the Popsicle) [/color]
[color=#333333]11:30 my transportation (wheelchair) out of the hospital arrives[/color]
[color=#333333]12:00 I am home with a Popsicle and water.[/color]
[color=#333333]12:30 Make high protein chicken broth (from Unjury.com) it takes me 45 minutes to finish the 8oz bowl.[/color]
[color=#333333]1:00 Sleeping[/color]
[color=#333333]6:00 more broth water and Popsicles[/color]
Notes: [list]
[*][color=#333333]Shoulder pain is really bad during this time so bad it keeps me awake. Shoulder pain is the only reason I take the pain meds. [/color]
[*][color=#333333]The first night I wake up a couple times coughing and after looking at the nausea medicine, it is Promethazine (my standard cough medicine) two teaspoons and I am back to sleep.[/color]
[*][color=#333333]I do feel some belly pain but only when shifting position or moving too fast. [/color]
[/list]

[color=#333333]May 5 [/color]
[color=#333333]I wake up with a dry mouth a number of times during the night. I get up to have Popsicle and/or water every couple hours.[/color]
[color=#333333]Chicken broth for breakfast - lunch - dinner, lots of Popsicles, water and I add crystal lite.[/color]
[color=#333333]Sleep most of the day and night. [/color]
[color=#333333]From here everything continues to get better. My energy is way up. I'm not hungry. I am starting to see food differently. I have seen some of my favorite foods and I wonder why did you eat all that... [/color]

[color=#333333]I sat in a Mall on May 7th and I could smell all the different foods. I swear the sweet acidic smell of cotton candy almost made me gag a couple times. Walking through the food court and being able to say no to every sample made me feel good. [/color]

[color=#333333]June 26 I weigh 335 lbs (by my home scale). I am tracking what I eat and working to maintain 80+ grams of protein daily. Exercise is tough due to the heat of the day (Its normal to wake up and the outside temp is 85 during the summer). So I've started exercising using malls and stores for walking. I've also added minimal strength training. [/color]