FINFAN3DP

Thanks. This is an umbilical hernia, not a hiatal. I should have specified.

So, I have been contemplating bariatric surgery for about 10 years. Kept putting it off, but now I have to have hernia surgery. Doc said he can do both the hernia and the sleeve at the same time, so I'm thinking two-fer sounds like a good idea.

I'm not looking forward to worrying about what I eat the rest of my life, but I know that it will be good for me, and the fact that he is already going to be rooting around inside, makes this a little bit easier of a choice.

Is there anyone else in here who had both done at once?

24 minutes ago, gr8ful1 said:

Well said, my friend! My wife is a family physician, and she had always cooked for me and encouraged me to eat better, exercise, and eat less. I too was "successful" at losing up to 60 pounds at a time. But it would always come back, usually with more pounds added before I got my diet back on track again. On day she eventually told me, "I hate seeing you struggle like this. I didn't want to tell you this because I believed you could lose and keep the way off on your own, but the truth is that almost nobody at your weight is able to lose weight and keep it off through diet and exercise alone. All the best studies agree. At your height and weight, weight loss surgery is the only thing that works for most people."

One question that sometimes comes up is, "any regrets?" The most frequent answer I've heard is, "My life has been great since surgery. I regret I didn't have this surgery even sooner."

Oh, and regarding your tastes in food, I don't think that should be a factor. Many patients' tastes in food change post-op. Expect some new likes and dislikes, and be open to trying new things. Protein is the name of the game post-op, so if you hate veggies, you're not longer going to be encouraged to eat five servings of them per day post-op. LOL

That is my huge problem. I will not try anything new. Ever. Which is another reason i'm worried about getting the surgery.

5 minutes ago, gr8ful1 said:

Hi Fin! I too had some serious doubts when I first started considering weight loss surgery four years ago. It's not just a surgery, but a new lifestyle, and you have to get your mind right before you proceed. Would you consider attending a support group? Dr. Fitzer's office offers 2 monthly support groups to his patients. The groups are especially welcoming to pre-surgery patients, and everyone is very open about sharing their own experiences and answering your questions. The support group definitely helped me with my fears and made me feel less alone in my journey.

By the way, I am exactly 2 weeks out from gastric bypass surgery, and sleep apnea was my only major co-morbidity as well. But I knew that I could be told I have diabetes or hypertension at any given checkup, and I didn't want to wait for that to happen, or worse. I am doing great. I am not disgusted by food now, which was one of my fears pre-op. I feel like I now have a control over food, as opposed to food having control over me. And that is a GREAT feeling. :-)

I think that's one of my biggest issues right there... I really don't eat a lot. I know, it sounds strange for someone my size, but whenever people see me eat they say "is that all you are having?". I don't exercise at all though, as I ruptured my patellar back in 2006 from falling down three stairs. Yeah, i always wonder when something will go wrong, and always worried about the ticker, but i'm always ok, so just don't know if i want to take such a drastic step as re-routing my plumbing just yet. I am so envious of you brave people that did it though. My other issue is i have a very limited diet. I only have several foods i will eat, as I am very very very picky.

5 minutes ago, SampTheChamp said:

I understand your concerns, but I am 7 months post op gastric bypass and I'm definitely not sick everyday. This surgery saved my life. I love life everyday. Dr. Fitzer is amazing along with his staff. He knows his stuff. I hope you reconsider. Being heavy like we are, we need something to help us get our lives back on track. This is the chance to do so. I'd do it 1000 times over again. That's how much I love and appreciate the second chance at life. We are all here for you. Please reach out. You wont regret this opportunity. Dont let it pass. At that size, we are all at risk for something to happen at any given second. Time is now. Let's make it happen.

Thanks Samp! How old are you? I'm 51.

Hi All,

I had my consultation with Dr. Fitzer about a 3 weeks ago. Since then, Heather has called a couple times to set up appt with dietician. I haven't called her back. I'm 390lbs, but have only one health issue, sleep apnea. Everything else is good. I'm scared to make the next step because i don't want to be sick to my stomach for the rest of my life. Happy to read you guys success stories, but still don't know if this is for me.

Fin

Thanks everyone! And trust me, the Open ones aren't so open when you are my size!

Still in the beginning stages of thinking about this surgery. I'm 390lbs, and I am terrified of MRI machines. Do you need to have an MRI to get this surgery?

Hi guys! I'm considering this, and am just learning everything. What is the pre-surgery program? I too have the same insurance as you guys.