Gastric Bypass Surgery Support Group

Gastric bypass (GBP) is any of a group of similar operative procedures used to treat morbid obesity, a condition which arises from severe accumulation of excess weight in the form of fatty tissue, and the health problems ("co-morbidities") which result. If you are considering gastric bypass or have had it, join the community where we share our experiences and find support.

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becca1960 04/21/2013

Hello everyone!

***Please note right up front that my intent here is ONLY positive and I am NOT putting down anyone's surgeon or medical team!! ****

Over the last 5 months since I have joined this forum I have read way too many posts of folks who are not given sufficient diet information, nor proper follow up or support, and it saddens me.

This IS NOT like having your appendix removed, for example. There is SO MUCH more to it than having a quick surgery, sending you home to heal, life back to normal...ONGOING MEDICAL SUPPORT IS OF THE HIGHEST PRIORITY!!

I would like to say that if you are new and considering surgery... have not yet picked your medical team... or are in the process for surgery and for some reason just don't 'feel right' about your team.... Please please please do your research and find a highly experienced surgeon that is attached to a program that supports you during AND AFTER the process!

I think it was Sweeden who mentioned in a post the other day how, even at 5 years, he is still doing follow ups with his surgeon... This is a perfect example of excellent service! A team that's 'got your back' in this journey...

Yeah, I am still preop, so I don't have all the post opp experience (yet) but now is the time to make sure someone will have my back!! Thankfully my insurance REQUIRED me to go to a Center of Excellence" for them to pay for it all. There is a reason for this, they know their stuff! They have to jump tons of hoops to be certified. And I truly believe I have found a superior baratric center that has a highly proven track record.

I had no clue what a "center of excellence" was till I did my research (I am a college student, research is my middle name! LOL!) and I am so glad I did!! Wondering what this was made me go digging, and made me know where NOT to go for surgery...

I am going into this surgery feeling 110% plus, confident in my team of support from my center... My only intent here is that everyone else has the same support!

deleted_user 04/21/2013

Awesome advice Becca... You are so helpful to this forum.... Thank you for all your efforts, research, and time you put in... I hope someday I can help you as much as you have helped me (and countless others I am sure!!!!) You are such a blessing!!!!!!

tlc0u 04/21/2013

This is so true, but there are some who got their surgery in Mexico out of cost, and some who have moved. I fall into one of those catagories.

What is important to note that even after having surgery it is really important to follow up with the appropriate Doc, Nut, Psycologist as needed. As we are a support group it still does not replace full on professional advice.

My WLS Doc where I live now keeps up to date on all the latest news for Bariatric Surgery. On this site I have gotten some great advice (much appreciated), but when I repeated some back to the Doc, he had said on several things that they had been a little out of date and to try another approach that was the most current suggestion.

deleted_user 04/21/2013

IT IS very important to do your research and be 100% confident in your doctor and their team. I also go to a center of excellence. My doctors office holds monthly support groups. The people you meet, the stories you hear, the information you get-is amazing. They have such a great, supportive, informative, friendly team. Prior to my surgery, I made sure to talk to other patients, pre and post op and ask them about their experiences. Everyone I met was happy to share!

becca1960 04/21/2013

Thank you Kathi!! And don't sell yourself short!! You add life to these boards with your comments and gentleness!

tlc,
Great points!! I too will be moving to a new area in time (If I ever finish college! LOL!), and if it ends up being to far away, I will have to seek out support with a new doc... Good reminder!!

And yes, as much as I appreciate everyone's input here on DS, it should never replace the advice from our medical team! It is nice of course to get the view from folks who have walked the walk... but bottom line, what my doc says, goes, cause she knows all the ins and outs of my personal situation and is (should be) up on the latest low down... :)

deleted_user 04/22/2013

I really liked your message. Here, in Quebec, I did not pay for the surgery, it is the medical insurance that everybody have... but we have a long time to wait. To choose my team, like you are doing, I have to pay from my pocket, so it was not a choice to me. We are supposed to have a follow-up after, but if we don't pay, we are going to see the nutritionist 1 year post-op... I know that my message is really not positive but I am having a very bad experience with my surgeon. I don't thing that he is reading this, so I can express myself, because I will have to keep this doctor anyway. My last visit, last week was a positive mind killer. I had to go back home, and to repeat to myself, nobody and nothing will put you far away from your goal of health and healthy weight. In fact ,I was crying. I an not loosing a lot of weigh and I just have my surgery. I am following all the instructions and the post-op diet. He told me that he is working since such a long time with overweight poeple and that our honesty with what we are eating is questionnable. He told me also that I should have a degree in nutrition just to have the right to say that I know that I ate correctly. He told me that I was old (51 year's old) and that I am going to loose more slowly( I agree in that... the metabolism is not the same) In fact, he leave me in his office, without listening to me, because he wanted me to leave, so I never had the time to tell him how weak I am some days and I don't understand why. So I am still trying to find what is going on with me, but I don't have support of my doctor. So, please find a good team, it is very important. I am feeling very alone without he support of my surgeon..

deleted_user 04/22/2013

I didnt know about the centers of excellence until I went to my seminar. Thankfully, my team has that credential.

My program has a whole weight loss center. We have doctors, nutritionist, dietitians, exercise physiologist, psychologists, nutritional classes, cooking classes, buddy programs, weekly support groups and even a gym. All of this is included!

I am very blessed to have found such a wonderful support center.

deleted_user 04/22/2013

Great advice becca! I would add if you are looking for a bariatric surgeon ask you pcp, rn's anyone one in the medical field in your community for a referral( they seem to have insider's info). Talk to people who have had wls and get there take on who there team and what their experience was. I was fortunate in as much as my surgeon Dr. Neil Floch at Fairfield County Bariatric Center is wonderful and my local hospital is a Center of Excellence. My entire experience has been nothing but positive and I still see my surgeon periodically for follow up.

beclinkay 04/22/2013

Becca, this is such good information.....good thread.

My PCP referred me to a wonderful surgeon and team. My group is a center of excellence. He has a nutritionist, psychologist, exercise person etc.... and I never graduate from the program. I will have followups every year, with much help, especially the first year. I feel very fortunate and confident in my surgeon and his group. I wish everyone had the same as me. I feel bad for Sun61 up in Canada. That situation is very sad.

deleted_user 04/22/2013

Great advice to those who are considering surgery. I am thrilled with the care I received from the University of Rochester Medical Center Bariatric program. Dr O'Malley was an amazing surgeon (no bedside manner though :) and when I started with them they told me up freont that I would be their patient for life.

Pam2011 04/22/2013

MY WLS Group is a Center of Excellence and Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

They have a whole team of people that must team approve you before they even give you a surgery date and send your health insurance paperwork in. They tell people it can take up to a year to be team approved. The team consist of surgeon, nut, psych, bariatric physical therapist and your PCP is also involved in the process.
I am thankful this WLS group is in my town locally. They are great and have group support meetings every month. You can now do their oreintation online vs. going to an inperson seminar.
https://www.memorialmedical.com/Services/Bariatric-Services/Default.aspx

deleted_user 04/22/2013

I have been researching the subject since about 2008 when my uncle had his surgery. For me I watched what happen to him when you DON'T follow your Doc orders to the 'T'. His sutures ripped open and his stomach contents emptied into his body. Luckily for him his wife rushed him to the ER. They got him back on the right track but it was a long road that didnt need to be on had he listened and didnt think he was superman and knew everything.

Since then I have been trying to find a Center of Excellence in my area. There were two. I am between two major cities both are 40 mins away. Luckily that i found one even closer. Since UPMC out of Pittsburgh, PA has hospitals all up the northwest edge of PA I found one 20 miles from my home.

I contacted http://www.upmc.com/locations/hospitals/horizon/Pages/classes.aspx

and scheduled myself into the first available Information session. This was the beginning of my journey. I had been contacted by UPMC Hamot in Erie, PA but I could not see myself driving 40mins in the snowy condition to the monthly meetings. I am so GLAD i choose UPMC Horizon. THey are wonderful. Their staff is great and answers all the questions no matter how silly YOU think they are.

I have my final tests next Tuesday and my last meeting with my Doc to sign the consent papers before the surgery is on the 9th. I have already made a list of questions to ask him. I have so many questions that pop in my head through out the day that I put an App on my phone that i can add questions to it. They are questions that may or may not have been answered on these boards. Since i know every doctor is different I wanted to try and get the answer from him concerning my situation.

I am excited to have this done but I am now getting nervous. I only have two weeks left of not watching my food intake as closely as I will be doing after the surgery. I am getting nervous for the surgery itself.

deleted_user 04/22/2013

Dang Computer...sent my message before it was done..LOL..

Anywho....I am nervous about the surgery itself..The pain afterwards the struggle with getting back to a normal routine with cleaning the house, etc. I am trying to get the house clean before May 11th so that there isnt a whole lot the guys can mess up while I am home. I may be sleeping off pain but it will be hard not to move to help. I know i have to follow the doc orders so i can get back to work and released from a "light duty".

My other concerns are the Liquid diet prior to surgery. I was told that I need to do a week of liquid diet prior to surgery. I am just worried about how am I going to make it through 7 days of water or liquids only. I have this fear that I wont make it. that somewhere I will cheat. I know I have made it this far.. I know I will be able to make it one more week of liquids....

I am worried...

becca1960 04/22/2013

Hey everyone... It is awesome to hear of so many quality surgeons and centers! Thank you for sharing !!

Deanna,
I get those fears... Most of them I am right there with you! I just know that we will be able to do this! I am just sure of it. Won't be easy, but will be so worth it!!

deleted_user 04/22/2013

all i could really eat the week or so before surgery was like deli turkey and chicken and the like,,,i did a bowel prep the day before. a gallon of cherry flavored salt water it what it tasted like...nasty nasty buy effective.,,,i truly did not have alot of pain afterwards...i took some liuid pain meds the surgeon RX'ed me..but after i was home from the long drive home i dont think i took any more... but yeah...ya gotta take it easy,,i wasnt allowed to lift anything that weighed more than a gallon of milk for like a week..

SgtSmith 04/22/2013

I did research before I had mine done. My insurance company dictates the use of a Center of Excellence. The place I had chosen was one! Got lucky that time. They are partners for life!

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