Hi!
I hope the person reads this that first started this blog.  I had my surgery a  Gastric By pass Roux N Y in July 2009.  My surgeon Dr. Gene Rumsey, from Pacific Bariatrics, did the surgery at Scripps Mercey Hospital in San Diego.  I am a Kaiser patient.  He is a wonderful MD, great bedside manner and I did wonderfully after surgery.  I lost weight before surgery on my own from 287 to 180 then went back up again.  Another round of dieting and another 100 pounds lost.  When I started to seriously investigate the surgery for myself, I was afraid Kaiser would turn me down at 183, so I lost down to 255 before I went to my first meeting.  Unfortunately I had had a Colonoscopy and prepped for that and when I weighed in at the meeting I was 250.  Which of course was fluid loss from the prep and even sticking to the meal plan I was back up to 255 at the second class meeting.  When I weighed in the day of surgery I was 200 and when I was discharged four days later I was 204, again the fluids they gave me for sugery caused this.  For one year I was absolutely on target and had no complications.  I knew the number one complication was LEAKS and the number two was BOWEL OBSTRUCTIONS.  When I developed the symptoms of number two in 2010 I went to urgent care, but they said it was gastro enteritis to fast and let the stomach heal.  I tried to explain about being a post By Pass patient, but everyone knew more than me and when I asked they contact a bariatric MD then said if I wasn't better in three days to come back.  By the third day I was in misery and went straight to the nearest ER.  Again right away I asked they contact a bariatric surgeon at Kaiser and I told them I was post Bi-Pass.  To make a long story short, I was in the ED for over 24 hours, not hydrated enough, had a RN try to put an NG down me which I told them wouldnot work with me and may puncture my pouch, the morning came and a surgical doctor came in.  I told him that i was post  By Pass and that I was asking all night long to call a bariatric surgeon.  The words were not even out of my mouth when he turned around and chewed out the ER MD and called Harbor City and spoke to Dr. Belzberg who immediately accepted me.  It took hours for the process to transfer me those 60 or so miles.  When I got there he was waiting for me and within minutes I was in the ED for surgery.  BOTTOM LINE:  Dr. Belzberg save my life!  His bedside manner was great.  HIs care was great.  I sit here today, because the surgeon intervened and Dr. Belzberg took quick action. 
I lost a total of 170 pounds from the highest recorded weight at my PCP's office.  At 18 months  the malabsorption and starvation phase passed and I was able to eat better and food tasted better.  So I have gained 17 pounds and am 134.  I look a lot better and feel a lot better at this weight. I went from a size 28 -30 dress to a size 8!

Dr. Belsberg is a great Bariatric physician like Dr. Rumsey.  I would recommend either of them to anyone I know.  I meet regularly at bariatric Support meetings with many other of their patient's and hear first hand how satisfied they are with their care.  I  hope that by this time the person beginning this blog has had their surgery.  My reccommendations to those *****ad this in the future are these:
1.  Do everything the MD tells you
2.  Make sure you hydrate and take all of your vitamins as instructed
3.  Attend a Bariatric Support Group Regularly even if you are 2  or 5 years out, go to the Back On Track  part of the meetings and make sure you stay on the right road to successful wieght loss and retain it.
4. Really investigate where you are going to have your surgery done, sites like this one are important
5.  If you can speak to a few people who have had the By Pass done it is good to remember that everyone is different and responds differently to the surgery in some ways.
6. LAST BUT MOST IMPORTANT - If you think something is wrong go back to your surgeon right away.  If you go to a Urgent Care or ER, be adamant that they call a Bariatric MD to see you or at least consult with them on the care you need!

Sorry about the late notice! My bad.
     There will be a support group meeting tonight in San Jose from 6-8 pm for DS (duodenal switch) people, and for anyone interested in learning more about the DS. The DS has the highest percentage of excess weight loss of any presently available wls, and also the best rate of resolution of almost all comorbidities of any wls. Come learn about it from people who live with it! And tonight, rumor has it that our group leader is bringing cheesecake in honor of her birthday...and yes, we do eat things like cheesecake on occasion.
     The meeting is in the theater building of Hoover Junior High School at 1635 Park Ave. in San Jose. You are all welcome, and your support person is also welcome. It's a small, friendly group of well informed people. There is no fee and no committment.
     Come join us and learn more about it.

Larra

I just might plan that thanks :)

heck we can meet  :)...  No, the meeting was canceled due to no location. 

Ughhhhhhhhhhhh another one bites the dust!!!! booo hoooooo....gonna be on my way to Washington :-(   Should be somewhere in Oregon on the 10th ;-) Oh well, you all will just have to miss me for 1 more month...bu****ch out October!!!!!  Barb...we're still planning on making it a sleep over weekend, right???  Name of hotel in Placerville again please ^_^
I expect you all to have a grand time at Coco's....take lots of pictures to show off and show me what I missed (snicker snicker).  Hugs to you all....I am soooo gonna miss you!!
Nancy