My story

Hi everyone.. I went to the doc in January, and after years of hearing "Eat less, walk more" he finally realized something was really wrong with me. It's really kind of frustrating to hear your doc telling you not to eat an entire pizza at a time, when he hasn't even asked about your eating habits! So this time he suggested surgery. I've been researching it over a very stressful month or so now, and I decided I want to have it. I told my dad, and he talked to the insurance people at his job, who said I'll be covered *whew* I just called a Dr Aziz Richi today, he works in Waterbury. Allegedly, he's "the most experienced surgeon in the area", but he's not specifically a bariatric surgeon. This makes me a little nervous, because it seems like I should go to someone who does this day in day out and nothing else. But then I think, maybe it'll be better to have this guy if something gets complicated. Any opinions on surgeons to share? Basically, the lowest weight I remember being is 140.. AT AGE SEVEN! I think the first diet I put myself on was back when I was 12. Maybe even younger, my sister was overweight herself and lost about 60 on slim fast and exercise when I was 8. So naturally I wanted to copy her. Once I only ate salad and water for 3 months, but woke up one morning after running around at a party the night before to learn my legs didn't want to work. That snapped me right out of that! So here I am at 21, 358 pounds. All the diets/exercise programs I've tried let me lose 15-20 pounds in 5-6 months. At my weight, that's absolutely nothing. My friends will tell you, I make (usually, I've been extremely bad with sugar and carbs since christmas) healthier eating choices than they do, and I have willpower, but the feeling I have is that if a simple diet/exercise program was the answer, I'd have been thin years ago. I'm relatively healthy, which I'm thankful for. I only have slightly high blood pressure and PCOS, but I banged up my knees a lot when I was young and I'm already beginning to feel it. I don't think I have sleep apnea (no snoring, etc that i know of), but I am a very light sleeper (more related to noise.. I hear the slightest noise and I'm up). That's why I think I should do the surgery, I'm young, relatively healthy, and I have an entire life ahead of me. I want to HAVE that life, not to make decisions and plans around my fat. I want the option to have a baby, though my boyfriend and I agree that's not happening for a loooooooong time ;). If anyone has any advice, I'd love to hear it. My email address is ashfrogg(at)yahoo(dot)com. (Don't want spambots picking that up, hence the (at)).

Welcome Ashleigh, The only thing that comes to mind for me is that I wish I knew about this surgery when I was 21. I'm not sure if I would have had the courage to pursue it at that point but I am 42 now and have had many difficult years with health issues related to my weight. Everyone needs to make their own decision and research, research, research! Use this site and really talk to people about their experiences with their surgeons. I think it is important to go with a surgeon who has expertise in gastric bypass. Best of luck to you. Carolyn

Hi Ashleigh, Please please only go to a bariatric surgeon who has done many successful bariatric cases.The "best surgeon" is not enough.I applaude your courage in making this decision,but your work is not done yet.In order for success, you need the right surgeon.I know you are giving it thought because you said if something were to go wrong,you would have a doc who could handle it.However,you want the most experienced at the bariatric portion,who can also take care of complications.I had Doctor Bell in Yale who is a gastric specialist who has now become specialized in the bypass procedure.He can easily handle any crisis that could come up.Research your doctor further,ask questions about the numbers of bypass patients he has done,complications,infections etc.These are questions they should be willing to give you answers too,if not, I would wonder why.Good luck and again congrats on your courage. Carol

Hi Ashleigh, I must concur with the previous replys. Get yourself to a Bariatric Surgeon. Don't rely on a general surgeon to do this procedure. I applaud your decision to do this at your age and just know you will be successful and so happy afterwards. I wish I had done it way back when I was your age. I think of all the things I missed and all the health issues related to my weight that I had. However, it is extremely important to find the right surgeon for you. There are many of us here on this CT Board who will tell you the same thing. I happen to have had the same surgeon as Carol W and I can't say enough about him. I know there are others who highly reccommend their surgeons also. I have never met or spoken to anyone who has had the procedure done by someone not specially trained. That is a very scarey thought. If you want to talk more about it please feel free to email me or any one else here. We are here for you. Linda

Hi Ashleigh, there are at least two bariatric doctors who practice in Waterbury. One is Dr. Antonio Macatol who does a modified open RNY, and somebody else who does laparoscopic RNY. We have Weight Loss Surgery support group on every other Tuesday at 7:00 in Waterbury. Call Dr. Macatol's office and ask about the meeting, then you can ask lots of questions of preop and post op patients. Good luck.

I agree with other posts -- going to a strictly bariatric surgeon is a good idea. They know everything that can happen during the process. I too wish that I had the option of this surgery when I was your age. I'm 43 & no matter how you do it, the weight comes off easier when your young! You have your whole life to look forward to, and when you're thinner and you don't have the pressure of the weight on your body, you'll have so many years to enjoy life & participate fully. Best of luck! Kathy

Thanks for all the input, I appreciate it To clarify, the surgeon I'm meeting with right now DOES do bariatric surgery, it's just that's not the ONLY surgery he does. He also does heart surgery and something else.. perhaps lungs, I don't remember. Which may or may not be an advantage, so I plan to find out when I meet him. I also plan to ask lots and lots and lots of questions, and for other surgeons names. Thanks again!!

Ashleigh, Research as many surgeons as you can, but also the right kind of surgery for you. I was banded instead of an RNY and I am not saying that one is better than the other, they can accomplish different goals. I was never a big sweet eater, just a volume eater. My doc suggested the band as I was high risk for any surgery and the RNY is more invasive and I did not need the deterrent of dumping syndrome. But you have to be sure that the surgery and the doc is right for you. FYI, I used Dr. Valin in New haven and I think he's great. I have lost 104 pounds in less than a year, but surgery is not a panacea. you have to work with it, otherwise it may not work for you. Take care and good luck.