Considering surgery but want to know what to expect

I'm new to this forum. I'm 5'8" and weigh about 350 pounds. I've been overweight all my life. For health reasons, I'm considering surgery. I've read a little in the message boards but I thought it might be easier to ask specific questions. I realize the answers can change from person to person but I'm just trying to get a general idea. I'm just starting my research so some of these questions are pretty basic. Are there any recommendations on a surgeon/facility? What did you look for when picking one out? Are there any recommendations on things to read? I've seen where people have dropped 100 pounds is first 3 months. Is that about average or does that seem high? I'm having problems viusalizing that. How often do you have to get new clothes so they fit?? Everything would just fall off you. About how long does it take for you to level off to your 'after' weight? I know there's a soft diet afterwards then eventually going back to normal food. Is it reasonable to expect to settled back down to 'normal' in 6-8 months? Approximately what does will a meal consist of when it is 'normal'? An example of a day's menu would be helpful. What's the typical recovery period? How long should I plan on being off work? I've seen people talk about vomitting a lot. Is that usual? Are there other physical concerns that I'm not aware of? Do people typically get panniculectomies to remove the excess skin? About how much does this cost? Do you have to do this multiple times depending on how much you lose? I'd appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks!!!

Hi Lori, I am in the insurance part so I don't have alot of answers for you, but you sure have come to the right place to get those answers. These folks know everything about this surgery and most have lost an incredible amount of weight with not alot of problems. I found alot of really good reading on this subject at http://www.sabariatric.com it has all the different types of surgerys and the before, during and ater requirements. Where do you live? Do you know which type of surgery you want to have? Does your insurance require you to go to only certain Drs. or areas? First and formost you will need your PCP(primary care physcian) to give you a letter of medical necessity to take to the surgeon you decide on. Maybe your Dr. has ideas who to go to but if not, listen to the people here, they know their **** about this stuff. Good luck on your journey and welcome to the messageboard, keep us posted. ~~Tina

Lori- I am 6 weeks post op today. At the last doctor visit I had lost 36 pounds. He told me to expect to lose 15-20 pounds a month "in the beginning". I was off work for 2.5 weeks. I'm a secretary at an elementary school, so I don't have to lift- just do a lot of sitting. I was getting bored by then, and needed something to keep my mind off of food. I can't say I was really hungry post op- but felt I should eat SOMETHING! I have vomited twice- both times were my own fault for eating too much or too fast. Beleive, you know it. It feels like food just backs up into your throat- and you really want it OUT of there. I researched doctors in Iowa and Illinois. Dr, Coster in Grinnell has been doing this surgery for 10+ years. I felt confident enough in him that I waited for 6 weeks to get an appointment. I was approved with in a week, and had surgery the week after that. I have dropped almost 1 dress size- depending on the cut. People have noticed the loss in my face and neck, and in my arms. I feel all the weight has shifted to my abdomen- but am told this is "normal". My diet consists of protein- most ground meat, but a can tolerate hamburger with out bread, if I eat SLOWLY! Eggs sit well now, although they didn't right after surgery. I still have a little problem with chicken and some beef, but I'm told this will end soon. Right now the only negative thing I have is smelly stools- could be from the lactose free milk I drink. Other than that, I'm pretty happ y with things. When people tell you the surgery is the easy part- beleive them! And keep chanting the protein mantra- protein first, protein first! Jeri H.

Lori, I am a little over 3 months out so I can try to answer some of your questions from my perspective. First off, what Tina says about insurance is right on. You really have to look at your policy to figure out where you can go. I wanted to go to the most experience surgeon I could, so I in fact changed insurance providers during my company's open enroolment period. I choose to go to the Bariatric Treatment Center in Belvidere, IL. It was a 3 hour drive from Cedar Rapids, but I am glad I did it. My surgeon, Dr. Boe performed 450 gastric by-pass surgeries last year. I didn't want to just "have surgery". I wanted help learning to eat the right way. The BTC program has a very structured diet and every visit includes meeting with a dietician. I looked for an expereienced surgeon and a well rounded program that cared about me before AND after surgery. As far as the weight loss, it depends on how much overweight you are. At my 3 month checkup I was down 48 pounds (35% of my excess weight). I know another person who was 300 pounds overweight. He too had lost 30% of his excess body weight in 3 months, which was 100 pounds. For clothing, I wore things that were pretty baggy (as I lost weight). In my 3 months I have gone from a size 22/24 to a 16. I am just starting to buy clothes for the fall season. I make sure I visit consignments and try to get everything I can on sale. Especially since I will keep on losing. Every doctor has a different after meal program. For me it was 1 week of clear liquids, 2 weeks of full liquids, 2 weeks of pureed foods, 1 week of soft foods, and then I was back to normal food. I do read labels more closely and watch the sugar and fat content of the foods I eat. Here's what I have on average each day. Start the morning with a protein drink (6 OZ fat-free milk and protein powder), 1/3 cups soy nuts for a mid-morning snack, a frozen lean cuisine meal for lunch, at mid-afternoon I usually have a stick of string cheese, meat and 1/2 cup of vegetable for dinner, and then maybe a sugar free fudgesicle in the evening. It might not seem like much, but I can tell you I don't get hungry anymore. Every now and then I forget to eat becuase I don't have hunger pain telling me to eat. I have yet to get vomit or get sick due to something I ate. I attribute this to the fact that I watch the sugar and fat closely. For the recovery period it depends on the type of surgery you have (Lap vs. open) I had an open. I choose to take 6 weeks off because my company has a generous short term disability plan, but I probably could have returned earlier if I wanted to. I have no idea if I will need plastic surgery or not. To me that is too far in the future for me to look. I can tell you you have to investigate and gather as much information as you can in order to make an informed decision (this webiste is a wealth of information!). Prior to surgery I never thought I could follow through on this. I thought I wouldn't be able to resist the tempation of eating french fries at McDonalds. Well I did. Things don't taste the same to me anymore. Bad foods taste like crap to me. If I can do it anyone can. Good luck in your journey! - Janine