???s-Surgery lap gastric bypass 3/26/07-St. Vincent Carmel, IN

A few questions and a request for friends. I have a surgery date coming up on 3/26/07. Having lap gastic bypass. I do better when I know what to expect. I like the details. It heps me feel more safe and secure. The process of surgery for me has not been real hard, but so many hoops! It has been a different process to do this than any doctor/medical issue I've encountered before. Met with Dr. Jones. I really liked her. She seemed to really have a lot of compassion and care. It helped to know she is very experienced. I had been looking at another program closer to home for me but the way the system worked I had not yet met the doctor, wondered about his skill level and took a chance and met Dr. Jones. I am really glad I did. I feel bad for my family because it will be harder on them with me further away. I have found most everything I have already done will transfer over for my surgery except I need to go to an all day nutrition class. Can anyone tell me anything about it? Can anyone tell me anything about: 1. the drain tube that I will come back home with? 2. Can anyone tell me about what to expect at my first post-op? Is it a long wait like it is with the seminars? Can anyone tell me what foods worked for them when they got home? I am not telling my co-workers exactly what I'm doing; my boss knows and I wondering how others deal with co-workers upon return. Anyone out there that would like to correspond back and forth? I am looking for a mentor. I'm a little nervous. Worried about missing work. Worried about the impact on my family. I feel this will make a great improvement in my life, but it will be sacrifice for my family. Thanks. I look forward to hearing from someone. Mary

Mary. Just a suggestion... I'm hosting a hot tub & hot tea party (probably on March 17th) on the north-east side of Indy. We'd love for you to join us. Then you can ask all the questions you want and make some new life-long friends while you're at it. Sherri ps...welcome to the boards!

Hi Mary! You will soon be on the losers bench woooo hooooo The all day class is not bad at all. They do give you a lot of information so plan on taking a pad of paper and something to write with. They will give you literature hand outs also. I would recommend finding someone at the class with the same surgery date as you so you can buddy up and motivate each other to walk the halls. The post op visit is not bad. It does go pretty quick. You meet with the diatician then your surgeon. Plan on having a list of your intake (fluids etc) so they know how you have been doing. Remember to sip sip sip and walk walk walk. The more you walk the better your healing process will go. I can't tell you anything about the drain tube, I was fortunate and didn't have to have one. Though my Mom has had surgeries in the past and did have one. I think her main complaint was being able to take showers and things. Kind of like having a cast and having to "work around it". I took the same path as you mentioned as far as work. I decided to only tell my boss what was going on because I didn't want any negative feed back by the "know it alls". However, when I got back to work it was more difficult to manage all the questions. Especially when the weight starts to come off or they see how little you are eating they are full of questions. I found it was just easier to explain what was going on (when I returned from medical leave). It's a personal decision and I know alot depends on the people you work with and their attitudes. Sacrifice to your family? I suppose it does put some type of burden on them but it is just temporary. Soon after you come home from the hospital they will need to help you around the house, drive you places just as they would with any other type of surgery. However, once you are healed up and have all that new energy they will be amazed on how it changes their life as well as yours. You will have more energy to do things with your family. It really is a blessing! Best wishes with your upcoming surgery! Claudette

Welcome to OH, Indiana style. You sound much like I was before surgery. I wanted all the details. I read everything I could find and watched every show on TLC that had to do with weight loss and Bariatric surgery. They had a lot for a while. I didn't tell anyone I was having surgery (except my husband and a co-worker that also had surgery at St.V****il I got approved by insurance. Even then I waited until two weeks before surgery to tell my parents and other family. I work in a Dr.s office and I knew they would all be supportive so I told them as soon as I had a date. So a lot of who you tell and when you tell is a personal decision. I chose St. V for my surgery becasue of their reputation. I knew 4 friends and relatives that went the program there. I did look into Ft. Wayne and South Bend (both of which are closer to me) but I didn't like what I heard about SB and there is only 1 surgeon in Ft.Wayne and they hadn't done that many yet. It's just a two hour drive for me to St. V and it was well worth the trip. The care there is excellent. They also have many fine bari surgeons to choose from. With the laproscopic surgery you are usually in the hospital 2 to 3 days. My husband was the only family member there for me. Which was OK. The first day I felt like I wa**** by a truck. (and backed over a few times) But I got up and did my walks and each time I got up it got a little easier. When you come out of surgery you will find they put a wide elastic band around your belly and it really feels like it is holding you all in. IT helps. Food will vary acording to your taste. My favorites were and still are. Cottage cheese, SF pudding, apple sauce, yogurt, SF popsicles, and mashed potatoes, SF jello. Just write down any and all questions you can think of before you go to your pre-op/nutrition class. My guess is they will answer all of them before you get the chance to even ask it. One of the risks post op is blood clots so after surgery they put you on Lovenox injections. You will be giving youself these injections into your abdomen for (i think it was) 10 days post op. That may vary by surgeon a little also. This is getting way to long. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions a [email protected]. I'd be happy to help you with any question I can. The nice thing about this board is what one person doesn't know someone else does. There is a lot of experience on here. Good luck and keep in contact!

I can't thank you all enough for responding. It means so much right now. When I say it will be hard for my family, money is tight, and what I will have to pay (even with insurance) will mean less I can help my family with other money concerns. It is very helpful to get some answers. I meant to ask Dr. Jones a few more things when I saw her, but got sidetracked. I was number 30 and the last of her patients she saw that day after the seminar and I got so excited when she said she'd have me put on right away for surgery and meet her up in her office. I didn't get to actually see her, I then saw her assistants, the day had been long, and I ended up coming on home. She initially had told me the blood tests, xray, upper gi and EKG could be done locally. Since then, the office staff are really saying I need to come there. I sense a little negativity from my boss; but my boss just took over her position 1/07 and so me having to take off so soon is a stress for her----maybe that's what I'm sensing. I have been so used to feeling guilty so long about everything that has to do with my weight it's hard to say what is phobia and what is true vibes anymore. It is still a struggle for me not to feel I am taking the "easy way out" by having surgery. I have bad back pain from herniations and began high blood pressure meds this last November. I am really hoping the weight loss will make it possible for me to have greatly reduced back and leg pain and be able to do everyday tasks without so much pain. Again thanks to all of you. Mary

Mary, My surgeon was Dr. Gupta, who is in the same offices as Dr. Jones (along with Dr. Cacucci). I've had several post-op visits since I'm so far out and I've never had to wait longer than 10-15 minutes. Usually, it's less than 5. You can expect to be in the hospital at the minimum of overnight. Enjoy your stay there. St. V's bariatric wing is terrific. You'll go home with 1 drainage tube which is located on your left side, right below your ribs. At your 1 week post-op visit, it's removed. They do it very quickly..one inhaled breath and you're done. The tube isn't very long..not compared to the one I had for my gall bladder anyway. I'd guess it to be less than a foot. At that first visit (and every visit after) you see the dieticians first where you'll record what you've been drinking/eating, get weighed, and on occation get measured. Then you'll go to the 2nd floor for your doc appoitment. You'll give one of the dietician notes copies to them, get weighed, have a few pics taken, and have the opportunity to discuss any concerns/issues with the doc. It's usually (unless they changed it) 1 week post-op, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 yr, and every year after that. After you leave the doctor's with your next scheduled appointment, pop back into the dietician's office and let them know when your next appointment is so they can put you on the books to see them ~15 minutes before your schedule doc time. The pre-op nut class is about 6 hours long. It's the perfect time to get dietary type questions out there. Take notes. They will also give you sheets that lists what you can have at what time period such as up to 4 weeks post-op you can have three 1-2 oz meals. Those meals are considered full liquid: Cheese, cottage cheese, sf pudding, etc. They've changed a few times what is or isn't allowed so I don't want to say what I had and it be what you can't have. When I originally had my RNY, eggs was allowed. When I had my revision, eggs weren't but crackers were. How's your hubby holding up through this? If you two would like to meet over dinner sometime, contact me. My hubby's terrific at answering spouse-type questions. You are welcome to write me anytime you'd like. We have activities where we all get together for also and you're welcome to attend any of those that you'd like. You have a whole state worth of mentors here so feel free to post any questions or concerns you have. At least one of us will answer! LOL! Sherri

Hi again Mary! I just sent you a PM, but I wanted to tell you that I did not tell my co-workers (except for the one that is a member of this OH board lol!) aside from my room partners. No one is any-the-wiser at this point, although it has become obvious that I am "melting away", as someone recently commented. When asked what I am doing I have just said that I am working with my doctor and a nutritionist and that I am following a low-cal, high protein diet. I don't know how long it will be until I have to come clean, but I just don't feel like it is anyone's business! Also about work, I took off what turned out to be a week and a half, but honestly, I was SO glad to get back to work and start feeling normal. It helped me a lot emotionally to be back in the throws of my normal life. It was an easy transition back, I just had to make sure I packed my lunch those first couple of weeks and had snacks and water with me. Congrats on your date! Belle