New to this site - what a great place for information! Some ? here....

I've been contemplating WLS for the past two years now, since staying below 300# has been impossible for me. I've battled my weight since about 10 years old, and have probably lost hundreds of pounds over the years on one diet or another. I'm about sick of food now - but old habits die hard. I've got a BMI of about 41, plus hypertesions, sleep apnea (yea CPAP), arthritis (psoriatic) and back pain. I want to lose the wait so that I can be active with my wife and kids again (3 girls - 2 toddlers and our 8 year old). Any input on your experiences would be great. I'm considering having surgery at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, but they're kinda new, so I've done some research on St. Vincent's in Indy and they've got some good reviews here. Any ideas. Also, my wife's concerned about the risks with WLS, such as "death" or "someone told me that their brother's cousin's girlfriends aunt had surgery, lost weight but now weighs more than she did before WLS". I'm pretty sure the last one is urban legend, but she still has concerns. Thanks - won't be so long winded in the future..... Jeff

Jeff, Welcome! No such thing as being long-winded on here! I think about all of us can relate to everything you said. We are a group who are very familiar with yo-yo numbers on the scales. On here, you can find someone loving just about any bariatric center. Myself, I'm partial to St. Vincent's...but that's where I had mine at. Hmmmmm...urban legrend? Maybe not. WLS is a tool...and if tools aren't taken care of, they do you no good. Is it possible to regain all your weight and then some? Yep. Just because we can't eat much isn't a guarantee that we will eat right. Many people dump if they have sugars or greasy foods...others don't. Those who don't, can gain weight very quickly eating french fries and french toast. Some people (skinny people!) think that WLS is 'taking the easy way out'. It's not, trust me. In order for WLS to be successful, you have to work at it. You have to eat right, drink your water, and get your exercise. Basically, all the things that if you had done them all your life, you wouldn't need WLS to begin with. WLS makes it possible for obese people to do them. Make sence? I won't say that your wife doesn't have valid concerns either. People do die having WLS...BUT...the ones who do, are usually ones who would have been at great risk to have ANY surgery. Still have your gallbladder? Still have your appendix? If either of them had to come out tomorrow, your risk would be about the same as with WLS. Other than death, complications may also occur. Most people that they happen to (myself included) would gladly have the surgery anyway if they had known ahead of time that they would be so 'lucky' to have the complications. I would really recomend you & you wife having a consultation with a surgeon so she has an opportunity to express her concerns and you both have a chance to get your questions answered. I'm sure there are probably support group meetings in your area (check with local hospitals or libraries for time & location). Go to a few of them. Welcome...and hope to see you & your wife on here!! Sherri (344/180/140) ps...see why no such thing as long winded? LOL!!

hey and welcome....i have some friends live in st joe..... keep us posted

I agree with Sherri. I checked out South Bend and Ft. Wayne. Both only have one surgoen to choose from. The last I heard they have done around 50 at SB and 30+ in Ft. Wayne. I preffered to go where there was a choice of surgeons and they have done hundreds of surgeries. I am also partial to St. Vincent since that is where I went. I feel their surgeons are very experienced and they have a great after care and follow up program. My husband felt the same as his wife but after we attended the initial consultation at St. V he felt much more comfortable with me having the surgery. Look at it this way. Sure there is a slight risk for complications and even death, but what are your chances of health complications and death without the surgery?

Jeff you have alot of good advice here and you are right, this place is so full of good people and alot of knowledge, stick around you will learn alot!! I am a patient advocate/surgeon liaison and events specialist. I have been in surgery many times watching this procedure..it was almost a year ago the first time I stepped foot in an OR ...I go there to learn so that I can set up teaching events..I have learned alot about bariatric surgeons..they do not take this lightly and do all they can to assure your safety and recovery..I personally believe bariatric surgeons are the best!! what we hear about death due to WLS are people who were given that last chance..if you are young and in fairly good health, your chances of surviving this surgery is very good..if you have heart and lung problems then that is something you need to discuss with your surgeon, heart doc, pulmonologist and family physicians...There are surgeons today who perform laparoscopic surgery which is much less invasive from the open surgery I had nearly 3 years ago.. I have watched both open and laparoscopic procedures..remember I am a patient advocate ..I do not promote the doc or the hospital, but rather who performs the best procedures..I havn't met Indiana surgeons (yet)..so I cannot give you advice there..I only work from Dayton, Ohio down to Lexington (so far) given all that I know today, all that I have watched and learned I would make the same choice tomorrow..I have never been sorry I had WLS.. prepare and educate yourself thoroughly..you will do just fine!! well now that I am long winded I almost forgot that I came in here to talk to you folks about the Lexington conference, I am actually putting this together for OH under the direction of Monica Ganz..it's going to be an awesome event ...I hope you will come to learn, have fun socializing, meeting the friends you have made here on line, then partying all night at the masquerade ball..this after all will be held the last weekend in Oct.. I hope you will come join us !!! I can give a discount for anyone who joins through me..email me direct for more details.. [email protected] oh, by the way if you are military please mention that when inquiring about pricing. Brenda

HI Jeff and welcome. I am fairly new here too and have been welcomed with open arms. The people here are great! My DH (dear husband) had WLS just one year ago yesterday in Merrillville, IN near Chicago at Methodist Hospital, Southlake Campus and his surgeon was Seferino Farias. He sounds like he should be foreign but if he is, you sure could have fooled me! They have a very good program there and required 4 nutrition classes as well as the usual psych consult and also a physical therapy evaluation. The hospital was "big people" friendly and the staff was compassionate and understanding. Even though Merrillville is over 2 hours from our home, it was recommended he go there and we are glad he did. He has lost nearly 200# and is off his 24/7 oxygen, all of his medications but ones for asthma and allergies and still takes some insulin but has decreased the amount from 300+ units a day to about 30. Needless to say, God has indeed blessed us. I am hoping to have the surgery soon; my surgical consult is today but am choosing Carmel St. Vincent Hospital as Medicare guidelines have changed and require a Center of Excellence, and it is. Other hospitals have applied to be accepted as a CE but it will take 2-6 months for certification, or so I was told. Otherwise, despite the long distance, I would have gone to Merrillville in a heart beat! Oh, BTW, love your last name! I had the same one for 50 years until I met and married 10 months ago the greatest guy on earth...well, just about! I didn't mind changing my last name for him! Again, welcome!

Hi Jeff, I had WLS at Memorial in South Bend 6 months ago and I can't say enough positive things about the experience and their staff. They have been doing this for well over a year and the Bariatric Center staff is excellent. If you choose Memorial, you will certainly be close to home (we love St Joe, MI - go to Silver Beach all of the time). Give them a try - call the Center and meet with the folks and see what you think. Tell your wife that there are certainly always risks with surgery, but at Memorial their director goes to every surgery and works as the liason with your family - she will go back and forth from the OR to the waiting room and keep everyone up to speed. If you have specific questions, I would be happy to answer them. Thanks and good luck to you - you won't regret the decision.

Thanks for all the great information in just the first day since posting to this forum! Interesting that you mentioned Merrillville - I was born in at Methodist when it was in downtown Gary and my Grandmother still lives in Merrillville! As for Memorial - I spoke with their director a while ago - even did a mini-interview at the time. I'm going to have to get more information from her, I think her name was Deb? I sent a "profile" to St. Vin's bariatric website and haven't heard back yet - I might send an email to check on it too. The fact that they're a CE is appealing to me, as is the fact that their doc's have done hundreds of these already. Thanks again for the help - I'm sure I'll be learning more and more from this forum and you all in the next few months!

Hi Jeff...welcome to the boards