Hi Kate!

It was nice to meet you tonight at the SWL support group meeting!

Hope to see you again, and that your upcoming appointments go well!!!

Hello Kate,

I can tell you that my experience with malnutrition is that I haven't had any.  I do take vitamins daily.  I take a Flintstones chewable multivitamin twice a day (morning and night), and I take a calcium +D twice a day.  Both are over-the-counter.  I myself do take an additional Vitamin D prescription strength once per week (Saturday, for me.), though I have to say, I forgot to take it for a couple months, and nothing bad happened.  I really think I probably get all the nutrtion I need from my food, but, I take them anyway because they highly recommend it.

Yes, it's absolutely okay to attend the meeting for an hour.  

I didn't get into this earlier, I dont' think, but my sister had the VSG procedure (done in NH, not at EMMC, but she lives in NH), about eighteen months ago, and my wife's cousin also had it done about that same time.  Both have been very successful.  I believe that requires "regular" visits to the doctor to adjust the fills, for as long as the sleeve is in place, as well as a subcutaneous port to be installed.  That was one other reason why I went with the full bypass.  But, of the two people I know who have had it (my sister and my wife's cousin) both have been successful.  My wife's cousin had his done at EMMC, btw.

I wish you the best of luck, and will be eager to hear how it goes!

-David

Good Morning!

Congratulations on your exciting decision!  I can tell you, I have no regrets!

You asked:

1.   EMMC surgeons:   Who did you have?   Were you pleased with her/him?   Any concerns?

I had Dr. Michelle Toder.  No disrespect to Dr. Dayhim, but Michelle has been doing this for some time now, is known to be detail-oriented, and she guided me through another complex medical issue which was preventing the gastric bypass procedure (ie, she offered me advice and guidance when I was diagnosed (incorrectly) with liver cancer just months before I should have been having the gastric bypass.  I knew if SHE wasn't comfortable going ahead, then I wasn't comfortable.  And I wanted us to be on the same page.  I was, and am, excited to know that I was in excellent care.  There's no doubt in my mind, she took care of me.  I wasn't just another patient.  I mean, I am/was, but, she never let me feel unimportant to her. And her skills speak for themselves.

2.  If you could have had any of the procedures, which did you choose and why?     Are you glad you did?

I could have had any of the procedures.  I chose the full robotic, laproscopic bypass.  Because I want this to be a permanent lifestyle change, because I want the greatest chance of success.  Because I want to do this knowing that when I was on the other side of surgery, I did -everything- I could to be successful...I'm absolutely glad.

3.  I realize the doc will need to answer this but just wondering if any of you know of this occuring:   I have an abdominal incisional hernia (radical hysterectomy for endometrial cancer 2 years ago), can the surgeon repair this during the same surgery?   

I don't know?  Maybe Dr. Dayhim?

4.   Has anyone had robotic surgery?

I did.  :-)  Seriously, I can't even see any marks from my surgery, with the minor exception of what look like two very small "flea-bites" where the incision was made.  The other four entry points I can't see AT ALL.

5.  From referral/first informational to date of surgery--how long did it take for you? 

It took longer than it normally would have for me, because a few months in, when I went for my intial bloodwork, it started a cancer-scare when my LFT (Liver Function Tests) came back abnormal.  That lead to an ultrasound (negative), which lead to a CT scan (positive), to another CT scan (positive), to a consult and being told I had liver cancer (scary, you know...), to having a colonoscopy (looking for the primary source), and on and on and on...this went on for MONTHS, the whole time being told I probably had liver cancer.  I eventually got additional opinions from Dr. David Lewis, head of the Lahey Clinic Liver Transplant Program in Boston.  More CT scans, etc, and he was confident I did not have liver cancer.  We had to wait a few more months for follow-ups to more-or-less confirm that what I had was a hemangioma, a collection of blood vessels I'd probably had since birth, and that that wasn't causing a problem.  Dr. Toder personally sent me to Mass General for follow-ups there too, with another expert, who confirmed what Dr. Lewis had said.  This all took about 7-8 months to sort-out before Dr. Toder agreed to go ahead, feeling comfortable that I was okay.  Then when she did the surgery, she did also go looking for that mass, and found nothing to be concerned about.

So it took me some time.  But I hit the one-year post-surgery mark on March 3rd.  Before surgery, I lost 75lbs (I went from 450-375 on the day of surgery), and from March 3rd to my one-year follow-up with Dr. Toder, I lost 73% of my excess body weight (50%+ is considered a success.)  

So I'm VERY pleased.  I used to wear a Size 66 jean, now I wear a Size 38 or 40 (depending on how it is cut.)  I used to have a 5X (XXXXXL) leather jacket that was to small for me anymore.  I sold it on eBay a few weeks ago, and bought an Large.  

I won't lie.  There's still a lot of work.  It's very easy to slide back into those bad eating habits.  The emotional eating.  So far, I've done pretty well with it.  I think it helps me because my wife had the same surgery I did (also with Dr. Toder), six months earlier, and I've had a closer look at what to expect when than others who are the only one in their home having the surgery (my wife is MY hero...)   

Today, I am at my all-time low of 236, down from 450 when I started.  I'd like to lose about 15-20 pounds more, and will keep working for that.  

I believe full success is possible with this tool.  Like any tool, you have to use it right.  Keep eating properly, keep exericising, do NOT start drinking soda again.  Do NOT drink when you're not supposed to.  Stay away from alcohol (empty sugar calories).  I know Nathan, he had his surgery about a year ahead of me.  We chatted last week, in fact.  I think he'd say the same things.  It's SO worth it, if you're ready for it. 

Good luck!  Hope to hear how you are doing!!!

-David Reed
Belfast, Maine

 Nathan,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply so throughly to all of my questions.  I have been referred to Dr. Dayhim.    I am going to the informational on the 6th.   Is this the meeting that you are referring to?

I will admit that I am more nervous than excited at this point but I do have a huge sense of relief that I have finally made this decision.

I will introduce myself if it is the same meeting.    I am Kate and look forward to meeting you.

I'm pretty sure that every bariatric program in Maine offers Roux-en-Y.  I'm not familiar with which program is closest to you, but I know that Central Maine Medical Center, Eastern Maine Medical Center, and Maine Medical Center all have a bariatric program and offer Roux-en-Y.  There are probably other programs that I'm not familiar with.  I had my Roux-en-Y at Maine Medical Center in Portland and am very happy with the program.