A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS

Hi all !!!!!! Just wanted to make a couple of suggestions if you all will indulge me. At support groups and gatherings I have noticed one of the main complaints of the surgery was the after care. This intrigued me, so I decided to take a nutrition class at school this semester. It has been the best choice I have made in quite awhile. I have learned a lot and have been surprised at a few things I have learned. It has helped me to get back on track with the right way, and things to eat. So suggestion 1 is to take a nutrition class at your local community college if available. It will definetly be worth your time. Suggestion 2 is to purchase a bread machine. Make your own bread using 100% Wheat Flour. Bread flour if you can find it, and unenriched. Or use a combination of 100% Unenriched Wheat Flour with Unbleached Bread flour. Replace butter or margarine with Healthy Balnce butter substitute and replace sugar with splenda. Enriched bread is what the stores sell and it dosen't absorb in our systems(whether we have had surgery or not) or stick with us. I could eat a sandwich before and be hungry again 2 hours later. After making my own bread 1 slice now keeps me full for about 4 hours !!! I know some people can't eat bread now anyways but for those of us who can this is the healthy way to go. Enriched flour is where they remove all the vitamins , minerals, and other nutrients. They are then added back in after processing the flour. This in effect neutralizes the effects of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrient making it so our bodies are unable to process it and absorb the nutrients the proper way and goes through our system quicker. I found this hard to believe until I started making my own bread and found out for myself !!!!! As I said just a couple of humble suggestions for my fellow losers. Peace and Love to all !!!!!!

I must say I do have what I will personally deem the absolute best when it comes to aftercare with Northpointe Physicians. Drs Rifai Doyle and Krackauer have to be the best at making sure we are totally educated on nutrition and provide classes right at the facility every Monday night if anyone is interested, it is in Berkley, you DO NOT have to be a patient there to attend classes, they have classes for people losing weight as well as bariatrics. You will learn all about vitamins, why carbs are important to a post surgical patient, incorporating soy into your diet, how to use other alternative sources of protein, even how to prepare HEALTHY desserts in a low/no fat sugar free way!!!! The best part for me was I would go after work on Monday night and it was like going out for dinner every Monday night for 20 weeks, our instructor Nanette even packed us lunches for the next day at times!! Nanette and Northpointe has even brought in an instructor for pilates and ballet that kick started my interest in both of those forms of exercise which I now attend two nights a week and I am looking at adding a third I am so thrilled with my results. I have to also give credit to Dr Stettner who runs the support group there, without him and that group I don't know where I would be today I do know I am much happier for one thing!! I guess my point here is.....for aftercare, for support (be it nutrition, for your mind or your body) your best choice in metro Detroit is Northpointe. If you want the number email me for more details By the way last time I checked they do take aftercare patients from any surgeon, but they refer new surgical pateints to Beaumont physicians. Jill

Hi Jill, Thank you for sharing about your program. I wi**** where closer to me because it sounds really great. Do they offer counceling too? It is by far the best after care that I have heard about so far. How come they are no long doing bariatrics? I want to congratulate you on your sucess you have had so far. You are doing great!! God Bless---Toni

Just to clarify.... these doctors care for bariatric (before and after care) and weight loss patients, they are not nor have they ever been surgeons who did WLS. They are internists who decided to specialize in weight loss and bariatrics. Their job is to make sure you are in good condition to endure this surgery physically, mentally, medically & socially. They also do follow up with patients for as long as the patient would see necessary, most patients of WLS are still seeing them 3 years out for bloodwork and follow up for such things as Dexascans and nutritionals, things most internists really don't know all that much about unless they have alot of bariatric patients. Yes they do offer long term counseling at the facility, I wouldn't be sane without it Jill

Hey Jill, Do they still charge for the mettings there? sf Lauri B

SA Lauri B: Yes they DO charge for support group meetings there that are lead by a psychologist. However it is everyones option to attend or not, just because you are a patient there does not mean you MUST attend Just like many patients who chose to attend meetings in places closer to their home, most feel as though these meeting have more substance being lead by a professional rather than peers. Jill

Hi Kevin, I am glad to hear things are getting better for you. Yes I totally agree that a nutrition class is essential, I had taken them pre-op and I learned alot, but they still don't help with the head stuff. I am 2 1/2 years out And been apart of this group for about 3 1/2 yrs. I have experience the same things as most all of the postop here, that is struggling with head issues. We where and are MO for a reason NOT just because we ate to much, but Food is our drug of choice. I may get flamed for that statement but I truely believe that is the problem for most MO people. WE ARE EMOTIONAL EATERS!!!! The surgery fixes our pouches but not our brains and emotions. If I could advocate for program changes that insurance companies would require, is that all programs have manditory counceling for all pre and post ops for at least the fisrt year post op. I really believe it can make or break our sucess. How have you been sense your last surgery? Did it help? are you feeling better? Congrates on still continuing to fight the good fight, it is worth it. You have come a loooong way. God Bless----Toni

Hey Kevin, Great suggestions! Are you going to be at support group a week from Wednesday? Hope to see you there. Trent