Heading towards gastric bypass before year end

I just joined this board today after going to a bariatric surgery seminar last night in KC. I'm leaning towards gastric bypass and hoping to get it done before the end of the year.  I'm sure I will have a lot of questions in the next few months, so I thank you all in advance. 

Just a few questions that I have now...
If anyone has used Dr. Price at St. Luke's....how was your experience?
What has been the hardest part of the journey for you?
How long post op until you start feeling good again?
When do you start noticing weight loss?
I'm a very picky eater...are any of these protein drinks good or am I going to have to gag them down?

Thanks again
Cassy

Hello and welcome!  I'm not familiar with that Dr. but I'm sure someone on here is.  There were two hard parts for me and this is a personal experience.  Can't speak for anyone else.  The liquid diet, two weeks before the surgery and the drain after the surgery I had for 9 looooong days.  It didn't hurt but it was annoying.  I was lucky I felt great day 2, went back to work in 2 weeks and have been going non stop since.  The weight starts coming off with the liquid diet pre op, then its pretty fast from there then kinda slows down a little after 6 months.   At least that's what's happened for me.  I'm just now 8 months out I've lost 125 lbs and I have @ 40 to go.  I was wearing a size 28 and now I'm in a 12.  I have a blog on my profile from seminar to today along with pics.  Everyone here is very nice and will answer any questions you have.  Congratulations on your up coming surgery! Lou ;)

Hi Cassy congratulations on your upcomming surgery...Dr. Price wasnt my doctor but he is a very good doctor. , ive heard nothing but good stuff about him...
i had one of the text book cases of ideal surgery. nothing much happened bad to me...
I think it was about a week or so before i felt really normal...
Protein drinks, i think they are what you make of them....I knew i had to drink them so that was that, you need to know that what ever ones you try make sure they are Whey Protein Isolates. if they arent it wont do you much good.  just make up your mind that they will be fine....I use the Wal mart  protein  in Vanilla, that way i can add different flavors to them....I have a protein coffee every morning. then make a strawberry smoothie later in the day. any way welcome to the board, I normally have been doing the Whats Happening Post for the last 4 years but at the moment i am taking a break from it. and other people on the board are doing it. so feel free to post to it so everyone can get to know you. ...

Hello cassy welcome to the board.any question's just ask away.it is the best thing you can do for yourself.i had a lot of blood sugar problem's i am now off of all my med's and insulin i was taking for my sugar problem's.i can walk better and feel soo much better.my surgery was 3 month's ago on the 17 of this month.hope to get to meet you sometime.have a good day.catch you later on.god bless.susan.

 Don't know about the doctor but for me the hardest part was the two week liquid diet prior to surgery. I lost fifteen pounds on that. After surgery I wasn't hungry anymore. It made things easier not being hungry. I do not like the shakes much so I use the powder and mix it in yogurt or another food. Early out I forced the shakes but once you can add more foods its a lot easier. Everyone  is different. As far a recovery from surgery, I had a small complication - pneumonia and it took a couple weeks to feel like myself. I also had a hernia repaired at the same time as my RNY. As far a pain after the surgery it was very minimal for me I didn't need pain meds at home at all. I actually gained weight in the hospital because of all the fluids but within two weeks I was watching the pounds leave almost daily. Good luck on your journey.

I had Dr. Price for my surgery and I am very happy with him. He is honest and caring. His practice is very complete with an exercise physiologist and registered dietician (not just a nutritionist) and a social worker to talk to if need be.
The hardest part of the journey for me was the 2 week liquid diet before surgery. After that, things were fairly simple.
I had my surgery on a Tuesday and went to class the following Tuesday.
I lost 14 pounds during the two week liquid diet and then stalled for about a week after surgery, but since then it's been a pretty steady loss until the past couple months when Ive only lost about 5-7 pounds.

You just have to try the protein shakes. There are good ones and gross ones. I recommend searching on the RNY board and bookmarking some of the bloggers sites as they have great shake and other protein recipes.

Good luck to you!

Thanks for all your replies so far! They have been very helpful. 

Since deciding on gastric bypass earlier in the week, everyone I have talked to (outside of the boards here) have discouraged me from going that route. Several of my friends are nurses and are all saying how much safer lap band would be, how no one knows the long term effects of  RNY, etc...

Why did you all decide to go the route you did? Do you ever regret that decision? I'm feeling a lot of confusion right now over this.  I see the Dr. on Wednesday and will ask his opinion but would like some feedback before then. 

Thanks!

It truly is a decision that you have to make and feel comfortable with. I personally had so much weight to lose and Dr. Price will tell you that lap band patients typically only lose about 50% of their excess weight. RNY is closer to 80 to 90 % I believe.  Plus, I had issues with having something foreign in my body and having to make all those dr visits for fills. Plus, from what I understand, if you don't find the "sweet spot" with the band, you could have trouble losing.
I personally was ready to make the big decision. I don't remember feeling scared or afraid that I made the wrong choice because I had thought it over and needed the change in my life.

Just talk it over with Dr. Price. He'll be honest and wont hold back in telling you which surgery he thinks would benefit you most.

Brandy