First post- starting process

Hi Melanie, I had the RNY gastric bypass surgery just less then 4 months ago. As of today I am down 69 pounds. Next week I will be start going back to the gym 2 days a week and swimming 3 days a week. I have nothing but great things to say about Dr. Hong who is a partner of Dr. Patterson. I heard that Dr. Patterson is so far out so I decided to meet Dr. Hong and I really liked him from the beginning. The only negative thing I can say about the Obesity Clinic at Good Sam's is not to schedule an appointment at Dr. Hong/Patterson/Jan's office until 8:30am or later. They do not open their doors until 8:15-8:30 so you just have to wait out in the hall. Everyone at Good Sam was excellent to me. In the hospital after my surgery the nurses were supportive and did not bother me. I am a State of Oregon employee and have BCBS insurance. My process from start to finish was about 3-4 months. Dr. Hong has been very great and willing to answer any questions I have. As for co-morbities, I had my thyroid problem, potential for high blood pressure and diabetes but not diagnosed with either, and at my sleep study was told I had sleep apnea. I was fairly helathy for being morbidly obese. I returned to work at 2 weeks mainly because the doctor wanted me to have some time to heal before going back to the everyday work schedule. Hope this information helps you and if you have any questions please let me know. Good luck if you decide to go for the surgery.

Thank you, that is helpful. If you don't mind me asking, what were your surgery co-pays for the whole deal? I imagine I'll know more about that after the orientation, I am just so anxious for information right now. Congrats on your surgery success. Like you, I don't have a dx of diabetes or high blood pressure (yet!) but do have fibromyalgia that's gotten worse with the weight and because exercising has been so difficult- and I had surgery on my ankle after a fall and it's continued to cause me problems- I know that getting the weight down will help with both. Melanie

Also, the last person I knew who got WLS had to have a drainage shunt for several weeks, do they still do it that way? What are your surgery scars like? Do you have the option of getting things (like the sleep study, psych eval) outside of Good Sam? Melanie

Welcome Melanie, I had Duodenal Switch with Dr. McConnell at OHSU. He has retired from bariatrics, but Dr. Deveney there does the DS. It is such an amazing surgery. The quality of life and eating afterward is completely amazing. I am 22 months out and have lost 219 pounds. It has been such an amazing journey. How great that you and your DH can do this together. Feel free to read my profile, we started out similar in size (I was bigger) so we probably have quite a bit in common. Do be sure to read about the DS and stop by the Duodenal Switch forum here on OH and introduce yourself and ask a few questions. It is a great group. Here is the link: http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/a,messageboard/board_id,5357/ Best wishes to you and yours Isha 366/147/170 Reached goal 6/4/06 sw cw gw -219 GONE FOREVER www.duodenalswitch.com Eat NORMAL and Lose!!!

I need to call my ins company, I think they only cover RNY. But I may be wrong, I know I have the option to do it at either COE local to me. I will visit your profile and the surgery option boards, thanks. Melanie

Hi Melanie! I'm a new member to the group as well (joined 12/20/06). I went to the orientation meeting at OHSU on 12/18 and just faxed my paperwork in with medical history, etc. last Friday. So I am just beginning. I am a state employee too with BC/BS. Since I live in Springfield, I had hoped to have the surgery at Sacred Heart in Eugene - unfortunately, they are not yet a Center of Excellence which BC/BS requires and when I spoke to them they said it would be 9-12 months before that happened. It is just a matter of having a high enough number of surgeries apparently and they estimate that is how long it will take. I just didn't want to wait another year. I'm 60-yr-old and not getting any younger . So I will be going with OHSU. Also, my BC/BS policy will only cover the RNY. It is really great to have this board to come to and hear the experiences of so many people who have been through it. Anyone with BC/BS experience or OHSU for surgery out there who could share how long the process took (from your first submitting paperwor****il approval and surgery date). I realize everyone may have a slightly different experience, but just wanted to get a ballpark idea. Thanks!!! Shirley not yet scheduled for WLS - hoping 360 lbs, 5' 4"

Welcome Melanie! I am approaching three years post-op. I lost 175 pounds and have been able to maintain for about the past two years. I had my surgery with Dr. Hong at the Obesity institute and have nothing but great things to say about him. I owe him my life and think he and his two colleagues are some of the best out there. I think you will find the orientation seminar very helpful. I found the one I went to at Kaiser useless and discouraging. In contrast the one at Legacy addressed things from many useful angles and gave me a good idea of what I needed to do to make it happen. I noticed one of the concerns you and Kelly were mentioning about post-op life. I admit that as miserable as I was at 320 pounds, I was very afraid to give up my life of food. It wasn't a good friend, but it was an old friend. I'm a passionate cook and love to eat out. Though my eating and lifestyle are completely different as a post-op...I'm still a foodie and I eat out all the time. My husband and I went to Jakes for dinner last week and it held every feeling it did as a pre-op. It was just as yummy, I got things I loved and we had a great time. I was wearing my new middie dress coat and black boots I got for X-mas and felt dang cute!! The first year eating is very restricted and different than "everybody else". During that time my appetite wasn't there and I found myself so grateful and excited about what I COULD eat, that it wasn't often I felt sad for what I couldn't eat. Also, the excitement of losing weight and the physical relief of the weight coming off more than made up for it. Eventually, my eating has gotten pretty "normal" as in I don't stand out from anyone else at the table. Or what I have found is that I am able to blend in. More importantly, I don't feel deprived at all. Just thought I'd address the above subject, because it was very much on my mind pre-op. Good luck to you and your husband! Patty

Thanks, Patty- I do have some fears that I'll never be able to eat with friends, but reading these boards has shown me that places make accomodations and people can still eat out. Really, I am hoping that I will be able to shift celebrations to other kinds of activities- eating out is often a fallback plan because I don't have the energy to do other things... or because of my self-perception about my size (like I don't go out dancing to celebrate because I don't have the energy and don't feel cute.) Thank you for your well-wishes. I can never get over the impact of the internet on support, education, and information- I am glad I came here! Melanie