This is just the beginning.....

Hello everyone, My name is Megan and I'm 34 years old. I have recently been told by my doctor that I can have the gastric bypass. My family is putting me through hell. They don't think I should do it because of the risks of surgery. I keep telling them that my risks are greater by NOT having the surgery! A few people have suggested physicians.....some say Dr. Pohl and others say Dr. Roye. Any suggestions? I'm looking for a doc that's done this procedure more than 100 times. I'm asking for some support from anyone who is willing. I think that by talking to people that are in the same situation as me is crucial. I've enjoyed reading everyones posts and look forward to your response! Anyone have any suggestions to what I should be doing first?

I am bias so I would have to tell you that Dr. Phol is the best doctor. I think everyone here feels that way about their surgeon. I am not sure about the number of surgeries he's done so I can't help you there. I am going tomorrow, YES TOMORROW (WOOO HOOO) to get my surgery date. By the time I have this surgery I will be about a year into this whole process. When I first looked into it the thought of it being a year until I would be able to have the surgery made me feel like it was never going to happen. That is so untrue because the time went by so fast for me. Now about your family. I think it is normal for a lot of people to automatically get defensive. Mostly because they are in fear of the risks. Alot of people only know what they hear and don't always know the truth. When I went to Dr. Phol's seminar my mother came with me. She felt so much better after listening to him talk. She was no longer scared for me, she was excited. Your not going to be able to convince everyone that it is the best thing for you. In fact you may get a whole bunch of resistance. The most important thing is that your doing it totally for you and all for the right reasons. If you can honestly say that you think this is the absolute best decision for you then your probably right. The whole process doesn't happen over night (like I wanted it to). I started right away making the required appointments. I had one a month. I finally finished around the beginning of May and I finally got my first consult with Dr. Phol in June. I wish you all the luck with your journey. Which ever doctor you choose I am sure it will be ther best one for you. If you need any questions answered just keep posting. Someone will always be there to answer them. Shannon

Thank you Shannon, I asked my mother to go with me to any seminars and she agreed to go. So, it took you a full year just to get a consult with Dr. Pohl? Does he have to agree to do your surgery first? I'm lost. Thanks for responding and good luck tomorrow!!!!! I'm so excited for you and I don't even know you! It doesn't matter..... you're in my prayers anyway! Meg

Hi Megan, I also have Dr. Pohl for my surgeon. He is wonderful! But like Shannon said Iam bias. To get an appointment with Dr. Pohl you first need to go to his seminar. The seminar is wonderful and you get lots of info. There is an informational seminar every second Thursday of the month at Roger Williams Hospital in the Kay auditorium. So this month the seminar is on August 12th. The meeting is about 2 hours long. Upon leaving the seminar you will be handed a packet from Dr. Pohl. The packet explains everything you will need to do for your pre-op testing. You can then call the office to schedule your first visit with Dr. Pohl. The wait was about 9 months when I set my appointment up. This seems like a long time but there are so many pre-op tests that you need to get done while waiting that the time really goes by fast. If you have any questions please e-mail me! [email protected] and best wishes for your jouney!! Lisa

Lisa and Shannon, Thanks so much for the info. Do you know what time the seminar begins? I will definitely go! So I shouldn't bother getting the referrals from my doctors until I attend the seminar, right? Lisa....I have your email and screen name on my buddy list. Thanks again Meg

Well the only thing I can add to Lisa's post is that they also have a support meeting the third Thursday of every month in the Kay Auditorium. (August 19). If you want to come to this meeting you will meet people who've been through it, are getting ready to go through it and also people like yourself who are thinking about going through it. I never knew they had them so I only attended my first meeting last month. I had a great time and it was nice to meet so many great people. Hope to see you there. Shannon

Megan, There is a page in Dr. Pohl's information packet that has columns to write the date of consults and he takes a copy of it to add to your file. If was embarassing for me because I doodle while on the phone so my page is kind of messy. My friend has Dr. Roye and she said Dr. Pohl's patients get to eat sooner. He also has a group over at RI hospital. I would suggest you call both offices for info. Pat

Pat, That is so funny about the doodling...I did the same thing thinking it was just for my own records! I am surprised anybody else could even read it! Lisa

Hi Megan, Congrats on exploring WLS for yourself! I am not the long term results person you are looking for, but I thought since my family also had huge reservations, I would share some of my thoughts with you. I felt that the better informed I was, the better "armed" I would be to answer their questions, dispell rumors, and comfort their fears. I spent a great deal of time reading both here and on other sites that are devoted to the disemination of information about various WLS options. In going to the seminar I was then given that packet of information (which I now lovingly call my plumbing manual!) and spent plenty of time reading it. I made my appointment with Dr. Pohl, and waited the 8 months. It seemed at the time like a life time, but now I truly understand how benificial that waiting time was. It gave me time to really make a heartfelt, well informed, honest decision. When I finally did let my family know this was the decision I had made, I was well armed with all the information I needed to help them become more comfortable with my decision. After giving them a bit of time to mull it all over, they were supportive and were there for me 100%. So to wrap all this up, and let you know where I am in this process: I am exactly 2 weeks post-op, feeling great, and looking forward to a lifetime of health and happiness. Be well, Kristen

Thanks again everyone, I asked my mother tonight if she would go with me to the seminar on the 12th of this month. She agreed to go. Mom's a nurse and I also have an extensive medical background so I don't really feel like I'm going into this blind. However....I am human and I worry about complications just like anybody else. I've been poking around the web looking at all of the websites (some good, some not so good). I went over to the message forum that was for people that weren't happy with their results from surgery. Wow....the negativity was so apparent! Instead of it bringing me down it inspired me even more! The negativity did not come from the doctors or the actual surgery. It was from people that had high expectations and went into this expecting a miricle. Like they wouldn't have to sacrifice anything and their lives were going to change from having surgery. You all seem to be very reality-based (so to speak), and I appreciate it! My main struggle is going to be the emotional aspect of my eating disorder. I'm scared because I know that this is going to be "just the beginning" to a whole new life for me. Yes, I'm the same meg inside but without the weight....i'll be exposed. What will people expect from me? Will they all of a sudden pay attention to me? Do i want the attention? is the reason why I hide behind this fat because it's my comfort zone? I know i have to get to the "core" of this if I want sucess. Thank you all again for reaching out to me....(I need it!) Meg