TOGA
Jen, I don't know how old you are, or what kind of bariatric surgery you are going to have, but let me tell you this: On February 24th of this year, I decided to get a lap band.
My Operations Manager has had one 1 1/2 years ago and lost 120lbs. I was using a CPAP machine with the full mask every night for sleep apnea and it was tolerable but unpleasant. My knees hurt, my feet hurt, my back hurt and my Orthopedic Doctor said I was too fat at 350lbs and he gave me a Handicap Sticker for my car and said to lose weight. Every Doctor I went to said the same thing. I had a CAT scan which confirmed that I was fat. (Duh!) I could eat about 25 to 30 buffalo wings at a sitting and I was drinking a fair amount of Bourbon every night. Sooo, I decided to "go for it"!
I also made sure that I went to a "Center of Excellence" for the right Surgeon.
The big day came, my pastor prayed with me in the pre-op room and they wheeled me into surgery. Next thing I know, (it seemed like 2 minutes, since they had given me a "happy shot", they said: "Wake up, Doug, you're done"! The operation took less than 30 minutes. Two hours later I was up and walking around. I used the CPAP in the hospital that night and it worked great with the pain medications! They even plugged Oxygen into the CPAP mask for an added high! (Whoopie!) Overnight in the hospital just to make sure, then home by 10 the next morning for a week of jello, popsicles, cottage cheese, beef broth and boullion, and other liquids.
NO BIG DEAL!
The support from the Nurse at the Surgeons office was spectacular! Lots of e-mails and calls.
I am now in my 5th week since lap band surgery and I have lost over 37lbs! (That is over 10% of my entire weight in 5 weeks.) My pants fit loose, I don't use the CPAP machine anymore, and friends are beginning to notice that I am getting trim and fit. I went to a banquet last night with a huge spread at a snooty restuarant and I ate a little till I was full, and then slipped the waiter a fiver and he had 4/5 of my gourmet meal waiting at the door in a take-out with extra food inside. Again, no big deal! In fact, I had three buffalo wings for dinner tonight with buffalo sauce so hot it "glowed".
My knees don't hurt now, I can climb stairs easily, my back does not hurt and my feet are much better. Whoo-Hoo! 
Sure, things can happen...you stand a much higher probability of getting hurt and injured in an automobile accident on the way to the hospital than by having a failed lap band surgery. My surgeon told me that the percentages of problems were about 0.001 to 0.01 percent, here in the Atlanta area.
My advice? Go for it ! About six months from now look me up and tell me how easy it was.
Oh, by the way, I can offer the above to you as....."Wisdom" This is one of the best things I ever did!
[The above comments are offered as an opinion and not to be construed as any medical advice in case this is read by a wussy, sicko, demented, bottom feeding lawyer trying to chase an ambulance and sue me!]
Let me know how it goes!
-"Doug, the Loser"
My Operations Manager has had one 1 1/2 years ago and lost 120lbs. I was using a CPAP machine with the full mask every night for sleep apnea and it was tolerable but unpleasant. My knees hurt, my feet hurt, my back hurt and my Orthopedic Doctor said I was too fat at 350lbs and he gave me a Handicap Sticker for my car and said to lose weight. Every Doctor I went to said the same thing. I had a CAT scan which confirmed that I was fat. (Duh!) I could eat about 25 to 30 buffalo wings at a sitting and I was drinking a fair amount of Bourbon every night. Sooo, I decided to "go for it"!
I also made sure that I went to a "Center of Excellence" for the right Surgeon.The big day came, my pastor prayed with me in the pre-op room and they wheeled me into surgery. Next thing I know, (it seemed like 2 minutes, since they had given me a "happy shot", they said: "Wake up, Doug, you're done"! The operation took less than 30 minutes. Two hours later I was up and walking around. I used the CPAP in the hospital that night and it worked great with the pain medications! They even plugged Oxygen into the CPAP mask for an added high! (Whoopie!) Overnight in the hospital just to make sure, then home by 10 the next morning for a week of jello, popsicles, cottage cheese, beef broth and boullion, and other liquids.
NO BIG DEAL!
The support from the Nurse at the Surgeons office was spectacular! Lots of e-mails and calls.
I am now in my 5th week since lap band surgery and I have lost over 37lbs! (That is over 10% of my entire weight in 5 weeks.) My pants fit loose, I don't use the CPAP machine anymore, and friends are beginning to notice that I am getting trim and fit. I went to a banquet last night with a huge spread at a snooty restuarant and I ate a little till I was full, and then slipped the waiter a fiver and he had 4/5 of my gourmet meal waiting at the door in a take-out with extra food inside. Again, no big deal! In fact, I had three buffalo wings for dinner tonight with buffalo sauce so hot it "glowed".
My knees don't hurt now, I can climb stairs easily, my back does not hurt and my feet are much better. Whoo-Hoo! Sure, things can happen...you stand a much higher probability of getting hurt and injured in an automobile accident on the way to the hospital than by having a failed lap band surgery. My surgeon told me that the percentages of problems were about 0.001 to 0.01 percent, here in the Atlanta area.
My advice? Go for it ! About six months from now look me up and tell me how easy it was.
Oh, by the way, I can offer the above to you as....."Wisdom" This is one of the best things I ever did!
[The above comments are offered as an opinion and not to be construed as any medical advice in case this is read by a wussy, sicko, demented, bottom feeding lawyer trying to chase an ambulance and sue me!]
Let me know how it goes! -"Doug, the Loser"
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