Newby looking for some answers

Good Morning y'all! My name is Matt from Minnesota and I have a few questions for y'all!  Any information y'all could give would be greatly appreciated!  Thank you for everyone's help in this matter!   **Is anyone out there as big as me.  I'm currently at 467 lbs and 6'5... ? - Does anyone know of any Support Groups in Minnesota?  Prefferably within the Twin Cities? - I am extremely nervous, is this common with most folks?  And, what can I expect...pre-op and post-op?? - What are the steps you MUST take before your able to schedule surgery? - Is everyone at some point anemic?  And have absolutely no energy?     I work within both the Law Enforcement Community and Medical Services, and I working towards my goal.  So, I depend on having energy!  Could this be an issue for me? - Does anyone have any regrets, complications (even minor), please share your Journey's!  I'd enjoy being inspired & encouraged by them! - I currently have asthma and sleep apnea, will both these disease's disappear after the weight is lost? Thanks for all your help!   Have an Amazing Week, Matt

Hey Matt, Greetings from a MN brother. I'm much older than you which brings me to my only regret; I wish I would have screwed up the courage to have WLS much sooner. It is scary and I spent too many years thinking I could get rid of the weight on my own. My decision to have surgery was difficult but I felt (as I still do) that I had run out of weight lose options. Compared to my prostate sugery for cancer about six years ago, this procedure was a walk in the park. I only missed a week of work and had very little pain. Don't get me wrong, it's still a surgery, but if you "man-up" before you go in, you'll be and do just fine. You have your youth going for you which is a big plus. Be sure to stick to that 2 week liquid diet before your sugery. It will shrink your liver and make the procedure easier for the Dr. which will in turn make things easier on you. Looking back, I'm almost exactly 9 months out, that two week liquid diet was the biggest challenge for me. So just keep telling yourself, "Its going to get easier, I can do this". Those two weeks will pass and you will be the better man for it. I did have some complications due to strictures or scar tissue making it difficult for me eat. The repair procedures were more of bother than a pain. I'm OK now and can eat most anything I want. There are a number of things now that I choose not to eat. Mostly things made with sugar. This may sound pretty extreme to you now, but the wonderful thing about WLS is that it will want to make better food selection choices because you will now be able to see light at the end of the tunnel. And it won't be a freight train either! Start walking and exercising as best you can, but don't over do it. Protect those knees! I speak from experience on this too. After surgery as soon as your able, begin an exercise program and stick to it. Consistancy is key here. Exercise is every bit as important to your success as the surgery itselt - I **** you not. So good luck to you brother and I hope to see you on the loosers bench.

Hey Matt. You can check out my profile. I was 6'2" and 525 to start. I've had no complications. Nervousness aplenty though leading up to the surgery. Zero regrets since.  -Dan

Matt, Your future cop dreams could be realized post op.  We have others on the Boards that have become police and fireman post op or were and improved their ability to perform. Answers:  I am 5":11" and was 408.  I am still 5'11' though people tell me I appear taller,  and am 227 as of today at almost 12 mnths post op (9/26/06). Got no Info on Minnesota support groups but if you click on the OH.com Support Groups oprion, they have a Find local Support Groups page with links.  You could also check with WLS surgeon offices in your area to see what they are aware of in your area. Pre-Op steps depend on your insurance coverage requirements, the type of WLS you select, and the requirements of your selected surgeon. They all vary.  Overall, it usually goes something like: referral from your Primary Care Physican (PCP) because of morbidly obese pre-existing conditions (blood pressure, diatbetes, sleep apnea, asthma, joint problems, life long weight control issues, etc.), contact suregeon, attend WLS oritentation and interview, appointment with suregeon, 6 month doctore supervised diet and exercise program (lose some weight but not too much or you'll be denied by insurance), get approved, have surgery, 2 weeks liquids, 2 weeks soft foods, re-intro to meats (2 weeks), regular food in smaller portions, incredibale recovery and rapid weight loss. Anemic?  We are candidate as we learn what and how much vitamins and supplements are right for us.  It is temporary thing and 4-6 weeks post op you are gong to be zonked becaiuse ofr body reactiona dn recovery from major surgery. Some do better than others but you will have bouts of being pooped.  Not much different from getting a cold or flu periodically.

I had a kidney that didn't work for a week, a week after surgery.  It took a second hospital stay and a bunch  of antibiotics but it started back on its own w/o surgery.  I feel like a new perosn and only regret not doing it sooner.  Click on people's picture to go to there profiles and read their stories.  Chcek out the before and after pictures and clcik on their names to go to their profiels and reasd their stories.  There are far more successes than disasters and it has a fair amount to do with sticking to the program after the initial surgery.

Most have improved health after surgery but it not a guaranteed thing.  I had major BP issues that were getting worst rapidly (4 meda at max dosage, potassium and flid pills; all gone), Type II dibetes (gone), and sleep apnea (gone).  I've gone froma 60 pants and 5x shirt to a medium shirt and a 40 pants.  My goal is 180 but 200 might be a smarter reality.

Good luck on your journey.  Lots of good guys with lots of quality experiences and advice.  Do your homework and some prayer for what you feel is right for you in your heart and don't frret about what anyone else thinks.  Just remeber there are no guarantees but it is an effort to improve your longetvity and quality of life that is well worth the risk in my humble opinion.

May the FARTS be with you.

Hey Matt...they guys have got you on your way..but lets see...'' **Is anyone out there as big as me.  I'm currently at 467 lbs and 6'5... ? I'm 5'6" and weighed 365# so you BMI is a lot less than mine...(BMI nasty tool, but ok for this question) Nerves common - What are the steps you MUST take before your able to schedule surgery?...contact the surgery center..they are all different...you may want to start with contacting your insurance company, and see what their restriction are...if they want a 6 month diet...get it started through your doc, first, and tick off the time Anemia...not me...I guess anyone can get it, but the chicks have it more ofter...you know they lose blood.... the lack of energy....wow it was bad for a while, while my body stated converting and my metabolizm was reseting....remember, you have a mac truck body, trying to run on moonshin for a while..it did not interfere with my work....after work...I was a zombie Regrets..the same old regret...that I did not have this available to me 15 years ago.... you need to define complications....hernia post surgery,,,I don;t consider that a complication...having to take a daily vitamin...I don;t consider that a complications....Haivng to have excess skinn removed...i don;t think that is a complication...some people do.... Now is all fair ness..we have a dear brother today, that did not come threw the surgery well...he is still in ICU..5 week post op...this is why this is a very personal decision that only you can make..there are risks... We have people on the board, that had really rough starts..and are now doing well...you have to balance, your obesity compared to the possible gains....I was great FOR ME on the complications...I guess, when it's good it's really really good...but on that 1 in 500...I guess that where it is now...it can be bad....you know how healthy you are...(smoking, alcohol, recreational subatances...following the preop diet....they all count) will you respiratory situation disapear...they sleep apenea...probabley...but the asthma, with probabely be better..but that on is genetic....but I think it will get better hope this helps...keep the questions coming... russ

Matt, I'm five months out now and wish I was five years out. The last therr nights have been my first without my CPAP in four years. I've lost a little over 100 pounds and have less than 50 to go till I'll be in the 100 Club. Make a good choice of surgeons. Mine had done over 700 surgeries.He might not be the best, but he was the best I could find.I was anxious but not nervous.I had several close friends who gave me encouragement.I don't now you from a big red apple but i would encourage anyone to at least give this alot of thought. Good Luck

Hey Matt welcome to the locker room.  I think the first thing you ahve to decide is what surgery you want to have before you can find a support group.  Support groups are normally broken down by surgery type....as a DSer I'd have very little into lose common with a RNYer or a Lap Bander in terms of my post op regime ...except that we're all trying weight.   A good place to start your reserach is to go to the top forum tab on this page...and click on each surgery type...figure out which surgery you want, and then find a surgeon in your area that performs it.  Some surgeons only perform one type of WLS, some do several types.  As far as being as big as you....I am shorter (6'1'') but I was fatter.  I started this journey at 492 lbs, went into surgery at 472, and 19 months later I'm weighing in at 197 lbs.   I had the duodenal switch because it was the best surgery for me.  I wasn't a good dieter, I was obese since I was 7, and I knew that I needed extra help keeping the weight off long term.   After looking into the options, I also discovered that the Lap Band statistically woudln't help me to lose enough of my excess weight (expected EWL with the lap band is between 50 and 60 percent, which would have left me morbidly obese).   I looked at the RNY, but I coudln't personally live with the restrictions of it.   I knew me well enough to know that I woudln't have been able to adopt to the post RNY eating style. ....limited fats and refined carbs, chew foods till liquid..etc.    I found the Duodenal Switch just after I was scheduled to have the RNY....I ended up canceling the RNY, switched surgeons and the rest is history. You can read my profile by clicking on my name, I've journaled my journey pretty well....so you'll get a full picture of the WLS journey. In terms of law enforcement and WLS, I'm not sure what each agencies rules are for bariatiric patients.   You'd have to check with the individual county or state agency that you'd want to work for  before you have WLS.  I know there was a gentleman who wanted to join the military post op, and was unable to join...because they have a WLS restriction.  The could not guarantee that he'd be in a situation stable enough to stick to a post op regime...of eating high protein and taking suppliments. Good luck on your journey Scott

Hey Matt - i am 6'10" and was 547 before surgery.....    I'm six months post op and have lost 190 pounds....   I am off my CPAP, my reflux meds, and my blood pressure meds...  Life is great - i've had no complications from surgery. I had a BMI of 59 and was a high risk surgery, and was scared to death of the surgery.   Nervousness is very common, but reading the posts on here helped me with that.....   Good luck - and keep us posted. Chuck

Hi, Matt.  Matt here too. I was 6'6' 445 before surgery - so, yeah, pretty close to the same size. Can't help on the MN groups, I'm way down in MS. I would think nerves would be fairly common.   I wasn't nervous though, just anxious.  I couldn't get the surgery done quickly enough.  I was literally counting the hours till I went under the knife.  Post-op, I was pretty sore for the first week or so.  My lower left incision stayed sore for about 3 weeks (this is the one where they apparently use some big instruments and have to go through muscle) and that's normal.  I didn't have any nausea or anything till a month out - and then it was due to a stricture.  If you get to the point where you can't eat or drink without throwing up, do yourself a favor and make that visit to the doctor.  A quick dilitation with a scope and you'll be better than new.  Be sure to get your protein supplements and vitamins before your surgery.  You won't feel like shopping for a while afterward.  I lived on sugar free popsicles and bottled water for the first week.  If you're anything like I was, you were pretty "regular".  That'll change.  Where I used to have a bowel movement once or twice a day, I now may go two or three days between. My surgeon and insurance required a psych visit, a dietician visit, an ekg, chest xray, breathing test and a visit to a pulmonologist (because of sleep apnea).  Also some blood work that was done by my regular family doctor.  I also had to do a diet of slim-fast shakes twice a day and one meal a day for two weeks before surgery, only clear liquids the 48 hours before surgery and then a big 'ol nasty dose of Fleet Phosphasoda laxative the day before.  Cleans you right out.  I haven't had problems with anemia at all - before or since surgery. Energy may be an issue.  I'm not any MORE tired than I was before, but I was pretty friggin' tired lugging my big ass around all the time.  It seems that my energy level gets a little better every day.  I certainly feel more flexible and nimble and I'm only down 65lbs.  Don't kid yourself though, it's gonna take some time to recover and more time to feel the results.  This isn't a magic bullet. No regrets at all.   I did have a stricture, went to have it dilated and the dumbass doctor (not my surgeon, but the on call guy) decided to use me as a guinea pig and dilated me to 15mm when the generally accepted practice is 12mm - this cause a perforation and lead to a week in the hospital with NO FOOD OR WATER.  That sucked big time.  Other that that, it's been smooth sailing. Be sure to drink LOTS of water.  They say you can damage your kidneys by drinking too little and losing weight rapidly.  I lost 40lbs in the first two weeks and 25lbs since then. Hope all goes well for you.  Keep us updated!