Newbie: Lots of Questions

Hey guys. I'm considering having the gastric bypass done. I haven't completely decided for various reasons. My first reason is the fact that I haven't had children yet. I've had fertility problems, which the doctors say is weight related, and I am scared if I have the surgery that it would affect me from having children in the future. Next, I am just plain scared. I have had family that has had this surgery and it has changed there life tremendously. I want that for myself but I want to make sure that I have an excellent doctor. My insurance is BCBS EPO and it covers Gastric Bypass. My current weight is 298. I need some advice or just someone to talk with that can give me some insight. Thanks, Sonya

Sonya, I am scheduled to have the surgery on the 9th. Fear is a very common feeling from what I have read here. I have tried very hard to block out the fear although I dread the recovery time. This surgery is a serious decision and I would never recommend someone to have it. Only you should make this decison. Talk to your doctor about the effects on pregnancy. I don't know. Things to think about: 298 lbs. is lot of weight. I know. I am in the neighborhood. It has robbed me of so much of my life. I now suffer from health effects of weight and there is not another diet in me. I am ready for the tools of this surgery. You must be much younger than me. (my kids are grown) Read this board, especially the main one. You will learn much and have questions answered. Welcome here. Hang with us. Ask questions. God blewss. Diane

Well, fortunately I don't have any major health problems at this time. My biggest obstacle is the fact that I am 29 years old and can't hardly bend over to tie my shoes. In addition, my bones ache. I don't know if that is from getting older or the effects of being as big as I am. . My hubby weighs 306. He is considering the surgery as well. He suffers from Sleep Apnea, Highblood Pressure, and Diabetes, and artheritis. We have tried all the diets, nothing seems to help. Like I said, I know several people who had successful surgeries and have used this forum for support. They said they couldn't have made it through without it. Best of luck on your upcoming surgery. I will keep you in my prayers. Sonya

Welcome Sonya, Ask all your questions and you will get answers. Just remember because one person says something, doesn't mean it's true for you. I was scared/nervous right until I puffed the oxygen in the operating room. My surgery went fabulous. I am so greatful. More times then now, these cases are uneventful. I had my surgery in Feb. I've had one major complication that reared it's ugly head last week The dr fix it and I'm on the mend. One major thing when you do this is you have to have your mind right. If you need psych help get it, etc. I also recommend that you have a plan and good support person. Please let me know if you have any questions I can answer. I recommend having good support group, that's onething I didn't develop prior to surgery. Jen

Well, I am a pretty level headed person. I am a type of person that doesn't jump into anything. If I were to have this surgery, it would not be for vanity, it would be purely for my health's sake. The main reason I joined OH is to meet a group of people that have "been there, done that".

Welcome! I agree totally with the rest of the posters. Stay here and read the main board. There is also a board specifically for pregnancy after WLS. My surgeon tells me that the surgery actually makes you more fertile. But once you decide and pick a surgeon, he/she would be the best to ask that type of question. Best of luck on your journey!! I hope you find the answers you are looking for. Kristi

Hi Sonya. Only you can decide if this surgery is right for you. Some food for thought. There is a book you can get at Barnes and Noble or Amazon, etc called Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies. It's got a lot of information in it that I think is especially good for people just starting out in their journey. You might be able to find it at the Library as well. In that book, and in several others, they suggest that you make sure that your surgeon has done at least 100 RNYs. It seems that's the "magic number" to significantly reduce complication rates. You can search for doctors in your area on here, or take ones that you know of and search them on here. Chances are, there are postings about them on the site by others that have had surgery with them. That's one place to look. Also, fear is perfectly normal. This is major surgery, you should be afraid of it to a point. That's healthy. You don't want to enter into this lightly thinking it's the "easy way out." For me, the benefits outweigh the risks. But that is for you to decide. There is a wealth of information on this website, take time to read thoroughly. The only thing I would say is not to look for advice that you should be getting from your doctor on here. This is a great resource for sharing experiences and support, but if you have a serious health question, leave that for your surgeon. Finally, on the pregnancy. There is a post surgery pregnancy board which is apparently very active. I know two people that have had healthy babies post-op. I'm sure there are many more. I have heard the same thing, as stated above, that you are actually more fertile after surgery. It's a hormonal thing, fat cells produce estrogen. Anyway, from what I've read from other posts, it's recommended that you wait 18 months to 2 years to become pregnant. You want to give your body time to adjust to the surgery first. That being said, the best person to ask about that is your doctor. You will have an initial consultation with him/her at some point, that's a good time to ask that. If you've had that already, just call the office and ask. Good luck on your research. If you have any questions, feel free to post them at any time. There are a lot of very knowledgeable post-ops that have much to share. I have learned alot from here and the Virginia board, as well as from reading profiles. Take care and keep posting. ~Ellen