Looking for support ! Please ???

Here is the schedule for the OCWLS group in Toms River and Lakewood.  Feel free to contact me if you need any more info.

Ocean County Weight Loss Surgery (OCWLS) - Bariatric Surgery Support Group

 

Two Locations

 

Toms River:  Meets First Friday of Each Month 7-9 p.m.

Community Medical Center – Auditorium A
Hospital Drive & Route 37 West, Toms River, NJ

 

Rest of 2009

February 6^th

March 6^th

April 3^rd

May 1^st

June 5^th

July 10^th (2^nd Friday)

August 7^th

September 11^th (2^nd Friday)

October 2^nd

November 6^th

December 4th

 

Lakewood:  Meets Third Monday of Each Month 7-9 p.m.

Kimball Medical Center
Center for Healthy Living
198 Prospect Street, Lakewood, NJ

 

Rest of 2009

February 16^th

March 16^th

April 20th

May 18th

June 15^th

July 20th

August 17^th

September 21st

October 19th

November 16^th

December 21st

 

 

The Ocean County Weight Loss Surgery (OCWLS) Support Group is a peer-to-peer group which is open to individuals who have undergone various types of weight loss surgery, or to those who are anticipating or planning this kind of lifestyle change.  Supportive family members and friends are also welcome.

 

Our group members have had their surgeries performed by various WLS surgeons and hospitals, and we are not affiliated with any specific WLS surgeon or hospital.

 

Pre-Registration is Not Required.  If you require any further information, feel free to contact me.

 

Note:  OCWLS Support Group employs a self-help model and does not give medical advice.  Any information provided and/or obtained during the meetings is for educational purposes only and is not intended nor recommended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care professional regarding any medical condition or treatment.

 

Wow !  Thanks soo much !  I will definitely try to make the next meeting in Toms River.  I really appreciate your detailed post to me.

xoxo,

Cindy

Hello all.. I have not had my surgery yet but am in the process as per my surgeon he thinks it will happen in March.  I was always looking for a support group in the Toms River area because my surgeon is located in Hamilton NJ and I really don't feel like the drive.  Thank you for all your help and hope to see you there. :)
Nicole

Yes thank you for the information regarding the support groups at Community and Kimbal I will try to make them.  Thanks 

Cindy,

Unfortunately, what you experienced is not all that uncommon.    Prior to my revision to a DS, I had a lap-band.  One of the difficulties I encountered was what is known as first bite syndrome.  Very often after a fill, the first meal of the day or the first few bites of subsequent meals resulted in food getting stuck. It did not matter how well I chewed.   I found that after it was expelled the band was a bit loser and I was able to get more of my food down.   12 hours is an incredibly long time and you may wish to think about having some fluid withdrawn.   

In terms of support groups, I only went to one meeting at Hackensack and it was so RNY focused I never went back.   

Good Luck

Peace,

William

Hello William,

Thank you so much for replying to my post.  With each different reply I receive, I am learning more and more.

You added yet another puzzle piece.  I do feel that my lap band is much looser now that two weeks have passed since my last fill.  I did experience that terrible 12 hour ordeal on the third day after my fill.  I had two more episodes after that.  I thought I would die.    Yet, I was frightened to have fluid withdrawn because I didn't want to go back to uncontrollable eating ~ crazy as that seems.  It has been three months since my lap band surgery and to date I have lost only 7 lbs.  Pretty sad, huh?

I am still not willing to eat meats.  I'm scared.  I am only eating moist and mushy.  It is getting better, though.  I have an appointment with my doctor this coming Monday.

May I ask why you went to a DS and how that is going for you? 

Sometimes I feel like I am just not a good candidate for the lap band...

Hope to hear from you and again, thanks so much for taking an interest in my plight.

,

Cindy

 Hi there.....please join us at Wegmans on the 8th in Woodbridge at noon.  We get together  every few months just to stay connected and get some always good advice.  I leave there totally motivated.

hi,

Just an FYI...if you ever have a post difficult to read because of background color...use your cursor and highlight it and it will make the background darker...and much easier to read...

Bernadette

Cindy,

In response to your question as to why I chose the DS,  I based that decision on the evidence available in the medical literature.   I suggest you checkout www.DSFACTS.com and www.duodenalswitch.com.   You will find on both these sites links to peer-reviewed studies that clearly demonstrate the superiority of the DS with respect to Excess Weight Loss, the avoidance of long-term regain, and the resolution of comorbid conditions.   In addition, the preservation of the pyloric valve with the DS avoids most of the common and nasty side-effects that RNY (and some band) people experience after surgery.  

Some of the benefits of maintaining the pyloric valve include:

No Dumping
No Marginal Ulcers
No Issues Regarding Chronic Hypoglycemia
No Abnormal Chewing Required
No Blind Stomach -  You can see the full stomach in the DS patient
You Can Take NSAIDs - (Aspirin, Motrin, Alleve, etc.)
No NIPHS (sometimes fatal in RNY patients)
No Stoma, so food does not get stuck
No Stoma - so the danger of strictures is virtually eliminated

You need to supplement for the rest of your life, but you need to do that too with an RNY.  

One of the studies shown in www.dsfacts.com (Wasserberger, et. al) showed that there was no statistically significant difference in bowel habits of the DS and RNY patients.   That being said, you may have more BMs with a DS than pre-op.   Your flatulence and BMs will likely smell different due to the shortened digestive track.  (Not they the smelled great before hand.)  A lot of DS patients talk about having early morning BMs then being done mostly for the day.   I have noticed this too.   I still get  a greater sense of urgency in the morning, but the surgeon said that should change as my body adjusts.   In the few weeks since my revision was completed, I have noticed improvement in this area.  

Overall, I am very happy.   I was miserable with the lap-band and the constant vomiting.  I am still not done healing and still seeing how I tolerate different foods.   DS people basically eat everything.   The problems we may encounter are in the area of gas production if you are sensitive to something.  I was sensitive to itols (sugar alcohols) pre-op and am more son now.    Basically it means I avoid some diet food and chewable vitamins and go for the regular stuff - tough sacrifice. LOL

I will let you know how I do the further out I get.    The band has the lowest success rate of any bariatric procedure.  It is not you, but the device itself is not terribly effective.   A small percentage of the folks get lucky.   The rest are part of the sadder statistics of lap-band failure.    Hang in there.

Peace,

William