GOT DATE BUT I NEED SOME INFO.

HELLO EVERYONE. I JUST GOT MY DATE IT'S SET FOR DEC 11 ,2006 BUT I NEED TO FINE ALL THE INFO ABOUT THIS SURGERY I CAN GET. DO YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN LOOK UP INFO ABOUT THIS SURGERY AM HAVING THE CUT SURGERY..HAS ANYONE HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT DR. STEPHEN SCHECHNER. AN CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS ulcers. WELL I LIVE IN VA BEACH AN I DON'T HAVE NO FAMILY MEMBER DOWN HERE ONLY MY SON. BUT I DO HAVE ALOT OF GOOD FRIENDS. WHO IS WILLING TO HELP ME OUT. BUT NONE OF THEM HAVE HAD THIS SURGERY. SO IF THERE ANY INFO YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE ME PLEASE DO SO LOL..EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT THE SURGERY A PART OF ME IS HAPPY LIKE CAN'T WAIT. WHERE THE OTHER PART OF ME IS LIKE RUN AN DON'T HAVE IT DONE. AND I WOULD LOVE TO GET TO KNOW SOME OF YA'LL. WELL ANY INFO WOULD HELP ME. OH AN DON'T FORGET A PRAY OR 2 WOULDN'T BE THAT BAD TOO. TAKE CARE MARIA

Dear Maria, where do I begin?? I feel so sorry for you that you are at this point in the process, just a few weeks from surgery, and you basically have no idea what you're doing. How did that happen? To start, I think I would ask your doctor about ulcers -- that is a very real possibility with this surgery, as are other complications that you should be aware of. I would recommend that you read read read on this board as well as other forums on this website -- and do this now! I would also recommend that you get the book Weight Loss for Dummies, that was a good book for me to read. I would recommend reading that from cover to cover. I would also recommend you get involved with a support group of weight loss surgery patients. You said that you live in VA Beach, and forunately there is a ton of support in that area and hopefully you can connect with someone close by to help you through this. Maria, this is a huge decision, really a very major surgery. We are all nervous facing this surgery, but with as much information as you can get, it will help alleve your fears. Find out about the vitamins that you are going to have to take for the rest of your life (maybe Natalie will post her vitamin information), the protein supplements that you are going to have to take. But in spite of all this overwhelming information that I have given you, I want you to know that for me, this was the best decision I ever made and I am so thankful to have been able to have this surgery. I would do it again in a New York minute!! I wish you the best of luck Maria. This is definitely going to change your life, and of course as your time gets closer you will be in my thoughts. Remember - read read read all the posts as much as you can to prepare yourself. love donna

Donna..THANK YOU SOOOOOOOO MUCH FOR SOME OF THE INFO...I have been to about 4 support group sofar. One of my day care parents had it done. But she really don't like to talk or tell that much about the surgury. Like for one thing am going nuts over thinking about that tube in my nose when I get up. lol I know if only for one day BUT that's going to be the longest day of my life lol..I will read all the post on here. I just found out about this site 2 weeks ago. you have to rember I started out with another doc. Dr Yancy but his ins people took over 1 yr trying to get this appove for me and they just sit there an do nothing. So when I called Dr. Schander it was like bam one min I see him the next I got a date..works really fast. am going to try to fine out about that ulcers. Because I been here so much about that on here. But thank you again donna an yes PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DO KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYS. I NEED ALL THE PRAYS I CAN GET....THANKS AGAIN AN GOD BLESS MARIA

I never had a naso-gastric tube. Did your surgeon say you would have one? Surgeons have different procedures they use, so there is no telling whether you doctor will do like others have done. Lois

Many of the programs here in VA have mandatory patient education classes. Most of us have researched this surgery for a long time before we made the decision to go under the knife (or scope). I strongly encourage youto learn more ASAP, to make sure you completely understand what life will be like after surgery. Call your doctor's office and find out what educational material they have for their patients. DO ask about complications including ulcers. Get on the internet and search out the type of surgery you are having. I am not sure what type you are referring to by "cut surgery". I have never heard of this surgeon. Maybe some of the Tidewater folks have some information about him. I hope you have chosen a surgeon with good patient education and follow up care. Good luck in your search, Lois

Hey, Maria! I assume by cut surgery, you mean open gastric bypass surgery (Roux en-Y)? Being excited yet nervous at the same time is completely normal. Ulcers are like small sores in the lining of your stomach. We tend to be more prone to them after surgery since everything is very delicate. One test they do usually pre-surgery is to check to see if you have a certain bacteria (h. pylori) and that is a bacteria that can lead to ulcers. If you test positive for it, they will give you some anti-biotics to treat it before your surgery lessing your risks of ulcers later. After surgery, most doctors will not want you to take certain medicines like aspirin or anti-inflammatories like advil/motrin because they can be rough on a stomach and can lead to ulcers. (Depending on why you would be getting the medicine... some doctors may go ahead and have you take them anyway. They may think the risk of ulcer is worth the benefit to you of the medicine. But what they will do is to give you other medicine to take that lessens the risk of ulcers along with the other med. Hope that made sense.) FYI, I'm 18 months post-op... I did test positive for h. pylori before surgery and took the 2 weeks of antibiotics. And no ulcers here. Good luck with everything! Kathy

HELLO kATHY AN THANKS FOR THE INFO..I DO KNOW WHAT H. PYLORI TEST IS. I HAD THAT DONE WHEN I WAS SEEING DR. YANCY AN THEY PUT ME ON SOME KIND OF PRAV PAC???? FOR 14 DAYS. BUT AM GOING TO HAVE THEM DO ALL THE TEST AGAIN AN SEE IF I HAVE IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T FISHEN THE PACK. I GO TUE NOV 28 TO SEE THE DR. AN FOR MY LAB WORK THE PRE THING. I WILL BE ASKING MY DOC. ALOT OF QUEASTIONS. AN YES AM VERY NERVOUS. I DON'T HAVE NO FAMILY DOWN HERE AN AM GOING THREW A VERY VERY NASTY DIVOCER AN MY SON'S WHO ARE 21YR AN 18YR THAT DON'T WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH THERE FATHER THEY HAVN'T TALK TO HIM IN OVER 3YRS. AM NERVOUS IF SOMETHING HAPPEN TO ME WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM. I HAVE LIVE MY WHOLE LIFE SO FAR FOR MY HUSBAND AN OUR SON'S AN NOW FOR THE LAST PAST 3YR OUR SON'S. IT'S TIME NOW FOR ME TO LIVE FOR ME..I THANK EVERYONE FOR ALL THE INFO YA'LL HAVE GIVING ME. I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED. I WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THIS FAMILY IF I COULD. THANKS AN GOD BLESS...MARIA