What do you want to hear? What do newbies want to know?

So, a MM walks into a production studio: ...and she makes a series of videos for a newly launching WLS website, pertaining to weight loss surgery and life thereafter: * What do YOU want to hear about? * What would make you shut it off? I am getting on a plane in less than two weeks to go do just that, so what says you about it: I want input from everyone, what would entice YOU to watch MM on "TV?"

MY doctor never told me about dumping and all the side affects. Mental issues. I think that is what the new people need to know  about. It is not a all peaches and cream. More like veggie and water.

I am so proud of you! Good luck!
Amy

I agree, talk more about the head hunger you have to deal with and that you might have HAIR LOSS a few months after surgery   !!!!!   My doctor didn't tell me about hair loss and I actually found out about it about a month post op on the RNY board.    Thank goodness I have thick hair but it's still hard to go through the hair loss and picking hairs off your clothes constantly!!   I would've liked to know I would have this instead of finding out after the fact of having surgery.

Also, going into detail about the main vitamins/supplements that you will have to take post op like a chewable multivitamin, sublingual b12 and then most important one- calcium citrate.  Before surgery, I thought I could take the CC w/my other vitamins and just take everything in one dose in the morning!   But then post op, I realize that I have to take my CC 2 hrs after my mv and b12's and then again in the evening.   So I'm taking pills 3 times a day!!   It's worth it though to lose this weight and take vits, just a little tiresome to try and make sure I remember every day to get the CC in.   So discussing when, how, and how much of the vits to take is important.

how much money you will actually or might have to dish out after this surgery (for ppl who have insurance too)

Not sure really, since you had RNY, you don't sugarcoat the downsides.
NOW! Had you had some other surgery, newbies would new re-educating after reading your posts. Any idea what I mean?  I'm sure you do if you've ever read other boards.
Just be sure you don't blow sunshine and flowers up their asses about how nobody has complications, and nobody regains any weight, and nobody finds that toilet issues bother them sometimes for years, etc. That would make me turn you off, since I know too much. And intelligent people who are researching would wonder why they hear both good and bad from rumors. So you have to give to them straight, the bad with the good.
I haven't had any complications  except low iron ( got my latest labs back today, and I'm NORMAL again!) and getting enough protein, I'm not absorbing enough with my shorter common channel.
I did have a partial bowel obstruction, attributed to a massive hernia repair due to the visual on a fluroscope. So I'm not saying everyone suffers in some way. Most people do well, and have no problems, I beleive.
Just my thoughts at 3 years out.

Beth, What an incredible opportunity! 

I'd like to see you communicate that successful or not, skinny or still obese, WLS is a life changing surgery.  It's so easy to say.  It's so easy to think you understand.  But it's very hard to live.

I'm talking about everything-- possible short and long term complications, supplements, reactive hypoglycemia, constipation, regular labs, head hunger, depression, sleep problems.  I know those are all negative things, but the positive aspects of WLS are very easy to understand and relate to.

For me, I need daily encouragement and support which is why I read OH and the other boards daily.  When I don't I find myself really slipping.  I've no idea how you can translate that into a video though. 

I know you'll bring your normal creativity, style and wit to this project, it will be a huge success!

Michele

Definitely the mental issues because so many people have issues they never even considered before the surgery...And probably the compliance issues that will make the surgery unsuccessful, also mental.

I agree with what everybody else said. My surgeon was great, all my pre-op counseling was great, but some things weren't addressed. The mental part was so tough - your social life is totally changed, your best friend (food) is totally gone for a while, every little aspect of your life has changed. A lot of us have friends that turn on us, a lot of people have marital problems because the other one gets insecure, a lot of people aren't aware how easy it is to gain weight after the first year and how important it is to exercise and eat right. There's tons of things most doctors don't address about long-term effects - they just tell us how we'll lose weight, diabetes will go away, etc.

Congratulations!  What an honor to be doing something like this!  My request would be that the program cover ALL WLS that are currently being done. (Any surprise that a DSer would be saying this?  ) Maybe even have interviews with several people from each of the surgery types so that pre-ops can make an informed decision that matches their lifestyle.  I think it's important for pre-ops to realize this surgery is for L I F E and that what they choose is something they will be living with for the rest of their forever. 

Again, congrats, and best wishes!!!

Lori

Dear melting mamma,

How exciting to be able to tune into a program just about weight loss surgery and life thereafter.  There were so many things that I wasn't told and I think that is because everyone is different and you experience different things....good and bad.  Physician's don't know anything about weight loss surgery so when I went to my family doctor about heart pounding, dizziness, fatigue, etc. he put me on Prozac.  Now I know that it was dehydration after going on the internet so I went back and had an IV.  I have had about four IV's but so much better now that I haven't had one for a couple of months.  I am approximately 18 months out from my weight loss surgery.
After my check-up at the University, for the yearly, I found out the heart pounding (constant) was a form of dumping and was caused by too much sugar in my Vitamin water that I was drinking constantly.  I had gone to my family physician about six times before concerning this pounding because I thought there was something wrong with my heart and he was stymied.  Now that I have changed water it is much, much better.   Oh......the gas.  What to do.......tried everything.  I get lots and lots of saliva right after I eat.  I do not get sick or nauseated but this is disgusting.  I never heard this addressed, either.  I have tried Prilosec, etc.  Nothing works.  It is much better then it was 9 month ago, though.  There are many more good things than the minor bad things that I have experienced after my surgery.  I would do it over again in a heart beat and I am sixty-seven years old.  I am now a spring chicken.
Good Luck and God Bless
elliejon