David K.

Obesity & Me

Describe your behavioral and emotional battle with weight control before learning about bariatric surgery.

Being overweight for 32 years I found I could actually perform very well in almost any setting, however that has changed with my age. I kept thinking I would just loose the weight on one of my bi-yearly diets and after each failed attempt I would fall lower into the pit of failing health. I would compare myself to an alcoholic and wonder why there were no places to go for assistance. When I got the courage to ask the Dr. for help he would tell me how important good nutritian and excercise were and have the nurse get me a food pyramid chart and send me home. I knew this visit was a failure before I got to the car, as he had no idea what I was talking about.

What was (is) the worst thing about being overweight?

I could never buy clothes off the rack in a regular store. I always seemed to set out apart from the other people at any given time. I was a police office for 18 years and was denied several promotions because of my weight. I was always hot when other people were cold. I found that booths in restraunts were to small for me, seats in airplanes were to small, I was asked to leave a ride at an amusement park because the mechanism would not lock around my girth.

If you have had weight loss surgery already, what things do you most enjoy doing now that you weren't able to do before?

I have been able get up and down on the floor, ty my shoes without holding my breath. i have not purchased anything yet, but I am now noticing clothes in stores I could never buy anything before. I plan on going to our local theme park and getting on one ride that I had to get off because the gate would not close over my girth. I had to leave in front of several hundred people and walk to the exit, everyone knew why I was leaving. Kind of embarrassing!!!

How did you first find out about bariatric surgery and what were your initial impressions of it?

A friend of mine who I grew up with and was also very obese had the operation the same week that an ad as placed in the Sunday newspaper. I talked with her and she told me who the Dr. was and her experience and I knew in my heart that I needed to get an appointment. She expressed how she now eats to live and not " Live to Eat".

Describe your experience with getting insurance approval for surgery. What advice, if any, do you have for other people in this stage?

Dr. Coster told me he would send in the paperwork and that the insurance company would send me a letter. That office vist was on Thursday, and the following Wednesday I got a letter telling me that the procedure was approved.

What was your first visit with your surgeon like? How can people get the most out of this meeting?

I had been told by my friend that had the surgery that you will love Dr. Coster. She was right. I was very comfortable with him. He answered all my questions I had prepared, and seemed to know how I was feeling. He knew that if I was there in his office I was ready to do whatever it took. He was very professional in every way.

What made you finally decide to have the surgery?

I was ready before I left the office at the first visit. I knew that I would not be able to live into my retirement years and enjoy my wife, daughters and grandchildren. My Dr. had told me that I was about to have some serious health problems if I did not get rid of this weight.

How did you decide which proceedure to have?

Dr. Coster recomended the VBG-Open, following my initial interview.

What fears did you have about having complications or even dying from from the surgery, and what would you tell other people having the same fears now?

I never really had any fear about dying until I read about someone dying on the surgery page. I then realized that this was serious. I also knew that my failure to hav3e the surgery was serious and that I would probably die anyway of some complication due to my obesity. I was miserable and had several medical problems prior to the surgery and that made the decision easier. I decided to just do it!!!!

How did your family and friends react to your decision? Would you have communicated anything differently if you could now? How supportive were they after your surgery?

My wife was the only person who knew about my decision. She told our children and other than a couple people that work for me, no one else knew or still knows about the surgery. Since I am self employed I didn't need to take off work. I just got lucky that I wasn not very busy the week I had scheduled for surgery. My family, mother brother sister, etc. would not be real supportive so I decided that they were not on a need to know basis. Boy will they be surprised when I see them at Thanksgiving? I should be down 75-80 lbs by then!!

How did your employer/supervisor react to your decision? What did you tell him/her? How long were you out of work?

Again I am self employed so that was not a problem. I had employees take care of any busines that was necessary. I actually did some office work within a week after surgery. I did some customer contacts within about 2 weeks after surgery.

What was your stay in the hospital like? How long where you there? What things are most important to bring?

I had my surgery in the Grinnell Regional Hospital in Grinnel, Iowa. I have had surgeries before in other hospitals and I can say these folks in Grinnell are far superior to all the others. I was there four days. The staff was very courteous and always there at a moments notice. They were very professional. My wife commented that they treated her very well and gave her special comfort during surgery. I brought items I didn't need, however a pair of very loose shorts was all I really needed.

Did you have any complications from the surgery? If so, how did you deal with them?

I would say no. I did have a staple that was left in and found at my 2 week Dr. office visit. I had some areas at the lower end of my wound that did not heal as soon as the upper. As far as complications, NO!!

In the weeks after you got your surgery date, how did you feel? How did you cope with any anxiety you might have felt?

My surgery date was very soon after I had my first Dr. appointment. I was very fortunate as the insurance company approved within about 6 days. I really didn't have time to thing too much. I did get some anxiety the last week prior to surgery. I put on about 6 lbs the last week, but I did a couple of buffet outings during that time. I coped by being very busy the last few days. I needed to get work done in advance so I really did need to keep busy. Funny thing, the day before I slept very well and seemed to have a sence of calm?

Describe your first few weeks home from the hospital. What should people expect from this period?

I was very sore in the mid section, but not in constant pain. I took the pain pills as needed, spent much time sleeping and resting. I stayed very close to the directions the Dr. gave me about diet, (Liquid/soft) and made sure I got up every day several times and walked around to exercise those mucsles. i went outside on nice days and got some fresh air, which made me feel better. In bed I had some problems as I turn over several times each night. Just got used to the discomfort, but it soon went away in the first week. Got off the pain pills within 10 days, still had some left.

How far did you travel to have your surgery? (If far, how did this affect your aftercare?)

Approx. 80 miles one way. No this did not affect my aftercare, as it was only 1-3/4 hr drive, all interstate.

Please describe in detail what things you could and couldn't eat in the weeks and months following surgery. What foods have been off limits? Please explain how your dietary tolerance changed week-by-week, and then month-by-month since surgery.

I find that I can eat anything I want. I did find that foods like sliced turkey, ham (deli) did not chew very easy. I really didn't have any problems with the food, but the fact that from time to time I would forget to chew and swallow premature. I soon found out what "dumping" ment!!! I did that a few times and soon made chewing a lifestyle, however I still find that drinking water when eating can sometimes create a bubble effect which takes a few minutes to clear??At the 6 week timeframe I started to have some stomach problems with acid. I thin it might be that I am trying foods that I have not had before, however it seems that it occurs with foods that didn't bother before anyway. I have been very careful to eliminate any fats, sugars in the extreme from my diet.(ie dry toast, no heavy desert, rolls, candy, etc).

What was your actvity level in the days and weeks after surgery?

Basically I just laid around the sofa or bedroom for the first 4-5 days. I did get up and walk each day several times. I had my wife take me for a drive at a bout one week,(house-a-tosis). I did get out and go for coffee with friends the week after, and I was sure tired when I got home. Did the post office to get mail each day and took a short nap after for the first week. Each day after the two week period I could tell my strength was geting better. Some days I felt very good, the next kind of tired. Maybe overdid in one and rested the next, but I know that some days are better than others. At the one month period I felt my strenght was mostly back, and I could feel the lack of pain in my knees and elswhere that I had constantly before surgery. At the 6 week level I would say I had all my strength back and other than stomach acid, felt better years earlier.

What vitamins and/or dietary supplements have you taken since your surgery?

I took a one a day chewable(Flintstones) each ay while I was on the liquid/soft diet. Once I went onto solid food, I stopped taking anything>

What side effects (nausea, vomiting, sleep disturbace, dumping, hair loss etc.) were worse for you? For how long after surgery did they persist? How did you cope with them?

Had some nausia while in the hospital, but staff gave me something for it. Had very little the first few weeks at home. Whne I went on regular diet, I started to have some nausia if I didn't eat on time, which went away as soon as I eat. Most of these occasions I really didn't want to eat, but I knew I would feel better if I did. Never had any sleep disturbance other than the first couple night due to pain. Never lost any hair. Started dumping when food would get caught in my pouch, due to failure to chew food up properly. Had a couple occasions where I drank to much liquid too fast and it created a bubble in the pouch and I dumped the fluid?? Just learn to chew and eat and drink slower, take smaller bites.

What was the worst part about the entire bariatric surgery process?

The 16 hours directly after surgery, although it was not that bad. I did have some pain, but not as bad as when I had back surgery! Of course the dumping was very uncomfortable, but most of it wads my own fault. The nausia was very managable, and didn't last only a couple weeks.

What aftercare support group/program do you have? How helpful/important is this?

I joined a local on-line group, but it seemed to be an outlet for people to share non-weight loss issues. I know that most of the members were ladies, however most of the information was communication between friends made on the net. That was not improtant to me so I dropped out, however I do keep up my update on the obesity.com profile, as it serves as a weekly diary of sorts.

What is your scar like? Is this what you expected?

My scar is mid section between my naval and my sternum bone. It is very faint at the top and about 1/4" wide near the bottom. It is very flat at the top and has some raised portion near the botom. It is brighter color near the bottom and softer pink at the top. Yes it is exactly what I expected.

Please describe any plateau experiences you have had since surgery.

Had just one plateau just last week for about 12 days. I sat a 268 lbs and think due to my back pain I was being very careful and was lacking in any regular exercise. I also seemed to have a biger appetite for junk food during that time that I never had before. I did manage to stay away for it for the most part, but I hope to get back into exercising soon.

Do you notice people treating you any differently now?

Not that they treated me differently, but they do definitely notice me. They are commenting on my weight loss and cheering me on. I am a very public person who as very active in the community so I might not have that concept occur with me.
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Before & After
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