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Obesity & Me

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

I was always a thin person until I approached my early 30s. I began traveling for work quite a bit and become more sedentary. The weight just seemed to snowball. By my early 40s I was well over 200 pounds. At age 51 I was 270 pounds and suffered a heart attack and had a triple coronary bypass. I have been on a roller coaster ride with all types of diets. No solution ever held for more than 2-3 months. I usually gained back more than I lost. I felt that I was destined to always be the fat man.

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

My health suffered. For the last 10-12 years I have battled high cholesterol, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. My doctor warned me of the consequences. In October 2005 I found out first hand what they were. Recovering from a heart attack and bypass surgery, I knew I had to change my life. I made little progress but soon my unhealthy ways returned. This feeling of weakness in changing my life positively was always on my mind.

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

Weight loss surgery did indeed transform me. Prior to my weight loss, I was very sedentary and enjoyed no active sports. Today, I find myself cycling 3-4 times a week. I began running 5Ks. I love the excitement of a race even though I am a slow runner. I also enjoy a good hike with friends. There is nothing like snowshoeing fresh fallen snow. All of the above activities were nowhere in my mind at the time I had surgery. I just wanted to lose weight and be healthy. As a thinner man, I found myself enjoying these outdoor activities. I actually LOVE the outdoors and being active. That is truly a transformation!

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

My life partner who was very much overweight had wanted bariatric surgery for years. He began his journey to have gastric bypass in 2005. In October 2006 he had gastric bypass. It was during his surgery that I met his surgeon and subsequently met several other patients through his support group. His transformation was amazing. He went from 365 pounds to 190 pounds. I knew it could be an option. I was still leery of the severity of the surgery. My 2008 New Year's resolution was to change my life through surgery. I then began my journey with getting lapband surgery approval in 2008.

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

Insurance approval for me went pretty smoothly. I contacted Aetna and they pointed me to their clinical bulletin. So many people do not understand their insurance coverage. I encourage everyone to have that knowledge in hand as you begin your journey. My surgeon was very organized with a staff person who understood insurance and the requirements. They gave me a document to share with my doctor on how he needed to document my 3 month diet and exercise program. This is critical to choose a surgeon who helps you in this journey; a surgeon who knows the ins and outs of insurance. When my time to submit for approval came, it was smooth and I had approval in 5 days. It is very important to have thorough and complete documentation. Make sure you ask your surgeon and primary care provider all questions that you can think of.

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

My visit was very pleasant. The surgeon had sent me forms to complete a head of time. They sent me the agenda and were very thorough in giving me a clear idea of what to expect. I followed advice on OH and went in with a sheet of questions to ask him about the surgery. I knew my surgeon had a preference for gastric bypass. I knew my primary care physician believed that it was not the surgery for me. My surgeon did first recommend gastric bypass but then asked me why I wanted lapband. He did a nice job of walking me though the process and laid out the pros and cons on a sheet as well as the expected results. That worked well. In the end he agreed that I might do well with lapband. I so encourage people to ask questions and be pretty thorough in understanding your surgeon beforehand. After my heart surgery, I knew that you must take control of your hospital experience. I left the office that morning 3 hours later with a very good attitude and understanding on how the process would work.
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