help!!!

November 4, 2003

HI my name is , I am 32 with six active kids. Five live at home

ages 6-15. I have major back problems that prevent me from pretty

much most of what I want to do in life with my kids. Well I can take

care of them but naymore activity is a no go. I have a very ahrd time

cleaning my house. My orthopedic Dr. told me that he can't do

anything for me but he thought weightloss was the only thing that

would help me. I imeediatly sought out gastric bypass RNY. I was

approved pretty quickly by my insurance which really shocked me

becasue I am 90 pounds overweight which is not really typical GPS

criteria. Most would look at me and not believe I would need this but

if weight is my problem then this is the way to go due tot the fact

that I cannot excercize at all. My mom and dad are morbidly obese and

my mom in fact is haivng this procedure in a week. Well anyway I have

a date set Jan. 26, 2004. Since last week when I found out I would be

having this I have been searching out lots of info on it, success

stories, ect... But I tell you I have seriously come across more

horror stories than anything. I mean I know the risks are there and

it is no cake walk but I am really scared. I have heard the success

stories and those are the inspirations but those horror stories make

me wonder. Deos anyone else have this going on with them. Does the

success and complication rate depend on the patients and their

compliance with thier new stomach? Should we ignore the horror

stories? I want to improve my life not have years of complications.

If anyone can relate, please write. I need suport through this from

others in the same postition. Also, can anyone tell me exactly what

vitamins you have to take after surgery? thanks,

November 4, 2003

hi julie, i can relate - i also can't do activities with the kids - i have 2

girls - 4 and 8 months so we are just hitting the active stage. i'm 39 and i

attribute my weight gain to hypothyroid that went undiagnosed for no telling

how long - 8 months at least and i packed on a 100 lbs easy....got pg though

and then came the back pain so they think mine is weight also - i had MRI

done recently though and the weight is pressing on my vertebrea and i have a

couple bulging discs -- i'm on major pain meds and thats the only problem i

ve had since surgery - meds don't work the same - some must go right through

my system b4 they can dissolve and work and others give me trouble trying to

digest - like darvocet with a coating so now i'm on a duragesic patch which

works great except i get a rash and blisters but i have a dr appt in the

morning with a pain dr to see -- the nurse practitioner said its normal to

be hurting all over because your body is adjusting to the weight loss - i

would think it would get better a lot quicker so i guess its one of those

weird things

b4 i forget - my dr recommended 2 flintstone chewables a day but i thought

they were nasty so i tried my prenatal vitamin and its med-lg but has a

slick coating on it so it goes right down - labs were great so what i'm

doing is working.......i can't say i've had " complications " but i categorize

complications as normal and abnormal - for example - if you eat to much or

to fast and don't chew enough you will vomit and/or have pain -- i've had

both - i make a mental note of what i did to myself so i'll NEVER do that

again....KWIM??

scared is normal - have you thought about the lap-band? check into that -

discuss your fears with your dr and as a nurse i think a good question would

be for them to tell you complications or side effects of " any surgery " and

those " specific to WLS "

i can tell you this has definitely improved my life - now i admit i LOVE to

eat - live near new orleans - we live to eat down here (LOL) BUT i had to

make the decision - food or my health & kids --- it was an easy desicion. I

will say this - after MANY discussions with ppl who have had it done -

emotional eating or eating disorders should be looked at a LOT closer....

and TG i'm not an emotional eater -- but if i were i would definitely be

getting counseling with this ....IF when the honeymoon period is over and i

get hunger back and have trouble sticking to it i will go back to the

counselor - its worth it - if you have anymore questions feel free to ask..

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www.geocities.com/tanyarn96/countryside.html

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-- help!!!