You know, I'm thinking I may need to go to another forum because I'm 7 years out and not a newbie. Hope you guys don't mind my haunting the board - I have trouble sleeping.
Here are a few things I think you need to do when you start this journey.
1. Get a BIG binder and keep all your test results, paperwork, follow up, etc. It took me forever to get all my testing done. If you deal with social services I would also save all their paperwork and the envelopes (you'll need to prove timeframe for receipt of mail sometimes). You"ll also be getting a ton of paperwork, pouch rules, suggestions - etc. I used to work where I had access to free printing and I printed so much research stuff that I still kept today.
2. Another thing I would do would be to download a blood test results chart from the file section of some of the bariatric websites. I know several groups on yahoo for gastric bypass have them. I kind of wish I had them all done pre-op so I could see the difference post op. After surg. you'll need to get them every few months and then once a year. I actually have a seperate binder I keep stuff pertaining just to me. Dexa scan results, blood test results, notes from nutritionists, mammogram results (just cause I have them). I honestly do bring that book into appt. with doctor's. I also keep prints of stuff I've read on the web, whether from medical journals, personal blogs, whatever, to show to the doctor.
3. Research your surg. Check with the state if there's been any lawsuits. I used to have the website for NY state but I'm sure you can google it and find it. Read other's reviews. I also think it's important to question how their aftercare is and long term care. Ask questions... i think I walked in with 80, lol. I know there is a list of questions to ask....let me know if you're interested and I'll post it. I'm not sure if the webmaster will allow me to post links to other sites.
Try to find reviews of doctor's from people who are years out from surg. Yes, new RNY people are good resources for the surg. and pre-op. You want to know how the surg. is post op. How do they treat people who have had complications? Do they have a bariatric co-ordinator to help with all the insurance issues, etc. Ask if they've ever had people with complications? What is their response? Can they do more than one type of procedure diudinal switch/RNY/whatever? Has anyone died? Had anyone ever had to have a reversal or complications leading to more radical surg.? (Yeah, I'm the research queen)
Feel out their support group. Most surg. and bariatric centers have them. Do they have speakers come in? Are there members who are a few years out or is it made up of people new to 2 years (they'd still be in the honeymoon stage). Is it a suport group or a sales meeting? I've been to few like that. Did the leader of the group at least have the surg?
4. Be honest with yourself and make sure you have a support network in place. Depression is common after surg. You also have to worry about addiction. If you're severly overweight you have a eating disorder....this can easily translate to a drinking problem, sexual addiction, etc. Losing 100lbs is a big deal, a big change. Especially for you but sometimes people can react badly. When I lost 130 lbs it was a big diffence - I'd always been overweight. I started dating, I had trouble with co-workers because I became more vocal about stuff, my personality change somewhat.
My biggest stumbling block came when my brother was ill and eventually died....my old cooping mechanism was food. Food was comfort. I also fell back on old behaviors of taking care of others before taking care of myself. Find alternate supports and be willing to seek help be it support groups, therepy, etc. RNY can be a great thing but you could have ghost come out of the closet, stuff that could have made you gain weight in the first place.
5. Make the most of your honeymoon period - when you'll lose the most weight. That is the time to develope good habits.
6. Keep a journal. And yeah, I know where you can download the template for one of those too! Write down why you want this surg., your expections of yourself and the surg. It might help to look back at and read when times get tough. It's also a good way to track anything "weird" as you heal.
7. Remember to ask questions both pre op and post op. Some may be embarrassing but that's the beauty of the internet!
Hope this helps.
Deb
Here are a few things I think you need to do when you start this journey.
1. Get a BIG binder and keep all your test results, paperwork, follow up, etc. It took me forever to get all my testing done. If you deal with social services I would also save all their paperwork and the envelopes (you'll need to prove timeframe for receipt of mail sometimes). You"ll also be getting a ton of paperwork, pouch rules, suggestions - etc. I used to work where I had access to free printing and I printed so much research stuff that I still kept today.
2. Another thing I would do would be to download a blood test results chart from the file section of some of the bariatric websites. I know several groups on yahoo for gastric bypass have them. I kind of wish I had them all done pre-op so I could see the difference post op. After surg. you'll need to get them every few months and then once a year. I actually have a seperate binder I keep stuff pertaining just to me. Dexa scan results, blood test results, notes from nutritionists, mammogram results (just cause I have them). I honestly do bring that book into appt. with doctor's. I also keep prints of stuff I've read on the web, whether from medical journals, personal blogs, whatever, to show to the doctor.
3. Research your surg. Check with the state if there's been any lawsuits. I used to have the website for NY state but I'm sure you can google it and find it. Read other's reviews. I also think it's important to question how their aftercare is and long term care. Ask questions... i think I walked in with 80, lol. I know there is a list of questions to ask....let me know if you're interested and I'll post it. I'm not sure if the webmaster will allow me to post links to other sites.
Try to find reviews of doctor's from people who are years out from surg. Yes, new RNY people are good resources for the surg. and pre-op. You want to know how the surg. is post op. How do they treat people who have had complications? Do they have a bariatric co-ordinator to help with all the insurance issues, etc. Ask if they've ever had people with complications? What is their response? Can they do more than one type of procedure diudinal switch/RNY/whatever? Has anyone died? Had anyone ever had to have a reversal or complications leading to more radical surg.? (Yeah, I'm the research queen)
Feel out their support group. Most surg. and bariatric centers have them. Do they have speakers come in? Are there members who are a few years out or is it made up of people new to 2 years (they'd still be in the honeymoon stage). Is it a suport group or a sales meeting? I've been to few like that. Did the leader of the group at least have the surg?
4. Be honest with yourself and make sure you have a support network in place. Depression is common after surg. You also have to worry about addiction. If you're severly overweight you have a eating disorder....this can easily translate to a drinking problem, sexual addiction, etc. Losing 100lbs is a big deal, a big change. Especially for you but sometimes people can react badly. When I lost 130 lbs it was a big diffence - I'd always been overweight. I started dating, I had trouble with co-workers because I became more vocal about stuff, my personality change somewhat.
My biggest stumbling block came when my brother was ill and eventually died....my old cooping mechanism was food. Food was comfort. I also fell back on old behaviors of taking care of others before taking care of myself. Find alternate supports and be willing to seek help be it support groups, therepy, etc. RNY can be a great thing but you could have ghost come out of the closet, stuff that could have made you gain weight in the first place.
5. Make the most of your honeymoon period - when you'll lose the most weight. That is the time to develope good habits.
6. Keep a journal. And yeah, I know where you can download the template for one of those too! Write down why you want this surg., your expections of yourself and the surg. It might help to look back at and read when times get tough. It's also a good way to track anything "weird" as you heal.
7. Remember to ask questions both pre op and post op. Some may be embarrassing but that's the beauty of the internet!
Hope this helps.
Deb
Tom
