Bulletin Board for WLS
I have lost a total of 200lbs!! I had reconstructive/plastic surgery on 07/08/04.
I have had difficulty uploading new pictures. I will keep on trying.
I had surgery on June 5, 2000. I was lucky to have it done laparoscopically for a quicker recovery. To add to my good fortune, the surgeon's office is only 10 minutes from my home. The hospital and the office have coordinated a great support group that meets once every month. Which helps considerably to keep all of us Post-Ops on track and clarify any questions or concerns along the way.
My surgeon was Dr. Carlos Carrasquilla. His partner, Dr. Wayne English also assisted in my surgery. These Drs. are very dedicated to this program and seem to love to see our transformations!! And "transformations" is the best way to describe it. Since the weightloss results are quicker than dieting, every month at our support group meetings we can see great changes in each other's body sizes, faces, and attitudes.
For many people considering this surgery, the first concern should be with their health. Patients that go into surgery with high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea and other conditions, months after surgery, find that they are able to get off most of their medications and can sleep and move around much better. Thankfully, I had not developed any of the above illnesses yet but I know I was heading down that path. As I lost weight I felt more agile and "light". I had forgotten how this felt! I think since we put on the weight little by little, we got accustomed to it and the way we moved around in life and didn't realize how limited our lives became.
This is an ongoing process full of moments of thankfullness when you realize you can fit in a smaller clothing size, or when you can put on the car seatbelt without an extension or walk for 30 minutes and feel invigorated, not exhausted! It is the little things that give you the most joy.
The excitement is intensified because due to the caloric restriction by reducing your stomach, you lose weight quickly in the first months. This means you'll see changes quickly. It is a very exciting process, which motivates you to keep on track! Which is part of the strategy of this procedure. It is thought that by restricting the ability to consume large quantities of food (and in my type of surgery, restrict the ability to absorb high sugars and fats) you are able to lose weight fast which gets you motivated and there is no time to get discouraged. At the same time you are learning to eat less and accepting it because otherwise you will make yourself sick!
Having surgery to help you lose weight is not a solution in itself but it does make it easier to be successful which hopefully will lead you to a permanent change. You still have to watch what you eat, exercise, take vitamins, check your iron, calcium, protein levels regularly, deal with some discomforts and learn to not let the activities in your life revolve around food. Added to this mix, is the problem dealing with friends and family that may not know how to deal with the new "You". This is where you have to help them and keep the communication lines open.
I hope with this site to offer information based on my experience and that of others to help you decide if this surgery is for you and help you through the process if you are going to or have or have had the surgery.