I started my weight loss journey in November of 2002 at that time I weighed 432 lbs and had extreme sleep apnea. I was just happy to eat could care less about my health, till one day my doctor told me if I did not lose weight I would be dead by age 35. I decided I like to live and was going to do something to lose weight but I had tried every diet known to man! After watching tv one day I learned of gastric bypass surgery, this was scary but a real possibility so I got on the net and looked into it. I visted a site which I still go to today obestiyhelp.com and learned as much as I could about the very dangerous weight loss surgery. After talking with my wife I decided this was the way for me to go, so I made an appointment with the Bariatric treatment center in PA. I visited the treatment center for a consult and found out that they were not accepting my insurance currently but they would be soon and they would try to get approval for the surgery, so I came home and waited and waited till around January when I decided I was not waiting any longer. I went back to obesityhelp.com to search for a new surgeon that is when I came across Dr Victor Novak from somerset Pa. I called Dr Novak's office and got an appointment within a week. Dr Novak informed me that he would take me as a patient and try to get insurance approval but I had to try to lose some weight on my own, so I tried and in 2 weeks lost about 7 lbs. Dr novak called within 2 weeks and informed me he had received approval for my gastric bypass surgery, and he wanted to do the surgery on the 5th of February. I was excited bur scared too so I told him that sounded great he informed me I had to go to Johnstown PA to have test done that is were he perfomed the surgery. A week before the surgery he performed the test and every thing was ok. So I went in to the hospital at 7 am on february 5 and had my gastric bypass surgery. I first day after the surgery was a total blur, my wife and mother-n-law said I was talking up a strom the whole day. I was placed in intensive care do to my severe sleep apnea. On day 2 I was awaken by a nurse telling me that I had to go down and have a test to make sure there were no leaks. (leaking is a very dangerous complication of the surgery) I was very happy to find out I had no leaks. Once I arrived back at the room I was told I could have liquid to drink. Dr Novak came into to see me and informed every thing went well and that I would go home in about a day or 2 but would be on a liquid diet for the whole first month. day 3 was a repeat of day 2 just getting up and walking (walking is very important after this surgery this helps the risk of blood clots) Dr Novak informed me I could go home that evening at about 6pm, before I went I was given jello to eat what a mistake it caused me to dump. ( dumping is a common problem following weight loss surgery) Dumping is the worst feeling there is with me I get extremely hot and feel terrible I must lay down to feel better this is a scary feeling but usually passes fairly fast. So my wife drove me home Johnstown is aobut 60 miles from my home in Cumberland Md and of course it was snowing as hard as it could they all ready had about 6 inches and it was snowing hard but thankfully we made it home in one piece!! The first nite at home was difficult I could not lay down to sleep in the bed so I slept in the chair my wife took great care of me during this painful time. The days went by I exercised by walking around the house. I went back to the doctor in 2 weeks and every thing was going good after a month I returned again I had lost 45 lbs the first month, I could not believe it I had never been able to lose weight in my life and in one month I was down 45 lbs!! oh yeh was still on that terrible liquid diet Dr novak told me I could eat soft food in 2 more weeks I could not weight but I was scard too I had not had any solid food in 6 weeks. I craved cheese that would be my first thing to eat. Everything went well with eating. I was beginning to sleep better every month with the more weight I loss. after 2 months I was down 65 lbs could not believe it. In the first year I continued to lose at a very fast pace. I ate around 600 calories every day working nite shift I would eat one meal at work and come home and sleep then eat dinner. I drank tons and tons of water. I ate mostly lean hamburger about 75% of the time to try to get my protein ( protein intake is very inportant after weightloss surgery it also speeds up weightloss) After one year I had lost 200 lbs I would never believe it could be possible. It has now been 20 months since my surgery and I am at 182 lbs down 250 lbs from my starting weight of 432 lbs. I no longer suffer from sleep apnea at all. I feel a million times better and have a ton of energy. The only down fall to this is after losing 250 lbs I have a ton of excess skin. So I have tryed to get my insurance company to approve for me to have abdominoplasty surgery ( a tummy tuck) to tighten up the excess skin. I was turned down originally by my insurance company (care first blue cross ppo) but after filing an appeal I have been approved to have the surgery so now I am just waiting to get this surgery scheduled. Today Sept. 29th I received word that I would be having my abdominoplasty surgery on Tuesday Oct. 5 at Conemaugh hospital in Johnstown, Pa. Dr Novak will be performing my suregery. I will keep you posted and updated on the progress of this surgery. Thank you for visiting my weight loss adveture site. If you have any quesiton's email me at [email protected]. obesityhelp.com is a great web site with tons of information on the surgery!! Today is October the 28th and I am still recovering from my abdominoplasty surgery I have to wear a binder with towels under it for about a month it is very bulky and is a pain to wear on Friday the 5th of November my surgeon will be doing my breast reduction after loosing 250 pluse pounds I have large hanging skin which must be removed. Hopefully that will be the last surgery I have to have I would like to get all my skin tightened up but that is not possible to the extremely high cost. For now I am bored to death not able to go back to work till november 18th just sit around the house beigh bored. Oh well My guestbook is now working so please sign my guestbook and stop back for further updates.
