[Beholden]

Hi, just wondering if anyone here has had any of the weight loss surgeries available. I'm going with my hubby tomorrow morning when he is going to ask for a referal to the specialist.

He's been considering it for a while and when I asked him about it recently, it was like all he needed was a 'suggestion' sort of push to make him say he was interested.

Wish us luck, though I know this is only an appointment for him to get a referral and the next step is to go to an informational class which they hold once a month. THEN the real appointments start. At least I think that is the way it all goes. I just want him to feel good about himself again like he did years and pounds ago.

Please share any story you have. Especially as the spouse/caregiver and not the one having the surgery. He isn't a good patient! I know from him having had a total knee replacement years ago! LOL. After the surgery, my daughter said to me "we'll pray for you mom"

Thanks.

[bebop]

if done laproscopically it is pretty easy I think. I have done a ton of research on it and have a link to a great site if you would like it.

[AAAAA]

My brother in law had the surgery about 8 years ago now, and he's lost well over 400lbs. Do follow the doctor's dietary orders though. He was feeling really good and tried to eat steak before he was supposed to and got very ill. Just because your mouth is ready for steak doesn't mean your body is.

[VickiesPath]

I have had the Roux-N-Y surgery. I had open incision because I wanted the surgeon to be able to directly "eyeball" the surgery. Also, I doubted I would ever again wear a bikini so the scar was no concern!

An excellent book is the Dummies series Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies. The co-author, Barbara Thompson, is one of the foremost experts in the country on weight loss surgery. I found the book to be excellent reading both before and after the procedure.

If you have specific questions, please feel free to PM me. Best of luck to your husband.

[Beholden]

Thanks everyone -

Hubby went for his appt today and was very pleased with what his primary doc told him. She told him of a lady patient who had the surgery in June and has already lost 100 pounds!

His doctor told him she was very happy to hear he wanted to do the surgery....he has been exercising and on glucophage (for pre-diabetes) for well over a year, but hasn't dropped the pounds.

On Monday he goes for a bunch of labs and then in a couple of weeks has a consult with the surgeon(s), then a complete physical (not the pre surgery one) and then I think he has "the class".

He didn't exactly remember which appt was which as we talked about it at lunch time today, but it is moving along great right now

I know they don't do the "lap band" type at the base and don't really know the name of the surgery they do here - what it is called - but it is the surgery that this medical center has had the best outcomes with. They used to do the lap band, but the long term weight lose wasn't good. And I believe the procedure they use is laproscopic.

They actually have 2 surgeons doing each patient, at the same time and that way they can do more surgeries on the day that they do them. I've mentioned before in different threads that DH is retired military, and we go to the military medical center here. They do things differently than civilian providers.

Thanks again and here's hoping it keeps going this smoothly!

[Beholden]

Thanks for everyones posts.

I just made hubby's appt with the psychologist, for Monday, 11-2, which is one more step along the way and he is scheduled to see the diet specialist 11-4 and then the required support group on Nov 5 Yeah!

He is having the Roux-en-Y procedure. That is the one the medical team has had the most sucess with and long term results with. In all the surgeries that these guys have done, none have had to do an 'open' type, all were done with the laproscopes.... they do 4 different types of bariatric procedures at this medical center...

The class where the surgeon and the dietition spoke had about 15-20 people in it I'd guess. And it was interesting to me. Of course, I'm not the one having the sx, so what does that matter?????

He had his regular physical yesterday and all his tests, blood pressure and cholestrol and pre-diabetes and prostate and whatever else she checked up on were great!

So now, after these appointments are kept, I'll make his surgeon, one-on-one appointment and from there, it will be just about time for the surgery. He is hoping to do it around Christmas and New Years so that he can co-ordinate the time off - since he won't get paid for it.

They said to expect about 3 days in the hospital and about 10 days off total.

Does this sound about right from what all of you have experienced?

Thanks for the support.