RNY Gastric Bypass Was the BEST Thing I Could Have Ever Done for Myself! - Houston, TX

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I am 28 years old, married, no children but two beautiful dogs :). I started gaining weight in junior high and hit the obese mark in high school. I met my husband at the age of 19 and he changed my life. He has been my knight in shining armour and by my side through my transformation. I decided to have gastric bypass when I was 25 years old, August 25 2011 is a date I will never forget. The morning of surgery I couldnt think of anything but a glass of ice water I was so thirsty. I was never scarred only anxious for my journey to begin. The pain I felt wakingt from surgery was the worst I have ever encountered, needless to say the first night in the hospital was rough.

My recovery took place at my mothers house and without her I would not have been able to make it. A good caretaker is essential to a successfull recovery, unfortunatley you will need someone to wait on you constantly and help you with every move you make, so make sure your caretaker is ready and willing to do so. My overall recovery was very long and painful but worth every pain filled moment. The hardest part for me was learning to eat all over again, you can not eat like a pig anymore and it is tough to re-train yourself. I did a lot of vomiting from not chewing enough, so make sure you chew chew chew!!!!

My personal goal was to lose 116 pounds. I wanted to go from being 5'6" and 266 pounds to 5'6" at 150 pounds and be fabulous! Starting two days after my surgery I was losing 2 pounds each day, and it gradually slowed down. I set my first big goal at 199, my husband took me out for a very nice night on the town when I hit that goal. The next was 175 and my incentive was diamond earrings, so now I have diamond earrings!

I have skipped a huge part of this and that is all the diet and exercise that is involved in my success. My husband kicked my butt 3 to 5 days a week in the gym and on the track to help my weightloss. I have told many people that this surgery will take you about 50% of the way on your weightloss journey... the rest is all you. Unfortunately, if you do not have the will to get off your butt and exercise and eat right ( eating clean ... if it doesnt grow in a tree or come out of the ground you cant eat it!!! no processes foods!!!) your journey will not be a success. You must be willing to actually change your life and live healthy, every day. If this is not something you want to do then this surgery is not for you. This surgery is not a quick fix, it is a tool to help jumpstart your new life. My husband and I were in Maui having dinner at a beautiful seaside small restaurant, waves crashing on the rocks just feet away from us. He asked me if I regretted having the surgery or if I was glad that I had it. I looked at him and smiled and said that it was the best thing I could have done for myself and the only good decision I have made besides marrying him. That was the first time I saw my husband cry and I knew that my struggle was also his struggle and he supported me 100% with nothing but love.

I went to a seminar before the surgery that explained the procedure in detail and my surgeon went through it again privately with me so I had no questions about what was being done inside my body. My husband did a ton of research and watched numerous videos on how the procedure was performed, we were both very well informed before the surgery date. I recommend you watch videos on youtube and read testimonials if you are nervous about the surgery.

I highly reccomend seeing a nutrionist before the surgery and after. The single most important thing you must get every day is protein, protein shakes will forever be a part of your life after this surgery. A nutritionist is very helpful in assisting to make a meal plan for you and teach you how to get the proper nutrition. You also must make sure you take all your vitamins everyday! If you do not, you will definately feel the effects. I am low of B12 and Iron so I am on B12 injections and supplement with an extra iron tablet in my daily regimen.

As far as complications go, I had none from the surgery. But one year and two months after my surgery date I developed gallstones due to the rapid weightloss. I ended up having my gallbladder taken out, which is a quick out patient procedure with little pain ... far less pain than the gallstones! Not having a gallbladder actually works to my advantage, I now really have to watch my fat intake. How does that work to my advantage? It is an extra tool to keep me away from greasy fatty foods. If I eat these foods I will immediately run to the bathroom with a horrible case of "the runs", the fat and grease comes right out! It is not a pleasant experience at all, feels just like the dumping syndrome from gastric bypass. Dumping syndrome happens when you eat too much sugar or fat. Your small intestine is not used to "seeing" sugar and fat not already broken down so it freaks out and trys to get rid of quickly by pushing it backwards. This is why you experience nausea and often end up vomiting up the food you just ate. My advice is to be smart and use this as a tool to your advantage! Do not eat sugary and fatty foods because you have physiological repsonse to them that makes you feel like crap!!!

I feel this surgery has no cons if you have the right motivation, attitude, and outlook to make a change in your life. Yes this will be a tough journey but it is so worth it. Your happiness and confidence is more important than food and this is something I have to tell myself frequently. I even go to over-eaters anonymous meetings because obesity is a disease and is not cured by weightloss, you also have to address the psychological aspect and the meetings help. I hope my story was enlightening and helpful to at least one person. If you have ANY questions or comments please please please do not hesitate to voice them. I would love to help someone through this experience, my journey is an open book ask away!