Portland, Oregon

[Eli Alexander 316]

Congrats on going through the process. I'm about ten weeks post surgery and it's the best decision I may have ever made. So far I'm down almost fifty since the sleeve and over 75 including what I lost ahead of time. Good luck from one Oregonian to another.

[marieze 5]

Hi Everyone....I'm here in Portland and Emma Patterson just did my gastric Bypass on Monday 3/30/15 and I feel great! Emma placed a lapband in 2007 and after years of complications took it out Oct. 2014.

I have to say that I wasn't expecting to still have the appetite I seems to and that's a bummer. But I am getting in all my liquids and Protein via Soups with Protein powder and shakes.

Anyway, just thought I'd pop in and introduce myself!

Marie

[Eli Alexander 316]

Welcome Marie.

I wish there were more Portlanders on here, but I guess it doesn't matter much. I had a sleeve about ten weeks ago and am doing great. I'm visiting Tucson AZ right now and biking daily.

Anyway, glad you stopped by.

Eli

Edited April 4, 2015 by Eli Alexander

[bls01 8]

Congrats Marie, keep us in the loop how you are doing.

Eli, what has been the hardest thing post op that you have had to deal with? My biggest concern is dumping and will it keep me from doing the things that prompted me to have surgery in the first place or will I always be worried if I am near a bathroom

[Eli Alexander 316]

Dumping hasn't been an issue for me at all. I've had a near perfect time. I'm down between 75-80 pounds now including my pre op diet. I just got home from a leisurely 18 mile hilly bike ride while on vacation in Arizona.

Hardest part for me is having to separate my eating and drinking. I just got back from the ride, am very thirsty and hungry, but I had to decide to drink first, wait a half hour and then I'll eat. But honestly, that's the worst of it. Also going out to eat and ordering an appetizer for my meal, still not finishing that and have the waitress concerned that I hated my meal. Small stuff like that, but it's all just tiny things you get used to.

On the other hand, I just flew here on a plane and didn't need a seat belt. extender and didn't have my fat rolls overhang to my neighbors seat. I get compliments daily from everyone who knew me before and I still have a good way to go.

This has been the best decision I've made in decades. Of course, I've had no issues and if you are Portland local, I would highly recommend Dr. Matar at OHSU.

By the way, dumping is very rare with the sleeve surgery unlike gastric bypass. I was sleeved and depending on how obese you are, a sleeve is more likely what most people get today.

If you have any more questions, please ask, I'll do my best to answer.

Edited April 4, 2015 by Eli Alexander

[bls01 8]

Thanks for the reply Eli. So awesome to hear how well you are doing. I, unfortunately, only have Gastric Bypass as an option through my insurance so we will see. I have heard good things about Dr. Patterson and she is the only one my insurance will cover also but I have complete confidence in her. I am hoping that as long as I am diligent about avoiding the things that cause me issues I will not have a problem with dumping.

Fingers crossed Sounds like you are having an awesome time in Arizona. Can't wait to once be highly active. Congrats,

[Eli Alexander 316]

Here is a pic from my morning ride

Edited April 4, 2015 by Eli Alexander

[linedancer718 44]

Hi everyone. Janae here. Im a kaiser patient and am just waiting to hear from the appointment setter for my appt with the surgeon. I dont know which surgeon I will have. Im in Tualatin. Im looking forward to this but scared at the same time. My biggest fear is going through this and gaining it all back. Because of this I am looking for support groups and people. This looks like a nice group. Kaiser people...do any of you go to the Murray or sunnybrook support groups? I went last saturday to sunnybrook.

[Eli Alexander 316]

Welcome janae.

I was an OHSU sleeve patient so I can't help you except to say I've heard really good stuff about the kaiser Bariatric people.

What are you looking to get done? If you are getting a sleeve, gaining it all back is going to be difficult. It's just that I get full so easily that I don't think I'll ever be able to gain it back because weight gain would have to happen so slowly that I would have plenty of time to correct.

Today I had by far, the toughest workout I've done in decades. On my vacation I biked up mount lemon, about 27miles each way with over 7000 feet of elevation. I haven't had dinner yet, but trying my best to eat extra because of my workout in the sun, I'm still only at 1000 calories because that's all I can handle. Gaining weight would be difficult for me now, and I've been a yo yo dieter all my life, but now I don't see that as a possibility.

This really isn't like a diet, it's harder to start but easier to maintain. And the physical restrictions really make it so you just live life a little differently, in a way that results in a skinnier you.

[sboston34 7]

I live in the Molalla area and am 1 week post op. My surgeon was Doctor Patterson. It's been a positive week for the most part. Still in some pain and wondering when the pulling muscle feeling will go away?

[linedancer718 44]

I have my appointment with the surgeon 4/23 and he will tell me if he thinks i am ready for surgery. I hope i havent gotten this far just for him to tell me i have more wirk to do.

[sboston34 7]

I waited a year because of some medical issues before I could have surgery. Whatever info you get from the surgeon, don't lose heart. ????

Edited April 15, 2015 by sboston34

[Eli Alexander 316]

Each person is different. For me, I had about three days of bad pain, another week where my pain was going down but I was much more able to tolerate it and actually stop taking the pain killers. After about ten days to 1 month my leftover muscle aches and moments of brief pain lessened till after about one month I was feeling great. A couple recommendations that I think greatly helped me are 1) no matter how much it sucks, force yourself to drink your minimum 64oz daily and eat 60oz Protein, and 2) start walking and exercising as soon as you can tolerate it. Treat recovery like a job.

I'm just under 3 months now and I've gone from a 50inch waist to 38's. My blood pressure because of the weight loss and extensive exercise has gone from borderline high to 96/64. This process is amazing in so many ways, but you just need to get through the pain and put in the effort.

Good luck!

Edited April 16, 2015 by Eli Alexander

[sboston34 7]

Has anyone experienced problems with pain medication absorption?

[linedancer718 44]

Hello all. I just met with my surgeon today and he scheduled me for June 12th. He was very candid with me, it was hard to listen to but it was good for him to say these things to me. I need to lose some more weight by surgery. I gained 2 pounds and he wasn't all that happy. I need to "OWN IT". Those were the two words that stuck with me.