Starting My Journey - Upper Montgomery County, MD

[amchurch12000 44]

Hello, my name is Ashley. I am a 29 year old living in Maryland near DC. I am currently hovering around 250 lbs and am working on the approval process for gastric sleeve. I have to do the 6 months doctor supervised weight loss, sleep study tests, psychological exam, blood work, endoscopy, nutritionist appointment, and pre-op seminar before I can get surgery. I am hoping to get surgery around Mid-April 2015. I have read quite a bit about the surgery and am mostly scared of the pain. I have quite a few medical conditions: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Crohn's Disease and Crohn's-Induced Arthritis, Fatty liver, Functional Dyspepsia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Migraines, TMJ, Urinary Stress Incontinence, and Uterine Fibroids. I think the big surgery push was when I got back blood work and am now officially a pre-diabetic. Diabetes scares me and I defiantly want to get surgery before I get full diabetes.

I am trying to conserve my leave at work so that I do not have to go LWOP for work, but if I have to I need to do it. My current supervisor is great about the idea me having to take 1-3 weeks off for surgery.

A challenge for me is that I am working full time and will also be taking 9 college credits and then adding a surgery to the mix. I am hoping the weeks off work I won't be too drugged so that I can at least do a little bit of homework.

I am seeing Dr. Tuesday Cook and would love anyone that has had her as a surgeon. She seems really nice which is good. Also, she says she has done surgery on people with Crohn's disease and that is the biggest thing for me.

Has anyone with Crohn's disease gotten the gastric sleeve and has any recommendations.

Thanks

[GreenEyes604 753]

Hi Ashley….. my name is Michelle. I live in Aspen Hill and Dr. Cook is also my surgeon. She will be doing my sleeve this coming Friday.

Dr. Cook is absolutely FABULOUS! I am so blessed and fortunate to have found her. I would be more than happy to talk with you anytime. Send me a private message and I'll gladly send you my telephone number.

Hope to hear from you soon!

[amchurch12000 44]

I admit she is great so far. I am trying really hard to stick to the diet but I think I will be gaining again this month. It is so hard with the holiday season and all I want to do is hibernate. I am hoping the liquid regimen will help me loose weight before surgery and put me in the mindset to behave when I get the surgery. I think cutting out the carbs is going to be the hardest part (I still can't manage to do that).

Are you finding it hard to do the liquid diet 2 weeks before surgery? What is included in the liquid diet? I have a feeling I will be living off of Protein shakes. I think the 3 weeks after will be so much easier since I one will be drugged at least my first week and two I will be so scared to hurt anything.

[10 28 2014 45]

A friend of mine had surgery with Dr. Cook and loved her! I attended the seminar with Dr. Greene, but due to insurance reasons, I opted for Dr. McKenna in Frederick even though it was not as convenient. I had surgery on 10/28 and am down 50 lbs since July. Good luck to all - it is well worth it in the end!!