I am happy to be a contact for you.

Hi!

I am happy to be a contact for you. I had the surgery 19 months ago and I have lost 132 pounds, from 268 to 136 pounds.

On June 27, 2004 I was in a car accident. At the time I was overweight but it wasn't something I was concerned about ~ outwardly anyway. I was hurt pretty badly in the accident and was on pain meds for just about a year. In that time, I gained 50 lbs from lack of the ability to exercise (too painful) and the continued use of percocet. I was in a bad downward spiral and losing ground everyday. I needed a cane or walker to get around because I was in so much pain.

Then one day I found CLOS on the internet and the adventure began. It really wasn't a struggle to get everything done, except in my mind; I was just sluggish about all of it because everything felt like I was moving through molasses. The biggest challenge was stopping all the pain meds, which I had to do 5 weeks before the surgery. And taking the pictures was REALLY HARD on my ego.....now I wish I had taken all my measurements, but I was too embarrassed at the time.

I was committed to the surgery beyond all doubt, and agreeing to live through 5 weeks of pain without pain meds was evidence of that.

On June 27, 2005 (I found the date to be a good omen) I flew to LV. I registered the following day. I was scared out of my wits: what if I was the one person to not lose weight, or didn't come out of anesthesia.. ..all the fears that I have heard so many pre-ops share on this board. So on the morning of June 29, I showed up at the hospital. I was scheduled to be #3. Much of it is a blur because I was so apprehensive. ...that is, until I was sent to pre-op. All went smoothly there, and the staff was incredible. I got into the operating room and was under anesthetic in moments. The next thing I remember is something coming out of my throat and nose. (My surgery took 19 minutes!!!) Didn't really feel anything. I was in recovery for an abnormally long time because one of the patients from the previous day had not left yet. I got all the ice I wanted in recovery, but it added to my biggest issue...that of having to go to the bathroom and not being able to go until I got to my room. When I finally got to my room, I used the restroom and then tried to get organized and acclimated. I did use the morphine pump because I was so afraid that my back would start hurting on top of everything else. BUT GUESS WHAT - NO pain anywhere. I could not tolerate the Gatorade, so lived on ice, jello, broth, v-8 juice and crackers for all of stage one. I got out of the hospital at 1 PM the next day after walking the halls several times during the night and visiting with my litter mates.

The next few days were about figuring out what and when to take meds, taking walks, and starting the process of learning to eat in a whole new way. I took a shower on the second day and it felt great. Because it was 114 degrees outside we stayed in for a few days. I slept a lot. We did go to the lake one day and the Grand Canyon one day. Mostly I just had to make sure I didn't get dehydrated.

My biggest mistake was on the night we were flying home. I had packed the pepto bismol and tums so I didn't have any on the plane with me. I had left the hotel at 5:30 pm and didn't get home until 2:30 am......and by then I was in pain, Pain, pAiN, PAIN. My throat and chest felt like it was on fire. As soon as I got home I unpacked the pepto bismol and put the fire out. Little did I know until three days later, that I had developed an ulcer. Dr R put me on quite a regimen of pepto, tums, prilosec and pepcid AC. I threw up after almost everything I put in my mouth.....NOT FUN!! It was the only time I wondered what I had done to myself. But then I began to feel better and I could eat more. ( I did try something that was not on the list for stage two before I should have and paid the price.....DON" T do it). I stayed on stage one for two weeks and stage two for about three weeks. I added a few things to my diet, but my main problem for the first 4 months was that nothing tasted good, especially liquids. I talked to Dr R and he suggested the estrogen patch, which I was on for a week. I got terribly constipated and bled non-stop for three weeks, so I didn't put another one on and was much better without it.

It is weird, even one year out; some days I can't fit anything in my pouch and so drink protein drinks mixed with water and my liquid vitamins. On other days I can eat just about anything. Most of the time though I just couldn't find anything that appealed to me. Liquids were the hardest to get in, because nothing tasted good and I just couldn't satisfy my thirst. I started to tolerate lemonade in about the 3rd month and realized it was because it was sour and not sweet. My body did not tolerate sweet drinks. In month 4 I found Smart Water and thankfully my insatiable thirst was satisfied. I would also drink ruby red juice, which I tolerated really well because of the tartness. At six months out I still struggled with ulcer symptoms, and so was treated with a prescription form of prilosec for 6 months. At 10 months out, I was still having ulcer symptoms and Dr R recommended (seriously) that I have an endoscopy. (I was still throwing up occasionally and when the fire started, it was difficult to stop it). I finally had one on July 7, 2006. I will talk more about that later in the letter.

It has taken me the better part of the year to retrain my eating habits and to eat differently. .....everytime I sit down to eat I have to remind myself ....small bites,,,,chew chew chew, and only 2 -5 bites at a time to see how the food sits with me. I take it slow and don't drink any liquids while eating...... ..it has often been a challenge. I often have times when I am not hungry at all and I have to remember to eat. I have also found that if I eat salad before any meat, I can tolerate the meat better.

I have lost 130 pounds since surgery...and I am thrilled to have that much weight off this frame and my injuries ....although my neck, back and shoulder still need to be treated (from the accident). But I am completely free of pain medications since before surgery.

I have more energy now. I religiously take my vitamins in the form of UniVera Ageless Essentials. I could not take the pill form of vitamins because I would feel nauseous for hours afterward. UniVera Essentials has become a mainstay for me. I take citrucel every day. I still carry Tums around just in case I get acid reflux from something I eat. I take Maalox now if I need an antiacid because I threw up too many times in the first few months right after I had taken Pepto Bismol and it made me nauseous to even look at the pink liquid.

Since my surgery my BP has reduced measurably.. ..from 148/99 to 128/70 (yesterday) and I am off my BP meds. I just went in for my year checkup and my labs are ALL fantastic. My HDL is still a bit low but it has gone from 31 to 42 in 6 months (50+ is normal for a woman).

My mother was obese and had died at the age of 62 due to complications with cancer. Her weight spiraled out of control with all the meds she was taking and her awful eating habits. She was probably close to 450 pounds at one point. Losing her was horrible, she was one of my best friends, and I grieved for years. I was only 36 when she died. My father had died when I was 8, and she raised my brother and me on her own. If she had had the chance to have this surgery, her life would have been so different. She was a fighter and lived years beyond what the statistics predicted she would, but she was always in pain and her weight contributed to the pain and the complications she endured. Oh how I wish she had had this chance.

I am so thankful for this wonderful opportunity to reclaim my life. I won't spend the autumn and winter years of my life sitting on the sidelines watching life go by. I am not a recluse anymore, and have become a traveling tutor. I

I feel so good about myself and my newly born ZEST FOR LIFE. The MGB staff is so wonderful, and I for one, am happy to have one less thing to worry or obsess about (my weight), because I know it will take care of itself while I am busy attending to the opportunities that life has to offer.

The other part of my recovery is the vitamins and supplements I take. They are fantastic. The vitamins come from a company called UNIVERA Life Sciences. I take a product called Ageless Essentials, it is delicious cranberry based liquid that contains the vitamins, minerals, iron, whey protein, fiber, biotin, essential salts, and essential omega fats that we need post-op by providing it with natural products. It is 100% absorbable. I also take Ageless Extra which gives me more energy.

Now back to the ulcer: at ten months I was introduced to the Univera products when someone suggested I take their Aloe Gold. I started getting a lot of relief. Aloe Gold balances the ph in the GI tract and repairs and restores the GI tract. It has also helped with the gas problem. I don't peel wallpaper off the walls anymore or clear a room in 10 seconds flat. It was bad when even the dogs would wake up and sniff and walk out. It has disappeared almost completely.

I used Aloe Gold everyday until I had the endoscopy on July 7, 2006. It showed that the ulcer had healed, and I credit that to the Aloe Gold. As I continue to baby my tummy, Aloe Gold is a daily supplement.

I credit my increasing health to the combination of the MGB and the UniVera products.

Sometimes I still feel like I am walking in a dream when I tell people I lost 132 pounds in 1 1/2 years. I can remember that at this time last year I wondered what it would be like to say those words. The year has gone by so quickly. I am still surprised when I glance at myself in the mirror and have to do a double take. Last week I put on the pants I wore to Las Vegas a year ago and both of my legs and my hips fit in one leg. I am moving with ease, I am able to manage my businesses, and I can keep up with my 3 1/2 year old granddaughter and love cuddling with my new 7 month old grandson.

Have a wonderful journey,

Jill

6/29/05

fitting into some size 8s.....size 8 is my goal not a certain weight

268/136

kjburgstede <kjburgstede@yahoo.com> wrote: I am in need of two more contacts.....please.

(these forms are driving me nuts!)

Info I need from you to complete my contact form:

Your name, e-mail address, date of MGB, pre-op weight, weight now.

What did you think of Dr. Rutrledge and the CLOS hospital and staff?

How was your experience with the surgery?

How much pain did you have and how long till you were back to normal work activity?

How much weight did you lose and would you do the surgery again if you knew how it all was going to go?

Thank you!

Karen from Wisconsin