It has been just over a year since I had my RNY gastric bypass surgery, so I guess it's time to share my success story with you and your readers.  I can't believe the year has gone so fast!

At the end of April, 2003, as I was thoroughly chewing my ¼ cup of cottage cheese three weeks after my Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, I watched an Oprah show on people who lost significant amounts of weight without surgery (emphasis Oprah’s).  Boy, did that make me feel like a slacker – not much change from the way I’ve felt about myself for much of my life as far as weight was concerned.  I still struggle with the nagging feeling that I should have been able to do this on my own.  But first, here is some history...

Like many of the people I talk to in my support group, I always struggled with my weight and lost my battle during my pregnancies, gaining 30-50 pounds with each.  I was only able to maintain a low weight in high school and college by forcing myself to eat a very small amount of food (roughly equal to what I eat now post-surgery; only now I have the help of a tiny stomach and don't have to make myself do it).  I’ve spent decades trying to lose weight the “right”, slow, “better life-style” way.  I worked hard at it, such as the 15 months I exercised 6 hours a week until a back injury forced me to quit.  (I had lost 15 pounds during that time, so only another 10 or so years of that would have gotten me to goal).  I found out that I had degenerative joint disease in my back and was told losing weight might slow down the progress of the disease.  Having watched my (normal-weight) father suffer through three back surgeries, I felt it had come to a choice between surgery now or surgery later.  I also felt that my system was a little like the heating system at work – there was no way to tell exactly why it was running hot in spite of lowering the thermostat, but until a cause could be found there were mechanical ways to change the temperature.

I spent months researching weight loss surgery and surgeons to determine who would be most qualified to perform such risky surgery on me.  Then I spent another nine months meeting the criteria set forth by the insurance company and my surgeon.  Like you, Barbara, I decided Dr. Phillip Schauer was the best of the best, and he is exactly as you describe in your book.  By the time I had the surgery, over a year had passed since I admitted to myself that my health was deteriorating and there was nothing more I could do on my own.  Dr. Schauer made it clear to me what risks I was taking as well as the changes in exercise, eating, and vitamin regimen I would need to agree to.  My last comment to him in my pre-op appointment was, “I feel kind of weird doing something this drastic to myself when there’s nothing really wrong with me.”  He replied that the obesity was already doing damage that could be measured in my blood pressure, joint pain, and asthma, and it was most certainly going to cause more problems later.  Having the surgery when I was relatively healthy was ensuring the lowest risk and the highest chance of reversing the damage.  He emphasized that obesity is recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a chronic disease and with 120 pounds to lose I only had a 1% chance of succeeding at losing the weight permanently on my own.

I started out at 266 pounds and size 24.  I’m now below 160 pounds and size 8-10.  I go to the gym regularly – something I couldn’t maintain before because my extra weight caused me to get hurt and end up sidelined, only to regain any weight I had just exercised away.  I can go kayaking with my son now that my butt doesn’t get stuck in the kayak anymore.  I can walk 4-5 miles without pain where before I could only walk 2 before my foot and knee would get unbearably sore.  By the way, I spent most of those 2-mile walks pre-surgery discussing with myself if I should really go for the surgery. I must have looked pretty batty to my neighbors.  My blood pressure is lower without medication, my asthma is much better controlled, my joint pain is improved, and I sleep better than I ever imagined I would again. The only vitamin deficiency I have is an iron level too low to give blood. 

As far as eating, I can now eat just about anything but my old favorite, General Tso's chicken.  It is deep-fried and sweet – a deadly combination for the pouch!  My tummy has trained me to prefer grilled meats, thank you very much.

Now back to that nagging feeling that I should have been able to do this by myself.  The media seem to be having a field day with weight loss surgery.  Either people are trying to have it in spite of not meeting the criteria, or obese people are like smokers, choosing a lifestyle they know is unhealthy and then blaming others for their problems (never mind that one doesn't NEED cigarettes to stay alive).  The media love to point out that we're a nation looking for a quick fix and weight loss surgery is today's answer.  Even though this may be a nation of people looking for a “quick fix,” weight loss surgery is not in that category.  That is sort of like saying having a baby by cesarean section is an easy delivery.

For all the extremes mentioned by the media, there are many more people who agonize over whether to have the surgery and come to the decision only when something happens to drive them over the edge, like being prescribed just one more medication, finding out they have diabetes, or finding themselves letting the weight keep them from doing what they want to do.  These are people who learn about all the risks, learn about the surgery itself, attend the support groups, and do their best to do the right things afterwards to maximize their health.  Oh yes, and we may end up looking better, too – but our main focus is improving our health.

Sincerely,

Marisette L. Edwards
Glenshaw, PA

Before	Before
After	After