Hi all,

I had my MGB Jan 2004. Prior to surgery I weighed roughly, 360 lbs. I lost 195 lbs and have added 20 back and seem to have leveled out at about 175. This puts me in a size 8 (I can live with that). Prior to surgery I had 3 blood pressure pills and was on 2 meds for asthma as well as an inhaler several times a day. I had cardiac myopathy and was on 40 mg of lasix a day.

So, here's what's changed.

Heart fine, no lasix for fluid.

No asthmas meds.

I keep and inhaler around but because it doesn't get used unless I'm congested with a cold, it ends up expiring and I have to get it refilled.

I am down to one blood pressure pill and my bp is 110/70.

I was size 28 and now am size 8 or med. I have always carried weight interestingly and at my lowest 155 wore a size 4.

I had a tummy tuck, thigh lift and arm lift at 2 years out. They need to be repeated as there was a lot of skin. I'm hoping to do a the legs this summer.

Issues: I deal with vit D and calcium deficiencies and see and endo MD for that. I am on prescription vit D and Cal. and have blood work done every 3 months to make sure it's the right dose. I have dealt with indigestion and acid reflux and a few occasions. ...  I do have gas and carry a small Lysol in my purse for public places.

Personally, it's been a rough 5 years. My husband died Christmas Eve 2004 from complications from surgery. I highly encourage anyone have the MGB to only have Dr R or Dr. P do it and only at a center where they have done many of them.

I ended up resigning from my position as it was too much to handle and have had to re focus my career and help my children, who are still dealing with the loss. In addition, 10 months after my husband's death, my then 10 year olds best friend died of cancer at age 10. Eight months later we found my dad on his kitchen floor, he had passed away. So, to say its' been all good is not accurate. However, I did get married again to a wonderful man who loves me, loves my children and honors their father. Would I do the MGB again....OH YES.

Are there compromises.....yes. I do not drink alcohol. I do not drink coffee. I do have hot tea about once a week and one glass of soda about once a month. Funny story about the alcohol. About 2 years ago I decided to have 1 glass of wine. I sipped it over a 2 hour period and 2 hours after that was still too tipsy to drive. I need to work out more and hopefully as life is starting to settle down I can focus more on this. My eating varies. Some days I'm famished and other days I hardly eat. I have some lactose intolerance. I can eat cheese but not much milk or ice cream. I sometimes have difficulty swallowing and the food comes back up. Doesn't matter what it is. Can be meat or soft foods. I do feel that this is sometimes stress related and will happen and then not happen again for weeks. I plan to see a gastro doctor to check it out, just haven't gotten to it yet as I want to see if it goes away as life is settling down.

So, that's my experience. I wish you all success in your journey.

Susan H.

mom to Victoria, age 13 (nothing like a 13 year old girl with hormones....thank God) and Cassie, age 11.

I am here mostly as a lurker, but do post from time to time ... and wanted to just share how things are going here ...

By way of background, I had my original MGB with Dr. R back in July of 1999 ( if memory serves, I was Dr. R's 150th or so patient). At that time, I was well over 365, had type 2 / adult onset diabetes, swollen joints, apnea, possibly every item in the book, and am amazed to this day that I was still alive. Dr. R and the surgery literally saved my life, and I went to @ 215 lbs in about 6 months (by the end of '99).

It was at this point that I began to stabilize ... no loss of weight, but no gain either. And as you might guess, I began to gain weight...slowly to be sure, but still gained, to the point where early this year (2008) I was up to 267. Well, the decision then was obvious ... I needed a "jump-start" to get myself motivated again, and I arranged to have Dr. Rutledge do a Revision.

I had the procedure done on April 23rd '08, and according to Dr. R, he took about 75 minutes or so inside --- since I was one of his "early" patients back in '99, he wanted to do a thorough search to see how his "handiwork" was holding up. When I got out of recovery, he came to visit and advised that I was in "GREAT" shape ... back in '99, my liver was showing all the signs of "Fatty Liver Syndrome", but during the Revision he checked the liver, and it looked as healthy and normal as could possibly be. I am off all cholesterol medication ... for the first time in years, it seems ... and the results of my recent blood work (about a month ago) show totally normal cholesterol numbers. My blood glucose numbers are all VERY normal, and have NOT been on any diabetes medication since April '99.

Overall, things are great.

Oh ... I forgot ... my weight is now at 199, which marks the first time since my freshman year of college that I have been under 200 lbs.

My insurance agent is even recommending that I be "re-evaluated" by my life insurance carrier to see if I can be "upgraded" to a better rating category. Obviously, based on my past history, I'm paying a small fortune for my policy ... if under the circumstances (my better health and medical situation overall) they are willing to give me a better rate, that can only be a good thing.

Any way, and so it goes ... hope everyone is having a great day.

Best regards,

I have (had?) type2 diabetes before surgery. I was taking 90u of insulin a day. After surgery my insulin requirement dropped down to 20-30u/day. I am now off all insulin completely for the past 3 days. Before surgery I avoided fruit juices altogether. Wouldn't touch the stuff. Now I can enjoy fresh unadulterated juices (natural apple cider is delicious) with a minimal increase in blood sugars. This is not to day that everyone will have the same luck that I've had as we are all different. You just have to try things out. There is hope.

I am 5'9" and about 280, giving me a BMI of 41.

Employed in health care I directly witness the negative effects of obesity to the body, mind and spirit.

I attended the MGB seminar last night in Henderson with Dr R. It really opened my eyes. There were roughly 50 people there, pre, post family etc.

The commitment of the physician to his patients was extraordinary. Conversely the commitment of patients to physician was remarkable as well.

If a post–op patient had a problem it was discussed in an open forum no holding back. Frank discussion would ensue. This discussion would identify the problem and how to correct the issue.

Well I am going to get going on this packet and start out on my contacts

Thanks

I have had no vomiting, no pain and am not hungry at all. I have been keeping up with my Gatorade but Dr R said not to force myself to eat- so I won't!

Additionally, I have NO more knee pain that has plagued me for years, and NO back pain! I have been on pain meds (as needed) for my back for almost 10 years!

In fact, the part I hated the most was the getting the IV. After that, everything was great!

I am ready for the rest of my life to begin....and I have a lot of new littermate friends!

I'm out 4 years now. That side of your life won't be gone forever. What WILL be gone forever is the binge eating, but the day will come when you will be able to eat pretty much normal amounts. Normal being. what you SHOULD be eating, rather than the additional helpings that you (we) ate pre-op.

Suzanne in CA 2/11/04 236/122

 From: Jeff
pre-op Jeff trying to get an idea what it will be like long term 
One thing that seems to be contributing to my  procrastination is the apparent finality of  never being able to have that very occasional big  satisfying meal ever again.   I'm not a frequent big eater. Most of the time, eating  is a nuisance to me. Every now and  then though, I really enjoy going home to Mom's great  cooking, and having a big meal with  the family. None of us are "problem eaters", but  whenever my family gets together, the great  food is always the focus of the occasion.   While the logical side of me says otherwise, the emotional  side of me says this operation will  put an end to that or make it less fun, or somehow take  that enjoyable part of my life away.   For those with similar family traditions, how did you get  past the notion that this side of life  would be "gone forever" once you have the  operation?   thanks,  jp  >

jp,

Like you, I feared that I would never enjoy a meal again. I came to an important realization, though, on Thanksgiving the year of my surgery. I dreaded the day, thinking that I could not enjoy one of my favorite meals. I was so wrong, though. I ate a little of everything then just sat and talked to my family while they finished. I did not feel deprived at all. A couple of hours later, I had seconds! LOL! Your fears are understandable, but I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised at how normal your life is after you move through the stages, which, for me went by very fast. Good luck.

It was hot and humid here today... 34C with a humidex of 41...

A record breaker for June 6th. I tell you this because last year when we hit the humidity I could not walk 10 ft without huffing and puffing and trying to breathe....

Today I walked to the school and back 3 times and not once did I sound like a freight train.....

Thank you Dr. R for giving me and my fellow MGBers and MGB hopefuls a new lease on life..........

Hi Farrah and all our other littermates. 

I got home just on Saturday as I stayed a few days in Calgary with my sister.  I am doing great.   For those of you who watched me gasp for breath pre-op you will be glad to know that I went grocery shopping (walking) for 1.5 hours today and was not short of breath once. 

Each day I feel better and only occasionally have an episode of SOB.  My BS is hovering around 8-9 mmol level (for those who read the other system, normal is 5-7 and under 10 is pretty good) and I haven’t used insulin for a few days. 

Still taking one BP medication per day but that is down from 6 per day. Mainly I am still on fluids but I have tried a few more solid foods in very small amounts like mashed potato, porridge, and tuna salad on crackers. 

One day I had some cheddar cheese on crackers, that tasted very good.  Funny, I had a few spoons of borscht at lunch today and it was good. but at supper the same thing tasted awful. 

Some days I am very happy just sipping fluids and nibbling crackers all day, other days I crave more.  I seem to be happy with just a few bites or a taste of something then.  I would say that I need to nibble something every couple hours so maybe taking snacks to work will help you Farrah. 

I told Dr. Rutledge and now I will tell everyone on this board that I know Dr. Rutledge saved my life when he operated on me. 

Thank God he continued with my surgery and did not cancel it. 

My primary reason for surgery was to regain my health and I really don’t care if I lose weight. 

It is only incidental as it is the road to health for me. 

I hope all of our littermates are felling as well and doing as well as I am. 

Love to all. 

May, 2001 was a changing day in my life – that was the day that you performed the mini-gastric bypass surgery on me in Statesville, NC. My life has changed dramatically over the past few years. First of all – I’m normal for the first time in my adult life. Food no longer has control over me. I’m healthier, happier, and have a long happy future ahead of me. I’ve maintained my 160 pound weight loss (fluctuating about 10 pounds); went from a size 26/28 to a 6/8. Since the surgery, I divorced and remarried in October 2007.  I married the love of my life (and, can you believe it, he’s a personal trainer)! I’ve included a picture from the wedding – I was so excited to have a wedding picture where my husband picked me up (easily) in his arms! I thank God every day for the you and the mini-gastric bypass.

Thank you!

Operation day and post op for Jan 17th   

Hello everyone, Scott here.  just wanted to update everyone on how our surgeries went on Wed and Thursday.

We had 6 people getting the MGB on the 16th and 17th. Dr R did the 3 girls on Wed and us 3 guys on Thu.

When you register on Tuesday they let you know the surgery schedule. The first on the list has to be there by 6am the day of surgery and the rest by 7am. our thur group were all there by 6 and ready to go,lol. They called Roy in and got him ready and at 7am they took all three of us into a classroom.

Dr R came in and greeted us and then they brought 2 of the 3 girls in that had been done the day before and they explained to us how it went for them. One gal had a band removed and they talked about it for a while. the girls looked great and weren't in any pain. then they left and we had more time to talk to DrR.

He took all of our questions and when we had no more to ask he said see you in the OR. they took Roy to the OR and prepped me then Travis. the prep is where you get out of your clothes privately and wash the surgery area with a solution that kills bacteria. then you put on your gown and the nice nurses help you onto a bed where they place compression socks on you. you sign the contract and then they start an IV and give you two painless shots in the butt.

Then they take you up to the OR. Once up there, you meet the anesthesiologist. he was a great guy, and we had a few laughs. I remember telling him I would hold his check until he woke me up, lol. He smiled and said that was fine and then he said see ya later and I was GONE!

I went to the OR at about 10am my surgery was 26 minutes and he bypassed 7 feet.  

The waking up process was weird for me. I don't remember talking to anyone but Roy and my Dad. But apparently I was trying to order a pizza to the recovery room and something about why there were dogs in the room???

Oh well the only discomfort I had was a really dry mouth. Dr R had stopped in and talked to each of us but I don't remember talking to him, he said later I was talking the whole time, lol!  After a bit of a wait my faculties came to me a bit better and we were sent to our rooms about 2pm.

I was a room mate with a Roy. Roy is a chiropractor from Mississippi and his real name is Roy Pepper, thus Dr. Pepper, LOL! Well he is now diet Dr. Pepper, and yes his wife Daryl is a pepper too! We had some fun with that, they are really wonderful people and we seemed to become instant friends.

Once in our rooms we were hooked to IV and had leg compression devices that pump air in and out of these leg casts and message your legs to keep you from getting blood clots or deep vein thrombosis.

We had all the pain meds we wanted at the push of a button. I will admit I used the button more than 7 times but I pressed it before I needed it like having insurance. we slept on and off. the nurses were really great and so helpful and friendly. If you pushed your button they were right there to help. as soon as we could walk without drowsiness,

Roy and I walked down the hall to see Travis and got him up and w all walked together. There was really no serious pain with any of us, it was more like when you do too many sit ups. The pain meds hit me and Travis a little harder than they did Roy and when we pushed pain med button we were quickly sleeping for a couple of hours.

We walked about 10 times thought the night together. When ever someone got up to go to the bathroom the others got up and we walked. This went on all night. They bring meds in at midnight and 5am and throughout the next morning. Friday morning was discharge morning. We were up walking and feeling very well.

We brushed our teeth and such and Dr R came to us at 11am and he brought our charts.

We walked to a meeting area with cushy chairs about 50 feet from our room. we all sat there with him and he is the best doctor, surgeon professional man. He went over our surgeries (with our permission) one at a time and compared what was done to each of us.

We were all very satisfied with what we had and how our comorbidities would resolve soon.

He spent about an hour with us just talking and then said that Jennifer would be by with the discharge papers after we had our lunch. by the way our breakfast and lunch were the same. We had a bowl of chicken noodle soup; a bowl of yogurt a can of V8 and a can of Gatorade, and saltine crackers. We ate some of what we got and drank the Gatorade with ice and diluted it with a little water. We still had severely dry mouths. But no other pain. In anticipation of discharge I got dressed and we continued to walk our walks.

I felt almost normal as though nothing happened but a bad night sleep. If I turn too far in my abdomen, I pull on the staples and it is a bit sore. Anyway Jennifer brought our papers and they did a final vital check on us and we received prescriptions so if we needed any other rugs they were available to us.

All three of us left the hospital by 2pm Friday and all feeling good.

All the wives and support people commented on how well we were getting around. I went back to the hotel and had supper with my Dad, I had chicken and Stars soup. About 4 spoonfuls and I was full. I took my meds as directed and went to bed at 7pm.  

Saturday update: I slept through the night just fine. I woke up at 6am and took a normal shower because my staples were not weeping. I lightly washed my whole body and shampooed and got dressed normally. I have no bandages over my staples and they do not hurt to the touch. My dad and I went to Wal mart at 9am and bought a blood pressure tester and my blood pressure was normal 121 over 81 and I had not had any meds since Tuesday. I did feel a little sore today but nothing to stop me from getting out. I took my meds as directed and had my Gatorade G2 and chicken soup and yogurt throughout the day, I even had some whey protein shake with glutamine and creatine mixed in with Citrucel.

We called Roy and Travis but didn't reach Travis. Roy and his wife Daryl and my Dad and I met up and drove to go for a helicopter tour of Hoover Dam about 4pm, Yes we were feeling that good! too bad the chopper was down for maintenance.

We will try again tomorrow. It is about 8:30 now and I feel pretty fine. I would guess it only gets better from here on out. I can tell you that there is no big trauma about this. Most of it is the extensive care by Dr. R and his staff to make you come through this without a hitch. You are cared for right from your arrival through the process.

That’s all for now folks.

Scott Tidd

Dr R. 1/17/2008

highest/surgery/

Good morning, Dr. Wonderful!
 
Yesterday, was a glorious day.  I received encouraging notes, flowers, phone calls, etc. to congratulate me on my 1 year post-op and encourage me to continue on this wonderful journey.
 
I never realized just how much my life would change.  I know my heart hasn’t changed, but my appearance has.  People whom I consider good friends don’t even recognize me at first glance anymore.  I have Gil Gerard and Robert Rutledge to thank for that.  I’m having the time of my life, and I feel so good.  The only problem I’ve had is with lack of Vitamin D and I think I have that corrected by taking an extra supplement every day.
 
Thank you for all your support throughout this process.  Almost weekly, I have someone coming in to talk about MGB.  People want what I have.  I refer them to the MGB site, ask them to look at it, and then come back with any specific questions they might have.
 
I wish I could share my joy with him.  I hope you will tell him how grateful I am to him for introducing me to you and the MGB.  I ask God’s blessing on each of you.
 
The most fascinating thing about all this is that I feel like a normal person for the first time in my life.  I don’t have to diet, I can move about, I can walk without getting out of breath, and I am a healthy person.
 
The average weight loss for someone 1 year out is 114 lbs.  I’ve lost 115.  When I started, I had a 102% risk of dying.  Now I have a 34% risk of dying.  That is huge!  I would be a happy person if I never lost another pound, but I know that I will probably lose more.  When I started, my head ruled my stomach; now, my stomach rules my head.  I eat when I am hungry, and not because there’s food left on my plate.  My ˝ cup rule still applies and always will.  I try to never eat over ˝ cup of food at a time, but I eat 5 or 6 times a day.  It has worked well for me.
 
Thank you again for all you have done for me.  I will never forget you for as long as I live.
 
With love………………L.D.
 
Post-Op Profile
 
62 years old, 5’6”, 6 ˝ ft. bypass
Dr. Robert Rutledge, Henderson, NV
Surgery – May 10, 2006
 
Highest weight pre-op……311         BMI 50
 
 
DATE                    WEIGHT      POUNDS LOST      BMI
 
05/10/06             299             12      -12              48
                                                         
06/10/06             277             34      -22              44
 
07/10/06             266             45      -11              43
 
08/10/06             255             56      -11              41
 
09/10/06             247             64      - 8               40
 
10/10/06             239             72      - 8               38
 
11/10/06             225             86      -14              36
 
12/10/06             221             90      -4                35
 
01/10/07              216             95      -5                35
 
February 1, 2007 I hit my 100 lb. loss mark
 
02/10/07             210            101     -6                34
 
03/10/07             204            107      -6               33
 
04/10/07             200            111     -4                32
 
05/10/07             196            115     -4                31
Average weight loss – 114 lbs.  Range from 97 - 133
 

Bonnie:

I have a failed LAP-BAND®!  Dr. Rutledge will do the LAP-BAND® conversion to the MGB. If all goes well I'm having this LAP-BAND® taken out and the MGB performed on July 25th in Las Vegas.

I too have severe reflux from my band. I have very little fill but every night I some type of reflux. Sometimes it's so bad the food and fluid comes gushing out of my mouth and nose. Of course that backs up into the head and I have a bad headache the next day.

I can't wait for this thing to be gone.

Sharon

Hello my dearest friends, littermates, and the staff of CLOS.
 
    It's Bryan, in Portland, Oregon.
    Well my/our 1 year has come and gone.  I had thought about the upcoming anniversary round about the 17th, but I completely blew over the 19th and didn't realize it until I had talked to my Mother, Jill Jackson, last Sunday.  So let me be the first to apologize for not writing sooner.
 
    I am writing from the hip here, so bear with me.
 
    Let me recap my story, since I know there are a majority of people who do not know me (again, sorry for not keeping in touch, you will however understand why).
 
    My name is Bryan Jackson.  I am 29 years old.  I live in Portland, Oregon with my wife Robin, and 3 year old daughter Alayna.  For as long as I can remember I have been over weight.  I lead an active childhood, and while husky, I could have easily turned into a thick stalky teenager and equally fit man.  But at 14, during a routine physical for High School sports, the doctors found a murmur and diagnosed me with a genetic heart disease.  They had also bluntly told me to either loose weight or I will be dead by 30, but I could no longer do what I loved, which was baseball (sprinting and tackling, I played catcher), Karate (too strenuous and physically demanding), and the mountain hiking with Boy Scouts was out too.  It was actually a hike on Mt. Ranier at 5,000 ft. elevation and some symptoms of the heart condition the previous summer that triggered the medical investigation.
    So as you can imagine my entire life got put into a blender at 14.  By the time I had graduated High School I had put on somewhere around 100 pounds.  College offered no refuge, just easy access to food, and self motivation to exercise after sitting in 10-12 hours of class and rehearsals, practicing my instrument for an hour or two, and studying.  My freshman 15 was more like 50.  By the time I was 23 I weighed a frightening 400 pounds and a few years later I topped at 450.  My story is much like the other masses of obese and morbidly obese people.  During this steady incline of weight I had tried every diet, group, fad, and medically assisted program.  In fact, when I was at my heaviest, I was TOO HEAVY for a medically funded weight loss program at Oregon Health Sciences University.
    So on April 19th, 2006 I started a new life.  I managed to get my weight down to 390 before surgery, as my BMI was over the surgery maximum.  My surgery was 39 minutes long.  I was fourth in line, if memory serves me right.  I was on my feet walking around and joking round with the night nurses for a good 3 hours that evening and early the next morning.  Less than 24 hours later I was released from the hospital, and three days later my Mom (who was my care taker for the week, as she had the surgery about a year before me) and I were on the strip walking around and gambling.  In fact, don't tell Dr. Rutledge (he he), I felt so good I drove 18 of the 24 hours home to Portland.
    Life in Portland has been good to me this year.  The reality is, as I lost weight, more and more opportunities began to open for me.  My practice is flourishing but has undergone some stressful moves.  I am an Oregon Licensed Massage Therapist and Orthopedic Manual Therapist.  In November I moved my practice to an integrated medical clinic in downtown Portland.  Unfortunately, I just moved my practice back home last Saturday because there were 3 deaths related to treatments administered by the staff at the clinic.  The deaths were not their fault, the medication was tainted.  None the less the damage was done, and the owners decided (nearly over night) to shut down the clinic, thus the move back home.  My patients have been very understanding, so I count myself very lucky.
    In November, I also received a call back about a job I interviewed for the previous March.  It turned out the person the opted to hire (it came down to her and I) was lazy and liked to waste time and money.  So in November I became the program director of Northwest College School of Massage.  So for the past 4.5 months I have been preparing all the course work, class material, and program material for a new massage college with three campuses in the greater Portland area.  It has been a daunting task, but I am living my dream, as I had gone to College for a degree in education then went into Massage and Manual Therapy for a career.
    The year and life change has also brought some heavy challenges.  It turns out the reoccurring pain I had been feeling in my back for the previous 8 years was actually a compression fracture in my 12th Thoracic spine that is now putting pressure on the bifracating nerves of the spinal cord.  The new tummy limited treatment options as I cannot take NSAID's or Pain Meds.  But in all honesty, it got bad enough that I was scripted Oxycodone.  I now regret it as I withdrew for three days after stopping.  So I am still walking around with a constant 7/10 on the ol pain scale.  I am investigating my options.  I am not too keen on surgery, but I am keeping an open mind.  I routinely see fellow massage therapists, my acupuncturist, my personal trainer, and my naturopath.  But as to date nothing has been lasting.  I will keep you informed about my progress with this problem.
    So the good news for the one year anniversary is.  I am working out 4-5 days a week at a gym about ten minutes from our house.  I am walking, swimming, stair climbing, weightlifting, rock climbing, snowboarding, Kendo, and Iaido.  As of today, I have lost nearly 2 feet from the circumference of my chest, the same for my umbilical and hips.  I have gone from 64" pants to 36".  3-4XL Shirts to XL.  I can even wear a few of my wifes coats.  I am still loosing weight as my new exercise routine is facilitating a lot of muscle growth, toning, and inch loss.  So I now walk the Earth at a healthier and happier 229 pounds.  That's a loss of 161 pounds since surgery and 221 pounds over all.
    For the future...
 
    I decided to have a party as soon as I break the 200 pound mark.  I am shooting for 160-180 as a target weight.  However I have at least two plastic surgeries to undergo, which I am hoping to do at one time.  The inner thighs and the tummy are a mess of skin.
    I am going to Maui this Christmas where I am looking forward to some surfing, rock climbing, and other island activities.
    If I can get my back pain under control I plan on climbing Mt. Hood with my sister in preparation for a Mt. Rainer summit with my Dad the following summer for his 60th birthday.
 
    Thank you Dr. Rutledge for your skill and gift. 
    Thank you to my Littermates for your love and support.
    Thank you to my Mom for giving me life twice in one lifetime.
    Thank you to my wife for loving me unconditionally.
    And I thank my spirit for having the strength to endure a life time of pain and a year of tremendous change that is still providing an abundance of wonder, joy, and release.
 
    Namaste,
    Bryan
 
Dr. Rutledge
4/19/2006
450/390/229/170
High/Pre-op/Today/Someday
 
www.alliancepainmanagement.com
 
"Freedom from pain through and Alliance of treatments."

Re: LAP-BAND® Horror Stories
I am one of those patients who had a LAP-BAND® and was converted to MGB by Dr. Rutledge. I am now one pound lower than my lowest weight with the band. I made an expensive mistake in getting the band the first go-round. I had to pay for the band myself and then had to turn around and pay for the removal and revision to MGB. I wish I could let everyone who is considering getting a band out there know that the band isn't for everyone.
I am hearing more "problems" from the band than success stories. With the band, you have to live life constantly feeling hungry, constantly thinking about food and panicking at restaurants if a piece of food gets stuck. There is no comparison between the band and the MGB. Before, I was constantly thinking about my band and food and now I am just living life and focusing on more important things than what I can/can't eat, how hungry I am, etc. Thank you Dr. Rutledge for helping me find my life again.
Sincerely, Tricia H

MGB I have lost over 160lbs and now wear a size 6...
Hi,
My name is Tanya and this is the first time that I have ever posted or responded.
I also had a problem dealing with all the attention that I got after I had the surgery.
I, however, am comfortable discussing what I did but found that people still judge me at this point in time.
I had my surgery in Statesville on May 28, 2003.
I have lost over 160lbs and now wear a size 6 in the winter and 4 in the summer.
I have had four procedures with Dr Don and he is a true miracle worker.
I was once a size 26, and now am comfortable in my body. I have often wished to discuss the changes that I have went thru with myself, with how others view me , how I am not perceived in society and how do we deal with this fact.
If anyone would like to discuss this further and share their story, I would be very happy to communicate with you.
My personal e-mail is tanyamccue "@" hotmail.com
I am still single and learning to deal with men..... 3 years out!
Thanks, Tanya

Just had a question for all of those MGB parents out there. Have any of you that have had Babies after having the MGB had to have a C- Section? If you have could you email me and let me know if you had any complications due to the surgery. I just found out that I am pregnant and because I am diabetic before surgery I may have to have a c-section and just wondering if anyone else has or had the same concerns or issues.

Thanks,
Robin

I just wanted to post to let everyone know my experience. I lost 112 lbs in the first 9 months and then stopped dead cold. Nothing since that point. I gained about 3 lbs over the next few years. I was okay with that. I averaged around 151 to 153 most of the time. I weighed every day (still do). I live in fear of getting fat again. At the first of this year, I got a severe sinus infection and cold that I could not shake. I went to the dr and they gave me steroids to take. In one week I gained up to 161. I freaked out. Everyone kept telling me that it was the meds and that it would go away, but it didn't. It really scared me.

Since my surgery, my poor sweet husband had gained about 55 lbs, and was beginning to have to health issues, so he decided to go on a diet. He does really well with a diet, unlike I did. He started this diet almost 4 months ago and he is down 35 pounds and looks great. Our oldest son was doing it with him to help him learn some better eating habits. Well with his hectic Jr. year in High School, this diet was not working too well, so he stopped and left my husband hanging. Since I understood the agony of trying to do it on your own, I enlisted on the diet with him. I told him that even if I didn't loose a pound, I would still be eating healthier.

I have said all of this to say that my surgery is still working - 5 years down the road - with a little help from me. After 3 weeks on this diet with my husband (eating the same thing that he is - based on his caloric intake) I have lost 11 pounds as of this morning. I am down to 150. Now for those of you who do not understand, it takes a lot more calories for men than women, especially a 200 pound man v/s 161 pound woman. I can not eat everything in one sitting the way he does, but I get it all in before I go to bed, and I am still loosing weight. How crazy is that? It just goes to show you that I am still only absorbing 1/3 of what I eat.

I had fallen into a bad pattern of eating crappy foods too in the last year, which I am sure did not help with loosing the weight from earlier in the year. I am now eating whole grains, lean meats, chicken and seafood, lots of veggies, and still eating fruits and such. I eat what I want every now and then. I had cheesecake last weekend, and a couple of pieces of sugar free candy this week and I am still loosing weight.

Just be careful and remember that even after 5 years, it's still your decision to keep the weight off. If I have to diet every year or so to re-align my weight, I will. At least now it works where before I struggled for months to loose 1 pound.

Best wishes to everyone out there..........and God Bless!

I am happy to be a contact for you. I had the surgery 15 months ago and I have lost 127 pounds, from 268 to 141 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 did all the registration 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 little seminar Dr. R has every morning before surgery for all the patients and care providers... .and anyone else who wanted to be there. 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, so 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 I drink protein drinks mixed with water and Univera 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 lingering 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 in my esophagus 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 like going to buffets better than picking out one things to eat on a menu, because I still don't know exactly what my body will tolerate on any given day.

I have lost 127 pounds since surgery...and I am thrilled to have that much weight off this frame and my injuries ...even though 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 and am back to gardening, which I had had to give up after the accident. I religiously take my vitamins in the form of Univera Ageless Essentials. I got to the point that I could not take the pill form of vitamins because I would feel nauseous for hours afterward. I take citrucel every day. I still carry Tums around just in case I get acid reflux from something I ate. 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 makes me nauseous just to look at the pink liquid.

Since my surgery my BP has reduced measurably.. ..from 148/99 to 128/70 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 died at the age of 62 due to complications with Melanoma. It is my belief that the cancer fed on all the sugar she ate. 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 loved it when I told one of my college students that I had had the surgery. We talked about how much I had lost, and I told her I wanted to lose 20-25more pounds. She said from where; if you lost that much we won't be able to see you anymore. I chuckled.

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 are the vitamins and supplements I take. I have enjoyed the benefits so much that I am now a rep for the company. They are fantastic. I work with a company called UNIVERA Life Sciences. I take a product called Ageless Essentials, a 3.3 oz bottle of delicious berry based liquid that contains the vitamins, minerals, iron, whey protein, calcium, fiber, biotin, essential salts, and essential omega fats that we need post-op by providing it with natural products. It is 100% absorbable. My body feels healthier than ever. They also have a product that I take called Ageless Extra that has been designed to increase your energy by providing consistant long lasting cellular energy (without giving your the caffeine jitters). In addition it provides stress relief, eases joint and muscle discomfort due to inflammation, and provides mental clarity and increased memory function, which are the four main reasons why people go to the doctor. Regenicare is a natural anti-inflammatory which is good for joint discomfort, migraines and aches and pains. The other product that I take religiously is Ageless Prime because it restores our body's DHEA level. At the age of about 35 our DHEA level decreases from about 380 to 100 and by the time we are 65 it is almost gone completely. DHEA is the hormone that signals 150 processes in the body to regenerate and heal itself.

As I have said, I suffered from an ulcer post surgery, but when I starting taking another of Oasis' products called Aloe Gold, I got more relief from the symptoms than anthing else I had taken. Aloe Gold balances the ph in the GI tract and repairs and restores the GI tract. The GI tract is the home to 80% of our immune system. 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.

*********NEWS ALERT****** I had my endoscopy on July 7, 2006 and it showed that my ulcer has healed - I credit that with the Aloe Gold, which I started taking about 2 1/2 months ago. 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. Please visit the Univera web page to see everything Essentials and the other products have to offer ( www.univeralifesciences.com ). Please do not order from the website, please contact me as I can order it for you at a lower price. Thank you. Email me or call me at 425-584-7250 (home) or 206-851-9314 (cell). I look forward to talking with anyone who would like to know more.

Sometimes I still feel like I am walking in a dream when I tell people I have lost 127 pounds in just over one year. 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 whenl 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 three year old granddaughter and can bend down to scoop up my three month old grandson to cuddle him.

I had my surgery in Feb. with The Dr, Rutledge. I did not have any complications, and by the time I got back home I had already lost over 25 lbs and had to add a hole to my belt.

That is a good feeling to know that I will never gain it back. I was feeling so good that I called in that I could go back to work. I am an EMT I D with our volunteer service.

During the day I am usually on call by myself and respond as a first responder till our full-staffed unit arrives from the county seat. The first couple of days were quiet. Then I received a call that we had a patient that had fallen outside their apartment at the senior housing.

I grabbed my radio and hooked it to my belt along with my pager and phone. I jumped in my car and went to the ambulance shed. As I jumped out of my car and started to run across the street to the shed, my pants fell down and down I went.

The only thing I could do is look and make sure that nobody saw. Boy, was I embarrassed. When I got into the Shed, I tied several pairs of rubber gloves together and used them as suspenders.

I jumped into the ambulance and went to help the Patient that had fallen. Upon arrival, I found several neighbors standing around the patient. I jumped out of the ambulance, grabbed my emergency triage bag ran to help the patient lying on the ground. As I ran, my pants, being held up with rubber gloves, would bounce down on every step.

The patient that had fallen only needed my help to get up. But I did have to give 3 other patients oxygen. They were having a hard time catching their breath from laughing so hard and I had to put an ice pack on another that was feeling faint. All patients refused to be transported to the hospital to be checked out. I was able to radio the unit from the county seat that they could go back and every thing was ok.

The people there did ask if I would run back to the Ambulance as I left. A couple days later, my director called me into his office and wanted to know what happened that I had to treat several people. I tried to explain it to him with out further embarrassing myself, which was impossible. The director stated that we could not let that happen again and handed me two strong bungee cords to use instead of the gloves. They will never let me forget it.

A week later my director asked me to take some pamphlets to the senior center at noon while they were serving dinner. As I entered the center I received a standing ovation. It was so embarrassing. I was asked to stay. We had some good laughs and they were as excited about me losing weight as I am and had many questions on the MGB procedure. It is good to have friends that like to laugh with you instead at you. These will be good friends forever, as will our MGB friends.

So I guess I can blame Dr. Rutledge for this embarrassment and all the new friends I have that support me. God bless Dr. Rutledge for his knowledge and his willingness to help others.

It's crazy to believe the scale going down, I love it!!!.....I was as skeptical as anyone, but I find myself just thinking - wow, I found what works - I just think MGB needs more advertisement - I mean commercials, banners, postings, ads, the works - it works - I feel like everyone needs to know.

I have friends at work that are referring people who have been looking at getting some sort of weight lose surgery to our wonderful CLOS - hoping they go thru with it...

I too have always and a day struggled with losing weight - it just kept coming back on - when I hit 352 lbs - and i almost starting screaming, i realized something had to give - I never knew MGB would be the answer, but I am so blessed that it has been. I had my surgery with the wonderful Dr. P right before 2006 started and have had no complications, no throwing up, no complaints....Cathy and Dr. P were there the whole way and wonderful every second of the way

I am doing good on stage 2 foods, haven't added meat yet, the craving just isn't there - so I am going to do without until whenever - my work out so far consist of unpacking - thank God that is almost done....and so far I have lost 4" around my waist and 40 pounds...I fit into some jeans I didn't even remember owning...that is the most awesome feeling

thank you, thank you, thank you Dr. P and CLOS
Hi to my littermates Tracy & Tonia - hope u guys are doing great ...

It is my understanding that you are doing a story on Dr. Rutledge and the Mini Gastric Bypass surgery. I had my surgery with one of Dr. Rutledge's associates in Davenport Florida just 20 days ago. I already know it was the right thing for me to do. I have lost 28 pounds. I feel great. I am thoroughly impressed with the entire CLOS organization, and I am a Registered Nurse in Orlando Florida. I have been a nurse for almost 15 years.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to know anything at all about this procedure, my experiences, or the CLOS organization.

This procedure has saved a lot of lives. It is a shame that more people do not know about it. I am glad you are assisting in getting the word out. Thanks to accurate representation many more people may be touched by this miracle.

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you of my experience with Mini-Gastric Surgery. In October of 2002 a friend of mine saw an article in the Orlando Sentinel about a seminar for gastric surgery. He knew that I had been struggling with my weight all my life. At that time I was 55 and weighed 330#. I went to the seminar and met Dr Rutledge.

A month or so later I contacted the website and downloaded their package.

It took me until March of 2003 to commit to the surgery and finish the package. There is an extensive screening process they ask you to complete and I thought again and again, "Is this for me? Do I want to change my life this significantly?" Then I read an email from one of the post surgery patients and she said she had the urge to use the PA system in Wal-Mart to tell everyone how great she feels now, and how she wanted to tell everyone she could how great her experience was in comparison to her daughter who had gastric banding.

You see I'd done my research as they ask, and decided that I like Dr.

Rutledge's' #'s. My brother, who is an anesthesiologist, cautioned me about the surgery. But he has not been overweight all his life - he got my mother's genes. I followed my father's family and each of them weighed over 300# and died relatively young. My father had his FIRST heart attack when he was 50, so I felt I was past due in that dept. The post-op letter I read talked about "sacrificing a monster on the operating table and getting rid of the "weight" she had been supporting all her life" It was so easy to do,

and "isn't that grand!" Those words touched me and I quit wavering. I

sent in my package and had surgery at 11: am on 5/30/03. To date I have lost over 150# I am keeping it off, I look better than I ever have in my life and I feel GREAT.

Everyone at CLOS was great. Dr Rutledge met us (3 patients for surgery that a.m.) and spoke to us personally before surgery. He also came by my hospital room that evening, after surgery. His office gets copies of all my labs and reports from my PCP, who did 90 day follow ups up until Dec of 2005. Now I'm at every 6 month. My PCP is pleased with my lab #'s and my weight as well. The staff and Dr "R" are always just a phone call or email away. Although I get a lot of my "do's & don'ts" from Post Op Email group.

Those folks have "been there & done that". And the staff at CLOS monitor and "chime in" when appropriate. It is an excellent forum and source of information.

As a matter of fact one of the people who had surgery the same morning was a young woman (maybe 19 or 20) - her mother was with her, also a significantly overweight woman. She was a nurse in a hospital in Ohio. Her hospital had a gastric surgery dept which performed a procedure which did not have the positive results that have been experienced with the MGB. She didn't want her daughter to follow in her genetic path and brought her all the way to NC to have this surgery. A definite testament!

A neighbor of mine had a serious weight problem and we had even gone through the same "Optifast" program at a local endocrinologist's office.

Both unsuccessful at keeping our weight off. He asked me about the surgery, I gave him a copy of my "manual" and urged him to consider the MGB. He chose another RNY procedure and a physician in South FL. To date he has been back in the hospital with complications 3 times. One of those additional hospital stays was right after he got home for a potassium imbalance and the most recent was because he had developed a leak. He has

been post op for about 18 months. I stress this as it points out another

BIG reason why I chose Dr' Rutledge's program. . . .I have experienced no complications! And I have slowly, steadily lost weight and felt great!

I hope this information is of interest to you. Please feel free to write me if you have any questions. I am more than happy to help. Which is the attitude of everyone I have come in contact with during my MGB journey.

Hi Dr Rutledge and CLOS,

I am with you.

I'm almost 51 and have people calling me "Skinny," and I turn to find  that person only to realize it is me. Crazy!!  I also never thought I  would like shopping for new attire.  The choices now seem endless.  Relations with the darling wife have NEVER been better!!!

It has been 20 months since my surgery.  I will always be available for any pre-op who has  questions I may be able to answer about my MGB and how my life has  improved since then.

Liz, I would be honored to be a contact for you.

I WAS a type II diabetic before the MGB, taking 3 pills a day and heading for insulin. Now I take nothing for my blood sugar and my A1C is perfect. My doctor is completely on my side now, (was not originally), but she now thinks Dr. R is the best thing since sliced bread. I run a custom frame shop out of my home, so getting back to work for me was no problem. But I could have gone to work anywhere as good as I felt. My original weight was 278 and now, at 26 months out, is 154. The weight loss has slowed down considerably and I may be through losing, but that is okay, too.

I am 69 years old, one of those "older" people. Hanging skin is a reality for us older people. I had considered having a tummy tuck later on, but I have just about changed my mind and decided to deal with what I have. Pantyhose are a great cover-up. No one would know about the hanging skin if I wore 3/4 sleeves and pants or longer skirts. But I am 69 and I don't have any illusions about being a skinny, tight skinned me. What I do have now is something I haven't had in many years - feeling like a different person, much more relaxed and confident.

I haven't taken any of the supplements , other than the vitamins. I am taking the fiber capsules and had thought about taking the Creatine, but decided that since Dr. R. said they were only suggestions, not requirements, I would leave that off. I can't think how it would have improved my results. The surgery experience was all I expected and more, all good. No pain after surgery or since, except when I ate too much twice.

You think once would be enough to teach me a lesson, but I had to do it twice. No more! . I didn't need help in bathing, I took showers and that made it a lot easier to bathe certain areas. I haven't exercised at all, just walking. I stayed on the liquids almost 2 weeks and on the stage 2 foods for about 8-10 days. I got really tired of not chewing. I have gone from wearing 2X everything to misses medium for sweaters and blouses and size 16 skirts. I just bought some slacks, size 16-18 and they are a little baggy.

No complications. When they stapled my stomach, my spleen got caught and they had to stitch up the spleen. There was some blood in my belly that had to come out one of the ports. That was not really a problem because it could have happened at any time to anyone. The staff at the hospital in Statesville, N.C. where I had my surgery, was very competent and helpful. People have asked me if I was scared before the surgery and I will have to say, no, I wasn't, because I had already turned the whole process over to God and I trusted Him to keep me safe.

Medicare did not pay nor would my supplemental insurance. My husband and I were both retired and we were fortunate enough to have savings. I spent my new car money in North Carolina, but I think I am worth more than a new car. I can eat anything, just not much of it. My meals consist of about 1 cup of food, 6 times a day. I had thought portion control would be my biggest problem since it always had been. But it didn't take me long to discover that I couldn't eat everything I put on my plate, many times not even half. But I did eat some of everything. I have had some sweets, but I guess I am afraid that if I start, I won't be able to stop. I eat lots of fruit and I do have protein bars and shakes, which are fairly sweet. I have not had dumping, probably because I haven't eaten sweets. Agent orange (that orangey, oily stuff in the toilet) is nothing more than undigested fat. I have had it a few times, mostly when I have emphasized protein in my meal, mainly meat. That is what I seem to crave and sometimes I have meat only for a meal. I will say that the only food that gave me any problem was ketchup. Plain old ketchup. I dipped a chicken nugget in it about 2 months after the surgery and before it hit my stomach, I knew I was in trouble. The pain was tremendous and I thought I was going to throw up, but managed not to. I didn't try ketchup again for several weeks, same thing. At about 6 months out I tried it again and no problem. At about 3-4 months,

I noticed that my hair brush was collecting lots of hair and my hairdresser told me that she could tell a big difference. Nobody else noticed it and she started me on a Paul Mitchell product for thinning hair and the hair loss stopped and now has regrown any I lost. I have enclosed my contact letter and if there is anything that I have not answered, please email me and I will be glad to help.

Ask questions of those on this site. I have never found anyone to be untruthful, some rather severe in their advice, but always truthful. I have the highest regard and respect for Dr. Rutledge and his staff. I had my surgery in Statesville, N./C. in Aug 03. The whole surgery experience was good, except for the IV. I have terrible veins and they had trouble hitting one. I had no pain or nausea following the surgery or since. Well, I had nausea when I tried to drink Gatorade. After I got back home, I was back at work within a few days, since we worked out of our home. .

Yes, I would do it again and again just to feel as good as I do now. I work out of my home so being here with food all day long could be a problem, but at this point, it isn't. I know what I am going to eat each day for meals and snacks and just don't get involved with eating other foods, unless it is fruit or sugar free popsicles and fudgesicles. The vitamins have never upset my stomach because I take them with meals. Trading the 3 blood sugar pills and the blood pressure pill for the 3 vitamins a day is all in my favor. If I don't need the blood sugar pills, I don't have to worry about complications of the diabetes. If I don't need the blood pressure pill, I don't have to worry about having a stroke. I have heard that some insurance companies have refused to pay for other medical bills after refusing to pay for the MGB, if the patient had the surgery anyway. I talked with my doctor about this and she said that she had never put in my record that I had had weight loss surgery. She said that she had put down that I was controlling my diabetes with diet, which is entirely true. She also said that it isn't any of the insurance companies business how I lost the weight and controlled the diabetes. I think I will keep her for my doctor. She is definitely on my side now.

Before the surgery I had done my homework thoroughly. I was taking Prilosec for acid reflux before the surgery and I have tried to stop it since, but have to take it all the time now. My doctor said to just continue with it. I guess not being hungry has been the biggest surprise. For the first 2 weeks after surgery, I didn't care if I ate or not, but knew I needed to. I still don't have the cravings the actual hunger pangs that I did before the surgery. I went to Wal-Mart and got one of those pill boxes that have each meal separately for each day. Once a week I fill up the boxes and keep the whole thing on my kitchen counter where I prepare food. Each day of this box is removable for you to take along to work with you. I don't feel like the same person that I was before surgery and people tell me that I don't act the same.

I always knew there was another person inside me wanting to get out and stay out. That was my problem. I couldn't keep the weight off. I have probably lost and regained at least 5000 pounds over my lifetime. No more!!! I am doing great, feel fine, working when I want. I operate a custom frame shop out of my home and some days I am very busy and others not very.. My overall health is much better now than it was before surgery. I don't have to take my blood sugar medicine type 2 diabetes) or my blood pressure medicine. I hope your surgery and recovery are as successful and uneventful as mine.

I had the MGB in Statesville, N.C. on Aug 11 03. The hospital was clean and efficient, personnel caring and helpful, even in the middle of the night when you have buzzed them the 5th time. I had a problem with needing to go to the bathroom every hour and I couldn't get up because they had those pressure boots on my legs and I couldn't unhook them by myself. I had some bleeding from one of the ports because of my spleen being nicked in the process of stapling my stomach. What was coming out of the port was old blood that had collected in my belly.

They took the drain tube out the next morning after surgery and then I went back to the hotel. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and my husband was with me. I didn't feel at all uneasy being 9.5 hours away from home because he was with me and we were within minutes of the hospital. When we got home that weekend, I was tired, mainly from the long drive, but I didn't feel like I had had major surgery. I have had major surgery before, and knew that it felt like. This was a piece of cake for me, and I stress, for me.

Not everyone has as easy a time of it. Dr. R. has compassion for obese people that most doctors do not have. Most doctors think your exercise program should begin with pushing away from the table, but most of them have never had a weight problem. In June of 03, my daughter and I drove to Statesville to visit the clinic, and meet Dr. R. My daughter has neighbors who had the RNY in Memphis and both are doing well. I talked to them and considered having the RNY, since they were doing it Laparoscopically. My physical problems had escalated in the last 5-10 years. I had developed type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, acid reflux, incontinence, painful feet and ankles and back pain. I guess it would be easier to list the things that didn't hurt. I was taking 11 pills a day.

When I called Memphis to get an appointment, they told me that Medicare wouldn't pay. Their insurance fee was $65,000 and their no-insurance fee was $40,000. When I told my daughter, she told me about another woman she knew who had been to North Carolina to have the surgery. My first reaction was "What's in North Carolina?" She said that this doctor had done more of these surgeries than anyone else.

I talked with this lady and she was very positive about the surgery and said she would have it again if need be, that it had changed her life. She gave me the web site to find out more. That's when we decided to drive to N.C. to see Dr. R. We live 9.5 hours away, but that didn't seem too far to go to get what I needed. There were at least 30 people in the clinic that day.

Dr. R. came in and talked to us and told us to ask whatever we wanted and he would answer it. We found out that he had 1 death in more than 2000 cases. He told us what had caused him to use this form of surgery. He said that it had been around for more than 100 years, used for stomach cancer and ulcers, but not for weight loss. He adapted the surgery and started doing the MGB. My daughter and I were both impressed with him and his knowledge and his compassion for obese people.

So many doctors have no understanding, much less any compassion for people who are overweight. During the clinic someone made a statement about previous surgeries preventing the MGB. I totally panicked because at that time I had read the patient manual and had not seen any reference to previous surgeries. I had had surgery in 1969 and it left a very large long scar in my upper abdomen. Dr. R. examined me that day and said that it was a nasty looking scar. Lori, my heart just about broke when he told me that he probably wouldn't do the surgery because of the scars.

He told me to go home and contact the hospital where I had the surgery and get a copy of the doctor' s notes about the surgery. On the way home, my daughter said, "Mother, please don't give up." I had a friend who died during the surgery in Memphis. She was having the open RNY and I never wanted to have that surgery. I had prayed for God's leading in this matter. I told God that I wanted this surgery and that I was going to go ahead with it unless He stopped me. I had asked Him to put up road blocks that I could not get around.

When Dr. R. said what he did about my scars, I nearly gave up. I thought I had reached the irremovable roadblock. I got the hospital records, sent them to him, and got a call from Kathy Goodman that he said that he didn't see any problem. I know he didn't really want to do the surgery, but I had been praying for weeks about this surgery and I knew that if God answered my prayers, he would do the surgery. I have no doubt that God led me to North Carolina and to Dr. Rutledge. Doors that should have closed, opened. I have a family doctor who gave me a very hard time.

She said the surgery wasn't medically necessary and that it was just something that I wanted. I told her that she thought the 11 pills a day she prescribed for me were medically necessary. She made me go to see a cardiologist and have a stress test before she would agree to support me. Needless to say, the tests were normal. What really turned her around was reading the patient manual. I made a copy from my computer and told her that I wanted her to be my doctor, but I wanted her on my side - and would she please read the manual. Well, she did and she was a totally different person after that. Now she can't seem to do enough for me, ordering blood work, which I wanted anyway, to check my cholesterol and potassium levels.

My cholesterol in June of 03 before the surgery was 245. One month after the surgery, it was 157 and has stayed there. My triglycerides in June of 03 was 250+ and it has dropped to 98. I haven't always had a weight problem. I was never overweight in high school and when I got married I weighed 118. After the babies started coming, my weight increased and I could never seem to get a handle on the problem. I would lose and then regain. That is the #1 characteristic of everyone I have talked with on this site. After I developed diabetes, I controlled my blood sugar for nearly 10 years by diet.

Family stress caused me to eat to comfort myself. Blood sugar went up and so did my weight and my blood pressure. After a while I just gave up. I was tired of failing, so I just quit trying. I would recommend this surgery for anyone who needs it, but I never know how someone would respond if I brought up the subject of their weight, probably like I would have responded if someone had mentioned my weight.

I can eat any food now, but still only a small portion of what I used to eat. Some foods, like meat, fill me up very soon and I probably don't get more than 1/2 cup of that down. Other foods I can eat more of, I apologize for the length of this email, but sometimes when I get started, I have a hard time finding a place to stop. I hope you can use this. I would do this again and again just to feel as good as I do now. The weight loss has been a marvelous added benefit of the MGB. Email me if you need other questions answered, I will be glad to help. Take care and God bless.

Hi all,
I just saw Melissa post about her 2 month anniversary (WAY TO GO GIRL!!!) so i thought i would post about mine. I had surgery two months ago today (10/10/05) I weighed in at 304 and today I weigh 257.5 46 POUNDS!!! I exercise very regularly, between the treadmill and the stationary bike I try to burn 1,000 calories a day. I never thought I would say this but I LOVE working out!!!! It's nice to know that when I'm exercising even though I'm not technically "getting anywhere" haha as I am on stationary equipment, I know that in the long run I am getting VERY far!!!

My clothes are getting nice and baggy and that is a GREAT feeling!!! I've also given three speeches to classes at school about my surgery and I just have overwhelming support. My mom is doing AWESOME as well...but I'll let her tell her own story. I have developed a new weakness for baked potatoes however and I'm sure they'll catch up with me and then I'll have to move on. But I just thought I'd give an update...Prom is only 5 months away and I'm on my way to looking decent in a dress!!!!

Hello, I just wanted to up date everyone on how things are going with me. I had my dance with Dr. R on 10/11/05 all most 2 months to the day. I was 3rd in line my day of surgery and everything went off without a hitch.

I'm 30 years old and a mother of one. It's been great. Everyone now is noticing. I started at 240 in August. I'm 5'6. Day of Surgery I was 231. And today DRUM ROLL...I'm 195 .... 36 pounds in two months.......I feel great, nothing fits and life is grand. I'm eating fine. Little amount that's all I have to remind myself about. If I try something and it doesn't work out I don't eat it again. The working out thing is the issue for me I HATE IT....but I do it anyway's...

I can walk, run, play with my son, work full time and still want to cook dinner (even if it's just for my hubby). I will be happy to be anyone's contact that needs it just e-mail me at lasvegaskitten@....

Hello,

I feel like this is a pretty significant milestone. I lost 70 pounds in anticipation of my surgery (from April to July 2005) and now I have lost another 70 pounds since my surgery (July to Dec 2005.)

Un-be-lieve-able!

In March of 2005 a friend of mine came to tell me about this surgery she was having... and since I was 410 pounds at that time. and barely living...it was a NO-Brainer for me. I had my application into OHIP within about 2 weeks and was approved within another 2 weeks. Then I found that I was going to have to lose some weight to get approved by CLOS in Michigan... and I was heart broken. Didn’t think it was possible. But I started walking and kept reading this board... sometimes 2 or 3 times a day.. desperate to feel connected to the HOPE of this surgery!

Now I get stopped 2 or 3 times a day by people who are astonished at the weight loss. (They don’t only comment on my hair anymore, 140 pounds is kind of impossible to miss i guess) But as I sit here and write these words... it’s hard to believe that I am talking about myself. (Who, me? Lost 140 pounds in 9 months? Huh?)

But it’s true. Honest!

Anyway... just wanted to send a cyber-hug and a cheerful note to any of you out there who are struggling with the "should I, shouldn't I?" question and especially to those who are scared because they weigh more than the average patient and they have been told to lose weight first. I will not tell you it was easy.... cuz some days (many nights) it was extremely difficult! But since I have had the surgery... it is a lot easier... and the world IS a very different place for me today.

Hang on and keep trying.. don't give up.. its worth it!

xoxo Denise

410 April 2005 339 July 2005 (at surgery) 270 Dec 2005

As many of you know, I had my MGB on July 12th In Las Vegas with the wonderful Dr. Rutledge as my surgeon.

There were only two things that I was worrying about. The first being the IV and the second was having the staples removed.

Do I hear you say "what a big baby?" Well, yes, I am!:)

I arrived at the hospital at 6am. The nurse was very nice and gentle when she gave me my IV and it only stung a little. She managed to get the vein straight away and for me that was one worry out of the way. I was very excited and only a tad nervous about the procedure.

I met Dr. Rutledge who I have to say is not only a good looking and charming man, but also a very intelligent caring doctor. He put me at ease immediately. I had two litter mates with me Wanita who I got to know quite well (and her lovely hubby Jean) and Terry who I unfortunately didn't get to know as well.

I was the first one to have the MGB. My surgery was 34 minutes long and Dr. Rutledge told me that he bypassed just over 6ft!:):)

I was wanting to walk less than an hour after I'd been in my room. I was nauseous for about 3 hours after the surgery, but was given some great medicine and I pumped the morphine pump, not for pain, but mainly because I actually liked the way it made me feel...no I'm not a druggie!!!

I remember walking about 10 times that afternoon, evening and night and visited my litter mates a couple of times.

The staff and nurses at the St. Rose Hospital couldn't have been nicer to me and I felt very comfortable.

I felt NO PAIN in my stomach!

I walked to the clinic on Wednesday morning (around 7am I think) and Dr. Rutledge asked if he could use me for show and tell (I was still on the morphine) and I said "But I don't have any underwear on, but if you give me a sheet, I'll show my tummy". Everyone laughed and I didn't have a clue why. Never mind. I met some great people, Ellen, Helen, Sue and Sherri.

I told them that my lip and hand hurt (My lip was cut due to the breathing tube and my hand hurt because of the IV) Someone said, "But you just had major surgery on your stomach!" "Yes" I replied "But that doesn't hurt!"

I was ready to leave at 10.30am and went back to the hotel. I visited Sherri and Ellen the next day to see how they were (also to weigh myself) and had lost 4lbs.

Thursday and Friday morning were the toughest days, I felt like I'd been run over by a truck and was feeling quite tired. However, by Friday afternoon, I was feeling Much better and actually went to Sue's house for a visit.

I am thrilled to bits that I had the MGB and feel healthy and happy. I've not had any mood swings at all, getting all the liquids in hasn't been easy, but I never was a big drinker to start with.

On Saturday, I went to the Vegas seminar and met the beautiful Veronica and also met Ned again (he'd been at the clinic) who had had the surgery 5 weeks prior. He was lovely and invited me back to his ranch for a couple of days and Ned was the one who very gently and expertly removed my staples. I was practically hyperventilating at that point, but he talked me through it and only one pinched (but it had gone in at an angle and he had to move it about a little). So now I've no worries:)

I just want to say that everyone on this board has been wonderful and the people I met have been so supportive and caring. Would I do it again? Yes, in a heartbeat. I've lost 14lbs in one week:)

Jami and Roger (my support person) thank you for everything!!! I wouldn't have had this had it not been for you both!!!:) Sue, your prayers helped me tremendously and Dr. R, you're the best!

Thank you all.

Anthea 7/12/05 Dr. Rutledge (Las Vegas) 277.5/263.5

Just chiming in on you post... I know how you feel and I have to say, as someone who was literally nearly 400 (390 at surgery day) I felt every pound! I also found out a few weeks ago that my highest weight according to my doc was 394!!!!! (how depressing is that?!!)

But there is light at the end of the tunnel...hop on the MGB Train and find the journey to be a glorious one!! Now 9 months later, I'm 145 pounds lighter and feeling FABULOUS!!! I work out 5-6 days a week now, walk 2 miles, jog on occasion (which is still a bit hard with my belly apron), but I can do it and want to!!! My 8 year old daughter can now hug me around my waist and touch her hands together. I went shopping this weekend for a couple new outfits and 14/16's were a bit roomy in tops, so I went to the JR/Miss section at Catos (for S's & G's) and to my amazement, can wear XL's in that section!!! WHOO HOO!! What an incredible feeling - I don't think I have worn jr/miss sizes since junior high!!! My oldest daughter wants to borrow some of my new tops!!! (though they're a bit big on her!) Today I was measured, I have a BMI of 34.6 now-it was 54, I have lost over 75 inches overall, and my waist is 39 inches from 55! and life is good! My weight loss goal was to originally lose 210-220 pounds, and now I'm looking at losing 65-75 more and that's it! I know things are slowing down and will take probably another 9 months - but it's worth the wait! I'm SO happy and just look forward to each and every day I have because I know it will just keep getting better! This is the best thing I have ever done and couldn't be more tickled with my results!

So look at it this way - there's a silver lining around the dark cloud of obesity! MGB, Dr. Rutledge, and my surgeons are my saviors - TRULY! I don't think I'd be here in another 5 years at NEARLY 400 POUNDS if I hadn't found them! GOD Bless CLOS, the Surgeons, the Staff and The entire Board here - they are wonderful people with a lot of good information to offer! My advice, research, read the manual and talk to as many post ops as you get a chance to - www.mgbfriends is all post ops that are willing to talk to others about their experience - check it out if you haven't - its a wealth of information!!

Take care and best of luck to you! God Bless

That is such a wonderful success story and I congratulate you!! I feel like I have been blessed after finding Dr Rutledge, my life had become to be a nightmare at 310 pounds and 52 years old. I live in North Carolina and was originally planning on having surgery in Florida with a top surgeon there until a very good friend said you have such great doctors in NC isn't their someone closer. Well I started doing research and could not believe that the one that sounded the best was right here in my backyard!! I don't know it was like I was moving at such a fast pace couldn't wait to get it done, within 8 weeks of contacting CLOS I had my surgery January 5 2004, almost a year and as of this morning I weigh 185 that is a loss of 125 pounds. I had 7 ft bypassed and am hoping to lose another35 pounds, I feel the way I am losing I might be lucky enough to do just that!! Anyway I am so happy you came on and let us know how you are doing, bravo for you! And anyone out there that wants any info or a contact letter please feel free to email me Genie7368@a...

I am totally inspired by your story! It just so happens I do live in your neck-of-the-woods (well, sorta). I am just off the 91 Freeway in Corona; I pass Yorba Linda every evening on my way to work in Irvine. It also just so happens that I have been "thinking" about having plastic surgery sometime in the future, because, to tell you the truth, I would like to be a "princess" too! (I've never been one, either.) At 11 months out, I am still in the losing stage, but hopefully I will not lose much more (wow, I never thought I would ever utter THOSE words!). I am actually only about 8 pounds from my "goal weight" although I would be totally happy anywhere in the range that I am now in. So, after my weight loss levels off and settles, then I will be ready to go in for a consultation with Dr. Fisher. Thanks so much for the lead, I will definitely be in touch with you one-on-one to get further information.

Also, we have recently started an informal MGB Support Group in this area, and we would love to have you join us at our next planned meeting, which is on Saturday, January 22, at 11:00 AM at Marie Callenders Restaurant in Corona.

Congratulations on your new life and your new look. I hope to meet you soon. Bye for now....

Hi, I haven't posted here in a very long time.
I had my MGB on 12/20/01 so I am over 2 years post-op.
I started out at 375 lbs and now weigh 145 for a loss of 230 lbs.
I write this and say it in my head, but even I still can't believe it. I am smaller than I have been since elementary school....even smaller than I was when I married 35 years ago! After losing 230 lbs there was LOTS of loose, ugly flab.
Last August I had a breast lift and arms done. Then in December I had a lower body lift done in Charlotte. I am very pleased, except my arms (which were done at Duke) the scars are hypertrophic (red, big and ugly). I will probably have a scar revision done by my new plastic surgeon Dr. Hunstad in Charlotte. He did an amazing job of my LBL. Took off 18 lbs of skin! It does sort of feel like I am wearing a tight girdle all the time. And yes, there is still some numbness on my arms, tummy, hips and butt (at the scar line). But I wouldn't trade that numb feeling for that ugly flab for nothing! LOL I love it that I have a flat tummy for the first time in 40 years!

One thing I would like to add here is that I still do not see myself as I really am. Before WLS I did not see myself as big as I was. I think I saw myself like a size 20 or 22 and now that I'm very slim (size 8) I still see myself as about a size 16 or so. For me, I have a distorted body image. There's a disconnect there somewhere. I still keep hoping to lose another 10 lbs, but my family keeps telling me how skinny I am! I remember the day Dr. R released me from the hospital. He had bypassed 8 feet on me and said, "Now I just worry that you will get too thin." I asked him to please repeat that! I never EVER in a million years thought I would lose 230 lbs!

I told myself I would be happy if I could lose 100 lbs. When that happened, I said I would be happy if I could just get down to 200. When that happened, I said I would be happy if I could just wear a size 16 and buy regular clothes off the racks. Well I've far surpassed that, and now I still think I need to lose another 10 lbs!! I think the PS is part of that journey.

I think we have this psychological need to keep trying to obtain perfection...and it's never gonna happen! I still want to have an inner thigh lift (my legs still have that sharpei look) and I really want a face lift (I have a big turkey waddle). But only God knows if I will ever be able to afford it. I was very blessed to have lost this much weight. I have been very blessed in that I have never had any real problems.

I was on 9 meds before WLS and now only take Synthroid for low thyroid. I have never had any low blood work, and I have never been sick. I have been blessed in that my insurance paid for my MGB, and they paid for all of the PS I have had so far.

Could anyone ask for more? God has really been good to me, so I keep telling myself to quit whining about my legs and neck and just enjoy the gifts He has given me. Life is so good! Words cannot tell you how different my life is.

I know the MGB saved my life and I will always be grateful to Dr. R.

And to any of you contemplating PS....I say GO FOR IT! You will not regret it! It's just the natural next step after WLS! I hope this has helped some of you. I read the posts everyday, and if any of you need anything, please email me directly.

God bless each and everyone of you! This is a great bunch of people....

MGBers are the BEST!

Hugs,

Sorry for not writing sooner but I have been very tired since I got back and went back to work right away. Other than that I feel great learning to eat again has been somewhat of a challenge for me.

I have lost a total of 14 pds in 3 weeks. The surgery procedure was a breeze I could not beleive how scared I was and it turned out to be for nothing, the whole procedure was a pleasent experience.

Hope you are doing well Suzan, keep in touch.

It sounds like you are doing great. It is hard to believe that surgery was only 6 weeks ago. It seems so much longer then that. I have lost 31 lbs as of this morning. I am feeling really great now that I have the estrogen patch. Before it I was really on edge. I am eating pretty much whatever I want, but am still mainly a soup and cottage cheese girl. It just feels better on my stomach. Every time I try something new it feels so strange going down. I am always worried I have done something to myself. A typical day's meal plan for me is yogurt and about 1/4 of a banana in the morning, a Wendy's Chili for lunch, a mid-afternoon snack of some sort, normally saltines or cheese or yogurt and then dinner is usually whatever my family is having but about 1/4 of what the rest of the family eats. I say that even my 2-year-old eats more then I do at this point. I sometimes even have to remember that I need to eat. I just don't get hungry.

I have been working out at Curves since I returned home. I really enjoy it and would recommend it to anyone. It is a lot of fun and I feel a lot more tone in my abs, legs and arms. The best part is it is all women and it only takes about 30-35 minutes to complete the workout. I have been going three days a week. The other days I walk with my daughter or on the treadmill and do the ab roller (which kicks my butt.)

Anyway, I would love to hear from others who had surgery on 12/29. I hope that everyone is doing well and enjoying the New Year and all the great things that are coming with it. Just think we may all be feeling and looking great by bathing suit season. Yippee!

Last Christmas I was nine days post-op. Some said I was crazy for having surgery right before Christmas. I have to admit that at times I thought I was too. It was a little tough on Christmas Day especially with all the good food around. But, I enjoyed sucking on some country ham - the salt was wonderful - and then enjoying my broth, yogurt and gatorade.

December 16, 2003 marked my one year anniversary. My goal was to maintain a loss of 10 pounds per month for a total of 120 pounds the first year. I was a little short at 113. I was thrilled with that amount and could not complain. This past week has been an amazing week of weight loss for me. I have lost five more pounds and I'm now at 118 - very close to 120. Wouldn't it be a wonderful Christmas present to lose two more pounds and be at that 120 mark at the one year and nine day mark? I'll leave it up to the Lord and see if it happens.

When I look back over the past year, I'm amazed at the change in my body, my personality and my contentment with myself. God has been so good to me. I've had no complications from the surgery and have done extremely well. I have to give God all the glory as He is the one to praise, not myself or any other man. I am grateful for the talent of Dr. Rutledge and his brilliance as a surgeon. I am thankful that I found him on the Internet. Who would have thought that I would fine a reputable surgeon on the Internet?

People tell me that I don't need to lose anymore, this amazes me. I need to lose 40-50 pounds more. I believe I will reach that goal.

Merry Christmas and may you experience the love of God's Son, Jesus, and the salvation He offers.

I wanted to wish all my MGB friends a very Merry Christmas!! You have been a great source of inspiration and compassion for me in this last year. It still amazes me that I was lead to such a great group of people and a fantastic doctor who has helped me gain a whole new lease on life. Last Christmas I was a little over a month out and did well. I had already lost 33 lbs. This Christmas, I am a little over a year out and down 151 lbs!! Last Christmas the surgery was my gift---this Christmas I get two: I lost at least 140 lbs by my one year anniversary and a new baby is due in about 7 months. WOW----am I blessed or what?! I hope all of you receive something that is very special to each one of you.

Well I finally made my personal goal. I am now the weight I was when I met my husband and honestly, the weight I was most happy at. I have lost 101 lbs as of the beginning of Dec 2003. I weighed 143 lbs when I met my hubby and again today (thanks to Dr Rutledge). I know a lot of people in today's world think that 143 is still too heavy, but truthfully - I am happy as a clam, this looks good on me! Many of my friends and family feel I have gotten too thin already, but I think that is because the look is so drastic from where I was. I think its time to kick up the working out another notch, and really tone myself up. Last year my new year goal was to complete this surgery. This year it will be to work on the results and tweak them for myself, become more health conscience. My anniversary for the surgery is Jan 2, 2004. It has been one heck of a year and to anyone thinking of the Mini-Gastric Bypass, there is no time like the present to change your life for the better. I love the new me!!!!!!! I will post new pictures soon.

Thanks to everybody on Dr Rutledge's staff and on the web board, this is a great group and community for info, support and friendship. This was the best thing I ever did for myself.

Hi All, I reached my two year anniversary on March 21. I am doing extremely well. I started my journey out at 376 when I went to Durham to see Dr. R in Jan of 2001. I was scheduled for surgery in March and had to lose 26lbs fast. The morning of my surgery I weighed 350lbs. It has been a long road but as of this morning I weigh 146lbs. I have since graduated from RN school and I am working in an ICU in FL. I can't even imagine working 12hr shifts weighing 376lbs. I have very few problems with eating. There are still a few things that don't sit well with me. Pork is one of them. I also can't eat Chinese food, as soon as I eat a few bites my stomach hurts. I take my vitamins and have my blood work done every 6 months now, so far so good.

This surgery has changed my life so much for the better. I hope all of you have the same outcomes. If you get to a point where you are frustrated and don't feel like you are losing any more step back from the scale and don't weigh for a week or more. The scale can become your enemy at times. There are times when I wouldn't lose for weeks and then I would drop 10lbs. Well I know this post is long and everyone has busy lives so take care all.

I too had a Dr. that wasn't too supportive, in fact he too disapproved. I supplied him with the manual and asked him to at least read it. He said he didn't believe in weight loss surgery and that if God meant for my stomach to be smaller it would be. I kind of chuckled at him told him He did and I stretched it :-) He agreed to at least look at it. To my surprise, he was not only supportive but very impressed with the education that Dr R requires of each of prospective patients. To date (27 weeks post op) I've lost 93 pounds, am doing great and my Dr. could not be more impressed and thrilled with my results. My diabetes is gone, my asthma is gone and my joint pains are gone. Have faith and be persistent. If there is anything I can do to help please let me know.

Hi all,

Well, one year ago tonight I was as nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs. I was hours away from having MY dance with Dr Rutledge, February 6, 2002, at 10:15am. I was a miserable 373 lb and ready for a new beginning.

One year later, I weigh 218 lb, a loss of 155 lb, and am no longer miserable. I am off all medications, can walk miles without stopping to rest, can go up stairs without running out of breath, don't get stared at everywhere I go, (especially restaurants), don't think about the next meal, can sleep like a baby, buy clothes off the rack and not from catalogs, and have a new outlook on life.

For those who want to know if there have been any complications or downside to the surgery, sure, a few minor bumps along the way. H. Pylori about a month after, but with the prev-pac prescribed by Dana, all was cleared up in a couple weeks. Reflex several times the first few weeks, but now it is very rare and usually follows eating too much or the wrong food and usually eating too late at night. I have never "dumped" and am very happy to say that.

The first 2 weeks was liquids, yogurts, mashed potato, etc. The next 3 weeks was soft food and phase 3 almost anything I want, just in small amounts. I do not drink milk, liquor, carbonated beverages, coffee, but do have a cup of tea occasionally to treat myself. (I use "coffee tamer" which reduces the tannic acid in coffee and tea.) I do get dehydrated if I don't drink Gatorade regularly. I almost always have a bottle of the clear Gatorade within reach and sip on it all day long. If I forget, I get light headed or dizzy, a sign of dehydration.

It was about month 8 before I tried steak or roast beef. I can eat these now but must chew them well. I find a high protein breakfast (2 poached or scrambled eggs) or oatmeal are favorites. Usually soup or salad for lunch, and whatever the wife cooks for supper. It is difficult to go more than 4 hours between meals and sometimes a small snack is necessary. I find that I can still eat sweets but just in small amounts. (As I sit and write this, I have been snacking on some butter cookies)

Well, in conclusion, I thank God every day that I was lead to Dr Rs web site. I would not change a thing that has happened. I have added years to my life because of the procedure that has been perfected by Dr Rutledge. I have met some incredible people, Dr Rs Staff, and enjoy the ability to assist those seeking what I have found.

Regards to all,

It's been a long time since I have posted, I still try to read the post, I don't always seem to get it done though. Just thought I would give my 2 year update. I was actually 2 years post op on the 30th of November.

I have the same story as most everyone else on this list. I was morbidly obese and very miserable.

Today I have lost 122 pounds and went from a BMI of 49 to one of 28. I can do things today that I thought I would never be able to do again. I am so thankful that I was able to have this surgery.

I no longer take medication for GERD, high cholesterol, or diabetes. I no longer have the back and joint pain. My feet don't kill me all the time. I don't wet my pants every time I cough or sneeze. I no longer feel like I need a shower again after getting ready for work in the morning, I can take care of my personal hygiene with out any effort today. I have not had any complications from surgery thus far.

The negative changes that have occurred due to the surgery is very minor and something that I have learned to live with. It certainly is no where close to being worse than being morbidly obese. I FINALLY have a relationship with food that is not going to kill me. I have however had to learn a different way of coping with things which has not been easy and can still throw me in a tizzy. My husband and I have been separated for about a month now. We are not talking about divorce at this time. We have some issues that we need to work on and this is the best way we feel we can do that. I am going to counseling weekly and have recently changed counselors because for whatever reason I did not feel that I was getting anywhere with the one I was going to. I do feel in much better physical and mental health to be able to handle what is going on in my life than 2 years ago. There are so many things I know I have missed, but you all know what they are.....not much different than any of you have experienced in your journey.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you.

Bonded by our experience, strength and hope

Today is my 3 month post-op and I am happy to report a weight loss of 48lbs! I am having no problems whatsoever and can eat all and everything. I have to say that the first month I was very, very hungry and was disappointed that my hunger did not change after surgery, although I could eat much less I still was hungry enough to want to eat a cow.

I feel much different now. I still get hungry but it is much, much less! Thank God!! I try to keep my proteins up and my carbohydrates down and am proud to report that I have not had one Christmas cookie! I will be "indulging" Christmas Eve and Christmas though! I love the idea that I will never see the 48lbs I lost ever again, considering I have lost the first 40 three times already. It is nice to know that I can move down the scale again and not up. What a freedom!

To everyone, please have a Merry Christmas!!

1. My hubby of 20+ years feels/acts like a new groom with the wife he married back in his life. He is my constant source of support/encouragement.

2. My boys delight in their "moving and shaking mom", and are excited for our first family trip skiing this Christmas with a mom that can move and chooses to participate.

3. Rebooting my nursing career, something I thought I would never do because of my "obesity handicap".

4. Living in a stronger, healthier body, with a revved up immune system fighting allergies/asthma/sinus with outstanding success.

5. Lastly, living a life enjoying food and controlling eating rather than the food and obesity controlling me.

Blessings to all of you this holiday season.

I think all of us at some point or another have been "scared" about having this surgery. If you have been through all of the hoops to get this surgery and you have your PCP's support and they have checked you out, all you can do is trust that God will see you through. I know a lot of people don't believe in God, but I do. I have lived a life that has proven to me that there is a higher power out there taking care of people and watching out for them.

You would already have the problems that are associated with being obese, or you would not be looking into this as an option, so do you honestly think that you are better off like you are now? If so, then don't choose this route, but if you know that you need to do something, and nothing you have tried has succeeded, then you have to wonder is life worth the risk of doing nothing or trying a last resort. That is the way I looked at it.

Everyone is concerned. My best friend was so afraid that I would get on the operating table and not come out alive. I was more worried about it being the "right" thing to do in God's eyes, and my sister (who had an open RNY 5 years ago) said that God put doctors on this earth with certain skills, to learn, and help people who could not otherwise help themselves. Look at this as an open door and walk right on through. I did and I have not regretted it for a moment.

I hope this doesn't come across harsh. I don't mean for it too. I promised God that I would honor HIM through all of this and for me to say it any other way would contradict what I said I would do. I thank God for allowing Dr. R the knowledge and the heart to help the plight of the obese in an otherwise cruel world.

I wish you the best and hope that you make a well informed decision and do what is best for you. You are worth it!! and Jesus loves you!!

Here is my story:

My name is Alisha A. I am 32 yrs. young and have been married 6 years. I am a stay at home mom with a very active 2 1/2 year old son named Hayden. He is wild! I have battled weight all of my life. I developed bulimia and anorexia in high school and even had to be hospitalized while in college when I hit 90 lbs. It took years of therapy to recover and a wonderful man that I married. I battled weight off and on through the early years of my marriage. I started to feel comfortable and loved for the first time in my life. I developed very poor eating habits. I would gain a tremendous amount and then lose it by starving for a special event (that old "Dieter's Mentality"). Of course I would gain it back and then some when I started eating again. I lost it again to "get pregnant" and then went wild (after all, I was eating for two). I had my son when I was 30 and developed severe postpartum depression. My coping mechanism has always been food. I obviously have a history of obsessive-compulsive behavior when it comes to food. I went from one end of the spectrum of eating disorders to the other. I became a compulsive overeater/binger. It caused me great despair for two years.

One night, I just happened upon the MGB website. And as they say, the rest is history. I had surgery on July 31, 2002. I am 5'3" and started at 235. I lost 32 lbs. the first month and am still losing very well. My procedure only took 28 minutes. I stayed in the hospital one night.

My surgery was around 12 noon on Wed. and I was discharged at 10:30 on Thurs. I live in Greenville, SC, which is 2 hours and 15 minutes from Statesville. I was allowed to come home that Thursday. I was fine riding home in the car with the seat reclined. I had no pain following my surgery other than the gas pain while I was in the hospital.

This was 10 times easier than my gallbladder surgery. I was amazed! I had a laparoscopic gallbladder removal in May and it put me out of commission for a week. The MGB was a piece of cake compared to that. I had very little pain. The only discomfort that I experienced was from the gas trapped beneath my breastbone and up in my shoulders. I began walking about 5-6 hours after surgery and that really helped to move it out. I used the PCA pump to rest and got the best sleep I have had in 2 years (my son is a night owl).

I thought that Dr. Rutledge was very kind, compassionate, and funny. He jokes with you all of the time and helps to lighten the mood. He can be all business when it comes to your health. He is very knowledgeable in his field and is very familiar with all comorbidities that we may have. His staff can relate to you on a very personable level. They are all former patients. It really helps to get their perspective. Cathy Goodman is an angel. She sat with me prior to surgery. I was a nervous wreck because I had to go last. She comforted me during those hours of waiting. She is 3 years post op and truly cares about each and every patient. She can be reached on the main office line. Dana, the nurse practitioner, is very smart. At first, I found her to be a little abrasive but after getting to know her she is very sweet. She has given me lots of advice right down to recipes for protein shakes. She can be all business when it comes to your health. She will tell you like it is and I think that is very important. We all need to know how serious this is. Penny is also very helpful. She responds quickly to emails and phone calls.

The hospital staff is phenomenal. And that is a high compliment coming from me! I used to do public relations for the hospital system here and it was part of my job to respond to patient surveys and better our public image. The nurses were so sweet and never made me feel as if I was a lazy, obese person. They treated me with respect and concern. I would do this again in a heartbeat. It has saved my life. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. It just keeps getting better and better. I am no longer held in bondage by food. There is so much time now for me to play with my son, exercise, garden, scrapbook, clean (uggg) house, and just have fun! I cannot believe how easy it has been.

I also attended the dinner and both seminars in Chicago as a postop. (I'm two years out (259/140) and don't post often, but read the list everyday.) It was great seeing Dr. R and meeting Penny and Shannon. It was also a lot of fun meeting other postops that I had not met before from the Chicago area. I met a great group of people. It was also a lot of fun telling about my experience to the preops. I think they were all impressed with what great successes Dr. R's post ops were having.

The dinner at Bob Chin's was great - and I really enjoyed meeting Dr. R's wife. All in all, it was a lot of fun. I would encourage postops to attend the dinner and clinic if Dr. R comes to your area.

Patti and myself adventured down to Statesville 8 months ago. It seems like things have been changing daily since our surgery date, January 29, 2002. Our experience was pretty much textbook. Everything we had been told was exactly how it went. I was shocked how good we really feel/felt. Today I have lost 138 pounds and Patti has lost 103 pounds. 8 months seems like yesterday. I can't believe it. Our families are enjoying the change as much as us. A day doesn't go by that someone doesn't approach us and want the scoop.

I had a little nausea and Patti had a little pain in her shoulder that was our biggest complaint. We enjoyed our week at the Holiday Inn and were very anxious to get back to our families. Going with a friend was great if you have the opportunity. Our husbands had a eating buddy since we weren't into the whole food thing. We can cheer each other on and support each other. Patti got me to begin exercising regularly and it's actually fun. I never thought I would say that...

Since then we have lost a lot of weight, but gained tons of ENERGY... Patti's energy came back quicker than mine. I was a little slow when it came to listening. Dr. R and his staff kept telling me more protein and Gatorade. Once I finally started following Dr's orders my energy returned and I felt great.

I would recommend the Mini Gastric Bypass to anyone that feels they are ready to make this decision in their life. The small changes like no pop and taking vitamins are a small inconvenience for such wonderful trade offs.... This procedure really is just like you hear.

I didn't mean for this to turn into a book, but we wanted to share our changes. You should be able to view a couple of before and after shots. We haven't sent them to be added to the web page, because it's pretty early, but thought it would be fun to share with you.

Kim and Patti Michigan

I had my surgery on July 15 , 2002 with Dr. Rutledge. You couldn't have asked for a more caring and concerned doctor. He was there to answer all my questions and spent time with my husband after the surgery to explain how it went and things he found. My husband was impressed with him from the very beginning and my husband is a doctor!

Just ask the staff at Davis Regional Center. They all voluntarily expressed their "likeness" for Dr. Rutledge. They told me they really enjoy working with him and his patients. To me, that speaks VOLUMES. Nurses know. I was out of the hospital in 24 hours and my husband and I drove to Burlington, NC and shopped the rest of the day! I flew back home on the 5th day.

I've been getting along great, but if you don't follow the guidelines for eating, you won't feel great. Too much too soon will make you miserable. This was the best decision I ever made. I'm down 35 pounds in less than 2 months. I've been off blood pressure medicine since the surgery and no longer have to use a CPAP machine to sleep at night. Even my allergies are better!

 I had awful reflux before I had my MGB on 7/15/02, since then I can sleep on my stomach (used to sleep on 4 pillows almost sitting up!) I have not taken a tagamet or Zantac since surgery (used about 4 or 5 a day before!) and Dr. R. discovered I had a hiatal hernia which he fixed while he was in there. I feel great and can finally sleep at night and no more reflux (I used to throw up at night from the acid)

Because of your willingness to work my surgery in to your already overloaded operating room schedule, I was physically able to take an emergency flight out a day early and get home in time to attend her funeral. That in itself was one of the greatest blessings I have received through all of this.

 I am feeling extremely well. No nausea, vomiting, pain, etc. I think I got a really "good surgery". I would hear people use that term, and I now understand what they meant. I am losing weight consistently. Staying on Stage II diet with absolutely no problems. Riding the bike at my fitness center regularly. Everyone is noticing the weight loss.

I am still having to pinch myself to make sure that this is really happening. I have not been disappointed so far.

 I want to also compliment your office staff. They were ALL wonderful. I got to know three of them on a more personal level.

Penny was a doll from the first contact! She was the one who worked to get my surgery moved up, which in the end was such a blessing.

Elizabeth came to visit me in the hospital and was especially kind to me.

And Dana, what can I say? I feel that I left a good friend behind in North Carolina. She was the most compassionate person. When my surgery was moved up a day unexpectedly, I became very anxious and nervous. I had just come over to the hospital to register and ended up in pre-op. I was literally shaking when she came in to check on me. She said, "Would you feel better if I went in there with you?". I had so much professional confidence in her, that in fact, I felt it would really help me to get through it if I just knew that she was in there with me. I can't tell you enough about how valuable I think she is to your team. I truly considered her my friend by the time I left, and I still can't believe she scrubbed and went in there with me!

I want to thank you again for everything you are doing. I see your practice as so much more than just that. It is a gift to a group of people who will forever love and appreciate you for making such a difference in their lives. I am going to include you and your patients in my prayers.

God bless you for caring about those of us who others have not given a chance.

My name is Larry H., and I am from Nebraska. I had the MGB done on 2-21-2001 at Durham Regional. My daughter and I both had the surgery.

My surgery lasted 33 minutes, and I was in and out of the Hospital in about 19 hours. We had to stay at a Motel close to the hospital for a week after surgery before we could return to Nebraska, but everything went well.

The day of surgery I weighed 369 lbs., and today I weigh 239 lbs.. I am a 57 year old retired Superintendent of Schools, and my health has improved a bunch since I had the surgery.

I couldn't hardly walk before, and now I walk as much as I want, (most day at least 5 miles). I am no longer on any heart medicines, my blood pressure medicine has been cut to 25% of what it was, and I feel 25 years younger. (I am enjoying life again!)

I loved Dr. Rutledge, and I would have this surgery again in a Heart Beat. Go get em!

Good Luck, and please keep me informed about your progress. My prayers are with you!

I am very pleased with my MGB results. I feel I am now height and weight appropriate. I fit quite well into a size 8 now and my health has improved significantly. All of my blood work is done on regular bases and has been wonderful. My cholesterol was 240 pre-op with meds, now 127! My Diabetes is gone.  My HgbA1C was 7.5 pre-op now 4.2 with no meds.

I downloaded your new manual. As always, you have done an excellent job! IF anyone is seeking information, or they want to make comparisons to other surgeries, this is the place to do it. You have been extremely thorough, covered everything, and wrote it so the average person can understand it.

I want to thank you for your expertise. I feel as though I've been given a second chance at life, and plan on making the most of it! I've had no complications at all, 8 1/2 months out, and so far have lost 98 lbs! I can now get around without pain, I'm no longer out of breath after walking 30 ft, and I'm no longer an observer in the game of life, I'm a participant! You have helped sooooooo many people, directly and indirectly. Thank you so very much....... I'll be eternally grateful.

Sincerely,

One year update. I have lost 117 pounds and 69 inches. I had no idea that I could feel this good again. It is truly indescribable! Loosing weight has changed everything for me, the way I talk, walk, the way other people view me; it has even changed my personality. I would like to loose about 30 more pounds, but if I don't loose another pound, I will be eternally grateful for the gift that God, Dr. R., and I, gave myself, a year ago.

I went to Statesville to see Dr. R. for my one year check up. Unfortunately he was called to Raleigh and I didn't get to see him, but I did spend a lot of time talking with Elizabeth Robbins and Trish in his office. Elizabeth is hoot. She is very kind and makes you feel very welcome. Trish answered all questions I had and spent about an hour with me. The clinic had been cancelled, but I was still glad I went.

P. S. I recently went Rollerblading with my daughter, 37 years old and rollerblading. WOW.

To all pre-ops, hang in there, keep working on your packages, Dr. R. is worth every ounce of it. If you email me personally with your questions, I would love to be your contact.

On 3/27/01 I was about 24 hours into my new life. One year later, it is amazing the changes that I have seen. I have lost 114 lbs and gone from a size 26/28 to a size 10/12 on top and size 14 on the bottom. I expect to have a big change on the bottom following plastic surgery later this year or early next year, but even if I don't, I don't care. My life is so much better, so much more meaningful, and so much happier.

For the first time in my adult life (even adolescent life) I did not have a New Year's Resolution to lose weight. For the first time in my adult life, I enjoy going to shop for clothes. For the first time as a parent, I can keep up with and be actively involved in my children's lives. For the first time in my life, I really feel free. It's an amazing, wonderful thing, and I am savoring every day.

I am going to my doctor's office for my one year blood work and exam, but I expect everything to be great. I have been very diligent about keeping my doctor current on anything that has been happening, but very little has happened in the last year. I still take Prevacid on a daily basis, as recommended by my PCP, but that is the only thing that I am taking other than the regular meds and supplements.

I wish everyone a great day and a great year!

Hi Victoria,  

Hi,
2 years ago today I was out of surgery and looking forward to my new life. Boy if I would have known it was going to be so wonderful I would have done this a very long time ago. ..

My name is Penny, I had the surgery on March 23rd , 2000. I have lost ** 195 lbs ** and still lose a little from time to time, Up and down by about 5lbs.

My life has been a lot of ups and downs but mostly ups, because I don't let the downs get to me as much as I did before, I look forward to getting up in the mornings, I don't dread walking by a mirror anymore, I don't worry about people staring at me in public, I can actually go to a restaurant and not feel like everyone is staring at the big woman eating... ( I hated that)... I have gone from a size 26/28 to a 6...

<My waist from a size..( I'm almost ashamed to say it)... 51 to a 28. Wahoo, (-; I love shopping ( like we all do I'm sure). and I feel great, I haven't had any medical problems, no reflux, none of that. ( thank the lord).

I exercise a lot so that has helped with my skin. After losing as much as I did, there still a lot of skin, I had my body fat analysis done last week and It was 15%, which the trainer told me was on the lean side.

She said no more weight loss for me, to stay off the scales and to just concentrate on the toning. I've waited my whole life to hear those words, ( Penny you don't have to lose any more weight)... I'm sorry this is so long but I wanted to say Happy Anniversary to myself and let everyone out there know that there is another success story in North Carolina.

Thank you Dr Rutledge, I know I was a pest in the beginning but I'm glad you hung in t here with me and I will always be grateful to you for giving me this new life...