Barbara - Gastric Bypass

I am a 50-year-old woman teacher. I am 157 cm tall and when I first saw Michael Booth at the end of October 2003 I weighed 125.6 kilograms. I am a type 2 diabetic and at that time in October was taking 850 mg of Metformin twice daily as well as a total of 62 units of insulin in 2 injections daily. In spite of this my diabetes was poorly controlled and my medication was being increased on each doctor's visit. I was diagnosed with asthma two years ago. I was on medication for high cholesterol and have had an underactive thyroid for nearly 20 years. I have been overweight all my life and have run the usual gamut of diets and slimming groups. I have visited dietitians and counsellors. I was constantly tired and my life was being increasingly affected by poor health. Despite very good advice, exercise was something I avoided with a passion. A gastric bypass was something I first considered about five years ago when exploring a range of options with my doctor. I put it to the back of my mind but kept reading and finding out about it from time to time. When I visited my doctor in early October I had put on more weight yet again and finally reached the decision that a gastric bypass was what I needed to have. Having reached the decision, things moved quickly. When I saw Michael Booth, he was very polite but told me my life options very clearly if I did not have the operation. He answered my questions and gave me literature to take away and read. Surgery was booked for 15th December. I saw Elizabeth Buchanan, the dietitian, a few days later. From her I received a diet that related well to my food preferences and work lifestyle. Two weeks before my operation I moved onto a puree diet and then two days prior to the operation, a clear liquid diet. At no time did I ever feel hungry, yet I lost 18 kilos in the six weeks before my surgery. Elizabeth was available for consultation by e-mail or phone throughout this time. It was recommended that I walk 30 minutes a day. This was quite hard at first and I had to have stops along the way. By the time of the operation, I was walking 40 - 45 minutes daily. I liased weekly with my diabetic nurse and my insulin and Metformin were gradually reduced. Two days before the operation, I ceased diabetic medication altogether. I was able to have my operation done laparoscopically. The operation was done Monday afternoon and I went home on Thursday morning. While it was certainly uncomfortable it was not as painful as I anticipated and I recovered quite quickly. On the Sunday after the operation I was able to walk 1 kilometre. I would say that within a month I was back to a normal lifestyle. I have a few small scars but nothing dramatic. I remained on clear liquid for a few days and then a puree diet for another 3 - 4 weeks, before gradually moving onto a "normal" diet.Was it worth it? You bet! As of now, 6th March 2004, I take no diabetic medication and no cholesterol medication. My blood pressure medication and thyroxine have been halved. I am still on asthma medication but I feel my asthma has improved considerably. Since the operation I have lost roughly another twenty kilos, a total of 38 kilos. Currently, I seem to be losing about a kilo a week. I have been lucky and have apparently not developed any food intolerances. I have not had any dumping syndrome episodes although I do throw my food back up 2 or 3 times a week at this point. This is usually associated with eating it too fast or not chewing it enough when I am in a hurry. It is not a reaction to the food as I can have the same food at the next meal quite happily. I have eaten out at restaurants 3 times recently. I had to choose what I had very carefully but, apart from eating less than half the meal, had no ill effects. I used to convince myself that I was a size 26, but there were a lot of clothes that size that did not fit. I am now a size 18 and beginning to move into a 16. Last week I bagged up all my old clothes and gave them to charity. When I went back to school at the beginning of February, the children said, "Miss, you are so skinny!" One girl said, "Miss, you are a gorgeous woman now!" I am walking for about an hour most days and am going to a Tai Chi class once a week. As the days are starting to get colder and darker, I am going to join a gym soon. Imagine this from someone who avoided exercise like the plague! I am going on holiday in April. I know I will fit in the plane seat and won't need a seatbelt extension. I know that, whether I eat or not, I will at least be able to put the food tray down. Life is looking very good.

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