Elisa V. from Houston, TX

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I have been overweight most of my life.  I weighed 85 lbs. in the first grade; 142 lbs. in the fourth grade; and over 200 lbs. by the time I was in junior high school.  Many members of my immediate family are obese.  When I was 25 years old, my mother, who was obese and had heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and renal failure, died on December 3, 1990 of complications due to diabetes.  She was only 47 years old.  I was devastated and ate everything and anything to dull the pain.  By the spring of 1991, my weight escalated from 240 lbs. to 288 lbs.  Between 1991 and 1995, I tried numerous weight loss programs (i.e., Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Atkins, etc.) to no avail.  In 1998, I joined a medically-supervised weight loss program and drank only protein shakes for 16 weeks (Arrgghh!!).  I lost 50 lbs., but I couldn’t sustain the weight loss once I started back on solid food.  I gained 40 lbs. back within two months.  

In 2001, I was diagnosed with diabetes, which was a death sentence for me.  My fear of death caused me to overeat (go figure!), and my weight escalated from 278 lbs. to 318 lbs.  At the time, I was living in Massachusetts.  I decided to speak to my primary care physician about WLS.  She was dead set against it “given the risks” and recommended that I exercise daily and limit my caloric intake to 1800 calories a day.  She referred me to a nutritionist and that was the end of the discussion as far as she was concerned.  For the next four years I struggled with portion control and finding time to exercise.  I now had high blood pressure, a thyroid condition, and my diabetes was spiraling out of control.  When I allowed myself to even consider WLS, I felt such shame that I put the thought out of my mind.  Here I was this successful business woman who had achieved so much, and yet I couldn’t lose weight on my own and was now considering medical intervention!  I felt like such a failure.

In 2005, my partner and I relocated to Houston, TX.  I was only in Houston one week, when I developed a severe cough.  I went to the emergency room, and the triage nurse asked me if I had ever considered weight loss surgery.  I was astounded and somewhat offended, as her question didn’t seem to have anything to do with the reason for my cough.  Once we were settled in Houston, my first order of business was to find a new primary care physician, diabetes practitioner and thyroid specialist.  Each of the new doctors with whom I met over the next few months recommended WLS within the first 10 minutes of meeting me.  I finally decided that maybe it was time for me to start researching WLS as a potential remedy for my morbid obesity and to work through my personal shame issues regarding WLS.

I decided to confer with people who had had WLS.  My partner’s sister had had WLS in 2003 and she looked awesome.  My best friend knew five people who had had WLS.  In fact, most of my friends and coworkers knew someone who had had WLS.  I initially spoke with six people before I starting researching WLS myself, and NO ONE regretted their decision to have WLS.  That really inspired me!  I started researching WLS online in early 2006. I was terrified to say anything to anyone, so I only told my partner. I bought and read a couple of books regarding WLS (namely Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies and The Doctor's Guide to Weight Loss Surgery: How to Make the Decision That Could Save Your Life), which were highly informative. I obtained the names of doctors in Houston, TX who performed WLS and also accepted BCBS PPO from The American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) Website. I downloaded the Gastric Bypass Owners Manual from The Bariatric Center at Georgetown Community Hospital Website, as well as a few other useful documents that I found online (please see useful resources listed below).

Once I had a list of questions and concerns, I decided to meet with Younan Nowzaradan, M.D., F.A.CS. as he had extensive bariatric surgery experience (28 years), laparoscopic surgery experience (18 years), and laparoscopic bariatric surgery experience (6 years). In fact, Dr. Nowzaradan was one of first physicians in Houston to perform laparoscopic bariatric surgery on patients in excess of 700 lbs.  I had my first appointment with Dr. Nowzaradan on February 28, 2006. He answered all of my questions and seemed very committed to his bariatric patients. I filled out some paperwork, which enabled him to compose a letter that was subsequently sent to BCBS. Four weeks later I received my approval letter from BCBS and scheduled my WLS for late June! (Yea!!) In addition, I met with Dr. Nowzaradan a few weeks prior to my surgery date to have some pre-op tests done (my pre-op testing consisted of a barium swallow, a chest x-ray, and blood tests).  A week before my WLS, I had an endoscopy, which showed that I had GERD.  I was prescribed Nexium. 

The thought of dying from elective surgery plagued me once my surgery was scheduled. To ease my mind and calm my nerves, I decided to read a book my godmother had given me entitled Prepare for Surgery, Heal Faster: A Guide of Mind-Body Techniques, as well as, listen to the accompanying relaxation/healing CD on my iPod. Although I was extremely leery of meditation, I found that the relaxation/healing CD reduced my anxiety tremendously. An hour would pass in what felt like minutes! On the morning of June 27, 2006, Gemma and I arrived at the Renaissance Hospital in Houston, TX at 7:00am sharp. I was extremely nervous and anxious. I listened to music on my iPod and waited for my name to be called. Within an hour, I was registered and lying in a hospital bed. Gemma was not allowed to wait with me, so I laid there alone waiting to be wheeled into the operating room. At 11:00am I was wheeled into the operating room.  I kept repeating the following healing statement in my mind as my anesthesia was being administered, “Following my surgery, I will feel comfortable and heal very quickly.”  I pictured myself walking around the hospital ward following my surgery, and I surrounded my stomach with as much love and warmth as I could muster.  Within what seemed liked seconds, I was out cold!

I was extremely disoriented when I awoke in the recovery room.  I was shuddering and everything was hazy.  I was in extreme pain and begged for a pain killer.  I was given a swallow test, but I don’t remember it.  Gemma was there to comfort me, but I don’t remember that either.  I won’t bore you with a lot of gory details regarding my surgery.  Suffice to say that within a day, my pain had subsided substantially.  I didn’t require much morphine.  I was able to walk around the ICU ward and go to the bathroom on my own!  The greatest gift … I was immediately taken off my diabetes meds!  Yea!!  I was released from the hospital on Thursday, June 29, 2006.  I felt great!  My blood sugar was normal; my blood pressure was normal.  (Unbelievable!!)  I was able to walk out of the hospital instead of being wheeled out in a wheelchair.  Sitting in the car was slightly uncomfortable, but the ICU nurse gave me a pillow to hold against my stomach, which helped a lot. 

I had a very easy recovery.  I didn’t require much pain medication.  I was up and about in no time.  I never vomited or had diarrhea.  To date, I have not suffered from constipation or depression.  I no longer take prescription meds for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or GERD.  I feel awesome!  WLS saved my life!!

Weight Loss Photos

Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies

The Doctor's Guide to Weight Loss Surgery: How to Make the Decision That Could Save Your Life

Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery: Over 140 Delicious Low-Fat, High-Protein Recipes to Enjoy in the Weeks, Months and Years after Surgery

Cooking with Soul: Soulful Cuisine Tailored for Gastric Bypass Patients and Those Who Seek a Bit of Soul in Their Low Carb Low Fat Diet

Losing The Last 30 Pounds: Fundamentals of Weight Loss

Exodus from Obesity: The Guide to Long-Term Success After Weight Loss Surgery

DietMinder Personal Food & Fitness Journal (A Food and Exercise Diary)

Useful WLS Links

The American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) Website

UNJURY Medical Quality Protein for Bariatric Surgery Patients

Nutritional Supplements for Bariatric Surgery Patients

Gastric Bypass Owners Manual

Gastric Bypass Post-op Diet – Phase 1

Gastric Bypass Post-op Diet – Phase 2

Gastric Bypass Post-op Diet – Phase 3

Gastric Bypass Post-op Diet – Phase 4

UW Health Bariatric Surgery Nutrition Program

FitDay Online Diet & Weight Loss Journal

Calculate Your BMI

Calculate Your BMR

Microsoft Tools for Getting in Shape

Microsoft Nutrition Tools

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