A Message of Thanksgiving from Joanna

Dr. Myers—

I hope this finds you well and moving forward. I think of you often and wonder where you have decided to practice, but I am especially thinking of you this week as I am reminded by this season to ponder all the things for which I am grateful.

You and your work, Dr. Myers, are near the top of the list, behind only God’s gift of a relationship with Him and the gifts he’s given me in my family and friends. Because of your work, you have helped to give me a life I thought I would never have. I am still surprised when I walk by the mirror at my new body, and it’s been four-plus years since surgery!

I have no pain in my joints and back because I don’t carry the extra weight that was previously putting stress on them. I have more energy to keep up with my disabled daughter and my teenagers. I no longer fear the blood-pressure cuff, which previously revealed increasing numbers. I enjoy shopping, and rather than worry about finding something that I feel comfortable in, I have to worry about spending a little bit too much money!

My husband, who has always been a loving, generous man, and claims he always found me beautiful, can’t stop telling me what a beautiful woman I am. I am more comfortable moving toward people and getting to know them and allowing myself to be known. I can’t think of any aspect of my life that having this surgery hasn’t touched. I feel that I have freedom to be the woman that God created me to be—a freedom that I’m sure that I had as a larger woman, but didn’t realize, didn’t grasp hold of.

I continue to meet people who have had bariatric surgery, and I am always glad to meet them and eager to share my story. I am increasingly shocked when I find out that many of them had little or no preparation in changing their eating habits, dealing with their emotions, and increasing their activity prior to surgery. I am even more shocked when I learn that some of these people are chewing food at 6 weeks! So, I’m not surprised, but definitely saddened, when I find out that these same people are returning to some of their old habits—particularly eating sugar—just months after their surgery! It is so sad!

I am so, so grateful to you Dr. Myers that you have refused to water down your standards and that you’ve chosen to stand by what you know is true about what is best about your patients. I wish you and your family only the best as you move forward in your career. I hope that wherever you have chosen to practice, that you will invite me sometime to speak at one of your seminars. I love to share my story, love to travel, and welcome the chance when I am able to get coverage for my special needs daughter Jessica.

Wishing you all the best this Thanksgiving season and always,

Joanna

Thank you for such a special Thanksgiving message. I am so pleased you are doing so well four years after your operation. I am in discussion with a hospital in Reading, Pa and Grand Rapids, MI. I will certainly let you know when we have made a final decision.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and to all of my patients.

Dr. Myers

More from James Bennett

James Bennett recently sent me more information and postoperative pictures to add the story he recently shared on the blog. Here are his additional comments:


My total weight loss I measure from the night I went to your seminar. I weighed in that night at 406 lbs. I now weigh between 182 and 185! From size 56 jeans to 34 slims! From big and tall to the young mens dept! Instead of being parked on the couch I now re-enjoy camping, hiking, lifting weights, fishing, golfing, and so on! personal physician doesn't think my idea of skydiving is safe because of my artificial hip and spinal fusion, but he may okay zip lining, which I am looking forward to! Jen and I would still be more than willing to speak for you wherever you move your practice to!

Sincerely, James Bennett

James Bennett Tells His Story

Having developed degenerative arthrits approximately fifteen years ago, I noticed severe pain and damage in my lower back and both hips. The more pain I was in, the less active I was, and kept gaining weight. In march of 2005, I had emergency abdominal surgery because of severe diverticulitis. I was off my feet for three months, and began gaining weight at a rapid pace.

In April of 2006, I had a full left hip replacement, followed by three months of physical therapy. Off my feet and work for another three months, gaining even more weight, but the pain was no better.

In March of 2007, I had a lumar spinal fusion because I had a disc basically disintegrate and had vertebrae grinding together. When the surgeon opened me up, he discovered one of the affected vertebrae was cracked, and also repaired that. This time, off my feet and work for four months, gaining even more weight. The pain was still severe

Then in January of 2008, I had read about Dr. Myers and bariatric surgery. After going to the seminar in Mansfield, I went home and weighed in at 406 pounds and knew this was the right decision for me. By this time, I was in so much pain I could not walk without a cane or walker, (That is me with the orage shirt sporting a cane in the third picture), and my wife had to push me in a wheelchair when we would go shopping. September 25, 2009 I had a gastric bypass procedure done by Dr. Myers. That day I weighed in at 376, having lost some weight by following the Fresh Start nutrionist diet and changing my eating habits.

The first three months were a little tough, going through the different stages of liquids and soft foods before getting back to a normal diet. The rapid weight loss kept me motivated, losing 80 pounds in the first 90 days. Slowly the pain FINALLY began to wane. Now I was really motivated.

Some things were difficult to adjust to, physically and psychologically, but the fresh start team was right beside me through it all. To date I have gone from a whopping 406 pounds (54 on the BMI chart) to 185 pounds (26 on the BMI chart)! Now instead of buying my clothes at big and tall, I shop in the young mens dept! Instead of laying on the couch in agonizing pain, I am golfing, hiking, camping, canoeing and all the other funs things I used to enjoy doing.My pain and stress level are way down and my attitude and self esteem are way up!

For me, sacrificing 3-4 helpings at dinner, bags of chips and cookies was a miniscule price to pay for the health and happiness I am enjoying everyday. Dr. Myers and the entire Freash Start team are definately the most caring and professional group I have ever met! I owe him my life.

James Bennett

Things Randal Hall Learned Before and After Bariatric Surgery

Randal Hall is an engineer who spoke at a recent seminar. He had a gastric bypass operation 10 months ago has lost a total of 200 lbs so far. He did a terrific job sharing many things he learned while proceeding through the process of bariatric surgery and printed his thoughts for us. I think you will enjoy reading them:






Things I Regret:
a.) Nothing!

Three things I wish I would have done differently:
I wish I would have taken more and better pictures and monitored my weight/size loss better.
I wish I would/could have done it sooner
I wish I would have started exercising sooner and stuck with the program better.

Things I didn't expect:
a.) I could have comprehended just how different my life could have been.
b.) My weight loss was very rapid.
c.) My size loss was not as rapid but much more steady than the weight loss.
d.) “Plateaus” are very frustrating but when they end the changes are dramatic.
e.) I became lactose intolerant, no big deal, I hate milk anyway.
f.) Reaction to the new “Me” varies greatly from awkward avoidance to wanting to know every detail.
g.) Size loss does not equal weight loss.

Things I am still learning:
a.) When I look in the mirror, sometimes I still see the “Old Me”, it is kind of weird.
b.) My eyes have not adjusted to my new reality. I see myself as the old size/lifestyle.
c.) Portion selection is still very difficult. I look at a very small portion and think that will never be enough and then I can only eat less than half of that.
d.) Buying clothes is difficult for a few reasons, self awareness of actual size and what fits today may not fit tomorrow.
e.) Chewing is critical, seriously! Few things are worse than getting food backed up, I learned fast to avoid this.

Things that worked out fantastic:
a.) Total lack of hunger (good and bad but the bad is manageable)
b.) Very small portions of food satisfy.
c.) Fluid consumption is not a problem, I can drink water/sports drinks normally as I use to.
d.) I don't notice increased energy levels, just increased endurance.

Things that disappointed me about the process:
a.) Sugar doesn't give me symptoms.
b.) Fats seem to cause mild dumping.
c.) High protein intake means you need to consume some sort of fiber trust me...
d.) While I don't get hungry, I get a feeling like low blood sugar when I need to eat, I try to avoid that.

Things I do different now:
a.) When I eat, I eat quality not quantity.
b.) I don't worry about a clean plate anymore, as a matter of fact, I don't know the last time I cleaned a plate. Wasting food is not good but it doesn't end up on my waist.
c.) I don't take elevators anymore; I don't get winded on the stairs now.
d.) I don't park close to the doors; I walk from the back of the lot now.
e.) I run, I just ran the Komen 5K in 41:00 and I run 4 miles 3-4 times a week.
f.) I can fly coach comfortably now. (This was a primary goal)
g.) I can buy clothes at department stores, non-Big & Tall stores. (This was a primary goal)
h.) I eat slowly, it is not a race and it makes me sick to eat fast now.

Things I recommend doing prior to surgery:
a.) Exercise
b.) Reduce portions
c.) Get use to eating small portions 6-8 times a day, this is critical practice.
d.) Do research. Research your surgeon, hospital, surgery method and every aspect of what you are about to do. I particularly recommend Dr. Myers and Fresh Start, they were absolutely fantastic to me.
e.) Once you start the program take pictures, weighing yourself can cause frustrations but pictures really lets you see your progress.
f.) Develop your story, you will be asked a lot of questions, if there are things you do not want to disclose, formulate your avoidance answers, you will be asked a lot of questions. Prepare for people to say rude things and ask inappropriate questions.
g.) Realize that this is not the easy way out, this is not easy at all. Your life will not be the same after the surgery.
h.) Prepare for post surgery. Have your foods ready and test them prior to make sure what you like, experimenting post surgery can be quite interesting.

Warnings From My Personal Experience:
a.) DO NOT proceed with the program unless you are 100% ready and confident with your choice!
b.) DO NOT think that the surgery is MAGIC!
c.) DO NOT think that you will be happier post surgery!
d.) DO NOT think people will stop judging you post surgery!
e.) DO NOT think that all of your eating troubles will go away post surgery!
f.) DO NOT think that this is the easy way out, while I didn’t find this to be difficult, if this is the easy way the hard way is to do nothing!
g.) DO NOT think the Fresh Start Staff is kidding when they tell you that you have to meet your weight goals before being released for surgery, they are not kidding!
h.) DO NOT think that if you really want to do this, that you CAN’T, you most certainly can!
i.) DO NOT think that my experience will be the same as yours!

Questions you may not be comfortable to ask me:
How much did I weigh before the program?
464lbs was my max weight.
424lbs was my surgery weight.
268 is my weight today.
200-225 is my goal weight.
Max Waist Pant Size: 52” current Pant Size: 38” and shrinking.

Do I have trouble eating anything?
Breads and stringy meats (chicken breast and roast beef) cause me the most issues but if you chew properly and eat slowly they are quite manageable.

Is sex better?
Yes! Very much so.

Do I consider what I did hard?
No, I think in the grand scheme it was pretty easy but there were points where I did ask myself what the heck I had done to myself. If I can do it anyone can do it.

What was the worst part of the whole surgery?
There were two particularly bad points. The first period was the three week period post-op. I was very sore and then one day I woke up and it was totally gone, like magic.
The second period was about 6 weeks out, I had to go back to thin liquids because I couldn't get or keep much down, that lasted for about 2-3 weeks and Dr. Meyers refers to this as the "Misery Window" and he is not joking. Since that period, I have felt fantastic. Other than being sore, I have never felt bad.

Do people treat me different now?
Some do, some don't. I don't let what people think of me effect how I think of me.

Do I tell everyone what I did?
No, not at first, not anymore. I did for a while and the reactions were mixed. I have adopted the "Less History More Mystery" model and it really reduces the drama. It is not that I am ashamed, it is that I prefer people get to know me now before I tell them about my history to avoid the prejudice.

What am I the most proud of?
I started running on October 1st of 2010 at 320lbs. I had not voluntarily run more than a few steps in 20 years. I started a Couch-to-5K program and by March 30th I had ran my first continuous 5 kilometers. I was able to run the Komen race without stopping in 41:00. I am very proud of this.

Can I go out to eat at restaruants?
Of course I do, I just choose much better than I use to but I still enjoy the experience just as much.



Thanks so much for sharing so much of your life with us. I know everyone will really appreciate this.I am also very proud of you. Not only for completing the 5K run but for all the work you are putting into getting your best result!

Best wishes for your ongoing sucess,

Dr. Myers

Recently I saw Angela McCaulley in my office. When I sat down across from Angella I first told Her,"I might see your name on this chart but I really do not know who you are!" Angela had her laparoscopic Roux en-Y gastric bypass performed by me nearly 18 months ago. She has had an amazing result as you can see.

She now walks or runs everywhere.

To remove some of the extra skin she had a "belt lipectomy" romoving skin from all around her waist about 6 months ago.

I did not feel so badly for not recognizing her after Angela told me even her grandmother did not recognize her!

Congradulations Angela, the great result you have obtained is the result of your exceptional efforts over the last 18 months.

Testimonial After Gastric Bypass

Jennifer Albalakousy has lost 96 lbs just 8 months after her laparoscopic gastric bypass operation and now wieghs just 175 lbs!

She has two children, Zahn who is two years old and Mazin who is five. "I can now keep up with them and play outside with them. We recently went ot Disney World and I had no feelings that I am too large to ride the rides. I would not have been able to do this before because I was too embarassed.

Congradulations! You should be very pleased with what you have accomplished and it has been great to see how supportive your husband has been throughout this process.

Testimonial: Kyle Harrington Shares His Gastric Bypass Results

Kyle Harrington is 34 and a science teacher of 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. He is also a father of twins, Jacob and Lilly, but he weighed 415 lbs and was struggling to do the things he needed to do. Fortunately, his wife and family were very supportive when he decided to have a Roux en-Y gastric bypass by Dr. Myers at Fresh Start Bariatrics at Riverside Methodist Hospital.

He did a great job before his bariatric operation losing 30 lbs so he could have his operation more safely. He weighed 385 lbs. at the time of his operation in December, 2009. He says having his operation was a “God send”. Kyle now weighs only 190 lbs!

He says he had a couple of “bumps” in the road including severe gout as he was losing his weight requiring prednisone and other anti-gout medicines. Also as he lost his weight it became clear he had a deformed coccyx that made it impossible to sit down. This was so difficult he had to have it removed by Dr. Myers surgically.

Now he is off several medicines including Benicar, Allopurinal, Cholchicine, Midrin, and the gabapentin he had been taking for fibromyalgia. He no longer has high blood pressure and is no longer having migraine headaches he no longer needs his CPAP machine for sleep apnea.

Now he is active in Scout’s and can even sit down in a normal position at the campsites!

Congratulations, Kyle, you have worked hard to get your best result from your operation and may God bless you and your family as you enjoy your fresh start life with your wife and twins.

Patient Testimonial / Gastric Bypass / Betty McCauley

See other testimonials on my YouTube channel. Go to Google and enter "DrSteveMyers YouTube".

Patient Testimonial Reversing Diabetes with Gastric Bypass

Christopher Anderson had a robotic gastric bypass by Dr Myers just one week ago and now is off of all of his diabetic medicines. Chis shares his story.

Patient Testimonial after lap gastric bypass

John Lyle has lost 143 lbs just 1 year following lap RNY gastric bypass. His knees are much better and he is having a positive effect on his daughter.

Robotic Gastric Bypass

Gastric Bypass Testimonial Deb Hoffman

Debbie Hoffman explains the results she has experienced 2 1/2 years after her Lap RNT gastric bypass operation. She has lost 131 lbs and kept it off.

For more patient stories from our practice by googling DrSteveMyers and selecting my YouTube channel.

Gastric Bypass - Jennifer Pierce Reports 3 Years Later

-----------------JENNIFER NOW-----------------



"Best thing I have ever done for myself!" Jennifer exclaimed. It was my privilege to see Jennifer Pierce in the office three years after her laparoscopic Roux en-Y gastric bypass by me at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

She was very willing to share some of her journey.

She told me she weighed 267 lbs before surgery and now weighs only 155 lbs. She is near ideal weight and doesn't she look great?

"I now love to work out," Jennifer said when I asked if she is staying active.

She is much happier as you can see from her photos. She has more confidence in herself and is feeling much better than before her operation.

Jennifer's weight loss is a result of her strong effort to get her best result from her operation by staying active and making great choices. She lost nearly all of her excess weight in the first year after her gastric bypass but her weight has remained stable since then.

Great job Jennifer! I am delighted with your result and you should be very proud of yourself for what you have accomplished and how you have kept the weight off.Keep up the good work!

Jeff Howard runs at Walt Disney World Half Marathon!

Dear Dr. Myers,

In January of 2010 my wife Kristie participated in the Walt Disney World Marathon. At that time I promised Kristie that I would participate in the Walt Disney World Half Marathon which would take place in January 2011. It was my hope that this goal would be the incentive I needed to once again try to lose the weight that for so long had been a health problem for me and was only getting worse with time. By May of last year not only had I not lost any weight, I had actually gained a few pounds. I was unable to walk a mile without becoming fatigued and out of breath. I felt that there was just no way I would be able to make good my promise to Kristie to participate in the half marathon or to get my weight under control



On June 12, with the encouragement of my family, friends and my physician I attended a Fresh Start seminar where I first met you and learned about gastric bypass surgery. After discussing the benefits and risks associated with the surgery with my family and personal physician I decided that it was time to get control of my life and my health. At the time of the June 12 seminar I weighed 305 pounds. My daily medications included Lantus insulin each night, Novolog insulin each morning, in addition to an oral diabetes medication. Also I was taking two different blood pressure medicines and two different medications for elevated cholesterol. My daily blood sugars ranged between 200 and 300 hundred each morning.

Only July 1 I completed my first round of testing at Fresh Start and met with the dietitians for the first time. After that first meeting I met with the Kristi Highly for monthly dietitian visits each month through August, September and October. Then on November 2 I had my gastric bypass surgery at Riverside Hospital and was discharged home on November 3. As of my discharge from the hospital I am no longer taking any medications for diabetes or high blood pressure. My daily blood sugars are now typically in the 90 to 100 range and my blood pressure at my last physician office visit was 128/78.

And today I am happy to share with you that on January 8, 2011 I participated with my wife, my daughter in law and her parents and 28,000 other runners and walkers in the Walt Disney World Half Marathon. I completed the 13.1 miles in 3 hours and 17 minutes and averaged a 15 minute mile pace throughout the race. And my weight as of the writing of this email is 215 pounds, a loss of 90 pounds since my first visit.

I cannot thank you and your entire staff for the wonderful care and support you have given Kristie and I throughout this continuing journey. You have given me my life back and I am sure you have added many years to my life with Kristie. I do not have the words to truly express my gratitude and can only say "Thank You and God Bless You" for using the gifts God has given you to help "people of size" like me.

Thanks again and I'll see you soon!

Jeff Howard


Jeff before his operation



Congratulations, Jeff, on a job well done and a promise kept! Thank you for alowing me to share your story on this blog. You are an inspiration to us all.
Dr. Myers

Laura England Loses 100 Pounds in Five Months!

BEFORE

Laura England had a laparoscopic gastric bypass five months ago and was seen in my office for her five month follow up visit today. She has lost 109 since her operation and only has 68 more pounds to lose by the end of her first year.

She says she has 100% more energy and looks forward to exercising. She even went shopping on "Black Friday".

She no longer needs to sit down while singing in the church chior!





Recently others living in her comdominium suprised her by celebrating with this sign:

Gene Carey shares his success story - Pt. 1

Gene Carey shares his success story - Pt. 2

Ramona Fleming and daughter Mellisa Hume share their success stories

Brian & Christine Stinecipher share their success stories after gastric bypass! Part 1

Brian & Christine Stinecipher share their success stories after gastric bypass! Part 2