Patient Success Stories

At age 59, with the onset of diabetic neuropathy, a life threatening condition, and a humiliating encounter with a rude man, she found herself at the end of her rope. Carolyn “finally became sick and tired of being sick and tired”. “You know it's time for a major change when you make a call to the funeral home to make your funeral arrangements,” says Carolyn.

And change was exactly what she did. Carolyn has lost more than 216 pounds since she had weight loss surgery in December of 2007 and almost all of her medical conditions are gone. “Even though I would probably be considered a ‘poster child’ for weight loss surgery I still encounter struggles,” says Carolyn. “The major struggle I deal with everyday is the enormous fear of going back. Every time the scale moves a pound or two, I wonder if the “warranty” is up on the surgery,” she continues. “Because obesity is a lifelong disease that we battle, I understand now that the mental war is just as important as the physical one and the battle is never really over.”
 
Carolyn’s commitment to lifestyle changes that are essential to maintaining a healthy body has not only extended her life but have opened up opportunities she never thought possible. “I'm most proud of what I have accomplished after the weight loss. I am one of the few women authorized to perform safety training in surface and underground mining operations for the Federal Government’s Mine Safety and Health Administration,” says a beaming Carolyn. “When I walk into a class full of men that have years of mining experience I feel so privileged to be there and be accepted. This would not have been possible for me when I weighed 368 lbs. either physically or emotionally.”

Carolyn’s steadfast commitment to making the most out of every day is inspirational, but the ongoing support she provides to others is truly remarkable. “I believe God gave me a big mouth for a reason. I love to share my experience about this incredible journey. If it can give hope to those that have run out of hope then I will never give up sharing,” she concludes.

At 50, Mark was surprisingly free of the life threatening co-morbidities like diabetes, and neuropathy that typically accompany morbid obesity, but he did have severe sleep apnea, elevated blood pressure, and knew that more life threatening conditions were just around the corner. His decision to get help was an “all in” decision.  “Three of my four siblings had gastric bypass surgery and I watched what they experienced.  For me, it wasn’t really about courage. It was about being all in,” says Mark. “I walked laps around my hospital floor the night of my surgery. That’s how focused I was.”

Even after deciding to have weight loss surgery Mark’s journey took another several years while he waded through the insurance process. As soon as he was eligible, Mark sat down with Dr. Pilcher and discussed his options.  At a weight of nearly 500 pounds his options were somewhat limited and gastric bypass surgery ended up being the most fitting solution. “One of the reasons that I chose the gastric bypass was that I knew it was permanent. No turning back,” comments Mark. “This was literally the last resort for me and as I said, I was all in. Plus, it’s what Dr. Pilcher recommended and I trust him implicitly.”

Mark considers himself extraordinarily fortunate to have had the complete and total support of his family and friends.  “My wife has become really good at cooking healthy food. The entire family has lost weight as a result of my journey,” says Mark. Even so, his journey has not been without struggle.  On Dr. Pilcher’s advice, Mark was able to take a six-week, short – term disability leave from his job which allowed him to fully recover from the surgery and devote his time and attention to getting his life straight.  During the first 6 weeks following his surgery, Mark spent 20-30 hours in the gym, developed new eating and lifestyle habits, quit smoking, and lost 80 pounds.  By the time I returned to work, “I was ready to face all those people and all of the temptations. It was good that I separated myself from what had been my normal environment and I credit Dr. Pilcher with helping me make the second best decision of my life,” says Mark.  “Some things like eating out with family and co-workers can be a bit challenging because people feel uncomfortable if I just sip on water or coffee and enjoy the conversation rather than ordering from a menu that provides nothing that I can eat.  I’ve found that if I’m totally honest and just let people know that I’m perfectly fine with not eating they are put at ease and can deal with the situation.”

Mark is in the best physical shape of his life – he regularly participates in street bike races and rides 100 miles without even thinking about it.  He is proud that he is able to do things with his family and kids and says that “I have literally extended my life by decades.  I know that I’ll be around for my family, my kids, and even grandkids and that’s something that you just can’t put a price on.” Mark continues to maintain a svelte 225 pounds and serves as a role model and inspiration to everyone who is on their own personal weight loss journey.

At the age of 18, I began having symptoms of high blood-pressure but the doctors assumed it was nerves and did nothing about it. This continued until I was 25 and doctors finally diagnosed me with high blood pressure and put me on medication. In addition, I was borderline diabetic. However, these are only the physical complications of my obesity. I also suffered from depression and had next-to-no self-esteem.

I joined my sister, who was also obese, in looking into options for losing weight. Having had an aunt who unsuccessfully had her stomach stapled, we did not even consider surgery until the nurse at the school where we worked informed us that she had had a gastric bypass several years earlier. She looked great and her health was next to perfect. She encouraged us to look into the procedure. After some research, my sister was gung-ho and had the operation immediately. I was a little more reluctant. I loved food and was not sure that I wanted to give it up. I prayed about it and went back and forth between whether or not I should have surgery.

Seeing my sister have a very successful operation and recovery made me lean towards having the surgery, but I was still reluctant. After making the decision to have it done, I was scheduled for surgery only two days later! Yes, two days! Having known people who had trouble getting scheduled, I took this as a sign and decided to go for it. That is a decision I have never regretted.

In the beginning, I had minor complications and had to return to the operating room a few weeks after the initial surgery. Even with all of the complications, the changes that resulted made the entire process worth it and I would do it again tomorrow.

Throughout the process, my entire family completely supported me – even those cousins who were jealous that I could have it done. I never heard a discouraging word – they were all truly amazing! The hospital and its staff were also incredible. I had my initial surgery at Main Methodist and the follow-up was at Methodist Specialty and Transplant. I had such a good hospital experience – both hospitals and the care I received at each were wonderful.

This surgery has changed my life in so many ways. My life was given back to me. In a way, I got to start over. The physical changes are obvious. Before the surgery, I weighed 373 lbs. I now weigh 192 lbs, making my total weight loss 180 lbs. A few months after my surgery, I joined a gym and have continued to work out regularly 3-5 times per week. I no longer take medication for high blood pressure and I no longer need the breathing machine I used at night for sleep apnea. Not only am I not on the machine, I no longer snore at all.

The first few weeks after surgery were terribly difficult for me. For so much of my life, I depended on food. When I could no longer depend on it, it almost felt as if I had to deal with the loss of my closest friend. However, as time went by, I became more accustomed to my new way of eating. I began to realize that food was not everything. Before the surgery, I would go out to eat and some friends would just happen to be there. After the surgery, I would go out with friends and we might have something to eat. I still crave sugary foods from time to time, but I now realize that there is more to life than eating.

Of course my eating patterns have changed, but so has everything else. I now have confidence that I never had before. I am no longer afraid to speak up for myself and am more assertive. I feel like a person now. I actually like myself now.

For the most part, my relationships have improved, but there are some relationships that may not be able to be helped. Overweight friends have said that I am a sell-out and act somewhat jealous of my success. I just have to tell myself that I did not do this for them or their approval. I have more fun now with my friends because I actually feel like going out and doing things. I am much more outgoing and make friends easily. I am also now dating – something that I had not done much of before the weight loss.

I have more energy to work. Being a teacher, my job is very active, and I now have the drive to actively participate with my students. I have made some enemies, though, because I now speak up and don’t let coworkers take advantage of me as I once did.

I would have the surgery again in a heartbeat. The only thing I would do differently would be to better prepare myself for the drastic changes in my life that came with weight loss surgery.

I would like to tell prospective patients to follow their hearts. The surgery may not be for everyone, but it saved my life. I am now the happy, healthy person that I always wanted to be.

My husband was slipping away and I thought I could make him happy if I was thinner. I felt I could change things between us. If he liked the way I looked, he might treat me better. He wouldn’t make cracks about my weight, I wouldn’t get my feelings hurt, and then maybe we’d get along. I wanted the surgery for him. It was the wrong reason, and thank goodness things didn’t work out at that time with the surgery…or him! I needed time to love myself again in order to have the surgery for the right reasons!

I had to wait several years to reach that point. I received my degree, started my career and was relatively happy…except for the weight. I had reached over 250 pounds and I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t exercise because the weight on my joints was excruciating, and worse, I had learned how to make food, instead of people, my comfort. My obesity had become a disease. I knew I was putting the new life I had created in jeopardy if I didn’t do something.

My mother researched available procedures, and my brother and I began to look at her findings. We found out that the school nurse for the campus where we taught had gone through the procedure in which we were interested. I wanted to talk to her about it, but I was hesitant. I kept going back and forth between, “Yes, I’m going to do this,” and “No, I could die, and fat is not worth dying for.” I finally talked to her and she pointed me in the direction of New Dimensions Weight Loss Surgery.

Once I started the process for having surgery, I was excited but also scared. I had never had more than dental surgery in my life! Even through the process and preparation for surgery, I was still going back and forth between going through with it or ducking out. I finally had a revelation. I knew that death was a risk of the surgery and I was scared, but I was absolutely terrified of living the rest of my life unhappy. I realized I was at a crossroads, and I had to decide what was most important: quantity of life or quality. My obesity was ruining my quality of life. I had closed myself off from any romantic relationships, I hardly ever went out with friends, and when I did go out, I played the role of the “fat, funny friend.” If I laughed at myself then no one else could laugh at me. The best defense is a good offense! I knew that wasn’t me. I had so much more to give to the world, and it was then that I decided that I was ready. For me! Not for a husband, not for the people around me. I was ready to do it for me.

The day of surgery was scary. I cried all the way to the hospital, but I really shouldn’t have been so afraid. The hospital staff and everyone involved were great. They put me at ease and took care of me every step of the way. My surgeon, Dr. Stegemann, was fantastic and so patient with me. I couldn’t have asked for better care. Recovery was quick and relatively painless. In fact, I was off all pain medication the day after surgery. Other than being a bit sore, I felt fine. I was released on schedule with a clean bill of health.

The first two weeks were the hardest. I realized my disease was more emotional than anything. I needed to eat to feel good, and then suddenly, my best friend (food) was gone. I spent a little time resenting those around me for being able to eat what I no longer could. Yes, I’ll admit it – I actually resented people for their hamburgers! That soon faded away….along with the pounds, and the pain in my joints when I walked, and the stigma of being obese, and the shame and hurt I’d been carrying around with me since my marriage. I’ve now lost about 105 pounds. I’ve gone from a size 22 to a size 8, and I feel fantastic!

I work out now. I love yoga, walking and swimming, and I actually have the energy to do it! I’ve also been working on more than my body. I realized going through this procedure that my problem wasn’t just physical. New Dimensions Weight Loss Surgery helped me get in contact with an excellent therapist for a few months after the surgery, and I’ve chosen to remain in therapy even after that time to continue feeling better about myself and life in general. I also have a social life now. I go out with my friends, and I’m actually dating… good guys that treat me well. It’s amazing what a little confidence will do for you!
I’ve been lucky that everyone in my life has been incredibly supportive of the surgery and proud and happy for me. Outside of my friends and family I get mixed reactions; some are happy for me, some are surprised that I was ever obese, and a few even look at me with disgust at the thought of someone ever being obese. The trick is to understand that some people just don’t understand. Then I have to remember that I didn’t have the surgery for them, I did it for me.

I had a particularly great experience with my surgery, but some people don’t have it as easy. My younger brother had minor complications, and my mother, due to a prior surgical procedure on her stomach, had more serious complications. Each of us, however, would tell you we’d do it again in a second. For each of us it was worth it. It was wonderful to experience it myself, but it was incredible to be able to share the experience with them.

Everyone has to decide for him or herself what makes you happy. In my case, this surgery helped me find what I needed to be happy. I would certainly suggest that anyone considering it be prepared for not just the physical changes, but the emotional changes as well. Everything changes inside and out. I can’t stress how much this has helped me and changed my life. I’m confident, and I like myself again. I’m not model-thin, but I never wanted to be. I just wanted to be happy, and although this surgery certainly doesn’t make life perfect, I believe it’s helped me get on the right track.

In the beginning, my family thought I was crazy, but I didn’t care. I realized that I needed to do what would make me happy. My family eventually understood this and realized they had no choice but to support me. They were all there for me at the hospital on the day of my surgery.

My surgical experience and hospital stay both went well. Luckily, I had a friend who had weight loss surgery a few months before me, and she offered some good advice and tips about the procedure. For example, when the doctors pull the tube out of your mouth the day after surgery, take a deep breath so that you won’t feel it as much. The best advice she gave me, however, was to follow the doctor’s orders. When they tell you to get up and start walking, make yourself get up and walk – it helps the recovery process. I had my surgery on a Monday and was able to go home on Wednesday night.

Since the surgery, my life has changed for the better. I have lost 100 pounds and now weigh 145 pounds again. With the weight loss, my sleep apnea and back problems also disappeared. I still love food, but I’ve learned my limits and know how to enjoy what I can eat. I still eat pretty much what I used to but now I eat in moderation. Before my surgery, sweets were my downfall. I would not finish dinner just so I could eat my entire dessert, but now, dessert is no longer a priority. When I do have dessert, I will eat just a couple of bites – enough to satisfy my craving.

I am much more confident in my daily activities. Before my surgery, I could not go to a restaurant or a movie by myself. Now I can go to the mall and sit in the food court for a quick bite and not feel self conscious. I also travel much more. Exercising is still not a part of my daily life. The desire to work out is there, but I just don’t have the energy yet.

Surgery has even affected my relationships. Luckily, my husband is my best friend and the experience brought us even closer. While the relationships with my family pretty much stayed the same, I initially I experienced feelings of jealousy from some of the overweight women at work. Now, some of them have had weight loss surgery.

Would I make the same decision (to have weight loss surgery) again? Definitely. The pain I experienced during my recovery was worth the weight loss results. My advice to others considering weight loss surgery is to listen to your heart and do what is right for you. Everyone will have an opinion, whether it is good or bad, but in the end, you need to do what will make you happy. And for me, losing weight in order to have a healthy life has made me happy.

About a year later, after my friend attended his first support group meeting at Staple Mates, he mentioned that I could probably qualify for surgery. I remember being a little offended because I thought a person had to be a lot more than 100 pounds overweight to qualify for surgery. After doing some research, I discovered that my weight was borderline but because I had related health complications (high blood pressure and sleep apnea), I could qualify for weight loss surgery.

I decided to call and make an appointment – but the first available appointment was nearly a year away! I started talking about it at work and while some coworkers were supportive, many of the surgeons were quite opposed. They repeatedly told me how dangerous surgery is, and that I was not that heavy. My daughter, who was also overweight, was very angry with me. She told me I was taking the easy way out, and that I just like to have surgery. I was able to talk her into going to Staple Mates with me, and after the second meeting she called and made an appointment for herself. She actually was able to have surgery before me! Meanwhile, my friend underwent his surgery and was doing great. He had to answer about 1,001 of my questions!

The surgery and hospital experience went very smoothly for me, and I didn’t have any complications. I accidentally pulled out my IV the evening of my surgery so I couldn’t have morphine through an IV but the oral pain pills worked just as well. Being a nurse, I know how important it is to get up and move around after surgery so I walked in the hall every chance I got. I went home on my third post-op day and continued walking frequently after I got home. My neighbor, a surgeon, was very surprised to see me out walking and to see how well I was doing.

The hardest part after surgery was adjusting to what I could eat (or rather the very small amounts of what I could eat) and not being able to drink for 1 hour after eating. I had to set a timer so I could know when I could start drinking. It was amazing how satiated I felt with such a small amount of food. There were times, however, when I did not listen to my body. I would feel full but think there is no way I could have been because I had only eaten a few bites. I would take one more bite and then experience terrible pain. I even vomited once. Eventually I learned to listen to my body.

I feel that the surgery has changed my life in so many good ways. My health is definitely much better. I still have a mild case of sleep apnea even with the weight loss, but I am off all blood pressure medications and my chronic fatigue is nearly gone. I still have occasional aches and pains that come with age but at least now I am not aggravating my joints with the extra weight. It has been almost three years since my surgery and I feel I can pretty much eat anything I want. It’s just a matter of much smaller amounts and making the right choices. If I choose to have too many carbohydrates, I will feel nauseated and sleepy and have what I call my “carb coma.” I try to limit my carb intake and make sure I eat plenty of protein and vegetables.

Weight loss surgery is a tool and patients must choose to make the right choices. The choices are just much easier to make now than they were before. I continue to watch my weight very closely. I have a 5 pound range I use to measure my choices. I may make choices that are not the healthiest or best for weight loss but if I start getting to the top of my 5 pound range then I start choosing more wisely until I am back down to the bottom of my 5 pound range. I don’t ever want to get out of control again like I was prior to surgery.

It is now much easier to do my job as an Operating Room nurse – moving equipment, beds, patients, etc. I don’t get as tired and my legs don’t hurt as badly at the end of the day. I’m also in a relationship after being divorced for 25 years. Before surgery, I had become a recluse and didn’t go out much. I started riding a motorcycle about 2 years prior to surgery and met someone from my motorcycle club. I also got to do something that I would never have been able to do without the weight loss because of a weight limit – skydiving! I did my first tandem jump for my 51st birthday. Talk about a high!!

Without a doubt, I would have the surgery again. I have absolutely no regrets, and I don’t think I would do anything differently. My only suggestion would be to go to a counselor for a period of time before and after to resolve or work on the issues that helped in becoming overweight in the first place. My message for those considering weight loss surgery is that you have to know it is a tool and not a cure. You still have to do your part in making the right healthy choices. The surgery makes it easier to make those choices because there is such a rapid weight loss and the immediate positive feedback makes it even easier to follow the recommended guidelines of protein, protein, protein, vegetables and no beverages for 1 hour after eating.

It is important to learn good eating habits during the first months after surgery, or what we call the “honeymoon phase,” because it will make it easier as time passes and you can start tolerating more foods (like carbs). Plan on going to the support groups – they can be really helpful to get you through some of the difficult times. Also, start writing in a journal prior to surgery and take lots of pictures! You will actually enjoy looking back at your “before” pictures and listening to people’s responses. I took pictures the day of my surgery and every month after for the first year because it’s easy to forget how far you have come. It can be a great morale booster to look back at pictures and to read your journal.

I can’t believe my three year anniversary will take place in September 2005. Time has gone by really fast. I still continue to make occasional mistakes with my eating and have to pay for it with nausea and just feeling generally lousy, but I am really glad I still have that happen. In some way, it helps keep me in check.

In August 1999, my father and I were playing softball when he had a massive heart attack and died. Every one of my dad’s brothers and sisters that have passed away has died of heart attacks. DING, DING, DING…. a bell went off in my head. I thought, “Maybe it is time to do something about this.” Surgery came to mind.

It wasn’t until January 2002, when I received a call from a good friend, that surgery resurfaced in my life. My friend said he had a dream that I died, and he strongly urged me to get another check-up even though I had just completed my yearly physical. I went and the doctor told me I was on the verge of hypertension, and I needed to do something about my weight because it would only get worse.

A month later, after years of seriously thinking about surgery, I called Dr. Pilcher’s office and scheduled my appointment. The visit with Dr. Pilcher was set for March, and I brought my wife with me so she could ask questions and voice her concerns. Later that week, I told my mother, sister, and brother about my decision and that it was for my health and my family’s welfare. I had the support of my entire family. Going into surgery, I weighed 460 pounds, and to say I was a little scared would be an understatement. Luckily, my entire family and my pastor were there to support me. I knew I was going to be all right, though, because two days earlier I had just found out that my wife was pregnant with our second child.

The surgery went as planned. Later that afternoon I was up and walking; it was painful, but I had to be strong if I wanted the recovery process to go quickly. The staff at Methodist Hospital treated me like a king. They were all very helpful and very patient. After two days I was able to go home to recover. It took about three weeks of recovery until I was able to go back to work, but I didn’t fully recover until three months later. I had open surgery rather than laparoscopically (via small incisions) so my surgery was more invasive and my recovery process was longer. One year post-op, I had lost 180 pounds but my gall bladder gave out. Since the doctors removed it, I haven’t had any complications whatsoever.

Many things have happened in my life since my surgery. My relationship with my beautiful wife is stronger than ever. The weight loss has given me more stamina, a longer sex drive and a healthy sex life. We now have three children and are expecting our fourth. My family and I are able to go out to restaurants, movies, the park – anywhere. One of the best experiences I’ve had was when I took my son to SeaWorld for his third birthday, and I was able to get on all the rides. Before surgery, you would have never found me in a place like that.

I have also experienced many changes professionally. Before my surgery, I was an Assistant Manager for National Tire & Battery. I am now the Area Manager for all four San Antonio stores and early next year, I will become the District Manager for five new stores we are opening. My relationship with my co-workers is also much better. I am much more confident and am able to help the business or the customers in any way they need. I am not afraid, and I no longer hide from people.

On the negative side, I have regained about 15 pounds and I don’t like it. Dr. Pilcher told me that the hardest part of surgery is maintaining my weight for the rest of my life. I am able to eat a little more than I could right after surgery but I don’t eat nearly the amount I used to and I never want to get back to that place. I have learned to listen to my body and stop eating when I am full. I also try to stay active. The weight loss makes exercising and working out much easier and more rewarding. I play softball two nights a week, and I am still surprised by how fast I can run. I have had three in-the-park home runs where I have been able to run all the bases!

Overall my experience has been very positive and my future looks great. I would definitely do it all over again. For those considering weight loss surgery, I leave you with three pieces of advice in order to have a successful experience. First, pray about it. Second, get 100% support from your family. Finally, listen to your doctors. They know what they are doing.