Advice and Experience with Bariatric Surgery

My name is Julia and recently Doctor Miller has asked me to share some of what I learned with you.

If you are considering weight loss surgery my first advice is to consult Northside Family Care and check if you have actively pursued all your other weight loss options first.

Then if you really have done this, pray for the wisdom to choose the procedureand surgeon that is best at the procedure you feel would be best suited for you. Ask many questions and go to a couple of the support group meetings to learn what many of the patients who have gone through this have to say and ask as many questions as you can think of.

All the”Bariatric Centers of Excellence” designated Centers have support group meetings and welcome visitors. Believe me, most of us who have gone through bariatric surgery feel very passionate about helping and being there for others about to embark on this journey!

Build a Support System

Take your family or friends with you! You will need a strong support system along with your faith in GOD to help. The more your support system knows the better they will be able to be there for you both emotionally and physically. If you are reading this then most likely you are a patient of NorthsideFamily Care and you already have an amazing support team to add to your family and friends!

Vitamins

One of the most important things following bariatric surgery is your vitamin regimen. This is not optional! It is very important that you take your vitamins and I have learned quite a bit through trial and error.

Just as most things range in quality and effectiveness. I started out buying the bargain brands and struggled getting my levels where they were supposed to be. I especially had issues with my Calcium, Iron and my Vitamin D levels. Understanding that I was taking all of these supplements and still falling below acceptable levels was very frustrating. I learned again from Northside Family Care and reading that there are several kinds and quality sources of all different vitamins and the effectiveness is dependent on the quality and the ability for your body to absorb them. I also learned that after bariatric surgery your body can not absorb nearly as effectively as before so the absorption ability of your vitamins is CRITICAL!

I tried all different brands and dosages before finally finding the right combination. Once I did I can honestly tell you that I feel so much better. My lab work also now shows that I am getting the necessary nutrients needed to be well. I get most of my vitamins from Northside Family Care as the quality and absorption are far higher than any I havefound on the market. I also learned that when it comes to Calcium there is generally two kinds – Calcium Carbonate and Calcium Citrate. The Calcium Citrate is much more effective than Calcium Carbonate so spend a little extra and purchase the most effective kind. Iron has a similar problem. I purchased many kinds which were too strong for my new sensitive stomach so I started purchasing the reactive iron. I could tell it was much easier on my stomach within just a couple of days. Ialso have learned that vitamin D is critical for the proper absorption of your calcium among other things and I take it daily too.

I hope some of this information might save someone some time and eliminate some of the trial and error I went through before learning all this. The bottom line really is that no matter where you choose to purchase your vitamins, do some research on the quality and the absorption ease of the vitamins. Remember that your body doesn’t have the ability to absorb as it did prior to the surgery therefore the better quality vitamins you take thebetter you will feel. I wish I could share everything I have learned but then I would need to write a book! I would however be available through Northside Family Care to answer any additional questions that I can.

I will honestly tell anyone who asks that it was not an easy journey. In the beginning there were times when I was truly scared, but I prayed. I did my best to keep a positive attitude, and I knew that each day would get better and it did! I feel great! I enjoy life, and I feel blessed to be healthy and feel good about myself. Instead of living to eat I now eat to live. I am rarely hungry and I now eat 5 to 6 small meals and I feel amazing!

Have a wonderful day and please let Northside Family Care know if you would like to speak to me. I am not a medical professional but I am apatient who has been blessed with the ability to share my experiences. Iam open and feel very compelled to be there for others going through this.

If GOD blesses me enough to let me help one person have a little easier time through this then I will feel even more blessed!
Julia