DAY 1 - My First Visit to Dr. Dyas

Today, Steven and I went to talk to Dr. Dyas about the possibility of having the Gastric Bypass Surgery. He said that physically I meet the criteria, a BMI of 57.4. However, since I had not been under regular doctor's care for 6 months... especially for weight loss... that I don't meet the BlueCross/BlueShield criteria for acceptance. So he said he wants me to start Sugar Busters right away.

Dr. Dyas thoroughly explained the gastric bypass procedure that he does, the Gastric Bypass Roux-en-Y. This procedure combines a restrictive procedure (making the stomach smaller) with a malabsorptive procedure (bypassing the small intestines where most calories are absorbed). He explained the surgical risks then told us what he requires of all of his patients before considering the surgery.

• First he wants a two-week food diary of everything I eat and the times I eat it.
• Secondly, his nurse made an appointment for me with a cardipulmonary doctor to make sure I am physically able to undergo surgery and to minimize the risks.
• Thirdly, I have to make an appointment with a psychologist for a psycological evaluation to ensure that I am doing this for the right reasons and won't run into emotional issues as a result.

I really like the fact that Dr. Dyas explains things so thoroughly and does so much to minimize both physical and psychological risks.