Writergirl

Thanks, Becca!

Thank you, Rootman and Lainini. As I've gone through this process I've clung to the hope given by all those on this board who have said they'd never go back on their decision, even though it's been hard. I just made an appt with a therapist. She had gastric bypass 6 years ago, and she answered the phone when I called and talked to me for a long time. I made an appt for 3 wks out, and I feel better knowing I've taken that step. Lainini, I like what you said about just giving up our dependence and over-indulgence. We can do this!!!

My psych exam was going to cost $595, but the receptionist at the office told me she learned that if she submitted it as a new patient evaluation (as in I was going to be receiving ongoing therapy) insurance would cover it. If she submitted it as a pre-surgical psych report they would not. Maybe you can find someone who will submit it that way if your insurance normally covers mental health counseling. Good luck!

Hi! (Sorry for this long post.) I'm nearing the end of my pre-op requirements, and as I posted in another topic, I found out I have Barrett's Esophagus, which is caused by acid reflux. I've now consulted with the bariatric surgeon and the gastroenterologist. --The bariatric surgeon strongly recommends I have a gastric bypass instead of the sleeve, but admits he's never had a sleeve patient with Barrett's. --The gastro says I should have the sleeve because he has had so many patients with severe complications from the bypass. --The bariatric surgeon says the sleeve may cause a lot of reflux and I'll have to eventually have a bypass to fix it. --The gastro says the reflux shouldn't really effect the Barrett's. So, I'm confused. I told them both that, to me, the bypass feels like mutilation. I swore I'd never do it, and it's actually making me consider trying a low-carb diet instead (something I've never been successful at sticking to). Anyway, I'm wondering how many people have severe issues with reflux, to the point where they wish they hadn't sleeved. If you've had reflux, did it go away with medication or weight loss? I've just started protonix. Any thoughts on this issue that I haven't mentioned? On the one hand, I don't want a bypass. On the other hand, I don't want to be physically miserable for the rest of my life. Thanks for reading this long post. Mary Lynne

I'm so distressed. Just got a call from the gastroenterologist's office. I had an endo a couple of weeks ago. They told me I have a hiatal hernia, which I figured was responsible for the reflux I get from time to time. But today they called and said I have Barrett's Exophogas and that they would recommend I have NO bariatric surgery. Called my surgeon's office, and they said I shouldn't have the sleeve with Barrett's, but that I should come in and discuss options with the surgeon. I swore I'd never have a gastric bypass. I MUST lose weight for my health. Not sure what to do next. Has anyone had any experience with this??? I just want to cry.

Thanks, Rootman... I've just wanted to sit and cry at work all day. They don't seem too concerned about the Barrett's. More concerned about the combination of Barrett's and surgery.

I'm still struggling with the "decision" to have this surgery. I say "decision" because I really have little choice. If I want to have my knees replaced, I need to lose a lot of weight fast. I've been poring over the boards and alternate between excitement and despair. On the one hand, it would be so amazing to actually have some success at losing weight. On the other hand, I don't know if I've got what it takes to make the total committment required to really lose a lot of weight. I read all the posts about how you are all eating nothing but Protein, and if you really want to lose (and I have a LOT to lose) you have to give up carbs. I know many people here have lost 100 pounds or more, often more than once. I have never been able to successfully lose a large amount of weight. I'm a total carb addict and don't have a lot of self control. Once I lost 75 pounds. It took me 2 years of healthy eating and exercising. I kept it off for several years, then had a health problem and slowly gained it back. Given this track record of having no willpower, I keep trying unsuccessfully to envision myself just eating small amounts of protein all the time. And if I can do it with the sleeve, why can't I just get on a low-carb diet and do it on my own?? I know a lot of you don't restrict yourselves to just protein, but I know that I can consume a lot of empty calories one bite at a time, and this is what scares me. I'm willing to try therapy, OA, or whatever it takes, but I keep wondering if I'm just the type of person who will not be successful with this. I wonder if the people who ARE successful are those who could always buckle down and be strict when they had to. Please share your experiences if you were like me. I know it's going to take a huge committment, and I'm willing to try, but I just don't know if I'll be able to do it. Meanwhile, I'm eating every meal like it's my last meal, and that's got me totally depressed, too.

Thank you, Tiffykins. I hope that I can bring that level of determination to it. I've started off determined many times before. I particularly appreciate that you think my self-awereness will help here. And I do agree that developing new coping mechanisms is the next step. When I was discussing the issue of comfort food with my sister, she said that when I need comfort another comfort source will rise to the top. I know that I just have to trust the process, but after so many years of trying and failing it's hard to imagine anything that actually relies on my input being successful.

Wow! You are one hot looking guy now! You don't look like you were ever overweight. Congratulations on your fantastic weight loss!

I'm feeling really discouraged. Just had my first appointment with the surgeon. This is at a bariatric center of excellence that is known as the top place to go in my area. After years of being discriminated against by the medical community (hand pain??? Lose weight!) I went to this appointment feeling excited that, if nothing else, I was going to be treated as a human being. I was ushered into an office and this man said, "I'm going to review your history." I said, politely, "And you are???" He looked affronted and said he was the doctor. I didn't know I was seeing the doctor at this point! Anyway, in the hour he spent with me this man did not show me one shred of warmth. He told me that for as long as I've been overweight and my current BMI I should never expect to get under 200 pounds. He said I take more insulin than any of his other patients and should not expect my diabetes to resolve. He said that since my joints are bad I shouldn't expect to lose much. I said I swim regularly, and he said, "I'm not talking about laying in the sun by the pool." From there, I was taken into a room where another person gave me a clinically delivered speech about the process and the cost. I went from there to an appt with my endocronologist, and I was in tears as I told her what had happened. She said that she's had patients taking 3x the insulin I am who have done very well after the surgery. Honestly, I felt like I was doomed to failure at the start. It's got me doubting everything, and has sent me into a tailspin. I have to decide whether I want to proceed with this clinic. He's not the only doctor there. The clinic has a really ecxellent reputation, but none of the employees were warm or very friendly. (Although I haven't met the dietician, etc.) I'm someone who gets along very well with people, so I know it wasn't me. Do you think I should trust the process and focus on the medical aspects rather than the interpersonal stuff, or do you think I should look elsewhere? I'm still reeling from this. Feeling like a piece of meat.

Thank you, Lynn! Just got your message. I will call you, but it's too late tonight and I'll be at work all day tomorrow. I'd love to talk.

Thanks... That's how I'm feeling, too, but if I'm going to find another place I'm going to have to go about 60 miles away. I think I'll go to the next appt, in which I'll meet the support team, and see how I feel. I'll discuss my issues and at that time, and if I'm not happy, I'll immediately go looking. I want to meet the other surgeon in the group. I'm definitely not dealing with the one I talked to yesterday.

Pretty much everything about having this surgery and living with it forever. Hi... This is my first post here. I've been consuming blogs the way I once ate potato chips in my Quest for peace regarding the decision to have surgery. My story, briefly, is that I swore I would NEVER have surgery, telling myself that if I had to change my entire relationship with food post surgery, I may as well just do it now and spare myself the pain. Of course, I now weigh over 300 pounds, so that plan obviously hasn't worked. Two weeks ago I saw my ortho doc about knee replacement. He regretfully informed me that he absolutely refused to do surgery with so much potential for a poor outcome, told me to lose 100 pounds and come back. As I hobbled out the door, devastated, the first thing I wanted to do was go to Krispy Kreme for a couple of kreme filled donuts, but instead I came home and started doing research. I have decided on the sleeve. But, here's what I'm afraid of: 1) I'll get some rare complication and die. 2) I'll be one of the people who doesn't lose much weight afterwards, 3) Without ample comfort food (my best friend's name is "Sugar"), I'll simply go crazy. I'd say this third thing is the one I'm most afraid of. On the other hand, the thought of actually seeing some success is SO exciting to me. I start every diet excited and end it in tears. I ask myself, if I don't have what it takes to be self disciplined and eat right NOW, why will that be different later?? I haven't had what it takes in 40 years. So, to those of you who have done this for awhile, did you feel this way before your surgery? Did you think you'd go crazy as you went thru your weight loss? Does the struggle EVER get any easier??? Sigh.... Thanks.

Thank you, everyone, for your kind and honest replies. I know that I'm an emotionally strong person. I've gotten through so many things in life without help or medication. But food has definitely been my crutch, and I guess it's just hard to imagine being in a place where I really don't want to eat every 5 minutes. I have my first appt on Friday, and I plan to ask for the name of a counselor who specializes in weight loss issues. I'm definitely going to line up a good support network going into this. I'm one of those people who always has statistically improbable things happen. The list is long, but includes my daughter dying, my house being struck by lightening and burning to the ground, and me being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease so rare that it took 18 years and a team at Johns Hopkins to figure it out. Ok, I'm not throwing out a sob story here... just hoping you'll understand why it's hard to quiet the voice in my head that keeps pointing out all that can go wrong. Anyway, I'm so glad I found this website. I'm sure we'll get to know each other over the next year or so,and I'll try not to be too neurotic! Thanks again. PS: Thanks for the suggestion about the knee injections, Virginia. I did ask my doc about them but he said there's no room between my bones and they (injections) would be useless. Cortisone has helped a bit.