reallyrosy

Thanks again for the response. Is asking my surgeon how he will attempt to minimize th complication a reasonable question? I don't want hi to kick me out of his office....

Thanks so much for that clarification! Makes sense, too. But why does the size of the bougie determine the acid reflux complication?

Well, now I'm confused, too. 15 cc is the volume tht your sleeve will hold. I was under the impression that bougie size referred to the size of the opening of the new stomach. Please clarify. I meet my surgeon on the first and want to 'look' like I know bwhat I'm talking about....

Wow. Were u able to walk before the sleeve?

What @ nuts?

Wow that is close! Is this your first surgery? How did u find him and did u ask how many vsg he'd done? How many times do u meet before he sets a date? I'm concerned why they are doing pre op testing before we even eyeball each other...heck, I'm terrified

I'm in CT and will meet surgeon 11/1 and have pre op testing on same day. There's been hardly any messages on this mentors list after the first few. What does that mean? No room for new requests or no interest?

I have my first meeting with my second surgeon 11/1. About 10 yrs ago I was 428. I developed pulmonary hypertension and couldn't walk from one room in the house to another. If I was carrying something and I dropped it, it stayed there. I started on phentermine and over the course of several years I lost 128#. Then I fell a couple times, broke a bone in each instance. Stopped working out doing Water aerobics and walking and started to gain. Also phentermine and zoloft made me sweat and lose bladder control. I stopped. I maintained my weight at just under 300 for acouple years. Now went back up to 320 and panicked. Don't want phen but did restart gym. Looked for surgeon for vsg last year and they strung me along hoping I would switch to band. Finally they said the insurance won't pay (it would have). So now I'm up to 320. Found hospital that will pursue insurance. Lost 6 lbs without phen just exercising 5 or 6 days a week. Hope pre tests yield no surprises. Hope to get thru this. Wonder who would take the meanest dog in the world if I don't make it thru. Wonder if I can "go with the flow" and learn to live since I have no experience with that. Wonder what it will be like to look human for more than a few weeks at a time and if I will know how to behave similarly. Otherwise, I plan to hide under a bridge and be the troll I was intended to be. Good luck to you and lemme know how u fare and wht you decide.

Interesting....how many vsg surgeries had your doc done? Did u have a reflux pblm?

Whew. Hugs.

Please...take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Easy. I know the panic feeling. You are breathing. This is temporary and you aren't killing yourself. That having been said, did u try to eat some mushy protrein? Maybe u can.

I'm not blaming anyone else for my weight or my self sabotage. What you are saying is you got this therapy and it enabled you to become healthy. So why are you getting a sleeve? If you "got it" and know how to control yourself, what's the sleeve for? Why can't you just use this knowledge to further your own healthy living abilities? Many people who 'struggle' with our emotions also "get it". But we still are struggling, we realize our weaknesses and it is frightening. I keep thinking "who's going to plant the tree I will hide under when I find that even with the sleeve and wt loss I still can't live a full life with people." I don't want to have the surgery and then find myself telling my shrink "I told ya so! I can't handle it." So I congratulate you on your newfound ability to recognize and pursue a healthful life style. Just because I'm scared out of my mind and worried @ how I will deal emotionally doesn't mean I haven't also made similar discoveries. It doesn't mean I haven't been I therapy nor does it mean I haven't met the right therapist. I gotta admit I find messages of the kind that most people use to respond annoying and sanctimonious. Someone in one of these forums told me "just because we lost the weight doesn't make saints out of us". Agreed.

I'm concerned @ reflux after vsg. I've read that the size of the bougie and the way the surgeon follows stomach curvature are two causes of this complication. I meet my surgeon 11/1. Can you please tell me how to ask him questions @ it. Do I say " I know there often are reflux complications following vsg. What can you do to help avoid this?" What's the politic way to ask this question? TY in advance.

I have the same concern and get the same answer: maybe this isn't the ight time for u or you need therapy. To which I respond *&^%-t! I've been in therapy since I'm a teenager. There are some people who say they were full time into all these emotions prior to surgery but took off and never looked back after. I'm 66 now. If I don't try this, I may never know if I'm able to have a real life. I'm gonna try. Not trying means giving up now. I want to at least have a peek at a different life. You???

What about seltzer? No sugar and no artificial sweetners.

That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said here. Thank you. I'm going to read this several times.

Can u have caffein after the sugery? (Not immediately)??????

so take Vitamins at nite????

Can u have it afterwards? America runs on donkey donuts...love iced coffee

Hey, guys.... I just heard from my providers office that 1. They "didn't know" I had secondary insurance (I have copies of 2 prior emails & some faxed info wth this data on it) and 2. Medicare will be approving it (she didn't say when) --she got word from afscm??? quoting from memory. So now I may need to repeat psych and nut evals but hey, what's the rush? I'm only 66. I got at least 40 years ahead of me...nah, no hurry. GRUMP! Monty, how do u like being sleeved? Worth the agony, worry etc???

I'm convinced I have to self pay for VSG because medicare will not issue pre approvals. the doctors don't think they will get paid. Has anyone within the last few months of this year been successful in obtaining medicare coverage.? Where are you located and how long did it take ? Thank you

Like I said, I have special coverage from bcbs anthem from my state. If it is pre authoized /certified, they will cover even if medicare refuses. So I need to explain this to the provider. Wish me luck

I have a special with my state...state employees have mecdicare primary and anthem secodary. I just got off the phone with the state and then with anthem. It requires pre authorization and that requires the surgeon's office to call anthem....I have a feeling I'm going to get my head bitten off where it won't grow back again....ugh

So I would have to add kaiser permanente? What if my docs aren't in this plan? I don't even know whom to call....yes it gives me something else to think about, bettyb. I'll call somebody in the state to try to figure what's up....but why would the hosp flat out say medicare won't cover....????