makemyownluck

I realize this is a really old post - but my surgeon mentioned DS as one of the four primary surgeries for weight loss, but he said he doesn't like to do it because people lose TOO MUCH weight with it and are sickly as a result. According to him, the nutritional deficiency is much more severe in a DS surgery, to the point that patients require IV infusions for minerals and Vitamins because no matter how many supplements they take, it's not enough - the body won't absorb it. He mentioned that while RNY is still the most common surgery, VSG is the up and comer because of the similar results of RNY without the dumping and nutritional deficits that many people get with RNY. Personally, I never wanted a band because I don't like the idea of a foreign object in my body. I only knew about RNY and decided against it years ago (been overweight my whole life). When I finally got a point this summer that I felt that I HAD to do something to lose this weight, I started researching and learned about VSG. I had never heard of it, and the more I've educated myself about it, the more it seems like the right surgery for me. With VSG, you can have a somewhat normal life, you don't have to fear food will make you violently ill. Dumping syndrome isn't anything I would ever want to experience!! Any of the available surgeries have a potential to give you complications, just as they all have the potential for great success. While you can't really control complications post-op, you do have all the choice in your eating habits and exercising post op to lose the weight and keep it off. Ultimately, only you can decide what you want to live with for the rest of your life. I'd never tell anyone they should get one surgery over another - but I would definitely make sure they knew all about the sleeve before they made their decision!

Thank you!! Mind you, I didn't pick either of these MDs (my insurance did), which makes it a little more difficult, But the new surgeon does happen to be male, and he does have a wayyyy better attitude about surgery and who needs it, so you might be onto something suggesting a male surgeon!! My PCP is male also, and he's never disappointed me. I've never had a female doc before and this might stop me from ever using another female doc again!

Hi, all! Just wanted to jump back in here and update everyone - I appreciate all the support and advice to find a new surgeon. I did find a new surgeon and he's WONDERFUL. I can't wait to get this sleeve done! I'm doing pre-op testing now - did my bw, my physical with my PCP, already have my NUT and psych visits done, now I just have to do the upper GI next Saturday. Then I schedule my follow up with the surgeon and they'll set a surgery date on that visit! WOO! Not only is this surgeon much better, but the staff is way more attentive as well. I had an H.M.O. plan and the last surgeon didn't even bother to check my benefits - that plan required 18 months of supervised diet that I didn't have. LUCKILY, when I got the 2nd referral to the new surgeon, their office was way better about getting my plan info and when they told me about the diet requirement, it was at just the right time - it was the ONE week of open enrollment at work for me to switch to the PPO plan. So now I'm on track with a better MD and I'll actually have coverage for the surgery. The PPO plan doesn't have any diet requirement (which is ironic since both the H.M.O and PPO plans are through the same company - you'd think they had the same medical policy for all plan types, but they don't...). Anyway, I was planning for surgery in May, but I might be able to get it in April, which would be fantastic. I've been staying on a diet and I'm continuing to lose weight, which is great even if it's coming off slowly. I was worried I was losing too much, that a surgeon would think I didn't need surgery since I can lose it on my own, but he reassured me and said, "Well, the surgery will make sure you keep losing and keep it off." He's got a much better attitude! :) I feel like all the struggling before with insurance is paying off, because it's all falling into place now. I can't wait to get the surgery and really kick me weight loss into high gear!! I hope everyone else is doing well!

YAY! Congrats on the loss, I can't wait to start reaching deep in my closet for clothes I haven't fit into in years! Years ago, I outgrew any pants you can buy in a store. Being tall, it was hard to find pants that fit anyway, but when I got too heavy to get anything, it was really depressing to have to "special order" my pants. I'm still pre-op, but I've lost 40+ lbs since November of last year. My pants were all getting too, too big. So I went to my trusty online shop to get some more. I ordered them 2 sizes lower than what I already owned - THEY WERE TOO BIG! I was thrilled. They are size 34, so it's not like I can go brag to people that "Hey, size 34 pants are too big on me now", but it's great to have a forum here where people can congratulate you for the success that IT IS! Best of luck to you as you continue to lose. I know I can't wait for the NSV of buying pants at an actual store again!

I was worried I would need a sleep study, but my surgeon didn't order one. Thank god!!

thank you, dear! I am praying for you to get approved and scheduled!!! I'm so surprised how fast it's moving now - I have my PCP follow up and EKG on Thursday and then I just have to swing by Quest for a blood draw and schedule the upper GI. Once all those results get back the surgeon, I do a follow up visit and they schedule me for surgery AT THAT VISIT. The closer this is actually getting, the more nervous I've become! The preop liquid diet is shakes only, right? How's that going so far?

I had my first visit with Dr. Luu today. I'm sooo much happier with him than with the prior surgeon. He ordered my pre-op tests and now I just have to schedule those. Once they are done, I do a second visit with him and we schedule my surgery. I'm also happy to report that I've lost more weight - down 39lbs since November 2012. I can actually go buy a scale at the store now! Another happy milestone, I've already started shrinking out of my clothes. I bought 2 pairs of pants on sale through a catalog and bought them 2 sizes smaller than what I had. I figured if they were too snug, they'd fit soon enough. BUT THEY WERE TOO BIG! I can't believe I'm actually losing weight. Pre-op weight loss, and I swear I'm not even trying that hard! Anyway, the doctor was really nice and their staff was much better than the last place I went, so I'm really happy with my 2nd opinion. Now comes the fun part of testing and getting final insurance approval. For the first time since I got the idea to have this surgery in July 2012, I actually feel like I'm GETTING THERE. Can't want to get this over with and get skinny! Quick question - For pre-op, I have to do an upper GI. Is that a barium swallow xray or an endoscopy? Anyone know?

Rosehips - I totally hear you on taking your HEAD out of the equation. I did get my butt to the gym the next day, as I planned. I've been working overtime this week, so I haven't gone everyday like I wanted to, but tomorrow is my last day scheduled for overtime, so Friday I will resume going in the morning before work... it is hard to stick to it, tho. At least, it is for me! LaBelle - I agree that it's insane! I'm realllllllllly really hoping that it will move along more smoothly when I'm on the PPO plan. As far as I can tell, I meet all the PPO criteria. When I heard about the 18 month, I almost threw in the towel completely (I've had nothing but problems from day one trying to get this process moving), but I realize that I am worth more than giving up on. If I give up on myself, so will everyone else. Hopefully I can report some happy news soon!

The insurance coordinator at the hospital called me today to discuss my HMOs requirements for bariatric surgery. I meet it all except one part: "Medical documentation that the member has failed a medically supervised weight reduction program for a duration of at least 18 consecutive months" I don't have 18 consecutive months of supervised diet. At best, I have 6 months. Lucky for me, this week is my open enrollment week at work to switch to PPO coverage. The change would be in effect 2/1, so I'm hoping that I can see the doctor shortly after that. In the meantime, I've got my doctor sending my records over to the surgeon anyway, in the hopes that it will speed up my process once my insurance gets switched... really hoping that goes smoothly and I don't have an issue with them verifying coverage right after switching plans. I'm a bit shocked at the amount of diet time that my medical group requires. It's really quite excessive, considering the medical group is with BCBSIL and BCBSIL themselves don't required ANY supervised diet AT ALL. So why is the medical group sweatin' me for that kinda diet??? I was already considering switching to PPO because this whole process so far has been really difficult. I've had so many ups and downs with this and I'm not much further along in this process than when I started back in July. I never understood why people complained about HMOs -- I GET IT NOW. I've had enough, and maybe next year after surgery I can go back to an *** because it's cheaper, but as far as all the BS the *** has already put me through and I'm NOT EVEN CLOSE to getting approved, I think PPO is a much better bet. It might cost more, but my health and my well being is worth any price! Anyway, long story LONG -------------------------------------------- I haven't got much else to update. Still been in a bit of a New Year slump, just tired and cranky and anti-social. Starting to snap out of it, though and really am hoping this year will be my year to shine. I've also still been in slacker mode since the holidays with going to the gym, so I'm sure that's part of the slump also. I'm gonna get my butt there in the morning, though. Time to get this back in motion and keep it moving! HAPPY NEW YEAR! (late, I know - but still sincere)

Juny, I'm sorry that this sounds like something you could have written. I realize I'm not the first person to get depressed in the world, but it does stink to know it happens to other people too. I think loneliness is the most painful of all emotions. There's nothing that I, myself, alone, can do to cure my loneliness. I hope I can get some good news soon. I could use it! Here's to hoping I can actually get some sleep tonight... Thanks for commenting. It's helps to know someone out there is listening.

FAGE is so yummy - my absolute favorite is the peach! I've tried every other brand of Greek yogurt I can find in the storeand by far, Fage is the best around!

IDK how far I'm ever going to get in this journey. After my disaster of a consult at the beginning of December, I've been going back and forth with my insurance on getting approved to see a different surgeon, and to say it's been an uphill battle is putting it mildly. I can resume this battle on Thursday since my MD's office is closed until then. I'm not looking forward to it at all. I really had no idea it would be this difficult to get to the operating table - I'm starting to think I never will get there. The holidays are finally over, and losing that stress has really put me in a sad frame of mind. I'm definitely in a slump right now. I feel hopeless in getting my surgery approved/scheduled. I thought I was so close, and I'm nowhere near where I want to be. I feel like giving up, and not just because this has been such a stressful process, but because I no longer see losing weight as a chance to reclaim my life. I've been cooped up in my house for days. I had the luxury of being off from work since last Friday, and I've only left the house one time since. Why? Because I have nowhere to go. Not a single "friend" texted me on NYE, not to invite me out or invite me over or even to wish me a happy new year. Not one single phone call from anyone to see how I have been or ask how I am doing. And yes, I realize I could be the one to pick up the phone, but I have nothing to say... That's probably the reason people don't call me in the first place! Nothing ever changes with me. If someone does ask what I've been up to, the answer is either "Not much" or "Just working." I'm just tired of being alone. Always all alone. No one's on their way here. No one's making plans to see me. No one's got me on their mind... and really, why should anyone be thinking of me? I'm no one's someone special, and I probably never will be. This is my life. You'd think I'd accept it by now. But it still makes me sad from time to time... Pity party for one, over here. I hope that at some point this year, I can be truly happy. And I hope that point comes soon...

Thank you so much for the support and advice! As I've been thinking about it, I'm glad my mom came with me today just because if she wasn't there, I would have really given this doctor a piece of my mind. My mom's presence still has the power to censor me into submission! I felt like this doctor didn't want to know me, that she was treating me poorly because I was fat. She's sitting there trying to explain to me that I need to give up fast food or just order smaller sizes, after I explained to her that I've been existing on 2 Protein shakes, 2 yogurts, Soup and a cheese stick everyday since f'n AUGUST. She acted like the 12lbs I lost since exactly 31 days ago wasn't a success at all. I'm thinking, "You're a BARIATRIC SURGEON and you're looking at me as some fat @ss who can't keep a Big Mac out of her mouth." THAT is why I was crying. I have read over and over on these boards that people have to lose weight first, that a liquid diet was involved - I expected to hear those things. I'm not some ignorant person going blindly into something I know nothing about. I have worked in insurance, I've worked on the pre-approvals for these exact surgeries FOR YEARS, I know probably TOO MUCH about what's involved and the difference in surgeries and why I want this sleeve. Does that mean I think I'm entitled? No. But I deserve to at least be treated as a human being when I'm in that very office because I WANT to change my circumstance. So yeah, I'm asking for a 2nd opinion. And if I'm made to feel like I did today again, I'll be sending a strongly worded letter to the Chief of Staff of that hospital! I should think someone in the surgeons position should be a bit more sympathetic to the vulnerabilities of a morbidly obese patient!

Thank you both - I agree with you. I told my mom that the drs bedside manner was terrible, and really it makes me appreciate my PCP even more (and I've always loved seeing him because he is so kind)! I'm going to discuss the whole experience with my PCP and see if he agrees to a 2nd opinion. Even if the next surgeon tells me the same thing, I'm leaning towards going to a different doctor simply because this one left such a bad taste in my mouth. I mean, she told me pretty much what I was expecting to hear (you need to lose some weight first), but I didn't expect to walk out of there bawling. Not sure I'd want to deal with her when I'm post-op in the hospital and hurting...... Maybe my PCP will have some sound advice for me. Here's hoping! Thanks for the advice, guys!

I agree with what Aussiegirl said - panniculectomy if you want kids, abdominoplasty if you don't. Panniculectomy is just to remove excess skin. Abdominoplasty removes excess skin and also tightens the abdominal muscles. Panniculectomy is usually covered by insurance. Abdominoplasty is usually NOT covered by insurance. So your insurance saying they will pay for part of it is probably saying they will pay for the fee of a panniculectomy and the extra $ for the abdominoplasty portion is considered cosmetic and would be out of your pocket. Abdominoplasty will give a better cosmetic result, but you can also tighten your own muscles with exercise. If you plan to get pregnant, though, I'd hold off on either surgery. Make sure you're going to be at a stable weight before you go under the knife again... cuz recovery time for either one of those surgeries is 6-8 weeks - would you really want to go through that twice because you had kids after the first surgery? Or pay for it twice, for that matter?

These are normal concerns for any surgery. If you stick to the plan your surgeon sets for you, then you should be successful. Gastric bypass patients (and sleeve patients) can regain weight. Bypass patients still have their full stomach and the pouch can stretch or reconnect with the remaining part of the stomach, which will allow them to eat more and gain weight. Sleeve patients stay more restricted longer, but don't have the dumping side effect like RNY patients do, so it's easier to start eating things that aren't good for you. All the WLS types have their pros/cons. Yes, you will probably be on Vitamin supplements for life. Why? Well, with bypass, it's because your intestines are altered, and the portion of the intestine that absorbs nutrients from your food is removed. This is also the part that absorbs fat and calories, so it creates malabsorption for the purpose of weight loss and it is a permanent change to that part of your anatomy. So even if you identify through bloodwork that you have a deficiency and start taking a Multivitamin (or rx) correct it, your body is still set up NOT to absorb those nutrients, which makes it that much more difficult to stay in control of that post-op. The difference with a sleever is that you're potentially deficient on Vitamins because even if you were on the most perfect, ideal diet plan, you simply can't eat enough of ANYTHING to get enough of those vitamins in your system. But if you find out you're deficient and start taking vitamins, then your body will still be able to absorb those vitamins in your intestines and you can control it more easily. With bypass and with sleeve, eventually the time comes where you can tolerate eating more food. So your vitamin levels can be maintained with diet alone, once you reach a point where you can tolerate a well-balanced diet. But you may still require those vitamins for the long haul. It's not quite as bad as with the bypass, though, as far as the number of vitamins you need - depending on whether or not you are deficient in those vitamins now. Bottom line is that when you choose WLS, you are committing to long term medical care for your obesity. So you'll need regular bloodwork to make sure everything is where it should be, and you'll have to be in control of what you put in your mouth post-op. These surgeries (none of them) are the "easy way out" or the "quick fix". You have to be committed to doing what your surgeon tells you to do, and committed to sticking with the plan. Having 80% of your stomach taken out will dramatically reduce the amount you can eat, and should reduce if not eliminate your hunger/cravings. This journey is what you make of it! I totally understand being scared that it won't work or that you'll regain - I have those same thoughts - however I think the best you can do is take the advice of your surgeon/dietitian and stay in control of what you eat. I'm sure your friend who had the bypass and regained did something to cause it. No one just gains weight for no reason. Maybe your friend doesn't want to disclose what they did to gain the weight - but I sincerely doubt they stuck to their plan 100% and still regained. This journey is only your own - I'm actually glad I don't know anyone who has had WLS, because you could drive yourself crazy doubting yourself when you see someone else's failure. I wish you good luck! Educate yourself as much as you can to make sure this is the option you want to take!

WOW! Great job with the weight loss!!! How did you lose 130lbs in 6 months pre-op?

I had my surgeon visit today. She said I'm too heavy to operate on. I have to lose 50lbs before she'd consider it. And when she delivered this disappointing news and it made me cry, she said, "Crying won't help you. You should see what I go through in a day, I should be the one crying." Yeah, ok, but I thought we were here to talk about ME. So, no surgery date for me.... yet. Still figuring out what to do from here.

What an emotional day. Went to my surgeon appointment today. After waiting AN HOUR past my appointed time, I was taken to a room where I waited another 30m to see the surgeon. She was a bit curt, in my opinion, but my mom said "She was just being a doctor." The good news is that I've lost 12lbs in the last month. Considering I have been sick and not been to the gym in two weeks and Thanksgiving came and went in the last month, I'm pretty excited to see some weight loss. It makes me wonder what my true starting weight was since I was unable to weigh myself for so long. That's about the only good news I got today. :\ My blood pressure was up to 142/75, which isn't horrible, but is worse than it has been the last few times I've been to my PCP. IDK if I should chalk that up to nerves or what. I'll ask my PCP about it tomorrow. The bad news: The surgeon says I'm too heavy to operate on. That my weight and the fat distribution being mostly in my gut makes me too much of a surgical risk. Now, I was kind of expecting to hear something like this... I expected to be told that I needed to lose some weight prior to surgery. But then she said she wouldn't even consider doing surgery until I lost 50 or more pounds. That once I lost 50, THEN she'd put me on the liquid pre-op diet for THREE TO FOUR WEEKS to lose even more weight before surgery. WTF??? So all told I'd lose like 75 or more lbs before I even hit the operating table. That just seems... IDK, excessive to me. Not impossible, but I do feel like it's asking a lot. :\ And not only the amount of weight I'd have to lose being a lot, but also the extended liquid diet just sounds like torture to me. Definitely not what I was hoping to hear. Then I had to go meet with the dietitian, who went over my current diet with me and told me that I'm already on a good eating plan. She suggested more veggies, but told me that otherwise I was doing really well with my diet. And she explained more about post-op (things I already knew). She was much more helpful and compassionate than the surgeon though. She actually suggested I get a 2nd opinion from the other surgeon on staff, mentioning that other people have been told the same thing by the surgeon I saw, then they go see the other surgeon and get scheduled for surgery. That seems so unfair!! I started crying when the surgeon was telling me that I had to lose this weight before she would consider doing surgery, and she said, "Crying won't help you. You should see what I go through in a day, I should be the one crying." What kind of bedside manner is that? Can you just pass a tissue and let a girl cry?? (the answer: no. But the dietitian was nice enough to ask me if I was okay and hand me a tissue) So, I feel rather disappointed right now. I've been doing the diet/exercise thing and trying to prep for this since July, and I feel like I'm nowhere near getting this surgery. I don't know if it's worth the $60 copay, the hour long heavy traffic commute, the parking fees, the gas... to get the 2nd op or just keep going with my diet and schedule a new appointment when I lose 50lbs. This isn't gonna stop me from the diet/exercise plan I've been doing, but I just don't know what to do from here... stay with this dr who upset me? Get a 2nd op? Try to lose 200+ lbs on my own and forget surgery? This visit really has me wondering if this surgery is ever going to be a reality for me. If sustainable weight loss will ever be a reality for me... I hate feeling defeated. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day...

Hey! At least you have a date for surgery! I have my 1st surgeon visit on 12/6 so I'm really anxious to see what hoops I have to jump and when I can get scheduled! I haven't discussed a goal weight, but I know I want to be at the 170 mark. Right now, I'm 459. That's 289lbs to lose! I have every confidence that I can do it, though. From where I'm starting, I'd be happy just to be in the 200 range - which is ironic when you see all the people on here who got surgery BECAUSE they were in the 200s. Better to do something about it now before you have 400lbs to lose, is what I'm thinking. Wish I would have looked into surgery sooner! Good luck to all of us! <3

I'm pre-op and have wondered about this, too. I'm not an emotional eater. I eat for the taste. I eat for the feeling of the food in my mouth. IDK, maybe I am an emotional eater? The term "emotional eater" seems misleading anyway - isn't hunger an emotion? Anyway, I read your post and thought, "Ok, seriously, how can this be fixed?" Besides all the obvious boot camp answers that were given (which is sound advice, but maybe not quite what you were looking for), the only thing I came up with was hypnotherapy. Years ago, I lived in a condo complex and my downstairs neighbor was a hypnotherapist. I was so intrigued by this profession, and I asked him why people would get hypnotized. He said, "Oh, for pretty much anything. Stop smoking, eat less, exercise more, stop drinking, stop shopping, stop biting your nails... you name it, I've done it." I asked him if it worked, and his answer was, "It can." He went on to explain that it's all about the power of suggestion. Being hypnotized doesn't erase your mind's natural response, it just substitutes a type of reaction. He said it doesn't always work forever, but you can be hypnotized more than once, and eventually, the habit/feeling/thought you're having won't be the natural response anymore. The more you can identify your triggers, the more you can tell your hypnotherapist what to suggest to you during your session. Now, I get that this could all sound like a lotta ridiculousness. I would normally seek out a more practical solution in a situation like this. But I actually love this idea - maybe my neighbor was hypnotizing me at the time that he was telling me how well hypnotherapy can work. (lol - but now that I made the joke, I wonder if HE WAS!!) I just know that the idea still intrigues me, and it's something that I might look into if I see old habits creeping back up when I'm in post-op land. It's worth at least looking into, and I see no harm in trying it. Anyway, I thought I'd share that idea with you. I hope you find something that works for you - and when you find it, let the rest of us know! Good luck!!!

What is a "flavor packet"? Some of these recipes call for "peach flavor packet" and "Chocolate flavor packet" but I have no idea what that is?

That's awesome! I can see the difference in your face already, you look great!

Congrats on your weight loss!! I hope I can see some results like that! Still pre-op here, but I've read a lot about how your hormones fluctuate while you are losing weight. Some people experience issues with their short term memory, some have a hard time concentrating, and other get depressed. It's totally normal and should hopefully balance itself out when you lose the weight. It's worth discussing with your doctor. A therapist could help with all the stress in your life and the changes going on because of surgery/weight loss, and your MD might put you on a mild anti-depressant. I'd take advantage of both, if you can. But if you can't do counseling or aren't interested, I think a mild anti-depressant for a short term use is your best bet. Meds don't make the problem go away, but it does help with the emotions. In the meantime, try to spend time with people who make you happy. And the boards are here to lend an ear, and you're welcome to PM me if you need someone to talk to. It will get better. It's up to you if you want to wait it out or get help. Good luck, focus on taking care of you right now.

Thank you! This is so inspiring. I really appreciate all the support, guys!! I have already implemented a lot of healthy changes, so I'm eager to see how much I lose when I see the surgeon on 12/6. Looks like surgery won't be until the beginning of the year (which is what I originally thought, but I had some hopeful wishes that it would be sooner!)... and I can't wait to hear what the surgeon says when I meet her. I want to know what she needs me to do to get this show on the road. So far, I've been tracking my diet on MFP daily, staying under my target calories by quite a bit. I drink 2 Protein shakes a day, have greek yogurt for breakfast and lunch and then a sensible, low cal dinner. Snacks, if I need them, are almonds or beef Jerky... but I have cut out quite a lot of carbs. I can already see a difference in the way my clothes fit me, and it gives me incentive to keep going. And I've been working out 2-3 days a week, and I've been steadily increasing my workouts as I've been seeing results there, too. I know I have a long way ahead of me, but I just see it as an opportunity to just embrace this as a complete lifestyle change. My path to goal is a long one, and even if my goal still puts my in the overweight category, I'm okay with that. I just want to be healthier and get off my bp meds, and get off the path to being diabetic or having high cholesterol that I've been on for so long. I'm lucky to only have one co-morbidity, and I'm willing to do what it takes so that I don't have any more!! I'll keep everyone updated once I talk to the surgeon. Thanks again for all the encouragement!