Debbiebydesign

For the most part, mine too, but wow, some horror stories I have heard in support groups. I think there was even a post in this thread where the person's surgery was billed after it was over and they were told approval does not guarantee payment! Why on earth then did they even waste the person's time by making them submit if they were not going to pay?!?? Scary!

I called BCBS and they told me my claim was submitted on 11.30.12, and I could expect 3-4 business days. I got approved today, 12.5.12...so, really about 2-3 days.

For the most part, mine too, but wow, some horror stories I have heard in support groups. I think there was even a post in this thread where the person's surgery was billed after it was over and they were told approval does not guarantee payment! Why on earth then did they even waste the person's time by making them submit if they were not going to pay?!?? Scary!

The biggest concern with the mini and the biggest reason that many surgeons refuse to use it is that there simply has not been enough research done to confirm it as a viable alternative to RNY. In addition, studies regarding long-term effectiveness seem to be non-existent. That may well change over time but those wheels turn slowly and for good reasons. By contrast, RNY has a 30 year history and countless studies confirming it's effectiveness both short and long-term. If you haven't done so already, you might want to ask your surgeon how many RNY and mini surgeries he/she has performed and what is the ratio of RNY vs. mini. Another concern is insurance coverage. From the little research I've done on mini's, it appears that the majority of insurance companies still do not cover the mini for all of the reasons mentioned here.

Sounds like the doctor needs to eat the cost of the second surgery.

It took a few weeks, but my A1c is now normal and I don't take anything right now for diabetes.
About larger people...the more you weigh, the more calories and nutrition you need to live.
One measurement they did on me at my heaviest weight was a body composition test, which indicated I needed, bare minimum 1900 calories daily to MAINTAIN my weight at the time with a sedentary lifestyle. If I exercised or had an active job I would need more. If I ate the same and was active, I'd lose weight.
Now someone who is 150 lbs MORE than me is going to need more calories and they require more calories to move their weight.
If both of us are getting the same 800 post op calories, Protein, and fat; and had similar activity levels for our size, who is going to lose more? The heavier person because they are burning more calories. At least that's how it was explained...

I lost 6 by the same point you are, but by the one month mark I lost 30. Its not always consistent. It doesn't mean it failed.

My surgery weight was 196 and now 9 days later i'm 202. I still have not got rid of all the fluids they pumped into me. Very discouraging...but I know it will happen with time.

My guess is that you are getting a little emotional from the change of it all, even though you outwardly feel very well. I am a mental health counselor. Several years ago, a young therapist I worked with, who happens to be one of my dearest friends, lost her infant son to SIDS. I was 7 months pregnant at the time. I struggled with whether I should go to the baby's services, being a very obvious reminder of what my friend had lost. I felt guilty. Here I am, 11 years older than my friend, with a healthy infant inside, and she was experiencing the worst nightmare of a new parent. I spoke with another therapist who said I was experiencing "survivor guilt." It's common to feel guilty about our good fortune, when someone we care about is suffering. That's what I thought of when I read your story.
You have to learn to allow yourself to enjoy the success and health that will hopefully come with your decision to have WLS. You cannot change the past, and feeling guilty about your good fortune only will drag you down, the only "benefit" it might serve is that it will make you appreciate what you have.
That said, the first few days after surgery, I felt WAY better than expected. But deep down, I struggled with some typical, "What the hell did I do?" type of feelings. It passed and really, now 80 days later, I can say the emotional fall out was far less intense than I anticipated.
Try to stay in the moment and enjoy the ride. You are now in control again...

I'm glad. One thing someone told me is that in order to move forward you have to give up guilt from the past. I think of that a lot.

I know there have been threads on this before, but some seemed like they had been there a while and I thought I would start a fresh one. Who needs some pals on my fitness pal? Please let me know. I'm dbstr4 there!

I am so sick of sleeved people in other forums and in my own support group bashing all other procedures!
The group leader, a sleeve patient, at my surgeon's support group is constantly making comments about the complications of RNY and band, et al.. He makes comments about how uncomfortable certain things are for RNY patients, as if he has experienced them. He's even gone as far as pointing at me and saying something like, "It was probably worse for you because of..(fill in the blank)..with RNY." And believe me, I do groups for living and I am no shrinking violet when it comes to defending my position and choices, but if it weren't for the other members I have made friends with, I'd stop going to group. I don't need to hear every month how risky and complicated and WRONG my choice was!
I thought it was just there, but no...a few Facebook posts from a bariatric support group had preoperative people asking questions about what procedure to get, and all the sleeve people pipe up and bash RNY. One guy even tried to say that RNY was MORE invasive than sleeve. My reply was, "How is that possible when part of the stomach is REMOVED in sleeve, but the remnant stomach is still there with RNY?"
Has anyone else noticed this RNY bashing by sleeved patients?
There should not be "sides" in a support group, like in a playground! We should support each other's decisions.
I am going to stick around here. Too much anti-RNY talk on other forums. I have had a textbook recovery and am happy with my decision. I feel great! I don't need the negativity. Ok, end of RANT!

My guess is that you are getting a little emotional from the change of it all, even though you outwardly feel very well. I am a mental health counselor. Several years ago, a young therapist I worked with, who happens to be one of my dearest friends, lost her infant son to SIDS. I was 7 months pregnant at the time. I struggled with whether I should go to the baby's services, being a very obvious reminder of what my friend had lost. I felt guilty. Here I am, 11 years older than my friend, with a healthy infant inside, and she was experiencing the worst nightmare of a new parent. I spoke with another therapist who said I was experiencing "survivor guilt." It's common to feel guilty about our good fortune, when someone we care about is suffering. That's what I thought of when I read your story.
You have to learn to allow yourself to enjoy the success and health that will hopefully come with your decision to have WLS. You cannot change the past, and feeling guilty about your good fortune only will drag you down, the only "benefit" it might serve is that it will make you appreciate what you have.
That said, the first few days after surgery, I felt WAY better than expected. But deep down, I struggled with some typical, "What the hell did I do?" type of feelings. It passed and really, now 80 days later, I can say the emotional fall out was far less intense than I anticipated.
Try to stay in the moment and enjoy the ride. You are now in control again...

Being a former band patient,I used to hang at lap-band talk.....after my band slipped, emergency surgery, etc i made the mistake of telling my story and that I was getting an RNY....I never trashed the band, just said it wasn't a good fit for me...and I got bashed!!! Got private messages yelling at me for trying to scare everyone away from the band , one said they hoped I experienced every RNY complication that existed and I should get another band....so freaking judge mental :/ (FYI another band was never an option, my band was a pain in the ass from the beginning but my surgeon would not rebrand me given the slip and damage from my band, I couldn't have gotten another even if I'd wanted it)
I also am amazed at how often I hear the sleeve is less invasive than the RNY....really???? Hacking off parts and throwing them in the trash....that's less invasive?
HW 312, pre-op (lap-band) 294, pre-op (RNY) 255, surgery date 2/11/13, goal weight 154, current weight 220.2

I am so sick of sleeved people in other forums and in my own support group bashing all other procedures!
The group leader, a sleeve patient, at my surgeon's support group is constantly making comments about the complications of RNY and band, et al.. He makes comments about how uncomfortable certain things are for RNY patients, as if he has experienced them. He's even gone as far as pointing at me and saying something like, "It was probably worse for you because of..(fill in the blank)..with RNY." And believe me, I do groups for living and I am no shrinking violet when it comes to defending my position and choices, but if it weren't for the other members I have made friends with, I'd stop going to group. I don't need to hear every month how risky and complicated and WRONG my choice was!
I thought it was just there, but no...a few Facebook posts from a bariatric support group had preoperative people asking questions about what procedure to get, and all the sleeve people pipe up and bash RNY. One guy even tried to say that RNY was MORE invasive than sleeve. My reply was, "How is that possible when part of the stomach is REMOVED in sleeve, but the remnant stomach is still there with RNY?"
Has anyone else noticed this RNY bashing by sleeved patients?
There should not be "sides" in a support group, like in a playground! We should support each other's decisions.
I am going to stick around here. Too much anti-RNY talk on other forums. I have had a textbook recovery and am happy with my decision. I feel great! I don't need the negativity. Ok, end of RANT!

I started this process on July 16, 2012. I'm a relative newbie, just having my surgery 56 days ago.
My new pet peeve is people who readily offer what I like to call "RNY tales of terror"- you know, the stories about the one person everybody knows who had RNY, who either had debilitating complications or who lost half of their original body weight only to gain it all back and more.
If you are pre op and have been discouraged by these stories, I want you to hear mine- so far.
I had my surgery less than two months ago. I'm close to being off all my insulin. My blood pressure is even better than before. My joints feel better. I have not had a Migraine since just before the surgery. I have had no heartburn. Although I was tired a lot a month ago, I'm slowly regaining energy and strength. I have had not horrible reactions to any food. I have to remind myself to eat. I have cravings, but they are easier to resist. There was some pain post op, but it was well managed, and improved quickly. I sleep better and my husband reported I am snoring less. I've lost 47 lbs, and 28 inches throughout my torso and upper limbs.
Best of all...I don't regret it at all. I only wish I was ready to do this sooner.

I started this process on July 16, 2012. I'm a relative newbie, just having my surgery 56 days ago.
My new pet peeve is people who readily offer what I like to call "RNY tales of terror"- you know, the stories about the one person everybody knows who had RNY, who either had debilitating complications or who lost half of their original body weight only to gain it all back and more.
If you are pre op and have been discouraged by these stories, I want you to hear mine- so far.
I had my surgery less than two months ago. I'm close to being off all my insulin. My blood pressure is even better than before. My joints feel better. I have not had a Migraine since just before the surgery. I have had no heartburn. Although I was tired a lot a month ago, I'm slowly regaining energy and strength. I have had not horrible reactions to any food. I have to remind myself to eat. I have cravings, but they are easier to resist. There was some pain post op, but it was well managed, and improved quickly. I sleep better and my husband reported I am snoring less. I've lost 47 lbs, and 28 inches throughout my torso and upper limbs.
Best of all...I don't regret it at all. I only wish I was ready to do this sooner.

I have PCOs. I will be having my RNY on February 7th.

I started this process on July 16, 2012. I'm a relative newbie, just having my surgery 56 days ago.
My new pet peeve is people who readily offer what I like to call "RNY tales of terror"- you know, the stories about the one person everybody knows who had RNY, who either had debilitating complications or who lost half of their original body weight only to gain it all back and more.
If you are pre op and have been discouraged by these stories, I want you to hear mine- so far.
I had my surgery less than two months ago. I'm close to being off all my insulin. My blood pressure is even better than before. My joints feel better. I have not had a Migraine since just before the surgery. I have had no heartburn. Although I was tired a lot a month ago, I'm slowly regaining energy and strength. I have had not horrible reactions to any food. I have to remind myself to eat. I have cravings, but they are easier to resist. There was some pain post op, but it was well managed, and improved quickly. I sleep better and my husband reported I am snoring less. I've lost 47 lbs, and 28 inches throughout my torso and upper limbs.
Best of all...I don't regret it at all. I only wish I was ready to do this sooner.

I forgot to add- no more bouts with IBS. I did not have horrible gas pains after surgery (I thought I would since i did after my c-section), my hair is not thinning.

I'm really happy to see that hearing this is encouraging to pre op patients, and glad to hear from those doing well post op. Weight loss surgery is not a trip to the spa. It is a lot of dedication, commitment, and effort. I thought going into this I could do it all alone, but the truth is we need support, and the support of someone who's been through it is invaluable. I have made several wonderful friends in this process, and even though my current friends were cheering me on, hearing, "If I can do it, you can" held a certain weight (no pun intended.)

My doc required only five days of Clear Liquids. Five horrible days...lol...with just that I did fine. Buckle down, stop cheating,realize it's rough, but temporary.

You love ME!? Aw....

Thank you, Lou for understanding the point of this post. You can't see me but I am applauding.
I have to admit, and I probably going to catch hell from one of the above posters for being brutally honest myself, but I am now EXTREMELY angry about my positive post being highjacked. (Abby, I do appreciate the apology above.)
Please re-read my original text. I was NOT referring to other bariatric patient's telling their story, whether it was good or bad- I was referring to other people who are more than willing to tell a horrible RNY/WLS story to someone facing the decision of whether to do this. Please understand that, because now I am referring to other bariatric patients.
RNY can and does save lives. Just like a heart bypass, there are successes and failures. Why is it, when someone is trying to be supportive to a newbie, that someone whose surgery was less than successful or had complications has to piss in the cheerios? WHY? I realize that it is painful, and I will pray give, words of support, to those people too, but damn, if you want to warn others, start your own post and title it "BEWARE! This surgery can ruin your life." THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT SCARES PEOPLE. I found these people here, even in my hospital support groups- tales of hernias, dumping, pain, complications. It's not a judgement, it just is. I have spent hours listening to both sides, and quite frankly, I am tired of it! Can't you just let happy people be happy?
I also take issue with the implication that I am sugar coating it. Surgery is risky, painful, and costly. The prep for it is long and difficult. I wouldn't wish this on ANYONE. But if you are thinking about it, then you need to know the good that can come, not just the bad.
I'm sorry it ruined your life, but if it helps someone improve their life, then let them enjoy it. I know this is a support group, but I cannot support discouraging others for your own agenda.

Wow- what an interesting and well needed post. I have to say my surgery was January 24 and I have had a successful recovery with no complications. We all know that there are complications with any procedure big and or small. It is nice for all those out there pre-op to hear the successful stories. There are just too many uneducated people out there bad mouthing WLS when they have NO clue what they are talking about. So for all of you that are getting ready to take the plunge always know there can be complications that is just part of life. For many of us this was the BEST decision we have made to get healthy and live our new lives. I feel it is important to research your surgeon find out how long he/she has practiced, talk about complications and risks and do as much research as possible to make this a positive change/event in your life. Best advice is to follow your surgeon's program. Each program is a little different and that is okay as long as we get the end result and live out the rest of our lives healthy and happy!!!!