WL WARRIOR

Ummmmm....can we just talk about the fact that everything she said is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!?!? As someone who HAS done my research and has lived in the WLS world for quite some time now, she's correct. Half of lapbands ARE in fact removed, and the long term success rates of lapband are much less than that of gastric sleeve or RNY. Everyone is so freaking quick to get insulted these days and I wish you would just stop it already. She spoke her opinion, which by the way was riddled with fact after fact, and you guys all get your panties in a wad? Grow UP already.

Hello there DESTROYED! It;s going to be OK.... take a deep breath, relax.. now try to focus and remember why you started down this path in the fist place. I am in your shoes so I understand. I am pre-op too and haven't even been given a surgery date because they thought I was too depressed to have surgery... I on the other hand didn't think I was as depressed as they said. ANYWAY... back to you. I think what you are experiencing is normal we are such creatures of habit and WE OBVIOUSLY LOVED FOOD! It is hard to think we are going to have to give up stuff we love, but I am trying to tell myself by giving myself this pep talk.... Hey look, you need to do this, you need to get this weight off, It's only food, and the food will be there when I am on my path to my new healthier life, you will be able to eat some of the thing you love, just less of them Lol. I didn't think I could do it either but to tell you a short story, back in 2010, I made up my mind to get the weight loss surgery after I met someone that lost 90 lbs in 3 months (by the bypass) at that time my insurance required 6 months on a diet seeing a Dr. I made it through up to a few weeks of my 6th month and final dr visit before they would approve me. I starting this weight loss adventure thinking well if I have surgery I am going to have to be able to do the 2 wks of liquids so needless to say over this 6 month struggle I rotated every 2 weeks on eating a liquid diet, and then I would eat regular foods but just less. I lost 80 lbs within that 6 months times on my own LOL!!!! BUT here is the bad part of my story... I was so close to surgery, then I was diagnosed with CML (Chronic Myloid Leukemia) and was not allowed to have ANY SURGERIES!!! until I was in remission. The big side effect of the chemo pill I take is (drum roll) rapid weight gain and adema! so I have gained it all back, the first 10 lbs within 3 day of treatment. It is only within the last year and a half that I am able to have surgery, and I restarted my bariatric journey last Nov but the clinic held me back because of depression) and PTL I am in remission and waiting for approval. My point is that I kept trying ... you see nothing is perfect, you are going to reach road blocks, but just keep your car somewhere between the white lines on the road, and moving in the direction of your goals!!! YOU CAN DO THIS! Please don't give up...the pinto Beans will be waiting for you and for me in our new lives. Stay strong

It sounds, based on your last post, that you just made a post to have people pat you on the back and tell you it would be ok. The surgery may (or may not, it's different for everyone) control your physical hunger, but it does absolutely nothing for your head hunger. You are still going to face the challenge of saying no to yourself when presented with something you shouldn't eat. I agree that the pre-op diet is tough, but you have it so much easier than many do. I couldn't have any food. I think you should at least let your surgeon know, it would be better than him/her not knowing before doing surgery on you.

@@waitingtoexhale,
I hate to be the one to say what I'm pretty sure you're already thinking (and if you're not, maybe you should). Are you ready for the surgery? I haven't had it yet myself, and to be honest I haven't done a lot of dieting or healthy eating for that matter in the last few months of planning for the surgery. But I'm 8 weeks away from it now and I just received my insurance approval a few days ago. It's like it's finally real for me now that I've been approved. I know it's time to get serious because the complications from not following the directions are endless. If you can't handle a few days of strict requirements, how are you going to handle an entire lifetime of changes? Sorry, I'm really not trying to lecture (especially since I'm pre-op myself), I just think sometimes we need a little kick in the butt to make us see the whole picture. The amount of food they recommend for you now is more than you'll have in a day post-op. Can you handle that? And the point of the surgery is to take control of yourself and your life and not let food control you anymore. Can you take that control or will you continue to be controlled by the food surrounding you? I hope everything works out for you and I wish you the best of luck if you have the surgery.

RJ,
You have to remember what those guys are looking at about 80-90 % of the time. "Hi, I am a middle age suburban Mom that has breasts that aren't quite as high as they were the day I turned 18" or " Hi, I'd like to paralyze my face so no one knows I am 32." Unfortunately, they typically aim for cosmetic surgery as opposed to plastics to actually repair damage. In addition, they are human and while you are not gross or grotesque as a person, we can all be objective in looking at the changes and damage we have caused to our bodies with obesity. As much as you may have felt judged by him, perhaps you are missing the mark since it was likely the first time you met him.; some people look pissed when they are in deep thought, some look happy when they are about to kill a bunny...perhaps you misread his expression. If you didn't and he is a giant douche, there are plenty of other doctors out there that would love to help you. Unfortunately, its just like the weight loss, A LOT OF WORK to find the right one. I am sorry about your other situations and for saying this if you aren't religious and it bothers you, but when things really hit the fan, I think about Christ, about the walk he took with the cross he was crucified on, the shame - hurt - and betrayal / hopelessness he must have felt being on display and abandoned by his father, then I think about my issues and they don't seem as large. Beyond that, your spirit is beautiful, no matter what it is packaged in. I have read your posts on here and they are helpful, lovely, and honest - may your body soon reflect what you need it to, but you have the hardest part of life worked out already. Being a fantastic person, that no plastic surgery can morph someone in to.
Best wishes

Just chiming in to send best wishes your way. Pat yourself on the back -- gently! -- for everything you are doing to address your health issues. Tell yourself how amazing you are. You ARE! Choosing weight loss surgery is choosing yourself and your healthy future first -- that is an amazing accomplishment in itself. The pre-op process can be so stressful, and for those of us who are stress eaters that can be a particularly difficult time. And as others have said, if we could lose weight through dieting why would we elect surgery? Duh! You are strong and you are on your way. Just keep reminding yourself of that. I am a big believer in positive self-talk these days. For me weight loss surgery stopped the constant chatter in my head about food and for whatever reason now I am able to walk away from whatever it is, or have a tiny amount (versus being a "finisher" or the old, "I screwed up so I may as well go all the way"). Good luck with the process -- and so glad you're here on the forum.

When I was a new bride in 1971, I was still suffering from anorexia. If you click on my little picture and go to my gallery, you will see in my wedding picture how absolutely boney I was. This was intentional, because if you look at my family picture you will see how heavy everyone else was, and I did not want to be big too. Later in life the pounds multiplied to the point that I had bariatric surgery last December.
One of the challenges that I have had post-op is exercise bulimia. The original poster reminded me of that by mentioning how she is beating herself up over losing conrol over the week-end. My dear, I so understand how you feel. With exercise bulimia, I feel the need to punish myself with exercise to burn up every calorie I eat. When I hit a long plateau it's even worse because there is no tangable result for all the hard work of measuring and weighing food and then exercising every day.
For anyone who calls this the easy way out - I would like to smack them upside the head. Our post-op lives are a job in themselves. Every day can't be perfect. You are not the only one struggling to find the balance. One thing I like about this forum is that we can open up and confess or rant and then feel like someone is really listening to our exaspirations and successes.
Jessiqoi, hang in there. As you progess through this journey you will become able to help those who come behind you. This is a wild ride. Even though opinions and tact vary, there are friends here.

I had my period the week of surgery and my surgeon didn't have a problem with me wearing a tampon. They put extra bed pads under me just in case but not once did i feel uncomfortable or uneasy about having it during surgery. So sorry you've had a bad experience in the past. But I do agree with the others...just let your doc know. No biggie.

Thecurveyjones said what I was going to say. Surgery during your cycle may actually be to your advantage, especially regarding your cramps. You will be on strong pain meds in the hospital, which take a couple of more days to wear off. I had IV morphine which was not removed until day two. After that, I had pain pills (hydocodone) to take home which I only used until day five, then all was right with the world. I had a catheter which was inserted after I was out cold, and then it was removed a four or five hours after I came around (when they were sure I could get up and walk). A medical professional should be used to the sight of blood - geeze louize.

Hi. It is unfortunate that a trained medical professional made you feel uncomfortable about something that is a natural part of life for 50% of the population. Have an honest conversation with your surgeon about your concerns. I had my period during the surgery (and I have VERY heavy cycles). They let me wear a pad with my underwear into the operating room (I have no idea what happened once I was under but I know my underpants and pad were back on when I came to in recovery). I didn't have a catheter. You will also have an opportunity to speak to someone during your pre-op visit and you can mention your concern to them. I wouldn't let this keep you from surgery. Good luck!

Hello I agree with everyone else suggestions about discussing this with the medical team also being in the medical field is not a keep your hands clean job for most so the people working with patients should be behaving in a PROFFESSIONAL manner which doesn't include "looks" or "faces" or "comments" after all stress changes in hormones etc can make periods come on unexpectedly and if someone landed in a hospital due to an injury or accident and were to be having a menstral cycle they would have to deal with it so they need to suck it up do their job and act professional and don't let staff treat u disrespectfully its the last thing someone needs in a hospital in pain and all that comes with surgery however having said that u must consider how u will feel with the discomfort of surgery and side effects if u are willing or will be able to deal with that as well good luck with everything

I'm sure they're used to it and you shouldn't need a catheter for this surgery. A drain, perhaps but no catheter.. You'll want to speak with your surgeon about any meds you're supposed to take for your menstrual pain during/after surgery. I'd imagine the strong pain killers you'll be on should take care of any pain you get from cramps/gas.
Mine started almost immediately after surgery. JOY.
But yes, they should be used to it and if you happen to be on cycle when you go in, let them know.

Gaining 5 lbs isn't the end of the world since most of it will be Water retention. You can drop that in just a few days so no need to beat yourself up. To gain 5 lbs of fat you'd have to consume nearly 20,000 calories over the weekend.
So, life goes on. Even after your surgery you'll have missteps. Life still goes on and you'll still lose weight.
tmf

I don't know what to say about your impending doctor's appointment except for Good Luck.
What I would like to say is that I am also an emotional binge eater. Luckily I was only required to do a short 3 day pre-op diet, but I know that there is no way I could have been 100% compliant with a long-term pre-op diet. That's why I needed the surgery...I did not have control over the food, the food and emotions had control over me.
I am only three months post-op so there is a long road ahead of me. But up until this point the surgery has been like hitting a giant RESET button my relationship with food. It's good that you are thinking about how you will cope when your biggest coping skill is gone. Replacing eating with other coping skills, viewing food as energy for your body and not a band-aid for emotions, turing eating into a numbers game (counting protein/hydration/dropped pant sizes/lost pounds), will all lead to you reclaiming the power over your eating habits.
So I guess my point is....even if you struggle with emotional eating pre-op it does necessarily mean that you will fail post-op. It sounds like you have the right thinking and introspection.

I'm glad you got your teeth removed before they caused you more trouble. The paperwork that I had to fill out at the beginning of this process had a section to complete on dental health. I was honest and wrote in that my teeth didn't cause me any discomfort or pain, but I did know that a few teeth were broken off in the back.
During my first appointment with the bariatrician, he went over my paperwork and noticed what I wrote in the dental section. He inspected my teeth and agreed that I had broken teeth way in the back. Honestly, I was quite upset when he said that I would have to get them fixed and furthermore, would not clear me for surgery until I got a letter from my dentist claiming that my teeth were in good condition.
The dentist found quite a few things wrong with my teeth. This was surprising since my teeth felt fine. I had some small cavities between my teeth and the teeth in the back had to be surgically removed. Supposedly, even a small cavity is an infection and one should not undergo surgery with any source of infection.
My dental work took about seven trips to the dentist and I was lucky enough to get it all done in less than two months. I was so relieved when it was all done. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have bothered going on my own accord because I wasn't in any discomfort at all.

You should not go into surgery until your teeth are free of infection. I spent over $1000 on my dental health early this summer so that I would qualify for weight loss surgery. I would take care of your teeth ASAP because they will push your date back until you take care of it. My date could not be set until my dentist faxed my bariatrician a letter indicating that I was 100% free of infection.

You should not go into surgery until your teeth are free of infection. I spent over $1000 on my dental health early this summer so that I would qualify for weight loss surgery. I would take care of your teeth ASAP because they will push your date back until you take care of it. My date could not be set until my dentist faxed my bariatrician a letter indicating that I was 100% free of infection.

You should not go into surgery until your teeth are free of infection. I spent over $1000 on my dental health early this summer so that I would qualify for weight loss surgery. I would take care of your teeth ASAP because they will push your date back until you take care of it. My date could not be set until my dentist faxed my bariatrician a letter indicating that I was 100% free of infection.

My file was sent to the insurance company Sept. 5th. I actually just called my insurance company this morning and was on hold for 30 min. I got tired of waiting and hung up. I'll probably try again this afternoon. The bariatric nurse said that my file goes to the hospital before the insurance company and I should expect to wait 4-6 weeks.
I purposely put myself in a lower income bracket so that I could obtain insurance that would cover this surgery. Not only is the pre-op process hard, but so is learning to live on such a low income now. I even have to wait another 4-6 weeks after insurance approval for something called "chart review". They have had the past 8 months to review my chart, so I have no idea what this last phase in the waiting game is all about.
Like you, I'm getting anxious with all this waiting around. I decided last week that maybe this is a good time as any to put my weight loss efforts in triple gear (without surgery). Good luck on your mission!

I debated between the bypass and the sleeve and finally decided on the sleeve. It has less complications for the future in regards to possible nutritional deficiencies and risks of ulcers and hernias of the intestines. I found that the sleevers lose just as much weight as the bypass in the long run and actually have much less risk of stretching out the sleeve vs the pouch of the bypass imho. I personally didn't want the side effect of diarhea that a lot of bypass pts. endure. And it's a foul smelling diarrhea at that. I've seen bypass patients get very sickly if they were not careful and also notice that they age considerably in appearance afterwards from what I've seen I would never get the lapband.... Ive seen more failure cases than any of the surgeries. You know after a couple of years the bypass often stops working as far as the malabsorbtive feature goes. Be sure to read all you can about both surgeries. I know that complications can occur with any of these surgeries but inmo the sleeve is the safest. I think I made the right decision for me. What I love about the sleeve is that they take the portion of the stomach away that cause hunger hormones (Grehlin) They do not do this for the bypass. With both surgeries strict compliance is the key to success of course. I have also read that sleeve patients have also been able to be cured of their Diabetis. but if you happen to gain yur weight back after surgery the Diabetis will return again like it did for Carnie Wilson.

I would fight this with all you got. Try to get a letter from your bariatritian, nutritional consultant, or even the nurse you were speaking about. The letters should mention their professional opinion concerning whether losing 2 pounds would actually, in any way, foretell your future failure after surgery.
If anything, the fact that you lost weight during pre-op should help you get approved. It shows that you are more likely to be successful losing weight after surgery. Successful weight loss after surgery will save your insurance company money in the long run. Your chances for diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol will lesson or diminish. That means less trips to the doctor and less medication. This will help insurance companies make more money. Am I wrong about this?
After you send in the letters to your insurance company, keep up on the status of your case. I mean really nag and call 1-2 times a week. Document when you called, who you talked to, and what was said. Don't give up. Talk to someone else that was approved for surgery through your same insurance company and get some advice on the best tactics that will work.

It seems as though the requirements for bariatric surgery approval has tightened up the past two years. There was no psychiatric evaluation required. That requirement was added on because the occurance of addiction (alcoholism) and depression was observed to be more frequent among people who have had weight loss surgery. People after weight loss surgery are more susectible due to such a large change in tolerance. The psych evaluation is mostly used to see what patients have preexisting or past addiction or mental problems.
I get so discouraged when I see those that had bariatric surgery gain their weight back. I didn't think the stomach could stretch so much after surgery. I am glad that all the requirements were added on (even though getting it all done is quite a pain) because it weeds out those that weren't that serious to begin with or may suffer consequences during or after surgery.
I had to attend a bariatric seminar and pass a bariatric surgery knowledge test before I could make my first appointment at the bariatric clinic.

I meant regret having 'surgery' in the first place. I will be having a gastric sleeve done next month. I have passed my last three EKG and echocardiograms, but I am still nervous about having heart failure during surgery. Being morbidly obese really sucks, but having a major organ fail could be worse. I wish you lu!

Have you quit smoking in the past six months? If that is the case, then it may just be a matter of time before your lungs return to a more regular state. I had heart failure during a surgery (non weight loss) nine years ago. You don't want to do a major surgery until your body is ready. Otherwise, you could suffer irreversible damage and regret having the damage in the first place.