TexanGal

Hey guys, haven't been here for a while and thought I'd check in. Still losing slowly but surely. Ladies, stay away from wine and other new addictions that might take over where food once reigned! Lol. Keep to your goals and do you. Every journey is different so never compare yourself to others. At 18 months postoperative I thought I would have figured it all out by now. That is not the case. I still am mindful of my Protein and calories intake as well as liquids. Still on my Quest for Vitamins that I can settle on (have tried gummies, pills, patches). Still eat with my eyes and have to remind myself food is simply fuel and not a party. Still have to remind myself I have lost the weight and to stop ordering 3 sizes too big because it might not fit. The list goes on but wherever you are in your journey, you are doing great and you will reach your goal. Might not be tomorrow but keep working at it and you will get there. Most importantly, if you have an off day, dont beat yourself up about it and continue forward. For those of you dealing with naysayers of all sorts, I say do you. Your future self will thank you for it. Who I am now am very thankful for the me 18 months ago. My pictures below say it all. I got to a point where I was so miserable, I rarely took pictures and continued eating myself to death because it was my escape. I posted preop pic, one year anniversary, and most recent. Good luck everyone.Take care and Aloha!
Flo
Surgery Day: 4/11/17
HW: 312
PreOp after 2 week liquid diet: 302
PostOp at 18 mths: 219  
Sent from my SM-N950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi y’all,

I had RNY on Aug. 1. It’s been what I expected so far. Love the weight loss the most. Ha. However, I still have very smelly gas, even hours after I eat. I’m taking a probiotic my surgeon recommended, which has helped some, but mainly the burbs I would get.

How do others deal with this embarrassing issue, especially now that I’m back at work? Luckily, I have a private office but still!

I just got my surgery scheduled, and it's for August 1 in the Houston area. I'm so excited... FINALLY! I originally had a May 30th date but it got postponed because I was diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus and had to get another EGD scope for ablation of pre-cancer cells. The GB will cure my acid reflux and now I've had three doctors agree (surgeon, gastroenterologist, PCP). My surgery was initially denied due to low BMI (34) but now it's a go because of the barrett's. I'm nervous but mostly excited to start a new life without yo-yo dieting and GERD! Can't wait to see who my surgery buddies are for AUG. 1.

I have Barrett's too and am getting the RNY/GB to fix it. My gastroenterologist, PCP and surgeon all said it was the best way to cure Barrett's. My surgery date is Wednesday, Aug. 1 so I'm busy in the "getting ready to go" mode. More excited than nervous b/c I'm more scared of esophageal cancer. Wish me luck!

Hello all,
I just had my pre-op appointment at the hospital so I've cleared the final hurdle! My RNY/GB is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 1, at 1:30 p.m. in the Houston area.
I'm excited and nervous but much more excited than nervous.
Can't wait to be on the loser's bench!

I just got my surgery scheduled, and it's for August 1 in the Houston area. I'm so excited... FINALLY! I originally had a May 30th date but it got postponed because I was diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus and had to get another EGD scope for ablation of pre-cancer cells. The GB will cure my acid reflux and now I've had three doctors agree (surgeon, gastroenterologist, PCP). My surgery was initially denied due to low BMI (34) but now it's a go because of the barrett's. I'm nervous but mostly excited to start a new life without yo-yo dieting and GERD! Can't wait to see who my surgery buddies are for AUG. 1.

Aug. 1 is my date, too! Hi, Surgery Buddy. I'll be having it done in Houston area.

I just got my surgery scheduled, and it's for August 1 in the Houston area. I'm so excited... FINALLY! I originally had a May 30th date but it got postponed because I was diagnosed with Barrett's esophagus and had to get another EGD scope for ablation of pre-cancer cells. The GB will cure my acid reflux and now I've had three doctors agree (surgeon, gastroenterologist, PCP). My surgery was initially denied due to low BMI (34) but now it's a go because of the barrett's. I'm nervous but mostly excited to start a new life without yo-yo dieting and GERD! Can't wait to see who my surgery buddies are for AUG. 1.

I know you posted this a while ago, but I was just browsing the lists and came across it, so I thought it's probably not too late to reply.
I was diagnosed with Barrett's in 2016, and at that time I was also told I had a large hiatal hernia. I was recovering from having my gallbladder removed and I felt like the warranty had just expired on my body. The surgeon said nothing was going to get better unless I had WLS--he was recommending sleeve.
Insurance company sent me to a different hospital in a different city, and that surgeon recommended RNY for all the reasons your surgeon said. I had the surgery in September of 2017, and I feel much, much better. After 2 months, I was able to stop taking the Prilosec and my high blood pressure meds. I haven't had a day of heartburn since. I still have to have a endoscopy done every 3 years, but that's minor compared to what the repercussions would be if I hadn't had the surgery. And I've lost 105 lbs!!
But a lot of people in my support group who had the sleeve done have just not had as good of results. So in the end, even though recovery and life after RNY is a little bit harder some days, I'm glad I had it done. I hope you've had your surgery by now and you're feeling better.

Background: I’ve had GERD for many many years, long time Prilosec user, and a family history of esophageal cancer.
I had MGB surgery in April 2017 and it resolved my acid reflux, but in Dec 2017 an EGD showed bile reflux, and then in April 2018 an EGD showed Barrett’s Esophagus and a hiatal hernia, which I never had before. Two different surgeons have recommended conversion to RNY to correct the reflux and to repair the hernia, so I will be having both of these procedures at the end of the month. I am also low normal BMI right now so I hope I don’t lose too much weight after surgery.
I’m looking forward to being free of all symptoms and resolution of pre-cancerous cells!

Thank you so much for your post! I loved reading about your experience. I had the ablation of my pre-cancer cells two weeks ago and my pre-op with my WLS surgeon on Friday. Now I’m just waiting for bypass to be scheduled. So I’ll be getting the RNY gastric bypass in a few weeks, fingers crossed! I’ve done a lot of research and spoken to several doctors, including my PCP and Gastroenterologost, and they all said the bypass was the best bet to cure GERD. And insurance approved it, even though I’m at 34 BMI. That alone says a lot, since they denied me for the sleeve even with comorbidities because I was too low a BMI.

I was sleeved TODAY May 30th... I had the best experience. I am still at the clinic until Friday morning and wrote my review as my first post here. I am so HAPPY I did this.

It does lead to esophageal cancer, my Cousin June-Ellen died 2 years ago at Cleveland Clinic. I still miss her and probably always will. June Bug thought she had indigestion from Hades , went to our local hospital aka.the Band Aid station, they couldn't find. anything, no surprise there, they couldn't find their own backside unless somebody painted it with glow in the dark paint, sent her on to one of the Columbus hospitals where they claimed not to find much,wrong. Family took her. to Cleveland Clinic, she died on their operating table. Be glad you are getting it taken care of in time.
You and I could be surgery twins, I still haven't get a definate date myself. Good Golly, I might as well book a chamber orchestra, wonder if the one that played at Prince Harry's wedding is available? Just don't bring that Cello player, made me nervous, the way he rolled his eyes around I thought he might be going into a seizure! At any rate, Good Luck and,keep me updated.😛

Unfortunately, my surgery was postponed. When I saw my surgeon for the pre op, she had biopsy results that showed I have Barrett's esophagus with dysplasia, which means pre-cancerous cells. So, I have to get the dysplasia treated (through another scope that zaps them) before I can have surgery. It will now probably be in 4-6 weeks. I was bummed but REALLY glad I got the diagnosis because it could lead to esophageal cancer. It also means I need the RNY gastric bypass instead of gastric sleeve because I have such bad (and now dangerous) acid reflux. It's good they do the scope before surgery!!! I'll let you know of my future surgery date. Thanks so much for caring, everyone! It means a lot.

Hi everyone,
I'm getting my gastric sleeve on May 30 at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital. I'd love to have some surgery buddies... any out there? (I'm so excited but nervous as well! More excited than nervous though!) Ready to change my life!!!!

No. I weighed 222.4lb at surgery. My 1st goal is 160lbs. I did RNY for some of the same reasons. I have pre-cancerous cells in my esoph and duodenum and gastritis (which 98% of us have).
I am also a BC survivor. So RNY it was. And I'm doing fine. So will you.

I was all set for gastric sleeve surgery but preop I was diagnosed with Barrett’s. My doctor would not perform a sleeve in a patient with Barrett’s. My only option was bypass. I debated whether to just cancel as I only had a little over 100 pounds to loose. I did have, however, hypertension despite 3 medications and horrible sleep apnea. I am so glad I didn’t back out. I have never felt better. I take no medications and am keeping my weight off. It’s not easy but it is so worth it. My surgery was a tool that help me lose the weight but it is up to me to keep it off. I am hopeful for the future. Good luck on your journey.

I have had Barrett's and monitored it yearly on the cancer surveillance program for the past 8 years. After 18 months of research, I just had the RNY gastric bypass in hopes of saving my life. Their is a study that showed many of the folks with Barrett's actually got regression from the Barrett's as the acids from the stomach and the mucosa from the small intestines are surgically separated from the pouch.
I won't know if it works that way for me until future scopes in the next year or two. But hopeful!
Go with the RNY bypass, the sleeve will make your Barrett's worse and put you more at risk for getting esophageal cancer. Surgeons steer us away from the sleeve for a very good reason.

I'd be up for meeting for a 5k next year as well. I'd love to meet some fellow Texas sleevers. I'm in the Houston area. Getting sleeve done on May 30.

I just went through the thread and followed all the June surgery people. There were several from Texas like me and several teachers. In am not a teacher, but work with Communities In Schools which also follows the school schedule. My organization does not usually work summer school, but I do because I am in an alternative school that offers summer school. I won't be there this year because of my surgery :(. I am hoping we can encourage and keep each other accountable through this forum, and maybe us Texas folks can meet up next summer in a central location. Enchanted rock in Fredericksburg, the River Walk in San Antonio, 6th Street in Austin, or the trillion of places near Dallas where my daughter is. Heck, maybe we can walk a 5k together, just trying to be optimistic and be with some people that get it. I have attached this video before but I hope you guys enjoy my weight loss fish.
Weight Loss Surgery Puffer Fish.mp4

My date is Monday, May 28 in Mexico. I am doing the Pre-Op diet now. Feeling nervous and excited.

Hi everyone,
I'm getting my gastric sleeve on May 30 at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital. I'd love to have some surgery buddies... any out there? (I'm so excited but nervous as well! More excited than nervous though!) Ready to change my life!!!!

I dont think you would sound like a nut job fir researching something that is going to change your life. I can't imagine that any Dr would be upset about answering questions that help you understand what is going to happen. I think you can never know too much!

Obviously insurance only wants to pay for surgery if you are morbidly obese, there is not getting around that. That said gastric sleeve is pretty low on the long term side effects scale so the chances of needing additional surgery and being denied are similarly low, its a question of personal risk vs reward.

My former coworker had RNY back in 2004 and was self pay since insurance at the time was not covering it. Several years later she was hospitalized for severe gastritis and bleeding from an ulcer. The insurance denied coverage for that hospitalization stating the problems were a result of her previous elective surgery. She could not pay the almost $25000 hospital bill and was forced to declare bankruptcy. Good luck in getting it sorted out...insurance decisions are ridiculous.