Hello all...my name is Di. I am in the information gathering part of my journey. I got my ins. approval (they just started covering WLS this year)!! I went to first seminar to meet the drs and staff, for info and Q and A. session. I went in thinking Lapband and came out thinking VSG...maybe. Another option presented itself and now I feel unsure. My first appt. with surgeon on April 26th so I'd like to get as much info going in as I can. He said the VSG is recommended for folks with a 50+ BMI but can be done on 40+ with co-morbidities. I have five. I'm not crazy about the ports and fills with lapband surgery but it's not enough to make me decide against it. I've been trying for three l-o-n-g years to get my ins. to pay and now they are so I'll get it anyway I can. But if I have options and an opinion then I want to make the best decision I can for me.

I want minimal down time. Sedentary is not for me. I had a complete hysterectomy and was up within hours and home in 2...walking the dog within a week and feeling ready to resume my life at 2 weeks...work included. I had to be out for 6 per my dr. So sitting isn't my ideal.

Anyone have any good practical advice or info to help me make a good informed decision, I am proactive in my healthcare and options so I want all the info you can share.

Hope I get to know many of you, that I find some friends and mentors as I start my journey. It's nice to be here and look forward to getting to know as many of you as will respond.

Many thanks.....Di

gatorman, we'll look forward to hearing how your appointment goes tomorrow with your surgeon and whether he suggests the band or sleeve or bypass. Good luck!

Well my surgeons office, said that I can pretty much make up my own mind on which surgery I can do, so needless to say VSG here I come. I met two different VSG patients today at my surgeon's office and they both look great! I can't wait. It looks like I am about 2 months out. I hope to schedule a date within the next month!!!

Very cool. I hope you get your date set up so you can prepare, both mentally and physically. I hope you will keep us posted on how it goes. I'm going to try to give feedback after my surgery on the 28th for those of you who haven't been there, done that, yet.

P.S. My dietician today said that with most sleeve patients they do a very low carb diet for 3 weeks prior to surgery. However for revisions from band to sleeve, it isn't as important. And that's a good thing since I don't have 3 weeks. My BMI is at 35 which is probably lower than for most new sleeve patients.

35 WOW, I wish. I calculated mine last week and I think it was 46.5 or something very close to that. I seriously cant believe I let it get this far. I really need to work on my diet before the surgery so I can feel a little better going into it.

When I got my band done my doctor asked me to do Atkins for a month to shrink my liver and I did it religiously and lost 20lbs in 3.5 weeks. Although my current doctor only wants me to do liquids for two days prior I think I should do low carb again and see if I can drop the 20 I GAINED in 5 weeks while my band hasnt been filled.

BLAHHHHHHH

BJean, I will definitely keep everyone updated on my progress. I hope to get the okay today from my financial adviser and if I do I will start the next step. It was funny yesterday since the doctor said he would never tell a patient to do one procedure over another if he didn't medically have to, but he would always advise a Sleeve if the option was there.

phat, I think the same thing about me and the low carb thing but I'm having a hard time actually getting started!!

gatorman, interesting that your doc advises a sleeve if possible. That sounds good to me!

I am 100% convinced of the sleeve too. I met a lady who had had the LB 10 days prior to me meeting her and she looked great and raved about it. I Q&A'd her and when she showed me where her port was and let me see it, all I could think was "gross"! I didnt want the port! So that did it for me...

My Dad and one of my sisters have both had the RNY and have had success with it. My sister doesnt look really that healthy, but the more research I am doing and the more questions I ask her and others, I am discovering that she is not taking her vitamins or supplements that she should be taking. She also doesnt do any protein supplements that I know of. She is experiencing what I believe is "dumping" too. Yuck! I dont want to have to suffer with that just to be thin. So the RNY is not something that I really considered either.

So, having said that, I started researching the VSG and I am sooo ready! My insurance will not cover it, so I am gonna be cash-pay.

I havent discussed any of this with my husband either, because I knew that given the history with my sister, he would NOT be supportive. So I have read, and read, and read....and I have answers to most of the questions I think he will have, or reasons he will come up with.

Good luck to you! This site is an unlimited supply of information!