I have be wanting the sleeve since June 2012 and now it is finally here. Feb 13th is my surgery date. Now I am so confused. I keep asking myself is this the right thing to do? I feel like I might be making the worst decision of my life right now. I am so scared. It brought tears to my eyes right now just typing out the word scared.

I am 28 years old and my highest non-pregnant weight is 305. I have been on my pre-op diet and I am currently 289. I am 5'3" with a bmi of 51 or 52.

I am conflicted for a few reasons:

1. What if I get a LEAK?!

2. What if I can't lose the weight or I gain it

back?

3. I will be some freak if nature with a stapled

stomach.

4. What is going to happen to me 20, 30, 40

years from now?

5. What if I live with the regret of doing

this to myself forever?

The reasons I want to do this is:

1. I want to lose weight

2. I want to reduce the weight on my joints

3. I want to fit in to clothes better

4. I want to fit in in general if you know what I

mean.

5. I don't want to get diabetes and heart

problems

6. I would like to feel better about myself

This is so hard! To top it off I have not even meet my surgeon! They said I'll meet him before surgery and that he would talk to me for a little bit. I feel like that is really not right. I should have been able to meet him months ago. HELLO he is going to have my life in his hands! He doesn't meet with pre-ops. Or even post-ops unless you have a complication. I did my initial appt with the PA (Physicians Assistant) and then did the six month diet with my PCP.

I just had my pre-op appt with PA and she was telling me the whole time how much she wishes that I would get the rny and that the people who get the sleeve don't come back for follow ups and she thinks its because they gain the weight back. She didn't even know what size boogie he was going to use on me. I asked how many sleeves he has done and she said not very many maybe a couple dozen! She said he hasn't had any leaks.

I called the hospital's OR and I asked some lady what size boogie does Dr. Coates use and she said it is something that he decides during surgery. That he dilates you and will adjust it until it looks right and then staple around that.

VSG Date: 2/13/13

Wow I was going to say the benefits out weigh the risks at that BMI and plus you can be a healthy mommy to your children..

But that whole doctor thing is weird!

nothing against a PA because my husband happens to be the worlds best ER PA, but this woman doesn't sound very informed about this procedure and HELL YA! I would want to meet the person operating on me!

You have taken some great steps there by doing your pros and cons. Read some of the books out there they really help. Im the same weight and Bmi but im in my 40's. I would definitely do the surgery at your age. My surgery is Feb 18th. I know when I got done with the last office visit I was so overwelmed by the info. I was questioning it too but not anymore. Hang in there.

I'm with you, maybe the timing isn't right.

You obviously know the benefits and seem to want the surgery for the right reasons. And you obviously are sharp enough to know that you should have met your surgeon by now, and you should and probably know that the more surgeries of a kind the surgeon has performed, the better. And a couple dozen AIN'T enough in my humble opinion!!

Maybe you should consider looking for a surgeon with a couple hundred or thousand surgeries of this kind. My surgeon's practice, with two surgeons, has performed several thousand between them. And meeting my surgeon bolstered my confidence because HE was so confident. He himself spoke at the informational seminar, and that in itself helped me move forward in spite of my fear.

Give it long consideration.

You have to remember the medical bariatric community regard RnY as "The Gold Standard". It is because it is what they have been familiar with. Have you ever been apprehensive at work when somebody asks you about something new that you have no experience with? How do you react?

"Uh, I would just go with this other thing because this is what we have been doing ..."

Obviously she is just uninformed. The reason people don't follow up is because a vast majority never have complications. Myself, included. I am 20 months post and haven't talked to my surgeon once. Don't need to. Lost 130 pounds in 7 months. 100% of my excess body fat. Why would I go back?

20 months post and I have excellent restriction. If I were to gain, I have no doubt I could drop it immediately by falling back to the basic principles of sleeve eating.

You can do it to. It's all good.

All of those things you are questioning are normal. You just have to decide if the pros outweigh the cons for YOU. For me, I was scared and had many of the what ifs you had but am so glad that I got this tool to help me get healthy. My surgeon's office has a mandatory pre-op class with the surgical nurse and NUT to go over the entire process in addition to the initial seminar with the surgeon.

The part about your surgeon does concern me. I had to meet my surgeon two times pre-op as well as his PA. It is also mandatory to see him at my 4 & 9 month visit. The other times I have the option of the nurse practioner or the surgeon. If I were you I would want to know WHY he won't meet with you pre-op and post-op unless you have complications.

PDXMAN,

I understand about not really needing the surgeon after unless there is a problem. I only see mine every couple of months.

But I would feel really uncomfortable to never met him until I was wheeled into the operating room. Wouldn't you?

I don't know it just doesn't sound reassuring the first person I met with was the surgeon and he talked to me and my husband and answered all of our questions himself.

Try another surgeon and see if it puts your mind at ease.

PDXMAN,

I understand about not really needing the surgeon after unless there is a problem. I only see mine every couple of months.

But I would feel really uncomfortable to never met him until I was wheeled into the operating room. Wouldn't you?

I don't know it just doesn't sound reassuring the first person I met with was the surgeon and he talked to me and my husband and answered all of our questions himself.

I met with my surgeon the day before the procedure during the NUT's seminar. Before that, I spoke to his assistant. They were able to answer all the questions I had.

Same thing with my last surgeries on my spine. I first met with their PA and he did initial screening and answered all the "basic" questions, I then met with the actual surgeon a couple days prior to the surgery. I had researched the surgeon and knew he was top dog in town. That is all I cared about. I don't think this is all that uncommon.

You may not like it, but I think a lot of surgeons spend their time doing surgeries, researching new information/techniques and dealing with difficults cases/complications. Surgeons are more about the procedure, not the person. As cold as that may seem, that is why they have PAs. So they can focus on the procedure. It isn't easy stuff their dealing with here. They are operating on morbidly obese people which, in and of itself, has its own complications.

Ask the folks who went to Mexico how much time they got to spend with the surgeon. Most likely, they met with them when they arrived or maybe had a 20 minute phone conversation with him prior. If you are the type of person who needs a warm, fuzzy loving surgeon, then perhaps you need to shop around a bit more.

Well then maybe it's my own personal comfort zone.

again nothing against PA's or "assistants"

But I do not think that meeting with my surgeon detracted from his skill level and him keeping up on new techniques and such!

Maybe I'm spoiled? And the Mexico thing that's a whole different ball game

Ps. not fighting with you just curious about your take on it....

And if I want warm and fuzzy feelings I will defiantly seek you out again!!

My surgeon does the initial consult and then meets with me before the surgery for last min questions.

I don't think your doubting the surgery, as much as your surgeon. See if you can do some more research, talk to his past patients while your in the office.

Well then maybe it's my own personal comfort zone.

again nothing against PA's or "assistants"

But I do not think that meeting with my surgeon detracted from his skill level and keeping up on new techniques and such!

Maybe I'm spoiled? And the Mexico thing that's a whole different ball game

Ps. not fighting with you just curious about your take on it....

And if I want warm and fuzzy feelings I will defiantly seek you out again!!

Oh, no. Have no fear. We're all good.

A lot of times, surgeons aren't going to know the answers to your questions. They have no idea when you can eat a cheeseburger again. When can I have coffee? Is it OK if I drink my Protein shake with my yogurt?

They have no idea nor the time to answer these questions. What size bougie ... yes, when will I weigh 175 pounds ... uh ...

Oh' date=' no. Have no fear. We're all good.

A lot of times, surgeons aren't going to know the answers to your questions. They have no idea when you can eat a cheeseburger again. When can I have coffee? Is it OK if I drink my Protein shake with my yogurt?

They have no idea nor the time to answer these questions. What size bougie ... yes, when will I weigh 175 pounds ... uh ...[/quote']

Don't get me started on bougie sizes!!!

And damn I forgot to ask him when I could eat a cheeseburger!!!

These are all are normal doubts (I'm pre-op and have them too). But going into surgery, you should feel confident in your surgeon. I have met with mine a couple times and I don't even have a surgery date yet. I know he has done hundreds of bariatric surgeries. Is your surgeon a bariatric or general surgeon? I would recommend a bariatric surgeon because that is all they do. Kind of like the difference between going to a regular doctor and a specialist.

I have be wanting the sleeve since June 2012 and now it is finally here. Feb 13th is my surgery date. Now I am so confused. I keep asking myself is this the right thing to do? I feel like I might be making the worst decision of my life right now. I am so scared. It brought tears to my eyes right now just typing out the word scared.

I am 28 years old and my highest non-pregnant weight is 305. I have been on my pre-op diet and I am currently 289. I am 5'3" with a bmi of 51 or 52.

I am conflicted for a few reasons:

1. What if I get a LEAK?!

2. What if I can't lose the weight or I gain it

back?

3. I will be some freak if nature with a stapled

stomach.

4. What is going to happen to me 20, 30, 40

years from now?

5. What if I live with the regret of doing

this to myself forever?

The reasons I want to do this is:

1. I want to lose weight

2. I want to reduce the weight on my joints

3. I want to fit in to clothes better

4. I want to fit in in general if you know what I

mean.

5. I don't want to get diabetes and heart

problems

6. I would like to feel better about myself

This is so hard! To top it off I have not even meet my surgeon! They said I'll meet him before surgery and that he would talk to me for a little bit. I feel like that is really not right. I should have been able to meet him months ago. HELLO he is going to have my life in his hands! He doesn't meet with pre-ops. Or even post-ops unless you have a complication. I did my initial appt with the PA (Physicians Assistant) and then did the six month diet with my PCP.

I just had my pre-op appt with PA and she was telling me the whole time how much she wishes that I would get the rny and that the people who get the sleeve don't come back for follow ups and she thinks its because they gain the weight back. She didn't even know what size boogie he was going to use on me. I asked how many sleeves he has done and she said not very many maybe a couple dozen! She said he hasn't had any leaks.

I called the hospital's OR and I asked some lady what size boogie does Dr. Coates use and she said it is something that he decides during surgery. That he dilates you and will adjust it until it looks right and then staple around that.

VSG Date: 2/13/13

you sound just like I did pre-op! I had the same concerns. I am soooooo happy I did this, and I really think you will be too.

It's funny (not really but ya know) because I was thinking this morning - if I can lose 20 lbs pre-op, why can't I lose 70 lbs and be OK with being a little over 200? My answer (to myself) is I couldn't do it before - I need restriction and a lifestyle change that will NOT allow me to go back to my old ways (sure I could eat through my sleeve but after working so hard - WHY would I?). I'm with Kaiser in Northern California - I met my surgeon yesterday after less than a week after orientation and NUT meeting. We had a great Q&A.

I think it IS VERY important to meet your surgeon and get a good feel about him/her. You said it, your life is in his hands. If you feel like you're not getting enough of a comfort level GO WITH THAT FEELING. You've waited a long time and it's a big deal - don't make a rash decision.

Good luck!