I see my surgeon on Monday!

[Erin18 134]

Hey, so the last time I came on here was at the begining of May and I said I was going to call my surgeon. Well I didn't until this week and I can't believe how soon they got me in.

My mom is finally ok with me getting surgery again.I can tell that she doesn't want me to get it still, but she wants me to do whatever I think is best. So reason why I didn't call back in May was because, I tried losing weight on my own for two months...well, I got no where, I only lost 5 pounds and it kept going back up and down, up then down and up again. I'm struggling bad. I have been walking close to 3 miles a day and haven't for the past week and a half, I feel really, really bad about that and need to start walking again.

I want surgery again because no matter what I do, I NEVER feel full like I did when I did have the LapBand. I eat everything in sight it seems and it's depressing. Plus, I have been feeling lonely and sad for months now, so I eat my emotions. But I just can't controll my hunger like it did with the band. I am 10 pounds over the weight I first started out with before I had the band in 09.

I just really want and need support because I am more terrified about getting surgery this time and I AM NOT telling anyone besides the family I live with, because It really isn't anyone else's business but my own and I don't need those people bringing me down more than I am.

Anyways, sorry about that.

I will be going over the other options with my surgeon and see what he thinks would be best, eventhough I am really thinking about Plication surgery the most and then if that doesn't work, I'd much rather have the Sleeve over Gastric Bypass/RNY.

What did everyone get?

What can you tell me about Plication? Does Anyone Have it? What is it like? What is the Sleeve like? Were you scared to have part of your stomach removed? That's what scares me most. Would you miss it? O.o

What can you guys tell me about these two?

I know a few things about each, the main thing I know about Plication is that it is sutured and folded in, making it act like the sleeve, but I heard necrosis or whatever can occur? Which is kind of a set back for me for the surgery I really want.

Am I really making the right decision this time? *sigh* I know I just need help

[SandyM 1,956]

I had the plication with my lapband and can truly say that my biggest issue is head hunger and no surgery will fix that. I find that I have to talk to myself a lot. That being said, the plication and band are doing me well. I wouldn't rule out the sleeve if I had to do it all again. The other surgeries wouldn't be for me for my own personal reasons. The drawback with the sleeve is I hear people say if you have re flux, it'll make it worse. I had it in the worse ways prior to my banding and haven't had it again, and wouldn't ever opt for anything that would bring it back. Good lucl with your decision.

[Chelly 364]

Reflux is the biggest problem with those surgeries. The likely hood of them getting worse is higher.

I originally was going to have sleeve because I didn't want to be rerouted inside but I had reflux and Gerds so my gastric doctor told me I would be most likely be sorry if I did it and should have the bypass like what my surgeon first told me to do.

I am so glad I listened and had the bypass because I'm much healthier now and my insides are working fine and I eating well too.

I watch to stay away from foods that they told me to and I've had no real problems at all.

My advise is discuss it with your surgeon and study every piece of information you can get your hands on.

Best of luck to you in your decision and surgery.

[Erin18 134]

Thank you, when I had the band I didn't get acid reflux until it slipped and it was horrible at that time. That was the other thing I am worried about that I forgot about.

Head hunger is my problem too.

Why is this harder to decide...:/ thanks tho

[BeagleLover 1,020]

The surgery won't fix the "head game"-- eating to control emotions. If you don't, you may re-gain the weight after surgery. I suggest these books:

1) by Cynthia Alexander, "Emotional First + Aid" (the bariatric one) and

2) "From the First Bite" by Kay Sheppard.

It would probably be very helpful to go to therapy to deal with the loneliness and sadness... not a fun way to live!

[BeagleLover 1,020]

Forgot to mention, please research the pro's & cons of plication. My understanding is that the plication adds risk.

[thesuse2000 698]

I had the band, lost about 70 pounds, then slipped, had a revision, but could never tolerate enough tightness to control my hunger/eating. I would have constant night choking issues with any fill. So I gained back all the 70 pounds plus a few more over the last five years. I was just sleeved a month ago and am thrilled with my progress and the overall experience.

I was terrified beforehand too. Thought about it for about a year (back and forth) before deciding to do it. Then spent a few months planning and getting my head into the game - preparing to change my eating permanently from the point of surgery, and building my confidence up after my band failure to believe again that I can succeed.

One of the nice things about the sleeve is the removal of the part of the stomach that makes ghrelin, a hunger stimulating hormone. I eat 4 small meals a day and feel very satisfied with about 800 cals a day. As far as reflux goes, I was concerned that I might end up with a permanent night reflux like I had with the band when tight. My surgeon said that wouldn't be an issue with the sleeve. I hoped that she was right (my husband was super concerned about that too) - and she was! I used to always have a discomfort issue with the (tightened) band when lying down in the 2 hours after eating, but I never have any of that with the sleeve, it feels pretty much normal to me. And no feeling of something stuck in my throat etc.

I wish you well in your decision and journey!

[Erin18 134]

So I saw my doctor yesterday.

They do not do plication surgery up here because there is not much proof with success and if its truely safe or what not.

He asked me why don't I want the sleeve. And I told him it was the acid reflux issue that people usually get with the sleeve. He told me if you don't have acid reflux or have just a little.bit of it before getting the sleeve that your chances of getting it increases. So he suggested Gastric Bypass, obs since its the last option. He told me that he understands that people are worried about rerouting of the intestines. I don't know about those who have Gastric Bypass if they are worried what their insides would look like and how they are worried about their insides not looking normal, but it kind of freaks me out. I meant these should be the last to worry about right? I don't know, so I was thinking about trying one more thing before going ahead. This is what I am going to try and see if it'll get me anywhere and if not I'm going to get RNY/Bypass, so I was thinking about eating like a bypass patient would. Another thing is that he suggested bypass because it doesn't cause acid reflux really and he just wants everyone to be happy.

I kind of feel like if I got the surgery I will feel sad because I didn't do it on my own and then if I didn't get surgery that I will be a failure. I hate the way my mind thinks lately

[Erin18 134]

So I'm still strongly thinking about it and idk if I can go to that extreme (bypass) I want to be healthy and everything. So tough...