how did you know?

[Lelly 20]

How did you know which surgery was right for you? I have had my consult with the doctor, and I can't help but second guessing if what he is wanting to do is right for me and not just what the insurance says? I do have a stomach condition that can cause ulcers and from what I have been able to research a plication can cause ulcers....then again a common cold or flu bug when looked up on WebMD can make you think you will die. I don't want to back out of this surgery because I have fought every inch of the way to get approved but I don't want to end up with more issues further down the road. Has anyone been here before?? I just need to know if I should go with my gut and say something or should I do what the doctor and the insurance say works best??

[Djmohr 6,965]

Yes, I did experience similiar feelings.

I started my journey with an on line class that my bariatric center of excellence offered. Of course I had more questions so I went to an in person class that one of the nurses who had bariatric surgery conducted.

I had decided that the sleeve was the right surgery for me.

Then I met with my new bariatrician. After taking a full medical history she made the recommendation that I have RNY due to my severe Gerd.

I was devastated and shared with her my fears of RNY. Mostly I thought for some reason RNY was more radical, I was afraid of malabsorption and I was terrified of dumping syndrome.

She spent a lot of time with me helping me understand that RNY is no more radical than sleeve after all they actually remove 85 percent of your stomach with the sleeve. Malabsorption helps you to lose weight and both surgeries require Vitamins for life and labs to ensure you are properly nourished. As long as I had my labs drawn at designated times and follow ups with my doctors I would do well.

In terms of dumping, she said not everyone gets it and you learn what to eat and what not to eat.

I was pretty convinced at that point but knew I should get a second opinion and was encouraged to do so. I went to see my gastroenterologist. He was very concerned about going the sleeve route for me because I had severe Gerd and was already taking the most powerful drug and the max dose twice per day. He said if I had the sleeve and my Gerd got worse there would be no way to treat it without having a revision to RNY anyway.

I decided I wanted to go through this once and went with the RNY. I have never had a single episode of Gerd and have been off that medication since 30 days post op. I also never had an episode of dumping syndrome.

All my co morbitities have been resolved and I feel fantastic.

I did do a ton of on line research as well and learned that many people end up with revisions to RNY. I decided to put my trust in the experts and stopped worrying about what could happen or might happen. I knew I could lose the weight on my own but I also knew I would never keep it off and I was sick.

Having RNY was the best thing I have ever done for myself.

I hope that you are able to get all of your questions answered and find the right surgery for you. My only advice is you have to get comfortable with the surgeon you are using and if you are, then you have to trust them to make the decision that is best for you. If you are not comfortable with your surgeon get one that you are. I would be very careful to not use one that will tell you what you want to hear but one that answers the questions you have until you are satisfied. You also have to be open to all of your options and make a joint decision.

Good luck to you!

[Lelly 20]

@@Djmohr thank you for your input. I think I need to do some more research. As for getting another doctor's opinion, I don't think it will be possible without a large out of pocket expense. Dr. Black is LITERALLY the only doctor in the state of Alabama to take my insurance without a 5 year wait. And when it comes down to it, I can't wait that long. It's not a matter of impatience, it's my health. I have done all I can do myself, even my PCP told me she was surprised I did this well. I have hit a major road block getting to that 75 on my own, and now I come to find out if I go below a 40 BMI my insurance won't approve the surgery. Which makes no sense to me. You would think they would encourage natural weight loss if possible.

My surgery would have been at the end of this month if a nurse had put in my information right. She marked me as having only blood work but no weigh in when I was in my fourth month ( I needed a solid six in a row), so I had to start up again. Kind of a bummer, but hey we all make mistakes right? And it is giving me a chance to work out all my jitters. lol Plus, get all my questions asked and answered. I liked that idea.

Congratulations on coming up on your anniversary! You are close to doing it all in a year! I am proud of you, that takes dedication and moxy! Good for you!

[jane13 2,256]

@@Lelly - If you have a comorbidity like high blood pressure, pre-diabetic (or diabetes) or sleep apnea that may be another notch to plead your case..