Hi everyone,

I have spent a couple weeks now reading the message boards and I am so surprised at how accepting, supportive, and, dare I say, loving everyone is to each other. This is a very special place and I'm glad to have found it. I am starting the process of Gastric Sleeve, BMI 40 with Congestive Heart failure. I was wondering if anyone out there could relate. I've been feeling a bit alone. My ejection fraction is only 26.6% so the surgery is considered high risk. I'm pretty nervous but need to get the weight off so I can ease the stress on my heart. Can anyone else share their high risk situations and how they are doing?

Looking forward to meeting new people and making new friends.

You are taking a step in the right direction! I don't really have an experience to share with you but I am pulling for you. Losing weight will be the best thing for your heart. At one point in my journey, my primary care and cardiologist was very concerned that I might have had early stages of CHF. My cardiologist ordered a series of tests which came up negative but I remember the real fear I felt. Your nervousness is understandable. Do you have a surgeon or are you in the process of finding one?

Hi Mattymatt. Thank you for sharing. I have found a surgeon. Going to Loma Linda University, Dr Scharf. It's a really good hospital here in the Inland Empire area of CA. He is the lead bariatric surgery there. I have a 2 hour meeting scheduled with him on April 4 to go over all of the tests I've had so far. He had told me that he worked on someone who was at 10% EF which I thought was incredible. The risk is with the anesthesia. I'm told that the EF will fall even more and could lead to cardiac arrest. I interviewed 4 other doctors before choosing Dr. Scharf. I feel like I'm in good hands but still pretty scary.

And where are you located? I call myself the Bariatric Godmother since I'm about the oldest(72) active and have a strong sense of helpfulness. My advice: look for a Bariatric High Risk surgeon at a Center of Excellence hospital, preferably attached to a teaching university with a medical school. They are the creme de la creme in their field, you have to be up to date to teach future doctors and surgeons. Let me use ME as an example. I don't have a diagnosis of CHF but I do have lymphedema and venous stasis in both legs. Although I'm not the star pitcher I am playing on that ball-field. I live in Central Ohio, I will be having my RnY surgery at Ohio State University-Wexner Medical,Center in Columbus, our state capital. OSU is a Bariatric Center of Excellence hospital, has been since the early,2000s. One of the pioneers in minimally invasive laprascopic surgery if I remember correctly. I'm not sure which of the doctors will be mine, I suspect the Chief of Bariatric Surgery because of my age. I am not as high risk,as you,but my age would give some doctors pause to reflect. I am in good to excellent shape for my age, my PCP calls me a 45 year old trapped inside a fat arthritic 72 body. My BP, heart, lungs, and diabetes status are better than his and he's in only his mid-40s. I passed all the prerequirements for another program, they "kicked me to the curb" after being in their program since August 2015, very rare occurance so no worries for you about that. My records were transferred to OSU where I probably should have gone in the 1st place, I have a 2 hour psych appointment with OSU staff psychologist Dr Kramer April 25th, then depending on whether they require additional testings, it could be as soon as early May, might be June sure hope it won't be July. My high school reunion[emoji621] will be August 11th, I had hoped to look so good nobody would recognize me![emoji14][emoji626]Oh but que sera sera, whatever will be will be. In the,meantime I'll stay the course in an upbeat frame if mind[emoji304] If I can help any other people on their journeys, hurray!!÷

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And where are you located? I call myself the Bariatric Godmother since I'm about the oldest(72) active and have a strong sense of helpfulness. My advice: look for a Bariatric High Risk surgeon at a Center of Excellence hospital, preferably attached to a teaching university with a medical school. They are the creme de la creme in their field, you have to be up to date to teach future doctors and surgeons. Let me use ME as an example. I don't have a diagnosis of CHF but I do have lymphedema and venous stasis in both legs. Although I'm not the star pitcher I am playing on that ball-field. I live in Central Ohio, I will be having my RnY surgery at Ohio State University-Wexner Medical,Center in Columbus, our state capital. OSU is a Bariatric Center of Excellence hospital, has been since the early,2000s. One of the pioneers in minimally invasive laprascopic surgery if I remember correctly. I'm not sure which of the doctors will be mine, I suspect the Chief of Bariatric Surgery because of my age. I am not as high risk,as you,but my age would give some doctors pause to reflect. I am in good to excellent shape for my age, my PCP calls me a 45 year old trapped inside a fat arthritic 72 body. My BP, heart, lungs, and diabetes status are better than his and he's in only his mid-40s. I passed all the prerequirements for another program, they "kicked me to the curb" after being in their program since August 2015, very rare occurance so no worries for you about that. My records were transferred to OSU where I probably should have gone in the 1st place, I have a 2 hour psych appointment with OSU staff psychologist Dr Kramer April 25th, then depending on whether they require additional testings, it could be as soon as early May, might be June sure hope it won't be July. My high school reunion[emoji621] will be August 11th, I had hoped to look so good nobody would recognize me![emoji14][emoji626]Oh but que sera sera, whatever will be will be. In the,meantime I'll stay the course in an upbeat frame if mind[emoji304] If I can help any other people on their journeys, hurray!!÷
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I’ve got venous stasis and lymph edema too. So painful.

Hey Frust8. I am in California, Inland Empire. Thanks for the details. Loma Linda is a hospital and a university and is also a Center of Excellence. So, I feel like I am in good hands. I meet with the Dr for the first time on 4/4 to discuss the details and discuss my concerns. I hope the process will start on that day. I am ready to start on this new path.

Loma Linda. Muy excelente, to quote our brothers to the South. FYI. L.L. started out as a 7th Adventist hospital, Ohio headquarters of that denomination are in Mount Vernon, where I live. Many many Adventist friends. And I've always heard,only good things about Loma Linda. Yes you definitely are in good hands. My legs are really painful today, finally,gave in and took a Norco, I have most of my bottle from my left knee replacement February 7 2017 so you see I don't do any drugs. Have a few family members who,are close to addiction, not me!!.! I do not care for the loss of control those drugs give me! So I take the least amount and as infrequently I can and not imperil my health. I think if it is approved and I see no reason it wouldn't be, there will be so much less stress on your [emoji173]. Think how much harder it has to work pushing blood through those fat layers. It would say thank you if it could. Your Dr Scharf sounds a treasure, when it is time for surgery I'm sure he will locate the best most compentant anesthesiologist in the Inland Empire, if not the best in the whole state of California. FYI I had an aunt and uncle who relocated to Kingsburg and several of their sons and families live in Fresno. Aunt Elsie used to ship us raisins she dried herself. We are not planning the easiest of journeys but it will be SO WORTH it. I have a little latent fear, wouldn't be human if I didn't, but the rewards outweigh the detriment so much, and I know it's the right time for me to do this, I'm confident, committed and I will be a success. And the fact,i have a buddy going through the same steps at the same time, you are the maraschino cherry on top of my Life Sundae. Stay calm and cool, we CAN DO this babe![emoji13][emoji779][emoji779][emoji779][emoji12][emoji13]

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