Hi all,

my name is Carrielee and I am 31 years old.

I have battled being overweight / obesity since I was a young child and I’ve finally gotten the courage to taking the steps toward a healthier self.

At 31, I’m 5 feet tall and weigh 278 pounds, at a BMI of 54.29, it’s time to do this.

I suffer from a myriad of weight related health conditions and fear an early death if I don’t take control of my weight and health.

I suffer from acid reflux, hypertension, high cholesterol, Type II diabetes, arthritis, limited mobility, chest pain/angina, sleep apnea, liver disease...I’m slowly killing myself and I’m tired of it.

Any tips for a first consult with a WLS surgeon? My appointment is on April 25.

Ask a lot of questions about your health issues and what could change after have a written list so you don’t forget to ask, I had my surgery 4/8 researched for 5 years and finally started the journey in October 2021 I had a lot of questions

I did the majority of my research before even seeing the surgeon. I watched a ton of videos on youtube regarding the different surgeries, complications that each one can have and so on. If you havent already its a great place to start so that way when you do see the surgeon you have a decent knowledge of what they will be talking about and possibly more questions to ask. Tho you mention you do have acid reflux. The gastric sleeve will probably (not always) be out of the question for you so possibly bypass is what your surgery will probably end up being. Good luck with your appointment. Let us know what the surgeon says.

Yes, I'd be interested in SADI-S/DS and how your surgeon feels it compares to RNY and which would he recommend for you specifically and why.

Carrie Lee,

Congratulations on taking control of your health. There are a ton of resources on line and in print. The surgery is just one small tool, the rest is our hard work. I recently read a quote that stayed with me “discipline beats willpower every time “. Start today looking for what you have control over. Walk 5 more feet, sit stand at commercial time, eliminate 1 processed food ect. Read the stories of successful WLS patients. For your doctors visit take notes in with you. I would want to know if you are able to have a laparoscopic procedure with your BMI. And I would ask how the doctor prepares you for the changes to come. Every practice is different. Some do the minimum and others really partner with you and your primary care.

Be Well,

Tina

Congrats. I think you are making a big step in the right direction. I would ask the surgeon what procedures he/she does. Some surgeons only do the sleeve for example. It's good to know that upfront before they suggest what type of surgery is best for you. Ask all your questions and discuss your fears and concerns with them to get a good feel of your trust in your future surgeon. I had to go to a few before I trusted a surgeon enough.

Happy and excited for you to begin your journey.

Thanks to all for the welcomes and suggestions.

My recent ER visits with cardiac / stroke concerns have really shaken me. They’ve been wake up calls, honestly. Just last night I was back in the ER with a diagnosis of a pulmonary embolism so now I’m on blood thinners on top of my already lengthy medication regime for all of my illnesses.

I can barely walk without getting totally winded, constantly in pain, labs getting worse and worse...it’s time for change.

If you suffer from acid reflux, strongly consider getting something that's not a sleeve. Including, unfortunately, DS.

The strongly malabsorptive option other than DS (SADI-S, etc. too) is MGB, and we don't have a high-pressure sleeve. Unless you pay yourself, they won't give it to you in America.

Then there's RNY. And maybe your acid reflux won't be bad with a sleeve anyway once you start losing.

1 hour ago, MiniGastricBypassDude said:

If you suffer from acid reflux, strongly consider getting something that's not a sleeve. Including, unfortunately, DS.

The strongly malabsorptive option other than DS (SADI-S, etc. too) is MGB, and we don't have a high-pressure sleeve. Unless you pay yourself, they won't give it to you in America.

Then there's RNY. And maybe your acid reflux won't be bad with a sleeve anyway once you start losing.

Thank you.

i will look into those options.