December 1, 2010

Well, just 15 days from my scheduled band-date I had my appt with the Surgeon and after all my nervousness, it seemed anti-climactic when he didn't try that hard to change my mind. In fact he seemed...apathetic and rushed. He did mention the other surgeries and why he likes them but in the end he shrugged and said if the band was what I wanted then he would put it in, gave me a pat on the back and said he'd see my on the 16th at the Hospital.

I left feeling upset. I wasn't looking forward to having to plead my case but I think I was spoiled by my primary care doctor's fantastic bedside manner and willingness to talk things through with me (without rushing from the room!!!)

The office assistant gave me the final paperwork and, in passing, handed me the optional insurance packet because, as a self-pay, my health insurance would not cover ANY complications that were a result of a surgery that wasn't covered. This was something I had never considered and decided to go home and do some serious research before selecting the insurance packet for me.

So here's where the sway starts, I started reading articles in medical health journals of extensive longitudinal studies performed on band recipients. I learned that the complication incidence rate at 1 year is close to 1:10, at 5 years it was closer to 1:7 and at 10 years after surgery, almost 1 in 3 people needed another surgery to correct slippage, port problems, erosion into the stomach, etc...

It really got me thinking. At only 27, I may (hopefully) have this mechanism inside me for another 50-70 years, The findings made sense: things would break down with time and strenuous activity and I hope to have lots of both in the future. And being a self-pay am I going to be able to pay another 15 grand in a few years to go back in and fix something..? Did I want to take the chance? I was starting to have some serious doubts, but didn't feel comfortable with any alternative surgery.

As evidence that karma is real and God DOES have a sense of humor, things started falling into place. A book I'd been on the waiting list came in from the library... Dr. Garth Davis' Expert Guide to Surgical Weight Loss. I had never seen Dr. Davis' show on TLC 'BIG MEDICINE', but I had heard the book was very good and been wanting to read it. I had been on the waitlist so long though, I forgot all about it until I saw it in the mailbox.

Reading the book, I learned that Dr. Davis' favorite surgery is the sleeve. He explained it thoroughly and stated all the reasons why he preferred it to the others but found it was really only an option for self-pay patients because insurance won't cover it.

http://books.google.com/books?id=ok 4iRskiDEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=garth+davis+big+medicine+gastric+sleeve &hl=en&ei=0q0gTae2DMH_lgeHwehP&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1 &ved=0CDEQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=sleeve&f=false

Once I started talking about the sleeve and reading up on it, I seemed to become a sleeve magnet with people who'd had the surgery and wanted to tell me good things about it practically coming out of the woodwork!! I also started perusing this fabulous forum and hearing about other people's journeys and noted several members who switched to the sleeve after an unsuccessful foray with the band. I particularly liked this video I found on another member's blog:

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/surgery-vertical-sleeve-gastrectomy-11968867

All told I wanted more time to think and read so I called the surgeon and canceled the surgery date after all. I told his office asst I would think and pray on it over the holiday and call back after Christmas. She seemedreally excited and told me they love the sleeve best and are always thrilled when someone chooses it over the band (although I maintain the surgeon himself is a bypass guy first and foremost!)