lindyva

I have been working towards weight loss surgery for six months and had a hiccup along the way. The last week of July, 2014 was tough because I was in the hospital for 4 days. I went to the ER with chest pains and came out with a moderate hiatal hernia and a thoracic aortic aneurysm without rupture. The aneurysm is about 4cm and the Cardiologists tell me that I am a low risk and have put me on medication that I will have to take and I will need an ultrasound every six months. To make everyone at ease, I have an Echocardiogram schedule for Friday so I hope everything is okay. I had planned for the Gastric Bypass but still thinking about the Lap-Band surgery. My doctors office in now offering the Gastric Sleeve but my doctor will not perform the sleeve surgery however new doctor will perform the surgery. I have friends who have the three kinds of WLS and have told me the pros and cons of each. I know that the bypass surgery will help me drop the weight quickly and the lap-band will make the weight come off over time, still not sure, if I would do the sleeve and still leaning towards the lap-band. As you can see, I am trying to decide which is best for me. All of my new doctors have told me that I am a low risk and after the echocardiogram is done, the information will be submitted to my insurance company. I know that my insurance premium will go up next year and not sure I will have the same benefits that I now. I guess I need reassurance that I am doing the right thing and I need to figure which will best suit me.

I am a bit frustrated today. My last appt with my PCP was good until I mention having chest pains while mowing grass on a very hot and muggy Saturday. My doctor knows I have asthma and I told her that I thought this a respiratory issue and nothing to do my heart. She ordered a stress test and another EKG, my insurance company has denied both saying that I do not need this. Between vacations, I have yet to speak to my doctor but I did talk to her nurse yesterday. I told the nurse that I was fine and this issue is holding up my request for the Gastric Bypass Surgery. My insurance requires a six-month trail, which I have done, and now this. I am so ready for the next chapter in my life. I pray about this each day and for a sign that I am doing the right thing and hope that this not the sign. As anyone else had this type issues while waiting for approval, encouraging thoughts will help me today!!!

Congrats on your upcoming surgery. I am in the middle of a six-month trail, per my insurance company and only have 3 more months to go. I am looking forward a mean and lean version of me. My hubby is planning to have his surgery after mine probably in this fall. I drop out of the program 3 years ago and at that time, I was going to do the lap band but feel that the gastric bypass would be a better choice for me. My family is very support as well as my colleagues at work. I have had my mental health elevation, my first appointment with the nutrition so I am on track!!!!

I am trying to figure out if I really want to have theLap-Band surgery. I had a breast reduction 4 years ago and did not have anegative thought while waiting for my surgery. Best decision!!!! However, I cannotsay the same for the Lap-Band surgery. I have meet with my doctor who answeredall of my questions at the time, have friends who have had the surgery and aredoing well but I am not sure if I can do this. I have been overweight most ofmy life and I have a wonderful husband who loves me no matter how I look. Myfamily supports me in whatever I do but I still am hitting a brick wall. I havestarted the 6-month process, diet, and plan to meet with the dietitian as wellas the Psych evaluation. I just turned 50 and am thinking about the long term with aband. Will it last or what will happen to the band, as I get older. No, I didnot discuss this with my doctor but will. The diet that the doctor put me onwas 1,400 low fat calories and I have lost about 5 lbs so far. A part of methinks that if I continue on this diet that I could lose the weight on my ownand the other part is telling no, you should have the surgery. I know that Iwill have be happy with whatever decision that I make but I am still trying tofigure this out. Thank you for listening…

Hello, I have attend the WLS Seminar at Martha Jefferson in Sept'11 and have sent in my paperwork and waiting to hear from Dr. Trahan's office. I have two friends who have had WLS and both have had great success. One went with Gastric By-pass, other went with Lap-Band, and both had Dr. Trahan(Mr) as their surgeon. My insurance company with pay for the surgery 100% but I believe there is a 6-month waiting period. I am trying to do all of my homework before I have my initial meeting and still cannot figure out which would be best for me. I hope that with you all help, I will figure out which would suit me the best. My PCP is supportivein this since I have high blood pressure and asthma and she believes that I will be able to stop taking the high blood pressure medicine after surgery. My family is supportive as well; my husband would prefer me to have the lap band because he is very concern with the compilations with the bypass. I am looking forward to taking this new journey and hopethat we all become great friends, thanks for taking the time to hear my story. :rolleyes:

Hello, I am a new member and am excited that I found this website. I am competing on the Lap-Band surgery and am doing my homework. I plan to attend a Bariatric Seminar later this month and know that I will get a lot of information but I want to see what I can find out for myself. I have been overweight all my life had tried every diet in the world with some success but the weight crept back on. Now, I think I am ready for a major change. My questions are general but I would like to see what you all have to say: 1-How long was your recovery? Numbers of days in the hospital, what did you come home with and how long where you out of work. 2-Was it hard to follow the new diet, did you have those moments that you wanted to go back and eat like you did before. 3-How did you re-program your brain to follow the new diet and new way of life. 4-How much weight have you lost since your surgery. As you can see I have a lot of questions. I have two friends who had the Lap-Band and Gastric By-pass surgeries with great success. My friend who had the Gastric by-pass drop about 100 pounds since her surgery in the winter of last year and my friend who had the Lap-band surgery weight loss was done two years and her weight loss of 100 pounds was much slower. Sorry for the long note but I want to find the in and outs of the surgery and the afterlife…. Thanks again, lindyva