Tangerine4

Gilta, they told me that at Highland too, about the 6 -8 weeks. I met with Mr. Trus on March 22nd and he scheduled my surgery for April 28th and the only reason I had to wait that long was because he gave me a week to make up my mind and I ended up switching to RNY. I just found out yesterday that I got approval from my insurance and now I go April 16th for my pre-op labwork. I am very excited. Everyone at Highland has been great so far. Good luck with everything.

Thanks for the support everyone. Barbie, I would love to talk to your mom, you can give her email to my account. If that doesn't work just send it to Luna585@gmail.com and I'll get it there. Amy, I was tested and I have sleep apnea. I went to the Strong Sleep Center and now I have to go back and be fitted for my machine. I guess a lot of the surgeons want you to have your machine for after the surgery. I only have moderate apnea though,not severe. The doctor said he was 85% sure that it would go away with my weight loss, but he was having reservations on the other 15% just because I also have a really bad deviated septum and that might be another reason for my apnea but I won't know until I lose weight. I'll be keeping in touch, I'm still waiting for insurance approval.

Well, I've actually been afraid to post my decision becuase I think I'm going to go the RNY route. No offense to anyone on this site, but I just think it is the best way for me. My husband even said that he knows me so well and just knowing that it is reversible is sounding more like I am "trying it out" not making a lifetime committment and he is right. Everyone has their own reasons for their surgery and i hope no one boots me off here yet, I still haven't set anything in stone and still think that we all struggle with our food issues and that you all offer a lot even to someone who isn't having any surgery. Just the insights and support here are so genuine. Thanks.

Barbie It went well relatively speaking, but the doctor mentioned that he felt that gastric bypass RNY would be a better option for me, and that left me feeling very confused. Now I am researching the heck out of that and trying to get feedback here also. I feel like I did when I was pregnant for my first son and did all the research and reading on lamaze and labor and then find out I need a c-section. UGHH. I don't know what to do. And the farther I delve into this even the lapband is starting to scare me now because of the unknown long term effects of having a foreign object wrapped around your stomach. I am only 5' 1" so these 225 lbs are a lot on my frame. I can't go on like this for much longer. Any feedback would be great.

I know this is a band board, and right now I am still on the side of the band and that is why I am presenting my questions here where I am getting feedback from actual bandsters. In most of my reading I am finding that they are saying that the long term effects of the band are not known and that when you do need reoperation, it is usually from the band to a bypass and that it is a tricky thing to do because of the condition of the stomach. Please help me out with that one. I am hearing that the band after 5-7 years will need reoperation. I know too that many of the complications of bypass have been associated with the comorbidities that were present before surgery, I was wonderin if the nurse might address that one? You guys are all very informative and have helped me out so much. I will keep you posted and would still like to receive comments as I am very open minded. oh, my doc never said anything about there no longer being a dumping syndrome so I will have to ask about that. I thought the dumping was the whole point of making sure that you didn't eat sugar. Also I did want to add that I have been though both nutritional and emotional counseling and i am ready to commit to a healthy eating style and wol but I just am trying to find the best tool to help me do that. I also plan on attending support meetings at Park Ridge no matter what WLS I choose.

I saw my doctor yesterday and his pre-op diet is a low fat diet for two weeks. He said that they used to do opti-fast for two weeks but it was too hard for the patients and by day 3 they were calling asking if they could eat something and he feels this very low fat diet works just as well.

Actually you did write a lot but it was all worth reading. You make many valid points. Just so you know I am 5' 1" so I do have at least 100 lbs that could be lost to get me to what is considered my "ideal" weight. But I would feel great at 145, i've been there before. I also do not have the $$ to be getting anything nipped and tucked and I know my stomach will never be bikini worthy because I had 4 c-sections and all of my boys were OVER 10 pounds. Again, a very valid point. As far as my surgeon goes, he is very familiar and does many, many band operations. He was even involved in a study for the swedish band and the new band that they recently came out with. He was also telling me that someone is working on a band that will automatically adjust itself so that you will no longer need fills. He's not sure what that technology will entail but that it will be a huge step for the band. I guess I have some more thinking to do, my surgery is scheduled for April 28th but I have to make a decision so they can submit to my insurance. Good luck with your surgery.

I do understand this is a pro-band board and that is why I've been on here so much myself, because for the past 7 months I thought my mind was made up. I guess what I meant was that I didn't want the thread to just bash RNY, but to reinforce why I had originally went with the band. Truthfully I am very afraid of the RNY and the permanent aspect of it, but I am also scared that I won't lose weight with the band and that I will just end up with bypass in the long run. I just don't want to regret either decision. It is also weighing heavily with me that my doc said that if he were in this position with his own wife he would recommend the RNY over the lap. I hate choices. Thanks everyone.

Actually he did explain his reasoning. He said that although the band is a great tool, it isn't perfected yet. These are not his exact words, but he said that they are coming out with more plyable bands so that there isn't as much risk of stomach errosion but that was a small concern of his. Also he knows that I am a sweet eater, a BIG sweet eater and that was a concern of his. Also I have only two comorbidities which are sleep apnea and GERD, so he said that because I don't have any high risk issues that I shouldn't have a problem with the surgery/recovery. I recovered extremely quickly with my 4 c-sections. He also knows that I have four children and have a fairly busy lifestyle and said that the fills can get tricky and in some cases can be time consuming. i do not want this to be an argument over whether the band is BETTER or WORSE then the RNY, I know there is some great tensions between the two but overall it's all WLS in the end. He really did take into consideration me as a patient. He would not recommend one or the other when we first met in September, he told me it was up to me to research both and give him my decision. i asked for his opinion becuase I was still on the fence. And lastly, he made it a point to let me know that he would respect my decision with whatever I choose and of course give me the best Standard of Care that he would give all his patients. I did my research on this surgeon an am going to a Center of Excellence, I just wish I could make a decision.

i went and saw my surgeon today to schedule my surgery date and i asked my docs opinion and he gave it to me. He said I was the perfect candidate for the RNY gastric bypass. i am just soooo confused I don't know what to do and feel like I need to make a decision and have no one to really talk to. Anyone have this situation?

hnladue - thanks for asking, I'm doing pretty well, i'm just really nervous that the insurance won't come through; that's what I keep dreaming about. I go in on Monday up to the hospital for my ultrasound and then i go up to the 4th floor to meet with Dr. Trus to schedule my surgery. Which means nothing until I find out from my insurance. I'm just frustrated right now because there is nothing I can do now except wait. I'll have to ask if my doc requires an upper GI.

I thought you were getting your surgery on February 27th?