Dakini

Oh yeah, I know it’s important. I had asked the nutritionist if the vitamins were available locally and she said no, special bariatric ones I’d have to order, so I have no doubt that will be the recommendation and I will go by what she says. But her estimated monthly price is just SO far off from Vitalady’s regimen it does really make me wonder what’s up.

In the beginning, I was sure I wanted the DS, but the more I learn the more confused to the point that I change my mind every few hours. The only procedure I’ve ruled out completely is LapBand. The others... the trade-offs are really glaring. Here’s my situation: my insurance excludes all WLS (heck, any treatment for obesity whatsoever), and any complications arising from it. My mother has generously offered to pay for my bariatric surgery, but I am otherwise on a pretty tight budget always and doubt that will ever substantially change. So, here are my major constraints: 1) Whatever surgery is the only one I will ever get — there will be no revisions if I fail to lose enough weight on it 2) Any complications that arise, even something like a bowel obstruction years later, is totally on me 3) I don’t have a ton of money to spend out-of-pocket every month/year for uncovered lab work or vitamins So far i’ve only had the seminar, first surgeon consult is on October 12. The nutritionist who led the seminar had indicated when I asked if labwork would be covered that there was a possibility they could cover it if coded properly because of my comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease). But, there’s a possibility not. I also asked about how much vitamins run per month for DS, and she said around $25 (which would be doable) but I have since seen numbers around here MUCH higher than that which I could not manage. So, I think, maybe VSG — less chance of major late whammy complications, lower amount of vitamins/labwork needed, etc. But the one long-term study I see (ten years) has average weight maintained on that just under 50%. So, I think, cut the difference and go with GB — sure, bowel obstructions and so forth are still a risk, but less risk of malnutrition and slightly less intense vitamin schedule, but you still get a decent average maintained long-term, but not as good as DS, and heck, you still have a lot of risk So, then I’m back at DS, thinking probabilities of late catastrophe still relatively low, and maybe labs will be covered, and maybe nutritionist was right and vitamins won’t be exorbitant. But maybe not. And then there’s the smell-factor... ... So, I’m just hoping maybe you guys can give me some clarity and perspective on how realistic all these fears are, or am I just reading the internet too much and freaking myself out?

I do see that, and the price you listed sounds reasonable. It’s the $125 a month I see bandied about that’s just... I just can’t do it. I will follow my nutritionist’s advice. She seems to think the cost won’t be so bad. We’ll see.

Thanks so much for all the input. I do know I need to discuss this with the surgeon, but the two-month lead-time between making the appointment and it actually happening is more than enough for me to drive somewhat-anxious/obsessive self a bit nuts with all the info and possibilities. I am glad to hear that the vitamins aren't necessarily as onerous as some people are spending. I was okay with the idea of daily vitamins until I saw the Vitalady site and related threads on this board and was like, "Whoa!" But if it's just a matter of one of the bariatric multivitamins plus a few odds and ends I can get at Walmart as needed, that's fine. I'm already chronically low on D3 and supplementing for that, so I imagine I'll have to up things even more on that end, but that's certainly do-able (especially if the bariatric formulations are better absorbed, and higher doses than my 1000mg bid schedule now).

My diabetes is mild and controlled with 500mg metformin bid. Likewise, kidney disease is mild (stage II) — creatinine levels had been higher early on, but last five years or so they’ve been hovering just above normal (1.1-1.2). I do have a hiatal hernia, but until this month had only gotten any noticeable reflux/heartburn after major overeating, so had only been treating it with occasional Tums. But, lately I’ve had a couple of heartburn episodes per week for no obvious cause, so have started taking omeprazole. My hope has been that whatever surgery I get, the surgeon can repair the hernia while he’s in there and that will likely either fix or at least improve the reflux, but if not there’s always omeprazole. So, I guess that narrows it down to sleeve v bypass. Thanks!

I wish there were a way to see user's info like surgery type, date, high weight, current weight, etc. It provides a lot of useful context to the discussions. I have tried clicking on screen names but see none of that info there, either.

Frankly, hedonism. I like tasting food. It's stimulating. Come from a family of restaurateurs and chefs and just like food way too much. Always been fat, like most of the rest of my family.

Hi, Newbie here! I have so far only gone to a seminar at my local hospital but have not yet had an appointment with my surgeon, but I am strongly drawn toward the duodenal switch given the excellent long-term maintenance prospects. Most of the risks and drawbacks sound manageable, but I've seen some real horror stories so far about uncontrollable bad body odor, and it's hard for me to tell how common a problem this is. Ketosis and bowel/flatulence odor sound like they can be mitigated by diet, but actual BO that persists in spite of frequent bathing/deodorant to the point where people's jobs are in danger sounds utterly terrifying to me. Is this a rare occurrence, or fairly common? How scared should I be?

I took that thread as having to do specifically with body fluids rather than BO as-such, and didn't get a sense from it whether it was common or not. I'm sorry if I duplicated. I hadn't meant to.