Hello,
I have been lurking for a week or so and wanted to check in. I am female, 53, with a BMI of 46.5, need I say more - but I must. I have been doing some research and really, really want to make this lifelong, lifestyle, life saving change. So I contacted not my PCP but my Gastroenterologist, see there is one hitch to a lap band for me, 15 years ago I had a liver transplant. I have done amazingly well no issues around the transplant, except weight gain which is common, although I have been on the heavy side since my teens, heavier in my 20ies - 30ies and out of control since then. About 10 years ago I did manage to loose about 70 lbs on WW but like so many I just can't keep it off. I thought perhaps the doctor would simply shut me down but she did not. Bypass was simply not an option for me because I take anti-rejection meds that must have a chance to absorb in the lower tract. The banding is different and it seems that there have been some documented success with people like me. Well I got my referral to bariatric surgery and it has been a week and have not heard from them, to me that's good news, perhaps I wont get the boot right at the gate. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THAT HAS HAS A TRANSPLANT, Liver, Kidney or Heart and then been banded? The GI doc mentioned something about possible adhesions, IS THERE ANYONE WHO HAD PREVIOUS ABDOMINAL SURGERY, that encountered problems, or not, when they got their band that can tell me stories? I am ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT TAKING pills once banded, none of them are as large as say a big Vitamin, all about the size of a regular small pill, the anti-rejection med is a small capsule. I take pills twice a day about every 12 hours. They used to make a liquid form of the anti-rejection med but, I am not too clear, I do remember it was notoriously bad tasting though. SO ANY ONE WHO TAKES ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY MEDICATION REGULARLY TELL ME WHAT YOU DO? I don't even know that they are going to accept me as a candidate so I have not even consulted a bariatric surgeon, you all are my very first reach out and touch someone. I have enjoyed reading your posts, I can relate to each of you. I especially like reading the "things I won't miss about being overweight" Ditto to it all.
Best - newfilter (as in new liver - I have used this as my on-line nick name since I got my x-plant 15 years ago, maybe I will be able to change it to newbod in a couple of years :laugh:)