determined1

good luck!! thoughts and prayers are your way.

I am so frustrated with Drs office sending in insurance papers. I have *attended the seminar, *paid for psych appt. (*keep in mind this is 4 hrs away also). Now I am waiting for them to send in insurance papers for pre-approval. First I was told that they would have them summited by end of last week but now they tell me that they are running about 2-3 weeks behind because they have new physicians coming in and everyone is in a line so -in other words wait your turn! well I have done everything thus far that they asked and had they told me that my papers wouldnt be summited for another 4 weeks, I would have looked into another Dr. THIS is just to let me know if I'm approved or not, I feel like my life is on hold until I find this out. I am considering another surgeon right now, infact, a surgeon that comes recommended from my surgeons office for the sleeve. I do know that the new surgeon wants me to start over with going to the seminar then go from there (still 4 hrs away). I dont even know if they would accept the psych evaluation. I'm am so excited to have decided on the sleeve, now just frustrated for the wait. :tongue_smilie:

I'm so sorry, my prayers are with your dad to recover & to comfort you and your family. God bless.

I read this site right now with envy and tears in my eyes. I just came back from GYN and was informed that I have endometreosis and will have to have hysterectomy. At 42 yrs old, infertile my whole life, I am now just being told this- why now? It took me forever to finally come to the decision of the vsg! This stops everything, do I continue with my bariatric surgery & hold off on the hysterectomy? I am so lost. I've been so looking forward to my new life. If I go ahead with the hysterectomy I wonder how long I would have to wait to get the go ahead for the vsg. I think if I wait on the hysterectomy & I lose the excess that when I do go in for it, it would be easier surgery/recoup. Has anyone had these two surgeries somewhat close together? What would you do? I have my first consult next week for the vsg, and surgery consult with GYN in two weeks. I just dont know what to do. I need other peoples opinion.

hi just thought I would update. After being obsessed with this site and very determined to get it done ~and now obsessing over sites on hysterectomy alternatives (HERS foundation has alot of info). Dr and I decided to go in and 'take a look around'. Dr says she'll clean it up (?) if all possable and if she has to, take one ovary but if she has to take both, she wants to do a total hysterectomy ((I havent agreed to that yet~ thinking if that is the case, I want a second opinion)) I am totally against a total hysterectomy after reading MANY sites, dont think many women who get it, dont need it. I know for some its needed, but hoping I can hold onto my parts. My surgery is April 6th, outpatient, so wish me luck! Dr says this shouldnt interfere with my vsg surgery. I just want both surgerys behind me. Again thank you for your kind words and caring thoughts. God bless!

Congrats & lots of blessings sent your way!

kinda sounded a little weird didnt it?

I have wondered what I'm going to do instead of eating- I can so see myself roaming around the house cleaning out closets and then doing it again~! For the PMS- I'm not telling my husband either~ he'll stand at the OR room demanding them not to do the surgery (or get a room with mini me's husband) . lol

I went to consult. and asked all the questions from my research (& Tiff's recommended ones too). I have one concern she said she uses a 40 bougie - I'm concerned about this size as I am a BMI 41 and of course want the most results if I'm going to put myself thru surgery. Im just confused, should I seek another dr. with a bougie that I'm comfortable with (seems like alot of ppl here have 36)? Dr said the difference btwn 36/40 is 1 mil, but why is the weight loss so much difference btwn the two?? Dr doesnt use different sizes (probably b/c she usually does the DS). WHAT BOUGIE SIZE DID YOUR DR USE? AND HOW MUCH WT. LOSS?

any suggestions?

Good job, keep up the good work! you will reach your goal!! Take care~Kelly

Tiff, I can't thank you enough! You have no idea how much YOU & this site with so much education has helped me. I have spent so many hours online looking for an actual boughie and here you come! )))thank you(( I am going to stick with my surgeon with the 40. After research and talking with people here, I now feel confident that this is the size for me. I am so appreciative of your intense knowledge from research and from experience. Thanks again, determined1

I havent had the VSG but planning on it. Just wondering why some are slow losers. I have read so many different things on the boughie size. I know some think that the size doesnt make much difference, and that is my research now. I have read Drs think anything over size 40 patients have regained wt. 1)WHAT SIZE BOUGHIE DID YOU HAVE? 2)DO YOU THINK IT WOULD HAVE MATTERED IF IT WERE SMALLER WITH YOUR WT LOSS? 3)DOING IT ALL OVER AGAIN, WOULD YOU REQUEST A SMALLER BOUGHIE? Thanks for your help!

thanks everyone for your insight.

See what makes me question this is because during the 'seminar' (approx 60 ppl there) I raised my hand and asked what size bougie. Dr. answered 40, not 'well it depends on the patient', that raised some flags (Dr. usually does DS), then when I see ppl on here actually talking to their dr about their sizes-more flags raised. Then when I again asked dr in the consultation she said she does everyone a 40. I understand its a tool and up to me/choices/lifestyle changes. But what is also up to me is learning everything i possibly can before surgery so there's no regrets. I want to be as informed as i can to make decision, why I'm asking all these questions from everyone here, which I appreciate so much. You guys have been so helpful and like a backbone of faith.

I absolutely agree!

when i went to seminar, dr. said she wouldnt do anyone with a bmi lower than 35!

Lee, I am concerned that going with the bigger one maynot cut out all the fundus/gherlin which is my understanding what gives you the hunger feeling. I am wondering if in the end that will play a part in long term loss...??

i have been told by two drs that 40 is pretty much the standard size now. i still want a smaller one!!! maybe its just mental knowing just about everyone here has one smaller than 40 with success:( thinking about seeking another surgeon that uses a smaller one instead of just settling for it. ...ugh what should i do??????

It would be intersting to compare sleevers, bougie sizes, amount of weight loss, when they stopped losing weight, do they wish they had a smaller size????? I would think the bigger the size of bougie, the less weight you would lose or you would stop losing sooner...IDK!! If you wish, please let me know! thank you

ok, i finally made my decision to move forward, found a dr. (well one the accepts my insurance) which is at a center of excellence. She has done hundreds of DS's but only about 12 VSG , the reason why is insurance not paying for the vsg. WOULD YOU TRUST A DR THAT ONLY HAS PERFORMED 12 VSG'S BUT HAS COMPLETED HUNDREDS OF DS'S?? ITS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE VSG IS IS PERFORMED IN THE FIRST PART OF THE DS. SO IN THEORY SHE HAS DONE HUNDREDS OF VSG'S RIGHT?

Thank you everyone for your kind words, thought I'd give you a little more backround of me (wonder what the heck i did in my past life to deserve this!). I've been in SO MUCH pain with periods since I was 15. Dr after Dr told me to just take Ibuprofen or naproxian sod. so I did. I fought infertility (self pay) for many years even sold my house to pay bills only to be told that I had 'mysterious infertility' (all six of my sisters had children-including my younger who has 14 kids ugh!!) very long story short-My neice commited suicide and her children were put up for adoption, we adopted her 3 kids who are a BIG blessing to me but I still longed for a bio child (even to this day). During the same week I was told that we have exhausted all we could for infertile treatment (finanically) , I caught (in the act) my dear husband cheating on me (weve been married at this time for 23 yrs). That same night I took the kids and moved 7 hrs away, a city that I knew only one person. I just couldnt be in the same surroundings with this going on. The kids and i have adjusted well 4 yrs now and I believe I did the right thing. enough of my life! Pretty much ALL of 2009 I bled so December 09 I went in for the ablation (novarsure), I knew that I had a cyst on my left ovary and dr said we would just keep on the birth control to try to disolve it during the next yr and but 8 weeks later I'm told that not only have the cyst not disolved but more grew just in 8 weeks! That brings me up to now, NO Dr has ever told me that I had endometreosis but now it makes sense looking back. I'm not upset that I will lose my overies just why does this have to happen right at the same time that I am planning on WLS? I feel so beat up. I am going to go to my wls consult next week to see what she says, and week after go to my surgery consult with gyn. not sure right now if its elective but the way the nurse pract. was talking, if i waited the cysts woud only multiply but I SO dont want to put off the wls.. sorry this is so long... i will keep you posted, and thanks for all your prayers.

Not sure if this helps but my PCP said he would only do aftercare IF I didnt have any complications (bariatric surgeon is 4 hrs away in US), infact his words were "noone would touch you (me) if you had complications" and that I would have to go back to my bariatric surgeon. So if I had complications I would have to drive 4 hrs (probably in pain) to get help!!