Advice from a Bypass Patient

[ejezyk 0]

OUCH!! I feel compassion for all and we all have one common problem we are overweight. We have gone to extremes and we all hurt in many ways. Fear od the unknown always captures the essence of the human core and I think we are all afraid of being fat getting sick or dying for that matter... but we do what need to do do out of our fear fear of staying fat feeling ugly and unwanted... Yes- we go to extremes and as Yoda would say Choice we make

Elda

[sleepyjean 0]

I've been researching wls for months. I personally want the gastric bypass, but my insurance will only cover the LapBand, which I am more than happy to have.

Really? that's the first time I've ever heard of an insurance company doing that. I'm curious - who is your carrier?

I have no idea why people tend to believe WW counselors without any research to back up what they say...but they do.

Amen to that. Let me preface my comments by saying that I am emphatically anti-WW. I've been on WW four times, in four different places and have in the past attended meetings regularly in upwards of 10 different centers. One of those times, I lost 70 pounds and made lifetime. Everyone was applauding and oooh and ahhing for me and WW gave me an application to become a leader. I think all you have to do is make lifetime and then have a couple hours of training and voila! You are a leader. Just because you have lost some weight doesn't make you an expert. Exhibit A: (holding up current photo of myself.)

To be honest, I felt that I lost the weight despite (not because of) WW. I hated the meetings. Most of my leaders were excellent by WW standards. They were well-spoken and encouraging and led energetic meetings. But most of the time, those meetings were thinly disguised infomercials for WW products. I got sick of that, and I got sick of the clique of women you find at every WW center across America. Those are the women have been attending that same meeting with that same leader for years and years and they do almost all of the talking and the meeting feels like their personal coffee klatch and everyone else is just observing. (I always wondered how you could be in WW for that many years and be hundreds if not thousands out of pocket, still not be anywhere at goal, yet give advice to other members and Celebrate every pound lost as if it's not coming back the next week.)

[DeLarla 22]

Intelligent people research weight loss surgery prior to making their final decision. Is it fair to keep intelligent people in the dark and pretend everything's peaches? I don't think so. If you don't like what you read, click on another thread. I'm personally horrified that anybody pumps up weight loss surgery without first warning people about the variety of painful and expensive potential risks.

Getting a Band or a Bypass comes with risks that can potentially be fatal. Hidden unaffordable expenses, infections, port replacement, erosions, hospitalization, severe reflux, dehydration, coma, death. Don't ignore the truth just because you're happy with your personal experience.

[johnnyreno 1]

I understand you are very intelligent, I never doubted that, one bit of info you posted is frightening. Can you tell me how many deaths are because of lap band surgery. Also can actually be proven, I also wonder how many lap band surgeries have been performed. What the percentages would actually be if there is actually any deaths reported that can actually be blamed on it. To begin with most of all patients are at high risk unless im wrong about that im no physician. I know you are a wealth of knowledge and hardly am trying to sugar coat the surgery in question, but im sure the benifits out weigh the consequences of the overweight madness, or i dont think folks would be getting many lapbands. MERRY CHRISTMAS. HO-HO-HO

Intelligent people research weight loss surgery prior to making their final decision. Is it fair to keep intelligent people in the dark and pretend everything's peaches? I don't think so. If you don't like what you read, click on another thread. I'm personally horrified that anybody pumps up weight loss surgery without first warning people about the variety of painful and expensive potential risks.

Getting a Band or a Bypass comes with risks that can potentially be fatal. Hidden unaffordable expenses, infections, port replacement, erosions, hospitalization, severe reflux, dehydration, coma, death. Don't ignore the truth just because you're happy with your personal experience.

[PamRN 0]

Ms DeLarla, you are the simply the best... hands down, no one starts better threads than you. I skip so many threads on here because they are the same questions I've answered, the same issues discussed to death, or something I can't answer. I do however, ALWAYS read your threads. Your's always make me think, and generally entertain the s#it out me. Thank you for being you, saying what you think, and sticking to your guns. Regardless of whether any, all or none of us agree with you, you inspire us all to consider what WE think and a good argument is not only entertaining, but incredibly educational. I especially love the replies that seem written intentionally to keep you or others going, I can visualize those evil little grins from here. (It's usually your's) Never quit... there are just those folks in life who've got it goin' on... and baby girl YOU are one of them.

[rachele 0]

Not that my opinion matters, Delarla, but I think you are a very intelligent fun loving person. Question authority, I say! But heck, I've also been accused of being aggressive. I hope it works out with your band. You've done a great job even with all the problems you've had. Maybe Santa will bring you a port for Christmas?

[DeLarla 22]

Wow. Wow. Pam, that was probably the best compliment of my life. You floored me and have me completely exposed and vulnerable, and I LIKE it! My goal has never been to frighten anyone or to prove I'm right. I believe one of my responsibilities while visiting Planet Earth is to incite thinking. I'd like to stand on the moon and scream down at Earth that people have choices and should "think" about what to believe before believing it. We aren't sheep. We can and should stray from the flock and dance to the beat of our own drums and figure life out independently instead of simply following what everyone else has done before us. Pam, you've defined DeLarlaism.

Johnny, as far as numbers, I haven't collected nationwide statistics, nor do I care or need to. I have enough numbers from my very own personal Banded family. In addition, I know of at least 2 Lapband deaths that might have been avoided if the patients got medical attention instead of hoping symptoms would disappear. As far as the Bypass, I've received different stats by different surgeons, with some stating the mortality rate is as high as 10% of all bypass patients within two years of surgery. I don't make stuff up, I just ask around hoping for better, factual info. I've shared a table with about 40 banded people and have had about 30 bandsters in my home, many from this very website. Of my personal banded family, seven have eroded. One ended up in a coma after band-removal complications and was left with a 7 inch open wound and a colostomy bag. I know of 10 port revisions, 7 port infections/removals and countless other complications ranging from mild acid reflux to slippage requiring surgical intervention. My friends are significant to me, even if their numbers seem weak to you.

Pam, this time it's not an evil grin. More like a snarl.

Rachele, we're on the same page. Have fun but don't let anyone smack ya around! Maybe I can't get a port for Christmas, but I do have a lovely endoscopy scheduled. This is going to be rough because I have to liquid-fast and ignore the piles of homemade Christmas goodies on our community crap table. Too bad I couldn't do that really cool thing where I simply "changed my way of thinking" before having weight loss surgery. Gee, why didn't I think of that? (Pam, insert expression here.)

[johnnyreno 1]

whoa sorry if i made you mad or snarl, just was asking for facts. and here i thought you KNEW IT ALL. being the board hero and all. good luck to you in life in geneal. i didnt think you would start raging, i suggest some therapy fo sho.

[Alexandra 55]

Johnnyreno, please tone down the personal comments. We really don't want to get into a p**sing match of snark. Thank you.

[Nykee 13]

we can get people on the moon

but we cant figure this out

it CANT be so difficult

There are amazing and incomprehensible medical procedures out there that take place.. (heart and brain surgeries to name two..

Its BULLCRAP

[Sunta 5]

Delarla, thank you for your candor. Can you tell about the person who had the colostomy bag? What exactly happened? Is there a thread that tells what happened I could look at? I am at the last stage of getting surgical approval having seen the cardiologist, pulminologist, and having a endoscopy. I just have to sign up for nutrition classes and then I will be getting a surgery date. Needless to say, I am very very nevous. I am 100% healthy in every other way except that I'm overweight. My heart is "perfect" according to the cardiologist, I don't have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, acid reflux, joint pain, or any of the accompanying problems that can happen from being overweight. I would hate to think I would go in totally healthy and then come out having really messed myself up.

[johnnyreno 1]

:Bunny WELL ok. hee heee,,, merry christmas. sorry dl.

[johnnyreno 1]

that colostomy thing was what really intrigued me, and the death thing could im sure be traced back to extremely high risk patients. or maybe even surgery errors no 1 is perfect.

Delarla, thank you for your candor. Can you tell about the person who had the colostomy bag? What exactly happened? Is there a thread that tells what happened I could look at? I am at the last stage of getting surgical approval having seen the cardiologist, pulminologist, and having a endoscopy. I just have to sign up for nutrition classes and then I will be getting a surgery date. Needless to say, I am very very nevous. I am 100% healthy in every other way except that I'm overweight. My heart is "perfect" according to the cardiologist, I don't have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, acid reflux, joint pain, or any of the accompanying problems that can happen from being overweight. I would hate to think I would go in totally healthy and then come out having really messed myself up.

[Baron Patrick 0]

Quote:

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Really? that's the first time I've ever heard of an insurance company doing that. I'm curious - who is your carrier?

Cigna is my carrier. They did cover gastric bypass because others here where I work have had it, but they all had it done a year or more ago. I'm going to HR and find out why, since they are the one's who direct the coverage.

[DeLarla 22]

I apologize for the comment about slaves, it was written in a severe state of PMS, which is much, much, much more severe since the day my port-removal left me with a tube temporarily "stashed" in my abdominal cavity. I agree, that was in poor taste, but I was trying to make a strong point. Having a tube stashed in my belly is friggen miserable - capital M. Thanks for pointing that out for me to correct.

As far as the girl with the colostomy bag, yes, there have been posts about her, however, according to my conversation with her, they were just rumors. She believes that use of Ibuprofen following a back injury caused her band erosion. I'm not at liberty to share her personal experience, but there were complications during the band removal procedure. She's gone through several surgeries, and still had another major one to look forward to (as of our last conversation about a month ago.) Her kids think she's cool because she can "fart through her stomach" so at least she's got a really great sense of humor about it.

When I had my last port removal, they left a hole in my belly about the size of a small tangerine. They couldn't sew it shut, since an open-cavity-wound needs to close from the inside out. I had to see a nurse every single day for her to unpack, clean, and repack the wound for a few months. It was so bad that I wasn't even able to look at my own wound, and even my bad boy tough husband couldn't look. My hole, however, was nothing compared to the 7 inch open gap left in my friend.

But no need to worry, it's only one colostomy bag/ near-death, and only two real deaths (one, according to what I've read, was because the woman was afraid to admit something was wrong.) So don't bother reading any of my scary posts because complications are really not that big of a deal.

Johnny, I'm not sure what I did to make you so angry, but I'm sorry I scared you. Please don't read my threads, okay? I'm not here to make enemies. I already burned that t-shirt.