Just starting out, considering the sleeve.

[curveball21 0]

Well that subject is almost all true. I'm actually starting down the insurance gauntlet for the second time. I had all the poking, prodding and everything done back in 2007 when I was considering the lapband. I chickened out near the end of the process when it was time to submit everything to insurance. I convinced myself that somehow this time it would be different and that I had a new-found desire to avoid surgery and commit to non-surgical diet and exercise.

I'm now 75 lbs over where I was the day I made that decision.

So now its time to go for it. In many ways it was a blessing in disguise because part of the problem was that I wasn't interested in having a device implanted in me anyway (unless they really do invent an orgasmatron).

I'll be entering the Temple of Health (aka the Cleveland Clinic) again in a few weeks time to begin the poking, prodding and six months of dieting again. (Yes nice lady I know I'm supposed to be eating a slice of lean meat the size of a deck of cards and that crap with sugar is bad for me *insert Sam Kinison Aaaahhhaaaaaahhhh! here*) I went to the seminar 10 days ago and the schedule will be in the mailbox this week.

This time I'm determined to do it the right way and have the right frame of mind about needing surgical intervention to help me solve me weight problem. I hope to be able to get some information and from time to time maybe even some encouragement from this group. My family has lined up behind me, but sometimes there is stuff you just would rather share with virtual strangers if you know what I mean.

The biggest hurdle for me to get over is losing 75% of my stomach forever. The way I'm thinking about it right now is that it hasn't exactly been doing me any favors now has it? Maybe it's time to just go for the divorce and skip the trial separation.

I do have some concerns about not having stomach tissue to harvest in the event of severe ulcers or stomach cancer. Balancing that out is that I have had occasional bouts of severe gout for over ten years now and I really need to be able to use NSAIDS when that crops up. Also my dad's half of the family has a terrible gene that seems to encourage pulmonary embolisms. They treat it with coumadin. Does anyone happen to know offhand if coumadin is not a good idea for RNY patients?

I am considering getting the gastric sleeve as a first stage procedure (BMI 70) and getting the RNY 18-24 months later if the sleeve is not satisfactory. That is how the Clinic does it on high BMI patients. Frankly I would be satisified losing 65% of my excess weight and keeping it as the only procedure.

Thanks for all the great information you guys and gals put out there. Looking forward to virtually meeting you all as I impose my opinions on your threads.

[Dave_NW 92]

Welcome to the Boards. I'm a relative newbie as well, and am in the same process you are. I have an advantage in that my insurance doesn't require as much poking and prodding, and will probably approve me for surgery based on my surgeons recommendation. I expect to have that at the end of September. With luck I could be post-op by the end of the year.

I also started out thinking I wanted the lap band. But the more I researched it, the more I was against it. My reasons were likely a lot like yours - much of it about not wanting a foreign body inside of me. The kicker for me was finding out the band doesn't provide the kind of weight loss I'm looking for. My BMI is "only" about 45, but I still have nearly 150 pounds to lose to be where I want to be.

I found the band to be an easy initial choce because I knew I could have it removed if there was a problem. I thought it was safe, and I didn't have to commit all the way. Then as I started researching more deeply, I started reading about the failed bands, and the patients who had to have a second procedure done. And then I met a bariatric surgeon who is also a patient. And he had the sleeve. When I asked him why he went with it, instead of one of the other choices, he said it was the best choice for him and his lifestyle, and he would do it again. That was pretty reassuring.

I also need to take certain daily pain management medications for severe degenerative osteoarthritis, so the RNY and lap band would be harder to handle for that. One thing about the sleeve I like is that medications and pain drugs are less likely to cause problems.

So at this point I'm committed to the sleeve, and hope it will get me to where I want to be. If not, RNY or a band is still an option later on. But reading the success stories here has shown me I'll probably be satisfied with just the sleeve.

Good luck in your journey, and here's hoping things work out well for you.

Dave

[MissSparkle 0]

Welcome to the Forum. You have come to the right place to ask questions, seek advice and read others experiences.

The sleeve sounds a good option for you if you need to take medication as there is no malabsorption and you will still have some stomach left to help with this. The sleeve is safer option for people with higher BMI and would give you a good starting point to help you reduce your BMI and help with other health probelms that you might have.

I can understand your concerns and worries and this forum should help you that as well as your surgeon.

I wish you well in making your final choice of WLS and hopefully with all the help on this forum you can make the right decision for you.

Take care

Sue