Just Beginning in MA -- Long post, help!?

SilentlyWeeping623 · November 16, 2008

Hello Everyone, :ohmy:

I have been doing research on this site and on others over the past couple weeks. I went to my PCP on 11/4 and she suggested thinking about the lap band surgery.

I am 26, my BMI is 44.5. I have struggled with my weight since high school. Though, in high school I was about 60lbs lighter....I have hypothyroidism (due to having half my thyroid removed in 04) pre-diabetes, my BP is borderline and I was also diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.

I have so many questions and I am so scared. I know that if I do this right, I can eliminate a lot of my issues, as they are weight related. But I am terrified that I will fail. :thumbup: -- I mean, 60 lbs ago I had low BP, normal blood sugar, a whole thyroid (okay, thats not a weight related issue....but still :thumbup:) and perfect cholesterol.

I guess I should start with some of the questions. I am just south of Boston, I see a lot of people here who have had their banding at the Lahey Clinic....not many that have been to Tufts NEMC. I know that my endo will want me to go to Tufts, but I think my PCP will want me to go to Boston Medical....I'm pretty sure thats where she's affiliated. Could Boston Banders leave some notes about who they went to see, and why it was a good or even not so good experience? I want to go into this knowing everything, even the bad.

I have BCBS PPO, so I dont need a referral.....But I do need to make sure that the docs in network. And I damn well want to make sure I pick the doc/ program that's best for me. If I am going under the knife I HAVE to succeed at this. But I suck at driving in Boston, so the less time I have to spend in the city, the better (those of you that are from Boston understand why driving in Boston is a pain in the rear....for those of you who are not, well they call us M@$$holes for a reason...)

Can someone help me out with the process? If you've been through it....like step by step?

I called my insurance, and I am 99% positive I will qualify because of my BMI and the fact that I have comorbidities. So thats not a worry for me.

I am confused about the preop process, like, who you meet with, what kinda diet you get on....It seems like there are 2 diets, one to prove you are committed and can lose weight, and then the shrink your liver diet.

:tt2: I am terrified that I wont be able to make the changes I need in my diet. I am seeing a dietician now, and I know I am not eating right at the moment, but I am trying. I just discovered this thing in my kitchen, called a stove.....amazing stuff you can do with it! :smile: But, like, no Pepsi? Ever? Scares the hell outta me. I like healthy foods.....love Broccoli. And it sounds like now I would have an excuse to NOT eat the stalks. Hehe. No skins or seeds? But the skin is the best part of a baked potato. Even if I had to have a baby potato.....its not that I dont understand why....it just sucks.

And exercize. I know I have to. Its not that I dont want to. Dancing to the New Kids, or walking, or playing with light weights, and that exercize ball....it can be kinda fun. I just get so tired so fast. I dont like it.

Like, is there some kind of plan that I could try out before the surgery, as a practice.....to maybe see if I am ready for it?

Any and all help/ info/ input/ rants/ suggestions are appreciated so very much!

Thanks

SW

kathyinduluth · November 16, 2008

Wow! You sound like a duplicate of me. I'm a bit older than you, actually quite a bit but too have struggled with my weight all my life. I am so glad to hear that you are scared. I am terrified. Not of the surgery, but of failing. Afraid I can't alter my eating habits. But if the alternative is staying the way I am and not liking myself, staying home and hiding, I can't go backwards. WE HAVE TO TRY.

I am 7 days into the presurgery regime. liquids only -- Yuck - the food is awful. I'm lactose intolerant and everything they give you is a milk product.

I will give you a couple of tips. I started the preop diet on a Tuesday. On Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday, I felt dizzy, hungry and cried inside a lot. By late Thursday, I started feeling not hungry but the problem was I didn't want to eat the food I was supposed to either. But I did it. I only have 7 days of the presurgery diet and I will be on my way. I am going to do this. I cannot continue the way I am.

You hang in there, and I will be here to talk if you need to.

Kathyinduluth

SilentlyWeeping623 · November 17, 2008

Hi Kathy,

Thank you so much for your support. Its a comfort to know I am not alone in my fears.

The more I think about it, the more I am comfortable with everything about me except my weight. I know I am a beautiful person. But I so want to be more comfortable with myself on the outside. I thought that was vain, and I never though I was unhealthy or big enough to get surgery. Then I had thyroid surgery, and my BP started creeping up, and I couldn't lose the weight like I used to be able to, and I just kept putting it on. Then three months ago I was diagnosed with metabolic disorder and prediabetes. Now my doc wants me on cholesterol medication. I don't want to be on pills for the rest of my life. I want to be healthy again.

But I want to make sure that this is right for me too. I want to know that I can succeed and not feel deprived or that I have given anything up. It sounds from just about everyone that I have read that it has been a positive experience and that I will not miss most of the things I am scared I will miss, like pepsi and smartfood. I definately need to do more research, but the more I look into it, the more I believe that as long as I am in the right mindset, I can do this, and I will be successful, and I will get healthier.

Daisalana · November 17, 2008

Welcome SW,

I think we all have some sort of fear of this won't work, like everything else.. but for me, it couldn't hurt. I was crippled at 20 from back pains (I was 23 by time I decided to get the band). I had a back up.. if this didn't work, I would resort to RnY. If that didn't work, well.. then I give up.. but I at least had to try, ya know?

I think the band is the best think I decided to do for myself, and was pleased to know it works great! My back pains were completely gone in a matter of months, I think it was only 50lbs(ish) I had to lose to stop the pain, who knew!!!

To get started, I just looked up bariatric doctors in my area and the nurse would tell me what was required (Generically, they require a 1. consultation 2. Psych evaltuation). If your insurance is paying, they may require more steps, but the doctor's office should have a person in charge of handling insurance needs and will give you a rundown of that at your consultation. I consulted with a couple doctors before deciding on one. The downside of this (I don't know if insurance pays this normally, I was self-pay)was each consultation was a few $100's. The plus side, I got to find a doctor I felt extremely comfortable and happy with.

You can also check out the 'local' forum here, US-->MA and see who people recommend in your area for a starting point.