Scared about everything other than the surgery itself!

[RuthW 0]

Hi, I just discovered this forum. I'm unable (due to disabilities) to get out and go to the pre-op support group, so I guess this is kind of my new support group. :w00t:

My surgery is scheduled for May 7th. Because of insurance requirements, I have to do six months of visits to make sure I really need the surgery. I do. I lost 90 pounds through diet last year, but I've reached a plateau where I cannot lose anymore. Instead, my weight just keeps bouncing up and down regardless of what I do, so my physician suggested this.

I've been through surgeries before (3 C-sections and a gall bladder removal), so I'm used to things going wrong with me afterward. I'm not scared of that. No, I'm scared about everything prior to surgery and after surgery!

I am only being asked to lose 10 pounds which worries me. Like I said, my weight bounces constantly between 220 and 240. I have until May to do it, yeah, but I'm afraid I'll only lose so much, and they'll cancel my surgery. I also have to do several psych evaluations (not too worried about those; just aggravated), and Dr. Leslie wants me to do a PH probe because I have a hiatal hernia and difficulty swallowing sometimes. THAT also worries me. I've done an endoscopy in the past, but I've never had a tube inserted without sedation. I'm worried I'll gag and never be able to do the procedure or I'll hurt myself somehow.

As far as after surgery fears, I'm more afraid that I won't lose anything, not the dieting. I have a friend who did the LAP-BAND®, and she didn't lose much of anything at all (for whatever reason, which is why she's looking into the bypass now). I also have a couple of reasonable (heh) worries about lifting. I know you can't lift over 10 pounds for a few weeks after surgery. Well, my husband's bypass hasn't been scheduled yet, but it may be scheduled around the same time as my surgery, and we have a very disabled son who requires picking up, so I worry about opening my stitches or pulling something since I know my husband won't be able to do the lifting.

Ugh, there you have it. Thanks for letting me vent. I am happy though to be getting a solution to getting the weight off. The last time I weighed under 200 was before I shattered my left ankle (and thus, you see where I put on a lot of weight), but I've always been "chubby". I'd love to at least make it back down to a size 16. Clothes I LIKE are so much easier to find then. Cheaper, too. :rolleyes2:

[Astrasmom 1]

Hi, I just discovered this forum. I'm unable (due to disabilities) to get out and go to the pre-op support group, so I guess this is kind of my new support group. :mad2:

My surgery is scheduled for May 7th. Because of insurance requirements, I have to do six months of visits to make sure I really need the surgery. I do. I lost 90 pounds through diet last year, but I've reached a plateau where I cannot lose anymore. Instead, my weight just keeps bouncing up and down regardless of what I do, so my physician suggested this.

I've been through surgeries before (3 C-sections and a gall bladder removal), so I'm used to things going wrong with me afterward. I'm not scared of that. No, I'm scared about everything prior to surgery and after surgery!

I am only being asked to lose 10 pounds which worries me. Like I said, my weight bounces constantly between 220 and 240. I have until May to do it, yeah, but I'm afraid I'll only lose so much, and they'll cancel my surgery. I also have to do several psych evaluations (not too worried about those; just aggravated), and Dr. Leslie wants me to do a PH probe because I have a hiatal hernia and difficulty swallowing sometimes. THAT also worries me. I've done an endoscopy in the past, but I've never had a tube inserted without sedation. I'm worried I'll gag and never be able to do the procedure or I'll hurt myself somehow.

As far as after surgery fears, I'm more afraid that I won't lose anything, not the dieting. I have a friend who did the LAP-BAND®®, and she didn't lose much of anything at all (for whatever reason, which is why she's looking into the bypass now). I also have a couple of reasonable (heh) worries about lifting. I know you can't lift over 10 pounds for a few weeks after surgery. Well, my husband's bypass hasn't been scheduled yet, but it may be scheduled around the same time as my surgery, and we have a very disabled son who requires picking up, so I worry about opening my stitches or pulling something since I know my husband won't be able to do the lifting.

Ugh, there you have it. Thanks for letting me vent. I am happy though to be getting a solution to getting the weight off. The last time I weighed under 200 was before I shattered my left ankle (and thus, you see where I put on a lot of weight), but I've always been "chubby". I'd love to at least make it back down to a size 16. Clothes I LIKE are so much easier to find then. Cheaper, too. :thumbup:

Congratulations and God bless you. I have to give you alot of credit for what you AND your husband are doing.

First let me start by saying take things one day at a time. There were many things that many of us had to go through to get to the surgery part. I had to wait 6 months and go to see several specialists and a phsyc. visit, plus 6 nutrional visits. But you know as I look back at the long journey that I made to get here, it has all made me even stronger. I learned alot about myself in the begining stages. Especially with the nutrional visits. I also had the upper PH probe that you are having when I had my open heart surgery in 2001. I won't lie. It wasn't easy. I did gag a bit, but it doesn't take that long to do the procedure. They do numb your throat a little with a swipe. I also had the hiatal hernia which they repaired when they did my lapband.

As for the weighloss I have lost 29lbs since surgery on Oct. 23, 2009. As my nutrionist told me if you stick to the plan, you will lost weight. It's not easy and it's not a quick fix. IT does take work and alot of effort on your part. The band is a tool to help you lose the weight and keep it off. I have no idea why the band didn't work for your friend. Everyone has different circumstances. Maybe her diet wasn't right. Maybe she didn't exercise. Who knows. Our saying is 'Everything in Moderation.' You don't have to give up living. This is a lifestyle change, not a life change. But you are more successful with the band then you are without the band. At least in my case I have been. I would have gained the weight I have taken off, back within no time if I didn't have the band.

As for your son. Will there be someone around to help you? You won't be able to lift anything heavy for at least a month after your surgery.

Remember take everything one day at a time. It seems like a long, hard journey, but the rewards are great. Best of luck to you and your husband.

[RuthW 0]

I don't know what's going on with my friend. I'm guessing that she isn't losing as quickly as she'd like (her band was done about 15 weeks ago), so that's why she's asking around about the bypass. :thumbup:

As for myself, my doctor said it should help me get over the hump of 200. He knows I have trouble exercising. I have a few hernias that make sit-ups too painful, and I can't go jogging (and I can't walk for long periods of time) because of arthritis. That's why he recommended bariatric surgery. My only choice is the LAP-BAND® because Dr. Leslie said that the bypass would be too dangerous for me (I have issues with anemia).

That PH probe is the biggest thorn in my side. I have to gag a spaghetti-sized tube down, and then they pull that out and reinsert a smaller tube that I have to wear until the next day. I'm worried my son will yank on it or give me a really good kick in the belly. :mad2:

And heh, no, I don't have anyone to help me with my son afterward if they schedule my husband's around the same time (because he's my help and vice versa). We have no family or friends in this state. They're quite a distance away (and not much for helping either). This will be quite challenging, to say the least!

[kagead 0]

I wish you much luck on your journey. I haven't been banded yet so I can't offer much advice in that area. :thumbup:

You mentioned that you don't have friends or family in the area- that must be difficult for you! If you are active in your church or synogogue, you might want to talk to your priest/rabbi/minister to see if the womens group or mens group can give you a hand with your son. I know the sisterhood and brotherhood at my synogogue do this type of volunteering on a regular basis and it is such a help to members who don't have anyone else nearby.

The other thought I had was to talk to any of the social service agencies, doctors or therapists that might be working with your son. If they can't help out, they may know of a volunteer group that you can contact.

Again, best of luck to you and your husband!

kagead

[Astrasmom 1]

I don't know what's going on with my friend. I'm guessing that she isn't losing as quickly as she'd like (her band was done about 15 weeks ago), so that's why she's asking around about the bypass. :thumbup:

As for myself, my doctor said it should help me get over the hump of 200. He knows I have trouble exercising. I have a few hernias that make sit-ups too painful, and I can't go jogging (and I can't walk for long periods of time) because of arthritis. That's why he recommended bariatric surgery. My only choice is the LAP-BAND®® because Dr. Leslie said that the bypass would be too dangerous for me (I have issues with anemia).

That PH probe is the biggest thorn in my side. I have to gag a spaghetti-sized tube down, and then they pull that out and reinsert a smaller tube that I have to wear until the next day. I'm worried my son will yank on it or give me a really good kick in the belly. :mad2:

And heh, no, I don't have anyone to help me with my son afterward if they schedule my husband's around the same time (because he's my help and vice versa). We have no family or friends in this state. They're quite a distance away (and not much for helping either). This will be quite challenging, to say the least!

The average loss for Lapband is about 2lbs a week. Some people don't lose at all before their 2nd or more fills. This is all normal. My doctor told me that I probably wouldn't lose any weight after my first check-up but I did wind up losing another 4lbs. Your friend isn't giving it a chance to work. Do you know how much she has lost?

I'm not sure about in your state but in mine they have Respite care. I know it's very hard to trust others with your child. Especially when they are total care. My situation is no where near like yours. My son does have Down Syndrome but he's not total care. Is there any support groups or local schools that you might reach out to, to see if there is any help that you can get while you and your husband are mending? Is your son very heavy? I'm sorry if I lived by you I would sure help. I've worked with severly handicapped children for many years and love to do it. Lets hope that your husbands surgery is not scheduled the same time that yours is because they really don't want you lifting for at least a month. Please keep us posted. I wish you all the luck in the world.

[RuthW 0]

Well, my husband's bypass hasn't been scheduled yet (they keep saying April, but he hasn't even seen his surgeon yet; only the care coordinator and dietitian!), so I keep hoping they can either schedule him a month past mine or way before mine so he'd already be healed up. My son's been approved for PCA care, but we don't use it because my son's very stingy about letting anyone else other than Mommy care for him. If I didn't have to lift him to and from his medical chair (and take care of groceries and laundry), the lifting wouldn't be an issue. He weighs 40 pounds, so he's definitely over the limit!

And well, we don't have any support from a church or another group because we don't get out much (it's hard to take him anywhere because he acts up and screams). Another reason why family doesn't like to help us, heh.

I'll make it all happen somehow! I'm ready for this weight to be off so I can play with my kids!

[Astrasmom 1]

Well, my husband's bypass hasn't been scheduled yet (they keep saying April, but he hasn't even seen his surgeon yet; only the care coordinator and dietitian!), so I keep hoping they can either schedule him a month past mine or way before mine so he'd already be healed up. My son's been approved for PCA care, but we don't use it because my son's very stingy about letting anyone else other than Mommy care for him. If I didn't have to lift him to and from his medical chair (and take care of groceries and laundry), the lifting wouldn't be an issue. He weighs 40 pounds, so he's definitely over the limit!

And well, we don't have any support from a church or another group because we don't get out much (it's hard to take him anywhere because he acts up and screams). Another reason why family doesn't like to help us, heh.

I'll make it all happen somehow! I'm ready for this weight to be off so I can play with my kids!

You could do all the care to with your son, you would just need someone to lift him for you. Maybe he would allow that?

Either way, you are a very strong person and I know that you will do awesome with the lapband surgery. Good luck to you.