weight loss surgery

[Guest guest]

Just wondering if anyone has been recommended for weight loss surgery

to treat their blood pressure? It seems that no matter how much

medication I take right now, my diastolic number is rarely below 90 and

averages 95. I had a few readings above 100 recently as well. My

cardiologist increased my hydrochlorothiazide to 50 mg a day and I had

to start on Clonidine 0.1 twice a day and that still does not control

the bp. I am also on 800 mg labetalol a day, 200 mg spiro a day, 90 mg

procardia a day, 10 mg lipitor and now a 40 mg Nexium. I have

drastically cut my salt intake (but not Dashing yet) compared to

several months ago. Still not a drop in bp or much of a weight loss, as

I have shaved a lot of calories from my diet as well. I think I've only

lost 1-2 pounds in the last 5 weeks.

My cardiologist has recommended that I get gastric banding to lose the

amount of weight needed (80-100 pounds). I am just in the beginning

stages of this decision and feel I have a long road ahead with my

insurance because I have not been 100+ pounds overweight for 5

consecutive years, although 98% of my life I have been very overweight.

Any thoughts, advice or stories would be helpful in my decision to have

this surgery or not.

Tonia