Re: On my way to weight loss surgery!

[Guest guest]

Toni, I wish you the best as you approach this life altering experience. What

exactly is lap

band surgery and how does it differ from what Tess is having done?

Hugs

June

----- Original Message -----

From: aclavern33@...

hello all,

I had a long but wonderful day at the surgeons office. I spent my morning

doing all the education, nutrition and PT stuff. Then the afternoon with the

doc and financial person. I will be getting lap band weight loss surgical

procedure once I get approval from my insurance.

I still have a long way to get to my actual surgery. I have tons of tests to

do to include, psych eval, Echo, stress test and I have to have a filter put

in a vein in my neck to make sure I don't get any clots that go anywhere that

can do damage.

The doc was so through and we had a long chat then he chatted with hubby then

came the exam. We talked about gastric bypass procedures versus Lap band and

he felt lapband was the best choice at this time for me. The other

procedures would just make my anemia and b vitamin deficiency worst tha it

already is

due to how I metabolize some of my RA meds. So tomorrow I start making my

appnts for my tests and start shopping for good protein suppliments. I have

to

have at least 2-3 that I like and work for me before I have surgery. These

people are all about prior proper planning for a successful outcome!

I was really shocked when my surgeon said no need to stop my RA meds. My

last dose of med will be the day before my surgery and I will resume my meds

the

day after surgery. Also with lapband I will only have to stay in hospital for

23 hrs if all goes well. I can go home as soon as I can walk, pee, hold my

liquids without vomiting and pass gas! We also had a long talk about the lap

band and my immune status and the risk for infection. I am very confortable

with my surgeon. He is very warm, caring, but also thorugh, straight forward

and firm. He would not be for those that like a lot of sweet talk and hand

holding.

I even had to sign a patient/doctor contract agreeing to follow the rules and

failure to follow or repeated non compliance will result in doc refusing to

treat me. Harsh but this is major life changing surgery!!

I came home with an entire binder full of pre and post surgical care info,

learning material and contact info for the nurse, nutritionist and PT

specialist. All my exercise and food diaries, recipes, starter menus, do,

don'ts, post

surgical food progression schedule and notes. Just so much info its

overwhelming!!!

I am so pleased at the throughness of the staff. I have to attend group

session a few weeks after surgery and have psych follow up at 12 weeks. They

say

all this is designed because this is when a lot of patients hit brick walls

and have problems.

Well, I am so exhausted from the 8 hour round trip drive. I am off to bed!

Toni

[Guest guest]

Toni,....I know that you have really thought on this, and you are

ready for it. You know that I stand by you 100%, and I am always

here for you. I will keep you, and the family in my prayers always, T

> hello all,

>

> I had a long but wonderful day at the surgeons office. I spent my

morning

> doing all the education, nutrition and PT stuff. Then the

afternoon with the

> doc and financial person. I will be getting lap band weight loss

surgical

> procedure once I get approval from my insurance.

>

> I still have a long way to get to my actual surgery. I have tons

of tests to

> do to include, psych eval, Echo, stress test and I have to have a

filter put

> in a vein in my neck to make sure I don't get any clots that go

anywhere that

> can do damage.

>

> The doc was so through and we had a long chat then he chatted with

hubby then

> came the exam. We talked about gastric bypass procedures versus

Lap band and

> he felt lapband was the best choice at this time for me. The other

> procedures would just make my anemia and b vitamin deficiency worst

tha it already is

> due to how I metabolize some of my RA meds. So tomorrow I start

making my

> appnts for my tests and start shopping for good protein

suppliments. I have to

> have at least 2-3 that I like and work for me before I have

surgery. These

> people are all about prior proper planning for a successful outcome!

>

> I was really shocked when my surgeon said no need to stop my RA

meds. My

> last dose of med will be the day before my surgery and I will

resume my meds the

> day after surgery. Also with lapband I will only have to stay in

hospital for

> 23 hrs if all goes well. I can go home as soon as I can walk, pee,

hold my

> liquids without vomiting and pass gas! We also had a long talk

about the lap

> band and my immune status and the risk for infection. I am very

confortable

> with my surgeon. He is very warm, caring, but also thorugh,

straight forward

> and firm. He would not be for those that like a lot of sweet talk

and hand

> holding.

>

> I even had to sign a patient/doctor contract agreeing to follow the

rules and

> failure to follow or repeated non compliance will result in doc

refusing to

> treat me. Harsh but this is major life changing surgery!!

>

> I came home with an entire binder full of pre and post surgical

care info,

> learning material and contact info for the nurse, nutritionist and

PT

> specialist. All my exercise and food diaries, recipes, starter

menus, do, don'ts, post

> surgical food progression schedule and notes. Just so much info

its

> overwhelming!!!

>

> I am so pleased at the throughness of the staff. I have to attend

group

> session a few weeks after surgery and have psych follow up at 12

weeks. They say

> all this is designed because this is when a lot of patients hit

brick walls

> and have problems.

>

> Well, I am so exhausted from the 8 hour round trip drive. I am off

to bed!

>

> Toni

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

June,

There are similarities between both the surgeries and differences. They are

the same because they limit the amount of food one can take in at one time to

2-3 ozs. So they are both restrict. The post op diet is the same as well as

are the needs for water and vitamins.

Lapband is simply a restrictive eating procedure. GAstric bypass procedure

and there are 4 different procedures are restrictive as well as disrupt and

change you digestion and absortion of nutrients. That is done by bypassing a

certain amount of small bowel to create a situation where you have far less

bowel

to absorb nutrients. This also create a situation where you CAN NOT eat

sugars or large amounts of carbs because they make you deathly ill.

I was not a candidate for RNY or Dueodual switch becuase I am already anemic

as well as suffering from B-vitimin deficiency from Methotrexate. So my doc

thought it best to go with Lapband. Lapband also has shorter recovery because

they are not detaching and creating new stomas for food to pass. Both

procedures carry some simular and different possible complications and post

surgical

results.

Since I have to travel far to get care 2 days in ICU and another 2-4 days in

the hospital was not for me. The lapband is a 23 hr in the hospital

proceduring if all goes well. Should something go terrible wrong the lapband

can be

reversed and removed in most cases. There is no going back once they rearrange

your insides with RNY.

There is a major medical center with a very good reputation here that does

RNY and I have seen many of there sucesses as well as there failures. There is

one lady that will be tube fed for life and has permenent colostomy bag.

But again when you are this much overweight and nothing has worked this is a

last resort to get the weight off. If can be a life saving operation for many

out there suffering with morbid obesity.

Toni

In a message dated 4/2/04 6:49:04 PM Central Standard Time,

writes:

> Message: 3

> Date: Fri, 2 Apr 2004 08:28:31 -0500

> From: " June Dixon " <juner24@...>

> Subject: Re: On my way to weight loss surgery!

>

> Toni, I wish you the best as you approach this life altering experience.

> What exactly is lap

> band surgery and how does it differ from what Tess is having done?

>

> Hugs

> June

>

[Guest guest]

Toni, I wish you the best as you have this surgery. I hope that

everything will go smoothly and that you get amazing results. Sue

On Saturday, April 3, 2004, at 01:11 AM, aclavern33@... wrote:

> But again when you are this much overweight and nothing has worked

> this is a

> last resort to get the weight off. If can be a life saving operation

> for many

> out there suffering with morbid obesity.