Post Date: 11/7/11 2:58 am I can well identify with you. I've had to be on an insulin pump for the past 2 years. I too took Prednisone for my asthma and watched as my weight grew by leaps and bounds. Add in the co-morbidities of congestive heart failure, stage 3 renal failure, and the nightly wonders of a cpap for sleep apnea....and it made for a less than stellar existance..
In April I was told that I probably had 18 months (at most) left prior to needing to be on daily dialysis....and that I was not a good candidate for that dialysis. Transplantation was totally out of the question. In essense, I was given a death sentence. My only hope for prolonging my life - very literally - was to have WLS. Prior to surgery, I made sure I went to each specialist to get clearance for the operation. Didn't want to take any (unnecessary) chances. Had an RNY on 9/13/2011.
They had me disconnect my pump as they took me into the operating room. I haven't had to use it since.. Only have to take one shot a day of Lantus now. Because I lost 33 lbs. the first month after surgery - my neck size went down. With that decrease, I was able to come off the cpap and the prednisone. The asthma is still there of course, but at least it's more manageable.
I went from requiring 50 mg. of Hydralazine 3x a day to taking 5 mg Lisinopril only once a day. In all, pre-op I was taking 26 pills a day to stay alive. Now, I take 5. WLS obviously can't solve all my problems...but at least it's offering me a chance for some quality of life now.
I know you're scared of the complications because of your family. It's a very scary thing. What's scarier still is knowing that if you don't get some kind of help - your chances of seeing those 2 little girls grow up diminish steadily.
Do your due diligence. Make sure you research all of your options. Make sure your anesthesiologist takes time with you prior to surgery to allay your fears as much as possible. I know the hospital where my procedure was performed takes pulminary issues very seriously and monitored me VERY closely. I'm sure with your history, your hospital will do the same.
Most importantly - take heart. There really is hope out there. You've just got to take that major step to grasp it.
All the best to you and your family!