Please give me all your advice.....

After reseraching all of the WLS I could find I think I have decided on the Mini Gastric bypass. What made this decision for me was the down time. Having 4 kids doesnt allow me much of it and after being home all summer this year I really don't want anymore of it.

I had my baby April and let me tell you that my pregnancy was horrific! Thank goodness I was not working, I was wadling way early and I almost hit 270lbs! Because of my weight my c-section opened causing a extra large hernia that I had to have repaired with a two hour surgery that left me with a huge 12 inch scar. I am now larger than when I first joined and I have decided that I can't yoyo diet anymore, that I can't hide out at home because I hate the way I look and that I can't wake up everymorning with a backache and I can't go to sleep with joint pain. Caring the extra 11lbs my baby represents is very hard for me. Even walking is, not because I am out of breath or energy but ohh the pain :(

Last time I had thought of the band but I fear that it won't be the best option since I have 250lbs on a 5'1 frame. I will admit that having 3 surgeries in one year scares me but I am most scared of "living" as I have the last 4 months. I have not chosen a doctor so if anyof you know a doctor in Orange County or San Bernardino county who performs this surgery please let me know. I do know that my PPO covers 90% of my surgery although I don't know the process.

Thanks again for any information or experiences you can share

I live in Merced County so I can't recommend a doctor, but once you get one he will advise what he feels is the best way to go.  You can decide together.  If you don't have a good feeling about the doctor then go somewhere else.  Good Luck!

I am 5'8" and was almost 400 lbs and my doc didn't have a problem and the down time wasn't bad.  My doctor is on Orange county.  Also there is Dr. Krahn who works out of St, Bernadine in San Bernardino which would be closer for you.  As for having 3 surgeries in one year, I did 3 within 9 months last year, and just 2 weeks ago I had 2 back surgeries within 5 days.  Yes it's scary, but I did just fine.

Write anytime you are feeling anxious, you can also send me private mail too.

Take care and keep posting we are here to help.

Diane

Hey sweetie, sorry to hear about your surgeries :( I've had 4 surgeries in the last year and a half so I know how you are feeling. My last one being the RNY.   

For my insurance, I had to go to a Center of Excellence and got connected with Dr. LaMar out of Arcadia which isn't too far from Alta Loma.  I can't say enough of how awesome him and his staff are.  They have great support groups once a month as well.

I would suggest to go to a support meeting that will tell you more about what types of WLS surgeries are available. I learned a lot in that one hour meeting and was soo very informative.  I've been to one in Arcadia and I also went to one in Rancho Cucamonga.

My doctor's website is http://www.cbgsa.net/ and the support website I went to in Rancho was http://www.coastalobesity.com/ 

Good luck with your decision :)

oppps..I accidentaly deleted this message...I hope it ends up in the right spot..lol

It was to Dee.....

Are you going to the Rancho Specialty Medical Center WLS support group meeting tonight?
I am going to try to make it.

Kim in Fontana

Hi Kim,

I am not since I prefer to attend the my surgeon's support group.  When I went earlier this month, we probably had about 60 in attendance.

The mini gastric bypass is not endorsed by the AMSBS, or the NIH, or Medicare, and not covered by most insurance companies. There is a good reason for this - it's a bad operation. Yes, it's quicker and easier on the day of surgery, and not a lot of down time, but bariatric surgery is major surgery and you have to think about living with your operation for the rest of your life, not just the down time (though I understand why that factor is important to you).
    The mini gastric bypass causes a problem not seen with any other wls - bile reflux. What this means is that bile can get from the small intestine into your stomach (the pouch part), where it causes bile gastritis or even bile esophagitis. Once this happens, you can't treat it with antacids, because bile isn't an acid. The only thing that fixes the problem is revising the operation - not good! That's why this operation hasn't been accepted by the bariatric surgery community, isn't covered by insurance, and is only performed, to my knowledge, by one group in the USA.
    Please reconsider.

Larra

Elizabeth~ Thank you so much for all your well wishes!

Diane~ Wow to back surgeries! I hope you are recovering as painless as possible, I used to work for orthopedic surgeouns and I know how tough those back surgeries are. You are a great motivation. I will look up Dr. Krahn and check him out, thank you :)

deehoney~ thank you for the informstion, you are right Arcadia is pretty close to me since I live right off the 210 freeway. I believe when I checked last year Dr. Lamar was part of my insurance providers. I am sorry about your surgeries, they stink!

Larra~ Wow! I had no idea in regards to all the backdraws that a Mini Gastric bypass has! I obviously have to re-thin this because I don't want to be thinner and sick that would be counterproductive and the whole idea is that I can "function" again. thank you for all the information.

I have had 8 surgerys in 5 years and 3 of those were in 9 months time. So that part I wouldn't worry about. First you need to find your surgeon and go from there Larra had a very good point about the mini...You would be better off with Lapband or RYN...that's my thouight on the subject anyway.

HUGS
JOY