New to this Site and Looking for some Support
Welcome! I am a newby here myself (like 2 weeks ago) and my surgery date is TOMORROW!! All I can say is this site has been a God send. I have spent hours upon hours pouring through the posts... the good and the bad stuff. People keep asking me if I am nervous but no.... I am excited!
You are taking a very exciting and proactive step so pat yourself on the back for that! It's kind of like being an alcoholic... the first step is recognizing you have a problem... then you deal with it.
You are taking a very exciting and proactive step so pat yourself on the back for that! It's kind of like being an alcoholic... the first step is recognizing you have a problem... then you deal with it.
Welcome,
You have come to the right place check out all the different forums talk to as many people as you can in each of the WLS forums ask questions and see which surgery best fits your life style. This is the place that my surgeon sent me to to talk to real people going thru it getting all the experiences the good the bad and the ugly before I decided on which one was right for me. I ended up chosing the sleeve and it has been the best decision I ever made. I am sure you will get tons of help and guidence here. Best wishes to you and which ever one you chose remember it is your life your choice and I am sure you will pck the one that suits you best.
You have come to the right place check out all the different forums talk to as many people as you can in each of the WLS forums ask questions and see which surgery best fits your life style. This is the place that my surgeon sent me to to talk to real people going thru it getting all the experiences the good the bad and the ugly before I decided on which one was right for me. I ended up chosing the sleeve and it has been the best decision I ever made. I am sure you will get tons of help and guidence here. Best wishes to you and which ever one you chose remember it is your life your choice and I am sure you will pck the one that suits you best.
SW - 223 CW- 130 GW- 140 Start Sz 18 Current Sz 4 Ht. 5'6"
BA- LBL/TT 11/3/09
Welcome!
Just how 'easy' this journey is varies from person to person---but in the nearly 9 years I've been here, I've seen VERY few people who thought it wasn't worth the effort. We have several people who post here regularily who've had terrible complications, yet who still say they're glad they chose to have WLS. (And of course, there are also a few who DO regret it. You do need to understand that from the start.)
At this point, the most important thing you can do is RESEARCH. Research EVERYTHING. There are four basic forms of WLS currently performed---LapBand, RNY/gastric bypass, VSG/Sleeve, and DS/Duodenal Switch.
I've listed them in order from least effective/desirable (TO ME) to most effective/desirable. The Band and the Sleeve are forms of WLS that rely primarily on restriction---they restrict how much you can eat AT ONE TIME. They won't stop you from grazing, and the Band especially doesn't seem to work well long-term. (The Sleeve is fairly new, and so far the results are good, at least equal to the RNY/gastric bypass---with far fewer potential complications. The Sleeve also has some metabolic effects, but it's yet to be seen how lasting these are.)
The RNY/gastric bypass and the DS/duodenal switch are considered both restrictive and metabolic/malabsorptive. This means that they both decrease your capacity to eat, AND they change the way your body metabolizes food. This is both good and bad.
If you look at diagrams of these surgeries, you'll see that both take some of the small intestine out of the 'normal' digestive tract. In the RNY, this is a small amount---but it's a part of the small intestine that's VERY involved in absorbing vitamins and certain minerals. This means that those vitamins and minerals will NEVER AGAIN be absorbed normally. This is also true for the DS.
The big difference, absorption-wise, between the RNY and the DS, relates to CALORIES. In the RNY, only a small per centage of the small intestine is bypassed, so only a small per centage of calories is EVER malabsorbed---and the body can generally overcome this by 18-24 months post-op. In the DS, the majority of the small intestine is bypassed, causing major malabsorption of calories, especially calories from fat. This bypass is so great that the body is simply incapable of overcoming it---ever. Therefore, while both the RNY and the DS ccause life-long malabsorption of certain vitamins and minerals, only the DS gives life-long malabsorption of calories---and the very BEST long-term, maintained weight loss.
I'm 8.5 years post-DS. I refuse to own andy scales---they made me crazy for much of my life, and I've chosen to free myself from their reign of terror. (*grin*) I ONLY weigh at my doctor's office.
I saw my doctor today---and I now weigh 2 pounds less that my previous lowest-ever-as-an-adult, post-op weight. YAH ME!!!
Just how 'easy' this journey is varies from person to person---but in the nearly 9 years I've been here, I've seen VERY few people who thought it wasn't worth the effort. We have several people who post here regularily who've had terrible complications, yet who still say they're glad they chose to have WLS. (And of course, there are also a few who DO regret it. You do need to understand that from the start.)
At this point, the most important thing you can do is RESEARCH. Research EVERYTHING. There are four basic forms of WLS currently performed---LapBand, RNY/gastric bypass, VSG/Sleeve, and DS/Duodenal Switch.
I've listed them in order from least effective/desirable (TO ME) to most effective/desirable. The Band and the Sleeve are forms of WLS that rely primarily on restriction---they restrict how much you can eat AT ONE TIME. They won't stop you from grazing, and the Band especially doesn't seem to work well long-term. (The Sleeve is fairly new, and so far the results are good, at least equal to the RNY/gastric bypass---with far fewer potential complications. The Sleeve also has some metabolic effects, but it's yet to be seen how lasting these are.)
The RNY/gastric bypass and the DS/duodenal switch are considered both restrictive and metabolic/malabsorptive. This means that they both decrease your capacity to eat, AND they change the way your body metabolizes food. This is both good and bad.
If you look at diagrams of these surgeries, you'll see that both take some of the small intestine out of the 'normal' digestive tract. In the RNY, this is a small amount---but it's a part of the small intestine that's VERY involved in absorbing vitamins and certain minerals. This means that those vitamins and minerals will NEVER AGAIN be absorbed normally. This is also true for the DS.
The big difference, absorption-wise, between the RNY and the DS, relates to CALORIES. In the RNY, only a small per centage of the small intestine is bypassed, so only a small per centage of calories is EVER malabsorbed---and the body can generally overcome this by 18-24 months post-op. In the DS, the majority of the small intestine is bypassed, causing major malabsorption of calories, especially calories from fat. This bypass is so great that the body is simply incapable of overcoming it---ever. Therefore, while both the RNY and the DS ccause life-long malabsorption of certain vitamins and minerals, only the DS gives life-long malabsorption of calories---and the very BEST long-term, maintained weight loss.
I'm 8.5 years post-DS. I refuse to own andy scales---they made me crazy for much of my life, and I've chosen to free myself from their reign of terror. (*grin*) I ONLY weigh at my doctor's office.
I saw my doctor today---and I now weigh 2 pounds less that my previous lowest-ever-as-an-adult, post-op weight. YAH ME!!!
Hi Missi
I'm new to the site as well, I'm in the process of getting authorization for my surgery. I'm going to have the gastric sleeve, soon I hope..
But definitely do your homework, I had a great talk with the surgeon and he was very helpful, didn't force any particular surgery on me, he just gave me the options and what he thought was best. You need to see what is going to work best for you what you're comfrotable with.
Definitely attend a seminar or webinar if you can. Check with your insurance company first to find out if you will have coverage, because doing all the testing is a big part of the pre-authorization process. Then go from there, talk to your primary care doctor they may have suggestions for you as well, if you don't have one, get one, you'll need them.
Any questions or just to talk drop me a message
Good luck, we're here for you
Jo
(deactivated member)
on 6/27/12 6:23 am
on 6/27/12 6:23 am
Hi Missi,
Seems like you and I are in the same boat. High school athlete, but then started gaining in college. Have been trying to do diets and workouts, but the weight won't drop. I've been seriously considering something like a lap band or gastric sleeve, and I've even seen the surgical procedure being performed. Still having trouble making that final decision as I am still unsure about the recovery time as well as effectiveness. Also cost is a huge issue!
Best of luck to you and all of the others who are considering surgery,
Jake
Seems like you and I are in the same boat. High school athlete, but then started gaining in college. Have been trying to do diets and workouts, but the weight won't drop. I've been seriously considering something like a lap band or gastric sleeve, and I've even seen the surgical procedure being performed. Still having trouble making that final decision as I am still unsure about the recovery time as well as effectiveness. Also cost is a huge issue!
Best of luck to you and all of the others who are considering surgery,
Jake
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