Deciding about WLS
Hi,
I posted to the main message board, but realized I might have more help here among people that are or have been close to my situation.
My name is Julie, I am 49 years old, weigh 430, have a BMI of 67. About 18 months ago, my PCP recommended that I have WLS, specifically lap band. She did NOT think I should have bypass. She knows me and knows I have tried everything. I went to a LB seminar and was scared to death about bypass, so decided to have LB. I was so heavy that I thought it would be better for me to lose some weight before I had the WLS, so I joined Jenny Craig (again) and they convinced me and I convinced myself that I could lose the weight myself.
18 months later, I am now 7 lbs heavier than ever after losing 23 on JC and then feeling like a failure when I could not lose it myself.
Two weeks ago I had a heart scare, trip to ER, turned out to be low potassium, but it was a wake up call.
SO now I have decided for sure I need WLS, but after reading hundreds of profiles on OH.com and thinking about it alot, it seems impossible to lose enough weight with lap band. I need to lose more than 200 to get to a healthy not morbidly obese weight.
I am scared to death of having bypass surgery but I really am fairly healthy considering, have sleep apnea and high blood pressure, not diabetes or any other really bad co morbibities.
It seems every WLS seminar you go to says something different and each one is convinced their surgery is the best.
Oh, and we have to self pay, WLS is excluded on our insurance. My husband is willing to pay for it out of his 401K (how I love this man!) I think I am leaning toward RNY (22-25K here), there is a Wish center here that does both and I am going there on Wednesday for evaluation, which costs about 1K, so I will be committed to deciding for sure then, I guess.
Do any of you have any advice or input for me?
I am over 3 months out and for me I am very happy I had it done (now). At first I wasn't but alot of people go through that. Once you get into what you have to do (meds, protien, fluids, new way of eating) it is so worth it. I was 469 lbs. when I went to see the surgeon and had to get down to 395 to have wls. (lung problems). As of today I weigh 317. I feel so much better than I did last yr. at this time.Research wls and then you can make the decision to have it or not. Whishing you the best, Cindy.
greetings
i can only tell you about my experience. i have many similarities to your situation. i was 48 years old 15 months ago when i had an open rny. my weight on day of surgery was 463. i too, had to self-pay -- and i even paid for it by taking the money from my 401k!
i also had high BP, but no sleep apnea nor diabetes. i had been morbidly obese or heavy my whole life -- having lost hundreds and hundreds of lbs throughout my life, but always regaining them and more every time.
the open rny was painful, but not unbearably so. i live alone, and came home from the hospital to stay alone (except for numerous animals that live with me!)..and that went fine, too. i have had other open adominal surgeries, so i knew what to expect in terms of pain, etc. this surgery was no worse for me than the hysterectomy i had a few years ago at a weight of 420. i did have a problem with the incision from this surgery in that the top 5" of it opened up. it took several weeks to heal, but finally did and is just fine now.
the outcome of this surgical experience (so far) has been wonderful! my bmi has gone from 66.4 to 30. my weight from 463 to 209...and still losing slowly. my surgeon's goal for me was 210. but i REALLY want to make it to onederland (below 200 lbs.), so that's what i'm striving for. the skin is a real issue -- try to be prepared for it. if you've been overweight a long time, and have reached middle age, the skin just isn't elastic anymore, and doesn't go away. it just hangs there...everywhere! it can be fixed with plastic surgery, but it's very costly.
but even with all the skin, i am SO much happier, so much healthier, now, that i can hardly even believe it! i get up every day and just feel wonderful. i feel like i can do anything these days! i feel like the luckiest woman in the world! i have my life back and am so grateful for it.
i wish you all the best in your journey. if you have questions you think i can help you with, please feel free to email me. i'd be delighted to talk with you.
deb
Have the rny surgery. I am 49. I weighed 406 lbs 18 months ago I am now 195 lbs. I feel great. I had my surgery done by the wish Center in Downers Grove Ill. They are very good. The surgery is not a picnic but it is not as bad as I thought. What is the sense of saving for a retirement if you are not going to live to see it. It is worth the money for surgery at your or should I say our weight. Good luck. Taking off 200 lbs is fantastic you will love it. Good Luck.
John
Hi Julie, I can't really say what surgery would be best for you. I can only let you know for me at my heaviest weight I topped around 440. I had lap rny 7 1/2 months ago. This has been a wonderful experience for me thus far. The only thing that really proved challenging to me was learing to eat all over again. There was minimal discomfort for me. If I had to do it all over again today without a bout I would do it all over again. My current weight is about 286ish. What ever you decide to do I wish you the best of luck. Keep us posted on you progress.
Kwheen
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