trying to get excited

I have been told by my Dr and my insurance company that I am not covered for the sleeve. My options are RNY and lap-band. I need to loose a lot of weight so really the only option is RNY. I'm having a hard time getting excited about this procedure. I have heard great things and I have heard not so great things about RNY. I really need to hear why the "gold standard" of weight loss surgery is the right thing to do. I'm more scared than apprehensive. I know it will change my life but in what ways. Does anyone have any regrets?

I am 54 years old and thankful every day that I had RNY two years ago. I weighed 265 at my highest and had constant knee and back pain,high cholesterol and triglycerides,as well as diabetes and high blood pressure. My weight exacerbated my rheumatoid arthritis of 30 plus years so most days I was miserable. I couldn't keep my house clean and had no energy for anything. I would go to flea markets with my family and sit on a bench most of the day. I told my husband that I liked to watch people but in reality I sat because I couldn't keep up and didn't want to slow them down. I had overweight or obese my whole life and did not know anything else. When I had surgery I followed my doctors directions exactly. He told me to exercise at least thirty minutes daily and I got on my treadmill daily. In less than nine months I lost 145 pounds and went from a size 26 to a size zero or one. I still exercise daily and walk four miles every day. My good cholesterol (HDL) went from45 to 84,my LDL went from 135 to 62 and my triglycerides went from 278 to 57. I have not been on meds now for over a year. My blood sugars are normal now without meds and my blood pressure is great on one small low dose pill. I have been at the same weight for over a year now and love that now my husband can't keep up with me at flea markets! He says it is like having a new wife because now I have energy to keep my house clean and plenty to spare to do anything I want. My only regret is that I didn't do this sooner. I would love to have been a better and more healthy example to my boys when they were younger. They are 21 and 22 and both struggle with their weight too. I love doing 5ks now and no longer have back or knee pain. I love to exercise because it makes me feel strong and healthy. I love my new healthy life. If I can do this,you can too. All I can say is that it is so much better than I could even imagine. If you want to change your life--this is definetely your chance!

Karen, your post made me cry! Thank you for validating the real benefits of having RNY. I have several medical problems and am hoping most, if not all, of those problems disappear after the surgery. I find myself avoiding events lately. I am embarrassed of how I look and don't want people who haven't seen me in a while to see how big I have become. Again, thank you for your encouraging words.  

I went into this whole thing with "I want the sleeve..."  My doctor suddenly left the practice and I was left with his colleague, still a fantastic doctor and the head of the Bariatric surgery program of her hospital.  

She wantedme to do the RNY, and told me so an why at our first meeting. 

She was still willing to do the sleeve, but gave me all the reasons she recommended and would prefer the bypass.  Even saying, if I were her sister, she would recommend RNY, not sleeve.  

I ralked it over with my family and changed to RNY1 week before surgery... I was terrified because j spent so much time thinking about and researching the sleeve.  But I am so happy to have my little pouch.  I have lost almost 60 lbs in 2 months and feel a ton better already!  

Good luck with your journey. 

I hang on to that pain and embarrassment and use it everyday to help me exercise and eat well so I can maintain where I am. It feels so much better to be in my skin now that the things I don't eat like bread and pasta and rice don't even matter to me. I wish someone had told me how life changing this surgery is and maybe I would have done it sooner. Glad I could help!

I am only a couple of months out and it was not easy to make the decision. I do not regret it. I am almost 60 pounds down (from pre and post op) , was able to come off of one of my B/P meds within a few days. I have a niece that had it 10 years ago and she really encouraged me. She has kept off 125 pounds and still happy she did it. She sees the whole 'dumping' thing as a plus, keeps you in line :). If you do the right thing you won't dump. Right now my biggest thing is just realizing I need to be very focused in all my eating. No mindless eating like before. I am excited for the future. One thing my niece said to me is "what are you afraid of?" It made me think... Good Luck!

I was concerned about dumping. Even though I do not eat a lot of sweets, my downfall is bread, I don't want to get sick from an occasional treat. Maybe, like you said, it would be a plus for me as well and help keep me in line. I guess what I'm afraid of is the constipation, gas, dumping, and "accidents". But, in light of those fears, if I stay on the program and do what I'm supposed to do I won't have those problems. Thanks for your post!!

If you want the sleeve - Fight for it. Find out why sleeve is not covered and apeal.  Try to get what you want. 

Make sure it is really insurance issue and not the doc preferance..

My doctor likes the sleeve and has no problem doing it as long as I can pay for it. It's the insurance company that won't cover it. Which is odd because they cover the RNY and lap-band but consider the sleeve as elective surgery. I want to have weight loss surgery. I know I can't do it on my own and need the restrictions of a smaller stomach. I have to do 6 months of weight loss management, per insurance requirements, so I'm just playing the waiting game.