Elaine C.
News!
Nov 27, 2016
Well I haven't posted anything here in almost a year because they're really wasn't anything much to post... No real weight lost since I last posted.
I'm able to do a lot more. My husband and I ripped out the carpet on the stairs and in the hallway in August and have ended up with a new floor. I did the majority of the work! Did some painting too. The condo is looking (and smelling!) better than it ever did! There are just some finishing touches left that my husband will mostly look after. Why am I telling you this? Because 175 lbs ago, I would have been sweating just thinking about this kind of work, let alone actually try to accomplish any of it! This summer, every weekend, I was doing some yardwork at the farm. My VSG helped me get here but I still have a lot of extra weight on me. I'm about 270 now. I'd like to lose another 75 or so. Unfortunately, I won't be getting there with my VSG. Which brings me to my real news.
I saw my surgeon for a follow up appointment this past week in Montreal. He gave me my options:
1) Do nothing, remain where I am now with the possibility of weight regain - this does not appeal to me.
2) Start going to the gym and dieting - this also does not appeal to me. I don't feel that this is sustainable for me and will probably end up with the same outcome as option 1.
3) Get the SADI-S procedure. He explained that it's relatively new in comparison to the other types of WLS, but it has fewer complications than a DS including massive malabsorption and diarrhea issues. I could have gone for the gastric bypass if I wanted, but seeing as I occasionally have to take NSAIDS for my arthritic knees, that option was out of the question. At least with the SADI-S, I can keep the NSAID option when I need it.
The SADI-S seems to be a better option than the gastric bypass option as far as weight regain may be involved. Although there's not extensive data on it yet, it looks promising. It impresses me to be somewhere in the middle of gastric bypass and DS. I had hoped to avoid a second surgery, but if that's what it takes, that's what it takes then! My surgeon wasn't surprised. He said a lot of people hope that the VSG will be the only one they need but for those with high BMI's as I had, the second surgery is usually needed. He informed me that my wait time will be less than a year, so that gives me some time to prepare mentally(researching and feeling good about that choice) and logistically (work and home prep) for it.
The next step? I won't see the surgeon until surgery day. I will have to wait for the nurse at the hospital to call me and set up an appointment to go in to have all my pre-op tests done (weight, blood pressure, ecg, etc.). I already have sleep apnea so there will be no test requirement for that. I'm not sure if they'll make me go on the pre-op nutrition course like last time. The last time it was a course for all the surgeries together. The SADI-S wasn't one of the surgeries offered at the time so it wasn't included in it, but I don't imagine there is much of a difference. Since I'll have to travel 2.5 hours to Montreal for it, I'd like to make only one trip for all this than multiple ones. What about the pre-op diet, you may ask (hahaha)? Because of my BMI, I will only need to be on a liquid diet before surgery for 2 weeks. Not like the 5 week liquid diet before my VSG in March 2015! That will be easy in comparison.
So there you have it. If you're reading this and you've had the SADI-S already, I'd like to hear from you, especially if you've had it in the 2 part operation. There seems to be more people who had the stomach reduction and looping done in the same operation. I haven't read about anyone having the reduction first, then the lopping afterwards, although some exist who've had DS as their second surgery. I'm more interested in SADI-S experiences. All are welcome though :-)
