My WLS experience so far...

Nov 16, 2009

I had the lapband installed in 2006.  I jumped thru the hoops and got it done.  Then 30 lbs down... I had a slip.  Then pain, then more pain, then weight gain. Lots of money spent on fills, unfills, egd's, doctor visits, you name it.  And did I mention the pain?  Water weight effects restriction.  Can't eat in the morning.  Golf ball feeling when you swallow something, sliming for hours if something gets stuck....  OH yeah!

When it came right down to it, I knew it had to come out so I tried to get approval for the sleeve.  No go, experimental.  But you can self pay and get it for 1000.00 more than the band, so I thought about it.

Well at this time I thought... ok I was denied 4 times for the sleeve go ahead and put in for the RNY.  Got approved in three days.  Then thought about all the things I had seen when I worked at the bariatric clinic, and I just couldn't do it.   My husbands advice was to get unfilled wait a few weeks and try the band again.

So there I was, approval in hand, going in for fills for one last attempt to make the band work.  Then pain, slip, pain, and I went ahead and considered the RNY because my approval was about to run out.

Then my insurance started covering the switch in 9/15/09.   I had some issues with surgeons because the one I was approved with did not do the DS.  So I switched surgeons, switched procedure approval with insurance company, and switched my insides on 11/9/09.

Dr. Stewart removed the lap band (with difficulty because of scar tissue and damaged caused by the band) and now I can LIVE.

I can drink something first thing in the morning.  I can swallow pills WHOLE!  I don't know about anything other than mushies as far as food, but guess what... it does not hurt to swallow mashed potatoes... and that makes me very happy!

Don't let the insurance company decide how you will live the rest of your life.  You have to LIVE the lifestyle for whatever surgery you choose.

My main issues with the bypass were the "pouch" and the blind stomach.  The fact that you can get ulcers in a stomach you can't get to via egd.  The fact that you can get blockages that require surgery to stretch the little fake opening they make to attach the "pouch" to your intestines... and a ton of other things that you may not read about on the boards... but I have witnessed first hand.

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