Frustrated..

(deactivated member)
on 9/18/11 5:21 am - Castle Rock, CO
i know i've posted my story a few times here, but basically went for a band to ds revision in Mexico, self-paid Full revision pkg, woke up w/VSG due to my cardiomyopathy issues, sigh.. i had surgery on Feb 2011 this yr, am down from 49 to 33 BMI in 7 mths postop w/sleeve alone.. great BUT im totally fearful of what my maintenance (when i get to goal) will look like - hence why i had opted for the DS for it's malabsorptive feature in the 1st place! but life/fate whatever screwed me (again!) just as my insurance wouldnt pay for my revision (due to no revision coverage clause & despite appealing 3x due to my 49 BMI at the time AND diabetes, triglycerides, cardiomyopathy, cholesteral, BP, hypothyroidism).. so couldnt go w/ any of the US surgeons..

i was told im eligible for a refund for just having a vsg done.. 7 mths later now, they say they're still in discussions w/ the hospital for that, so nothing back for me as of yet, and in Feb when i left Mex, they had sugg i can get the 2nd part to DS later as an option, so now that im down to below the bmi they had needed for this, i started my communications w/them again (tho i had been following up abt the refund diligently), they just kept replying that they're still trying to 'work it out'.. ok so now im asking them to just complete what they started so we can put all this to rest and i can continue life w/DS as i had prepared for..

i tbought i'd do ok w/sleeve alone, comorbidities hv resolved, lost weight, etc.. but now i hv to admit it was a Major struggle for me day to day , restriction is there, no carbs (ive not even sniffed anything grains/carb since surgery), but know what? my metabolism is so messed up that i Crave to be able to just eat a regular vsg diet (hi protein, lo-no carbs, etc?, eating the Right stuff & amount even puts me at a stall or even a 1-2 pd gain, im literally eating like a bird!!

i read abt stalls All the time on VSG forum, read & follow all the tips & tricks (mostly they say to avoid carbs, go lo-calorie, up the protein, water, exercise), but what if im doing All that already & still, then its usually 'it shall pass, happens to all, etc' , then beyond that its always back to 'maybe a more powerful surgery is needed since you hv metabolic issues', so ok im back here, now what?

i dont think the sleeve alone will help me in the long run, im starting to feel hunger, but Cant even eat the allowed protein, etc since that stalls me or makes me gain, somedays i just hv liquids all day (with growling hunger pangs) but this is the only way i See any loss! how the heck can i live like this for the rest of my life? im 33 yrs old!

ok, just had to get all this off my chest, im just praying a Miracle will happen at this rate.. i dont know what else to do!

thanks for reading / hearing me out all :,(
MajorMom
on 9/18/11 5:46 am - VA
Wishing you good luck with Dr U. Keep after him. I can only imagine your frustration. I'm sorry.

--gina

5'1" -- HW 195/SW 187/GW 115 July 08/CW 121 Dec 2012
                                 ******GOAL*******

Starting BMI between 35 and 40ish? 
Join us on the
Lightweights Board!
DS on Aug 9, 2007 with Dr. Hazem Elariny

(deactivated member)
on 9/18/11 6:39 am - Santa Cruz, CA
I don't have any words of wisdom re: your food problems, but I'd say right offhand that you may
as well just forget about getting any of your money back.  It's a foreign country--you can't make
him do anything.
(deactivated member)
on 9/18/11 6:50 am
airbender
on 9/18/11 8:54 am
first of all, you are doing great.  we all pick our wls by many factors, it sounds like you had your heart set out on DS, but due to medical issues it had to be placed on hold.  you state you have metabolic issues (as most sbo pts do) and it is an option to go back and get stage 2 of the DS-why not take that option?  i don't think you will ever see the money back, dr U is the only dr in mexico for the ds, he has a good reputation here, he thinks he can do part 2 of your ds, so I would really think about calling the office and making the appt. to finish your surgery.  I wish you some peace in deciding what is best for you.....
pycca
on 9/18/11 10:34 am - Haslet, TX
IF your cardiomyopathy has improved, ( being the main one) and some of the other issues his office thought you should be at,,
 
the DS was what you wanted,, then start looking into them finishing it.

Yes it was a hassel to do this in two stages, but if the VSG got you to a better place,, it wasn't a backward step....

Good luck !
nightowl
on 9/18/11 12:13 pm - Topeka, KS
I think I would return to him for the rest of the DS.

You may also inquire about that offer going on that Diana Cox has written about, the special self-pay pricing being offered so the doctor +/or facility can get Center of Excellence status.  It was not available to revisions, but you can email and ask what price they could get you, since most of your revision is done, you just need the rest of the intestinal part of the DS.
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