New member here! Decisions, decisions.....

Hi, everyone! I've been overweight for 42 years now and am checking into WLS. I've gone to an information seminar in Georgetown, doctor is G. Derek Weiss (any thoughts on him, good or bad?). I sent my packet back in and am waiting to hear from his office. Meanwhile, I called Anthem Blue Access PPO and they told me that they do cover WLS if medically necessary. Well, I am 5'3" weigh 267 lb, BMI over 46, high blood pressure, couple of surgeries (hysterectomy, ruptured disk), had a pin put in my broken foot because my weight displaced a fractured bone, suffer anxiety, depression, possible sleep apnea, and have strong family history of diabetes and heart disease. I have tried dieting with Atkins, Weigh****chers, Welbutrin, and Fen-Phen. I loved Fen-Phen but after it was withdrawn from the market, I gained back all the weight I had lost and about 30 lb more! So I think maybe I can qualify for WLS. Thinking about having RNY scares me stupid. Not because of pain--heck I deal with pain every day. I am ashamed to say that I'm scared of diet restrictions. What if after the surgery I crave, crave, crave something like chocolate cheesecake so bad but I can't have it? Sounds dumb, huh? I'd rather think about the lap band, but I don't know anyone who has had success getting Anthem to pay for it, do you? If you want to email me, I'm at [email protected]. I tell you, I am a bundle of nerves just trying to make a decision. lol. My family is no help. God love them, I've brainwashed both my husband and my 16 year old son into thinking I'm perfect just as I am. But, I sure do want to be around for them and not dead because of a heart attack or something.

I live in Middlesboro and have just received my first appointment for co-morbidity evaluations and dietary consultation for my pre-op diet on July 29. When I went to the seminar in Lexington, one of the doctors discussed the lap band(RNY is all Drs. Nighbert and Steiner do). He said he has done many lap bands in California where he practiced before. He said it was a simple little surgery, but he wasn't really thrilled about the results. Also, he said that they didn't know enough about long term results. I understand the fear of craving, and really don't understand completely about what you can or can't eat after a certain length of time, but I also know that I have given up a lot of things in the past with many diets. But the thing about this surgery is, you know that you will be successful if you do what the Doctor says, but with diets there are no guarantees. The first time I did Weigh****chers, I lost 80 lbs. A year ago I didn't lose a pound even though I followed the program. I too did the Phen fen thing and loved it. I lost 100 pounds, but it all came back. I knew that I couldn't have stayed on those pills for the rest of my life, even if they had stayed available. But with the surgery, lifetime weight loss is a reality. I also have a very loving husband and son who love me as I am, but they are very supportive in my decision to pursue the possibility of this surgery. I have put all of my faith in God and have left it to Him. If everything works out for the sugery, then I will know that He is in it and of God Brings me to it, He will see me through it. My email address is [email protected] if you would like to email me.

Hello, my name is Teresa Gash and I live in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. I had my surgery one week today with Dr. Weiss in Georgetown and I will be the first to tell you that he is awesome and is highly recommended by his peers. When I first went to my seminar on April 30th I had never heard of him, but since then I have none research and I have only good about him. Just to give you an example, he now has a waiting list with approx. 400 to 500 people just waiting to go to his seminars. He is highly thought of in Louisville where he is from orginally and graduated at the top of his class. Georgetown hospital is currently building a new wing just for the Bariatric Program and they will be and already are top of the line. Dr. Weiss performs all his surgeries Laprascopicly and as of this date has never lost anyone and has never reverted to open. I hope this helps. I will tell you that this first week has been hard, but I am looking forward to seeing Dr. Weiss on Friday. Good lucky on your decision making because you are the one that has to live with the outcome. t

Joane, it does sound as though you belong to our club. I also have Anthem and they refused the lap band, (still expermental they said) but would pay for the RNY. Wanted the lap band because the recovery time was so much shorter. Read a bit more and then decided that the RNY was for me. Lap band is considered a success if you lose 50% of your weight, but the RNY isn't success until you lose 75%. ( I wanted to lose as much as possible) Keep reading and studying and you will find the one that is best for you. My biggest fear before the surgery is that I would not be able to stop eating. I had always eaten everything that I wanted when I wanted, so what if I couldn't stop. It has been 9 months and I can say that I have never really had a desire to overeat. I am generally not hungry. I am able to eat sweets, in small portions. I have never had the dumping syndrome, which some people do when they eat sugar. My favorite thing before the surgery was ice cream. It never lasted at my house, before the surgery. Have bought a couple of half gallons since then, tossed them out, because they got too old. Have no taste for it. My taste buds seemed to have changed just because my stomach got smaller. I love it. Good luck with your decision. Judy Surgery 10/17/02 down 121 lbs