Still Deciding

Hello there!!  I'm excited to be here.  My husband's company recently changed the insurance they offer, and I found out that weight loss surgery is a covered benefit.  Yay me!  On January 4 I went in for the information seminar at the University of Michigan.  My plan was to have the band.  Now, I know that is not the surgery I will have.  I am leaning toward the sleeve, but have not yet ruled out bypass.  I go back on March 3 for my med eval and then on March 18 for my psych eval.  I am so excited!

Lynn,

Congrats on your decision to improve your health.  My recommendation is to try a couple more seminars, go ahead and leave your evaluation and stuff, but gather more facts.  sometimes the first one isn't always the best one for you.  There is a sleeve board  obesityhelp.com/forums/vsg/ on OH that can also help to answer questions and well as a Rny board.  obesityhelp.com/forums/rny/ 



best of luck!

bm
  

Thanks!  I am reading the sleeve board a lot.  You're right, there is a LOT of information there.

Best of luck in your decision! I had the sleeve 9 months ago.  I had went back and forth between the RNY, Sleeve and DS, all of them are covered by our insurance.  I was just too scared of the rerouting and malabsorption issues with the other two, so I ended up going with the sleeve.  I'm very happy with my choice.  Do alot of research and decide which one is right for you. 

It is the malabsorbtion thing that I am nervous about, too.  That is why I am really thinking the sleeve would be best for me.

Sorry if this is insensitive, but with 258# to lose, your very first surgery choice should be the DS.  The VSG is the first part of the DS, and it will help you get the weight off --- but the studies are showing that it won't help you KEEP the weight OFF.

Do you really want to go through a major surgery just to feel like a failure in 3-4 years (where the studies show the weight begins to come back again, as well as co-morbs)?

THINK TWICE, CUT ONCE!!!

Many think that can get the "2nd part"  (switch) if the VSG doesn't work out.  You will find that not only won't insurance cover this costly major surgery, but they additional weight loss just won't come.  You may stop the gain, but you will likely lose no more.

Please, research the DS.  The surgeon you are looking at does not perform the DS, so that is not an option with that surgeon.  You really need to consult with a surgeon who performs ALL FOUR MAJOR WLS, if you want to get what is best for YOU and not what the surgeon is simply CAPABLE of providing.

That will require a trip to G.R. for you, to see Dr. Kemmeter --- and it will be very well worth it for you to do so. 

Hello - Dr. Birkmeyer did my surgery!  I was at their support group meeting tonight.  Have you been to any of them?  For U of M you are required to attend two of them.  There are usually people there who have had both the sleeve and the bypass who can answer questions for you.

I have not been to any of the support meetings yet.  As of now, I haven't officially been accepting into the program, so I can't go to the meetings.  I can hardly wait for March 3 to get things really going!!

WLS surgery and the type to go with is a  VERY big decision, do your research.

Hi!
With the amount of weight you'd like you loose you should check out the DS. www.dsfacts.com
Best wishes!
Lisa