One step closer to having the sleeve

Hello, I am new to this website...I have officially started my surgical weightloss adventure and I had my first appointment on Friday...The infamous Psych Evaluation...It went great...Now, my next 3 appointments are all in one day....A follow-up with the Psychologist, then meet with the nutritionist and then the dietician.. I might need a nap after that day...Hopefully all of them go well and then I get to meet with the surgeon...The kicker to me having the surgery is that I also have Crohn's disease for longer that I can remember and it has been in remission going on 4 years with no help from medications....A bowel resection was a blessing in disguise...

If there are stories from people who have had the sleeve that have also had Crohn's disease, I would love to hear from you...Even those who do not have any GI problems, I would love to hear the good and the bad from having this surgery..Thanks....

 Congratulations to you. The Psych eval is crutial because we really need to change our way of thinking towards life and our relationship with food as an emotional stabilizer. I had a very long series with my evalulator.
  Start changing your habits along the way to surgery, so you will be on track post.
  You have so many positive things to look forward to.

Welcome and good luck on your journey!!!!!

I had RNY over 3 years ago....the only regret I have is that I didn't have it sooner!!

Hugs....connie d

I also have to look at the "sleeve" as an option.   In my workup I had everything completed for a RNY but then the surgeon wanted me to have an esophagoscopy to look at my stomach as I've had strictures from GERD and also the last time they found polyps about 18 months ago.   This time they found a WHOLE bunch more polyps, my dad died from gastric cancer so the surgeon would like to do a sleeve now instead.   Now I'm in the waiting game to see if the insurance will cover this.   The surgeon's insurance coordinator said they alot of times wouldn't.  That certainly wasn't what I needed to hear after I was all ready for the RNY and now I feel like I'm back at square one and that the last 8 months of appointments, tests, counseling etc has been for naught.  Very frustrating thats for sure.   

I've been doing some research on the sleeve and it seems that the RNY and sleeve are comparable for weight loss but just not as much overall.  The surgeon told me the RNY was about 65-75 % of their excess and that sleeves were about 55-65% lose.   The positives I have found out is that you don't have the malabsorption issues and don't get "dumping"

Where in Minnesota do you live?

I know that it is fustrating to have to hear that news but given your history with your dad, I would rather be safe than sorry..I would think that with your history, they would be smart to cover this surgery since gastric cancer tends to show up in the part of the stomach that is removed when you VGS...I have Healthpartners insurance through Essentia Health...They said that given the fact that I have Crohn's, the only effective and reliable option is the VSG. With that being said, they claim that it would be covered...We shall see once the prior comes through...I know that everyone's situation is a little different and it can be very fustrating but hang in there, they want to be sure that what they are doing is the best thing for you...I live outside of Duluth and plan on having the surgery at Essentia Health...Where are you planning on having the surgery and what type of insurance do you have???

I have BCBS of MN federal program for insurance and hopefully will have surgery at United Hospital with Dr. Kelly.

Don't know a thing about Crohn's but I was sleeved less than a month ago and I feel GREAT! I know we all love our choices and it's a good thing we're happy. But for me, VSG was the only thing that made sense. I wanted restriction but not a life-time of malabsorption. I'm losing a good portion of my excess weight and am right on track. My NUT said to not count pounds but to keep track of percentage of excess weight lost. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE my sleeve. My only regret is I didn't do it sooner. Good luck with your sleeve. 

I am glad that you are doing so good with your sleeve...You have some such a long way in a short amount of time...I do agree with you that restriction is the way to go... My sister have the RNY about 8 years ago and has done well but she has some deficiencies that give her some problems (not anything major)...She had said if they were doing the Sleeve at that time that she would have had that done instead...Of course we all have our "well maybe I should try WW or some other diet again before I have surgery" moments, but I think in the end, having this surgery is going to be the tool that helps me achieve my weight loss goal and keep me at that goal..I hope that I am as successful at losing weight with the sleeve as you have been..I know that it is not going to be easy (or will it be  ) but with being able to discuss what is going on will be a helpful tool to losing the weight and keeping it off....

 Wert,
     where in MN are you from and where did you have your surgery at?    Did you have issues with insurance authorizing it?

I had surgery at Abbott in MSP. Dr. Ikramuddin was my surgeon. I had a wonderful hospital experience at Abbott from the minute I walked in until I left. Great hospital and staff.

Everyone's insurance is different, of course, but I was approved right off the bat. Of course I had to do the 6 months of NUT visits. That got old. And Dr. Ik ordered a bunch of tests. But the tests helped prove my case since I was a borderline light-weight.