I'M BACK...AND WAS DENIED AGAIN!

HELLO ALL, AS SOME OF YOU WHO MET ME KNOW I WAS HOPING TO GET THE LAP-BAND, BUT LAST WEEK BEFORE I WENT ON VACATION I GOT MY BAD NEWS. I REALLY FELT THE BAND WAS BETTER FOR ME BY THE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT I NEED TO LOOSE AND THE LESSER OF THE COMPLICATIONS AND RECOVERY TIME. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH I WILL BE APPLYING FOR LAP RNY. I AM EXTREMELY SCARED AND WILL NEED SOME MAJOR COMFORT FOR GOING THROUGH THIS. I DON'T WANT TO BE HEAVY/CURVY/VOLUPTUOUS....WHAT EVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, ANY LONGER! YOU CAN READ ON MY PROFILE MY LATEST ENTRY OF WHAT THE INSURANCE SAY'S WHY I WAS DENIED. THEY RECOMMEND I LOOK AT THE RNY OR VGB (WHICH I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT-VGB). I KNOW MANY OF YOU THAT I MET HAVE HAD THE RNY, I JUST NEED SOMEONE ELSE TO TALK MORE ABOUT IT WITH ME AND HELP ME BE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS DECISION. ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE IS GETTING FINANCED BUT I AM NOT SURE I CAN DO THIS, I WOULD NEED TO GO TO MEXICO FOR SURE FOR THE BAND TO AFFORD IT. OR I CAN MOVE ON WITH MY LIFE AND GO GET THE RNY??? HELP................I AM ONE CONFUSED PUPPY! LOVE NADINE

oh Nadine, I am so sorry!! I know you really wanted the band.. ok, I'm gonna ask some dumb questions.. now remember I didn't have options as to what type of surgery I was going to have.. I choose my surgeon and "NOT" my type of WLS so... 1st. why is there less complications with the band -vs- rny? what types of complications exactly are we talking about? because it is my understanding that "ANY" time your put under anistisia (sp?)and cut into/open that there is a risk of complications. (heat attack, blood clots, staph infections/sepsis, alerigic reactions ect) I honestly did NOT know that there is a greater risk of "other" types of complications with RNY -vs- banding. well actually is this my *little* knoweldge about this (and probably mis-informed) I had heard that with the band it could break, slip and strangle, erode or? with RNY you could get strictures.. a "healthy" non RNY person can get strangulated bowels although there is a greater risk with RNY. Leaks, (I had a leak test while in the hospital) dumping syndrome which is suppose to be a postive/negative reinforcement for people who are addicted to sugars ect.. 2nd. why does the band offer a shorter recovery time.. ok in theory I do understand the answer to that.. with the banding your having a ring put around your stomach.. with RNY your having things cut, rearranged, and stappled.. "BUT", your still put under ansitisa, your still having to be cut into if not open, and your still going to be using pain meds. every person reacts to pain differarntly and every person reacts to differarnt pains in their own body's differarntly.. like some women who have c-sec's are up bouncing around in one day.. other are out of it for WEEKS.. same with gallbladders and the SAME for RNY.. my hosptial stay lasted 5 days.. when they did the leak test my stoma was swollen so I had to stay 2 extra days. I had nothing by mouth (NOT EVEN WATER) for "4" days.. I was scared ****less. but I was up walking as I was suppose to, even more than I was suppose to, I was going to bathroom on my own, and taking my own showers. but I am also the surgery queen.. this was my 5th. and by far the easiest as far as how I felt after. I didn't take any pain meds once I got home. and all I had for help at home was my kids.. and they were in school.. I did not need any help. I was on a clear liquid diet for 2 weeks, then a full liquid diet for another two weeks, then soft pureed foods for 2 weeks, then a reg/soft diet and so on.. I didn't drive myself anyhwere for 2 or 3 weeks as any time you've been put under your not suppose to.. and yes I was very dizzy.. with all my surgery's this was the first time that effect happend for so long. but my theory on that is that it had little to do with anstisia/pain meds (like some on the MB say) as it did to the fact that I was in starvation mode and probably dehydraded. ok, and I don't remember for sure but I also thought another of your concerns was loosing toooo much weight.. yes it can happen. but honestly it's rare. I have been reading the MB for over a year and a half and have heard people talk about this but the majority of people get down to 10 to 20 lbs of their personal goal weight and can't get beyond that. (me!!) Nadine, I wish you well... and as I told you before I am so glad I didn't have options becuase I would still be trying to decide.. this is a scary, thing to go through and then add in tough decisions on top of it.. OH!!! I didn't mention the VBG becuase I really don't know anything about that except for I see people on the MB almost daily saying they are revising it to RNY becuase they only lost 65lbs and/or have gained over a 100 back... I don't know what it is or how it's done. as for going to mexico... I know that there are MANY people who have had great success doing this. this was never an option for me and to be honest I don't know if I would have had the guts to do it anyway. but more power to those that do.. do what ever "YOU" feel is right for "YOU"..... the only thing else I can say is that I am so GREATFUL I had WLS.. not so much RNY, but WLS in general. I was at such a low point in my life that I was desperate enough to have "ANY" surgery... in my mind I was already dead.. breathing, but certainly NOT living.. I would do it again in a heartbeat. my only regrets.. 1. I didn't journal every thing I ate in the begining. 2. I didn't take regular measurements, and 3. I havn't had after care since 3 months post op due to moving and finding another dr. who will see me unless there is "complications".. 4. not getting therpy the whole way through to help me with my emotional eating. and those things have nothing to do with which "type" of WLS.. so no regrets on surgery it's self.. good luck theresa

http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/question.phtml?N=r972414748 http://www.homanmd.com/allsurgeries.htm Nadine, Hope you had a great vacation...it's great there! Have you tried Lake Simtustis (sp?) a little ways down the road as well? We're heading up to Osoyoos, BC....warm water lake in an area similar to where you were. I can't wait to get tan! I'm thinking of trying the Mystic Tan that's sprayed on until I get some color of my own, I'm tired of being the same color as Casper the Ghost! I am sorry to hear you've been denied again. The links above have some info on the different surgery types. First one has OH member posts, the other is a WLS facitlity website. I feel the same way you do. I'm tired of being "full-figured or fat" and I want to have the best surgery to get the weight off. The type of surgery is definitely a personal one, so I can only tell you what I'd do, and why. So here it is, hope it helps! : It appears the complication rate is higher w/VGB and there is less weight loss. VGB is purely restrictive and RNY is restrictive and malabsorptive, but not as much as DS. I have chosen RNY over VGB because of these reasons. I was "on the fence" w/RNY and DS because each had attractive components. I am having the RNY because the Dr. I chose does not do DS, and I am completely happy with my final decision. My biggest thing was that I don't want open, and this doctor has never had to convert a Lap to Open, or lost a patient. I like those stats! Just remember.....your "weight loss sistas" are here for you! Funny...I just realized that's WLS as well! lol As for me, my surgeon's nurse told me to call her on Friday to check on my approval w/United Healthcare. Cross your fingers for me! Take care sweetie and I wish you the best! If you ever want to get together again, just let "the gang" know and I'm sure we'll all be there for you. If you'd prefer 1-1 meeting, email me and I'll even come up closer to your area. Love & Light to you, Michele

Nadine, I'm very sorry to hear of your denial, keep trying!! As far as the types of surgery goes, I'm a firm believer in deciding what is best for you, not letting the Doctor tell you. The Doctor doesn't have to live in your body. I chose the VGB surgery, because it has the lowest rate of complications and risks. The disadvantage to this surgery is that it also has the lowest success rate. 80% of people who get the VGB gain the weight back within 5 years. I'm two years out and have gained back 30 pounds but I'm fighting like crazy not to go back where I was. It important to remember that the surgery is a tool, not a cure. People who have had RNY and DS have also gained back their weight. The lap band might be better, but because it is still new, some insurance companies are not covering it yet. There are several companies that finance WLS, and if you go out to Mexico its much less expensive. Capitol one finance is one bank that does medical financing. If you can get it covered through your insurance, I'd recommend going with the RNY, but do plenty of research first. Good Luck, Tammy