Advice please

Hi i am new to this site. I am a mom of 3 sons ages 11, 10 and 8. I am strongly considering weight loss surgery, but i am scared of the "surgery" part lol. I have heard of a lot of complications due to this surgery and i guess i am just terrified. My hubby says he will stand beside me in any of my decisions. I tried to talk to my Dr. about my concerns about my weight and she is the kind of dr. that doesnt believe in anything like surgery to fix weightloss, she told me that i need to watch the kinds of food i eat and exercise more. I eat very little, which is hard for anyone to believe, and i do go walking everyday. I do have a problem with my legs swelling which i have gotten 3 doctors opinions on it, and one put me on lasix, the other took me off of lasix, and the other just don't know. I feel it has a lot to do with my weight. I weighed 240 in november of last year and jumped up to 272 this month. I have been doing things the same except cutting calories, hardly eating as it is, exercising and still gaining weight. I am in serious need of help.... I had a meeting to go to at my son's school, went to put on some jeans (instead of my basic baggy shirt and jogging pants) and none would fit..... I got so mad at myself for letting myself get this big, then i just cried. My old doctors have tried several types of prescription weight loss meds and they work at first then after about a month go kapoot on me. ****Sorry this is soooo long, i talk when i get nervous**** So basically i am a 28 year old mom who is at her wits end with her weight. Any help or info will be appreciated. Tasha

Tasha, I know the frustration that you are feeling. And I battled with it for years....finally had surgery last week and I'm 48 years old. Most surgeons and insurance companies are going to require that you are on a 6 - 12 month doctor supervised weight loss program, before they will do the surgery. So, at this point, my suggestion to you is to talk to your doctor about it. Tell them that you want to come monthly to have the documentation, in case you still feel like you need surgery after the 6 months. You may even find success in the 6 months. I know you want to do something NOW!! But remember even after surgery, you are still on a "diet" and still have to exercise. The surgery is just a tool to keep you from eating too much or eating the wrong things. My prayers are with you, as you are going through this. Hugs, Dianne

Tasha my name is crystal I know how you feel I havent had surgery yet. I was first scheduled to have surgery feb 6, but in January I cancelled. I cancelled because there is so much neg about this surgery. My husband is very supportive but it is everyone else. So the weekend before my surgery date I was very upset that I had cancelled so that morning of my surgery I called my doctors office and told them that I was ready and regreted my earlier choice. Now I am scheduled for feb 20 for surgery and blood work on the valentines day. I went to a support group meeting Monday night and everyone is so great and understanding. This might be something you need also you can talk to the lord and have faith and everything will be ok. Just hang in there.

Crystal, Please feel free to email me about your upcoming surgery. I am just over 2 months out and I wanted to let you know that not everyone has tons of complications. My surgery went well with no complications to date. I have only thrown up and dumped once. It is a personal decision to go through with this surgery, but you have to have a positive outlook and be prepared. My granny lives in Hampton and when I saw you were from Yemassee I had to say hello. Carla

Hi Tasha! Believe me, I understand. I was completely against WLS until I started working at my current job and met the surgeons here. I'm a medical librarian and I did a LOT of research on the surgery, then went to one of the seminars and learned more. I decided to go for it, and took the plunge on December 15. At our last support group meeting, someone was talking about all the bad stuff you hear about the surgery, so the facilitator asked "Who here would have the surgery again?" Everyone raised their hands. I will be glad to give you all sorts of information; contact me at [email protected] and I can mail you information (we have a good consumer health collection here, and part of my job is finding information for folks in the community). I'm lucky that my doctors are supportive of the surgery; both were really enthusiastic when I contacted them. I'm sorry that your doctor isn't; I mean, PLEASE, no one would have surgery if losing weight was as easy as some doctors seem to think it is! Blessings to you! Lisa

WELL, I WROTE YOU ONCE & BUT THE POST HAS DISAPPEARED ... SO, HERE WE GO AGAIN ... FIRST OFF, WELCOME TO THE SC BOARD. GLAD THAT YOU HAVE JOINED US & WE HOPE YOU WILL BECOME A "REGULAR". I KEEP AN ONGOING WEIGHT LOSS LIST FOR EVERYONE HERE ON THE SC BOARD SO I ADDED YOU AS "CONSIDERING WLS". IS HEATH SPRINGS IN THE LOWCOUNTRY, MID OR UPSTATE? NOW MS TASHA ... RUN, DON'T WALK, TO ANY PHYSICIAN WHO WILL REFER YOU TO A WLSurgeon SO YOU CAN GET THE INFORMATION YOU NEED. IF YOUR DOCTOR WON'T REFER YOU, GO TO ANOTHER UNTIL YOU FIND ONE THAT WILL. I'D BE DOING BACK FLIPS IF I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE WLSurgery AT THE WONDERFULLY YOUNG AGE OF 28 SO I COULD LIVE YEARS & YEARS OF MY LIFE HEALTHIER, MORE ACTIVE, POSSIBLY LONGER ... &, AT A "NORMAL" WEIGHT. I HAD MINE LAST OCTOBER 28th AT THE AGE OF 52 (ALMOST 53) & IF MY SURGEON TOLD ME I HAD TO HAVE THIS SURGERY EVERY SINGLE YEAR FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, I WOULD HAVE IT YEAR AFTER YEAR. THAT IS HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE THIS SURGERY HAS ALREADY MADE IN MY HEALTH & LIFE IN JUST OVER 3 MONTHS. THE JOURNEY HAD BEEN A "LITTLE BUMPY" BUT WELL WORTH IT & MUCH, MUCH BETTER THAN LIVING LIKE I HAVE FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS! GO TO MY PROFILE & READ EVERYTHING. I DOCUMENTED MY JOURNEY IN GREAT DETAIL ... THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY ... OH YEAH, EVEN THE EMBARRASSING! MATTER OF FACT, I'LL BE UPDATING IT TONIGHT SO BY TOMORROW, I SHOULD HAVE IT COMPLETELY UP TO DATE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I'VE WRITTEN, OR ABOUT ANYTHING, JUST E-MAIL ME & I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM ... I'LL BE HONEST & WON'T SUGAR-COAT MY ANSWERS JUST TO "SELL" YOU ON GETTING WLSurgery. THIS MAY NOT BE THE ANSWER FOR YOUR OBESITY ISSUES, BUT MAKE THAT DECISION AFTER YOU'VE INVESTIGATED THE OPTION. FIND A SUPPORT GROUP & GO, GO, GO ... LISTEN TO OTHERS WHO HAVE HAD THE SURGERY ... ASK QUESTIONS, ASK QUESTIONS, ASK QUESTIONS!!!! FIND PEOPLE WHO WILL SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR DECISION NO MATTER WHAT YOU DECIDE ... &, STICK CLOSE TO THOSE KINDS OF PEOPLE. KEEP THAT WONDERFULLY SUPPORTIVE HUBBY NEXT TO YOUR SIDE FOR STRENGTH. ALL OF US NEED THAT; THIS IS A TOUGH DECISION & A HARD JOURNEY ... BUT, WELL WORTH IT! SOOOO, NONE OF US NEED NEGATIVE, CRITICAL PEOPLE IN OUR INNER CIRCLE OF FRIENDS & FAMILY. THAT WILL DRAIN YOU OF YOUR FOCUS, ENERGY & DETERMINATION ... JUST ASK MS CRYSTAL. DON'T EVER LET FEAR STOP YOU FROM DOING ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE, MS TASHA. FEAR IS JUST THE LACK OF SUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE A WISE, INFORMED DECISION. EDUCATE YOURSELF & THEN EDUCATE YOURSELF SOME MORE. EACH SURGEON WILL HAVE A PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN GET INFORMATION ON THE SURGERY, THE AFTER-SURGERY DIET/LIFESTYLE CHANGES, NUTRITION ... THEY HAVE SUPPORT GROUPS ... SOME HAVE COOKING CLASSES, BUT ALL HAVE INFORMATION FOR YOU TO CONSIDER. THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF FORUMS & INFORMATION SITES RIGHT HERE ON OBESITYHELP.COM ... YOUR DOCTOR IS DEAD WRONG. OBESE, MORBIDLY OBESE & SUPER OBESE PEOPLE CANNOT LOSE WEIGHT & KEEP IT OFF WITH SOME CHANGES IN THEIR DIET & MORE EXERCISE. IF WE COULD, WE'D HAVE DONE IT ALREADY DURING ANY ONE OF THE HUNDREDS OF ATTEMPTS WE'VE ALL MADE DURING OUR LIFETIMES. NO ONE GETS TO THE DOORSTEP OF WLSurgery WITHOUT YEARS OF ANGONIZING FAILURES WITH STRUGGLE AFTER STRUGGLE. IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO YOUR DOCTOR, YOU WILL HAVE TO BE STRONG ENOUGH & KNOWLEDGABLE ENOUGH TO EDUCATE HIM/HER. IF YOU'RE UNCOMFORTABLE OR NERVOUS, WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO TELL HIM/HER. OTHERWISE, FIND A DOCTOR WHO IS EDUCATED IN THE ISSUES OF THE OBESE, & THE PROS & CONS OF WLSurgery. I AM BLESSED BECAUSE MY PRIMARY PHYSICIAN HAS A FAMILY MEMBER WHO HAD WLSurgery SO DR CASTELLONE HAS MADE IT A POINT TO EDUCATE HIMSELF ON OBESITY & WLSurgery, MUCH TO MY BENEFIT. YES, THERE CAN BE COMPLICATIONS, BUT THE EXTREME COMPLICATIONS ARE BECOMING MORE RARE AS THEY PERFECT THIS PROCEDURE. BE SURE TO CHOSE A SURGEON WHO HAS PERFORMED A LOT OF THESE WLSurgeries. IF YOU CAN GO TO A MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OR A HOSPITAL WITH A BARIATRIC WING ... ALL THE BETTER. CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY & ASK THEM IF THEY COVER WLSurgery "IF IT IS MEDICALLY NECESSARY". IT'S ALWAYS MEDICALLY NECESSARY AT THE POINT OF OBESITY, BUT MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL SAY THEY DON'T COVER WLSurgery UNLESS YOU SPECIFY "IF MEDICALLY NECESSARY". THEN ASK THEM FOR A COPY OF THE CRITERIA FOR BEING APPROVED FOR WLSurgery. THAT WILL GIVE YOU ALL THEIR "DEMANDS" FOR APPROVAL. YOU'LL FIND OUT IF THEY REQUIRE A DOCTOR-SUPERVISED DIET (JUST A DELAYING TACTIC, BUT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO REQUIRE WHATEVER THEY WANT). SOME DO; SOME DON'T. IN GENERAL, IF YOU ARE 100 #s OVER YOUR IDEAL WEIGHT (80 #s OR MORE WITH MAJOR CO-MORBS = WEIGHT-RELATED MEDICAL PROBLEMS) ... HAVE A BMI OF 40 OR MORE (38 WITH MAJOR CO-MORBS) ... & HAVE AT LEAST 1 MAJOR CO-MORB (MOST OF US HAVE SEVERAL) ... THEN, YOU QUALIFY FOR THE APPROVAL PROCESS OF MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES. IF YOU NEED A LIST OF CO-MORBS, I HAVE A FAIRLY DETAILED ONE I CAN FORWARD TO YOU ... OR POST HERE ON THE BOARD. YOU'VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE, MS TASHA ... EVERYONE WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP YOU (OR, ANYONE) ALONG THIS JOURNEY! GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

Thank you all so much for the comfort and support. I was on prescription weight loss medicine off and on for over a year and it was all under the doctors care, so i hope that counts towards the time required for the surgery lol. My insurance company really sucks though, I have a hard time getting them to pay for my childrens doctor visits, so i know i'm going to have to fight over this lol. But after all that i have heard, i hear mostly positive about the surgery. And i am also thinking about the positive affects it could possibly have on me, with my health and the way i feel about myself. So thank you all and i am sure i will talk with you all soon! Tasha

YOU GO GIRL ... &, DON'T EVER LOOK BACK!!!!!!!!!! I'LL ANSWER YOUR E-MAIL TONIGHT, OK SWEETIE? GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK

Tasha, I am almost 2 years out from WLS and I have had so many unbelievable complications that it's not even funny. I had to have my gallbladder out, I've had two bouts with Pancreatitis which lead to 2 hospital stays, i've been anemic for quite a while and don't have any energy. It's worth it in the long run, I do feel much better not carring around all of that weight, but just be prepared, you could have complications!!!!!!!!!! I was in almost perfect health before WLS and now I find myself in the dr's offices constantly. Feel free to e mail me. I don't want to talk you out of this, but just please understand it's not ALWAYS smooth sailing. I was 23 when I had surgery and I'm now 25. I'm currently seeing a dr at MUSC trying to get answers for the recurring pancreatitis and looking at ANOTHER surgery due to complications. I wish you the best of luck in whatever decision you make. Courtney

WE'RE SO SORRY THAT YOU HAVE HAD SUCH A ROUGH TIME OF IT SINCE WLS. WE ARE HAPPY FOR YOU THAT YOU'VE LOST WEIGHT. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THE DOCS AT MUSC FIND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING YOUR PROBLEMS ... WE PRAY THEY DO SO VERY QUICKLY. WHAT KIND OF CORRECTIVE SURGERY ARE YOU LOOKING AT, MS COURTNEY? WILL YOU HAVE IT DONE AT MUSC? PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH WITH US HERE ON THE BOARD ... YOU'LL GET A LOT OF SUPPORT HERE ... MUCH EASIER TO GO THROUGH THINGS THAT WAY! THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OF US THAT HAVE HAD PROBLEMS AFTER WLS, BUT YOU HAVE CERTAINLY HAD MORE THAN YOUR SHARE. YOU ARE RIGHT ... THERE IS NO GUARANTEE TO A PROBLEM-FREE PROCEDURE OR JOURNEY, BUT SO FAR, EVEN WITH THE COMPLICATIONS I'VE HAD, I'D STILL HAVE IT DONE AGAIN IN A HEART BEAT. BUT, THE POINT IS THAT EACH PERSON HAS TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES IF THE RISKS ARE ACCEPTABLE ... ALL WE CAN DO IS INFORM (GOOD & BAD) & SUPPORT. I ADDED YOU TO OUR SC WEIGHT LOSS LIST ... HOW MUCH HAVE YOU LOST SO FAR? GOD BLESS DAWN & NICK