anyone have community health network insurance?? Were you covered to get the vbg?

Hi Everyone,

  Just wanted to let you know that I've started a new blog on WLS. I'm an published writer, veteran bandster & blog fanatic. Figured it's about time to share my own WL experience & insights (with a comedic kick).

http://thebandit1.blogspot.com/

Cortney

P.S. If you have a twitter follow me @ Thebandit12 or your own blog messg me & I will add you to my blogroll
P.P.S Commentary & post suggestions are always welcomed

Hello there everyone from a fellow guinea pig. I had VBG surgery back in 1988. After reading all your posts, I truly feel that I have been extremely blessed with my surgery.

Having said that, I have thrown up for years, if I ate too much, I'd go throw up and go back and eat some more. As gross as that may sound to people, it kept most of the weight off for 20 years. That was a couple of years ago. I could not even keep water down and thought food was stuck, so I went to my gastroenterologist who did an endoscopy on me, then found that the band area was swollen nearly shut so he did a balloon dilatation and said I'd be "fine".

Well, I was so "fine" that I could suddenly eat amounts of food without throwing up that I had not been able to do in 20 years. Within 2 months I had gained 50 lbs., then with the next few months, I gained back EVERY SINGLE POUND to the very pound that I weight on my surgery day. Amazing.

I've had to have some work on my teeth, but thank the Lord I have not lost them and my hair is very thick. Not saying this to brag, just to show that there apparently were some decent doctors back in the day and I am blessed to have gotten one. Now, he did not have any great bedside manner, and back then they never told you stuff like you should not drink while you eat, etc. They never suggested any protein supplements or vitamins, etc. No real psych eval, just a few questions that any moron could have answered correctly.

Anyway, now 22 years later from my surgery and I am miserable. I never got all the way skinny, but I was able to keep 80-100 pounds off successfully for 20 years until the doctor broke my band or whatever it is he did that caused me to be able to eat like a "normal" fat person.

Trust me, I'd rather be throwing up again rather than carry this weight around with me. I'm miserable, it's a lot harder carrying this weight around at 53 years old than it was when I was 31!

My back now hurts from doing dishes for goodness sakes. Now both knees are starting to hurt where before it was just one once in awhile.

In the past two years I've been on several diets, but can no longer lose weight like I used to. It took me about 10 months to lose 34 pounds and that was with a LOT of walking and journaling every thing I ate. I've now gained about 15 of it back already. I'm tired ALL the time since this weight gain.

SO, I've been hanging out a LOT of the RNY forum and have gone to a weight loss seminar in Pensacola, FL. Monday they will call me to set up my first appointment with the doctor. Am I scared to death? Oh yes, I go back and forth from being all gung ho to wondering what am I doing. I know how miserable I am right now and there are SO many people who said that they are thrilled to have gotten their RNY.

So, to answer your question, findingtess, YES, the VBG surgery CAN be revised. I am sure there could be SOME cases that may not be able to be revised but I don't know, but I suggest you find a surgeon that is experienced with VBG to other weight loss surgery revisions asap. Ask how many of these surgeries he's done, how many revisions from VBG, etc. Don't go to any general surgeon, you need to find one that is a specialist and has done many REVISIONS. We can't have just any Bozo messing with our already damaged insides.

God bless all of you, you know they say misery loves company. Except for being on here, I've NEVER run into anyone who had the VBG in real life. Nice to know I'm not alone.

Wynter

Congrats and good luck to you on your upcoming revision. I recently had a revision of my 97'VBG to a VSG on 12/9/10 and am loving it so far.  Thought about the DS..but decided on the sleeve with the option of doing the switch later if needed. I feel your pain, I gained back all 90lbs of my weight loss and some before my revision. Just wanted to wish you luck and add you as a friend so we can track each others progress :-)

I hope that I did misunderstand and tracylopez did have a revision from a VBG to something else. That is not what I thought it said but would be very happy if I am wrong.

I did not have as much success as you did with your surgery. I can tell you that I have experienced many issues with food getting stuck and I can assure you that I haven't overeaten to get it that way. I have had so many times that things have gotten stuck there are too many to think about. I have gone to bed thinking that I had gotten whatever it was unstuck only to wake up from my slumber choking. It has caused issues with my lungs due to aspirating into them. My avoidance of certain foods has contributed to deficiencies in many vitamins. I would expect a certain amount of that with any weight loss surgery.

I can only speak for my experiences and if I misunderstood and describe something tracylopez was getting changed I apologize.  In any fashion I wish tracy success with whatever surgery she has done.

Good luck with your revision and I hope that whatever type you decide to have works better for you in the long run.