I NEED YOU ALL HELP! MY SISTER IS OVER 600 POUNDS!!!

Hi all -

It's been a while since I have been on this site and I'm going to try to be brief...  I had the surgery back in 2004 and have been pretty successful, but I am not writing about me today.

My sister is homebound and has reached about 600 pounds!  Years ago she was considering getting the surgery but was unable to get her medical clearances through a couple of doctors because they didn't think that she could withstand the surgery.  Well now over the years her condition has gotten very worse.  She is now homebound and pretty much bedridden.  Can you all give me any options as you all have been going on your quest with regards to any facilities or any place that I could try to get her admitted?  I am prepared to look into any and all suggestions!!!  I appreciate your help!

Have you contacted Dr. Celio Burrowes?  He was my surgeon and has successfully operated on larger patients.  Of course, all precautions must be taken as far as clearances go, but it is definitely worth a try.

Thank you for the suggestion!  But when she met with doctors years ago she met with Dr. Titus Duncan, Dr. Celio Burrowes, Dr. Sidney Appel, and others.  Those are the ones that I can remember...  I think since they didn't clear her back then for surgery surely they won't clear her now since she has probably gained about 150 pounds since she last saw them.  :(

Scrambling trying to figure this out...thanks for the reply tho.

How is your surgery results after all these years?

Try the Rennaissance?? Hospital in TX, they were featured on TLC b/c they specilize in Surgery of people reg surgeons won't touch, TLC show was Half Ton Dad. Good Luck!!

Did you try Dr. Dennis Smith.  He seems to be the top of his field.  I know that they may not be able to do lap but open surgery.  Also, I don't know if money is an option but did you try those wonderful docs in Mexico.  I pray for you and your sister.  She needs your help now.  I would call every doctor in the Atlanta area.  I used Dr. Paul Macik.  I was just sleeved 3 days ago.  If all else fails write to Richard Simmons.  I'm not kidding.  I know he spends a lot of time helping people like your sister.  I bet you would get an answer from him.

Good Luck                 Linda

My heart goes out to you and your sister.  I had lap DS with Dr. Dennis Smith six weeks ago.  Because of the hospital's equipment 420 is the highest weight acceptable.  During the many years of researching wls, I went to Emory and they have a program for those who are above the surgery weight limit.  It is a wholistic program....emotional, exercise, diet.  At that time they used Optifast to help people get prepared for surgery.  I did Optifast through a doctor (but not the Emory program) and lost 80 lbs.  Naturally I put it back on, but if done in conjunction with preparation for surgery, she could go straight from weight loss to surgery.  Good luck!

This may sound mean... but,,,, Who prepares meals and shops for your sister? if she is 600 lbs, I am guessing she is not doing this for herself.

I am always curious when I see documentaries about super obese people who are bedridden how they get access to 2 big macs or a pound of bacon.  As much as it may hurt to see your sister sad, angry, etc, her caretaker is only hurting her by feeding her the fattening food. They are really killing her bite by bite!!!  The same way I'm doing to myself (which is why I know I must have this surgery).

One thing you can do to help her is to gradually try to decrease her food intake. This will help her get her pre-surgery weight down.

As far as surgeons, Dr. Titus Duncan mentioned he had operated on a 500 lb man laproscopic rny at his seminar last month.

Any surgeon is going to want her to lose before the surgery.

Does she have Medicaid? She will need to see which surgeon her insurance will cover.

Well it's a lot more to her situation that what I put into the initial post but in the past my sister use to eat food from a company called Seattle Sutton Healthy Eating: www.sshe.com  and she probably maintained her weight at that point.  Although, eventually she was no longer able to afford the food and had to come off of the plan.  Then it seemed like her weight moreso spiraled out of control.  Without no set diet meal plan she was able to order what ever she wanted fast food or get people to buy things for her.  Her personality is something (she's very sweet)...but she knows how to get people to do things for her.  For example, she may tell someone let's have this good food today from a restaurant and she'll tell them it's her treat.  Anything, to get what she wants and the person may not know they are being manipulated. 

Even now she does have a caregiver trying to help her with her foods but with no money in a struggling economy she is still not eating as often as she need to get her metabolism to function regularly.  Sometimes one meal a day or two a day.  She's also on a lot of medication now and it seems to be making her sleep alot.  So it's really a lot more to her situation...i'm just trying to see how I can keep it from getting worse!

That's so sad Ebony.

If her friends really cared about her they wouldn't buy the "bad" food, no matter what.

I have even seen on the documentaries where people are so addicted, they order fast food delivery while they're in the weight loss hospital.

Food addictifon is as bad as drug addiction.

What insurance does your sister have?  Does she even want the surgery, or are you still trying to convince her?

If she is not in the right place mentally, would she get pstch approval? Would she self sabotage and try to cheat the surgery and stretch her pouch back out?

This is a confusing situation. I don't envy your position.