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First of all, you are looking into a good choice. I will try to answer your questions, The website to check out if you haven't done so is http://clos.net. There are loads of information, but you need to take the time to weed through it. I know Dr. Rutledge has been training doctors to do the MGB. The last time I checked the site, they were offering a free hotel stay if you had the surgery in Los Vegas. So, see what they are offering now. I don't know of anyone in LA at the moment.
Insurance, well, I don't think it is accepted yet. I know the MGB is alot more reasonable than others paying out of pocket. As for financing, that is something you would need to find out based on your budget. The total costs are on the website as well.
There are risks with any surgery. All the normal risk factors. You will hear alot of crazy stuff about the MGB but let me tell you, I have studied all the surgery types and they all have similar issues. Ulcers are a risk factor across the board. A Prev-Pack treatment is usually what is given. It is a combination of meds used if there is a possibility of an ulcer issue. Dr. Rutledge discusses all this as well on the website so you can read about that as well.
I am heading towards nine years postop and I would do this again in a heart beat. If you have more questions, let me know!
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
1. Does anyone know a surgeon in the Los Angeles area?
2. I have BCBS, has anyone been successful in having insurance pay for the surgery?
3. ....if not, what are your recommendations for surgery financing? I'm thinking my low interest rate credit card would probably be cheaper.
4. What if anything is the downside to this surgery? I heard there is a concern of bile back wash into the intestine and that causing ulcers. If that happens, what is the treatment?
Thanks so much.
There is a chance we may move back to SF. If so, I will get a group going. I won't know if we will for awhile. My husband is trying to get work and that was one place that had an opening. It would be cool to be back there again. Walk on the beach again, aaaaaaah! I will keep you posted.
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
I watched the show on Discovery Health, "Action Hero Makeover" (I think that was the title.) It was about Gil Gerard, aka Buck Rogers, who had a mini from Dr Rutledge in Las Vegas. The point that impressed me was that the mini reduced the "hunger hormone", Ghrelin. For years I have been saying that something in my head was making me eat--the compulsion was just too strong. I have tried almost every diet on the planet, and bounced every time to a higher weight. I have been in a 12 step program also. Nothing works for me. I have fibromyalgia which is unbelievably complicated by carrying around too much weight (BMI 40).
After reading several posts, I am finding out that the post-op diet seems very difficult. How would a bypass help me, other than losing weight, with those "run over little old ladies and their little dogs too" cravings? Or should I be researching hormonal therapies? I am terrified of having the surgery only to climb back up the scales.
Thanks!
It's almost like all those injury lawyers that adverise on TV. Why do they need to advertise? I don't knock the need to make yourself known, but yea you have to screen and research any life changing decision whether medical, legal, or financial even. You are right, you have to be careful.
Clueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
Our community is filled with people that have
thoughts and dreams about what they would like
to accomplish in their pre and post-op life. A
great approach to attain those accomplishments
is setting up goals (a to-do list)! ObesityHelp.com
has a
share publicly with your peers, and even
encourage your support group to use for group
goals.
To set goals is a powerful process. It becomes
even more powerful when you list them through
the Goal system and make them public for others
to see. The goal system is a quick way for you to
start and track a new goal of your own, get ideas
from your peers for additional goals, create a
connection within the community, as well as a
way for you to get and leave encouragement.
goal system that you can utilize individually,USEFUL FEATURES in the Goal system!
>
Popular", “Most Achieved," “Recent Goals," as
well as view “My Friends’ Goals"
You can review the goals listed under “Most>
goal" and “Members who've achieved this".
Under each goal there is also a comments
section, this is a GREAT way to cheer each
other on. (A great tool for support groups!)
You can view “Members working towards this>
and later change them to “Goals Achieved"!
You can list your “Goals Working Toward">
profile! This is a great way to share your goal
milestones and quickly get to the goals system. • • completed! • goal system! • Some of the common goals we often see in the community concern weight loss and weight maintenance, habit-related, life-style, emotional wellbeing, and career & educational goals. Here is a glimpse at some of the goals listed: + Maintain my weight loss and live a healthy life. + Wear a tank top in public. + Work with a trainer twice a week. + Cross my legs. + Buy clothes off the rack. + Get a surgery date. + Weigh under 200 pounds. + Look in the mirror and like what I see. + Become a nurse. + lose 100 pounds. + Weigh less than my husband. + Fit comfortably in any chair or seat. + Wear pants with a zipper rather than elastic waist. + Smile when I see a photo of myself. + Not be the largest person in the room. + Feel good and proud of myself. + Go back to school. + Be able to play and run with my kids. + Take my vitamins. + To sit in an airplane seat without having to use an extender. + Ride a rollercoaster.
We thought you might want to know that
currently….
You can set your Goals to show up on yourClueless about weight loss and weight loss surgery of any kind.
on 1/4/09 10:21 am, edited 8/9/09 10:53 pm - DFW area, TX
I know I am replying late in this post. I went to your profile to see you have decided on gastric bypass, based on your BMI of 72 chosing this vs band and due to insurance and your research overall! Know that all surgeries have risks and benefits. Making an informed and educted decision is recommended fr each of us individually.
We all have biases, we all have opinions and we are all right for ourselves; judging choices of others is not helpful. Sharing our experiences, strenght and hope can be helpful IMHO.
I am pro WLS, whatever that means to an individual. I am glad we have choices! I originally researched the lapband after that I decided for me I wanted lap Gastric Bypass. Happy with my choice 6 yrs out....I can say I now beleive that BPD/DS would be my choice based on what I now know but in 2002 I didnt have that choice with insurance or local surgeons.
You can spin statistics anyway you want...I can share reasons that the lap band seems great or why it seems a horrible choice...I can do the same for any surgery....GBP, Sleeve, DS, MGBP etc......
For instance one article stated Lapband and RNY at 5 yrs had both 50% excess wt loss, sure because that study did not include lapband failures, remembering that 30%
Longer one has a band higher complicaation rates go, so early on seem low vs bypass later on exceeds greatly!
BPD/DS I feel is the surgery of choice for super morbidly obese, it has record of greatest excess wt loss over time...I agree a person with BMI over 50 the stats I have seen show that it isnt enough to impacct comorbidities, 30-50% excess wt loss when one is 200# or more overwt is not worth risk, the Sleeve as step one and then BPD/DS as step 2 seems the way to go for many..Lap Bypass seems to not get Super Morbidly obese (BMI > 50) close to normal BMI either....
Sleeve and band may give same excess wt loss but sleeve changes internal hormonal mileu having greater impact it seems on metabolic issues like diabetes, appetite suppression. Bands are contraindicated with autoimmune disease like Lupus, Gastric sleeve is of choice fo those with Chrones disease over other malabsorbtive surgeries.....
I agree in some circles ANY bariatric surgery is 'controversial'. What I think others mean by MGB being more so is this: see article in Obesity Surgery Jouranal 2001
Obes Surg. 2001 Dec;11(6):773-7.
Mini-gastric bypass controversy.
Fisher BL, Buchwald H, Clark W, Champion JK, Fox SR, MacDonald KG, Mason EE, Terry BE, Schauer PR, Sugerman HJ.
(Email me I have it in PDF form)
http://www.gastricbypass.com/SurgicalOptionsForMorbidObesity .htm
Loop Gastric Bypass ("Mini Gastric Bypass")
This form of Gastric Bypass was developed years ago, and has generally been abandoned by nearly all bariatric surgeons as unsafe -- several years ago, a consensus of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery was that the procedure should never be performed.
Although easier to perform than the Roux en-Y, it creates a severe hazard in the event of any leakage after surgery. It seriously increases the risk of ulcer formation, and irritation of the stomach pouch by bile, as well as risking the potential of esophageal cancer. Many persons who underwent this procedure in the past have required major revisional operations to correct severe discomfort and life-threatening pathophysiologic effects. Most bariatric surgeons agree that this operation is obsolete, and should remain defunct.
This operation has been resurrected, in order to make the laparoscopic procedure easier to perform, by possibly less-skilled surgeons. As shown by the single surgeon performing the procedure, the gastric pouch is excessively large, which may lead to loss of weight control over time.
A fundamental principle of laparoscopic surgery is that the underlying operation should not be compromised or degraded, in order to accompli**** by using limited access techniques. The loop bypass does not meet this standard. There is no reliable long-term data to support use of this anatomic variation.
http://clos.net/lib/19-roux-en-y/mgb_vs_rny.htm
This is the differences (remember who is spinning here).
Insurance doesn't pay consider that and perhaps why...they will pay for bands, bypasses and DS or Sleeves more now..Do you have about $17K to spend?
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From 2001 in a local NC newspaper.
http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/news/032901_NW_stomachsurgeryupd ate.html
Durham Regional Bans Controversial Stomach Surgery By Jim Hill A stunning turn of events surrounding a Triangle doctor who performs a controversial stomach bypass surgery-- which helps severely obese people lose weight. Durham Regional Hospital-- where Dr. Robert Rutledge performs this operation-- decided to ban the procedure. For the past three years, people from all over the world have come to Durham Regional to have the stomach bypass. Wednesday was the last day the procedure was performed at the facility.
Dr. Robert Rutledge had performed 1300 mini-bypass surgeries on people wanting to lose weight before officials at Durham Regional suspended the procedure Thursday. Officials at Durham Regional told Eyewitness News the decision was based on information the hospital had been looking at-- and questions that had been raised by insurance companies.
This comes after Blue Cross, Blue Shield administrators announced they would no longer pay for Rutledge's procedure because of the long-term complications of the surgery of which some of their clients complained.
Now, some patients who had been scheduled to undergo the procedure at Durham Regional are left with questions. "They're holding our lives in their hands right now," said Debbie Beck of Elk City, Oklahoma. Beck was scheduled to have the surgery on April 18. "Some of us are to the point where we are really sick and we have got to have this surgery done to get healthier."
Patients who were scheduled to have this procedure done were notified by Durham Regional and told to contact Dr. Rutledge. Eyewitness News also tried to contact Dr. Rutledge and had not yet received a return call by our 11:00 p.m. broadcast time Thursday night.
Online producer: Shaun Chavis Benchi
Last Updated: Mar 30, 2001
This doctor now works independently out of Statesville NC and is expanding his business into other states. He does not accept insurance because the insurance companies will not pay for his procedure.
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Be educated be informed, remember all sites, articles and personal replies (mine included) come with disclaimer of some bias!
Jamie Ellis RN MS NPP
100cm proximal Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh Albany, NY
320(preop)/163(lowest)/185(current) 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery)
Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King www.albanyplasticsurgeons.com
http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/jamiecatlady5/
"Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"
