I think I'm in the right place now over 50 I'm 58

Thanks Terri, I'm glad I'm here. Your all so very nice.
:0) Gail

Gail, I don't mind you asking me anything. I love to chat so you better watch out. But you are new here so when you get to know me you will probably be going "Does this woman ever shut her mouth?" Well, the answer is usually no.

I had originally wanted the band. That is what I went to Dr. Stanish for. He checked me over and then he told me that he thought the rny would be best for me. I was on an insulin pump taking u500 insulin. That is 5 times stronger than the u100. I was taking so much of that it wasn't even funny. I was also taking oral meds for the diabetes too. Before I got the pump I was taking 5 insulin shots a day and my sugars were still high. The wls doctor told me that if I had the band it would take about 2 years to get off insulin and if I had the rny I would be off it in about 9 months. Well, I stopped the oral meds a month before surgery and the insulin pump was taken off me 1 week before surgery and I have had nothing since. My diabetes is totally diet and excersize regulated. I still consider myself a diabetic since I guess if I failed to do what I am doing the diabetes will return. I guess it is kind of like being a little pregnant. Either you are or you are not.

I have cardiomyopathy and CHF. My cardiologist told me that it wouldn't help the damage that has already been done but that if I had the wls it would help my heart to work better because the heart isn't going to have to work as hard. He has proven himself to be correct there. The test the heart problem, and they go by what is called an ejection fraction number. No one has a 100% but normal is around 70-80%. For someone with cardiomyopathy normal is at 50-55%. My number is now 54%. I can't ask for much more than that.

I have a very bad back. I have degenerative disc disease, athritis, sciatica, problems with my sacroilyac (I always thought that was something someone made up), and spurs on my spine along with 2 herniated discs. I have been told that if I fall I could break my back. I wish that I could say that the surgery has helped that. I guess in a way it has. Since before I had to use a cart at the stores. Now I can walk but the sciatica is so bad that the side of my leg goes numb and has a lot of burning pain in it. I can at least walk and that is something that I couldn't do much of before.

I have to say that I had so many co-morbidities and the rny has helped them so much. I no longer use the c-pap machine for the apnea. I could go on and on.

The decision on what kind of surgery you have is a personal one and one that you must shearch you heart about. That is something only you can decide. I know that if I had the lap band I would still probably be stuggleing but that is me. Your situation may be different. Please just ask questions and know that there is no stupid one. We have a lot of knowledgeable people and they can answer just about anything. These people has helped me so many times and I highly reccomend just listening and questioning.

The best of luck to you and know that you are in my prayers for this decision. It is not always easy to make the choice on what kind to have but know that when you do your life is going to be so much richer and different. Just so many wonderful things happen to you when you start your new and exciting life.

Thanks Brenda,
You can talk all you want, I need the advice and you are very nice. I have a few problems like High Blood Pressure, High Colhestrol, knees are hurting with Arthritis, back problems. I just would like to get rid of these things and certainly don't want anything new creeping up on me. So I will educate myself as much as I can and the right decision will come.
Gail;o)

Hi Gail,
I'm Sheri and I'm fairly new myself, only a couple of weeks, but boy have I learned a lot from this caring bunch.
I decided on RNY (having it Nov 5) because of an addition to pop and because I also didn't want to go for fills.  My doctor was between RNY and DS and I thought that with DS I might go back to the old ways without 'dumping' that is being physically sick if I ate sweets or fried foods.
That was my reasoning for ME but everyone is different.
I also have diabetes and HBP and bad knees and fibromyalgia and hip and back problems  and asthma which will be helped with weight loss.
I have a 9 month old granddaughter that I hope to be able to run after and play with without getting out of breath so easily.
So whatever you decide make sure you do your homework on it and good luck in making your choice.
Sheri

Hi Sheri,
Thanks for the reply, how long did you have to wait once you decided on RNY? They say with Lapband its about 6 months before I can have the surgery. It gets real confusing, I like the idea of not being able to cheat like on RNY but I am also afraid of the surgery. Some people are telling me that you still get hungry on Lapband so confusion is setting in LOL. I hope to keep learning and my mind will be made up. Thanks for sharing and good luck Nov 5.
Gail :o)

I applied to my insurance in mid July, got a consult date for
Sept 5 and then about a week ago got my Surgery date for Nov. 5 , so a total of less than 4 months, but it has seems like YEARS.  I am a tad impatient as you can probably guess.  Still reading all I can on the boards and processing what information I get.  But am still very happy with my decision.  As for the surgery they are doing it laprascopic (spelling?) so won't have too many marks - not that I really care but they say I will heal faster.
Sheri
44 days to rebirth

Hi Gail, my name is Jan and i had the RNY because i am a person that loves sweets and food in general or i was.I knew that the lap band wasnt for me because you have to have some self control about what you put into your mouth, and with the Rny you learn that if you eat this or that you will get sick....with the lap band you can eat anything just the amounts are smaller than before. so that includs things that arent good for you too..i mean if you want to you can have a cho milk shake if you try that with RNY you are going to get sick. and dump...so you learn real quick. the other reason i didnt want the lap band was because i didnt want something in side me that wasnt suppose to be there and the expense and trouble of having fills done. i dont know about up there but here all the doctors charge 100.00 for every fill you get even the first one. and insurance wont pay for it or at least all the girls i know down here say it doesnt. i dont know any of this first hand really just giving you the input that i get from the support meetings i lead.
My doctor told me too that at my age i will lose slower anyway and that i needed the rny to get me going in the right direction quicker. and you will have saggy skin even if you have the lapband. both of them will be less if you exercise hard daily about 2 hours a day....
the recovery time from both surgeries is about the same. so that isnt anything to worry about ...
hope some of this helped ....

Thanks Jan,
It certainly did help, having the information I need will certainly help in my decision.
Gail :o)

hi gail ! welcome a-board

i wish that i had known about obesity help earlier on tho i did find it before my durgery-i didn't find this wonderful board til after tho i don't think! i've been hanging here for 4 years now!

darlene is right- you will have extra skin no matter- and you have the opportunity to tighten up whatever you can thru exercise no matter what you do--it all depends on your body! i had less than 100 # to lose and i have lost more slowly- well- i actually regained some but haven't given up-long story some other time, ok? anyhow i think that since i had less to lose and lost slower i didn't get quite as saggy--tho i have the batwings and the turkey neck!

anyhow; i chose RNY because i needed something to keep me from all of the sweets and carbs and fats..i needed the "dump" factor! and it works!i actually ate something the other nite that caused me amild dump 4 years out...i also did NOT want a foreign object in my bod and didn't want to have to fool with fills..to each their own!

ask questions..know that going to any mtg about a particular surgery they may try to convince you that theirs is "the bes"t! you will figure it out for yourself when you explore different options!

stay involved with the boards and you will be fine!and nervous scared and excited all rolled into one is normal!!!!

Thanks Margo for your input, I guess the right decision will come eventually. I will keep ya posted. :)Gail