Revision Revulsion?

Shay & JRolfson 

And to everyone *****sponded with your own stories, suggestions and ideas!  THANKS!!!

I am off to a support group this evening and then again on Saturday!  Soooo....will be ready to smile and repREzent!

the things I picked up from y'all that I'm going to try:

1.  be sensitive to the demographics (personality of the group)
2.  Be PROUD of my story and tell it (matter of factly and not preachy)
3.  Don't let other's reactions rain on my personal parade!!!! 

AND...when I get my Holidays behind me, I am going to consider pulling together a REVISION support group for AZ!!!  .....Wish all of you could join us!!!

Happy Wednesday all!  You guys rock!  .... Congrats to the recent approvals and Best wishes to those with surgery this week!  Keep us posted!

     
  

Who are you to talk?

Aren't you the one that suggested I am a bigot because I provide a way to research Mexican surgeons?  Most people don't know how to research a US surgeon let alone one outside the country.  Yet you inferred this is a bad thing and I am somehow a bigot for doing so.

YOU think about it.

MidwesternGirl: Aren't you the one that suggested I am a bigot because I ... Mexican.


                                                         

I have no clue what this is supposed to mean.  Perhaps if you write in a full sentence I will understand your question.

I am recently a lapband revised to RNY patient (Nov 5) and attended my first support group - when my story came out, I was looked at by the bandsters as "what??  You had two bands??? What happened? Why didn't it work for you??  I feel like they get a real dose of reality and then they when they realize that it could be them, they dont want to continue the conversation.  I say hey, it is what it is, and just appreciate the fact that you are never going to give up on a better life for yourself.   A few bansters loved telling me how they lost 80 lbs in a year and say it with such a tone of "you must have done something wrong". I ask if they puke and they are like 'oh yea, all the time", I am like whatever at that point.

Oh and I meant to also add that I have found that every group of bariatric patient has their own attitude.  When I first got banded, I was not even spoken to at my very first support group cause the RNY'ers looked at me and actually said "oh you didn't have REAL bariatric surgery".....so when I got my second band (with a new surgeon) I didn't even attempt to go to the support groups.  Now that I am revised to RNY, I get the impression that due to being a lightweight, my struggles, experiences are not as significant as those who have to loose much more than me.  Yes I had revision at 191 lbs (5 feet tall) and am down to 168....for a person of my height, my BMI is still 32.8.....And yes it was my third surgery......I am ok with that, so everyone else should be also.

So you weren't in the right club to start with huh?  LOL!  I understand.  I facilitate a group that is open to everyone and the lapbanders rarely return cuz they get sick of the Rny protein, vitamin and dumping jabber as well as the occassional lack of reception.  Issues are different but our attitude towards other options/syrgery types shouldn't be!  Holy Cow!  Overweight is overweight.....amazing that our own peers discriminate within our support circles.

That's just what I've felt!  ......  I don't go to any WLS function without my BEFORE picture anymore.  I feel like I need proof that I "once was"....... 

Congrats on your 3rd surgery!  I'd have a 3rd or even a 4th if it's what was needed to keep me healthy and loving life!  Hopefully we both got it right this time around and can get on with figuring simple things out like "how to introduce one's self at a support mtg!  LOL !"

...love your insight!

I refer to my BEFORES as "my credential". Yes, once you've held a small size for awhile, ppl find it hard to believe that you ever WERE morbid, never mind that you spent a life time not able to trim your own toenails!

Lightweights!

I had revision surgery at a 20.8 BMI.  I HAD to have the band removed, it just wasn't an option and I was not going to regain then have a revision.  Standard of Care in the US and MX is to do the revision in one procedure even at goal when possible to avoid double surgical risks, etc.

I was told by another banded person that I had no right to a revision surgery since I was at goal.  I should wait to regain then revise to a sleeve.

She made it sound like there are only so many WLSs around and I was using one someone bigger than me could use. ;o)  Considering I was self pay for both procedures I told her it wasn't any of her business.

People are weird about revisions.

I am going through the process of getting a revision; when I attend support group I leave out the revision I just say I am pre-op.  Pre & post ops view us with such dread.  They either assume we are the failure, they can fail, the surgery will fail them....whatever their thoughts I think revision is a lot of WL patients worst nightmare.  The reaction I get at times is not worth telling my entire story.  I too get a lot out of support groups therefore I will attend merely as a WLS person not a revision person.  I know it's there problem not ours but I like to keep life simple when I can :)