Questions & Concerns?

Today I went to see my surgeon to ask about revision surgery I have the lap band now I had the surgery in 2/2008, long story short my insurance will cover repeat bariatric if you failed to lose adequate weight within 2 years following the surgery with documenting notes from a physician and so on...well i have this information but i still have to do a 3 month supervised physician diet. My doctor stated i should gain 10 lbs so my BMI could be over 40 right now my BMI is 38, he also totally un-filled my band so I have NO restriction so i can gain the weight! I'm scared I probably wont get the surgery until Feb 2013 if approved, and I was wondering which surgery should I get? The surgeon suggested RNY, but I only want to get to 120 lbs which means i have about -70 lbs to lose. Should I really have a revision? I am only 4'11, are there any other people who went through maybe a similar situation? Now that I might get a chance to have a revision I'm second guessing it, I don't know I'm really confused.

 

Lap band highest weight 241, lowest weight 169, current weight 190.

In your situation, I'd look closely athe Sleeve. I don't think I'd want to live with an RNY for 70 pounds.

I know what you mean, I really don't want the RNY anyway

 I had RNY in 2005 and have iron deficient anemia...be very careful making the decision to do RNY.  I had to have an IV central port put in to get IV iron infusions.  My iron level dropped to "2"  My hemaglobin level was 2.5 (normal is 12) hematocrit was 14 (normal is 35 at least) red blood count was off.  I was very VERY tired, dizzy, depressed,  and had this thing about eating ice...I'm not talking about a little ice I'm talking about my husband thought the icemaker was broken!  They called it PICA and it is a symptom of anemia.  I was very short winded and had chest pains, I seriously thought I was having a heart attack!  Then to top it off I was gaining weight and had not changed my diet at all except for eating ice non stop!  I went to 2 drs complaining I wasn't feeling well.  They gave me ashthma inhalers, prednisone, ordered chest xrays, did ekg, told me I looked pale and should get some sun SERIOUSLY???   Finally when I thought I was indeed having a heart attack I just drove myself to ER and they did CBC (which should have been done by the first friggin doctor) The attending physician thought I was inpatient because he could not believe I was still walking around...I told him I drove to the ER!  They admitted me on the spot and gave me 4 units of blood.  I was referred to a GI dr. who did a scope, colonoscopyand did tests to check for blood loss internally and found nothing.  The GI doc referred me to an oncologist which scared the crap out of me because I was unaware that an oncologist is also a hematologist and thats why I was seeing him because I had a blood issue!  So for weeks while waiting to see this doctor I thought I was being referred because it might be cancer!  He diagnosed me with iron deficient anemia caused by my inability to absorb iron which was caused by the RNY!  So fast foward to today...I'm still fat and I'm sick and have to monitor this thing for the rest of my life.  In addition to that I now have arthritis and can't take anything oither than tylenol for pain because the NSAIDS cause ulcerations in my stomach and that can mean blood loss which in turn means loss of iron!    I'm not trying to tell you what to do I'm just sharing my story and hope if others have had the same or similar problems they take the time to share theirs with you too!  Good Luck to you and FYI I would love to weigh what you weigh....I weigh 204 which is better than I used to be @ 293 but not at all where I want to be!  I feel like people must think...she went through all of that crap and look she's still big...it's very depressing!

Lovdabluz, have you considered a revision?

Oh wow I'm sorry you went through all of that, but I'm glad you shared your story. I also have very low iron and I'm anemic and my blood counts are always off, but no doctor has every been unable to determine why my iron was so low and why i was anemic! This makes me wonder is it because of the wls I had it appears to have only came up after I had the surgery. I also eat ice all the time i eat crushed ice all the time like its so crazy to hear that, now I need to see if maybe my pcp can refer me to a specialist that you seen. Thanks again for sharing you story and I hope things get better for you I know what it feels like to go through the surgery but still be fat :-( 

 My ice eating and iron issues cleared up some when I got my band out- I take double iron each day and its still coming up I was told after is next op if it drops ill be getting infusions

Are you getting a revision surgery?

I had the lap band 2/2009.  I had mine removed 9/4/12.  I am fighting to get the sleeve.  Same problem here.  I had a 45 bmi when I started.  I made it to 32 bmi.  I can't have one if I go below 35 with high BP +  I was working hard to not have regain.  I was told I had to have a 6 month diet.  They need to get real, I was on a FOUR YEAR supervised diet WITH a lap band.