Okay, Wow, Didn't Expect to be Taken in Circles??????? *LONG*

Thank you so much! It is definitely all coming together now. And you're so right. Lost and confused is not a great time to do anything besides educate yourself. Also, talking it out helps to. Like I said before my mom is a nurse and she has been for over 25 years. So she knows about surgeons like the back of her hand and her and I sat down and had a nice long talk and I feel better now.

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me calm down and "get my ducks in a row"  I really do appreciate it.

Quote:
"Dr. H responds best to people who have already educated themselves about their surgical options. He's not a hand-holdy kinda guy (I secretly think he is under the surface but hates anyone to know it LOL). Get your ducks in a row, then go see him again. Anything I can do to help, let me know. Don't forget to breathe!!"

Yes under the surface, he does care about his patients.  Once, I was having a really crappy day (OK It was actually a very sh*tty day!) and Dr. Houston gave me some kind words.  Then before I left, I asked if I could get a hug.  And, he obliged. 

HAH! I knew it, he's a total squidgebomb. heehee!

I agree with the others here. Dr. Houston is a talented surgeon and knows what he's talking about. His consultations are to give you the pros and cons of each surgery, so that YOU can decide the best option to choose. He is a surgeon, not an insurance specialist, so you shouldn't go into it expecting him to tell you what surgery to have, or to tell you that he thinks you will (or wont) get approved. That is not up to him.

The bottom line is that choosing a surgeon is a highly personal decision. If Dr. Houston talks too much for your liking, tells it like it is when it comes to the risks associated with various surgeries, doesn't make life changing decisions for you and refuses to give you false hopes that they will automatically be approved for a procedure - you will want to find someone that is a better fit for you.

However, to be perfectly honest, I don't think you will find a reputable surgeon that will sugarcoat or rush you into doing any of these procedures.

I, like many others, have had tremendous success thanks to Dr. Houston. I hope you all goes well for you whichever direction life takes you.

Thanks so much.
 
You see, I wrote the thread that same night, which wasn't a good idea because I was just SO emotional, but I wanted to do it while things were fresh on my mind. After calming down a bit and really putting some thought into it and talking to my mom, she helped me see what I couldn't. For example, maybe he didn't seem enthused for the sleeve because of the lady he was having difficulty with and he didn't want to put me through that at 19 years old. But the fact of the matter is, that a leak can happen with ANY of these surgeries. And I may be 19, but I am certainly old enough, and mature enough to handle that fact.

But again, I realize all of that now. It's just that when things didn't go how I expected them to based on things I've read, my whole world kind of "came crashing down". I know that seems very over dramatic to say but I left that consultation feeling helpless, lost, and so unbelievably confused. Once I calmed down, I was able to see things how they actually were. Which is turning out to be not so bad. 

I can see where Dr. Houston is coming from, and maybe why he did or didn't do or say things.  I'm confident that he's the best surgeon for me in the Nashville area and Centennial's got a GREAT aftercare program that I would hate to lose if I went to any other hospital.

Thank you for your help!

Quote:?
"He didn't really have an opinion on which surgery I?should have. One minute he was pushing the Lap-Band for my age, the next he was pushing the RNY?or DS?because of my BMI?but then he went back to the Lap-Band because of my age. "

I think he did have an opinion.? In a nutshell, this was his opinion.
Your age:? Causes him to lean towards lapband
Your high bmi:? Causes him to lean towards RNY or DS

So there are several factors that play into the decision: age, bmi. It depends on which one you want to take the most into consideration. Do you want to lose the weight FAST and get the high bmi down? Then RNY or DS is your decision. If, since you are only 19, you want to go the safer and less permanent route since lapband can be removed, then that would be a decision.

So, now its up to you to weigh the pro's and con's of each procedure, and decide which of the advantages AND disadvantages that you are willing to live with the rest of your life.?

He did, but he didn't. It wasn't a clear opinion. That's how I've been feeling for the past 10 months, so I felt like the consult got us no where. But what it made me realize is that I have to make the decision on my own. I didn't expect him to make the decision for me, but I expected some clarity. I went in there having my heart set, and he just needed to confirm that. But he didn't, so it threw me for a whirlwind. Once I calmed down and was really able to take a step back and look at EVERYTHING, I was able to make some sound decisions. My train is moving, it's just extremely slow, right now.

Thanks again!

You might want to go to some support groups and talk to people in person who have had each type of surgery.  This might help you in your choice.   I know there is a lapband group at CMC and we have a DS/VSG group in Hermitage and most regular support groups are packed with RNY so get out and talk to people ask about what they like what they do not like - if they could do it again would they do the same surgery or a different one.  

Based on your level of confusion, my advice would be to do some more research on your own before you make a decision. Talk to several people who have had each type of surgery and get a real and accurate idea of what you will be getting yourself into.

I know nothing about Dr. Houston so cant offer any comment but I think it is very important that whatever surgeon you choose, you should feel comfortable and safe with him/her. There is nothing wrong with meeting with different surgeons until you find one you are comfortable with. Your life will be in his/her hands after all so your feeling are important. If possible talk with current patients of whatever surgeon you meet with and see how they feel about him and how they are doing now.

There is no reason to hurry such a life-altering decision.

I wish you the best during the process.
Karen