Newbie w/PCOS working toward VSG at Madigan

(Can this be cross-posted to the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome forum? If not I will do a second post over there. Thx!) Hello! I have been lurking for a bit but thought it was time to come out and play. I am a Navy wife, with Naval Hospital Bremerton as my MTF. I have been working my way toward getting a VSG done at Madigan by Dr. Sebesta. I originally thought about a Lap-Band but after meeting with Dr. Sebesta, and having him answer about a billion and one questions for me, I changed my mind to a VSG. I am currently stuck in Nutritionist/Caseworker limbo at NHB. I will have all my classes completed by the end of April. I started this journey at the end of January but due to a slight mix-up. I was not assigned a caseworker until the first of this month. I have a few questions that I hope some of y'all can help me with. Are the nut/caseworker at NHB looking for weight-loss on the "supervised" diet? I have PCOS and losing weight is darn near impossible for me. If it weren't, do you really think I would be here? :-) However, on the diet I have maintained my current weight....which is a really big deal for me. Is keeping my current weight steady going to be enough for them? Or do I have to lose weight? How have others dealt with this? I also read somewhere on here that Dr. Sebesta is transferring....:-O anyone heard that or have a timeframe? I will ask him myself next time I see him (He is taking my gallbladder out next month) but I am really stressed about that right now. I really, really trust him and I want him to do my surgery. Anyway....just wanted to say hello! Allie

Hi, Allie - Just wanted to welcome you to the Washington board.  There are several gals who post regularly that are Madigan people.  In fact, there have been several who have had surgery in the last 4-6 weeks.  I'm sure they'll be able to give you lots of info.  You should be able to cut and paste your post to the other forum, but I'm not sure.  It would be worth a try.  Anyway, welcome and I wish you all the best on this journey.  It can be frustrating at times jumping through all the hoops, but it will be worth it in the long run!!  This site is great for info, support and friendship!  Take care...

Welcome Allie, I too am at Brem. Naval Hospital, My case worker is Suan Yake, I will be having my surgery on the 11th with Dr. Rush at Madigan. Susan had me on a 40g fat diet then for 3 weeks I was on a 10g fat diet, now I 'm back to 30-40 g fat til my surgery. I did all my calsses through Brem. and I also go to the support group there on the 1st Tues of every month, in the same room as the classes and dieticians,  next to the pharmacy. I didn't know Madigan was doing VSG. thats is wonderful if thats what you and your surgeon decided on. good luck you are starting on a new life JOURNEY. keep as all posted as to how your doing. and ask away with questions, someone here will have an answer I',m sure.

Hi there! I just wanna say welcome...I don't have the energy right now to answer any questions, nor do I necessarily know the answers...but I love Dr. Sebesta...he was my surgeon...I didn't know he did the VSG.  

I'm having a lot of pain, and it's really drained me...so welcome...I hope to get to know you better in the near future!

~Annie

Annie, I was doing some research about pain post-op because you said you wre still in pain. Have you been to the  pain forum. I saw when I was reading several women talked about being in pain for approx 6 weeks, and then the pain finally started to go away. Some had really low pain tolerance...other's had minor complications .. like you... and many with numerous trips to the doctor. So keep your head up and hang in there. I am positive it will get better. Brandy 

Thank you all for the warm welcome. This was a huge step for me because in real life I am still somewhat in hiding. The only ones who know I working toward surgery are my DH and my sister. I don't really know if I will every shout it from a mountaintop, but right now I am just wanting those who need to know...to know. :-) Did many of you receive negative reactions from family and friends? Most of my DH's and my family are tiny people. The kind that eat whatever they want and lots of it.

 

My SIL had 6 kids in 8 years and still weighs in at less than 100lbs. My best friend just had her 3rd baby in 4 years and she is freaking out because she weighs in right now at 120 at 5' 7". My struggles to lose are something they really don't understand. "Well, if you are unhappy, just lose the weight" LOL

 

Now I am wondering if I misunderstood Dr. Sebesta. He used up a whole exam table's paper to patiently explain the 3 procedures he performed. It was Lap-Band, RNY and "the sleeve". He explained that the "Sleeve" used to be the first step in very high BMI WLS, to be followed by RNY, but that it has had great success as a stand alone WLS in lower BMI people too. He recommended the "Sleeve" for me but said that I needed to research all 3 and let him know which way I wanted to go. I had originally gone in wanting the Lap-Band because I thought that was my choice ~ Lap-Band or RNY ~ I had no idea about the "Sleeve". Next time I talk to him I will make sure I understood correctly VSG was what he was referring to by the "Sleeve". Thanks again for the welcome!

 

Allie

 

 

 

I hope you are feeling better Annie.