Feeling desperate....
Have any of you ever considered doing the surgery a 2nd time? I don't even know if there is a dr that will perform it. I had surgery in Nov 2002. I was 387 the day of surgery and got down to 245 by the time I got pregnant with my daughter in late 2004, she was born Aug 2005. I felt wonderful. My pregnancy went great, I only gained 13 lbs. I lost those 13 plus 7 more by my 6 week check up after her birth. I had a very serious bout of postpartum depression for about 4 months after her birth which caused a slight weight gain. In March of 2006, my husband became disabled due to congestive heart failure and I have been working 3 jobs since May of last year. My eating habits have gone to crap due to lack of money and eating whatever food had been donated to us (which is usually high-fat/calorie/carb canned and boxed food). I have had NO time for exercise due to working 60-70 hrs per week while trying to take care of my husband and kids. He has been denied social security benefits causing a great amount of stress and depression to set in. I am now back up to 301 lbs and feeling like a complete and utter failure. We've gotten word that he may be getting his social security disability in the next few months and I will be able to actually buy my own groceries again. But I feel so far off track that I'll never be able to fix what I have done. I have considered looking into getting the surgery performed a second time. ( I have insurance that covers WLS, but I don't know about for a 2nd time). Have any of you been able to have it done? Or gotten so far off track and had to re-establish your success? How did you do it? Desperately need your advice!
Wow, you've really been through a terrible ordeal. I agree with you and Tracy that it's a shame that healthy food is more expensive than junk. As far as a revision is concerned, first you would need to go to your surgeon and have him determine if there is a physical malfunction of your pouch. If not, most surgeons won't consider a revision (and most insurance companies won't pay for it). Having said that, I believe that (barring any mechanical malfunction of the pouch) if you go back to the rules of the pouch, your pouch should still work. It's the poor-quality food you're eating that's the problem. Go back to lean protein first, then veggies, fruit, whole grains. Hopefully you will also be able to exercise which will help tremendously. Be sure you are taking all the vitamins and minerals your body needs. I'm three and a half years out and I find that if I go back to following the plan my surgeon gave me, I can still get back in control and lose weight.
Stay here with us, we'll help you through the rough times!
Hugs,
Connie
So sorry for your troubles, Rose Marie. You've really been through the ringer. Don't beat yourself up about it - you're doing the best you can right now, so try to hang in there until better times come around again. I don't know about insurances covering revisions. Probably different insurances have different rules on this. You'd just have to check with them. I hope that you'll make an appointment with your original surgeon to have everything checked out, and to make sure that your original surgery is working properly. Perhaps your surgeon and/or nutritionist can help you work out some type of eating plan that will fit with what you have to work with now. You said you have been given donated food - have you been working with a local food bank for this? I know that, in our area at least, the food banks do offer many healthy choices (produce, fresh chicken, etc.) Perhaps there are some other resources that you might explore. I hope that your hubby's SS benefits will kick in real soon. It sounds like you really need a break. Do you have any family or friends who could help you out a little, maybe watching the kids for a bit? Or even a local church group that might help you out with the kids?
I wish you all the best and will pray for your situation to improve.
Take care,
Carlita
