Linda K.

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

Well,I had to go back in the hospital last week.  I went in on February 6th due to severe pain.  Found out I have some fatty tissue under my old stomach that is causing pain and fluid under my incision.  Luckily,nothing dangerous but I had problems controlling pain so I was kept until Feb 12th to find a medication that would work for me.  I still have a feeding tube and a drainage tube because I have a leak that is almost healed but there is still a small wisp left.  Hopefully this will be over soon.  I want to go back to work and start living a more normal life.  

I finally had surgery on Jan 14th.  went to the hospital January 9 because of severe pain.  My insurance had denied my revision twice due to the fact that I didn't have 3 years of physician weight loss.  Due to my pain and the fact that I had a hole in my stomach, too tight of a band from my old vbg surgery and a staple line disruption.  After 4 days in the hospital not being able to eat or drink due to my stomach problems, the insurance finally okd the revision.  I am home but still having to use the feeding tube because I have a leak that still hasn't healed.  I go back this monday for a other upper GI to see if the leak has healed.  If not, I go back in and have a stent put in..  Other than these setbacks, I am happy.  I no longer feel like vomiting and no more horrible pain.  I will take it day by day.

Hello all,

I have now finished my 6 months of doctor assisted weight loss visits.  I have done my psych. eval and nutritional evaluation.  I have gathered my 5 years of weight history, past surgery history and everything else needed to go ahead with the surgery.  Now it's up to my insurance.   We will see what they say.  I have been told that it may take anywhere from 2-6 weeks to get a decision.  I hate waiting, but I figured I have waited so many months already so I will bide my time, continue learning to eat to live , not live to eat.  I am so excited but need to pray that the insurance will cover the DS. 

Hi y'all,

Well, here I am 5 months into my 6 month waiting period.  It's been exciting and irritating all at once.  I have been learning about how my new eating habits need to happen.  I also realize that I can't start when the surgery happens.  I need to start now!!!!  Learning about new protein sources, working with a support group, realizing that I am an emotional eater as well as lazy-yes lazy!!!!!  I know, I know-I have heard it before that my weight is not my fault- that it is the fault of my parents (who were obese)-that it is genes.  That is true!  But you know what?  Genes are only a part of my weight problems.  I eat when I am in front of the tv.  I eat when I am bored.  I eat when I am happy.  I eat when I am sad.  I keep saying to myself  " I will not eat chips today"  and then-I give in.  I now have to work on my mind as well as my body.    I must learn to love myself and keep working on who I am.  I love and hate me all at the same time. 

Well, that's that.  Now-let me update.  I have had my psych. evaluation, my nutritional evaluation, 5 of my 6 physician assisted weight loss appointments.   In September is my last visit before they send in the information to my insurance.  I also have been trying to determine-when do I have the surgery.  Do I have it in October?  Maybe not as I have a nephew getting married and a great friend turning 80.  I can't miss those parties.  Do I wait until early November?  Do I wait till Thanksgiving week so I get 2 days holiday off?  So much to think about.  So much to get excited about.  I am not going to spoil the fun.  The anticipation of this tool starting to work for and with me is wonderful to me.   

What is the one thing I am looking forward to?  (you may think this is crazy)  I am looking forward to the hospital stay.  Sound's weird doesn't it?  But if you lived with 1 husband, 1 cat and 1 crazy dog (and crazy dog and cat always jump on my side of bed every night and takes up all kinds of room) you would want a bed all to yourself also :-)

I guess that's it for tonight.  I hope to keep up with my blog.

Good night all!!

Met the surgeon last week.  I had my surgical consult on April 9th.  My new surgeon will be Dr. Antoine.  In discussing the options, I have made the final decision that I will undergo the DS surgery.  What made the decision is that no matter which revision I chose, it will still have to be an open surgery due to previous surgeries.  He also discovered a big hernia on the lower right part of my abdomen.   It will be 6 months before I qualify for surgery as I have to finish my 6 months of physician assisted diet, my psychological and nutritional evaluations and a bunch of tests.  So much to do that I am sure that the months will fly by.  Plus, I am learning so much.  I was just officially found to be diabetic.  I am learning so much more about carbs and how my eating habits help or hurt me.  Right now I am feeling a bit overwhelmed but no gain without some pain ,ehh?   

1 more thing- I finally came to my senses(I hope)  In the last years, I refused to look at the scale when I was weighed at the doctor's.  I forced myself to look and to my dismay, I weigh 323 pounds    How could I have done this to myself?  I kept telling myself that I could tell if I gained weight by the way my clothes fit.  Never mind that I would buy clothes bigger  and  bigger and taking the tags out of them.  The surgeons office weighed me and measured my height ( I thought I was 5 ft 7 and I have shrunk to 5 ft 5) and I found out that I have a 56 BMI instead of the 51 that I thought I had.  I am upset at myself and realized that the surgery (my old VBG) didn't have the mal-absorbive feature which I really need.  I am realizing my genetics and slow metabolism  works so badly against me.  No wonder diets don't work for me.  Even the VBG didn't work for me.  I also know that I need to stay on top of this weight loss from day 1 and rely on anything but myself to make this revision work.  I really love the fact that I have a support group and pre and post support which I didn't have 10 years ago.  I give God thanks that I have another chance for change.  I will work hard on my eating changes and continue to do the best I can to maintain my weight for 6 months.  My doctor said I only had to lose 2 pounds which is nice.  Well, the journey has (re) begun

Well, I heard from the insurance.  I have to undergo 6 months of Doctor assisted weight loss and meet with a nutritionist.  I have already met with the nutritionist.  I have a great doctor.  He is sympathetic to this surgery and has seen it work well.  He kidded with me.  When he met with me he said, "Well, here we are-hoping you will lose weight BEFORE the surgery-amazing how the insurance requires you to lose weight before the surgery to help you lose weight "  :-)   He said this with humor.  I also found out that I am officially "diabetic".  I had some blood tests done and found out that although my cholesteral is great, my blood sugars are high.  I have been "pre-diabetic for over a year and tried to control them but my body and genetics (Mom and Dad were both diabetic ).  Still on medication but now it is a co-morbility that will help my surgical cause with the insurance.   The nutritionist I met with was great.  She answered a ton of questions about diabetes, how my medication helps control it.  We talked about sugars and what are good sugars and what aren't.  My husband and I have turned to a vegetable diet and found we are feeling better.  My dietician also gave me a lesson on carbs and a plan to help me follow a good low carb diet.    So next?  I have my first surgical consult  with Dr. Anthoune on April 9th.  I am hoping to speak with me about a revision from VBG to DS switch or RNY.  Who knows what will happen but I will pray about it and we will see if shall be the best for me. 

I went to a workshop on Bariatric surgery at the Methodist Bariatric Center in Omaha.  How I wish I would have had an opportunity like that when I had my my first surgery.  I would have NEVER chosen the VBG.  I found out the statistics for the VBG verses other surgeries and I was astonished how bad the percentage of weight lost was.   Going in, I really was hoping for the DS Switch but after the talk and looking at the statistics, I am now leaning toward a revision to the RNY.  I am still looking at the Switch but it is usually done at this hospital as an open surgery  instead of laparoscopic.  I found out that revisions sometimes don't work out as well, but I am ready for the extra help that this surgery can bring.  I love myself and have found great peace in the last couple of years.  I have tried to lose weight on my own, but my body thinks I am starving and refuses to let go of anything.  I love to do zumba and walk my dog, but it doesn't seem to help.  Over the last few years, my body has decided it wants to give out.  I used to love walking long walks but those are becoming harder and harder as my knees have developed arthritis.   I deal with high blood pressure and have pre-diabetes.  My cholesteral is horrible and I hurt almost everyday.  I am only 48 and should not be dealing with things that people 20 years older than me start dealing with. 

I have come to the realization that I eat due to boredom and to keep down anxiety.  I am working with my doctor to take care of that with medication.  I also love other things like blogging, reading and playing with Tippy my baby dog.  (actually he's 7 but acts like a puppy).  

Now the waiting.  My insurance has to be notified at least 6 months before the surgery.  I believe they do that to weed out clients who really want the surgery but will drop out due to the wait or will opt for other weight loss procedures that don't cost as much. 

Right now I am waiting for the surgery center to get back further info from my insurance.  Then I can make my first consultation appointment.   Here's to waiting, praying and making sure this is the right thing to do. 

One other thing-If you are interested in Bariatric Surgery, I would highly advise going to a workshop.  I have found out that most of the places in this area that do this surgery do have bariatric surgery workshops where you can learn about the different types of surgeries.

Here I go again.  I had a VBG surgery 10 years ago in April.  I have had ups and downs with it.  I was impressed on how much I lost in the first couple years and then-I stagnated.  I plateued  and never lost another pound.  That made me discouraged but I was content with what had been accomplished.  Then-in 2005 my mother passed away-my best friend and I stopped caring.  I started to eat the things I shouldn't but blaming my sorrow on my weight gain.  Then-my husband fell from our roof and became permanently disabled.  . THen, he had to have open heart surgery.  I gave up.  I was working 50 hours a week trying to earn 2 incomes and just didn't care anymore.   I ate whatever I wanted.  I got hooked on sugar.  After years of sorrow and anger, I came to my senses.  Now- here I am 45 pounds back on and ready to start again.  I now work for a company that appreciates my work, my husband can again walk for short distances and know that I am important enough to be as healthy as I can be.  I am considering the d. switch.  I am not sure if my insurance will pay for a revision, but with my high blood pressure, arthritis and pre-diabetes starting to take a toll on me, I am hoping they will approve me.  First things first.  I am attending a bariatric workshop and find out if I can indeed undertake this.