OK HERE IS THE DELEMA

Hi smiley, I recently went through a tough few weeks, when I went into hospital 15 days ago to have my 2nd lap band removed in readiness for bypass or sleeving in April, but when the surgeon opened me up the tubing form the band was wrapped around my band and strangulating it and I had severe adhesions throughout my abdominal cavity, so bad that after 3 hours of surgery the surgeon advised me the next mornign when I was int he HDU unit that there is nothing he can do, any other surgery would be life risking, so here I am overweight, with no possible weight loss surgery ever to have in future, my first band eroded through my stomach. bad thing is when I went to have my 2nd weight loss surgery which was to be gastric bypass of which that was what I signed the consent form for the surgeon took the decision on her own to put on another band without my consent and therefore that decision could have killed me or made me end up with a colostomy bag if I had not decided to see a different doctor as my husband and I are planning on moving to Alaska and there is no support for patients with a gastric lapband so that was the whole reason why I was having bypass otr sleeving, that decision saved my life as I found out recently after this surgery. So here I am 26 kgs over weight and after 2 failed lapbands, severe arthritis in both knees and lower back that extra kgs carried causes me great pain that I even have a disability parking permit. I am on my own now, with no options and no choices except, diet and exercise and goign it alone.
Yes it depresses me, I am angry at that surgeon, eventually I will get over it and move forward but yeah its hard. Healthy weight for me with a height of 166cm is 70kgs, so I have some work cut out for me. Hope your surgeon makes the right informed decision, but if you make it emotional he may not think you are ready or able to handle such a procedure. Even with the procedure you still need will power and able to make those changes to your lifestyle so u can succeed.

Thanks so much Jane, I have seriously thought about this whole thing and considering the probs that I currently face, I know it is the right thing to do. I have been thru so much worse than this so this will happen smoothly I think, and with a great mother as i have, things just cant get much better than that. I doubt it, but I cant be too positive whether dr d will def not do this operation on me considering I have no health issues. But I just dont want to fall into the trap where there is no choice but to have the operation!

I thought I would comment after reading thru all this, having been done by Dr Durmush he is a very understanding Dr but he will look at all the options before he chooses whether you have the band or the sleeve. Believe me he is very strict in what he will and wont do. I admire his dedication to the surgery and the health of others. He will most likely before he makes his decsion to do the operation send you to his dietican exercise physio and also the pyschologist before he will even put the wheels in motion. I believe that he mainly only operates out of South West Private hospital now. The best approach would be talk to him before you start to work urself into a panic and stressing. By stressing and getting emotional it is not doing you any good and may work against you in the long run. Most of the patients that have gone to Dr D's info session I can not recall anyone being put thru surgery with a BMI of under 35. I dont mean to sound harsh but it seems that you are stressing and need all the support you can, but this is something you need to ensure (and believe me Dr D will drive this home) that once its done there is no turning back and this is a tool not a quick fix solution.He will also make you go thru several post op appointments. Which is included in the fee. Be prepared as they may even (as you dont have a major amount of weight to lose Intragastric Balloon: I would suggest maybe go to one of his information seminars and see what others have to say and maybe speak to the people regarding there experiences.

Believe me im not being nasty but i feel as though you have worked urself into such a state that you are not thinking clearly and u r hoping that it will be approved and all ur problems will disappear.

Jane

I want to get this op done, before I get too big that it is going to be impossible for me to stay active! I do not want to need to get plastic surgery also , and I am still relative young so I would have more of a chance to spring back!!!

tracey wrote:

Hey Smiley, you are one determined little chicky and I'm sure you will come to the right decision. I know a lady with a severe limp (MS) and she has to keep her weight down around 60kgs to remain mobile so I can understand your reasons for wanting surgery. She is my age and is finding it very difficult to keep the weight off.

Do you have an e-mail address for the surgeon you are seeing? I think you should write to him and tell him all that you have told us as its just too darn hard sometimes to say it all when you finally go to your appointment without getting emotional. This will also give him more time to get to know your reasoning and he is not put on the spot to make a decision.

We can only give advice here, this is a big decision that has to be made by proffessional people after lots of councilling.
Good luck with your appointment.

hugs
tracey

Thankyou Tracey, finally someone or some people who understand where I am coming from! I only know that my SIL saw this surgeon and she did have other problems such as type 2 diabetes. And so the problems that I was having was such an issue that my mother mentioned it to the doctor and he was refering to getting a band. So I did a little research and found negative feedback from females, he only knew two males that had it and loved the op! The more I looked into it, the more it turnt me away from the band. Last appointment I had with the doc, he wrote out a referaal and a letter explaining my history ect to him so hopefully that may persuade him a little. I only know that the doc I am wanting to get this operation from operates at liverpool private and baulkham hills private. His e mail address is info@lifeweightloss.com.au
So has your friend also had WLS?

Hey Smiley, you are one determined little chicky and I'm sure you will come to the right decision. I know a lady with a severe limp (MS) and she has to keep her weight down around 60kgs to remain mobile so I can understand your reasons for wanting surgery. She is my age and is finding it very difficult to keep the weight off.

Do you have an e-mail address for the surgeon you are seeing? I think you should write to him and tell him all that you have told us as its just too darn hard sometimes to say it all when you finally go to your appointment without getting emotional. This will also give him more time to get to know your reasoning and he is not put on the spot to make a decision.

We can only give advice here, this is a big decision that has to be made by proffessional people after lots of councilling.
Good luck with your appointment.

hugs
tracey

I don't know if they ask in Australia, but one of the things that qualifies you for the surgery here is "proving" that you've tried dieting to lose the weight. (Are they kidding?) So that's one of the answers a dietitian might be looking for, the different ways you've lost then gained weight back.

Unfortunately, I had a list as long as my arm.

I actually am impressed that you are driving for this. I would have gone this route years ago but I think I wanted to hang onto that idea that I could do it on my own. Now glad I waited as I think the sleeve is right for me and it's only become "common" around here in the past year or two. My insurance just began paying for it 4 months ago making it possible for me. Sometimes we know what's right for us when others don't. I understand your desire for this surgery and your belief that it's right for you.

i am going to see Dr Durmush who operates at Liverpool Private and Bellavista in Baulkham Hills.

just wondering which dr are you going to see...

smiley80 wrote:

I would cry if he cant do anything or suggest anything that I have not already tried!!! But just say he wont go ahead with the op, I am going to be upset but then i am quite sure i will be able to loose the weight, but like all of you have sorta said, you wont keep it off. I will have to ride the roller coaster once again!!! THAT I HATE BUT I WILL HAVE NO CHOICE!!!

I might add that I have cried myself to sleep sometimes!!! Is that going to explain my situation to the doc any better, cos I have been in soo much pain???

Honey,

We know how much emotional and physical pain is involved in being over-weight. Any of us would be very disappointed if the surgeon turned us down, but it is a possibility for many of us, including me, so it's realistic to be prepared.

The good news is that your GP's given you a referral, so that's a promising start. It means you've jumped through one of the hoops. The surgeon's approval is the next hoop. It's not automatic. That's all.

Getting teary at the appointment would be perfectly understandable, but I'm not sure it would swing the decision your way. The surgeon has a duty to make the decision to perform surgery on medical grounds, and not all surgeons would see emotional pain as an issue that's treatable by surgery. There are other professional avenues for that.

Hopefully, your appointment will all go well, but I'm concerned that you're really worked up (both in terms of hope, and in terms of despair) and you'll be exhausted before you get to the appointment at this rate. Wait until your appointment and see what the surgeon says. That's all you can do.

Best,

Dark

I would cry if he cant do anything or suggest anything that I have not already tried!!! But just say he wont go ahead with the op, I am going to be upset but then i am quite sure i will be able to loose the weight, but like all of you have sorta said, you wont keep it off. I will have to ride the roller coaster once again!!! THAT I HATE BUT I WILL HAVE NO CHOICE!!!

I might add that I have cried myself to sleep sometimes!!! Is that going to explain my situation to the doc any better, cos I have been in soo much pain???

Hi Smiley,

I am sure none of the forumers are picking on you. They are just concerned about you... and try to avoid your disappointment if your surgeon doesn't approve your surgery. We all read your posting first before leaving a comment :)

I wish you the best of luck on your appointment and hopefully he will approve your surgery :)

XOX

Yools

Hi Smiley80,

I'm really glad your Mum's going with you to the appointment. As you say, the mobility issues could be the co-morbidity the surgeon needs to justify the sleeve, even if your BMI is lower than usual. I had read about the osteoporosis, by the way, and I wasn't forgetting it. I don't think the other posters were forgetting it, either, and they aren't trying to pick on you, but to save you from pain and frustration by being really honest and realistic based on their experience of organising this surgery.

As Old Mark pointed out, we posters aren't claiming to be in a position to make the holistic assessment of your particular case that your own medical professionals can, and we can't second-guess them.

Good luck with the appointment!

Best,

Joy

darkstar wrote:

Hi Smiley80,

I know you're getting your hopes up about having this surgery, and about the surgery fixing a lot of issues in addition to weight problems, but try not to commit too much emotionally until you've seen the surgeon. I'm worried in case you have a disappointment. I hope not, but try to prepare yourself in case.

It might not be a choice between an 800g sleeve and a 1000g sleeve, but a case of the surgeon not wanting to risk surgery at all if your BMI is only around the 30 mark.

Just to back up what Hannykins and Kylie have said, I went to a seminar where the surgeon explained that it's not until people are morbidly obese (ie BMI over 40) that the medical risks from obesity outweigh the medical risks from surgery. That means the surgeons are not medically justified in doing the surgery until your BMI is over 40, and they may not want to risk it. If you're arguing a case about managing other health problems related to obesity, your BMI normally has to be over 35. There are posters who've been sleeved with lower BMIs, but there were co-morbidities like diabetes.

I know you get a bit anxious about things like this, but there's no point worrying about this until you get to the appointment: the surgeon will decide to do what the surgeon decides to do, and you fretting before the event won't change that.

So... I hope your appointment with the surgeon goes well, and that it's all that you hoped. But whatever the news, it sounds to me as if it would be a good idea to take a support person like your Mum if she can join you!

Best,

Dark

Don't worry, she is now, before she wasnt but I explained a bit to her and she decided to come

I am completley different to all you people, my ankles kill when I walk, I can walk up and down stairs but I really have to do it slow as my ankles click and the bones crack if I dont do it slow enough, not to forget that o have osteoporosis, i just cant keep putting on more weight as my bones will not carry around my weight!!! I am certainly not looking at this as an easy way out, to me it will be a fantastic tool to have. I will LOVE to go swimming, I would love to go to the gym ey ct ect. Please read the first entries before making a comment...

I have gone to dietitians before (has not worked), I have gone to weight watchers before (this has worked but I soon fall into my old routines), everything else has just not worked!!! My mother is all for it. Mum seems to be really the only person who understands what it is like to live a life like mine!!!!!

None of my family understands any of the above problems that i have!!!!!

And don't forget, as Hannykins says, having a lower BMI is a good thing. Don't go stunt eating to get your weight up! :D

Best,

Dark

i would be very concerned using any surgeon willing to perform surgery on someboy of your age just 18kg over weight whom from all the posts shomwing a need for more guidence and support than a forum can give. it would show a total lack of profesionalism.

i think you need to talk to your family and professional councilors before looking any more at surgery.

Hi Smiley80,

I know you're getting your hopes up about having this surgery, and about the surgery fixing a lot of issues in addition to weight problems, but try not to commit too much emotionally until you've seen the surgeon. I'm worried in case you have a disappointment. I hope not, but try to prepare yourself in case.

It might not be a choice between an 800g sleeve and a 1000g sleeve, but a case of the surgeon not wanting to risk surgery at all if your BMI is only around the 30 mark.

Just to back up what Hannykins and Kylie have said, I went to a seminar where the surgeon explained that it's not until people are morbidly obese (ie BMI over 40) that the medical risks from obesity outweigh the medical risks from surgery. That means the surgeons are not medically justified in doing the surgery until your BMI is over 40, and they may not want to risk it. If you're arguing a case about managing other health problems related to obesity, your BMI normally has to be over 35. There are posters who've been sleeved with lower BMIs, but there were co-morbidities like diabetes.

I know you get a bit anxious about things like this, but there's no point worrying about this until you get to the appointment: the surgeon will decide to do what the surgeon decides to do, and you fretting before the event won't change that.

So... I hope your appointment with the surgeon goes well, and that it's all that you hoped. But whatever the news, it sounds to me as if it would be a good idea to take a support person like your Mum if she can join you!

Best,

Dark

There are strict guidelines to getting this surgery based on BMI and co-morbities.
15 kilos extra weight and being merely overweight, as opposed to obese and morbidly obese, is probably not going to get you the surgery.
I think you really need to sit down with your support people and seriously look at whether it is rationale to be going for surgery at such a low weight.

Hannykins, that is what I am worried about also. But you see the doc told us in the seminar that he can do different sized sleeves.He saiid that for morbidly obese people, he would do say a 800grm sleeve, and for others, he could do a 1000grm sleeve.

Maybe the 1000grm he would do for me? I made the appt on Tuesday 9th February so guess I will see then.

I don't think your BMI will be high enough at the moment to have the surgery. Which you should feel happy about...but all you can do is see a Dr and find out what they think.

I'm inspired by your determination...you have been through so much and just keep going. Whatever path you take, you will do well at it I am sure!

Thankyou so much for the replies re to me. Yes, I have tried numerous different ways of getting around this. Weight watchers is a great program, I enjoyed that. But, I am really like a yoyo and I believe that surgery is the way I can live more of a happy life, and that is all that we want. Is getting a sleeve not a healthy way around this? Why if so?

I am currently 80klg, and I am 157cm tall. I believe a healthy weight for me would be 55klg.

Smiley:

How much weight do you need to lose?

In your story it's very clear that you are a person with drive, used to being very athletic and up to a challenge. But you don't mention working with any programs to learn how to eat correctly. Something like Weight Watchers, where it's not so much a diet but a way to eat correctly. They intend for the weight to come off slowly but that you will learn what your body can manage and what it can't.

For many of us here that's far too slow of a way to lose the weight. But since you are only overweight, not obese, would it be possible to take 6 months first and try working with a diet plan or dietician? Maybe you've tried all these plan like many of use and just not mentioned it. I just hate to see someone go straight to major surgery before they take the time to try diet managment....especially someone who has shown she had drive and ability to "win".

I understand that you may have already tried these things. But if not, you might want to give it some thought. In the U.S. one of the things you have to "prove" to qualify for the surgery is by listing all the many diets you've tried in your life. I had a list as long as my arm. : (

Hey Smiley
Thanks for sharing your story with us. You've certainly had a lot to deal with.
Like Old Mark said, the sleeve won't fix all your problems - but it will help with the obesity, and as you start to feel better about that, and get more control over your eating habits, that may help you be able to manage some of the other stuff more easily.
I agree though, that it's good to have professional support for some of these issues - I do see someone regularly myself, and it's very helpful.
Best wishes to you
Chris

Wow you certainly have had your share, my heart goes out to you....there are all sorts of reasons why we put on weight, I am sure most of us can blame something in our lives (me incl...I lost my only son and comfort ate after)....but lets put that aside for a second. Can I ask you if you currently have professional support, psychological & or physical ?

You say "I am not entirley sure if it will cure all these problems " ....despite being a medical professional myself, I personally dont think "we" (members of this forum) are qualified to answer that question for you, I think you should take this up with your suitably qualified medical practitioners. All sorts of things need to be considered....this is not a simple question.

However, can you get support & information re your "sleeve", diet etc here....absolutely, there is a massive amount of first hand "patient" experience here....stuff that you can only get from those who have had the op.done themselves. Stay strong, you are certainly amongst friends.

OLD Mark