Im gonna be a loser!

Yesterday I finally had my 101 with the surgeon who will be doing my WLS. Originally I was to meet with him on the 18th, but do to the snow storm it was cancelled. Were trying to squeeze this in as we have the coverage and before we loose it so it was a huge thing to be worked in this quickly.

I was able to meet Dr. Spitz and talk about what I wanted ( thought I wanted ) and all the ins and outs of the WLS issues.

Dr. Spitz does 2 kinds of surgeries, the LapBand ( which I was set on and theres plenty of info on this blog about it ) and the RNY Bypass ( which I will cover at the end of this blog entry ) he had some very valid and unknown to me concerns so it was nice to be able to hear first hand the professional, personal and objectional ideals of it all.

I think after our meeting I have pretty much agreed that I will not be doing the band. I will indeed pursue the WLS but via Laproscopic Bypass instead. I feel at ease with this decission and although its still a very hard thing to go through, I feel in someways it will make it a bit easier to deal with my other conditions.

Dr. Spitz pointed out his concerns that if they put the band in me, with my immune issues that he would worried that my immune system would attack the port site, and the band suture site as a foreign body and work against me. He also is worried, along with the nutritionist that the band would be the lesser choice because of the food restrictions and my kidneys. The bypass allows you to eat a lil more liberally as to what you take in allowing me to make sure I get the nutriants I need, while allowing it to do its job too. The band is 10% band 90% me, and the bypass is the opposite 90% bypass 10% me. Having an endocrine disorder or 2, as I do also played into the decission alot more than I had thought. I dont want to go through this and regain weight.

Alot of my weight is from my medical conditions as is, and although some of those may get better or resolve completely many will not ( thyroid never gets better, and the insulin resistance may not with the band ). So Why do it to loose some weight, only to have my body attack and regain. The bypass doesnt allow this because the hormone connection to the stomach is removed. It never mixes with food. The long term succsess should be better and has so far proven in patients like me to be the better choice.

Chances of the band failing are 50% chances of the bypass failing is less than 10%.

The bypass will be done laproscopically like the band would have been and the only major difference is its permanant and no ongoingin maintenance.

Today I weighed in at 224 lbs making me 100lbs on the mark overweight ( ideal weight 120-135 for a woman my size ). I was a bit discouraged but I think with a well rounded team behind me that I can and will make this work too.

Were hoping for surgery in about 4 weeks, if I can get all labs, and work ups done in time.

Im happy to have answers, to feel at peace with my surgeon and his team and to jump tracks and chug along. Journey has turned out to be an understatement so far...

...... to be Cont'd with RNY Bypass info.

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Gastric bypass

Gastric bypass surgery makes the stomach smaller and allows food to bypass part of the small intestine. You will feel full more quickly than when your stomach was its original size, which reduces the amount of food you eat and thus the calories consumed. Bypassing part of the intestine also results in fewer calories being absorbed. This leads to weight loss.
The most common gastric bypass surgery is a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

In normal digestion, food passes through the stomach and enters the small intestine, where most of the nutrients and calories are absorbed. It then passes into the large intestine (colon), and the remaining waste is eventually excreted.

In a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, the stomach is made smaller by creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach using surgical staples or a plastic band. The smaller stomach is connected directly to the middle portion of the small intestine (jejunum), bypassing the rest of the stomach and the upper portion of the small intestine (duodenum).

This procedure can be done by making a large incision in the abdomen (an open procedure) or by making a small incision and using small instruments and a camera to guide the surgery (laparoscopic approach). * This is the approach my surgeon will be using.
See a picture of a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
What To Expect After Surgery

This surgery usually involves a 4- to 6-day hospital stay (2 to 3 days for a laparoscopic approach). Most people can return to their normal activities within 3 to 5 weeks.
Gastric bypass surgeries may cause dumping syndrome. This occurs when food moves too quickly through the stomach and intestines. It causes nausea, weakness, sweating, faintness, and possibly diarrhea soon after eating. These symptoms are made worse by eating highly refined, high-calorie foods (like sweets). In some cases you may become so weak that you have to lie down until the symptoms pass.
Why It Is Done
Although guidelines vary, surgery is generally considered when your body mass index is 40 or higher or you have a life-threatening or disabling condition related to your weight.
Your doctor may only consider doing gastric bypass surgery if you have not been able to lose weight with other treatments.
The following conditions may also be required or are at least considered:
You have been obese for at least 5 years.
You do not have an ongoing problem with alcohol.
You do not have untreated depression or another major psychiatric disorder.
You are between 18 and 65 years of age.
All surgeries have risk, and it is important for you and your health professional to discuss your treatment options to decide what is best for your situation.
How Well It Works
Most people who have gastric bypass surgery quickly begin to lose weight and continue to lose weight for up to 12 months. One study noted that people lost about one-third of their excess weight (the weight above what is considered healthy) in 1 to 4 years.1

The laparoscopic approach showed similar results, with 69% to 82% of excess weight lost over 12 to 54 months.2
Risks
Risks common to all surgeries for weight loss are simular to those of any surgical procedure.

This picture shows side by side the two surgeries to be considered. You can see physically they do the same thing ( smaller stomach ) its the speration that really defines it all.