RNY a year out 01/19/12

sassyitalian3545

Hi I will be a year out on Jan 19 2012, I just had my final appt (for the year 2011) and my dr told me this, to stop losing weight, I will not stretch my pouch, and if I think I am stretching my pouch drink more water than food. Well in my opinion all this Drs. advice is condradicting (sp). Umm Stop losing weight, drink more water not food well if I do that I will continue to lose weight (just my thinking) not able to stretch my pouch, I know I have because I am able to eat more food than I could however my clothes are still falling off of me but the scale says I am gaining. I do know that if I had to do all this over again I WOULD do it. Yes I am very grateful that I have increased my life by not having obesity issues but the vomiting daily, the dehydration, fatigue, headaches, and all this medication to me is far worse on my body. Don't get me wrong I feel so incredible that I lost 114# in less than a year, maybe if I do start back to basics I will start to feel better. Let me give you one piece of advice follow the Drs. instructions to the letter, do not think "oh one little bite won't hurt me"...Yes it will, the "dumping" effects people differently, mine is vomiting on a daily basis, which in turn causes me to have to take yet another pill either Zofran or Phenergan. My second piece of advice is exercise...believe me I hate it just as bad as the next person but you WILL, WILL, WILL have excess skin, the elasticity of your skin is on your genetics not on exercise alone. The Drs. are figuring I have 25# of excess skin, the only way to get rid of this is yet another surgery which the insurance companies will not pay for because it is considered cosmetics. I am looking to doing a live tissue donation for burn victims, some Fire Departments will help with some of the cost of the surgery you will just have to do ALOT of research. I wish all of you out there the best of luck, I am here if anyone has any questions (on my procedure) or if you just want to vent....God Bless!

MsPinVa

Just an insert (it has been years, but worth it for you to look into) In regards to insurance coverage, specifically for tummy tucks. There was a loop hole years ago in my old insurance that would cover the tummy tuck only. And I'm sure you are praying for a hernia (sp?) that used to be the golden ticket to get a tummy tuck covered/ partially paid.

Also consultations to several surgeons, one locally matched a price to another (the winner was a better surgeon)

Best of luck!

risskie

Wow, what interesting posts. I've thought about excess skin I will have. A woman at my bypass support group. personally paid for a abdominal panniculectomy. She nearly discouraged me of ever doing it because the pain was excruciating and she felt the MD's did not tell her that she would not be able to be active again for a year. She loved zumba and riding her horse. Every time she went back to her surgeon for a check up, she told her 'soon but not yet'. She waited a year and she wasn't happy. This woman said there were ways around paying for the surgery as the MD's want their practices to survive and truly want to do the surgery. It was discouraging to hear her story and I'm sure there are many people who have better stories. But right now, I'm not interested. Maybe after my bypass on 1/16 and seeing the results having lost 100+#, I'll feel different.
Thanks for your insight.
Christine