my VBG TO DA

[Guest guest]

Here is my two cents worth:

I had a failed VBG. The VBG was done in July of 1993. Yes, I did

lose weight, but not in the beginning. I threw up a lot, but found

out that there were so many things I could not eat. I lost a

little. I finally did lose a lot of weight. I can't tell anyone how

much because I never did get on a scales. I'll tell you I did get

down to wearing a size 14 and looked pretty good.

Then the ring on the bottom of the staple line pulled away from the

stomach and I could just eat and eat and eat. I re-gained all but 30

lbs of what I lost (yes, I did finally get on a scales). I was

having very sharp disabilitating pains in the upper left quadrant of

my stomach so started going to see the gasteronoligist (spelling

problem here).

I asked for a referal to Dr. Rabkin. I had Blue Cross/Blue Shield

HMO and the governing body of the HMO wouldn't give me that referral.

I finally did get a referal to UCLA to see Dr. Linvingston. He only

does the RNY, but I figured anything was better than getting fat

again and maybe the pains in my stomach would also be corrected.

However, he denied me as " not medically necessary. "

Changed insurance (I'm lucky being Government employee and can change

insurance every year in November). I did not have to have a

referral, but Dr. Rabkin moved his surgery to San Francisco. Too far

for me!

I got Dr. Anthone's name from Barbara Metcalf and got an appointment.

Dr. Anthone was wonderful. I don't know what he wrote to my

insurance, but I was approved within a month. Had a surgery date,

but had to cancel it due to not passing the psych eval, and not being

able to take off from work.

Saw Dr. Bale (he works with Dr. Rabkin's patients in Ventura, CA) and

he passed me on the psych and I got another surgery dat.

Had my surgery (BPD-DS) on November 1 of 2000. The surgery took 5

1/2 hours. Dr. Anthone probably didn't get home till 1100 pm that

night. I know my DH didn't get back to Oxnard from USC until after

midnight on the 2nd of November.

I thought that maybe because I was a VBG revision, I would lose

weight more slowly.

I'm not saying that the surgery or the 6 weeks I took off from work

were a breaze. I did wonder what the H*ll I had done to myself in

the beginning. I was pretty miserable and tired and cold.

Well, in 5 1/2 months I have lost 70 lbs. I can wear a size 14. I

could wear a size 12 if my girls (read boobs) were not a 38D, but

38Ds do not fit into a size 12!

So, if I start at my top weight of 264 that I was before the VBG,

I've lost 98 lbs, but if I go to my weight of 236 that I was before

the BPD-DS, I've lost 70lbs.

And I think that's amazing.

I can walk w/o getting out of breath. I can actually cut my own toe

nails again. I can sit crosslegged again. I can do a lot more than

I could at 264 lbs. Maybe some of you think that 236 isn't all that

heavy, but for me it was awful. I'm only 5 foot four and one

quarter. I couldn't do what I wanted to do, and knew that If I

didn't do something, I was gonna be up to 300 soon.

Been heavy all my life. Nice fat chubby baby. Fat kid! Fat adult.

Sure, I lost weight on diets. You name it, I tried it. Remember

Metracal? That's back in the late 60's, early 70's maybe. Weight

Watchers, Craig, The Majic soup diet, the only eggs diet, the

no carb diet. Man, I spent money on those stupid diet pills and

stuff that they advertise in the magazines. I only lost my money.

Even did prescription speed and thyroid replacements under a Dr.

Care. I did it all.

Someday I'll send Melinie pics of before and after.

But I'm really happy now. I still am afraid that the weight will

come back. There is this little nagging voice in my head telling me

it may be all a dream, but that's why I go to the support groups and

talk to ppl who are 12 years out from surgery. . .they haven't

regained the weight, so why should I.

Get the DS, don't get the RNY, fight your insurance. I personally

think it's well worth it.

Otineru--Sativa7891

Blessed Be