I'm so disillusioned... - Page 2 - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

jmh324 · 08-01-2009, 05:34 PM

No need to "get through" to me, honestly!

The whole reason I decided on LGB is because I need to change my life and I, too, want to eat like a thin person. I'm tired of living to eat. I want to "eat to live" and am looking forward to living a different life. I was just curious what most people's tolerances are. I am actually hoping I do dump (that sounds weird) on sugar, since baked goods, chocolate and bagels have been my downfall. I was afraid the lapband would not be enough. I just have those twinges of nervousness and second guessing, when people at work who know say "why do you want to rearrange your intestines? You're not that big! blah. blah. blah... why don't you do the lapband?" etc.

poet_kelly · 08-01-2009, 06:07 PM

Congratulations on your approval! I know the gastric bypass is scary to some people, and there certainly are potential complications, but there are also potential complications with the lap band. There is the risk of erosion and the body can reject the band since it is a foreign object in the body. And, while some people do very well with the band, there is a fairly high rate of failure. I see a lot of people on this forum who have the band going back for a revision to gastric bypass. Just some things to consider.

I am nine months out. I don't have much gas at all. I can't eat sugary stuff, which is fine with me, because if I could eat it I would have a hard time not doing so. So I'm actually pretty glad I dump on sugar. I've dumped on fatty stuff a couple of times, but other times I've eaten fatty stuff and not had a problem. It seems like it's hit or miss. I try to avoid it because I don't need the fat anyway. But I can eat pretty much anything else. Some people become lactose intolerant, but not me. Some people have trouble with bread and pasta and stuff like that, but not me. I have mixed feelings about that one, because I love bread and pasta. So sometimes I'm glad I can eat some, other times I have a hard time not overdoing it and wish I just couldn't eat it at all.

Kelly

jmh324 · 08-01-2009, 06:14 PM

Believe it or not this is the one thing (not the baked goods, not the bagels, not the chocolate) that I'm worried about giving up. I don't really drink coffee or tea and I'm a social drinker so I don't really mind giving up alcohol for the foreseeable future, but I'm having a very hard time giving up the Diet Dr. Pepper. I'm starting back up on my pre-op diet on Monday so this weekend is my last hurrah and then it's adios Pepper! I know it's all for good, but darnit that's going to be the worst of it.

poet_kelly · 08-01-2009, 07:57 PM

You know what? It will be hard giving up the Dr. Pepper at first, but you'll soon get used to drinking other things, and then the Dr. Pepper won't even taste good anymore.

Kelly

justroni · 08-02-2009, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmh324

Believe it or not this is the one thing (not the baked goods, not the bagels, not the chocolate) that I'm worried about giving up. I don't really drink coffee or tea and I'm a social drinker so I don't really mind giving up alcohol for the foreseeable future, but I'm having a very hard time giving up the Diet Dr. Pepper. I'm starting back up on my pre-op diet on Monday so this weekend is my last hurrah and then it's adios Pepper! I know it's all for good, but darnit that's going to be the worst of it.

Hi, My surgery date is also August 19th. Like you I was so addicted to my diet coke. I felt like since it was diet it couldn't be that bad for me. I was drinking about 6 or 7 sodas a day. I gave mine up..cold turkey in June. I just started drinking water, and treat myself occasionally with a poweraid zero drink. I feel so much better without the sodas, and my feet and legs quit swelling. I now crave water....never seen that coming. The first week was kinda tough not to drink my diet coke, but now it's no big deal.
I am now doing a four week optifast diet ( required by my surgeon). I was starving the first 2 days, but now it is not a big issue anymore. I have already met my weight goal, but I want to keep going and lose as much as I can before my surgery. I have 3 more weigh ins before the big day.
I wish you luck with everything, and we will have to keep in touch with each other.

Sherry_Lynn · 08-02-2009, 11:21 AM

I knew about carbonation being a no no, so when I started the 6 month supervised weight loss last September, I gave up, cold turkey my beloved Coca Cola (regular). It amazes me that I have not had one for almost 11 months. I miss it once in awhile, especially on a warm summer day when my Husband takes one out of the refrigerator, and the can is sweating, Ya, I want it. But I don't. About the gas................not much here, honestly. I haven't had any problems with bad breath either. The first 6 weeks I felt I had a bad taste in my mouth, and was brushing my teeth 5-6 times a day. Now that I'm allowed most anything (no sugar, or crap of course), I have no problem.
Also, I could be wrong, but if you have been approved for Gastric Bypass, I don't think you can change to Lapband without re-submitting, but again, I could be wrong. Good luck!

ragazzarosa · 08-02-2009, 11:26 AM

I used to drink almost 2 liters of soda a day. Coke zero.

Hello, my name is Suzanne. I was a diet coke head.

I had the head hunger for it for a few months afterwards (something about those old fashioned Coca Cola signs set me off), but now it's fine. I had a sip of Mr. R's and fount it very sharp tasting. I can't believe I used to drink so much of that stuff.

Now I don't miss it. I drink water or iced tea sweetened with splenda.

It was a really bad habit and I'm glad I kicked it.

ardita · 08-02-2009, 11:34 AM

CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING YOUR APPROVAL!!! I'm so excited for you. It is so frustrating and stressful going through the insurance process and I'm glad you are on your way.

As for which surgery, only you can decide which is best for you. Apparently, more folks on his forum at gastric bypass than lapband so you will see a bias. You'll want to make sure to goi to one of the lapband forums to explore those issues. Some of us have chosen other procedures; mine wa a vertical sleeve gastrectomy. It is less complex that a gastric bypass-it only involves shrinking the stomach but does not involve reorganizing your intestinal system. For some reason, it is not covered by many insurance companies as it is considered "experimental" so you'd definitely want to check that. Since it is less complex than GBP, I don't understand why insurance companies have an issue but thats there. Good luck top you-

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmh324

I have not received the letter yet, but when I called Aetna on Thursday to check the status of my appeal she told me they overturned the previous denial and I have been approved, and that the letter was sent out last Tuesday. I immediately called my insurance coordinator at my surgeon's office and we both did a happy dance over the phone. I am now scheduled for surgery on August 19th, 3 days after my dad's 80th birthday celebration. I've taken the time off work AGAIN, and now I just have to be 100% sure I want LGB versus the Lapband. I've been approved for Gastric Bypass. My only hesitations are these- how much gas/bad breath do y'all really have? And for those of you that are past the year mark, can you eat almost anything? Can you eat any sugar/fat or is that something your body really can't tolerate? Just curious to see what percentage experience dumping, etc? There's a small part of me that thinks the lapband is the safer, better surgery, but truthfully if I am going to have surgery I want the best odds of success. Any opinions? It may all be moot anyway, because I have had 3 prior abdominal surgeries, so once they are in there, there is a chance I may have too much scar tissue for him to do the bypass. They asked what I wanted at that point and I said lapband, don't put me through surgery and wake me up to tell me I have nothing. LOL

tallbaugh · 08-02-2009, 12:34 PM

It's so great to hear that your are approved. My surgery date is 8/17/09, so we can go through this together!!

Originally, I had my mind set on the lapband. I knew that RNY was a "no return" surgery, and I don't think I was mentally prepared at that time.

But, once I actually went to the bariatric surgery information meeting, where both types of surgery were discussed in depth, I had some real questions as to whether my decision for banding was the right one.

I further second guessed myself when I went for my first surgeons visit. The coordinator asked me this simple question: "Well, you're 252 right now. Would you be happy at maintaining your weight at approx. 200 pounds? Is that a weight in which you feel comfortable? If you are then lapbanding sounds like the right choice. If not, then take a look at all your options."

She said that with banding the weight loss is usually less (sometimes significantly less) than with RNY. And, because you can drink liquids of a high calorie/fat content it is possible to see very little weight loss or start to gain weight a little while down the road.

She wasn't trying to sway my decision either way, she was merely making sure I made a decision that I wouldn't regret later.

After much soul-searching and discussions with my husband I really felt that the RNY surgery was really what I wanted. Once I made that decision I have never felt one ounce of doubt.

But, if it were not for the lapband I would have never gone to the surgeons office in the first place.

Best of luck to you, and whatever decision you make will be what's best for YOU!!

tallbaugh · 08-02-2009, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmh324

Believe it or not this is the one thing (not the baked goods, not the bagels, not the chocolate) that I'm worried about giving up. I don't really drink coffee or tea and I'm a social drinker so I don't really mind giving up alcohol for the foreseeable future, but I'm having a very hard time giving up the Diet Dr. Pepper. I'm starting back up on my pre-op diet on Monday so this weekend is my last hurrah and then it's adios Pepper! I know it's all for good, but darnit that's going to be the worst of it.

OMG. Me too!!! Diet Dr. Pepper is my favorite drink of all time. That is the only thing that I know I will mourn. I'm sure I will miss a ton of other stuff, too, but I KNOW that cold-turkey is going to be hard. I think before my surgery I'll have to have a last "hurrah" also. So, CHEERS, here's to us!!

"Hello, my name is Teresa and I'm a Diet Dr. Pepper-aholic"!! (Hi Teresa...)