Initial appointment

[ladytonya]

What should I expect? My appointment is at 3:00 yet I was told to be there at 1:45. My husband is going with me because the info I got said that my support person should be with me for this appointment and he gets impatient easily. I want to be sure we're not going to be sitting around for 4 hours and only see the doctor for 5 minutes. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

I have my medical records from the PCP, my sleep study, and my OB/GYN. I also have somewhat of a diet history that I had to put together last year when I started trying to go through the program here in Asheville. I will bring that notebook with me as well. Anything else I need to bring that any of you can think of? Thanks!

[Kathy]

Tonya, you will probably have a bunch of paperwork to fill out, questionairres etc. so I'm betting that's why you have to be there early. The Dr B patients here may be able to tell you more. Prep hubby for the wait. Tell him to enjoy the down time. Take a deep breath!

Will you be at dinner at the Outback Sat, night? And have you lived in Ashville long? I think you have. I went to school at Montreat back in 83-85. I wonder if you know any of the locals I met there. ???

[ladytonya]

I've lived in Asheville my whole life, one of few natives around here these days! It's always possible I might know someone, but if they were locals from Black Mountain or Montreat probably not. I grew up in the West Asheville/Emma area and went to Erwin High School which is closer to Leicester. I was in band so I did know people from other schools through that and also through Girl Scouts. It'll be nice to meet ya'll on Saturday!

[Barb]

Hi Tonya,
If WLS is as popular where you are as it is outside of Atlantic City, NJ....you will prob have to wait...I did have to wait 4 hours to see the doc. I went alone..and studied (I am in college). I may take my husband with me for my last appt with the doc before banding (on the 14th also!) My actual time in with my doc was longer than 5 mins, he was very thorough with the answers to all my questions. My doc actually did a stomach exam and abdominal exam and breast exam...and ugh...ready for this.....trying to whisper this to you now...he did a rectal..just a finger in and out...he laughed at me (and the nurse laughed at me too) because I wasn't prepared to have it done, and i said something stupid like "hey they never told me about this, never sent me a card to tell me about this"...we all laughed after that and i let him do it, and then said "so what were you looking for anyway?" he said blood and I didn't have any..duh all he had to do was ask me...LOL.
He gave me my packet of things to get done and sent me on my merry way. What I highly recommend is that if he is sending you to the pulmonary doc...do it right away, in case you have sleep apnea, I had no idea mine wouldn't do the surgery until I was wearing the c-pap for 2 weeks...ugh he is so busy i will actually have worn it a month now before i have the surgery. So ask lots of questions...otherwise you don't know until you think you are all done and then they say "oh and you have to have this done or that done..blah blah blah" Good luck with everything!!! Let us know how it went!!

[ladytonya]

I'm already on cpap so that's over and done with and has been for months. I had a full blood workup at my last physical which was in June but there are a few tests listed on the email I got from Dr. Bauman's office that I haven't had. I also haven't had an upper GI or seen a nutritionist or psychologist. I've got a little bit of a head start, but not much. I'm hoping I have a large majority of the documents that he will be looking for so we can move forward quickly. Of course, how quickly I can move forward is going to be very dependent upon my insurance company and that will be difficult.

[Kim G]

Good Luck Tonya - I can't wait to hear how it goes. Wish I could meet you while you are here...you will be like 10 mins from my house. But I will be at work in Downtown Charlotte.

[diva girl]

Tonya...we're all on pins and needles with how your first appointment went. I got my surgery with Dr. Bradshaw at Mission. Where are you going?

[ladytonya]

Just got home from Concord a little while ago. It is a longer drive than I thought! I should have asked you girls the quickest way to go from here. Oh, well! Anyway, I really like Dr. Bauman. He is not like most doctors I have met, especially surgeons! He actually sat down and talked to my hubby and I for a long time and answered a ton of questions. He actually talked to us for a really long time! One of the girls had to come in and tell him it was time for his next appointment and he stayed another 5 minutes after that until we had asked all our questions. One thing that did come out of this visit is that I may seriously consider RNY. I need to read more on it because I have been studying so much about the band, but he seems to think that the RNY surgery would be better for me. I have reservations about the risks involved, but I also see where he's coming from. He said that, of course, it is a personal decision and he'll work with me with whatever I decide, but that he really thinks that I will be more successful with the RNY. I have a lot of thinking to do while I finish up my testing and getting everything to Dr. B.

[Kim G]

Yeah Tonya you have started your journey....No matter what choice you make it has to be right for you. We will be here for you to support you no matter which way you go.

[Kathy]

Wow Tonya, isn't it nice to have a surgeon who will listen and spend time?! That's wonderful. Did he say why he thought RNY would be better? Are there any health reasons why you need to lose your weight soon? I guess, to me, that would be the biggest advantage to RNY. But rememeber, too, with the band, the heavier you start, the quicker the initial weight falls off. You will, inevitably, hit a plateau with the band also. But you'll get past it! It's a very personal decision, and I wish you the best with it. Know that you will have all the support you need from us! It's about losing weight and gaining health, and we are ALL doing that! Good for you, Tonya!!!

[Richard Froshiesar]

Goog luck tonya: I was going to do the RNY and I was 411 when I started five months ago, I am now down 90lbs and still loosing, after much research and attending several seminars I decided for me the best was the Lap Band, still will loose the same about of weight just will take a little longer. And the best part is if something does go wrong with the band it can be taken out or replaced. Do the research and the one right for you will be the one you pick to have done. Good luck

["Just" Paul]

Tonya...

I'm glad you found a doc that would listen. It 's fine to have one talk, but listening is another matter.

Make yourself a list of Pros vs. Cons on RNY and the band, and review it with him... maybe that will help your decision making process.

[ladytonya]

His reasoning behind recommending RNY was the average percent of excess weight that patients lose with each surgery. He admitted that there are a lot of people who start out as heavy as I am and heavier who get to goal with the band, but he said that is the exception rather than the rule. He said that in most cases, bandsters lose 50 - 60% of their excess weight. He asked me what my reasons were for wanting the band instead of RNY. My biggest concern is going through major surgery and then eventually regaining all of the weight. He said that yes, that is a concern, but he has storting doing a sort of modified Fobi pouch that helps with that. There is a band placed where the roux limb is attached to the pouch and that band helps stop the opening from stretching. That all combined with the fact that I know that my insurance won't pay for the band without a fight has me seriously considering RNY. The fact that I have to pay the coinsurance portion before I can even have the surgery done may mean that I'll never get the surgery done anyway so all this may be a colossal waste of time. I'm going to proceed with the tests that I need. They are the same for the band or the bypass so whichever I decide, I still have to have them done. Plus I know the costs of those tests will at least eat a little in to my deductible for next year. My insurance year starts again October 1. If I would have gotten in to see him a few months ago, I would have the procedure this current insurance year and I've already met my deductible and then some. That would have made the out-of-pocket less. Either way, I'm going to have to try to get a loan for my coinsurance amount and with my crappy credit I don't know if that will happen so this may have all been a colossal waste of time and money. *sigh* I've rambled long enough. I'll see everyone who's coming at dinner tomorrow night in Asheville!

[Barb]

Not to be a bummer, but my sis gained a lot of weight back and she had RNY. Research everything!

[ladytonya]

I am reading a lot about both surgeries now. This surgeon uses the silastic band like is used in the Fobi procedure and that is supposed to stop the stretching of the opening between that pouch and the roux limb that results in the weight regain. Thanks for the info!

[Kim G]

Hey Tonya one thing I wanted to tell you is that I started this process @ 316.8 pounds. I am not sure where you are but if the band is what you want and then if it's in your head that the band will work then you will succeed. If you want to weight to fall off quickly then go with the RNY want a stead weight loss go with the band. In the begining you will loss a lot just becuase your body is going to be in shock. I now a year out loss about a 1/2 pound to 2 pounds a week. Slow and steady is the way I like it. This morning I say a low of 222.4 I am getting so close to that 100 pound mark and it makes me feel GREAT.

No matter what you go with just know that we are here to support you and help you anyway that we can.

[Mrs Sabre]

I second what Kim said! We all struggle with weight loss, and both surgeries are tools to help along the way. God Bless and good luck in whatever you decide!

[jttaurus]

Hi Lady Tonya,

I was originally an lap band candidate and switched to RNY. I didn't want to keep up with the band and the maintence. I felt that it was too much work. I was drawn to this site before I made my choice. These are some really nice ladies on here.

I had my RNY with dr bauman in Feb 2006. I started at almost 250 and have lost close to 80lbs since Feb. I don't regret it for me a minute. I have had no problems what so every. I have chronic back problems, however, these were worse after surgery. Something to do with metabolism and muscle changes. I'm still working through that stuff.

Let mek now if you have any questions. I will not say RNY was easy, nor will I lie to you. I have had a fantastic voyage. My surgery was uneventful and my recovery the same. The responses I get from people are very shocking, I always get compliments and sometimes I"m reserved and wish people wouldn't ask so many questions.

I did not chose the fobi pouch, once they told me that things can get stuck in the fobi band, I didn't want to. Plus dr b has you on 4 weeks of some kinds of foods with the fobi pouch.

MY reasons for not wanting the band are:
commitment,
upkeep,
risk of things getting stuck,
follow up appointments,
liquid diets for fills,
paying for the fills,
missing work for the fills,
making time for the fills.

So basicially the maintence of the band is what discouraged me. I figure for me RNY was one visit to the ER and recovery.

Good Luck either way. I don't regret not chosing the band for a minute.

Jen Taurus

[ladytonya]

Thanks, Jen! I am glad to hear from somebody who had RNY. I have concerns about the Fobi and getting things stuck, but I also have concerns about straight RNY and stretching the opening between the pouch and the Roux limb. That picture in Dr. B's video was pretty convincing for me! For those who haven't seen it, it is an image from an endoscopy of the opening between the pouch and the limb and there basically is no difference between the pouch and the Roux limb. It is the same size which to me means food would go straight through. Stretching is one big reason RNY patients regain weight down the road.

I'm still no really close to making my final decision. I have an appointment with my PCP Wednesday and one for my psych exam October 11. I still need to get in to see the nutritionist, too. For practical reasons, I am probably looking at after the first of the year before I have my surgery so I have plenty of time to pray about it and talk to people. Whether I get banded or RNY, I love this board so I probably won't be going anywhere! Thanks for all the wonderful advice and encouragement! It means a lot.

[Mrs Sabre]

Tonya,

I'm glad you're sticking around! :)