obesityhelp.com

So I've been spending my lunch hour today looking around on the website www.obesityhelp.com.  I've been reading posts on the forums for Sleeve patients, patients who live in Illinois, and patients who have a BMI greater than 50.  It's really interesting to read the stories of people who have gone through this.  Several are just like me...in the very beginnings of their journeys.  Some have Crohn's...just like me.  I think this website is going to be very helpful to me as I go through this.  Between that and this blog and the support of my family and friends...I am very, very blessed.

Down 20 pounds

I weighed myself this morning.  I'm at 378, which means I have now lost 20 pounds.  So far, so good.  The more I lose pre-surgery, the better.  My plateau seems to be 350, so it will be interesting when I get to that point.  I sure hope I can finally break that barrier.

I find I keep hoping the doctor's office will call telling me there has been a cancellation and I can get in sooner for that first appointment.  I'm so anxious to really get this started.  April is just so far away...

What is the Sleeve?

So some of you may be wondering:   What exactly is a Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy?  (if you do not like to “hear” about the gory details, then do not read any further).

In very simple terms, the surgery is a minimally invasive surgery that uses only tiny incisions instead of huge cuts on the abdomen.  In this surgery, about 70% of the stomach is removed leaving just a “sleeve” of the stomach left.  The part of the stomach that is removed is the part that makes the hormone that controls hunger, so it serves as an appetite suppressant.  With this surgery, the digestive tract is not re-routed like is done with the bypass.  For those who are extremely obese (BMI 60 and over), it is usually the first step of a 2 step process, the 2^nd step being the gastric bypass.  My BMI is right at that border, so we are not sure if I will need the 2^nd step or not (oh no, more steps!).  That would be determined a year or two after surgery after we see how well I am doing and how much weight I have lost.

For further info on this procedure:

http://www.nmh.org/nm/weight-loss-surgery-types

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007435.htm

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/vsg/cmsID,8874/mode,content/a,cms/

Steps

Steps….lots of steps.  Steps to take till I get a surgery date,  steps to start losing weight now before surgery, and steps to tell more people what I’m up to. 

There are 14 items to check off on my list until surgery is complete.  I have 2 of them done…attended the seminar and submitted the application.  Then I have the appointment with the Nurse Practitioner or Weight Management MD Consult which is scheduled right now for April.  After that I need to see a Registered Dietitian and a Health Psychologist.  After those are done I have Pre-op Class number 1.  Then I have to turn in paperwork from all those steps.  And finally I will have the consultation with the surgeon.  Once that is complete they will submit everything to insurance for pre-approval (which could take up to 4 weeks to get back, if not longer).  While waiting for the insurance approval, I have monthly pre-operative nutrition classes until my surgery date.  Step 11 is to have my chart reviewed (once insurance approval letter is received) and then the surgery is scheduled.  Next the final pre-op class 2 weeks before surgery.  Item 13 is the pre-op testing and medical clearance and then finally step 14 is surgery.  Now, these steps might not occur in this exact order, but it’s still a lot of stuff to get done!!  The list looks long and daunting, but I’m confident it will go by faster than I think it will.

A slight disappointment

So my first appointment towards surgery isn’t until April 11.  It is with the Nutrition Doctor.  I can’t believe it’s 3 months out and that is just to get started.  They do have me on a wait list in case of a cancellation, and I might be able to get in with the nurse practitioner when she comes back from maternity leave in late February.

*sigh*

So in the meantime, I do what I can now to start to drop the pounds.  They say patience is a virtue, and I’m going to need plenty of it!

Primary doc and insurance requirements

I saw my primary doc yesterday afternoon.  His practice is doing a new diabetic clinic on Wednesdays where you not only see the doctor, but also the diabetic educator and diabetic dietician as well.  The visit lasted over an hour, but it was really good.  He was pleased with the news of the upcoming procedure and wants to do everything he can to help me to start to lose weight pre-surgery (which is required anyways).  They also changed around some of my diabetic meds, and the new one can also help with weight loss.  So that’s a good thing too.

I then called my insurance company today to find out their requirements.  Your BMI has to be over 40 (no problems there!) and you have to be under a medically supervised diet for 6 months and have a psychological evaluation (which is required anyways).  But she stressed that these are general guidelines and that they always go on a case by case basis.

It’s gonna be a fun ride!

Results of Seminar

So we are home from the seminar.  It was VERY informative.  One item I found interesting, even though I figured it wouldn't be an option for me anyways, was that the latest data is showing that the Lap Band has a 40% failure rate and that most of the Lap Band surgeries they do nowadays is to REMOVE the Band.  We received info on all 3 procedures and the pros and cons of each.  I was able to talk to the surgeon briefly afterwards and my research was correct....for someone like me, we are looking at the Sleeve procedure.  There is a chance...because my BMI is so high, that the Sleeve would be the first step, and then the bypass done a year or two later.  But a lot of that depends on how much I actually lose with the Sleeve.

My application has been turned in and I should hear from someone within 5 business days.  Meanwhile, I need to call my insurance company to get the specifics of all their requirements.  I know they cover the procedure, but each company has it's own requirements, such as how long other attempts to lose weight were done, and BMI requirements.

So those are my next steps for now.  It'll take 3 to 6 months to do all the necessary items and appointments in order to have the surgery.  So worst-case, it will be July or August...best case it could be April.  Only time will tell.

Today is seminar day!!

Today is the Weight Loss Surgery Seminar at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.  I'm excited and nervous at the same time.  What if  they tell me that they can't do anything for me because of the Crohn's?  Although I did read on the internet yesterday that the Sleeve Gastrectomy is the best option for Crohn's patients, so there is hope.  I weighed myself this morning and I'm down to 380, which means I've lost 18 pounds since being off the Prednisone.  Not too bad, eh?  I am also trying to be more careful about what I eat, and our whole family is starting to eat healthier.

I wish I could start going to the gym again, but if I can't get through the grocery store without being out of breath and in pain, how the heck am I going to walk the treadmill????  *sigh*

The cat is out of the bag

Well, I haven’t written in a while because there has been so much going on.  December was a very busy month.  I believe I mentioned in an earlier post that I have Crohn’s disease, and early December was my 3 year follow-up colonoscopy.  Good news is that I have no active disease.  To that I am very grateful.  Then on Dec 20 and Jan 3 I had cataract surgery.  All went well there.  All 3 kids had school music performances in December.   And in between all that throw in Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, etc., and you get the picture.

I told some people in late November what I was up to with this and the reaction was about what I expected.  They were concerned.  One person had a gastric bypass done a long time ago…maybe 15 years or something along that…and she had major complications.  For one, she almost died on the table.  And for two, she continues to have nutrition problems and other problems.  I tell myself that her surgery was a long, long time ago and things are different now then back then and many improvements have been made.  I have other friends who have had the same procedure and have had no complications and great success.

Today I told my team at work.  The reaction was very supportive, to which I am happy. 

Next Tuesday, the 14^th, is the surgery seminar.  It is there that I will learn about the 3 possibilities and meet the surgeon.  I also hope to find out which procedure will be the best for my situation.  I’m looking forward to this part of the journey starting, but I’m scared at the same time.  I will definitely continue to build my support group to help me through all this.  I’m thankful to all my family and friends that support me.