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.