I’m having bariatric surgery. Which surgery, I am still not full decided, but I am definitely having something.
I’ve actually been working on having this surgery since last August. The only reason this is even a possibility for me is that my insurance is going to pay for it. Before they pay for it though, there’s sixteen rings of fire you have to jump through.
First, I had to complete 6 months of physician supervised weight loss and nutrition classes. Then, I had to have a sleep study (that was the weirdest experience ever). Next, I had to have a psych evaluation to make sure I don’t have body dysmorphic disorder or something like that. Then I had to attend a 2 hour seminar all about the surgery and its different forms.
LAPBAND and the Stomach
Originally, I thought I was going to go for the LAPBAND®. It’s the least invasive, performed laproscopically, reversible, and has the quickest recovery time (about 1 week and the surgery is usually outpatient). Basically what happens with LAPBAND surgery is a smallish ring with a balloony center is placed around the top of the stomach. There’s a long cord attached to the ring, which is call the port. The port is underneath the skin near the rib cage. As you lose weight, the band needs to be tightened to control food intake and appetite. Saline is injected into the port and the balloony portion of the ring expands to decrease intake and appetite. There’s no cutting of organs or re-routing of the bowel.
My second possibility is a relatively newish procedure called Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. Basically, that’s a fancy way of saying that 90% of the stomach is removed and one is left with a sort of banana shaped stomach that can hold approximately 150ccs of food. Some people see this option as a mid-point between the band and the full bypass. There’s no re-routing of the bowel with the sleeve. Weight loss is more rapid than with the band, but not at quick as the bypass. It is permanent and not reversible. Recovery time is about 3 weeks.
Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
Last but not least is Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. With GB, the stomach is cut in 2. A small piece of the stomach is converted into something called the “proximal pouch.” The pouch essential becomes the new stomach and is about the size of your thumb. A small portion of the bowel is re-routed so that food is not full digested because it is “bypassing” the duodenum. So, they make your stomach really really small and then they make it so you don’t absorb most of what you eat. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is considered the most invasive, although it is performed laproscopically. The recovery time is about 4-6 weeks. It is permanent, and after having the bypass, one must take a multivitamin and B12 pills for life.
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
I have an appointment with my surgeon on May 4. Hopefully, he can provide some advice on which procedure is the best for me. I was so certain I wanted the band, but the more I started thinking about it, the more unsure I became.
Everyone keeps describing bariatric surgery as a weight loss “tool.” If that’s the case, shouldn’t I get the biggest, most helpful tool there is?
I’ve never had any kind of surgery before, so yeah that freaks me out (I’ve never even had a cavity). I also hate hospitals and cringe at the thought of being in one for a few days. In the end, it will all be worth it, I just am not sure how to choose the procedure for me.
Whatever I decide, I hope my surgery is scheduled soon. I feel like I have been working on getting everything completed for about a hundred years. I am totally ready to get this show on the proverbial road.
