hello from utah

[Jo Lynne]

I had my first consult with my doctor on Feb 4. I have to get my insurance approval- Anthem b
B&BS. They require 6 months med supervised diet. My diabetes is so tough she agreed we have been working on diet for the past year with little success. Downside the fact that I have been diabetic nearly 20 years. The doctor says long term diabetes makes it tougher to resolve the diabetes through bariatric surgery. So I can hope. My mindset has been.... I want to take vitamins instead of insulin 3x/day, Bydureon, metformin, Farxiga, lisinopril, and simvistatin. So I will hope it does that for me.

I am getting the loop DS. It may take month before I get approved. Sooner is better than later for me because I am squish and can easily talk myself out of this. I was going to get a RNY several years ago, but it is so drastic it was scary. Then a coworker and a cousin died after the surgery so I chickened out. The loop DS doesn't scare me like the RNY did. It is a shorter operation and the process makes sense to me. So I just need to keep my head in the right place until I get this done.

 

[southernlady]

Welcome @Jo Lynne

 

[Barb1]

Welcome @Jo Lynne! I'm not sure about the loop DS because there are no long term results yet, but I wish you all the luck in the world!

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Hi and welcome! The Loop does indeed make a LOT more sense than RNY. As long as you understand that it is a new procedure, no long-term data about it yet, and that it is NOT the same as the DS about which much research has been published, that's what's most important. Since you're in UT, I'll assume you're using a reputable surgeon; that's the other "standard lecture" bit .

 

[brooklyngirl]

Hi and !

 

[newanatomy]

Hello and welcome!

 

[Munchkin]

Welcome and good luck!

 

[JackieOnLine]

Hello Jo Lynne! keep hanging out here if you feel like you might change your mind: we are all in favor of WLS.

glad you found us.

 

[Jo Lynne]

My surgeon will be Dr. Cottam who is spear heading the introduction of the Loop DS in the US. I like that the surgery time is short and like I said the connections make sense to me. I am not going on history of procedure as much as my own gut feeling about it (punny?). The procedure has a longer history in Europe and that has been a successful history.

With my comormidities Dr Cottam invited me to be part of the study he's doing. He thew in I get free vitamins for a year. I replied "sold". I would do the study for free. Being part of a study helps more than just me... And it means you get a lot if attention which ups my confidence about doing this Loop DS.

My weigh in weight was 301 which took a lot of effort for me. My plateau is about 280-285. But I fell off my diet in December and hit the high 290s when I went in to see my doctor after the new year. And we talked about how quickly the weight went on and I suggested bariatric surgery because I have been thinking about it. She agreed I am a good candidate and recommended Dr Cottam.

My diet is usually very controlled because I have food sensitivities to wheat and HFCS. Wheat gives me (as well as other family members) congestion/asthma. That is easy for me to avoid. I say bread or breath. HFCS gives me (as well as other family members) stinky like sulfer gas. While I was doing an elimination diet I gave up all grains and lost weight. That was a few years ago. But my doctor and I tracked my weight and A1C because I gave up grains and potatoes starting in May of last year. My weight plateaued at 180 and my A1C improved. I don't consume a lot of sugar to start with because I don't crave sweet things. I like salty and crunchy.

So starting in December I took a break which lasted until my consult. I ate potatoes and rice, corn and had some fried foods and my weight ballooned up as well as my A1C to 7.7. Ouch! But I continued until my first consult because I wanted to be at my top end for the first weigh in. And I tipped 300. Now I am back on track not eating the high carb foods. I expect I will drop 20 lbs again fairly quickly and stall like I do.

Metabolism reading tested good at the intake. Which I was surprised. I thought I had a slow metabolism. They asked me if I am active. My job is a desk job but I do walk the dogs. So I guess that helps.

 

[Jo Lynne]

Correction **280.. My platue weight is 280.

 

[southernlady]

@Jo Lynne, glad you KNOW what your surgery is...as long as you are aware of how it is different from the traditional DS, then you are way ahead. Many surgeons are telling people it's "just like the DS">

Ask Dr. Cottem what the difference is between the SADI, the Loop DS, and the SIPS (that Dr. Roslin is leading the charge on here in the US). If you can post the differences as he explains them (WITH his permission) in our SADI/Loop/SIPS forum.

 

[Jo Lynne]

Dr Cottam UT partners with Dr Roslin NY. He calls it the Loop DS aka SIPs. Dr. Cottam is very up front about doing the Loop DS and not the traditional DS. I have watched the videos on both and I am comfortable with the loop. I guess we will see.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

Music to my ears, you are informed and you get it! That's not often the case . My dream is that this procedure will replace RNY.

 

[Jen-2]

Welcome to the board and good luck with your surgery!