VSG vs. DS (Sydney, Aus.)

[Parousia]

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time, @more2adore! Hopefully, if the other CT machines don't work, Prof Nottle would be prepared to do the VSG without the CT scan. That should get your weight down enough that you can get the scan before part 2. I don't recall atm if you said you've had previous abdominal surgery or not, but if not, there shouldn't be any great surprises for Nottle.

With regard to the 2-part DS, would Prof Nottle be prepared to schedule part 2 for a year after part 1? I understand his/your concern with regard to pregnancy, but so far I've only heard great success stories re pregnancy after DS. Being able to get your weight down lower would certainly make for a more comfortable pregnancy with fewer complications, as long as you look after your nutrition (which you need to do anyway, post -DS).

My youngest son was born just before my 44th birthday, btw (prior to my DS). Not planned, but a wonderful gift. . I was at my highest weight to that point by the end of my pregnancy of 118 kg (260 pounds) and ended up with Gestational Diabetes and preeclampsia, which started developing into HELLLP syndrome, resulting in Jayden being induced at 35 weeks. My age may have been a factor, but from what I was told, my weight was a bigger factor.

 

[more2adore]

I'm actually not all that concerned about pregnancy post-DS. It's Nottle who is. He insisted you cannot maintain the nutrition needed to have healthy babies post-DS and that it didn't matter if I knew a couple of people who had, they're outliers. He said he would not do the DS part until we were done having children. I respect the man for his skills, but he did spend a lot of time doing what felt like trying to scare me in the appointment - scare me that I would die if I didn't have surgery, scare me with the risks of the DS (which I already knew inside and out), scare me with the thought of being unable to have children post-DS. I'm sure he's required to present all the negatives and risks, which is probably why it felt that way, but it just felt like "dire" warnings instead of even-handedly presented risk information. Hubby was not worried about the DS (given all the info I'd shown him) until we met with Nottle. Now he's desperately hoping I'll somehow magically only have to have the VSG.

 

[DianaCox]

There is a DSer who was a surrogate mother of TWINS after her DS. Nottle is full of shit. Nod and smile - but tell him if he ties your tubes without your permission, you will sue him straight to hell.

 

[brooklyngirl]

I'm actually not all that concerned about pregnancy post-DS. It's Nottle who is. He insisted you cannot maintain the nutrition needed to have healthy babies post-DS and that it didn't matter if I knew a couple of people who had, they're outliers. He said he would not do the DS part until we were done having children. I respect the man for his skills, but he did spend a lot of time doing what felt like trying to scare me in the appointment - scare me that I would die if I didn't have surgery, scare me with the risks of the DS (which I already knew inside and out), scare me with the thought of being unable to have children post-DS. I'm sure he's required to present all the negatives and risks, which is probably why it felt that way, but it just felt like "dire" warnings instead of even-handedly presented risk information. Hubby was not worried about the DS (given all the info I'd shown him) until we met with Nottle. Now he's desperately hoping I'll somehow magically only have to have the VSG.

I think that's BS too. My GYN isn't even concerned about me having a post DS baby, and says she has tons of WLS patients in her practice. I was basically infertile before surgery, not having a period for roughly 2 years. A good part of the reason I finally decided to pursue WLS in the first place was so I can get healthy enough to have babies, it finally hit me one day that my time is not abundant any longer. We'll have to be even more vigilant about supplements and doctor visits, probably seeing a high risk OBGYN, but I don't believe what he told you. I'm also a member of a post WLS pregnancy group on FB and there are lots of ladies there that would disagree as well!

 

[more2adore]

Derp - it didn't occur to me that with a CT scanner that is rated up to 640 founds that it still might not FIT me. I mean, duh. Why didn't I think of that? NOTHING fits me. Sigh. I fasted for four hours, spent 2 hours getting to the place (and walked like a mile in 90-degree weather to get there as there were no convenient bus stops...that's a BIG FUCKING DEAL for someone my size), waited an hour for them to finally take me back, wait another 25 minutes STANDING because the room they showed me into to change out of my bra, etc. only had a chair I couldn't sit in in it, and then they get me on the table, get my back properly pillowed, start sliding me in, and...nope. No-go. It got as far as my upper thighs, and that was it. It started hurting because it was squeezing so tight, so they pulled me out.

I asked them very nicely if they could PLEASE help me find somewhere that could help me before I left... the kind nurse made some calls for me and said there were three hospitals who had CT scanners rated up to 660 pounds, and they said I would "definitely" fit. Yeah. We'll see. I'll believe it when I see it.

Not sure what to do if this next one doesn't work. Are they going to send me to like a ZOO or something to get a CT scanner that will fit me? You probably think I'm nuts, but I read an Aussie news article about that happening for people who were too large in Melbourne to fit the "human-sized" CTs. I tell ya - nothing is more dehumanizing than being SSMO. Don't get me wrong - it pisses me off more than anything. I have no idea what our next step will be if this next place doesn't work.

The person who helped me at the last CT place wrote down the name of the hospital that had the scanner incorrectly... I went to St. George's Private Hospital for my appointment only to be told their table wasn't rated high enough for me. She said "maybe" St. George's Public Hospital had one that would work. So I went over there and the front desk woman at first told me there was "no way" they could accommodate me, but I insisted on speaking to a CT radiographer, and she finally caved and let me. Radiographer said "Oh, yeah, we got a new machine a couple of months ago, rated to 300 kilos" (661 pounds) and she suggested I get in and try it for fit! lol! Loved her. It worked just fine. So I have an appointment in about a week there - let's hope the third time is the charm!

 

[Parousia]

The person who helped me at the last CT place wrote down the name of the hospital that had the scanner incorrectly... I went to St. George's Private Hospital for my appointment only to be told their table wasn't rated high enough for me. She said "maybe" St. George's Public Hospital had one that would work. So I went over there and the front desk woman at first told me there was "no way" they could accommodate me, but I insisted on speaking to a CT radiographer, and she finally caved and let me. Radiographer said "Oh, yeah, we got a new machine a couple of months ago, rated to 300 kilos" (661 pounds) and she suggested I get in and try it for fit! lol! Loved her. It worked just fine. So I have an appointment in about a week there - let's hope the third time is the charm!

Great news! I'm so happy to hear that, @more2adore! Btw, for future reference, the big public hospitals (esp. teaching hospitals) in Australia are almost always better equipped than the private hospitals (in my experience, anyway).

 

[DuodenalSwitchaRoo]

oh man Gin, those experiences pre-op still haunt me. Medical staff have no idea. You raise concerns over and over and over and they REASSURE you it will be ok...and then it is not ok. FML, those days used to hurt my soul to the core. Now, I still have those moments (in my head only!) and I can fit most places once I get over the mental hurdle of past hurts.

I wish I had comforting words. I have found medical staff and equipment a lot less used to SSMO people outside of the USA. I tried to convey that to people but until you experience it personally, words fail really.

As for the babies, don't listen to a man lol. Seriously, I know lots of women who have had babies post DS, older than 30 and the babies are healthy

 

[Parousia]

Btw. I wouldn't worry too much about what Nottle says about low fat eating. I'm afraid the medical community, on the whole, have bought into the low-fat must be better, healthier, etc. There is no evidence for it, not even for those who haven't had surgery. The implementation of the current food pyramid was more politically motivated than medically motivated, unfortunately. The evidence just wasn't there. My mother and sister are both following the LCHF (Low Carb High Fat) approach to eating, and both of them are doing well on it.

PS When I recorded all my food when following Atkins, I was very surprised to find that my calorie intake was lower than usual, even though I was eating high fat food and I wasn't taking calories into account at all!

 

[more2adore]

Yeah, Roo, I seriously almost cried when the private hospital told me they weren't going to be able to help me. But I called hubby, who said "Just walk on over to the public one and see if they can do it. Just ask." I soooo did not want to do that walk again, but thanks to him I did. Don't tell him I'm glad I listened to him - he might expect me to start listening to his advice more often.

 

[southernlady]

Yeah, Roo, I seriously almost cried when the private hospital told me they weren't going to be able to help me. But I called hubby, who said "Just walk on over to the public one and see if they can do it. Just ask." I soooo did not want to do that walk again, but thanks to him I did. Don't tell him I'm glad I listened to him - he might expect me to start listening to his advice more often.

Can't let him know he was right, LOL...

I can not even begin to imagine how y'all feel (you and Roo, etc) but I am glad you are on your way to a healthier you.

 

[more2adore]

So you know how I was supposed to FINALLY get that CT done at the hospital where they had a scanner I knew would work for me? Well, I missed that appointment... because I got sick and was admitted to a DIFFERENT hospital. I was only in the hospital for two days, but of COURSE those had to overlap with my CT appointment!

I was admitted due to (of course) cellulitis. I swear to god - if I could get through another year without being hospitalized with cellulitis in my legs, I'd cry for joy.I am SO tired of this BS.

Anyway, I'm mostly fine now... no infection, but still have a wound on my leg that will be looked at by my Derm next week.

So since I was in a hospital that was on my list of "has a big enough CT machine," I begged the nurse to let me get a CT while I was there. Nurse backed me up, but doc said no - but that they could set me up as an outpatient to be scanned immediately following my release. Great! Then the nurse comes back, measures me, and says nope, I was misinformed, I won't fit. What's more, they won't help me further (though the doc had said they'd help me find a place if theirs didn't work). I'm being discharged, I'm out on my butt, and I can find a CT place on my own damn time. Sigh. Well, okay. I try to reschedule at the one I missed - they can't do it in time for my appointment Nov. 10.

So I call the last CT place on the list I was given, at a different hospital. I explain the situation. I'll be honest, I cried a little! I was just so frucking frustrated. Fortunately the woman I talked to really empathized, and she said if I could get them lab results for my last liver function test and a referral quickly they'd fit me in next week. She would make SURE they fit me in, no matter what. So as she instructed, I called the hospital for my last test results... only to be told they only accept requests from clinicians. So I call the CT place back. She doesn't understand their policy, but I'll just have to go see my GP and get him to ask for the results. So I see my GP the next day... bless this man, he called the hospital while I was sitting there, demanded the results immediately, they faxed them over, and his front office faxed them and the referral to the CT place right away. They are AWESOME. CT place called me today and scheduled me for Monday.

So let's hope 1) my CT Monday goes off without a hitch, and 2) I can stay out of the damn hospital between now and surgery!

 

[Larra]

So sorry you are going through so much just to get a lousy CT scan. You're right, people who have never been MO have no idea what we sometimes go through, even when they work in the medical field.
Meanwhile, elevate that leg, warm moist compresses, yadda yadda. No more cellulitis allowed!

 

[more2adore]

You're so bossy, Larra. It's kinda like looking in a mirror.

 

[Larra]

Yeah, that's me, always ordering people to stay healthy.

 

[more2adore]

I know, right?!

You should see how full of doctor appointments my calendar is over the next month... it's insane. I SO very much want to be healthier and to only have to see doctors for labwork regularly and have other types of visits be a very rare thing!