Obesity Surgery WP Blog

To my WL Family,
In reading over all of the posts every morning I can’t help to be so
proud and blessed to have had the opportunity to be involved with
such a courageous, beautiful and compasionate group of people.
I become very upset when I hear people say that, ” this is an easy
way out” or “use a little will power and you’ll lose weight”. Do
they not think that we have tried to do this in other ways. It’s
not as if we have the operation and the “WL Fairy” waves a magic
wand and the pounds come off while we just sit around doing
nothing. Do these people think that one morning we woke up and
said, “I think I want to become a food addict” and then we proceeded
to continue to eat and see how much we could gain because we all
love carrying 300 to 400 or more pounds around everyday. We also
enjoy not being able to walk and take part in the activities with
our family…husbands, children, grandchildren, parents and
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The article about Ruby Tuesday’s firing the overweight girl was very
disappointing to me. I understand that you don’t see a lot of overweight
waitresses…and they were to be commended for hiring her in the first place,
but letting
her go because she “doesn’t fit the image” is terrible. Years ago (I was
about 41 and weighed 301 pounds) I was working selling new homes for a builder
in
our area. I was extremely successful and won awards as top sales person of
the month several times and had the best record for sales in the entire company
while I worked for him. When the job was finished (I had sold all of his
townhomes) I was told that I would not be working for him in his next community
because I “didn’t fit the image” he wanted to portray. It really hurt. I swore
I would never work for him again, and I haven’t. The post script to that
story is that no one he hired COULD sell his stupid condos and he ended up
having
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ON the 15th I made my 3 month anniversary. I’m 49lbs lighter. I
take a 1/3 of the insulin I use to take and none of the pills. I’m
happy right where I’m at. I need to lose more weight of course, But
so far I’m quite happy. I’m still tired though. I visited my doctor
on Monday. He gave me a B12 shot. I still feel quite tired all of
the time. Also, while I was in the shower last week I saw quite a
bit of hair on my hand. I freaked. I’m still in denial. While I
have always been fat others have told me I had “Beautiful hair and a
pretty face if only I lost weight.” The only complement I get and
I’m losing that one facet. Exhaustion and hair loss. WOW!

Peggy, The surgeon here in New Brunswick Canada charges 10 thousand for the
vanguard lapband, he is great , he did my lapband in Sept/o4.(day surgery)
If you are from the States your money is worth more so the operation would
cost you less.
Lois-Ann
donlois@…
if you need more info.

Hi there,
I am a journalism student completing a feature story on WLS. I need
to speak to a counselor/social worker/psychologist to get a
psychological perspective.
This assignment is due Monday Oct 25th. The interview will take less
than 30 minutes. We can even talk on the phone.
The main focus of the story is a WLS patient who belongs to this
site.
Please, please contact me.
Jewel Michelle Katyal
416-597-0685
jewelkats@…
Thanks!!!

<<Does anybody else have this problem? From what I’ve read, everybody
throws up. People wish they could stop throwing up. But, when I
asked my doctor about it he said that what’s happening to me happens
to everyone, and people who say they “threw up” just mean that they
gagged up saliva, just like me. I think he’s way off.
*WAY OFF!* If blocked, we can hurl like anyone else. I don’t know without
blockage. When blocked, I throw up food, or unmelted pills, etc.
Unfortunately, since we don’t start digesting until the Y, by the time our bods
know to throw up it’s too late. Too far down . . .
Rachel Hawkridge in Washington State.

I have information on a surgeon in Brazil who preforms the BPD/DS (I
think Lap) for $9000 “cash”. My question is…..is this a “good” rate
of not? Also, what is the cost of WLS for “cash” only people that do
not have insurance that will pay?
Thanks for helping,
Peggy

Hi there,
I’d really like some input from folks who’ve already recieved OHIP
approval for WLS.
On Monday Oct 18, my family doctor faxed OHIP the out-of-country
form. She also included a two-page support letter from my Orthopedic
surgeon. (I’ve had 7 knee-surgies to date. I currently walk with a
cane.) She also enclosed a supporting letter from my shrink.
According to my doc, my weight is considered borderline obese (BMI
of 34.) But my orthopedic problems are severe for a 25-year-old
girl. My doc also ticked off the boxes pertaining to “tissue damage”
and “death.”
Here are my questions:
(1) How long will it take before I hear back from OHIP?
(2) Did anyone recieve approval for WLS as a borderline obese person
with co-moribilities for a severe knee problem?
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I can’t vomit like I used to—isn’t that a statement in itself? Since I had
my revision I can on do the saliva for the most part too and so I just lay
and groan in pain for a half hour or so.before it passes. It is horrible and I
miss that with my old surgery I could pretty much hurl with the best of them.
It was great when something didn’t go down right. Now I gag and hack and it
just ain’t like the old days. I try the drinking thing but nothing works. I
just get worse if I try and drink anything.
Becky

I’ve been pretty quite since I said hello to the group about a month
ago. I am 30, from Boston and I have a date for November 16, 2004.
I have enjoyed reading everyones great questions and even better
advise. I found reading this site very helpful. I am so excited to
have a date and having it be only 4 weeks away, I know I am lucky!
I look forward to staying connected with this site and all the
wonderful people involved. I just wanted to share my great news!
Jen