newfilter
In the begining
Jan 31, 2009
I am a 53 yr. old female, my highest recorded weight is 299. The day I met my VSG surgeon I weighed 281. I had surgery at the University of San Francisco on Monday January 26th 2009.
I have struggled with weight all of my adult life. I was a round child but not severely overweight, but once I left college and stopped being active I became obese. I have tried every single marketed diet plan, club, whatever, to lose weight over the years; I never took phen-pen or those diet injections but everything else I tried at least once. No sustained success, ten years ago I lost 75 lbs. on Weight Watchers, but over time I gained almost all of that weight back, I remained 15-20 pounds under my top weight for many, many years.
I have an unusual medical history in that 15 years ago I had a liver transplant. While I was sick, before transplant surgery, I lost some weight, and I was always reminded by the liver docs before that surgery happened to not gain weight, so obviously even while very sick, weight was an issue. After transplant, the hugest adjustment was all of the medication I had to take. The docs have learned a lot over the course if 15 years in terms of medication, but back then it seemed like I was taking a TRUCKLOAD of pills. One if my medications Prednisone, a steroid drug, was really helping me to pack on the pounds. Thankfully after ten years of RX steroid use, ideas changed and Prednisone was removed from my medicine protocol. Although some of my meds are still steroid based none has all of the bad side effects of Prednisone. But the pattern had really been set in stone, I WAS JUST GOING TO BE OBESE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, or at least so it seemed.
I had considered and spoke about RNY with my liver docs but my medication works primarily by a slow absorption in the lower tract, I take anti-rejection meds every 12 hours. The trade off was too great, what if I did not get enough absorption going on with a by-pass? No, I couldn't do it. I'd have to live with the weight. By now in my 50s my knees were breaking down, my feet hurt all of the time, I had back problems, lots of pain all related to the weight I was carrying around. On my 53rd birthday I felt like I was 60. I heard about lap-banding and I wanted to find out more, so the day after my 53rd birthday Sept. 30, 2008, I approached my doctors at Kaiser No. Cal. (I live in Fresno smack in the center of California). Kaiser raised their hands and said, "We really are afraid to touch you with a 10 foot pole" BUT, "We'd like to help you so we will pay the bill if you go to UCSF and see what they have to say" So off I went to San Francisco, on Dec. 3rd 2008 I met Dr. Andrew Posselt, who must be the smartest Doc in all of CA, he is the Asst. Prof. of Surgery at UCSF and get this - HE IS A LIVER TRANSPLANT SURGEON, who also does work in laparoscopic bariatric surgery. What are the chances of that?
I talked to Dr. Posselt about banding, but there was a problem with a band as it obstructs the common bile duct and for me that might present problems. Just in case there were problems with my transplanted liver they would have to operate to look inside to see what was happening. With an intact duct they can insert a guided scope and pass it through the bile duct in order to see into the liver and help diagnose problems should they arise. He also felt that any surgery that causes mal-absorption like RNY is also kind of risky and requires changes to your meds etc. although he has successfully done RNY on liver transplant patients. I have been so blessed with this new liver, NEVER a problem in 15 years; I just did not want to rock the boat, take such a chance, not even to be thin. That's when he told me about Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, in about 15 minutes I was sold and asking him when he could do it?
It did not take long, I went home with a list of requirements on Wed. Dec. 3 and by Fri. Dec. 5, I was in my doctor's office at Kaiser insisting on all of these tests. My PCP is a nice guy don't get me wrong, but he is very conservative. That very same day I already had a chest X-ray taken and seen the nutritionist at Kaiser, she wrote me a letter of authorization. For about two weeks I was at Kaiser almost every day, stress test, ultrasounds, blood work, and finally a visit to a psychiatrist, that was Fri. Dec. 19th 2008. I was DONE. I'll say this, if you ever want to get medical testing out of the way quickly plan to do it the two weeks before Christmas, no one wants to be at the doctor or risk getting "bad news" just before the holidays. Then the holidays Xmas and New Years came falling on Wednesdays which is the day that UCSF holds their bariatric clinic, I had a little wait, I ATE (a little humor there). I also was required to lose 10-15 lbs. before Dr. Posselt would schedule surgery, I think mostly just to show my willingness to diet. I returned for one visit on Jan. 7th 2009, all tests passed, and I had lost 13 lbs. even over the holidays. He scheduled surgery for Jan 26th. Amazingly fast, that's why I say: IF YOU REALLY WANT SOMETHING GO FOR IT, get informed, move forward with a smile and a good attitude and folks will get out of your way.
My surgery went well, no problems, I was cautioned that people with previous surgeries have adhesions and scar tissue inside and some even require a switch to an "open" procedure instead of laparoscopic; luckily that had not been my case. I was first up for surgery at 7:30 am arrived at the hospital at 6, rolled in got prepped and actually went into surgery about 8am, by 10am I was awake, by 11am in a regular hospital room, no ICU or such. Plenty of pain, but hooked up to a Dialauded pump no worse for the wear. Kind of a rough first night so many pokes and prods, basically no sleep at all. Dr. Posselt visited said all went well and there were visits from a handful of other "fellows" all said it went very well and I had done well.
On the day after surgery I had a cup of pills placed in front of me, I was scared to death, would the pills go down? It was a struggle but I did it slowly, I had just swallowed my first dose of the medicines that had been keeping me alive and healthy for the past 15 years, I said YAHOO! I got up out of bed and took a little walk, I don't see how with that strong pain killer in me. Also the day after surgery I had to have the dreaded leak test. You are asked to swallow Methylene Blue Dye, that is X-rayed as it goes down and is digested. I was able to see my new, very small, tummy, it looked a little like a deflated balloon, you know those ones that the clowns make figures out of. Another night in the hospital, more fun and games, a second dose of my anti-rejection medicines - no problems, and at least a little sleep. On the third day... I saw a nutritionist about my diet going forward and a pharmacist about my medications, I checked out of the hospital at about 2pm. After a 3.5 hr. ride to Fresno from San Francisco, I was home, and ever so glad to be there.
That first night's sleep in my own bed, was FABULUOUS. I have been told that I snored and well.... passed gas all night. I guess all that air that had been pumped in and had accumulated finally came out, what a relief. In the few subsequent days since surgery I have tried to concentrate on getting in enough water first and then trying to get some protein in as well, and starting to move more. So far so good. I am very lucky and I have a perfect partner of 10 years who has helped and supported me all through the pre-process, the surgery, and now post-op. I am so grateful for this, I will say if you plan this type of surgery for yourself, DON'T DO IT ALONE. You need someone that you can rely on for help and support, physically and emotionally. Our two little doggies at home are also helping me heal quickly. I am feeling better every day and although I am really going to have stop weighing myself each day, so far I have lost weight, no make that POUNDS, every single day. I am realistic, I know at some point this will taper and perhaps plateau but it is a great start for me, so far.... I
MY SLEEVE.
0 comments
I have struggled with weight all of my adult life. I was a round child but not severely overweight, but once I left college and stopped being active I became obese. I have tried every single marketed diet plan, club, whatever, to lose weight over the years; I never took phen-pen or those diet injections but everything else I tried at least once. No sustained success, ten years ago I lost 75 lbs. on Weight Watchers, but over time I gained almost all of that weight back, I remained 15-20 pounds under my top weight for many, many years.
I have an unusual medical history in that 15 years ago I had a liver transplant. While I was sick, before transplant surgery, I lost some weight, and I was always reminded by the liver docs before that surgery happened to not gain weight, so obviously even while very sick, weight was an issue. After transplant, the hugest adjustment was all of the medication I had to take. The docs have learned a lot over the course if 15 years in terms of medication, but back then it seemed like I was taking a TRUCKLOAD of pills. One if my medications Prednisone, a steroid drug, was really helping me to pack on the pounds. Thankfully after ten years of RX steroid use, ideas changed and Prednisone was removed from my medicine protocol. Although some of my meds are still steroid based none has all of the bad side effects of Prednisone. But the pattern had really been set in stone, I WAS JUST GOING TO BE OBESE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, or at least so it seemed.
I had considered and spoke about RNY with my liver docs but my medication works primarily by a slow absorption in the lower tract, I take anti-rejection meds every 12 hours. The trade off was too great, what if I did not get enough absorption going on with a by-pass? No, I couldn't do it. I'd have to live with the weight. By now in my 50s my knees were breaking down, my feet hurt all of the time, I had back problems, lots of pain all related to the weight I was carrying around. On my 53rd birthday I felt like I was 60. I heard about lap-banding and I wanted to find out more, so the day after my 53rd birthday Sept. 30, 2008, I approached my doctors at Kaiser No. Cal. (I live in Fresno smack in the center of California). Kaiser raised their hands and said, "We really are afraid to touch you with a 10 foot pole" BUT, "We'd like to help you so we will pay the bill if you go to UCSF and see what they have to say" So off I went to San Francisco, on Dec. 3rd 2008 I met Dr. Andrew Posselt, who must be the smartest Doc in all of CA, he is the Asst. Prof. of Surgery at UCSF and get this - HE IS A LIVER TRANSPLANT SURGEON, who also does work in laparoscopic bariatric surgery. What are the chances of that?
I talked to Dr. Posselt about banding, but there was a problem with a band as it obstructs the common bile duct and for me that might present problems. Just in case there were problems with my transplanted liver they would have to operate to look inside to see what was happening. With an intact duct they can insert a guided scope and pass it through the bile duct in order to see into the liver and help diagnose problems should they arise. He also felt that any surgery that causes mal-absorption like RNY is also kind of risky and requires changes to your meds etc. although he has successfully done RNY on liver transplant patients. I have been so blessed with this new liver, NEVER a problem in 15 years; I just did not want to rock the boat, take such a chance, not even to be thin. That's when he told me about Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, in about 15 minutes I was sold and asking him when he could do it?
It did not take long, I went home with a list of requirements on Wed. Dec. 3 and by Fri. Dec. 5, I was in my doctor's office at Kaiser insisting on all of these tests. My PCP is a nice guy don't get me wrong, but he is very conservative. That very same day I already had a chest X-ray taken and seen the nutritionist at Kaiser, she wrote me a letter of authorization. For about two weeks I was at Kaiser almost every day, stress test, ultrasounds, blood work, and finally a visit to a psychiatrist, that was Fri. Dec. 19th 2008. I was DONE. I'll say this, if you ever want to get medical testing out of the way quickly plan to do it the two weeks before Christmas, no one wants to be at the doctor or risk getting "bad news" just before the holidays. Then the holidays Xmas and New Years came falling on Wednesdays which is the day that UCSF holds their bariatric clinic, I had a little wait, I ATE (a little humor there). I also was required to lose 10-15 lbs. before Dr. Posselt would schedule surgery, I think mostly just to show my willingness to diet. I returned for one visit on Jan. 7th 2009, all tests passed, and I had lost 13 lbs. even over the holidays. He scheduled surgery for Jan 26th. Amazingly fast, that's why I say: IF YOU REALLY WANT SOMETHING GO FOR IT, get informed, move forward with a smile and a good attitude and folks will get out of your way.
My surgery went well, no problems, I was cautioned that people with previous surgeries have adhesions and scar tissue inside and some even require a switch to an "open" procedure instead of laparoscopic; luckily that had not been my case. I was first up for surgery at 7:30 am arrived at the hospital at 6, rolled in got prepped and actually went into surgery about 8am, by 10am I was awake, by 11am in a regular hospital room, no ICU or such. Plenty of pain, but hooked up to a Dialauded pump no worse for the wear. Kind of a rough first night so many pokes and prods, basically no sleep at all. Dr. Posselt visited said all went well and there were visits from a handful of other "fellows" all said it went very well and I had done well.
On the day after surgery I had a cup of pills placed in front of me, I was scared to death, would the pills go down? It was a struggle but I did it slowly, I had just swallowed my first dose of the medicines that had been keeping me alive and healthy for the past 15 years, I said YAHOO! I got up out of bed and took a little walk, I don't see how with that strong pain killer in me. Also the day after surgery I had to have the dreaded leak test. You are asked to swallow Methylene Blue Dye, that is X-rayed as it goes down and is digested. I was able to see my new, very small, tummy, it looked a little like a deflated balloon, you know those ones that the clowns make figures out of. Another night in the hospital, more fun and games, a second dose of my anti-rejection medicines - no problems, and at least a little sleep. On the third day... I saw a nutritionist about my diet going forward and a pharmacist about my medications, I checked out of the hospital at about 2pm. After a 3.5 hr. ride to Fresno from San Francisco, I was home, and ever so glad to be there.
That first night's sleep in my own bed, was FABULUOUS. I have been told that I snored and well.... passed gas all night. I guess all that air that had been pumped in and had accumulated finally came out, what a relief. In the few subsequent days since surgery I have tried to concentrate on getting in enough water first and then trying to get some protein in as well, and starting to move more. So far so good. I am very lucky and I have a perfect partner of 10 years who has helped and supported me all through the pre-process, the surgery, and now post-op. I am so grateful for this, I will say if you plan this type of surgery for yourself, DON'T DO IT ALONE. You need someone that you can rely on for help and support, physically and emotionally. Our two little doggies at home are also helping me heal quickly. I am feeling better every day and although I am really going to have stop weighing myself each day, so far I have lost weight, no make that POUNDS, every single day. I am realistic, I know at some point this will taper and perhaps plateau but it is a great start for me, so far.... I
MY SLEEVE.
