Rosebud thank you for the welcome back and the best wishes...

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So I've debated "Posting VS. Not posting" about something.

I've come to the point where I am frustrated, and realizing that while I eat pretty healthy for the most part, etc. it's not enough for me... I eat pretty well, but my exercise is way down and I am struggling to get it back to where I want it, and beyond. Truthfully my body is just not coping with my current bustline... I lost some in the waist, some in the hips but nothing in the bust in the last month (no idea about the scales).

Even my swimming is awkward now... Which is very hard on me because it is something I love. Don't get me wrong... i can still play in the water but doing the actual strokes seems to be significantly hindered now.

So for many reasons... I decided to go for a reduction consult... Which netted me a WLS referral. It wasn't an option I had previously considered for myself. Mainly because for me... a RNY would be tantamount to a life long sentence of no pain medications. It turns out Ontario will cover a VSG as well.

I'm certainly not looking at a VSG as a total solution but I've decided to go through the process, and use it as the tool it is. Never hurts that they provide a dietitian, nutritionist, and 5 years follow-up as well so a fair amount of hand holding, prodding and motivation.

I certainly don't think it is the option for everyone... But I think at this point it is the option for me. If for no other reason then just so I can get the darn reduction I need to be able to function. I'm not going to assume 1 surgery will negate the other surgery because the reduction was proposed to me when I was slim with more than my fair share.

I debated discussing it in this section, popped over to the wLS section a couple times, etc. but in truth this is my HOME on this board and hopefully it still will be even though I am choosing this path.

Shell

curves of course this will stay your home on 3fc...if you go down the surgery route it just means a different way of losing weight....nothing more!
I know that WLS gets a bad press at the moment....don't those newspapers love an"I put all the weight back on" headline.
I should imagine that all of us on here who have dieted all our lives understand that one should never discount ANY way of improving one's health and wellbeing for the long term. As with all things, it's weighing up the pros and cons ....write them down if you want and get ALL the info good and bad and then you can make an informed decision based on your needs not the opinion of friends and family.
We are here to support you!!

Thank you Mountain Walker!

To be honest... I never see those headlines. Though I know some it has worked for and some it hasn't worked for. For me I am just looking at it as a tool... I know where I want to end up, I know there will be a "bounce" or "regain" once I hit my low point (most have a 10-20 lb regain), and am focusing on body fat levels vs BMI. Size of clothing vs weight. Different approach then some but I have never been one that the scales worked well for anyway. It is more how healthy I am and how my clothing fits.

At this point though... I will take all the tools I can get.

SHELL ~ don't worry about posting here about the different options you are considering; many people try different eating plans and exercise styles. WLS is another tool that some are using to get them going.

As you go along, you will learn that the WLS tool is just that -- a tool to help you in this back to good health journey. I know you know that you will still have to watch what you eat for the rest of your life, surgery or no surgery.

One of my cousin's had some kind of WLS done last December, and as far as I know, she is doing well with it. She has lost weight with it and is off her meds, which was an important victory for her.

Everyone is different and have their own opinions about it. It's not for me as I have a severe vitamin & mineral deficiency (among other health issues), but I will support and pray for anyone who goes that route.

I know the process is much longer here in Canada than in the US -- some say anywhere from 6 months to a year even. Plus, there are a lot of tests and counselling that have to take place first. Some good changes have been made I see, as when my doctor first looked into it, the VSG wasn't covered (and from my investigation, I thought it had many advantages over the RNY). And, I am super glad that you will receive a lot of support during the process as well. Keep us posted and let us help you along the way ...

EDIT2ADD: I also prefer to use sizes as my main goals as the scales annoy me. I do weigh myself every 2-3 months to see how I am doing becuz I know by then, I will have lost something. It's a strategy that works for me.

MEM ~ making spagetti sauce with your extra tomatoes and peppers is a great idea; I used to do that too. Yesterday, I picked the last of our green beans and stewed them with some fresh tomatoes, a little onion, 1 cup shredded cabbage, plus some spices/herbs.

Okay--I don't know what VSG or RNY mean...Please let me know so I can help. =)

VICKI ~ they are two kinds of Weight-Loss surgeries. The RNY is the staple kind that creates a small pouch at the top of the stomach; and I think they may do a by-pass too (called a Gastric By-Pass). It is more complicated than that, of course; and kind of technical to describe. The RNY (and that's what they call it) can have some absorbtion issues and other unpleasant side effects which people don't like to talk about. You may have difficulty eating some kinds of foods in the future too.

The point is to make the stomach much, much smaller, so you can't eat as much food; therefore, this helps you to lose weight. I've read that you really have about a 9-12 month window to lose the optimum amount of weight, but this may vary with each person. It is true that many people who get the RNY re-gain the weight back. The truth is -- that you have to diet before the surgery, and afterwards to lose the weight; and you must continue to moderate what you eat long-term if you want to keep the weight off for life.

The VSG is the Vertical Sleeve Gastric (by-pass?) kind. Some people prefer the VSG becuz it doesn't have the same side effects. I also think it is done differently, if I am recalling it correctly; meaning it is sewn rather than stapled and has no pouch, but the stomach is just made slimmer, so less food can go in there. Later on, you can eat a bigger variety of foods, just not as much.

People with Diabetes have found this kind of WLS very helpful for them, in controlling their blood sugar levels. This procedure is newer so there may not be as much follow-up stats available for it yet. EDIT2ADD: it may be the DS (Duodenal Switch) that is helping the BSL's and sometimes this is combined with the VS surgery in some cases (another option).

If someone knows more than me, by all means, please correct me. It has been some time since I read up on it; and I don't want to sound biased or pass on the wrong information.

Rosebud you made me tear up! LOVE YOU FOR THAT!

The Ontario time lines appear to be 6-24 months... that's not to say I am not going to work on things in that time though.

And you have it pretty darn close on those...

dolfingirl2000 I am going to give you the readers digest version of it all. There are many types of Bariatric Surgery. In Ontario our health care will cover 2 (sometimes a 3rd) types.

I've actually typed this out to explain it to someone else so I pulled what I typed. It is a bit long but it makes things really clear:

I'm not going to tell any one that 1 surgery is better than another. I know that the one I have chosen is the right one for me. We all have to make our own choices... In Ontario there are truly 4 prevalent options.

1. RNY which is considered the gold standard. Proponents of the RNY will advocate for it for a number of reasons. One which I don't often read here, but is possibly the only one I have ever thought made sense when someone told me it... Is that they leave the additional stomach material, and should there be a problem with your pouch... They have material to use in a repair. Be it related to the surgery, or another medical condition completely.

RNY is RESTRICTIVE and MALABSORBTIVE. 70-80% of excess weight loss expected at 1 year.

2. VSG (Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy) which is a newer procedure, and came about as a stand alone option... Though it was originally related to the DS. It is part of the DS, and it was originally split onto it's own to see if it was possible to do it first, and then convert to a DS for patients where a RNY or DS was too risky.

VSG is purely RESTRICTIVE, and may take 2 years to achieve the same weight loss goal as someone who has had an RYN. Less food intolerance issues, and is considered relatively safe for those who are more ill because it has a lower overall surgical risk level do to the simplistic nature of the surgery. 55% of excess weight loss expected at 2 years.

There are lower risks for vitamin deficiencies because of the lack of malabsorbtion component.

3. LAP BAND - NOT covered by OHIP. When I looked here... The prices were up to and around 17K if you looked at what you were paying for financing.

The band has a high rate of re-surgery, slippage, or failure due to "eating around the band". 55% of excess weight loss expected at 2 years.

4. DS. Duodenal Switch is a uniquely intriguing option. It is not TYPICALLY covered by OHIP but it CAN be if you are willing to fight for it. This surgery is more regularly performed in Europe and they have found that it will actually instantaneously reverse a handful of co-morbidities. It can also be a 2 stage process with the VSG.

DS will evntually allow for the most "normal" food consumption of the 4 main options because of a lack of limitations. There is a reason it is loved by those who go this route... It is also known for a high percentage of loss, and sustaining the loss. 80% of excess weight loss expected at 1 year.

I'll share the link that made it the easiest for me to understand:

http://www.surgicalweightlosssolutio...comparison.pdf

All 4 are compared. The good, the bad, and everything in between. The link is to a US Bariatric Surgery Clinic which performs all 4 options. They have NO reason to push one over the other because at the end of the day... They want peoples money and do them all.

Hope this helps clear a few things up.

Shell

SHELL ~ thanks for that; it may actually be the DS (Duodenal Switch) that is helping the Diabetics so much; it stops the absorption down lower too, which in turn, helps the blood sugar levels. You can have a combination of VS & DS but not sure if that is covered by OHIP; some insurance plans may cover it though.

You really have to do your homework when considering this kind of option, but I think you will learn a lot through the whole process too ...

Yep.. DS is the one that has a 95%+ rate of clearing type 2.

VS can be converted to DS since it is 1/2 of the surgery... For me... I am going with the VS. A lot of time and energy went into figuring out which way to go.

I have a few friends who have had different forms of bipass surgery. My brother had it and almost died. He has lost weight but is left with many health issues stemming from it. I have a friend who also had it and looks amazing and has had no problems what so ever.She follows her diet faithfully and has added years to her life.
Dolphin great to see you!!

car - I will be thinking about you today! Please let us know how your appointment goes. Going out to the movies afterward is smart, and if you're still feeling that food-pressure, well, remember how well you did at the b-day party this weekend. Maybe that will help! Also, if you have a Kroger's near you (I assume you do), they carry this frozen... stuff called Artic Zero, which is supposedyl 150 cal/pint. I saw that the Today Show had some tested and it tested out higher than that by about 40%. Still, that would be 210 cal/pint or 52.5 calories instead of 37 calories per half-cup serving. It is NOT GREAT, but it is okay and it works for me on an emotional level to eat a bit. Plus, because it is not that great I am able to restrict myself to a serving rather than the pint. Not an ideal solution, but not bad to have.

Shell - heh. Uh, I feel you on the 'reduction', thing. I THOUGHT I was losing some in the chest, but that was just because the bands of my bras were too big, which made the cups seem to big. Bought a new bra (44G from a 48H, which is the lowest in recent memory), and still probably need an H cup. Those are hard to find! So: have lost in the band but not otherwise. It is not easy.

I agree with mountain walker. No one in this section would disparage your choices or committment, and you've clearly done so much research on the choices appropriate for you. The process in Canada also seems so much more supportive and better than the process in the States, where I think the profit motive can really influence the choices and recommendations surgeons make, and make it more difficult to suss out the underlying recommendations. It also related to the way we do insurance reimbursements in the US, privileging PROCEDURES, whatever they may be, over medical management in a way that can be detrimental to patients (here I am thinking more about spinal and orthopedic surgeries, pain management and the like).

Rosebud - your stewed green beans sound lovely! My local farm-to-table market had shelly beans this weekend, as they are called in the south. Or fresh cranberry beans, as they might be called in the north. I bought some, cooked them and served them in a mustard-dill vinaigrette. They were earthy and pretty good, though I was not sure how many calories they had. I treated them more like BEAN BEANS in my head than GREEN beans. hah.

I am painting again this weekend, I hope to get the living room DONE, but will see. I also need to cook something for lung for the upcoming week. I am thinking a black bean salad and/or beans and rice or chili. It depends on what they have at the market. Lately they have had some Jeni's Ice Cream, which I have resisted thus far. It is made with local organic milk and has such amazing flavor combinations, though, that I am going to buy some this weekend and take it with me as a 'hostess gift' when I go to dinner at a friend's on Sunday. Seriously, they have flavors like "lime cardamom" frozen yogurt, "roasted strawberry buttermilk" or "sweet corn and black raspberries" ice cream or "riesling poached pear" sorbet. Sounds like fun. And I can totally resist for a weekend and then enjoy a serving with friends.

Also: roasted strawberries? I have never heard of this until I saw that flavor, but went and googled and apparently roasting berries is a big trend. It sounds lovely; I pretty much like roasted everything else, from cauliflower to kale, so why not berries?

good afternoon ev1. I hope everyone is having a good day I did something today that im really proud of, even tho it is really such a little thing lol. let me preface it by saying i love soda. Mountain dew is my lifes blood lol. I usually drink 4 liters a day at least. if i had 10 dollars to my name and no food in the house, i would buy mountain dew and cigs... how sad is that?? anyhow, today i have tried staying away from the store cause im really trying to not drink all those cals. my daughter woke up sick (she is 26 but still my baby) and asked me to pls go to the store and get her some soda... figures right? i went and i was sooooo tempted to buy me some mntn dew, but i didnt.. i bought diet dr pepper. i know its still not great for you, but 0 cals lol.... it's kinda sad to be so proud of that, but it really is a big victory for me

dgramie it always seems to be one way or the other. The available option for the other type is a lot of why I changed my mind.

mnemosyne! I just choked on laughter thinking about the bra sizes thing.

I think that happens to a lot of women. 44G isn't too bad though... Nicely done! Even if it is an H. Dropping the band size is the more important part because it means you're losing in the back, and underarms.

For me... I border on the ridiculous now but get away with it because of my height. Left is actually a K cup (silly thing grew from a H-HH-J-JJ-K in 13 days in January), and right is a HH (GG-H overnight in March, and H-HH in April). Hence the reduction consult. I am splitting the difference with a wire free style in a 42H but actually wear a 40 band typically as 42 shifts around my body for anything but the wire free ones I am using. Right one just fits and left one spills left, right and pops out of the top a bit but it is "manageable" as I refuse to buy custom made ones when I am looking at quickly fixing the mess they are becoming. At least... As quickly as I can. The increase in size has really made things I enjoy complicated (even swimming is hard... though floating is still easy).

Twilightwing that is a HUGE victory. I gave up pop for the most part about a month ago... Occasionally I have one but it is a hard give. Almost as hard as the cigarettes have been.

Cuter w Curves- grats on being able to give up cigs. I know i need to quit smoking as well as lose weight. If i were to quit right now i would probably gain weight instead of lose. i figure once i get a good handle on my weight, quitting smoking will be the next major thing i do.

Honestly... I have to quit to have WLS or a "Reduction" for it to be covered under the provincial system. Otherwise I would still be smoking my 4-6 superslims a day. Bring on the menthol superslims... *purrrr*

Thank you though.

It's a heck of a struggle.