Intake on Tuesday! - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

TurtleGal · 11-03-2011, 03:03 PM

Well ladies, it's not long now. On Tuesday (Nov 8th) I have my intake appointment with the clinic! It will be a full day adventure where they are packing all of the appointments into one. I will have a group meeting where they give info on the surgeries, will see the dietitian and psychologist from the clinic, and then a webcam interview with the Dr. (Dillemans) in Belgium.

I -assume- I will walk out of the clinic on Tuesday finally knowing which surgery I will be having. I've done a LOT of research over the years and it's intensified over the last few weeks since I've decided to really go for it. At the moment I am leaning towards gastric bypass, but we will see what the surgeon says. All I know is that I'm really not keen to have a lapband so he'd have to come up with a pretty convincing argument for it.

I have set myself up with a dietitian who operates out of a clinic across the street from my house, which is incredibly convenient. She knows about the surgery and is happy to work with me during the whole process, which I think is wonderful. We have some great chats and I think she's going to be a great help in regards to food and what I eat after the surgery.

I have also had an intake with a psychologist from the same clinic across from me and she has forwarded me to another psychologist in my city that deals with eating disorders and other related issues. I have an intake with them on Dec 8th and I'm hoping that they will help me to understand why I am such an emotional eater, and help me find new ways to cope with things.

Basically, now that I've decided for certain that I am going to have surgery, I am trying to set myself up with a 'team' that will help me get through it. I need to make sure that while my body is mending and stopping me from being able to eat as much as I am currently, that someone is helping me work on my mind and why I WANT to. I really want to change that because I know that if I don't, I will end up right back where I am now.

So, only a few days until I have my intake and find out what exactly my future will be! I'm nervous and excited!

jiffypop · 11-03-2011, 04:50 PM

wow. so much has happened in such a short time! and to think you have great help right across the street! keep us posted!

red65 · 11-03-2011, 10:36 PM

How exciting! I'm anxious to hear how it all goes and what surgery they recommend for you!

Take care,
Kellye

Amber1011 · 11-04-2011, 02:39 AM

I remember how excited I was on that first big appointment! Its an amazing feeling of progress. I hope everything goes smoothly for you!

TurtleGal · 11-04-2011, 04:16 AM

Did most of you leave your intake knowing what surgery you were going to have? I assume that after speaking to the surgeon that I will know. I hope so!!

jiffypop · 11-04-2011, 10:04 AM

i sure did. in no uncertain terms. I was too sick for a lapband - the doc said that i had to lose weight fast and the loss associated with the lapband was too slow.

so, gastric bypass for me - and i'm glad.

Amber1011 · 11-04-2011, 03:05 PM

I knew what I wanted because I had been researching for a long time. I've seen a lot of statistics with % of excess weight loss while also comparing the time frame of the weight loss as well. After seeing this, with the options my surgeon gives, the Roux-en-y Gastric Bypass seemed to be the most effective. I also see it to be safe because my center is a 1A center. My mindset is if I'm going to have surgery, I want the one that will give me the highest chance of losing all of my excess weight.

Furthermore, I wasn't into the idea of having to constantly have a band adjusted/re-inflated, etc. It seemed like too much extra work for less pleasing results.

Hopefully I'll be having the surgery sometime in the beginning of next year! My next appointment with my surgeon is on my birthday 12/30! I hope I get the present of setting a date!

TurtleGal · 11-08-2011, 11:27 AM

Amber, looks like we'll be doing this together! I had my appointment today, what a lonnnnng day. We left here at 6:30am (major traffic between here and Amsterdam so we had to leave 3 hours before the appointment) and I just got home at about 5:15pm.

It looks like I'll be having a Gastric Bypass! The doc said it should be sometime around the end of Jan or beginning of Feb! Exciting, scary, exciting, EEEEK!!

Amber1011 · 11-11-2011, 01:53 PM

How exciting! I wish my process would go so fast! I started on this track in January and I still don't have a date set! I'm hopin everything goes well, though I'm thinking my psych eval might stall me
A bit more though. Blech

TurtleGal · 11-11-2011, 02:17 PM

Wow that is a long time Amber! I am with a clinic that has a shorter waiting period as my case is sort of time sensitive. I need to lose weight to be able to have IVF, and they won't do it after I'm 40... I'm almost 37 so I have to get things moving.

I'm nervous but every day I'm becoming more and more confident about and comfortable with my decision.

I hope things don't get put off too long for you, and that you are able to move onto your new life asap!