Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeitgeist
Zella, do you have any comorbidities or other health issues? That might help you narrow down which surgery is right for you. There are four: lapband, VSG, RNY, and the DS. Many surgeons do not practice the DS and so will not tell you about it, but you should also research it, as it has very, very good statistics for long-term maintenance.
If you suffer from GERD, the VSG may not be a good choice. If you have any inflammation issues, RNY may not be appropriate as you can not take NSAIDS (for life). The recent statistics for the lapband in terms of complication rates are not comforting; many people think it is the least invasive, but recognize it too can cause permanent complications. The DS (and the RNY to a lesser degree) require diligence in terms of supplementation and labs, so if your insurance does not cover those costs, it can be costly for the patient.
As for pain, that seems pretty subjective. I had very, very little pain. In fact, I almost felt I never was operated on and never took any of the pain medicine prescribed. But then you read stories of people who find recovery very painful. I'm sure the differences are a combination of both personal pain tolerance levels and surgical expertise.
My first suggestion would be to contact your insurance company (assuming you have one) to see what is covered and what they require you to do prior. Most require a six month physician monitored weight-loss program, which gives you more time to research and consider the different surgeries.
Hi Zeitgeist!
Well as of now I only have diabetes but other symptoms are creeping up on me. As for insurance, I am actually planning to get it in my home country
. I do have health insurance here but that only kicks in end of the year when I start working here full time, the health insurance is solid (but I will def. double triple check it for maintenance purposes)
I have heard of the first three, but not the fourth, DS, I will look into that.
Thank you for your help! Yes being in pain is subjective I had 2 rounds of lipo done and wasn't in pain much while my friends def. had some pain issues.