Gastric Sleeve - What?

I have started this blog not only so that I can journal this journey in my life but also as a support blog for those of you that are experiencing the same thing or are curious about it.  Obviously I'm not a professional and this is my sometimes humorous take on the process....but if you're reading this and you feel alone.....read on.

A few years ago I figured that at 35/36, I was just about dieted out.  Nothing seemed to work since my big loss in 2003-2004.  I had lost 100 pounds on the Atkins diet.  It came off so easily and it made me motivated to work out.  Of course I was 27/28.  Damn metabolism...and laziness caught up with me.  And here I am...at a whopping 280.  120 pounds up from where I was less than 10 years ago.  At the time, I looked into Bariatric surgery.  I attended an informational session at Dartmouth Hospital and was pretty turned off by the lap band surgery...and since the Gastric Sleeve really wasn't talked that much about....I turned that light bulb off in my head.  For the next two/three years, I joined weight loss groups, Weight Watchers, MyFitnessPal, SparkPeople and everything bounced around.  I got down to about 225 at one point but gained that all back after a hiatus from the gym for about a month.  Then I broke my shoulder.  And enter every excuse EVER right here.

So here I am...approaching 37....and absolutely out of options.  My sleep apnea is so severe that I can't sleep without my machine or I literally wake up feeling like I almost died.  I need to take back my life.  And even with all the negative stigma around it....I'm going through with bariatric surgery.  Today was the official start of my journey as I travelled to Fletcher Allen Bariatric Center to receive my first appointment time and an overview of the program.

The surgeons at  Fletcher Allen seem pretty competent.  They are experts in the bariatric field and have excellent reviews and results.  The people I met today (the nurse, nutritionist, insurance manager) were extremely welcoming and informative.  After a brief introduction to all the people on the bariatric team...we were given some of the lowdown. 

The Gastric Sleeve (Sleeve Gasterctomy) reduces weight by restricting food intake.  84 percent of the stomach is removed (as well as the portion of the stomach that stimulated hunger - called ghrelin) and what is left will hold about 3-5 ounces of food at a time.  This isn't a reversible surgery but is a convertible one which means that if I ever need to get the bypass surgery....my body could still handle that.  Obviously with most surgeries there is a risk.  For this one....the biggest risk is Staple Line Disruption.  This basically a leak in the staples that close off the new "sleeve" stomach.  The staples are made of Titanium and the nurse went into great detail about how secure the staples were (and then the stomach lining that is stitched in from the removed stomach to make it even more secure.)   They have performed 205 Sleeves in the past few years and absolutely no person has had this problem.  (Please knock on wood for me.)  The pros for this surgery over the other is that your stomach volume is reduced without any risk of dumping (a term they use for when you eat shit and then have to GO shit) or not being able to absorb nutrients.  The Anatomy is preserved (no rearranging) and there are no foreign bodies placed in my body.  The cons:  it isn't reversible and of course...the staple line leak. 

So...my steps.  First...I have to see the center's Psychiatrist before I can move forward in the process.  Think I can act normal for a session?  I don't think my craziness would keep me from being accepted into the program...in fact...a lot of my craziness comes from my lack of self-esteem and self-worth.....steered by my morbid obesity (has a ring to it right?)  After the Psych appointment, I get to have my first official visit with the actual surgeon and the nutritionist.  There is quite a process (lasting up to 9 months to a year) for this surgery....so if I'm not ready at the end of this journey...I never will be.  I have to watch some sort of EMMI program which is a tutorial over what the procedure does.  I have to watch this before my first official appointment.  I'm a bit nervous about THAT.  There are a lot of requirements to just get to the pre-approval part of the process.  Where the insurance gives the center their go-ahead and I actually can SCHEDULE a surgery.  I have to go to a support group meeting, a behavioral skills class and at least one nutrition appointment separate from the monthly visits. 

I will have to undergo tests (and blood draws...UGH) and I will have to undergo a UGI and/or  an EGD.  Basically....while I'm sedated they are going to shove a scope down my throat.  I'm thinking REALLY hard about NOT thinking about it.  I hope the sedation is strong. 

The nutritionist met with us this time as well.  The nutrition guidelines and the expectations are tough.  I'll write about them in my next post.  Please drop me a comment if you find this blog by mistake or if you're one of the people in my life that I trust with this.