All about Gastric Bypass

So I had my appointment with Dr. Legha yesterday. . . and I am sure that some of you are probably wondering who he is. In July 2007 I asked my primary care physician Dr. Patz to refer me to a Gastric Bypass surgeon. I remember at 275 pounds feeling very frustrated, helpless and very emotional about my weight. I felt that I had tried everything . . . Basic calorie counting, Weight Watchers, Healthy Way, Personal Trainers, Slim Fast Program, Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, LA Weight Loss, Prescription weight loss drugs, herbal supplements, appetite suppressants, psychiatrists, therapists.

Dr. Patz referred me to see Dr. Legha in Mountain View. I think it was in October 2007 that I first saw him. He said that my BMI (Body Mass Index) was high enough to help qualify for the surgery. . . however there was a long process of hoops to be jumped through, prior to surgery approval. I said, "I was ready!". . . "What do I need to do?". . . and "How do I get started?" He told me I had to attend two monthly orientation meetings, have a psychiatric evaluation and have an interview with the Nutritionist in their office. After completing this list of requirements and loosing the required 20 pounds by June 2008 we were ready to submit our claim/request for the surgery to my insurance. Surgery was scheduled for August 11, 2008. On August 4, 2008 the day of my pre-op appointment we received word from the insurance company that my claim was denied. The insurance company said that they would not pay for the surgery because I had not done a consecutive 6-month weigh-in program with my primary care doctor.

I was crushed . . . I had worked soooooooooo hard to get to this point. I was so crushed in fact that I took a couple of months to reevaluate if I even wanted the surgery anymore. I went through a period of time where I was angry at God. I could not understand why He would let me get so close to actually having help with my weight problem and then take it away from me. During this time I became very depressed . . . and gained almost 25 pounds. I went ahead and did the consecutive 6-month weigh-in and actually did it for 8 months . . . Just to be sure!

Now here we are . . . September 2009. I saw Dr. Legha yesterday and everything is all done. The claim/request has been submitted to the insurance company again . . . my surgery is scheduled again . . . and we are waiting again. My surgery is scheduled for October 5th 2009. Everything looks like it will work out this time . . . but I thought that the last time! I need to have total reliance on God . . . I know He knows what He is doing.

So, in this time of waiting and relying on God, I continue to do this HMR weight loss program. I am succeeding. Today I weighed in @ 292 pounds. YaY! Do I even need to have the surgery? Could I possibly loose this weight without? Surgery is forever! I was told that with the surgery I would be trading one disease for another . . . Morbid Obesity for Malnutrition . . . That is sobering! I have also been told that people that are as overweight as I am, have hardly any chance of really succeeding at loosing all the weight on their own and an even harder time being able to keep it off without the surgery. I recognize that the surgery is just a tool . . . I still have to do all the work, eat smaller portions and excercise. I see the people that I know that have had the surgery and I watch their quality of life . . . I am jealous! They seem to be living their lives to the fullest.

Right now I am on a steam train doing the HMR program of weight loss until October 5th and then I PLAN on having the Gastric Bypass surgery. I just want to make sure I am doing the right thing. Please join me in praying for clarity of God's will, courage to follow through and to hold strong and steadfast to my conviction of living a healthier lifestyle! Thank you for being in my support network . . . I sooooo appreciate all of you, my family and friends!