Karen2539

hope you are feeling well and moving around better....let us know how everything is progressing. One week from today for my banding!!

Congratulations on kicking the smoking habit... what a huge hurtle to cross, and like you said it is a testement to your resolve! Keep up the good work.

good luck to all who are going in this week for the band! I look so forward to hearing about your experiences as I only have a week to go ( and nervous).

Sunshine... your Opti Fast diet is exactly like the one I am on now. This is my last week for it. Let me know how you are doing. karen

O K LyssaRene, good luck and let me know how it is going for you. How long is your pre op diet for? Kathy.... I would take your diet any day. Good luck to you too

Although today I did eat a cucumber, and I hope that won't hurt this whole process too much, I am back on track with the shakes and keep counting down the days. Thanks.... Let me know how your fare on yours. karen

I mentioned on the other thread that I started my pre op diet of Opti fast last Monday. I keep telling myself that I can do it, but the stuff is hard to get down. Along with the shakes and bars, I can have water, tea, diet drinks, SF Jell-0 and SF popsicles. I guess the good thing about this is I have lost 10 pounds since starting this. Surgery is scheduled for July 9... good luck everyone! Karen

I started my pre op last Monday... it is Opti Fast. It is really horrible too. The ready to drink strawberry is about all I can get down. I have two boxes of Opti Fast protein bars that aren't too bad, but the powder vanilla and chocolate shakes are terrible along with the soups. I still have another 9 days left to go also. I will make it, but I am sure I will be very hungry along the way. Good Luck! Karen

Maria, Glad to hear your stay at Troy, Beaumont was a good experience. I hope mine will be equally as well in 2 weeks. I too think Dr. Deol is a wonderful person/ doctor... can't say enough about her... keep up the great work. Karen

Hi Shelby, I too have BCBS /PPO and had no problem getting approved. I know it is different from what you are describing though. Off hand I can't think of the website ( maybe obesityhelp.com) has a link that you can compare your insurance to others that have had it done here in MI. Or, maybe someone out there knows the website. I too have a PCP that was not in all in favor of the lap band. He just kept telling me to eat less....:heh:, I may be looking for a new PCP soon. I am going to be banded on 7/9.... and start my 2 week liquid diet tomorrow. Good Luck. I know it is frustrating. Karen

thanks Breadlady for the notes! You answered a few of my questions already, especially the clothes... I too thought it would be becasue the port area would be very tender, makes sense though that your stomach is swollen so your clothes need to be roomy. good luck.... I have just a little over 2 weeks to go ( July 9th). Karen

Hi everyone, by any chance have any of you gotten a medical alert bracelet for the lap band? I was just wondering because I read somewhere that it is a good idea to have one to alert any medical staff about the band should the need arise. Hope everyone is having a good day...16 more days until i"m banded!

I start my 2 week pre op diet on Monday... two weeks of Opti fast... I can't supplement with anything other than their soups, shakes and bars. I figure I can do it for two weeks though.... I hope I loose something during this time too. Good luck to everyone!

HI Everyone, I too am a lucky 7'er. July 9th is my surgery date and I can't wait! Start my 2 week pre op diet next Monday! Karen MICH

Gilly, I too live in the Metro Det. area. I will be having my surgery on July 9th, about another 2 1/2 weeks or so, with Dr. Deol in Sterling Hgt. I will be having it at Beaumont / Troy. I feel very confident with her. I know some have wrote about her extra costs, but for me, I like the fact that I will be going to once-a- month support group meeting I had to pay for facilitated by her dietician and psychologist. I am not sure about how others are run. She and her office staff are very reasuring, calming and pleasing to work with. I would highly recomond her. Good luck where ever you choose.

I have been reading more and more lately where people who are newly banded are saying that they have gained weight in the first couple of weeks after surgery. Have any of you that have been banded experienced that? I am going for my surgery on 7-09-07 and I am excited.... but I just don't want to be too disappointed if I gain at first. karen

April, 60 pounds is great. I love your little " MILF in progress"... ahh, my ultimate goal too. Do you know why your band slipped? Did Dr. Deol have to replace the whole band or did it fall back in to place on its own? Just curious because I had asked her if they could fall back in place on their own and she told me they could... occasionally. Karen james

Brehere, You are right, the best start is with her seminar. That is packed with so much information for you. Take your husband to the seminar. I am sure he will get so much out of it too. Mine was so unsure of this before going with me, but came out a huge supporter. You will have to start with your physical first from your primary care physican. I had that done before I went to see her so I could take that information along with a letter from my doctor saying I was OK for surgery. You could also call Rebecca to find out just what blood work your PC needs to do. Dr. Deol does give you a check list of who you will need to see, but if your insurance pays for it I suggest also getting a cardio work up done before you see her. The rest she will help you with. This week I see the nutritionist and my last appt. with psychologist. Then it is just waiting for July 9th. Good luck, and I will keep you posted. Karen James

Hi Brehere, I too am a patient of Dr. Deol's. I just found out last week that insurance approved me so she will be doing surgery July 9Th! I have found her to be such a compassionate person. As a matter of fact when I went in to Beaumont for my upper GI last week she stopped in to talk to me and reassure me of any questions I had. Rebecca her office assistant is wonderful too. She will take all the time you need to help you through the process. I am glad I chose Dr. Deol. I just could not say enough about her. I live in Commerce Twp, so I am not that far from you and the drive to her office is not bad either. good luck with what ever you decide to do.

what part of Alpena do you live? My dad lives just south in a small village.. Lincoln. Ever heard of it? He retired up there about 18 years ago and just loves it.

Teachlady I do have a letter from my PCP saying that it is recomended, listing that I have tried diets, supervised by him and others for the last 10 years,also listing the comorbids. Just keeping my fingers crossed that it all goes well. I also have the records of the prescription meds to help with weight loss and my gym membership. That is really intresting that you didn't have to wait for an approval. They just scheduled you for your surgery? How long did you have to wait from the time you met with your surgeon until you had the surgery? I am hoping that this summer I can get it all done. I have heard anywhere from 4 weeks to months for approval. I am hoping for the 4 weeks so by the end of June I will be on the way to a better, healthier life. I am nervous, excited and scared but I know that it has to be done. Good luck with all you sucess.

Good Luck Julia! I see Dr. Deol next Tuesday, May 1st for my first apt. I hope all goes well for both of us. Does anyone have any advice as to what I need to take to my first apt.? I have had my physical, all my blood work, my cardio work up and all my paper work done in advance they require... anything else I am missing? Also, my insurance is BCBS Messa, does anyone know anything about them as to how well they approve? I have called them but they won't give any information except that it must be medically necessary.

I have read where more people are told that they have to have a 1 year medically surpervised diet with a doctor. I am not too worried about that, I have been seeing mine for the last 2 years on a good 3 month interval. He put me on Fastin ( phentermine). At first, I lost weight but after about 3 months it all wears off and of course, I gained it all back pluse more. What kind of insurance do you have? I am hoping that BC/BS will cover mine... but prepared to pay if I have to. What part of MI are you from?

thanks for the " heads up". I will take your suggestions and ask her up front what I have to have done to get this going. Any other help, ideas, thoughts or recomondations are welcome. Thanks again, good luck to you, keep up the great job!

If you don't mind me asking, what kinds of " conditions" did they place on you? It seems that if your insurance covered you, and had all your other appts. fulfilled, what else is there? maybe I am naive to this?