terrisch

Hey Forestcat, how did the pre-op visit go??

Hi Forestcat I was surprised about the physical too. Nothing major, though. Not sure what they would say about not doing the Optifast. But definitely worth asking! I had to pay $5000 up front, so I know what you mean by not wanting to spend the extra $300. I gave all of my leftover packets to my sister who is trying to lose wt. I can eat anything...even tried a small piece of red meat last weekend and didn't have a problem. I really need a fill!! Am so hungry when I get home from work. Patience, patience, patience....

Hi! sorry for taking a while to respond..have been quite busy. Forestcat, congrats on getting a surgery date!!!! Less than a month away!! Time will fly by and it will be here before you know it! Sbee, congrats on your surgery. Hope you are feeling better! Are you getting in enough fluids and Protein? I went back to work one week after surgery. I haven't found anything that I can't eat. My appetite is definitely back too. Hopefully I will be able to keep the wt off until my fill (another 2.5 wks away). Still eating a lot less than before surgery though. Forestcat, when you go in for your pre-op, you will have a pulmonary function test, labwork, nurse assesment, education from nurse and dietician (I was the only one there, but usually it is in a group), physical from a general medicine doc, and meet w/financial person (though you may not need to do this if you don't have to pay anything for your surgery). You will also get your drinks. Not sure if the fills are covered..guess I will find out soon!

YAHOOOOOO FORESTCAT!!!!!! I am so happy for you! I hope they can get you scheduled very soon. Had my first post-op visit today; I've lost 19 pounds since starting this whole process (about half was lost pre-op, the other half post-op)! Am looking forward to my first fill in 2.5 weeks...have been getting really hungry. BUt still don't eat as much as I used to. Am on solids officially! Yeah! Let me know when you get scheduled! Terrisch

Hi Forestcat I am really hopeful for you....persistence often pays off! I won't get my first fill until mid-late October. The visit next week is just a post-op check up. From what Connie has told me, Ben-Meir does the fills. Thanks very much for your encouragement re: the wt plateau. Hope you will be hearing good news soon!

Hi Forestcat Sorry for taking so long to reply. Life has been busy. I am so hopeful for you re: the appeal to your insurance. It is difficult to believe they are going to require yet another 6 month trial on the diet! What is wrong with those people?? I would imagine you are very frustrated at this point. What kind of diet are you following? Your primary care doc sounds so supportive. Thank goodness for that! I'm doing fine. I haven't had shoulder pain for 1.5 days, so I am hopeful that it is finally over with. Eating fine..got past the 2 wks of liquids without any nausea or vomiting. I think I have very little swelling around the band. I started taking urso a few days ago and again forgot to crush the dang pill, but had no problem at all. I am still drinking coffee for Breakfast and having soup for lunch, and a soft dinner. I swear I think my wt has plateaued even though I am eating so much less than before! So now I can't have fluids w/meals. It hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. I take a few sips on occasion if something is spicy, but otherwise I have been very good about not drinking w/meals. My first follow up appt is in 1 week!!

ohhh I'm so sorry they are giving you a hard time! So are they claiming that you weren't involved in supervised wt loss? Sounds like it was supervised! I hope you call the insurance co.; hopefully you will get hold of someone w/an empathetic ear. I just don't understand insurance companies. This surgery is the safest and most effective way to lose wt and keep it off. So many studies to show this. I just think that there must be people who don't at all understand obesity who are making the decisions at these companies. Call them and write your letters!! Persistence usually pays off. Constipation issue is much better, but had shoulder pain again yesterday. The post-surgery booklet recommends trying meds like gas-x, but as soon as I buy some, the pain will be gone. If I have pain today, will just go ahead and get some. It's been almost 2 wks, so it should be gone by now!! Good luck with your calls and letters!! I wonder if others on this forum can give advice when they've run in to similar circumstances.

Ohhhh I am so sorry they haven't called you back yet!! Maybe they are working on things. Your call probably sparked action. I tried taking a laxative and it helped somewhat, but my stomach rumbled and cramped. I had pureed veggie soup for lunch today (didn't strain the lumps...I need that fiber!) so hopefully that will help. Drinking lots of Water, and had frozen fruit bar tonight. THe whey Protein canisters are on sale at Target this week (10% off). I got a big canister for only $10. Might want to get some while it is on sale! Unforunately they don't have unflavored, but if you like choc or vanilla, they have that available (mix it w/milk, coffee, tea, etc). Definitely helps get protein in. Had left shoulder pain again today :cry I guess I shouldn't complain. I've been doing so well otherwise. But that pain HURTS. Hope you hear something tomorrow!

oh, forgot to mention...no shoulder pain for 2 days now! Finally! Any I don't have any pain at the port site, even when I twist, turn, pull myself out of bed. I feel some pressure when I am really active (like vacuuming), but it is amazing how quickly the recovery is for this surgery. No nausea or vomiting (knock on wood). Am SO tired of liquids! well, except for my coffee w/whey Protein powder in the morning (that is my breakfast). I love coffee...I don't think I would have survived if I weren't able to have coffee. Am dealing w/constipation now. Have been drinking plenty of liquids and exercising, but it is really hard to get Fiber in! I have been mushing cooked carrots very fine and drinking v-8 juice. I need to find more things w/fiber that I am able to "eat". Gotta run...need to pick out Soup to bring for lunch tomorrow...

Hi Shawna That would be awesome if you can get everything covered. I had to invest $5000. w/mine, possibly more depending on my final bill. That doesn't include cost for Optifast, fees for program, time off work, etc. But I think it is worth the investment...at least I hope it will be.

Hi- Good luck getting started w/the liquid phase of your diet! I had found that it wasn't too onerous if the beverages contain protein (seems to really help curb hunger) and you stay busy. My office-mate knows I am on a "diet". I work while I have lunch, so there isn't much notice of what I eat or don't eat. I think that if someone complains of reflux, it is a sign that their band has slipped. I hope that never happens! Hope you get some good news tomorrow!!

Forestcat5..hopefully no reponse means that they are working on getting it done!! I go for a post-op appt the 1st week of October, and my first fill in mid-October. I'm pretty nervous about that, but really think I'll need it. I can tell that the swelling has gone down around the band. I can take pretty big drinks of beverages w/o probs. And as long as I chew well, I seem to tolerate soft foods. No nausea or vomiting. SO tired of soup and popsicles!! Had tuna salad for dinner. Since the surgery, I've had ZERO heartburn, even though I was dependent on zantac prior to surgery. Ben-Meir said the surgery eliminates reflux, and he was right. amazing. Still have some shoulder and chest pain...gets less every day, and is only intermittent, but it really hurts when it does happen. How long does it take for that gas to escape?? I've had a laparoscopy before and remember having that pain afterwards, but don't remember it taking this long for it to finally go away. I've read some other threads, but haven't posted. Hope you hear something soon!

Hi Sbee...congrats on getting your surgery date!!! Will be here before you know it! I did have to follow a liquid diet; was supposed to be Optifast but I hated it. Looks like you've lost a lot of wt already. THat is awesome! Forestcat5...I did go back to work today and all went well. As a matter of fact, sometimes I think I am healing too quickly. I don't have any "reminders" not to pick up heavy items, and my appetite has returned. I've found that I have no problem eating strained foods (even though I'm only supposed to be on liquids). I tried mashed potatoes today for dinner, and had no trouble. Soup gets old very quickly. Still got full quickly, though. It is SO tempting to try more. I'm glad I'm back at work b/c I am too busy to eat outside of lunch and only bring soup for lunch, so there isn't much to tempt me. Still had some shoulder pain on and off today, can't believe how long it takes to get rid of that. Got to take the dressings off of the smaller incisions today (4 of them), but have to leave the one over the port and can't take off for 5 more days. THe incisions are tiny (3/4 inch or less), but per Connie the one over the port is bigger. I did have significant reflux (but no hiatal hernia) per the UGI. I didn't know this until I went in for the pre-op visit in August, even though I had the UGI back in April. A couple suggestions...call LaToya and find out the results of your UGI (they don't necessarily tell you even when it is abnl) and ask about insurance approval (oh, and make sure you get copies of your labs when you get them). I always felt like I too was bugging LaToya when waiting for insurance approval, so I waited a couple weeks before contacting her again. When I did, she said "oh yea, it's been approved"...I don't know how long it had been since they got the approval, but I have a feeling they had it for a bit and I would have never known unless I had called and asked. I got scheduled for my preop visit and surgery the same day I made that call to LaToya. So, GO FOR IT:) and good luck I am also worried about not drinking fluids w/meals. It is weird how much we have in common. I also drank lots of Water, coffee, and tea during the day. For the first 2 wks post-op, you are supposed to drink, drink, drink, so I haven't had to deal w/solid foods and no fluids just yet. I have coffee w/ whey Protein powder and SF caramel flavored coffee mate (to cover the taste of the protein powder) every morning for Breakfast. Yum!

Hi That's terrible re: customer service in the lab! I've only had my blood drawn once there (pre-op visit) other than the bloodwork obtained before surgery and didn't encounter anyone like that, so hopefully the person is no longer working there. I think a 2 wk break is an excellent idea. I think it will be challenging to keep up with drinking and eating enough protein (and recording everything) after I go back to work. It is amazing how little it takes to fill me up! I still really miss food, though! I've been trying different things to keep me satisfied, such as french onion soup w/grated parmesan cheese and thinned cream of wheat. I've tolerated them just fine as long as I take it SLOW and stop when I feel full. I am fearful of throwing up...can cause the band to slip if it happens within 1 mo. post-op. Connie called me yesterday to check on things..I didn't have to call her Isn't that nice! Other than some mild shoulder pain, I have absolutely no incision pain today, even over the port. I can sit up without support now! I also had to visit the vascular doc. She will stop by to see you in the hospital too (I forgot who she was, but eventually figured it out based on the context of the conversation). The burping is annoying, though my daughter finds it amusing! If you want to talk by phone at any point, let me know and I can email you privately w/my phone #.

Hi I was actually able to sleep on my stomach last night...yahoo!!! That is how I normally sleep. Felt great this morning, really no pain except occasional chest/shoulder pain from the gas that they use to inflate the abdominal cavity. It is really feeling like a FT job to get in adequate fluids, calories and protein. I've been writing down everything and keeping track, and so far I've gotten in 43 oz fluids, 55 gm protein, and 610 calories. I wasn't told that I shouldn't drink coffee...I don't think I could survive! I had a cup today. I don't think it is good to drink too much b/c caffeine can be a diuretic, but a cup or two per day shouldn't matter, esp if you meet your fluid needs. I am going back to work on Thursday, one week after my surgery. I don't do any heavy lifting, so I'm sure I'll be fine (to be honest, I could probably go back tomorrow). I have told 3 people about the surgery! That's it!! I think people can be pretty judgemental about it, so I've used vacation days for the surgery. I was crushing some Vicodin on Friday for pain relief, but other than multivitamin, I'm not on any other meds. I did have LaTonya initially, but when my surgery was scheduled, I was switched to Connie. Both are very nice. Thanks for checking in on me Feel free to ask more questions!

I did TRY to do the Optifast beforehand, but to be honest I hated that stuff! Would take me an entire day to eat one of the PB bars (so gritty). chocolate bars are much better. So I drank liquids during the day, including carnation instant Breakfast mixed w/skim milk and dry milk powder for extra Protein, and ate a healthy dinner at night. I lost 10# in a month on that diet. So far (besides the tyelonl, lol) I've only had liquids, including instant breakfast made w/skim milk and dry milk powder, broth, popsicles, flavor-ice (the long sticks of flavored ice..those are my favorite), diet v-8 splash, tomato Soup, and a little bit of coffee. I made a yogurt smoothie w/some of my left over optifast, and was able to drink a couple ounces. Ben-Meir seems very nice; I was discharged before he came to see me, so he called me at home that night to check on me. The nurses in the office are very nice too. If you need some optifast, I can sell you some for cheap! I am still going to try to drink 1/2-1 packet per day, but it isn't easy. I think instant breakfast w/dry milk powder is much more appealing, and a heck of a lot cheaper than optifast drinks. Hope you get your insurance approval soon! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Hi I JUST had my banding done on Thursday, Sept 6th at St Vincent. Other than a slow heart rate during the night (I have a slow heart rate at baseline, but it got slower, in the 40's, I guess from the pain meds) everything went fine. I was moved to the telemetry unit in the middle of the night, so that was a bummer. The nurses on that unit weren't really educated about banding, but they were still very nice. Overall I thought the hospital was great; everyone was polite and attentive. I do remember them removing the endotracheal tube in the recovery room, and that was the most unpleasant experience of all. Just 2 days post-op, I don't have much pain, and haven't needed to take any narcotics today. BUt I did do something REALLY stupid this morning...I woke up at 6 am, still kinda in a daze, and thought b/c my pain was so mild that I wouldn't need narcotics so tylenol should be enough. Well, I completely forgot that all pills/caps had to be crushed and I swallowed 2 tylenol capsules! I was so worried, but nothing happened. I recommend lots of walking the first couple days. Every trip down the hallway was a little bit easier. Good to meet others from Cleveland! Teri