Crystal927

Hey there!!! I haven't logged in here in a while... Don't worry too much about the lbs gained pre op, I def wasn't trying to but I also gained during my "insurance hoop jumping" I was terrified it would affect their decision but it didn't. I'm so sorry that you don't have support coming from your friends and family. My immediate family was supportive and a few of my friends but outside of that I haven't told anyone about my surgery. I chose to keep it private. I'm really close to you (I live in Satsuma) so if you need anything I'm more than willing to help out! Dr. Ringold in Mobile, did my surgery back in Feb so I am just over 4 months post op and down 70 lbs so far. I really loved him!! I have seen his partner Dr. Hannon for all of my follow up stuff and I really like him alot too so if you haven't seen either of them, might be worth a consultation. As far as my experiences I have NO regrets, best decision of my life and i'm not even halfway to goal yet! Pain was minimal, I only took one dose of pain medicine the day after surgery then I didn't take anything else. i'm not a big medicine taker anyways. The only pain I really had was at the larger of the incision sites for about 5 days when I would get up out of bed. Other than that I had zero pain. Only time i battled nausea was when I came back from the upper GI the first day post op to check for leaks. After drinking that chalky mess i got super nauseated...then i burped and it went away haha The gas pains are there too but they aren't anything unbearable by any means, just uncomfortable really. As far as the hospital staff they were great! I never asked for anything that they weren't right back there with nor did I need anything the didn't get me. let me know if you have any questions, i'm more than happy to share!

I'm 3 weeks post op tomorrow...and I had the same problem...and I thought it would never stop and like you it kept me from getting my fluids in b/c it hurt ever sip I took. But I'm here to tell you the good news is that it does go away...I'd say about day 6-7 for me...and I've been drinking like a normal person again The last 3 days I've actually gotten in over the 64 oz without a problem whereas the first week I was struggling to get in 48! So hang in there! You got this and it will get better!!

Hey!!!! Alabamaians!! I'm in Mobile...surgery Friday (Feb 22 with Dr. Ringold)...like three days away! Whoop whoop! I want to encourage y'all who are still waiting in various phases, hang in there!!! I hit several "speed bumps" along the way and it still seems like it has flown by. My files were never received from other offices had to send in pics instead of medical records b/c my records are VERY limited (thankfully been blessed to be healthy for a big girl!)...then my paperwork was submitted for the "wrong" procedure (sleeve) as I was originally a lapband-er, then I attended the "wrong" class... So I know about a rollercoaster for sure! Did I mention Im also in the middle of buying my first home?? Everything is happening all at once!!! Glad to see some locals on the boards!!

Preop testing is done here as well!! Yay!!! EKG good, Upper GI good, Ultrasounds good, pulmonary clearance received...Now to just wait for Friday to get here!

I'm right there with ya girl! pre op testing tomorrow surgery next friday!!! seems like it was such a long time coming, but now its here!!!! AH!!! so excited, and so glad that this liquid diet hasn't been as bad (so far) as I had feared. Good luck with your tests tomorrow!

I'm gonna chime in with something that brought me comfort as I was "battling" out this decision myself...I, like you, was freaking out because its so new and whats the future look like of those patients, etc. Then I had a conversation with a friend of mine about my fears, she told me that her mother had to have about half of her stomach removed due to an ulcer that ruptured and that she never had any problems, she even lost weight as a result. So that got me thinking...true enough they haven't been doing the VSG for long, but they have been removing portions of peoples stomachs for other reasons for YEARS. I asked my surgeon if it was fair to compare the two, he said "absolutely, thats how we learned about the VSG was by seeing other patients lose weight as a result of having portions of their stomachs removed for other reasons ie ulcers, phase one of bypass for patients who weren't healthy enough to undergo the bypass all at once" this knowledge brought me great peace in it...knowing that the procedure indeed has been done for alot longer than 10-15 years just with different purposes Hope this helps ya think about it differently maybe

Hey everyone!! I'm there with ya! I started my pre op yesterday...so today is day 2 for me...I can say that today has been MUCH better than yesterday. I was off yesterday, and it was rainy out so that might have made it harder, today I've had work as a distraction and haven't felt those hunger pains as much today! If it continues like today, I'll be okay!! If its more like yesterday I might lose friends from being grumpy hang in there girls, we got this!!!!

Hey there everyone! So I'm new here...I've been lurking around these boards for about a week now. Here's my "short" story I had my first consultation with my surgeons office back for LapBand in June 2012. For insurance purposes I had to do a 6 month doctor supervised diet. I completed that December 28. Then, my surgeons office submitted my paperwork for approval. I received approval Jan 9. I have had tunnel vision straight to Lapband ever since. His nurse practitioner tried to talk to me about sleeve the day of my consultation and I declined politely that I wasn't interested in that and didn't want to waste her time or mine. Fast forward to last week, I attended a BEGIN class upon learning I was approved, I get to the class and its a Sleeve class...they agreed to let me stay and just told me the differences in Vitamins and post op diet. I was all excited for a call the next day to set up my pre-op testing and appointment, the call I received was much different than expected...they had submitted my paperwork for the "wrong" procedure. I was approved for Sleeve. I panicked...then I calmed down and really thought about that this might be God trying to nudge me into opening my mind and eyes to what rights in front of me. So, I started researching the Sleeve while waiting to meet for "rediscussion" with my surgeon today. The more I've researched and prayed the more confident I am that I was about to make a mistake with the band, not that the band is bad or wrong, just that it isn't the right decision for me. SOoooo....I'm happy to say that I will be having my SLEEVE done on Friday, Feb 22! Now that the actual decision and stress that came with wrapping my mind around something totally different than what I set out to do...I cannot wait!!!! Crystal

Good luck to all of you with upcoming dates!!!! yay!!!

You're welcome Just wait until you hear those magical words "Its been approved" it becomes SO real then!! I'm still waiting to schedule mine...can't wait to have a date to countdown to! woohoo!

I'm in the TRS but in AL with BCBS...Mine was submitted on Dec 31 and I heard from it Jan 16...Approved I ended up calling them because I hadn't heard anything and they said it had been approved on Jan 9; my letter was in the mailbox the afternoon of the 16 so I would suggest giving them about 10 days and call them Good Luck!

Kara! My friend, you are NOT alone! I have had those same "what ifs" but I'm just trusting that all will be fine, these docs do this all of the time they got this! I think the added anxiety just comes from never having done this before...you hang in their girl, you got this! We got this!

You look great!!!!!! Keep up the hard work!

Welcome Susan!!! I know you are looking forward to getting your date in hand and starting the official countdown! I know I can't wait!! I, like you, two years ago shed about 70 lbs and have since put them back on, looking forward to the help the band gives!! Also, I haven't told many people, admittedly I have shared with a few more than you, but I'm single so my family knows and my most treasured and trusted friends. I was very choosy in who I told because I wanted support not judgement I have also had to rely on my faith through this because this wasn't an easy decision for me to make, I actually was kicking and screaming through it all lol but I feel like this is where the Lord has led me and I have that amazing peace that passeth all understanding about this procedure. Thats not to say that I won't be anxious as the time approaches..cause I know I probably will be freaking out (I've never had ANYthing done, so this is all uncharted territory for me!) I'm not afraid, I have no phobias or anything, I just really expect to be super nervous going under. Best wishes to you on your stress test today!

I have to do a 10 day liquid diet....7 days of "creamy liquids" and the last 3 are all clear liquids...oh boy

Great!!! And only a 3 day liquid diet - lucky you I have a 10 day pre op diet...its all good tho! Oh I so hope I have a date after my class Tuesday

You're welcome!! And I am right there with you...must be us "math minds" and the way they work...cause I am so OCD!!!

And I feel the same reading yours!!! At least we are not alone I have said since the day I graduated and started payin gmy student loans that I learned the hard way that there is a BIG difference between being "good at" something and being "passionate" about it. I am good at accounting...I don't mean that conceited in any way but I do feel I am good at what I do and that I do a really good job. But my hearts not here. And I just don't want to wake up and have muddled through life just "surviving"; life was meant to be lived! And as much as I don't want more debt from education, I don't want to do this for >30 more years even more. So I'm going to use these next few months of this new life, to really explore some options and hopefully have something ready to go maybe in the fall to go back to school. I will be vested in the retirement system here in 3 years so thats a perfect amount of time to lose this weight, get me another degree, get vested and then GO do something I love Sounds perfect anyways hehe I hear ya on the plane rides! I LOVE to fly, but in the recent years its just gotten so uncomfortable even when flying with someone. I went to Alaska last year, we flew into Seattle and caught a cruise...on the way back we were on the redeye...I actually enjoyed it, I had a window seat and we flew over a thunderstorm it was really an awesome sight! But had we been in smaller seats like you experienced that would've just ruined it all, nothing like being miserable for 4+ hours and you can't do ANYthing about it But GIRL, this is about to change for us both!! I have a trip booked to CA/AZ/UT for the end of May (my sister graduates from nursing school) and I'm excited to see how much difference there is from flying last year (June) to flying this year, I have high hopes! Needed the belt extender last year, hoping it was my last time to have ever needed that!! and you are right, seat guru is awesome!!!

Hey Dave! I don't know yet from experience, but I have read multiple people say gas-X strips and chapstick are essentials Also, a heating pad for the gas pains. I too have bought my protein powders and am ready to go on that front. I have used "blender bottles" for several years now for protein shakes, they have this little "whisk ball" that really mixes the powder very well, i've never had a mixing problem with these bottles. One thing that i'll be getting for the freezer is some Sugar free popsicles, i think they would really "break up" the liquid routine a bit. Good Luck!!

Good morning Kate Thank you!! I sometimes set out to write short replies, or messages and without fail they end up forever long so I've just accepted it haha Missionary work..lets see...I guess it really all started when I was in college and was really involved leading in the youth ministry at my church and we did several local mission projects. I've always loved to travel overseas and then had the opportunity a couple of years to go on some mission trips. Its really amazing to go and share the Gospel with people by means of meeting a need that they have...we've done remodeling work, built a house, done wedding showers, gardening, even organizing a library for children; you name it we've done it, its so awesome to just go and submerge yourself into another culture and learn about the way they live, and live it with them! So I guess my passion for travel and my passion for the Lord just lined up to form a great passion for mission work I see your husband is a teacher? I work in the school system, at the central office...So I have my fair share of exposure to the world of education, its just a much different view than many have...I'm so over the "business world" haha I cannot wait for a 12/14 to be my normal!!! I have a dress that I bought because I just absolutely loved it, its a size 14...I can't wait to put it on and go out on the town lol And I love Lane Bryant for "being there" all these years, but I'm so sick of keeping them in business, I can't wait to no longer need them

Hey girl! Yay! its finally here! I would expect them to give you an exact price, I went to a seminar before having my consult and they gave out the exact price and what all it covered at the seminar. I was super nervous on my consult day, I didn't want them to assume anything about me and tell me this wasn't a good idea that I should do another procedure (sleeve/bypass) they didn't, they asked me which I was interested in and I told them the band and we didn't even talk about the other options, I suppose I looked serious enough when I told them I wasn't even considering the others. Then they showed me a band explained how it works, went over basic nutritioin changes, expectations for loss, etc. By the time she got finished with her "spill" if you will, I didn't have any questions left, just ones for the insurance lady! All of which made me feel even more comfortable because they really knew what they were talking about. I had a list of 6-7 questions when I went in but she answered them all as she was talking to me. I hope it goes well for you! let me know!

That awesome Lee! And how long has it been since you were banded?

Good luck on your test! You will do great! And who better to help those folks than someone who can say I have been where you are, you CAN do this!! Amazing!

Thank you so much for your encouraging words Lee! "a powerful warrior woman" I dig it!! I am a pretty determined chick and can't wait to have the band as a tool to help me finish this! And we had some pretty hefty medals! Which after enduring what I did to complete it I'm pretty sure that I would've worn anything proudly!! And yes 13.1 is a long way! And YES I would love to do a triathlon!!! There is a sprint one near me (I live on the gulf coast) and I would love to give it a shot as I love love love to swim! You don't have to have a special bike for those shorter distances do you? On a different note, I read your sisters blog...do I remember her saying you are now a personal trainer? I would love to get my certification one day as well. Accounting is just boring and no fun lol I wanna help people.

Donna you look great!!!! Inspiring and Encouraging!! Thanks for having the boldness to share! Nothing to be ashamed of, you have taken control of your life and are well on your way to where you want to be! Congrats!