waiting&waiting

Hello everyone... Surgery was great!!!! I did have a hernia repair, and the only pain so far yesterday was the shoulder area. I received a email from Dr. Curry explaining the hernia and what to expect with the shoulder pain. He said to take aleve and it would help better the the pain meds he prescribed. He was correct, I took one, sat outside almost all evening in a recliner with a heating pad. I felt great. I haven't took any pain meds yet as nothing seems to be hurting in my stomach area, which is soooooo wonderful. Dr. Curry and his staff were wonderful. Today, I can start some purée foods and wil look into some Atkins recipes. I figured out on the pre op diet with very little carb intake that my stomach shrunk and I never felt bloated like I do when I eat carbs. The other thing, I haven't experienced any gas pains or burping from the air filled belly. Today, my stomach is sore but just a bit swollen but no more air tightness or bloated. Got lucky on that one I guess... I saw my friend from here in the recovery room and it seems all went great with her too. Thank you all...... Mows lets get busy losing some weight

I want to go shopping with my teenage daughter and not get cranky and want to leave the mall because I can't find anything in a normal size store. I just want to walk out of my house each day and never have to worry about covering my body and that feeling of what others think about me. I'm tired of going to the store and looking at women my age being so healthy and wearing such cute clothes. I want the sense of beauty back in my life. I am tired of being sad..... I am looking forward to just saying noooooo to food and all the miserable things its made my life to be.

My surgery is Monday, and during this pre op diet week, I found out that food is basically all in my mind. I was never someone to eat just because, but, I found myself eating when I was bored at home. The band is our tool to our new lifestyle and to be a healthier person. You have to look back into your eating history and see if you are treading back down the same path. I am thankful for this pre op diet, as it's opened my eyes to the real reality of what my life should be like. I don't want to look in the mirror each day and say well....it's another day of being over weight, what can I do. I want to live....I want to see my little girl graduate from college.... I want to go shopping with my friends and never feel embarrassed....I want to be able to feel confident while with my husband and around his friends.... I just was my life back and see that girl in the mirror that I use to be. We make our own decisions in life and for once in 15 years, I am saying noooooooo to FOOD and yes to LIFE.

This pre op diet is getting boring. However, I will say that my stomach has shrunk a bit and it never gets bloated like when I eat other foods. I also found that I have not been craving sweets, bread, milk or potatoes. Us Ohio girls, need to meet down the road and share our stories, help support each other, shop shop shop for new clothes and even enjoy a small lunch. Three more days to a newer and better me..............

Lol.... I can't tell you how many people say...why are you having the surgery. The nurse that did our blood work that day, tried so hard to talk me out of doing the surgery. I said toooooo late, I just paid lol. My BMI is 35 and it's been like that for 15 years. I have spent more money on diet workshops to probably pay for this surgery twice. The way I carry my weight is crazy and I think my boobs are 10 lbs of it lol. I am excited to see this challenge ahead of me. I haven't cheated so far on the pre op but the temptation is there, espically when I have to cook dinner for my family. I do the seven meals about 2 to 3 hours apart, so I don't find myself starving.

I am allowed coffee on my pre op diet this week. I bought all my food during my nutrition class and one of the things I got for seven days was a hot chocolate variety mix. They are already sweetened, so they just said to add my coffee to the mix. It's a wonderful treat in the morning. Maybe this will be my new way of having coffee and try to break the habit of convincing myself I need coffee, which I think is totally a mental thing anyway. After surgery Monday, they said noooo coffee for 1 to 2 months. So, I guess I will buy some more hot chocolate packets from the nutrition store at journeylite.

I will see you in the recovery room for sure since we are back to back in surgery. I guess we stay about 3 hours, so maybe we will be walking the halls together before they let us go home. The food, well lol it's okay. I got only chili and chicken rice Soups, I have those four times a day, with hot chocolate and oatmeal for Breakfast. The Protein bars help when i need that little sweet something? I really havent craved much since Monday, which is odd, as I always want something sweet. The soups I just add either beef broth or chicken broth instead of Water and use a variety of spices, like cumin, ginger, hot sauce, etc. Glad to hear from you....see you in 4 days...

Hello everyone.... Today, I woke up to begin my seven day pre op diet. I hope, I will be excited by the end of the week but I have to stay positive. My menu for the week includes a list of food bought while doing my nutrition class for my surgery. cup of hot chocolate with coffee oatmeal Protein bar 4 Soup packets ....chili and chicken noodle with rice. I can have all of the above or just 5 or 6. I hope my day stays positive and the week to come. I wish you all a good day.

I haven't even gotten banded yet and I am already feeling the pressure of having things in the house not to eat.

Hiiiiiii Kerri, I was wondering if I would see you here soon. I was sitting next to you at our nutrition class last week. I hope I see you after surgery, since my surgery is right after yours. How is the food that we had to buy? I start monday on mine. Wish you lived close, I would love a walking buddy. I will be here for sure looking for support and we shall get through this together next week. Hope your feeling better before surgery.....

Sounds good. Seems every diet is a bit different here from what I read. I start my pre op diet next Monday, and I pre bought my food at my nutrition class. Here is my daily intake for 7 days. Hot chocolate with coffee mixed oatmeal for Breakfast Protein bar snack Chili pack Soup Rice and chicken soup pack I have two more soup Snacks left for the day if I need them they said. So basically 6 to 7 small meals a day.

After having chest pains for 5 weeks now, my primary doctor had me to a nuclear stress test last Thursday. I have not heard the results but hopefully today. I am feeling a bit depressed as I really wanted my journey to begin on the 24th. My family history is nothing but heart disease and I have lost them all due to this disease. My chest pain is a dull pain all day on left upper portion. My BP is horrible last week at dr. Office 158/100 and dr. Put me on atenanol 50mg. BP is now 120/71 heart rate 61. I feel as though my results could be angina but I hope not as I'm sure my surgery will be postpone if I need stents or etc. Feeling depressed now as I wait for doctor to call. I have tried to make myself feel better my saying...the doctor didn't call immediately so maybe it's good news....

Hello all, I got the call finally after being persistent by calling for 4 hours with no answers today regarding my stress test. They said the test went good and found that the blood is flowing properly and pumping good. I told them the pain has gotten worse since the test and its a bit more strong as it woke me up at 1;30 in the morning until 3:00 being uncomfortable. I have an appointment tomorrow to try and see possibly where this pain is originating from though i feel it primarily on my upper left chest almost center. So thanks everyone and I hope to have some more news soon and hope they say its okay to have the surgery as ($12,499.00) is due on the 10th two weeks prior to surgery. Thanks again for your support

Thank you...it scares me even more to have the Lapland should heart complications arise during surgery. I have had clients have the stress test, and nothing wrong and two weeks later cardiac arrest and open heart surgery. I know these tests are only so accurate and cannot determine all vessels in need of repair.

My surgery is scheduled for sept 24. I had been having dull chest pains for 5 weeks and finally decided to see the doctor last week. With my family history of heart disease my doctor sent me yesterday to have the cd stress test, dye, scans...four hours. In a few days I will have the result with hopes it's nothing major. I have to pay for my surgery on the 10th. If I for some reason I have a type of angina, can I still go through with the surgery? Anyone out there have ANGINA...and successfully had surgery with no problems Thanks.

Hi I am a newbie too and from CINCINNATI as well. Yesterday, I just finished my three hour consultation and am scheduled for surgery Sept. 24th. Dr. Trace Curry will also be my doctor and there staff is amazing. I was impressed to find out that our surgery package includes a 2 year all paid doctor visits and all fills included during that two year. That was great to hear since some doctors do not cover all the fills and it can be expensive. He also mentioned if anything goes wrong during that 2 years he will be responsible for all procedures with no cost to us except things like hospital stay and other doctors involved should they be. It's great finding someone here from Cincinnati YAYYYYYYY. Wish you the best and I will add you as a friend and hope we can go through this process together and cheer each other along.

Hi... I will have my consultation and evaluation Wednesday. If everything goes well and I have to do the blood work, etc. as required, how long did you wait to hear about your surgery date? Since you self paid, does surgery come sooner than waiting for the insurance to come through.? I would love to have the surgery sometime in September.....

Yeah I was wondering about the evaluation as well...today they called and said bring 100.00 for his fee and appt. Wednesday, so I guess, I will be. My BMI is 35

Oh good thanks for the replies. I have all days open when he is ready. I just hope they don't deny me the operation during my consultation. I am nervous about the physiologist and his questions.

This is so amazing to hear... I hope I can lose 50 lbs and feel what you are feeling in the year to come. I have my evaluation Wednesday and I am self paying so unsure when we can and hopefully set the date for the surgery. I hate shopping too and just this weekend alone going shopping with my 14 year old daughter and seeing so many cute clothes that I once use to wear made me so depressed. I want to enjoy shopping again....I just want my life back... thank you for your inspiring words.....

I have a few questions. Does the person (which is my husband) who is considered my support person have to come with me during my Consultation and hear and see my weigh it? I was reading some of the stories here and a woman was just overwhelmed about the fact that her support group (her husband) had to come with her and hear everything including her weight. I have never discussed my weight with my husband nor does he ask as he really doesn't think I need the surgery. So does he have to come at some point??? and see my results??? OMG this alone makes me worried. If that is the case, I will not have his name put on any documents as a support team and I have no family left so there is no option there as well. Secondly, what is the evaluation all about with the Physiologists? Can he alone deny me of the surgery for wrong answers? What are some of the things they ask? If I come this far and have hopes for the first time in 15 years to finally live a life for me and I get denied the surgery due to the fact I answered some questions truthfully and they feel I don't qualify, i will just give up for sure.....

I will self pay too... what is the pre op diet like? What do you drink for 2 weeks?

Wow this is kinda scary news for newbies like me who are considering the surgery. BTW, when something like this happens, do you pay the out of pocket expense for the ER room visit and Dr. visit? or does insurance pay for it? I am paying for my surgery out of pocket, but I did wonder if something would happen down the road, like slippage, etc., would insurance pay for any type of emergency visit or surgery there after??