The Icy One

Woo-Hoo! I was just banded this morning. It's not so bad. I haven't even used pain meds. Just a little liquid Motrin for discomfort. Rekax, enjoy the experience. And slather on lip balm right up until they take you back. Trust me. Your lips will thank you. Good luck!

Welcome! I remember those heady first days. It felt as if the whole thing would take forever! Well, let me just tell you, time flies! I started in June and my surgery was this morning and I am recovering and feeling pretty good Enjoy the process. Do lots of reading and research. Read the good, the bad and the ugly. Don't let the bad and ugly scare you, let them inform and teach you. Don't let the good put rose coloured glasses on you, let it encourage and motivate you. Learn all you can and be well prepared. Then just relax and enjoy the experience. It's once in a lifetime. Have fun with it. You might as well.

All WLS is a risk. Some a bit more than others but they all carry risks and benefits. It is up to us to do our homework and make the very best, fully informed decision for our own bodies, health concerns and lifestyle. One surgery isn't "better" than another. One surgery is just more suitable for a particular individual. Good luck to you, going forward, whatever procedure you choose. I hope that it is a wonderful and helpful tool to you to help you reach all of your goals.

It's coming up fast and will be here before you know it!

I will. Good luck, tomorrow!

Thanks. I m convinced that a positive attitude is important. And I tend to be a bit irreverent about more minor medical stuff. A sense of humor makes it a little more fun.

I am, thanks. I am home, chillin like a villain in my recliner, sipping warm tea and watching Top Chef. I have been trucking around the place, walking, too. Feeling pretty good. Tired but okay. Portie is a little ouchie but as long as I remember and watch how I move, not too bad. I'll live.

Nope. Checked in at 5:45 left at nine. Headed home, as I type this. I have a cushy recliner with my name on it waiting for me.

Banded and on my way home! Woot! More later, still a tad foggy.

We're in the Valley... got here a little early. The surgery center isn't even open yet so we're at a gas station so hubby can refresh and so on. Man I am tired I hardly slept a wink last night. I am ready to be knocked out. LOL

Fabulous!

I'm feeling fine as frog's hair and ready to go, thank you. My only complaint? I have to check in at the surgery center at 5:45 AM which means that we have to leave the house at 3:15 to drive to the Valley from where we live. Gah! I HATE living in BFE! I need to settle down and get a few hours rest, if possible but right now I am a little keyed up...

I will keep a good thought for your approval. Aetna likes to make you sweat it out! I have Aetna, too. They made me wait FIVE FRAKKING WEEKS. I thought I was going to tear my hair out! Hang in there.

Congrats, girl!

I am always so interested in how different everyone's experience is. It sounds as if your doctor is very caring and involved in your care. That is so great. My doc is a sweetie and I can rely on her for great care but she is a little shy of the whole band thang. Well, she's going to have to get used it, now. Heh! Heh! Heh! Every insurance company has different approval criteria. I went to a practice independent of my PCP, completely on my own, as my insurance doesn't require a referral or letter from my primary care doctor. I am going through True Results in Scottsdale, a self contained Lap Band centered WLS practice that handles the process start to finish. My insurance required no seminar, I had to do four months of supervised visits of health/weight check visits where I was required to keep my weight within a five pound +/- range. It could not move from that range by even an ounce or I was out and would have had to start over. Less than two weeks before my last visit, my insurance changed the rules and said that my weight had to be at least one pound lower than my start weight at my last visit, so I had to crash diet like a madwoman for ten days to just squeak in under the acceptable maximum. It was a nail biter! I was required to meet with a nutritionist, an exercise physiologist and to have some simple medical tests. I was then subjected to a five week wait for my insurance to approve. I received my approval by phone call from my practice and my approval letter a couple of days later from my insurance company, scheduled my surgery and started my pre op diet and I have my surgery tomorrow. (Yippee! finally! ) My surgery is being performed at an outpatient surgery center. I check in at the a*sscrack of way too frakking early in the morning, have my band installed, go home and recover in the comfort of my own home, with my loving hubby and son to pamper and wait on me hand and foot. Good luck going forward. Enjoy this process. It's a huge thing, but it is also fascinating and there is a lot to learn. Dive in and get in to it. It's going to be a part of your life, from now on.

Definite difference. And, you look smashing as a blonde.

I am getting super excited. My consult is tomorrow and my surgery is Thursday morning. I check in at the surgery center at the unholy hour of 5:45. If everything is on schedule my op should be about 6:30. I could be done and headed home by ten.

Maybe your band is not properly adjusted for your needs? Why not pop in to your surgeon's practice, have a good long chat with your doc or PA or whomever, get an adjustment up or down or what have you and see if that helps. A properly adjusted band shouldn't be preventing you from eating a nice variety of good, healthy foods. So, maybe you just need to give your little silicone friend a little love.

Yaya, yay!!! Rest and recover well. Congrats!

My consult with my surgeon is tomorrow at 1:30 my surgery is Thursday morning. I'll get the exact time at my consult. I thought it was forever away now it's coming up fast! I am so ready to get this done.

Woot! I hope everything went well.

So far, only my husband, son and one very non judgmental and very supportive friend IRL know about my surgery. I will share with others down the line but for now, I am kind of enjoying playing it close to the vest.

Thanks. I have six days to go. So ready to do this. My son loves Thanksgiving, it is his favorite day of the year. He looks forward to it and the big spread I always put on. He was gutted when I first told him that the big feast wasn't happening this year. But he was cool about it in a couple of minutes. He gets why. And his grandmother is going to do a smaller Thanksgiving dinner for him and his dad so that they don't miss out and I can take the day off for a change. To be honest, I'm kind of looking forward to spending the day on my own. My broth and a good book, maybe a good movie or two... Does that sound awful?

Loose skin is a reality for anyone who loses a lot of weight, regardless of how they lose it. The fact is, when we gain weight we stretch our skin and when we finally lose that weight the excess skin doesn't just magically shrink down and snap back into place. Genetics and your starting weight will determine how much loose skin you may need to deal with. Some people are able to firm up some of their loose skin post weight loss through exercise but for the majority of us it is a reality with which we will have to deal. Better loose skin. Than morbid obesity, in my opinion.

I have Aetna. I had to do four months of supervised visits including various tests they decided they needed. Happily I didn't need a sleep study or endoscopy or anything like that. Just routine blood work and an EKG and a breathing test. Easy-peasy. I had to have a psych eval and a couple of meetings with a nutritionist. Then I had a five week nail biter of a wait for my approval and surgery date.