PineNut

I had my consult yesterday and was told that you need to eat your protiens first, then veggies, and evaluate what you want next. No liquids with you meal so the pouch stays full longer and you are more satiated. I know another seminar I went to stressed no dairy, but theywere more experienced with gastric bypass and I didn't get a lot of info on the band there. My Dr. actually discourages too manyliquid calories once your band is healed. They will flow through and you are consuming calories that aren't helping to keep the full feeling. Maybe you should ask to speak with a dietician or a different nurse that didn't have such a drastic view. Even my Dr. said every once & a while you may need to have some "Ben & Jerry therapy"! As long as you are able to get past it and move on to make better choices.

I have never been big on vitamins or chewables at all. But I found the new Spiderman Gummies and they are like soft gum drops and quite tasty! Now I have a choice of the Princess gummies or Spidey. I got both at Target.

I can tell you I felt much more at ease with my decision after attending the seminar for NWWLS and feel, for me, it is worth the additional drive. And good news..I was told they are looking for a site in Tacoma to open shortly for fills in the south end! No driving to Everett for a fill. It really isn't that far. The Payne Field exit up there by the old drive in theater you can still see off I5. It took only about 1.5 hours to drive up there in morning commuter traffic on a Friday. My pre op includes the request to loose 10 pounds. He was agahst at the fact I was drinking regular pepsi! I think he changed it from 5 to 10 at that fact! I don't have to have any additional tests since I don't have any health concerns ie: high BP, diabetes, etc. I was offered the Medifast shakes at cost and even got to sample one. I am not a shake person. I would not be able to stomach the protien and vitamins required by Dr. Oh.! For afterwards, Dr. Michaleson stressed that the first 6 weeks prior to your fill are for healing. Not necessarily for weight loss. I am allowed anything liquid that could be sucked through a fat straw (don't have to use a straw though!) for the first 2 weeks and then soft foods that can be mashed with a fork for 2 weeks. No shakes, only a standard whatever multi vitamin you can handle. I am starting on the Spider Man gummies today :Banane43: They are yummy and like gum drops! I was told that by making wise choices in the after care and eating that there is not any malabsorption, so all these shakes are not necessary. I was given lists of foods that would be good and protien rich sources and others to avoid. NWWLS also averages 2.2 lb lost per week with close montoring of weight loss. If you go 2 weeks without loosing, they want you in there to adjust. That is why they include the 13 mo of fills up front. No hesitation about additional costs for fills. I think the $12,800 Dr. Oh charges is all inclusive for the surgery. I don't recall anything about his fills other than he said we would have to see him every month. And he didn't mention any costs for all the pre op tests and procedures he would do himself. I didn't like that aspect of the "one man/one stop shopping". If all that testing is reuired, why can't your regular Dr. do it an have it covered? Could be just me. I paid $200 for the consult and it is applied to the surgery. The Psych consult was $250 and I used their recommended person in their office. Linda bills seprately through her own practice and it is NOT applied to surgical fees, but is required to have the surgery. That leaves me a balance of $15,800 for the NWWLS fees and then $900 to the Anesthesiologist. NO other out of pocket expenses, no hospital stay, it is outpatient and laproscopic done in their surgical suite and you are on your way back home in about 4 hours. Please look at their site and review the powerpoint presentation and information. I would realy recommend getting all the info you need before making a decision like this. I am really looking forward to the whole process now! Cheers to the last 4 Pepsi's I have for this weekend. Then I am starting on the Lean Cuisine and aiming for 1000 calories and hopping on my Elliptical again. 12 days to loose 10 pounds! I know I can cut about 500 calories just in pop alone : )

ShellMar (you are the "gal"): SO I went to the appointments today and I actually ended up getting to see the Doctor too! It was a long and informative morning and I am ready to go. I am scheduled for the 17th! I actually could have gone on the 10th but my brother and SIL are coming. I don't want to be laid up then! Good news is that I don't have to have any pre-op procedures done since I am so "healthy and young". Tell that to my knees! So since I am self pay, I have to have my money in on the 11th and then they will call with a more specific time forthe 17th. I met with Linda for my Nurse and Psych. My Mom came with me, but had to step out for the psych part. (Be sure to have their questionaire filled out before you check in. Brownie points from the admin staff! ) It was easy going and we talked about expectations and nutritional info and foods. I got another folder of information to read over and another website for the Center. We talked from about 9:15 to 11:15 and then I got a little break before Dr. Michaleson. I have to say they have some nice bathrooms. lots of them too! We spoke withthe Dr. for about 15 or so minutes and I didn't have a lot of questions since the seminar is sofull of info. HE is REALLY nice. Then I went to schedule myappointment with Melissa and then I asked to see the surgery area. She was more than happy to show me around. It looks really nice too. Let me know if you have more questions!

Hmmmm. I was trying to reply directly to the gal in West Seattle......Oh well.<p>I am going for my first appt with the nurse and psych tomorrow am. My appt with Dr Michaleson is on the 10th. I will let you know the scoop if you like! I am hoping for banding on the 24th of May! Wish me luck!</p> <p>Laurie</p>

I don't know if you will see this post, but here is my input: I have not been banded - yet- but I also lost during both my pregnancies. My girls are 18 mo. apart (suprise!) and during both, I lost about 40 pounds ea. time. I did end up with 2 C-sections due to them both being face-up. I also never dialated - which some said that being overweight sometimes you don't really lose your "waist" (what there is of it to begin with!) and that can interfere with the "dropping" down process. I was mostly out front carrying them and did not mind a C-section. I am thinking that the after care may be about the same feeling for the band? I also, like JackSpratsWife, am hoping the feeling of fullness will be the same that I had when pregnant, I just ate about 1/3 of what I would have normally eaten. I never got sick, well only once brushing my teeth, so each person really has their own experience. My only phobia was CHICKEN- uggh. Good luck in your adventure. Enjoy being pregnant! It is the longest -and shortest journey to take. I am hoping the band will give me back the spunk I felt after having my girls. Now to start on losing that 80 pounds that came back!

I am new to the forum- this is my first post! I have attended both the seminars for Dr. Oh and for NWWLS. I have decided to go with Dr. Michaelson at NWWLS in Everett as a self pay. I believe they have a nurse that goes to Yakima and another Eastern location twice a month for fills so you don't have to travel so far. Check out their website for a LOT of information and the Powerpoint presentation is great. Everyone has been incredibly nice and most of the staff is banded too. I have never felt any question was too silly - or that I was wasting their time. I was even given one of the ladies sister's number to call her about a 401K option for paying! I am very impressed and can't wait for my first appointment. I hope to have the surgery in mid-May. Good luck with your research!