Evilah

now I'm so nervous!!! I keep thinking, am I going to have a bad outcome? Then I think I am being too paranoid! I don't know what to think! evilah

I bet some of the anorexia web sites would have good ideas about how to hide your eating habits in public. I'm not joking, I am also afraid of how I'll look in public and how I will avoid eating without broadcasting the state of my lap-banded stomach to the world. At least I don't go to church luncheons anymore like I did when I was living at home, those were terrible. If you're too fat, then you couldn't look like you ate too much, if you're too thin then you have to look like you're eating alot. Someone inevitably asks you midbite if you've lost/gained weight. It's like the dentist asking you about your flossing habits while your mouth is propped open with a hand in it. Evilah

No date yet, but I start my pre-op testing friday. evilah

yay yay ya YAY YAYA YAAAAA maybe a few smilies will express my elation!:clap2::clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :) :biggrin1: :biggrin1: :biggrin1: :D :D :D Called insurance today, waiting for letter to be recieved by my doctor so I can schedule the surgery!!! Best wishes to all you guys out there still working on it! I gathered my own weight history and did all of the "leg-work" and faxed it to the insurance coordinator myself so it would go faster. good luck guys!

I've decided where to go, my insurance made it easy--- the doctor I already saw is in-network, and the other doctor I wanted to see is NOt! So there, it's decided, where I'm going, and how it's getting paid for. I just have to eat my pre-op diet, do my pre-op testing, and anticipate the surgery date (which is yet to be scheduled due to paperwork being processed) Big relief. Although I have the overwhelming urge to eat a bag of chips and drink a 7UP now. LOL! Evilah

<p>In response to anyone who has been reading my posts telling my frustration and anxiety about picking a doctor, the decision has been made. I found out today that NWWLS is out-of-network for my insurance, and so surgery with them would not necessarily be paid for, and if so, not at the higher rate at which it pays to dr. oh, who is in-network. </p> <p> </p> <p>I feel so light, like I could float away! The weekend fretting about this wasn't so bad!!!</p> <p> </p> <p>Evilah</p>

wenjea! After I had my c-section, I did a little experiment on myself. My doctor removed my staples before I was ready for them to be removed. I know you get a frankenstein scar from staples left in too long, but if they're taken out early, bad keloids can form, and I've gotten those before. In fact I have one on my nose from a bad pimple wound (lol) Anyway, after the staples were taken out, I religiously maintained closely spaced steri-stripped one side of the incision, and on the other side I did what the doctor said-- leave them alone until they fall off then keep the area clean. Well, there is a keloid line on my right side where I followed the instructions, and a nearly invisible line on the other side where I steri-stripped with devotion. After the outside heals, the lower layers of skin are still split. The strength of the outer skin that healed is weak, and needs the extra support from the steristrips to stay closed and assist the lower layers of skin while healing. My mom is a wound nurse, if you have anymore questions, I'll ask my mom. I'm having the same surgery with the same doctor so I'll probably want to ask an questions you want to ask. Pass them on! Evilah

nice ticker. Turtles are my mascot! Merrillee, I know, this indecision is madness! I chose Dr. Oh because he's been doing all kinds of weight loss surgery for over 2 decades, and st. francis is a center of excellence, meaning proven low complication rates. When I made the decision I didn't know much about NWWLS except that I heard some bad things about the staff when they were at Evergreen. Other than that, I knew nothing about them, and I was under the impression that they had started doing their surgeries in Everett. Anyway, at this point I'm leaning towards staying where I'm at. There will be a few long drives (45m-1hr) but after the surgery, if it's too hard, I'll just switch to NWWLS for aftercare. I keep coming up even when I compare the two places, even counting the convenience or inconvenience of the drive. But then, I'm going to their seminar tomorrow night, and maybe that will change my mind! Evilah

a lap band only support group? !! I don't know if I want to go to a support group with gastric bypass patients, they're experience with diet, and self-control, etc. seems to be so different. It would be very cool if you guys would start a dr oh/hirai/srikanth/fox lap band support group on the south side! evilah

lisah are you going to a support group there? evilah

I don't know when my date is but I think I'll find out this week. Keep me updated on how your surgery I goes. I want to go to a support group with people from dr. oh's office in it. I want to know their experience. Have you been to one? Keep me update on your surgery/experience/progress. I hope everything goes well for you. evilah

vitamin water

I read a couple of studies about this-- one said that banders have fewer c sections and gain less weight than overweight people (presumable people whoe need the band), another said that banders didn't have anymore complication than regular weight non-banded people I want to have another child also.

bump up this thread

some of my family members have hardcore constipation problems. Drink more water and if you make sauces or soups just add apple pectin. It thickens the soup and keeps you moving. Also try vega or ultimate meal... liquid meal replacements that keep you moving. (No whey, which blocks you up, and counteracts the effect of fiber. that's my experience)

vegas or houston

27 here! SOrt of wish I would have done this sooner! I'm approved by insurance and waiting to schedule my surgery date. Evilah

My surgery isn't scheduled yet, but it looks like I'll have it in June. I've already started the process, my pre-surgery endoscopy is this Friday. (Unless I cancel it because I've decided to change doctors LOL~!) Evilah

Hi! Surgery isn't scheduled yet, but if no major changes, then it looks like June for me! evilah

Just to clarify, I meant, do you think guys capitalize on the fact that you used to be big, and while you look great, sense that you may be vulnerable because of the huge change that's happened to you, that you may still have the mind frame of someone not so attractive?

Hi! Just wanted to say some things I remembered about dating, maybe it will help you out. I lost about 40 llbs before I met my husband, and was then 70 pounds lighter than I am now. But I remember before I lost that 40 lbs., going out with my girlfriends, and not looking, just wanting to have fun and joke and laugh all night, and guys would give me the fat girl routine. They wouldn't say it outright but it seemed like what they were thinking was that they were better looking than me, and that I would be easy because of that. So they'd hit on me, and take liberties with me, and disrespect me, and be dishonest with me in ways they wouldn't to thinner/more attractive girls. I fell for it a few times before I realized what was going on, that I wasn't getting taken seriously because I was fat, and that guys were capitalizing on that fact. I knew I was fat, but didn't see myself as fat, I still had the self-worth of a skinny person, the one I used to be. In fact, a fellow "fat-girl" explained the phenomenon to me because I had dated so little as a fat person. You know what's the worst? A gay girl gave me the fat-girl routine once! Can you believe that? Do these guys know about your old self? Do you think you ever get the fat-girl routine? (not taken seriously, but taken for granted) If I could just give you a big dose of snobby, skinny girl, no one's good enough for me attitude over the internet, I would. You certainly deserve the best and deserve to be true to yourself and deserve to be respected and valued and loved. It's not the best attitude to have, but it would certainly serve as a defense. When you're good looking, It's so hard to be kind, and fun, and friendly to people (men) without getting a massive attracted response. best wishes -Evilah

you know, when your doctor prescribes a bipap, because you can't use and don't like the cpap, you just ASSUME that the machine is properly set by professionals to act like a bipap, and reduce the pressure during exhalation. (I think it's pretty standard for people who have higher pressure to have a bipap, my grandfather does, but my mom who uses a lower pressure uses a cpap). I'M SO MAD! ! ! ! -Evilah

Today, after reading through some sleep apnea threads, I decided to give my machine anothe rtry. (I've had this particular machine since april of 2005, so over 2 years-- during which I've repeatedly tried to make it work for me, it's a bipap machine) I read about it on the internet and tried to figure out why I felt like it was choking or smothering me while I was sleeping. I checked the exhalation pressure-- it was cranked all the way up to 11 !!! After all of this time trying to use it, calling the center, GOING to the sleep center, meeting with RT's. What are those people? RETARDED? So I made a makeshift chin strap and turned the exhalation pressure all the way down, and took a nap. The first time ever that I successfully went to sleep and woke up with the machine still on and feeling okay, feeling great actually, because I got to sleep on my back, which I love to do and haven't done in years-- because I breathe better on my side with pillows anchoring my top shoulder down and away from my neck. Evilah

Thanks! Now, after approval, I'm having a terribly tough time deciding what doctor to go to.