hf2havefun

Hi Tarami!:biggrin1: Where in Ct are you from? I'm from Mystic and my surgery is on August 21st.

leslieloose100, :clap2:How is everything going with your band? I have my surgery on August 21st. :biggrin1: My surgery is going to be at St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport, CT. My surgeon is Dr. Ehrlich. I'm from Mystic by the way.

Congrats on the weight-loss! :clap2: Who was your surgeon and where did you have it done? I'm from Mystic. I have Dr. Timothy Ehrlich out of St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport. My surgery is Aug. 21st.

:faint:My pre-op diet officially starts 8/11/07. But my doctor suggested that I could start it as soon as possible, but not required asap. I have my gallbladder surgery on the 14th. So I have been cutting back a little or reducing my calorie intake but not to the pre-op diet yet. My pre-op diet is 10 days long. The first 8 days is a 1000 calorie diet with protein, fruits, veggies, sugar-free jello's and popsicles, water, & diet drinks. The 2 days (48 hours) before my surgery (Lap-band 8/21/07) is a clear liquid only diet. Examples: Light cranberry juice cocktail, sugar-free jello, tea with lemon, ff chicken broth, apple juice, sugar-free popsicles, ff beef broth, white grape juice, etc. Well, I guess having my gallbladder out the week before will help with the pre-op diet since I'm guessing I won't really want to eat very much after that.

Gallbladder surgery date: 8/14/07 Lap-band surgery date: 8/21/07:bounce:

:clap2:I know exactly how your feeling. My gallbladder surgery is the 14th and my Lap-band surgery is the 21st. It's like I can't wait for the day to come, but on the other hand I'm not looking forward to the pre-op diet and the liquid diet. Did you join in on the Crazy Ates August thread yet? :whoo:

:whoo::faint::cry:DSomebody pinch me! I think I'm dreaming. :notagree I was at work today and the phone rings. It's Lori from Dr. Ehrlich's office (my surgeon)! I HAVE A DATE!!!!!!!!!! Well, two dates actually. I just got my CPAP machine today and have to be on that for at least two weeks. My first surgery date is August 14th to have my gallbladder out. Apparently, I have one large gallstone. And my Lap-band surgery is August 21st. WHOOHOOOO!!!!!!:clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::first: I don't think it's exactly hit me yet! :bounce::dance: A friend of mine at work is having the bypass surgery and she started her process at the beginning of April and is still waiting on a date for hers. I started May 21st. She gonna be so mad that I got my date first. Oh well, she'll get over it.:biggrin1: I guess now I need to take the dreaded before pictures and take my measurements. Thanks for listening! Sorry for all the smilies. I can't help it today!

Well, I tried out my new CPAP machine last night. I have a sneaky suspicion that this thing is going to take some getting used to. Does anyone know about how long it takes to get used to the CPAP? I ripped it off a couple of times feeling like I couldn't breath until I started to get used to it being on me, but I'm not comfortable yet. I woke up this morning and again didn't have the mask on, but I don't remember taking it off. Is this normal?

:whoo:I got my dates today.. My gallbladder surgery AUGUST 14th. My LAP-BAND surgery August 21st! WHOOHOOO!!! :clap2:

Thanks miminms! That's exactly how I was today. busting at the seams and ready to tell somebody! One of my co-workers on the way out of work today asked me was I was smiling like that for. I guess it was obvious. A lot of them at work don't know yet and I didn't feel like telling them just to be criticized anymore. Just cause they are miserable doesn't mean I have to be anymore!

Thanks Tammy and Katie! Trust me! I asked about having it done at the same time. They said that the gallbladder can have bacteria in it and they don't want the bacteria going toward the band since it's a foreign matter in your body. Yeah, don't really want any further complications so I'll just have to deal with it a week apart. I'm going to take about 3 weeks total off starting the week of the gallbladder surgery. I'm putting in for my short term disability insurance and medical leave. No sense rushing right back to work. It's me time now! I guess one good thing about having my gallbladder surgery a week before the lap-band, he pre-op diet should be a piece of cake. OK, well maybe cake isn't the word we should be using here. I meant that I probably won't have much of an appetite, right?!

Well, I had another appt with my surgeon (Dr. Ehrlich) today!:nervous:clap2: Needless to say I was a little nervous. They had previously told me over the phone that I had one gallstone and that is what this appt was supposed to be about. Who knew 1 gallstone could cause such an interference. I guess he said that it's about ??cm but they way he made a circle with his fingers it looks like it's about 1" in diameter. OUCH!:cry This, doesn't it figure, means I have to have my gallbladder out first. But wait! There's more! Looking over the results from my sleep study he wants me on the CPAP for at least 2 weeks.:faint: Luckily this was in the same office as the sleep doctor (Dr. Licata). They able to set me up tomorrow with a CPAP machine.:omg::nervous:clap2: Another surprise!!!:whoo:Dr. Ehrlich figured since I was already there that we'd just do a Pre-op appt too. So here my next layout of schedule: -Still waiting for them to submit to the insurance when they've had everything since 6/28/07. Should be done tomorrow. -Get my CPAP machine tomorrow and start using it ASAP. Sleep finally I hope.:notagree Be on it until 7/31/07 when I have my followup appt.:biggrin1: -Once approved by insurance and OKed by sleep Dr. WE SET A DATE!!!!:whoo: He said that we could do the gallbladder surgery and lap-band surgery a week apart since my work will be the problem with taking medical leave and we could possibly set a date for August!:clap2::whoo: I'll keep you posted on how it's going. How long does it take to get adjusted to the CPAP?:help:

Oh I also have to get more bloodwork done, but at least I don't have to fast.:whoo: I also have to start cutting back on the calories before my gallbladder surgery.:nervous Not mandatory, but suggested.

My PCP when I mentioned it to him proceeded to tell me "Why did do you you want to do that? It doesn't work!" :angry Gee I don't know maybe the fact I don't want parts of my body cut, reassembled, and sewn back together. I'm not a quilt for crying out loud. Besides, I'm not a one size fits all kind of person. The lap-band is adjustable and that's what I like about it. Needless to say he wrote me a letter for medical necessity anyway. My surgeon (Dr. Ehrlich) on the other hand had no problem with my decision. I knew I liked him.

mcbee2, Where are you from? Maybe someone here (LBT.com) lives in/near your area and can help you find a doctor.

Congrats on getting banded 1st off! As far as that type of soup I'm not completely sure seeing as I haven't been banded yet. But from what I've been reading and what my nutritionist told me for my post-op diet that the 1st week you're only supposed to be on clear liquids. But from what I've been reading here the post-op diets vary a little depending on their doctor. Personally I wouldn't, especially if there are pieces of broccoli in the soup. You don't want to cause any irritation as the area around the band is still healing. Try searching in the food threads for similar questions. Hope this helps.

Congrats Melissa!:clap2: I'm also waiting to be approved by my insurance. I have another appt with my surgeon on Monday. My ultrasound of the abdomen showed that I have one gallstone so I might have to have my gallbladder out first. On top of that I had a sleep study and found out I have moderate obstructive sleep apnea. Hopefully he'll tell me I don't have to go on the CPAP machine, because that'll mean two weeks I have to be on that machine before they'll schedule my surgery. So I know how you're feeling. It's like... Come on already, I made my decision. Now give me my surgery date! I'll let you all know how my appt goes. Goodnight:notagree.

Well, I got a call on Friday from my PCP that they received the results from my sleep study that I had 6/13/07. It's about time! Bad news: I have moderate OSA. Partial good news: he doesn't want to bother putting me on a CPAP if I'm going through this surgery and just going to lose the weight anyway. Now I just have to hope my surgeon will feel the same way. If he decides that he wants me on the CPAP first then I have to go through the process of getting the machine, having another sleep study to set the pressure on it, and then be on it for two weeks before he'll even schedule my surgery. ARGHHHHH! :heh: But on another note, I spoke with Tangela from his office today. I had called to make sure they received everything on the checklist they gave me. She couldn't look it up in my chart because my surgeon still had it. But, she told me that if I DON'T hear from her tomorrow that means they have the 3 main things (nutritionist,MHC, and letter of medical necessity) to send it off to the insurance and she'll send it out tomorrow. So most like by this time next week I'll be approved! YIPPEE!!!!! :clap2: Next I have my appt with Dr. Ehrlich (my surgeon) on 7/16/07 (next Monday). We be discussing my gallbladder and probably now my sleep study too.:phanvan I just hope it goes well. I'll keep you all posted. Goodnight:notagree.

I have to agree. I feel the same way too. I remember I was maybe 150 at my heaviest in high school and have been out of school for 13 years. We had a five year reunion and at that point I had put on at least 50 more pounds and would rather have hid seated at the table all night then get up and mingle, let alone walk into the room. Thank goodness we haven't had one since. But if we actually have a 15 year reunion, I'm really looking forward to it. I won't mind making a grand entrance at all. I know we all want it.... the WOW factor! :omg::clap2: You know what I mean. You walk into the room and people are doing double-takes looking at "you"! Whuuuu-hooooo! I CAN'T WAIT! Of course, I still need to get a date for my surgery first. Hopefully August or September.

Hi all! Okay I was soooo excited :whoo: because last month (basically in four days) I did all my pre-op appointments: the nutritionist, mental health counselor, my physical, letter of medical necessity, sleep study, EKG, ECO, Ultrasound of the Abdomen ( to check my gallbladder), and my blood work. Yeah, on all that! But, now I'm waiting on the stupid sleep study results that I had done on 6/13/07 and still wasn't done as of Monday.:faint:I've been trying to get a hold of my surgeon's office and all I'm getting is voice-mails. I don't even know if they've submitted to my insurance yet. I have an appointment with my surgeon Dr. Timothy Ehrlich on 7/16/07 regarding my gallbladder. Apparently they found "1", yes 1 gal-stone. I'm really hoping i don't have to have my gallbladder out first. Has anyone else had this happen? What did they do?:help:

I'm from Mystic, CT:whoo: I was in Hawaii in October 2006 on a cruise. :ip: Absolutely gorgeous islands! If only I could afford to move there. Can't wait to go back and visit!:wave:

I had an ultrasound of the abdomen on the 25th of June and found out I have 1 gallstone. I would have thought for sure that I was full of them. I have an appointment with my WL Surgeon on July 16th to discuss this. When I went for the first consult I asked if I had to have my gallbladder out could they do that and the lap-band at the same time and he said no. I guess cause if it's inflamed then it could cause an infection after the surgery. So why am I reading that so many have had both done at the same time. Personally, that makes sense to me. Why go through 2 surgeries when you could get it done at the same time. I guess I'll have to see what my Dr. says. I'll keep you posted.

Thank you. I'll have to try that.

Hello everyone!:clap2: So much has happened the past couple of weeks. I saw the Nutritionist and the Mental Health Counselor on the 4th. Both of those appointments went well. On Wednesday night, I had my Sleep Study done. That was interesting. I felt like a marionette puppet with all those wires attached to me. Come to find out according to the nurse, I have sleep apnea. And she thought it was bad enough that she thinks I'll need a CPAP machine. Oh JOY!!!!!:phanvan But I guess at least then I'll sleep better.:notagree I have to call for a follow up appointment for that. All I have left is: 1-ultrasound of the abdomen (to check gallbladder) 2-EKG 3-ECO 4-a physical from my regular doctor with a letter of medical necessity 5-and blood work I'll have 1-4 done on the 25th of this month. The blood work I'm going to try to get done that next morning. Oh, and my surgeon's office called today to see how I was doing with scheduling all my appointments that I needed for insurance approval. I was really impressed with that. Well, I'll keep ya'll posted on how everything else goes. :clap2:

:clap2: Things are moving so quickly, I can hardly believe it! :clap2: I attended a seminar on 5/21/07. I had my 1st appointment with my surgeon 5/31/07. My nutritionist appoinment is 6/4/07. My mental health counselor appointment is also 6/4/07. My sleep study :notagree is 6/13/07. My ultrasound of my abdomen to rule out Galbladder problems/infection; and an ECO is 6/25/07. And my physical and EKG with my regular doctor is also 6/25/07. The only thing left after that will be my bloodwork. I looked into this a couple years ago, but chickened-out. Everything seems like it is just falling into place. I just know it's the right thing and the right time now.