goodlife

Tiff, does Biotin require a prescription or is it over the counter?

windsor...what is the fat and carb count in that shake?

Hi everbody.

Since making the decision to have WLS I've been reading and researching and just absorbing as much information as possible. I'm so glad I found this site! After reading about the band, the bypass, and the sleeve...the decision was an easy one for me. The sleeve it is!

I'm a 39 yr old mother of two and wife of one.

I work full time at a job I absolutely love.

I've struggled with my weight most of my adult life. I have some pretty bad lower back problems and also have very high cholesterol although I've never been put on anything for it. (Probably because I don't have a regular family doctor that I see) I also suspect that I have a mild to moderate case of sleep apnea that's developed over the last couple of years. When my back problems started to get worse I really packed on the pounds. I probably have about 150 lbs to lose at this point...and doesn't that just sound YUCK! It's really affected my physical ability and that is SO not working for me anymore! LOL I'm hoping that getting rid of some of this extra weight will help with these issues.

I want to be healthy. I want to be active again. I want to live a long life and see my kids grow up and give me grandkids one day...not too soon mind you!

I attended a seminar last week and I have an appointment scheduled with the surgeon on March 31st. I'm self pay so they said it would go pretty quick so I'm trying to gather as much information as possible so I can be as best prepared as possible. I also went ahead and made an appointment with a regular GP/Internist for a checkup next week just because I don't have a doctor that I see on a regular basis and haven't had a full checkup in probably oh....ever? But at least I'll have that behind me when I go for my consultation with the surgeon.

I tell you...you guys are just an invaluable source of information...and I wanted you all to know how much I appreciate you all sharing your insight, your stories, and your knowledge on these forums.

Now for my questions.

1. I'm a smoker. I know they ask you to quit at least two weeks before you surgery but realistically speaking I don't think that's going to happen. I was curious if there are any other smokers out there and what your docs had to say about that. I did order some e-cigs and am hoping to substitute with that and at least cut down significantly. I'm also hoping that after I lose some of this weight and feel better physically and can become more active that I will have a desire to quit. Any other smokers out there?

2. What tests did your surgeon do or order before surgery? I know that I will probably have a sleep study done and some bloodwork, but I'm not sure about what else. They will do the psych eval on the 31st during my consultation.

3. Can anyone expand on this drain tube I keep reading about? What is it draining and what is it attached to on the inside? I will have a one night hospital stay (assuming all goes well and according to plan) so will that be removed by I leave the hospital? That really seems like the grosset part of the whole thing! lol

4. Do they catheterize you during surgery?

5. Hair loss. I keep reading about this. What causes this to happen and does it happen to everyone? I have super thin hair already...I'll be bald if I start losing hair! Is there anything you can do to prevent it?

I had other questions but now I can't think of them! lol

Any words of advice or any specific questions I should ask my doctor about? I'm seeing Dr. Matthew French with the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana.

Thanks!

Is it painful?

Is it standard OP to have an upper GI done and if so, what is the purpose?

And Congratulations on your getting your date scheduled!

Hi everybody. I'm new here.

I've been reading and absorbing as much information as possible.

What do they differently during surgery if you have sleep apnea vs. if you don't?

I'm pretty sure I have sleep apnea...I think I've probably had it for a couple of years now although I've never had a sleep study done..at least not yet. I'm sure my surgeon will require me to have one.

I was just wondering what difference it makes to have the definitive proof.

Hello...I'm brand new here. I haven't yet posted because I've been absorbing everything like a sponge.

I hope I'm not breaking the rules by posting this and I'll certainly delete this if I am but I saw your post about needing a script for the bloodwork.

I run a company called DirectLabs and we sell discounted bloodwork directly to the consumer. So you don't need doctor's orders for your bloodtests....we provide that for you AND at up to 80% cash prices at the labs. We use LabCorp for all our bloodtests and are bringing Quest on board as a backup for places where there are no convenient LabCorp's.

The website is in my profile I believe. www.directlabs.com.

I just wanted to make you aware of that option and that it could certainly save you money.

Well..she called me back not long after I posted this! She is going to contact my insurance to see if they cover it....but I was just reading through my benefits book and it says they do NOT cover "services surgeries or supplies for obesity or morbid obesity regardless of medical necessity"

I asked her how much it would cost if my insurance didn't cover it and she said between $12,900 and $19,500. Sigh.

After doing all of this research for the first time in a very long time I feel.....HOPE!

I'd been calling the Dr.'s office for a few days now trying to get information on how to start the process....make an appointment, etc. They've yet to call me back. I called again just to ask what kind of wait I should expect for a callback and I explained that I'd called and left messages a few times. She took my name and number and said she'd walk it back there and ask them to call me today. I then asked her how long it usually takes to get an appointment. She said it really depends on how quickly they can verify insurance benefits. Apparently they do that before you even get a consultation. I asked her about self-pay if the insurance doesn't cover it but she said the girl who will call me back can answer all of those questions. I also signed up to attend their seminar on the 8th. WOO HOO...I'm excited about that.

I sure hope they call today....I'm anxious to get the ball rolling!

I moderate the Sean Hannity online message board. We have over 40,000 registered users. Of course....we only have about a 1000 or so that are active. It's a pretty hectic and busy place...lol

I'm not banded....and I totally understand and even predicted what the answers to this question would be....and I guess maybe Alexandra's answer kinda summed part of of my question up for me too...but as I'm still trying to wrap my mind around all of this...I do have a question..kinda technical in nature. With your stomach capacity so severely diminished....it seems like a body couldn't help but lose weight...by virtue of the pouch alone it seems that simply the way decreased amount of food you can eat would assure a weight loss....is it not this way because if you are not restricted then even though your stomach capacity (pouch) is much much smaller than it used to be...the opening from your pouch into the rest of your stomach is big enough that the food just passes right through?? I sure hope I'm not offending anyone with my questions...I'm really just trying to understand.

BTW....this is the third day since I've called the Dr's office and noone has STILL called me back...gggrrrr

Red Red Red Red Red Red Red!!!!!!!

Lol

Hi all!! I am a full time mom and wife first and foremost...but I hate housework..lol

I was a Realtor but I've given that up until my children are older and less demanding of my time. I thought it would be manageable given I could set my own hours in Real Estate but you really have to put a lot into it in order to be successful and of course most people want to look at houses after work and on weekends...and of course that's when all of my kids activities are!

I have lots of hobbies...I love to read, I love to garden, I love to fish, and my husband just bought me a brand new jetski for my birthday so that's going to be my newest hobby (I'd really like to lose weight and look good on that thing...hehehe)

I also Moderate a very large and very active political message board....so I do spend a lot of time with that...(my husband would tell you TOO MUCH time...lol)

In my first post here on this forum I mentioned that we had a friend who is going to have the procedure done...that friend is Mr. Tink...another new member here. I found this site and sent him the url. Hi Tink! My husband and son are archery nuts too!

Anyway....this is an interesting thread and I've really enjoyed reading here on the forums and have learned so much already.

I took the first step yesterday and called the Dr. office to see about getting an appointment. They said I had to speak to someone in patient advocacy first...so I'm still waiting for them to call me back. I did call and leave a second message today.

For that "head hunger"...something that has worked in the past for me just being on diets and stuff was instead of reaching for that bag of chips or Cookies I'd pop a lollipop in my mouth...kept my mouth busy for a while....now I realize that a lollipop (tootsie roll lollipops are my favorite) is all sugar....it's still better than a bag of oreos!

Are you really that upset because you can't eat what you want?? Don't you think in time your dependence on food will lessen? Perhaps you are accustomed to using food as a substitute for other things..

I don't have a story yet....

I haven't been banded yet...I'm still in the learning/research/decision phase of this.

Hey..I'm in Louisiana too...whereabouts are you?

Nevermind..just looked at your profile...you're in New Orleans...I'm on the Northshore. Who is doing your surgery?

Is it only the texture of the food that you have to look out for?? Do spices/acidity etc. matter? What about fried foods? I'm a cajun and we eat spicy food...lol

salad? ? A nice salad is one of my very favorite foods to eat...I've read that some people have a hard time with lettuce....I don't get that. I've read where people say foods get "stuck"...stuck where? and why??

I've recently started snoring...and I've also recently started doing something else...but I'm not sure if it's sleep apnea or not. I guess if I decide to go through with this they'll make me have a sleep study and I'll find out. I will fall asleep but then it's like something is clogging up my throat or it kinda feels like my tongue is blocking the airway or something..it's weird...but it's new. Maybe I do have sleep apnea....??

Did they give you any sort of prescription for pain?? Or do you just take otc stuff like alleve or advil??

Patty...how are you feeling today??

of doing a sleep study test before surgery? I'm not sure I understand the correlation here...I've read plenty of testimonials and I talked my friend who's having the procedure done in May and he also said they have scheduled him for a sleep study.

I agree with Megan on Sue's first thought, it make total sense. When I had esophagitis my esophagus was so swollen I could not eat any solids. The prevacid really helped me to repair my damage esophagus.

I was just reading your profile on the link you posted...you are a funny guy...

Congrats on the upcoming baby!!

I wish you lots of success....I'm just beginning to research this and am contemplating having it done...so it will be nice to follow your story.