thynnlynn

I have had a band for four years and have been unintentionally bullemic and fat, a horrible combination. Everything moved so quickly. Recently, I called a doctor who is assocaited with Barix (the weight loss hospital) which is 3 hours from me, but he has an office that is about 90 minutes from me. The receptionist asked me if I could be there by 3pm that day and I got in the car and went there. He did a seminar with one other girl. Later, I had a regular appointment and he removed all of the Fluid from my band which he said must have slipped. I was scheduled to have a total hip replacement revision done by a tandem team in Grayling, MI (which is a medium-size hospital) and while the surgeons were working on the other patients, talked themselves out of doing mine, Just as I was ready to leave, the hospital called and said my surgery was cancelled and that my otho surgeon would call the neext day. He did and said that it had to be done in a major hospital because it is a real tricky surgery and he felt unsafe doing it at the smaller place. So, I have an appointment with the ortho surgeon in Traverse City, MI on 1/8 which I have to cancel today. I was already cleared for surgery by all of my -ologists (I have a big cardiac history), so they immediately cleared me for the band removal and RNY. Insurance approval was immediate and surgery was scehduled for 2/25/13. I got a cal the other day telling me there was a cancellation and that my surgey date was now 1/4/13, with my pre-op on 12/26/12!!! :wub: I am sure everything will go fine for you. I also worked in the medoical profession and did go to nursing school many years ago and my daughter is also a nurse. I have been reading the post-op threads to see what pains are normal and what are not, also complications and what I can do to avoid some of the pitfalls. I am certainly hoping that they can do mine in one procedure. Take care! Lynn

I am not sure how my name got changed, but it is me, thynnlynn!

What I was told was when you are ready to go into surgery, you are weighed and if you do not meet your insuance criteria, you go home. As Medicare is my primary, the magic BMI is 35. If I get to my surgical date and my weight has fallen below 35, they will not proceed. My BMI is 38.5 so I cannot lose any weight prior to surgery. With the upcoming holidays, I shall down eggnog!! And mashed potatoes with lots of gravy!! Even though my doctor does not use a pre-op liquid diet, there is one day and two days of Dulcolax to make sure you are cleaned out as they are dealing with "innards" here, that alone takes Water weight with it, so I have to be careful. I would hate to drive 3 hours to find out I am rejected at the last moment over a pound or two. Every doctor is different in prep but insurance companoeis have differing qualifications and I have many qualifying conditions but with Medicare, no matter what, a BMI has to be 35 or above.

mom- It looks as though we are pretty close; I am 60 and having band to RNY on 1/4/13. I see you are in Utah; We spent several months this past winter in Nevada and came home the northern route to Michigan through Utah; Went to Zion and Arches and spent several days there. Just beautiful! I live in the middle of a national forest but we do not have mountains but it is very green here (well, not now as it is white!).

My doc had a cancellation and my surgery is now 1/4/13 instead of 2/25! I am happy he does not do the liquid does not to the liquid doet first as I cannot lose any weight before surgery. Good luck to you all!

Congrats on your date! I was never really overweight until I quit smoking and my health took a drastic turn for the worse. I traded asthma and bronchitis for severe fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, hypertension, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, gout, CAD (I have had three heart attacks with a large artery recalled stent that became totally blocked 90 days later requiring another intervention) and a laundry list of health problems. I remember telling my doc that if this had anything to do with quitting smoking, I would be glad to go back. I had the lap band 4 years, which only caused me to become bullemic & fat (which is just plain wrong!) and now I will have the chance for it to be done properly. All of us January surgeries are starting our new life right at the new year! We should keep in touch to keep going strong. I am sure that down the line, we will have some rough times and by posting will have support from the rest of the group. I have NO family support as they agree I should have the band removed but do not want me to have the RNY. So...all I have for any kind of support, is basically online. I just turned 60 and am on the older end for this but I look at this way. I am about 100# overweight. I cannot lift 100# and yet I am carrying that around with me with every step I take. My joints were bad in high school and in the last few years have had both knees and a hip replaced. The hip did not heal as is should and that is next on my list. I am sure that my joints would feel better with 100# less on them, as well. I am thinking of taking an extra laundry basket and filling it with item of the same weight as I am losing so that I can lift it occasionally to actually feel just how much weight is off of my carcass! I think that might give me extra incentive and I need these little prompts. I have been carefully reading the post-op threads to try and avoid some of the common pitfalls but found it good to discover what pains are normal and what are not after this procedure. As I am first having a band removed, then the RNY, I had never thought about that until someone mentioned that they had quite a bit of pain where they removed the port. Another thing has been the Protein intake which seems to be key to losing the weight the proper way. First, by use of protein powders, drinks, etc. Some of these are quite expensive and I simply cannot afford some of them. I am going to start with one of the less expensive ones in vanilla and I am going to get some flavorings so I can change it, also by adding it to cold coffee or any flavor of tea. I will not be able to exercise a lot for quite some time because of my hip but will do what I can to keep moving without causing pain. Good luck to us all!!! :wub: Lynn

I got a surprise yesterday. My doctor had a cancellation and instead of surgery on 2/25/13, my pre-op is 12/26/12 with surgery on 1/4/13! I will soon be counting down with the rest of you! :wub:

lovealways - No. From what I understand, the band slipped and created a sideways pouch and things would block the opening then nothing would stay down. By the time this would correct itself, I would be ravenous and eat and eat and eat. He did remove all of the Fluid from the band and this has helped but I still have the same problem, just a little less. It got to the point where I could not even keep liquids down. Fortunately, none of this was digested, so it came up as it went down which is still most unpleasant, but could be worse. I was reading the band to RNY thread and it seems that on some occasions it requires two separate surgeries. I sure hope they can do mine all in one as I am over 200 miles away from the surgery center although my doctor also has an office that is about 100 miles from me for follow-up. As soon as I am healed from this, I have to have a total hip replacment revision which is a big sugery with a long recovery time. I am hoping to be thinner and able to walk without as much pain in time for our summer musoc festivals that we attend. BTW, my doctor does not do a pre-op liqiud diet. Just one day and two days of Dulcolax to clean out everything.

I am also sorry and sure hope I do not have any problems. I have had the band for 4 years and am now scheduled for 1/4 due to a cancellation. What do they think is going to change by waiting? Lynn

What a Christmas present!!! :wub: My approval was swift as I was scheduled for a total hip replacement revision surgery on 10/24 that got cancelled as my surgeon wanted it done in a bigger hospital and will be done in Traverse City, maybe in late March. I was immediately approved and got a date of February 25th. Barix called this morning and they had a cancellation and my new surgery date is now January 4th with a pre-op in December 26th!!! I am so glad I have been reading these forums ahead of time to try to avoid some of the pitfalls. I am going to need outside support as my daughter is totally against this and my husband is not too crazy about this either. We know quite a few who have had this procedure done - some breezed through it, a few had some issues, a few had major issues but the girl that worked with my husband died. It had something to do with the anesthesia, but it was still during this type of surgery so they think this is more dangerous than anything else. Four years ago, I had a gastric band put in. I guess it slipped right away and I have been bullemic and fat for the last four years. Right after I had it done, my husband's place of employment closed and now my primary insurer is Medicare with a BC/BS Medigap back-up plan and at that time, Barix did not accept Medicare so I was stuck. They now accept it and as I was already pre-cleared for the surgery that was cancelled, everything went quickly. My surgery will be January 4th at Barix in Ypsilanti, MI by Dr. Taylor. I live up north in the middle of the Huron National Forest.

I am not scheduled for surgery until February but am reading all of your stories so that I might avoid some of the pitfalls. I take a lot of medications, mostly pills and some are huge. What is the best way to crush these in order to use them after surgery?

Thank you. I was wondering how small they had to be. I do have a pill cutter.

Jumping in. Congrats to all of you. I am scheduled for band removal to RNY on 2/25/13 (quite the wait) so am checking to see how everyone is doing and trying to find some tricks for success. I am 60 and have 108# to lose. They actually want me to lose 118# but I am 5'5" and weighed 130 in high school and was not considered overweight. I am "well-endowed" and I think that 120# would be too thin for me. I would be perfectly happy wearing a size 10/12. All of my excess weight is in the middle which is extremely unhealthy.

I have had a band for 4 years and have been bullemic since day one. Shortly after I had it put in, my insurance changed from BC/BS to Medicare with a BC/BS Medigap back-up and my place did not accept Medicare and did nothing to help me. Recently, I discovered that they now do accept it and am scheduled for 2/25/13 for a lap removal and RNY. The new doctor says that my band must have slipped and that a lot of the time there was nowhere for the food to go and when it would shift and I was able to eat, I was ravenous and did not stop! The new doc seems really nice and does not require a pre-surgery liquid diet. Just one day, followed by Dulcolax. I am 60 and do not work anymore due to health issues. I formerly worked in the cardiopulmonary department at a hospital. As soon as I heal after this surgery, I have to have a revision on a total hip replacement I had close to two years ago. The joint is okay but it was a no glue, no screw implant and my bone did not grow around the rod that goes into the femur and it hurts. It was scheduled for 10/24 but they cancelled at the last minute and decided it has to be done in a much larger hospital with more equipment available as it is a tricky procedure. I have an appointment to see the new ortho doc on 1/8/13. This surgery has a lengthy recovery time and I am hoping to be all together by June as that is when we start our music festival outings.

Congrats to you. I am scheduled for 2/25/13.

My surgery is scheduled for 2/25/13. I am a 60-year-old and fashion really does not concern me, my health does and it is in awful shape. All my extra weight is in the middle. I would be happy at a 10/12, anything less and I think I would be sickly looking.

I am scheduled for February 25th for lap-band removal (it slipped right away) and RNY. I have Medicare as primary with a BC/BS back-up. My BMI is 38 and I have CAD, sleep apnea, HTN, fibomyalgia and a laundry list of other issues. However, with Medicare, the magic number is 35. They weight you at the time of surgery and if your BMI has fallen below 35, they will cancel and not proceed. I cannot lose any weight prior to surgery.

I hope you continue to better in the future! Treating off-limit foods as a severe allergy seems like a good idea. Though I never have been a drinker or soda, nor do I add sugar to any drinks, I do have foods that are enemies. Hi! My surgery is not until February 25th unless they have a cancellation, but I am reading the post-op pages to try to avoid some of the pitfalls. I had a lap-band installed about 4-years-ago and became fat and bullemic. My problem persisted because I ended up on SSD with Medicare as my main insurance with a BC/BS Medigap back-up and my bariatic place did not take Medicare. It has been a nightmare for me and my family. They now take Medicare and I am scheduled for band removal, followed by a RNY. It turned out that my band slipped immediately and it made it so the opening was much smaller and easily clogged, So, when I was finally able to eat something, I was ravenous and stayed about the same weight. Also, I had a hip replaced almost 2 years ago and the rod that goes into the femur needed my bone to grow around it, to tighten it and it never happened. the surgery was scheduled for 10/24 by a tandem team of ortho surgeons, but got cancelled just before surgery due to the risk of doing it in a smaller hospital. I guess this a a tricky revision surgery and I will have this following the RNY when I am able. This is going to greatly limit what I will be able to do for exercise, as the recovery period is quite long. I am happy to see that you are doing quite well and I am hoping, after reading some of the posts, that those wwho have problems post more than those that are doing fine. I know quite a few who have had this done in the past with mixed results and I guess knowing how to follow instructions is key to success in this and most any surgeries. Good luck to you!