txbldhnds

She is the one who is going to look bad to everyone else. If that fails, give us all her phone number and we'll tag team crank call her! Colleen

I'm a bundle of nerves! My surgery was set for the 27, but I was able to move it up to tomorrow! That will be great for giving me more time to recover before starting back to school (I'm a teacher), but it threw me into a tizzy of getting everything (mainly my head) ready. I've been alternately giddy with excitement, crying, scared, enthusiastic...you name the emotion and I have felt it. This has GOT to work! I had to pay for it myself and it was a huge sacrifice. I read about the people that are unhappy or feeling awful and that worries me. Everything else has failed in the past. I can't bear the thought of people seeing me fail again! I went out and bought my blender and jello, Gas-X, Flinstones, etc., along with "survival" food for my husband to keep him going until I feel like cooking foods I can't eat. The checkout guy must have thought I was nuts. Please say prayers, send good vibes & positive thoughts my way! Colleen

My husband took to sleeping on the sofa, saying I was snoring too loud. I thought he was snoring too loud and waking himself up! I did wake up congested and with a *terrible* headache every morning. Seriously, every morning and I was exhausted all the time. I had the sleep study done (it wasn't all that bad for me) and got my CPAP. It helps so much! It hasn't gotten hubby back in the bed for the night because we get tangled up in the tubing, but that's okay for now. After the weight comes off, it should be better. By the way, sleep apnea is serious business. My husband's uncle died from it last year. He had been wearing his CPAP, but had a bad cold, so took it off. His wife passed by his room and heard him taking it off. He said it was uncomfortable and he wanted to sleep a little while longer. When 2 hours went by, she went in to check on him and he was dead. I never really understood how serious it could be. Take care of yourselves! Colleen

If you want to come to Houston, Dr. Spivak is great. Now I say that and I haven't had my surgery yet, but I have been researching this for years. Wednesday is my surgery date! Finally! Someone asked where Nederland is. It's near Beaumont (southeast TX). Back when I was attending Lamar Univ. in Beaumont back in the early 70's, Nederland had a club called The Lighthouse that was quite the place to go. Haven't been there since. Good luck with finding a good doc.! Colleen

Thanks for the warm wishes! We go back on the 8th, too. I teach the kids with visual impairments, so I teach at 9 schools plus babies in 2 homes. I used to be a classroom history in several schools: LPJH, Baker 6th grade, and LPHS. Do you know someone in LPISD? Are you in the Houston area? Good luck to you, too!! Colleen

for surgery, that is! It's July 20! Next week! I have been posting here and there for a while, but I finally got my tests run and my finances together (self-pay sucks!), but I am so excited to finally have an actual date. I am a teacher and as summer was rushing past me, I was worried about not having any recoup time before facing the little darlings on 8/11. And by the way, isn't that just plain crazy--school starting August 11!!! Anyway, hopefully I will be feeling well and while I will not have lost the weight that I hoped to have by the start of school, I will be on my way! Now I have to pick a cute ticker and icon! Doing the happy dance, Colleen La Porte TX Dr. Spivak

I fought for 3 years, but those people had it sewed up. As circumstances would have it, I sold some property to pay for the band and got my date today--July 20. Like you, I feel like I will have 2 birthdays this year--July 20 and my birth day. Hey, I like the sound of that! Does that mean more presents?? Congratulations! Colleen

A lot of people forget to look into sleep apnea and many overweight people have it. My husband always complained about my snoring, but I didn't think I snored that much. I was congested almost every morning, tho, and ALWAYS woke up with a bad headache. They did a sleep study and I stopped breathing 49 times within 3 hours! Now I use a CPAP machine and feel much better. It was one of the co-morbidities that helped qualify me for the WLS. Don't forget to include your family history, too. Both of my parents had heart disease, along with 3 of my 4 grandparents. My dad and grandmother were diabetic. That info all counts when drs make decisions regarding qualifying. Good luck! Colleen

That is really good news. I am a self-pay because there is an exclusion in my policy for anything related to weight loss. They said that most school districts will exclude weight loss items "due to the large number of overweight teachers"! @*! Anyway, I was worried about the possiblilty of complications not related to the surgery (reactions to meds, anesthesia, or worse). I am sure everything will be fine, but at $1000/day just for the hospital, I can't afford for much to go wrong. I have a tentative surgery day of the 27th--I'm hoping there will be a cancellation and that I can move my date up. I have to go back to work Aug. 5. Thanks for the info! Colleen

I was having iced tea with my sister (recently banded) and I put some Sweet N Low in the tea. She said that you can only use Nutrasweet once you're banded. I asked her why and she said that she was just told that. Anyway, do any of you know anything about that? Being a child of the South, I am used to sweet tea, so just going to an artificial sweetener is hard. Does it really matter which one you use? Thanks! Colleen

I'll be using Dr. Spivak, too. $15,000 is the price I have on my paperwork, but I noticed that his website says $15,500. I have all the same info as "Drama Queen". $5000 less is tempting, but I'm sticking close to home. Colleen

I live in La Porte (near Baytown), my sister lives in Baytown, and Dr. Spivak is our dr., too. She is already banded and I hopahopahope to be week after next. I think it would be a great idea to get together! Count me in! If you want to private message, we can exchange phone numbers or emails. Colleen

Me, too! I've finally figured out "PB," but it would be helpful to have a list of abbreviations/terms that are unique to this forum. Colleen

Hey, I got a bit of a scare last night. I am not banded yet, but I was violently ill last night--vomiting like I never have before. I called my PCP and the first thing he said was, "Have you had your surgery yet?" (referring to the banding). When I said no, he said "Thank God" and then called in something for me. I'm still feeling pretty bad today, but now I am worried about vomiting. I read about "PB"ing causing the band to slip. I almost turned myself inside out last night. This is probably a 24 hr "bug" that I have. What happens if/when you get sick from non-band related causes? Has anyone had this happen post-banding? What can happen? Any advice? Colleen

I'm not banded yet. This is just a new worry since this hit me last night. Reading lots of the posts here can get a person downright scared! I've told my sister that she needs to tell the dr. We see the same one, so if she doesn't tell him, I'm gonna te-ell! I'm still her big sister and I can still tell on her! Thanks for your reply! Colleen

Hey Julie, I was just re-reading your "stats"....That is amazing! You are my hero! Well done, way to go, atta girl, and woo-hoo! Colleen

Thanks for the reply, Julie! My sister was banded a couple of months ago and she throws up a lot, but very easily. Me, I have never been able to go easy into a puke--I fight it every step of the way, even when I know it will make me feel better. I worry about her. I am so sore today from retching. My dr. called in phenergan, the nausea med, but it took a long time for me to keep one down. I will definitely discuss this with my surgeon. I am a self pay on this WLS due to insurance exclusion and I keep getting dollar signs flashing before me. Thanks for the info. Colleen

My doctor is asking me to lose weight prior to surgery to make the liver smaller. I'm really having a hard time with it, though, because I'm falling for the "but this may be the last itme I can eat (fill in the blank)". I don't have a date yet, so I am hoping to be able to get my act together in time. My dr. never said that if I didn't lose he wouldn't do the surgery, though. I currently weigh 265-ish. My sister had the surgery last month, but she barely qualified and she was not told she needed to lose anything. Colleen

Hey! I'm being banded by Dr. Spivak, too! I have to pay for mine (insurance exclusion--don't get me started!), so I am waiting for funds to come through. My sister was banded about a month ago by Dr. Spivak (she only had to pay $700--little sisters always have it easier!) and is doing well. She was low on the BMI, but we are both eat up with co-morbidities, so hers was a go. Me? Oh, honey, I got my BMI WAY covered, plus the co-morbidities and then some! Just say a prayer or send good vibes that everything comes together in time for me to have the surgery and recover in time to go back to work in early August! Nita, it sounds like we may be neighbors! Good luck with your surgery! Keep us posted! Colleen

I'm new. What is "PB"? I have a feeling it isn't good! Colleen

I'm new to the list. How do y'all get those cute things at the bottom of your posts to show your weight loss? I'll be having my surgery this summer in the Houston area (Dr. Spivak) Thanks, Colleen

I think you will love League City. It has really grown in the past 15 years from a blue collar suburb of Houston to a town on its own with an upscale image connected to the many marinas there. It still has a small town feel to it but is well-situated in relation to shopping, tourism, recreation, and the world famous medical center (hopefully you will only need it for your fills). It is hot and HUMID! Good thing it is close to the bay and the gulf--great breezes there. Houston is huge, as mentioned in another reply, but you can get to most everything within 40 minutes from League City unless you hit rush hour. I live in a neighboring small town, La Porte, where I am a teacher. Dr. Spivak is, IMO, the best. That being said, I am still waiting for my surgery. I have "shopped around" for several years and he will be doing my surgery this summer. So c'mon over to Texas, like some of us say, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as soon as I could."