Longhorn

I sure will! Thanks!

Thanks, Bruce! I'm usually a tough cookie, too, so that's encouraging! :eek:

Laura: I'm in Dripping Springs and work in Austin. I'm planning to get mine done by Dr. Jorge Rincon in San Antonio. If you do a search on him here and on the web, you can learn more. One of the members here shared her experiences with him and convinced me to check him out further. I've read nothing but good things about him. Good luck!

Well, it looks like I won't be joining y'all after all. I found a doctor in San Antonio just 90 minutes away who does the surgery for $12,000 plus about $1000 in pre-op testing and eval fees. It's a few thousand more but it includes a year of after-care and won't involve a plane ticket and perhaps some lost time at work for travel. Good luck everyone and keep up the good work!

Howdy, Y'all! I'm 52 and hoping to be banded November 1. I'll know for sure after my doctor consultation next Thursday. I've been catching up on this thread and I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences with others who may understand me a little bit more. :eek: Good luck and keep posting!

I have my doctor's consultation next Thursday, October 18, and I'm shooting for pre-op evals and labs on October 30 and surgery on November 1. So it looks like I'm going to be one of you! The only thing I can think of that could delay things is that I want to talk to the doctor about the new AP band. If we decide to use it, he may have to order it and I don't know if that would delay things. Has anyone here discussed the new band with your doctor? I'd like to learn more about it and if and why you decided on one or the other. Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting to know you and share our experiences! :clap2:

I agree -- there will certainly be no lie in that statement! At work, I was just going to say that I had some minor surgery and hope they won't pry asking me what it is. But if someone does ask, what do I say? I'm not a good liar so I need something ahead of time. Also, it isn't like me not to tell all, unfortunately. :eek: Any ideas?

Congratulations! I'm 52 and in really good health, except for these extra 70 pounds. :cool: I hate to cancel classes but I can take a wait-and-see approach to the Monday classes. And except for standing while I'm teaching, my work isn't physical at all. Thanks for your comments and good luck!

I think I would have responded, "Grow a brain, Asshole!" but, really, such people aren't worth the time it takes to cuss at them! You've put more time and effort into taking care of yourself in one day than people like that will in a lifetime.

Lori: I know you don't know how you'll be feeling in two more days, but based on how you're feeling now, do you think you'd be able to go to work in two days? I'm planning on having my surgery on a Thursday and returning to my job as a college teacher on Monday. I'd be teaching three classes, each with more than two hours in between. What do you think? Thanks!

Thanks! I was hoping this is the case. Walking isn't particularly easy in my neighborhood because it is very hilly. But I have a very long, level driveway, so I can at least walk up and down the driveway. Also, I'm hoping to be back at work Monday after a Thursday surgery and I have a couple of hours between each of the three classes I teach so I thought I'd go outside and walk then, too.

Wow, did I take the "easy way out" when I had a tubal ligation 23 years ago? Wasn't four kids enough? LOL! Or when I had LASIK six years ago? I should still be wearing glasses, I guess! And what's this about the band doing the work? On every other thread on this board, I've read that we do the work, with the help of the band. So whether it's the band or the elliptical or walking our dogs or the Atkins diet -- I mean, they are all tools but isn't it our own effort that results in the losses? I'll have no problem saying that I'm exercising portion control. And hopefully exercising. End of story! Y'all are a great bunch of folks and I'm learning more every day. I'm ready to start the testing phase. It shouldn't take too long as I'm self-pay. I can't wait to join you!

Thanks, Patty! I just assumed you were from Colorado so it's great to hear from another out-of-state patient on this thread. I'm pretty much sold on Dr. K. If my fills aren't too complicated, I think I'll go to him for the fills, too, since, as I said, I can also visit my daughter. It sounds like they can cost almost as much as a plane ticket and I'll be earning frequent flyer miles with Frontier Airlines. I'm going to email his office right now and ask for my phone consultation. I teach at a community college and it would be ideal for me to have the surgery between semesters, which would be sometime in early January. Fingers crossed! Thanks, y'all! I look forward to joining your thread as a fellow fan of Dr. K!

Howdy! I'm considering Dr. Kirshenbaum, too. I live near Austin but our oldest daughter lives in Englewood so going up there for surgery and fills just gives me an excuse to see her more often. His fees are so reasonable and the reports on him are so good. I haven't had the phone consultation yet but I did get information by email from his bariatric coordinator. She sent the names of two medical finance companies they use: Surgeryloans.com and Mymedicalfinancing.com. Has anyone used one of these? If you have flown to Denver for your fills, how has that worked out for you? I realize that some of these questions may be answered in this VERY LONG THREAD but I just don't have the time to read all 140-some odd pages. Thanks!

I'm still in the research phase but I did Medifast four years ago and faced a similar question about telling people. If some people thought a fasting diet was drastic, wait till they hear about this! Anyway, my reasons for keeping this to myself is mostly because I have a family of "know-it-alls" -- and I say that in the most loving way possible, because I tend to be one, too. They will love and support me but if something goes against their views, they have no hesitation to speak out, even when they don't have any knowledge on the subject -- just opinions. My husband and my children, thankfully, aren't like that. They may have questions but they're not trying to debate me. They know that if I'm considering something, that I have or will do the research. I'm not into fads and my research into Lap-Band Surgery has convinced me that this is not a fad. I also like keeping it to myself because part of the fun of losing weight is when others notice. I know they're not just trying to be nice if they comment on my weight loss without knowing what's going on. I will eventually let people know if I choose to do this but I will tell them on my schedule and I will be proud to tell them!

Wendell: At first, I thought you were posting a list of questions people have asked and I was thinking, Dang, I wish I had the answers to these questions! And then I scrolled down and there were your answers! Thank you so much. I've been reading a lot and still found information in your list that I hadn't read before. :rose:

Credit where credit is due! The article was posted by sewenup1: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f18/new-here-decision-made-41972/#post576619 And I agree with your assessment. :rose:

Nothing wrong. Just the way of message boards, I suppose. Some posts get responses and others don't. I'm way behind you but good luck!

What a great board! I'm learning from y'all and going to a seminar on Tuesday. I'm a little concerned that I won't qualify, even as private pay, because my BMI is *only* 35. I've had some knee pain a couple of times that required me to see an orthopedic surgeon but it subsided before I had to do anything drastic. I've also been advised to lose weight by my doctor when he couldn't find any medical reason for my fatigue. I guess I'll find out more soon. Thanks and hi!

Great article! Thanks!