gentylwind

Don't be scared..if you follow instructions you will be fine. Most doctors tell you to be on a liquid diet only for a minimum of 24 hours after a fill. Most say three to four days.

Hello, Frisco Texas I am in Allen, having my band placed on the 21st of November. I will look forward to hearing how you do! Good luck!

I think you are totally within your rights to tell her that you would love to have her there if she is going to be positive about the experience, but that you yourself are afraid and you don't have it in you to support her fear as well. That you believe this will lead to a healthier, LONGER life for you...those were the words that really konked my own mother over the head. I think you should let your Mom be there but only if she completely understands that she is there to SUPPORT YOU, not to sooth her own anxiety by being present as it happens. And if she says she can't do that or if you think by her past behavior that she can't take her own psychological angst out of the equation, you'd be better off talking to her when you get home.

That is why they are having you go to a heart doctor. You need cardiac clearance to have anesthesia and its nothing to toy with. It is entirely possible to have a normal EKG and still have a serious heart problem. All the EKG does is measure the electrical conduction through the heart. Not the health of the muscle itself. Not the size of the heart, the ejection fraction, not potential blockages etc. You have likely been overweight a long time. A little longer in order to make sure the surgery is safe for you is a wise move. Be thankful you have a thorough doctor who is going to make sure this is the right move for you. I know it is frustrating, but if anesthesia could be fatal for you, far better to find out now.

It would depend on his reason for wanting a second surgeon. Is your case complicated by a high BMI or other health risk factors? Or is he just training a new surgeon?

Locked in on the 21st!

Not even remotely legal. You have grounds to sue (not that I am saying you should). How is it your doctor happened to speak to your mother?

I have only told a few people....my significant other (obviously), my mother (who is supportive), my boss and one friend. Nobody else. I have a very close group of girlfriends whom I adore...we all love one another...but I brought up lap band about a year ago after I attended the seminar and the backlash was outrageous. I am the heaviest one in our group and it was almost like they were threatened at the idea. I have never had them be so UNsupportive about something ever. So they don't get to know now that I am going to pull the trigger and do it. This is a scary enough, intense enough decision without negative people planting ill-founded doubt in your head. If it was as simple as "put the fork down", none of us would be here in the first place.

TLCEdge in Dallas is running a lap band special right now for $9990, all inclusive except the psych eval ($250) and the cost of the pre-op diet (Optifast or Protein shakes). They have four surgeons they use, all of whom have private practices as well in the Dallas area and are very well known names. I personally decided against going to Mexico because of how many people have trouble finding someone to do their fills and because of a long distance problem if there are complications.

You may wish to consult with a psychologist as well. Nobody does this without support. If you keep eating the way you are, you may very well lose your band completely and that would be a shame.

I got my information a lot from this site, but mostly from going to visit the group that I was considering for my surgery. If you check the FAQs here, you will find a lot of answers as to the changes you will have to make in your life to have a successful lap band. There are definitely some sacrifices, but I have seen both in person and on this board some tremendously inspiring success stories.

Read over the requirements and decide if you can keep them. :wub:

Are you eating Protein first, then veggies? Are you having whole foods, not mushies? Are you stopping drinking at least a half hour before meals and not resuming drinking until an hour after you finish eating? Are you taking a full half hour to eat your meals? Have you examined the possibility of head hunger rather than true belly hunger? I am not even banded yet so please don't feel I think I am some sort of expert. These are just the mantras I keep seeing repeated over and over and over, not just here but pretty much on any band support network.

My impression is that part of the point of the band is to help learn to give up or moderate foods that do not lead to a healthy way of life. Chewing and spitting is definitely not normal or okay. I agree that spitting out something you suddenly realize is too big of a bite or not going to go down well is different than trying to get the flavor of a food you have had to give up but not suffer consequences from it. If you would not do it in front of your friends or family, chances are you should not be doing it at all.

I was told yesterday that the number one causes of band failure were refusing to give up carbonated beverages forever and not following the pre and post-op diets. I personally will not risk it. If I want the flavor of beer I will cook with it or something. Not worth it to spend thousands to screw it up just for a beer or a soda.

Another Texas, in the DFW area. Had my consult yesterday, am scheduled for surgery on 11/21. Welcome :redface:

Yeah, it was EVERY BIT as bad. When I went to the doctor's office they had people filing into the room to take a look at me, their mouths hanging open. It was BAD. It does go away, but yeah, its in your blood stream and takes time to get filtered out. You'll start to feel better soon. Don't miss any of your steroids!

I just keep telling myself every pound I put on now is pushing me further back from where I want to be after I get the band. I am extending how long it will take for me to get there. THAT tends to stop me in my tracks.

I was told at my pre-op appt that there are two big indicators of whether the lap band is going to be successful for an individual. One is the ability to give up carbonated beverages. The other is the ability to stick with the pre-op and post-op diet schedules. Those who don't usually end up with band complications or do not reach goal/stop losing. I would follow what your doctor says and just get through it. If someone had told us a year ago that we could have the body we hope for but had to have liquids only for six weeks, we'd have jumped on the chance.

Any penicillin or derivatives of it do this to me. It took about two, two and a half weeks to go away. Its miserable. I am so sorry that happened. I would look first at any antibiotic you might be on, then any anti-nausea meds. You can develop an allergy to something at any time, even if you never had it before.

TLCEdge suggested Optifast but didn't push it. They supplied a list of protein shakes that are okay to use, including Atkins, EAS, Muscle Milk and Carnation Instant Breakfast. I will likely use EAS whey powder and the Atkins shakes.

Had my initial consultation yesterday. Surgery is tentatively scheduled for Nov 14th but likely will change it to the 21st due to my significant other being unable to get the 14th off work. Got my huge packet of information about pre and postop diets etc. They kept congratulating me, which felt weird. I am too scared to be excited really, but I am definitely hopeful. The two intake coordinators are both bandsters...one has lost 200 lbs and kept it off 7 years, the other 100 lbs and kept it off over 2 years. They both looked fantastic.

Gawd. I have been researching this for.ev.er. and finally decided to pull the trigger. Now that my initial consult is here I feel like I am going to throw up with nervousness. I have never had surgery, never even had anesthesia...all my kids were born without pain meds....scares me to death. Not to mention the incredible feeling of self-recrimination for not losing the weight all on my own. Wish me luck..I hope to be banded right before Thanksgiving (self pay)!

I agree, if your doc told you to stick to liquids, you need to do that. You are already struggling with the peanut thing and now this. You need to really get your head around that this is not an optional thing...if you want the band to work, you have to start NOW. It does not matter what other doctors do or do not do. Yours has made the best recommendation for YOU and according to how HE does HIS surgery. Some doctors don't struggle with the slippery liver, but others do a more skilled job if it is out of the way. You are jeopardizing your own goals AND your potential for surgical complications!..why would you do that? Exercise will not shrink the liver. Only the depletion of glycogen does that. Depletion of glycogen is accomplished only by giving the body no other choice of calories to burn...it burns glycogen, stored from days to weeks ago, out of the liver LAST from any other source of food energy! Eat things not on plan or eating too much and your exercise will simply burn up what you are eating, NOT what is already stored in your liver. Commit. Do not compromise.

All you need is a note on your physician's script pad stating you can't do XYZ until such and such date. Your work has no legal right to inquire as to why.