SpecialK

For our new folks who are considering coming, the value I immediately found from meeting the gang was I had been to one of my hospital's monthly support group meetings and it was predominantly RNY or GB patients and while I sat and chatted with a couple people around me each time, I didn't make the connection I have to our group. Plus for the newbies, we decided to have the meeting in a public place so it wasn't threatening to anyone to come to the mall food court area that they could come and go as they wanted to.

Just an idea but on the back of your health insurance card should be a customer service or information number you can call and you can specifically ask if they cover adjustable gastric band surgery and if so, what are the requirements to qualify. My insurance was Aetna and the phone representative let me know if my company's plan covered it, and then directed me to the web site page on the details of what the insurance requirements were. So, I always try to advise people to first find out if insurance covers it by talking directly to your own insurance company. I've seen a couple cases where folks went to the seminar at one weight loss center, fell in love with that program and were well into planning to have their surgery there, and then found that the only bariatric center of excellence on their plan wasn't the one they had been working with and they had to start over with the bariatric surgeon that was In-Network for them.

Okay, I'm really not that bad of a caffeine person (I'm not a Starbucks junkie) but I really enjoy a good big cup of coffee in the morning so when I went without coffee or any caffeine from Sunday until going to the hospital last Monday, I was laying in pre-op with a big headache and the nurse said, yep, lots of folks get that caffeine withdrawal headache when they have afternoon surgery and haven't had coffee or whatever. Then after surgery, they only gave me decaff tea to drink and the next morning decaff coffee to drink on Tuesday. The first thing I wanted at home was a small cup of 'real' coffee with sugarfree creamer in it.

I think it took me about 30+ minutes to eat it, and it was getting cold and getting thicker by the end making it less appetizing. I can definitely see that putting things on that candle warming plate that was suggested to me in advance to keep it warm to eat it is a good idea. I hate to admit it but I must have been wolfing my food down before it had a chance to get cold in the past!

I don't know much about the going to Mexico for surgery part but there is a Central Ohio lapband member who was looking for a Columbus area fill doctor because she had her banding in Detroit and didn't want to keep driving back up there. A doctor from Cincinnati has an office here as well in Columbus and he is willing to do fills on other patients and he has a base price for the inital consult and then a price per fill. Synchrony Health :: Home

Good Rebound on the liquids attitude Greg! I was a math major in college also...I do the same logical thinking, analyze things to death, so just trusting my band and the whole process is a learning experience. I'm heading back to work Wednesday at 8am so hope all is going well for you all.

Nice job Tyanna! at 60 POUNDS ..NOT JUST "LOST" BUT GONE FOREVER.

The best thing I took was Chloraseptic Spray for my sore throat!! I took a book and a little electronic game and things but really didn't use them. I could have been fine with just my tooth brush, toothpaste, hairbrush, deodorant. I had an IV hooked up and things that made not wanting to put a robe on a hassle so I didn't put one on, just made sure the back was tied up good on the hospital gown and wore the slipper socks with treads they issue to you when you go in. Can't believe its already 1 week since I was banded!! P.S. Splurged on a pedicure today and took off the green nail polish on my toes! and that poor nail technician about had a heart attack when she saw that green polish!!! I have a weird sense of humor at times...

I'm one week post op now and doing great. I decided to take Monday and Tuesday of this week off still to rest and only have a three day work week from Weds-Friday to ease back into working. I'm trying to keep some variety in my full liquids so that I don't become bored with the same chocolate Protein shake over and over. I tried thinned down cream of wheat last night for my dinner with 1 scoop of vanilla Protein powder and a couple teaspoons of Splenda brown sugar blend. I kept thinning it down with skim milk to both cool it down and thin it until I had a pretty running consistency. It tasted pretty good and the protein powder in it made it count for more nutritional value than just eating the cream of wheat alone. Now for confession time, the serving size on the box was to make it using 3 Tb of the dry mix. I thought, heck I can eat more than that...so I made 2 servings.... mistake -- 1 serving really was filling and I will now be exercising a little more restraint and make 1 serving and if I'm still hungry, make a second. I really was pushing it to finish the 2 servings. So I'm still obviously dealing with mentally thinking I can eat more than I need. No problems eating this because it was very thin consistency but that isn't the point.

I was just banded on Monday St. Patrick's day and today at Easter dinner with family, they were inquiring just how much do you want to lose??? I said Oh, heck, easily over 100 lbs! and probably alot more than that... dodging and weaving from telling them its really 180 total pounds I'm trying to lose. I didn't want them mentally backward calculating if I lose 180 and I'm a healthy weight what they heck does she weigh now!! So, my first goal is 10% of my starting weight. They say there are medical statistics that say just losing 10% of your body weight dramatically increases your mortality and other health factors. So, I'm looking forward to posting when I know I have 10% accomplished.

I agree with the first response - go to your nearest Hospital or Urgent Care and get it checked out. I wouldn't wait for the surgeon's office to open tomorrow. They really emphasized at our post op check out list of things that if we were feeling shortness of breath to call 911 or get someone to take you to a hospital.

Yes, I'm trying to resist the temptation to not get on the scale every day and I did stay off it Tuesday and Wednesday and then was so pleased to see it go down on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and today, I couldn't believe it. I'll try to be good and only weigh every other day but no promises! I did good today because I packed my own Easter meal and took it to my Mom's house. It was mentally hard watching them eat a favorite meal of mine and me not have any. My Mom even offered a little taste of this dessert that looked so good but I bit my tongue and said no thanks. She said, are you sure you don't want some... Don't you love mothers who like to feed you! Anyway, I stuck to plan and now I'm home in my 'safe' zone of my own house away from those Easter goodies. I went to church this morning and felt fine and have been out driving myself around little bits and things so I'm pleased with my energy level which I have to say is due to keeping the protein and fluids up because it isn't calories.

Hi Scrappy - I find that if the protein drinks are really cold, thus using ice cubes to be crushed in the blender in lieu of some of the Water, that its more like a chocolate shake. 2nd the chocolate shake brand I got from GNC is called Wheybolic Extreme 60 (chocolate) and a 3 scoop shake made with 12 oz of water is 60 grams of protein. So if you can choke (hee hee) down one shake, you're keeping your protein up. Best wishes to get stronger each day.

I am finding the Full liquids stage easier than I thought. Cream Soup thinned down with skim milk, Vegetable soup thinned with beef or chicken broth and blenderized like crazy - its amazing to me what you can turn to liquid! I tried my chocolate Protein shake last evening with frozen skim milk ice cubes, 1/2 cup skim milk and frozen cherries - whipped in the blender - and it was yummy.

I haven't been drinking as much Water as I did pre-surgery just because of trying to remember not to 'flush out' what Protein source I took in with Soup or Protein shakes. I'm going to have to make it a much more concerted and planned intake. I do have it downpat in the a.m. to have my coffee with sugar free creamer in it, enjoy that and then have my morning Protein shake. I think I also have what you are describing as a weird sensation at the breast bone area but its not painful to me and its not keeping me from taking in fluids.

Hi. I was banded on St. Patrick's Day March 17 and am doing fine. I am really giving my blender a workout! I found a mix for creamy potato Soup and after preparing it, thinned it down with skim milk further, and then boosted the Protein level with unflavored unjury. That was filling as one suggestion. Also, I'm a chocolate and Peanut Butter girl so when I heard I could make one of my chocolate Protein shakes and boost the flavor with a tablespoon or two of creamy peanut butter and blend that up really good, it tasted great. A real treat from my point of view. I am totally off pain medicine as of yesterday (day 4 post op)- only took 1 pain pill on Thursday and 1 on Friday and I'm going to consider myself switched to liquid Tylenol now as needed. Something I'm really happy about -- I have found I can sleep on my side and even on my tummy with a pillow to help cushion my port incision and be fine! I never was a good person to sleep just on my back so getting back to a normal sleep position is wonderful. I lost 10 lbs post op and now 4 lbs since surgery!

DITTO! what everyone already said. We're human. Take care!

Greg - I guess Easter would be one of those big "work days" for an organist! Enjoy the celebration of our Lord and then take care of yourself too. All - I got out of the house yesterday and walked around a Tuesday Morning store just browsing and then picked up some groceries and back home and I was a little tired. I am amazed that my weight is finally going down and not in 1/2 lb increments like I was experiencing on WW and efforts on my own. Down -4 lbs this a.m. from the weight I weighed in at the hospital on Monday. Woo Hoo!!!!!

I was thinking since Easter is usually a traditional ham dinner with mashed potatoes and green bean casserole, I'd consider bringing along some Ham Salad - eat some of her mashed potatoes and bring and mush up green bean casserole, they cook pretty soft. I'm still on liquids so this isn't what I get this year at Easter but I'll get through it. It is only 1 day of the rest of my life!!

Wow Greg - back to work so quick! I'm going to stay home and pamper myself a little, maybe go back on Wednesday. I did sit at my computer for a period of time today and electronically got my taxes input and filed so I at least accomplished something other than napping and watching TV. LOL....

Scrappy friend - I bought two small candle warmers that are about 5-7" in diameter and was told to put my ceramic coffee mug or ceramic bowl on the candle warmer plate and it will keep food warm since it takes time to eat. Actually I bought 2 of these at Bed Bath &Beyond for about $6 each and I plan to take one to my job to keep my lunch hot.

I just got a nice warm shower and boy it felt good. I'm using a nice anti-bacterial body shower liquid soap so I hope that will help keep the wounds all clean until the steri strips start coming off. I guess I want to jump in here and say that these surgeons are really good its just the office logistics things that need improved so I'm still hanging in there. They know they've got to improve. In the hospital itself, it probably isn't unusual for a very difficult case to run over the time the operating room was booked and they probably can't predict it or could be a trauma case came in unexpected and pushed the whole schedule off. I am pretty sure they keep the ORs booked tightly to get the most out of the investment in that minimally invasive surgery center. Anyway, I'm glad to be home!!! LOL -- my blender is really getting a workout chopping things up into liquid and making shakes.

Yes, feeling pretty good this a.m. I called and got my post op surgery appointment with Dr. Price for April 11 so that isn't too bad. When I asked about scheduling my 1st fill appointment with Dr. Choban in mid-May, they said they couldn't do that until I see Dr. Price or unless his nurse (?Judy) told the scheduler it was okay to do it. So I left a message for Dr. Price's nurse to see if she will okay letting me get a fill appointment on the books. I just didn't want to wait until April 11 to hear him say get a fill appointment scheduled and it be the end of May before I get one. By end of April, who of us without any restriction in our bands are going to be feeling better to want to eat but just having to control our hunger -- I believe is period without a fill is what is referred to as bandster hell. I'm just going to take things 1 day at a time!

Okay we got to see 2 players eliminated last night -- Maggie right up front and then at the end we saw Brittany get the boot. Everyone looked great with the makeover that Macy's and the runway guru Tim Gunn did with them. Jay and Mark sure are emotional at getting to see their wives. Mark was just home so how homesick can he be and they've had a few different things now where contestants got to go and do fun outings and see family. Dan looked great with his punky haircut. Having watched Jillian's face last night during the weigh off at the end again, she was so bummed to see Brittany fall below the line with one of the Blue team guys because she was pretty sure they'd vote for Brittany and that's how it went down. It does feel like they are extending the show or stretching things, they show the same clip, go to a commercial, then come back and show that same clip again before moving ahead. Really trying to fill the air time I guess.

Special K here checking in from home.! Did just fine and I am so looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight and not being awake every hour on the hour to go to the bathroom or get blood pressure, temperature taken. Debbie - I think I know what happened to you. Sue, Greg and I were all 2 hours behind schedule getting our surgery yesterday. Dr. Price and Choban may have been working together or something because there apparently was a really difficult case (GB I think) earlier in the day that threw the whole schedule off. Anyway, we got through it and that's what counts. Dr. Price told me to call tomorrow and schedule my surgeon follow up appt and 1st fill. Dr. Choban stopped by my room right before I left and said she may have Melissa Webb, RN bariatric coordinator do the fills possibly to help out. I'm going to call and see what I find. Last, Melissa did check on me before I left and she said they are making progress hiring a new bariatric nutritionist and that we should just call back in a week or so and we should get into a post-op class okay.