CharBrue

brez1015 I'm seeing Dr. Courcoulas at Magee. I am scheduled for my anesthesia visit on 3/11 and my surgery 4/3 and right now I'm getting the heebie jeebies. I've lost 57# on my own and am feeling like superwoman right now to continue on my own. I'm wondering if I'll be able to take the 2 1/2 hr ride home the day after surgery.

StephC, I didn't even know there was a MD around here that did bariatric surgery. My PCP sent me to Magee because he had several other patients that had wonderful results. They had the RNY. I just came back from my nutritional and psych consult which I passed. Does that mean I'm normal?!?! LOL Whatever 'normal' is! So now I just need to wait for the insurance approval. I'm going to try to be at the next support meeting. It will be nice to meet some people from my area and hear their successes. Charlene

I didn't know that Windber Hospital had a support group. That would be easier for me to attend those held in Pittsburgh. I'll get used to the band and port. It's just the waiting and thinking about everything before the surgery.

Hello everyone! I'm Charlene and I'm from Manns Choice (about 7 mi. west of Bedford). I'm in the approval process for banding at this point. I've finished my 6 month diet and will see the nutritionist and psych on Friday. During the past 6 months I've lost 44# on my own and now I'm questioning whether I should go through with it. Yes . . . I admit it . . I'm scared! I'm a little queasy about being able to feel the port and the band. Silly -- I know! Dr. Courcoulas is very optimistic that I will reach my goal easily since I've been so dedicated to the 6 month diet.

I've also experience anesthesia awareness during a tonsillectomy 2 years ago. I was completely aware of the removal of my right tonsil and the injection of the marcan into my throat. No mention of that drug before surgery. I felt the pain and tried everything to move a hand or foot or make a noise and nothing happened. I was completely awake leaving the OR and only stayed in recovery for 30 minutes. When I was taken to a room for observation before same day discharge, I told the nurses what I experienced and they never recorded a thing on my chart. I did some research and found a site about anesthesia awareness. I spoke to the anesthesiologist and he told me what I experienced was 'recall.' I'm sorry, but I felt the pain! When I repeated some of the conversation he still called it recall. I told the surgeon at my follow up visit and he just blew it off saying he'd never heard of it and it could not have happened because I didn't move or make a noise! I've since had 2 additional surgeries -- carpal tunnel right/left -- and have not experienced the same awareness. Thankfully I had the same anesthesiologist for both surgeries (at a different hospital) and he said you should never remember leaving the OR. I sure hope this doesn't happen to me during band surgery. :phanvan