raising3monkeys

Hi Mike, Any update on a surgery date? I'm so excited for you! I'm at the stage that you were when you wrote this - nearing the end of my pre-op medical appointments. I have not had one single class or a support group, though. None of that's even been mentioned to me. I'm learning all on my own. It's been difficult, because my surgeon won't give me info on the post-op foods (both short and long-term) until my pre-op visit, 1-2 weeks before the surgery is scheduled. I have no idea what to expect since the doctor's office says that we shouldn't be looking anywhere for info but our doctor. Kind of frustrating. I loved this line of yours: "I find myself completely swallowed by the excitement and eagerness to get the surgery done and to get my life back!" Same here! "swallowed" is a great explanation of how it feels. Best of luck to you - Kel

Today I talked to my surgeon's office - making sure they're receiving all the reports and clearances from my other various doctors/tests. Some came to them - others did not. I will need to chase down the EKG/release from the cardiologist, and the report/release from the pulmonologist, and my pap smear results. I have my Upper GI scheduled, and I'll need that report to get over to the surgeon afterward, too. Then I'll need to make an appointment to see my primary care physician, and get his clearance/release for the surgery. After that, my surgeon's office submits all the data over to the insurance company. It takes them a good 7 business days to give an approval for the surgery or ask for more information. Once that approval comes through, we set a surgery date, and then I see the surgeon 1-2 weeks before the surgery, for a pre-op appointment. I'll receive all sorts of info at that appointment - the pre-op diet, the post-op short-term diet, and this doctor's particular diet. I've been told by this surgeon that he doesn't want any of his patients to follow any other instructions other than his own. And they won't give me any of the diets until that pre-op visit. Because it's "too overwhelming". But well, I'm not sure how you're supposed to decide if you want to commit to something fully for the rest of the forseeable future when you don't know what you're committing to, ya know? But it sort of doesn't matter - I'm done with this lifestyle and the resulting body. I did look up the post-op diet for a lap band online: Days 1-4: Clear Liquids only! Days 5-14: Full Liquids only. Day 15-29: Soft mushy phase. These are foods that you could chew if you didn’t have teeth. Day 30: Back to a regular diet. This includes solid foods! Then I looked up what the "Lap-Band Diet" looks like - just to get SOME idea of what my future looks like: low-fat proteins (lean meats, fish, skinless poultry, eggs) fruits and vegetables healthy, whole-grain breads and cereals dairy products (good source of calcium, but choose non-fat or low-fat) heart-healthy fats It doesn't sound like a blast, but it does sound like what any person wanting to lose weight SHOULD be eating. So that's okay. Some high-protein foods (protein content and serving size): Lean red meat, fish, poultry (21 grams per 3 ounces) Cottage cheese, low-fat (15 grams per half cup) Tofu (9 grams per 4 ounces) Beans & peas (8 grams per half cup) Yogurt, regular, low or non-fat (7 grams per 6 ounces) Yogurt, Greek, low or non-fat (17 grams per 6 ounces) Eggs (6 grams per large egg) Oats (3 grams per half cup) Non-starchy vegetables (tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers) (2 grams per half cup cooked) The diet should include a variety of protein sources to provide the body with a balanced intake of nutrients. Planning high-protein meals is a priority. Many LAP-BAND patients continue to use liquid protein supplements (12-15 grams of protein per packet, on average) in their daily diet as a balanced source of protein and nutrients. Other things I found: Eat only three small meals a day - this is all you need. Do not snack between meals. Eat only solid foods at mealtime - this is how the LAP-BAND® works to restrict food. Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly, about 15-20 times a bite, until it reaches a liquid consistency - this will help to create the feeling of fullness and make it less likely for food to get stuck in the new stomach pouch. Stop eating when you feel full - eating too much can result in pain, nausea and vomiting. It can also stretch the new stomach pouch. Choose healthy foods - make sure you are getting enough protein and nutrients. Do not drink while you eat - this will wash down the food and you will not reach the feeling of fullness, defeating the purpose of the LAP-BAND®. Do not drink for 30 to 45 minutes before or after meals. It is important to drink plenty of fluids during the day in order to stay hydrated and replace the fluid that is lost due to weight loss. If you become dehydrated you may experience a loss of energy, lightheadedness, dry skin, and nausea. You should choose low-calorie liquids and try to drink about 6 - 8 cups of fluid a day Water is a good choice, but other drink options include low-calorie, non-carbonated liquids, such as artificially flavored drinks, broth, tea, and black coffee (without sugar). Avoid drinking fluids within 30-45 minutes of a meal. You do not want to drink before, as it will fill up your pouch with liquids and not leave room for food. You do not want to drink too soon after a meal, because the liquids will move food through your LAP-BAND® pouch too quickly. I can't imagine my surgeon's diet plan is going to look TOO different from the above. It's not like he's going to deter me from eating high-protein, low-fat foods. Or tell me to drink high calorie or carbonated beverages. Lol. He may be no carb, though? God I hope not. I crave those like nobody's business. But, it'll be whatever it is. And I'll just need to be fine with that. In the meantime, I'm going to have to start looking up ways to start shopping, meal planning and cooking the new way. At least I have a starting point now. I'm satisfied with today's answers.

For the past few days I've been all about questions. BIG ones - like how I intend to embrace lifestyle changes, how that will change my life outside of the weight loss (like the "hobby" of eating being gone), etc. Today continues along that theme, but different. My mind doesn't seem to be getting more answers as much as more questions. That's typical of me - it means I've gotten past the initial phase of researching, and arrived at the "I've decided I want this" phase, and I'm trying to prepare for the reality of life after the event/decision. Sort of like how an engaged person is thinking first about a date for the wedding, and maybe about where to honeymoon. Then it's about the budget and what they think they want the wedding to look like. But closer to the actual wedding, it's down to what the flowers on the tables look, what time your cab is coming to take you to the airport, and making sure you have the tickets in your pocket. The big stuff is long gone now - you're no longer concentrating on the big picture, but on the small details that make up the big picture. So here I am, no longer wondering about the insurance, the procedure, the day of surgery, etc. Now it's down to the rest - the stuff that happens afterward. What's food consumption supposed to look like short-term, after the surgery? And I going to be prescribed a diet that's all protein and no sugar? My cravings aren't just going to go away because my stomach's smaller. How will I need to change my menu planning, grocery shopping, cooking and consumption after the surgery? Does the diet change after a certain time period? If I couldn't do a high protein, low carb diet before, what makes me think I'll be able to magically do that after the surgery? I'll get full faster, yes. And I'll presumably lose weight from portion size reduction alone. I'm reading through peoples' stories and it's..... scary how many of them feel that their stomach isn't reduced in intake size. I realize that it's a trial and error process in putting saline into the band to tighten it / reduce the stomach size, etc. Will that greatly affect how satiated I feel? Does it take months and months to get to the right size for the saline? What's the rest of my real life look like after this surgery - the day-to-day of eating? Will I feel bereft without my old friend, food? I don't use it to comfort me - I use it because it calls to me. It's not going to stop calling to me, is it? I'm already looking for support groups in my area. I don't see any that appear to be active for years now. Will I feel all alone after this surgery, or like part of a community? Where others can help guide me on my path? I'm kinda lost right now. I realize that I can (and I will) ask my doctor all these questions.

Hi there - I'm Kel, and I'm in the pre-op stage for having Lap-BAND surgery. Anyone else who's had this surgery (or going to) who would like to be in a group of local people who band together (pun intended)?

The closer I get to completing the hurdles before surgery, the more I start to wonder about the rest of my life after I have the surgery. What am I going to be eating? Will I need to do a complete lifestyle change, or just build on the lap band as a kick in the ass? Will I have to re-vamp my entire eating practices, or will the reduction in caloric intake from a much smaller stomach push my weight loss ahead until I'm ready to be more serious? I don't mean to imply that I'm NOT serious about making lifestyle changes. I mean,.... do I need to start off almost immediately with tons of exercise, water, clean foods, etc., or is calorie reduction enough for a start, and then I build? Also, what's my diet going to look like the first few weeks after surgery? Is it liquid? Mushed foods? Solids? Do I need to concentrate on tons of protein, and have no carbs? These are all questions for my surgeon at my next visit. I'm also feeling like my time is almost up. A lot of us do this before a "diet" - practically gorge ourselves, as if we can somehow feel less deprived later knowing that we have had more than enough of what we wanted before the diet. It doesn't work that way, I know. I feel like I should be dieting now. And yet, I don't want to. It can all be very confusing. It doesn't seem like it should be, but it is, just the same. I've often watched shows like, "My 500 Pound Life" and watched the people gorge themselves on burgers and fried food as they drive cross-country to get to their bariatric surgeon. I've wondered why they do this. Now I know why. Because they will shortly be losing the ability to eat this way - this way that they love. And they're trying to say goodbye at the last possible moment. Considering how dangerously obese these people are, it seems counter-intuitive - and it IS. But here I am, following suit. People seem to understand more than I think they should, though. I've had several people tell me not to get my surgery until after Thanksgiving - so I can enjoy that holiday. I'm not listening. I'd love to be losing weight during the holidays for a change. Will I still be able to enjoy my food later? Will my habit of using food as a form of entertainment (going out to dinner) be gone? Will I find that there's a gaping whole in my life where that "hobby" used to be? Or will I still be able to be excited about food, but just have leftovers for days? It's as if I want a magic pill - I don't want anything to change, but I want my body to look different than it does now - and feel different. Will I need to learn how to shop different, cook differently, change my entire world. Part of me wants to hear "no". The other part of me really wants to hear that yes - everything will change. Because I know I'd feel better if it did. What will I look and feel like a year after surgery? 18 months? Two years? Will I wish I'd just gotten it all done sooner? Will I feel like I've given up enjoying food, but not had that result in as much weight as I'd wanted it to? Will I regret this decision to get the Lap-Band? Or will I be full of energy, have my knees hurt less and be able to move more and enjoy new things I haven't been able to do happily for years now? I guess it's not just a surgery - it's an adventure. One with an as-of-yet unwritten ending.

I wanted to lay out just what I've had to push through to get to the bariatric surgery. I don't want to scare anyone - because the list looks (and somewhat feels) overwhelming. However, all the appointments are made in order to make sure that I'm healthy enough to do this surgery. And I'll say that visiting each doctor - especially as I approach 50 - has wound up being reassuring, above all. I've always been plagued with aches and pains my entire life - mostly joint problems. Most of my physical issues aren't serious - just really freaking annoying. Arthritis, cysts, bursitis, tendonitis, allergies, asthma, sinus issues, GERD, hearing loss, etc. So, every day it seems like something, and sometimes it can affect my lifestyle. But overall, it's nothing that makes my health poor in medical terms. And even those things, I've tried to fix. My point here is that hearing that my heart is in great shape and my lungs are perfect and my blood pressure and blood tests and my Pap smear and mammogram all look great - well, that's terrific news! It means all the issues my body has right now are more inconvenience rather than dangerous. And even the inconvenient issues I pay attention to - in order to keep myself healthy and my quality of life good. Anyway,..... here's the list of appointments and procedures I've had in order to get to point of being cleared for bariatric surgery: Primary Care Physician - for physical. Also to get the referral to my bariatric surgeon. This visit included blood work (CBC, CMP, TSH, PT/PTT) and urinalysis, which wound up being needed for the bariatric surgery anyway. Two birds, one stone. Bariatric Surgeon - for discussion on surgery Mammogram Gynecologist - for well woman visit and Pap smear Pulmonologist - initial meeting Pulmonologist - giving them the chip to my CPAP machine, and taking a breathing test. Resulted in clearance from pulmonologist for surgery Cardiologist. EKG, cardiologist clearance for surgery Nutrition Assessment, 6 months supervised diet with hospital nutritionist* Upper GI with double contrast Primary Care Physician Clearance * The 6 months of nutritionist counseling was a requirement of my insurance I am currently working on items #10 and #11. I anticipate that taking another few weeks - likely by the end of October. Then I should be able to go back to the bariatric surgeon for review, and to schedule the surgery. The week before surgery, I need to go on a zero carb diet - in order to shrink my liver, which makes laproscopic surgery possible. Then it should be about a week or so off work (I'll just take vacation days), and then back to work. Hopefully I'll have this done before Thanksgiving, although I'm fine with whatever date it's done by. And that's where I'm currently at! I have two kids still living at home, as well as two that are grown and doing their own thing. My one child in particular has a lot of my joint issues (and is a little, thin thing - which just goes to show that this stuff is hereditary). She's had tons of doctor's visits and physical therapy visits during the time period I've been doing all my own doctor's appointments. She also goes to counseling occasionally and also needs to see the orthodontist every 3-4 weeks. That's a ton of time spent on doctor's visits! The only way I can even see being able to get this all done is because I work 2-3 days per week at home, and can just schedule the doctor's visits on those days. I have NO.IDEA how someone who didn't have that luxury would be able to get all these appointments in - especially if they were super heavy and had a difficult time getting around. It makes me think there must be tons of people out there who would really benefit from this kind of surgery who can't get it - because they lack the time, ability, money and fortitude to keep going on this wheel for a while. This has been hard for me - and I have all those things available to me. But I guess where there's a will, there's a way, right?

I have gotten the "so,... you've tried all the diets?" from the doctors I'm seeing for the clearances. Even the psychologist - whom I would think would understand that weight loss is more mental than anything else. However, that probably makes sense - to him, if it's mostly mental, then how is changing something physical going to change your relationship with food? He even insinuated that because I have a "very large personality", that means lots of mental energy - which can be channeled into a lifestyle change. So I should do well on a weight loss plan. Ugh. I can't say it doesn't make sense. But it's been 47 years - clearly what I've done or my mental fortitude isn't working on this issue. I really don't care anymore what everyone thinks - I'M the one dealing with my big body every day. I'm the one who thinks that help would benefit me. To anyone who says, "Why can't you do it on your own?", I'd say, "If I knew the answer to that, I wouldn't be this size, would I?' If you are addicted to drugs, you go to rehab. If you are diabetic, you go on insulin. Why is it that having an issue with weight shouldn't be treated like the medical issue that it is? When I'm a healthy weight, I'll be able to say, "I may have taken drastic measures to lost the weight, but..... it worked!" Personally, I don't think a lap band is all that "drastic" anyway. I've had a knee replacement, which was MUCHO painful. This should be a cake walk, comparatively.

I visited a bariatric surgeon a good 2 years ago now. I'm in an ***, so he was the one in my networks that my Primary Care Physician referred me to. I like him a lot. He initially recommended a Lap-Band. He said it was the only kind of weight loss surgery he did. It made deciding between procedures easier for me. He told me that my insurance (BCBS of IL) required me to go to 6 months of a formal weight loss program - or a nutritionist before they'd approve the surgery. So off I went! I joined Weight Watchers in November. By January I'd lost about 10 lbs. In February I got knee surgery to clean up some ripped cartilage. Then it was a few weeks of lying around with nothing better to do than eat, sleep, read, and watch TV. Well, here come the 10 lbs. back! I stayed on WW for another 9 months though - essentially getting nowhere. Now, I love WW - it's great. IF you can stop eating freaking Ding-Dongs like it's your JOB. And I just couldn't get my mojo back. Still - I made sure to stay on the program long enough to pass my 6 months required by my insurance company. Then I went back to visit my bariatric surgeon again. What he told me deflated me greatly. Weight Watchers didn't count as an organized weight loss program unless it had been supervised monthly by a doctor. Well, that hadn't happened! So I went back to my PCP and got a referral to go to a nutritionist at my local hospital. I started 6 months of that and essentially did nothing but go to the sessions. I knew how to eat. I just didn't know how to STOP eating everything that I shouldn't eat! Unlike prior attempts at weight loss, it wasn't just about cravings this time. My stomach had stretched to the point where I was hungry after eating the proper portion size. And I was heavily addicted to sugar in all forms. Food is like a siren song to me at this point - constantly calling to me. I can't just put in a vegetable for a snack - my brain wants that sugar, and it's going to keep thinking about it until I satisfy that craving. I need help beyond just information at this point. I had lost my bariatric surgeon's name, but I knew I'd recognize it if I came across it. And I did. I saw his website and saw that he did many different kinds of surgeries now - including new ones that weren't even on the market when I talked to him a few years earlier. I found out that he was sharing his practice with another doctor in the past that had since moved to another state. That doctor performed bypass surgery, and as a professional courtesy, my doctor didn't perform those surgeries. Now I had to go over whether Lap-Band was indeed the best surgery option for me. In the meantime, the hospital nutritionist had given me information at our last session from the hospital. It outlined the information they give out to bariatric surgery patients, and some of what I saw scared me enough to make me re-think surgery altogether. It said that I was to "go off and never again go on anti inflammatory drugs." I am on two of those per day in order to help with my arthritis. I know my knees won't hurt as much after I start losing weight. But it's not only weight-bearing joints that are suffering - it's all of them - even my fingers and shoulders, etc. The thought of being in constant pain from not being on anti inflammatory meds terrified me! I'd had to go off those meds each time I'd had various surgeries over the years (because they act as blood thinners - which don't go well with surgery), and I was miserable after a few days. Was this limitation worth the benefit? I decided to go back to my bariatric surgeon and lay my concerns out on the table. This took many months for me to do, as we were in the middle of buying a house and moving. But as soon as that was settled a bit, I made the appointment to see my bariatric surgeon. I'm so glad I did! He still did recommend the Lap-Band surgery for me. He said he really preferred that surgery for its lack of complications. There was no "dumping" syndrome, no probability of malabsorbtion, no refraining from anti inflammatories, no constant battle to get high amounts of protein in. And he thought it would be plenty to offer me the benefits I needed. From there, I was given a list of doctors I needed to get clearance from and a number of tests/ procedures I needed to have done before surgery would be approved by my surgeon: Laboratory: Blood panel - CBC, DMP, TSH, PT/PTT. Urinalysis Cardiology: EKG, Cardiac clearance from cardiologist Radiology: Upper GI with double contrast Pulmonology: Pulmonary clearance. Breathing test, give them the chip to my CPAP machine. Routine Wellness Screenings: Mammogram, Pap smear Radiology: Upper GI with double contrast. Misc.: Primary Care Physician clearance, Psychological Evaluation, Nutrition assessment, Six months of supervised nutritionist sessions I'm almost done. It's taken me months! I counted the appointments today, and it will come out to 19 altogether! Wow! As soon as I get the upper GI done, I'll be able to go back to my PCP and get surgery clearance. Then I can go back to my surgeon for a visit, and to schedule surgery. I'm probably less than 2 weeks from getting back to my bariatric surgeon. I know there is a one-week no carb diet I will need to follow prior to the surgery. This shrinks the liver, making laproscopic surgery possible. The good news is that I've learned throughout this process that I'm actually very healthy! My lungs are normal. My physical and test results are fine. My heart is doing well. My mammogram and pap smear are clear. My blood pressure and pulse are great. My psych eval turned out well. I shouldn't be surprised, but many of the doctors questioned me about why I can't just lose the weight with no physical help. "You should be able to do this by yourself.", "Can't you just go on a diet?", etc. Ugh. Maddening. At least the bariatric surgeon gets it. That's what's most important. I'm getting closer!

Hi - I'm Kel. I'm 47. I'm happily married with 4 children age 14 to 22. I've been heavy my entire life, and I've always hated it. In my late 30's, I lost about 25 lbs. on Weight Watchers in preparation for attending a beach wedding. That was a 10% body weight loss - from 225 lbs. to 225. I was ecstatic! I never thought those 25 pounds could make THAT much of a difference in my life, but they did. I was in a dead-end marriage at the time. My weight loss didn't do a thing to change that, but it wound up being the catalyst on a lot of life changes. About 2 years after the initial weight loss, I got a long-awaited tummy tuck and breast reduction surgery. WOW did I feel great after that! And still - hubby didn't notice me. Turns out my husband was gay (although he didn't admit that until later). So the weight loss didn't do anything to increase his attraction to me, but did exactly that for random men in public. It made me feel that maybe - just maybe..... I wasn't going to be all alone if I called it quits on my marriage. Maybe this wasn't the best man I was capable of landing. I no longer felt resigned to unhappiness - I saw hope on the horizon. While I didn't keep all the weight off, my confidence had learned to sustain itself. After we separated I began dating again. I grew up in the 80's - when Christy Brinkley's body was the ultimate; slender, tiny butt, long and lean. But now, I was being let out into the dating pool as Kim Kardiashian's ass broke the internet. As Nicki Minaj and Demi Lovato seemed to have a competition going for most curvy. Curvy women were being embraced in the media, and men were embracing their bodies with their hands. I'd hit my stride at 40! And the men I dated at that time had were weathered enough to have learned that looks aren't everything. They now valued personality, conversation, femininity, and a myriad of and other qualities that I possessed in spades. I was on top of the world! I met my now husband during this time period. I was closer to my original 250 I'd been, but still confident. We fell in love quickly and married within a year and a half. It's been over four years now, and we're happier every day. But my weight has slowly crept up. He's a larger man, and we enjoy eating as a form of entertainment. We aren't healthy eaters. He still treats me as though I am as beautiful as the day we met, despite the fact that I've gained over 60 pounds since then. I am now at just why of 320 lbs. I feel loved and cherished, and even beautiful to him. But I don't like the way I look, and I like even less how I feel. I hate that I get winded walking up a flight of stairs. My knees (one of which has already been replaced) and ankles are killing me after a long day. I often have to stay in the car if we're running tons of errands at once. I have to heft myself up off the couch with great effort. The arms of chairs often dig into my thighs when out and about. I'm just tired of it all. I want to feel great and have energy. I want to move freely. I want to stop hiking my damned pants up all the time because the waist is all stretched out after a few hours from my gut. I want my fat rolls to STOP TOUCHING EACH OTHER. I want to see a photo of myself and not cringe because I don't recognize that person. And I want to wear clothes that flatter me and make me feel confident rather than being worn mostly to cover up my biggest flaws. There are million more reasons to lose the weight - too many to list here. But I'm DONE with being this person. I'm done with every New Year's resolution list starting with "Lose weight". I'm done with feeling defeated in this area. I'm done with accepting my fate in this area. I'm ready for change.