KDuckster

Is anyone going to the Lap-Band Support Group meeting tonight at Abbott Northwestern? I attended my first one a few months back and this is the first opportunity I have had to be able to attend another one. I'm really looking forward to it, since I'm now "on the other side". Here's what you need to know if you want to attend (I copied this from the OSSGMN calendar...): LapBand support group at Abbott Northwestern Hospital Founders Mall Conference Room at the Sister Kenny Pavillion. Contact information:Joni Callahan 612-863-7501 Also, is anyone on this list planning to attend the Park Nicollet Support meeting tomorrow night? I've been told I will be the only bandster, but I'm interested in attending this since it's so close to home and I had my surgery through Park Nicollet. Thanks. Kathy D Banduckster 12/28/05 Dr. Weatherille/Methodist Hospital 244/224/125

Wow, I can't believe all the variation in how soon some people can get fills. My doctor advocates the first six weeks after the surgery is for s-l-o-w-l-y working up to regular food and doing everything possible not to pb and unseat the band. Then they will start doing conservative fills. I'm just at the six week mark and will be getting my first fill tomorrow. I had some decent restriction after surgery up until sometime last week and my appetite has come back with a vengeance. I am hoping for added restriction from this first fill, but I'm not necessarily planning on it.

Hi Everyone, I don't know if you heard, but Park Nicollet has created a new meeting just for their Lap-Band patients. The first ever meeting is at 6:00 PM on February 1 - Wednesday. I understand there will be monthly meetings for the time being - on the first Wednesday of the month. The meeting will be held at 5050 Excelsior Blvd. in St. Louis Park. This is the old Citizens State Bank building and it's in front of the main Park Nicollet Clinic buildings. Dr. Weatherille is also my surgeon and I'd love to me you and other PNC bandsters. See you there!

Sorry - I just have to respond to some things that were said in previous posts. I would be really concerned about a bariatric surgeon who claims you will lose 30 pounds in the first month following Lap-Band surgery. If they are, they shouldn't be doing this surgery because they don't understand the band. Doctors place the band with no saline in it, let the stomach heal for 6 weeks, *then* will make adjustments. Since there is no restriction for the first six weeks, once the swelling goes down in stoma, there is no reason to believe you will not still feel hungry, because it's almost as if the band isn't there. I'm glad some of you are able to eat solid food so early, but you're taking your chances with problems further down the road. Also, the Lap-Band has always been an *adjustable gastric band*, meaning even when it was first introduced in Europe, it was adjustable. There is a previous surgery that is still sometimes done called vertical banded gastroplasty. Here's a picture: Uh ... sorry about the naked chick up there, I could have done without her but that's the only good picture of the surgery I found in a quick google search of VBG. But yeah, there's a band there, but there's lots of staples and you get a circle in your stomach. You can see they really screw up your stomach and the plastic band is not adjustable in any way. This is *not* the Lap-Band. Sorry for running off at the mouth like this, but I started researching bariatric surgery in 2001, have known about the Lap-Band from before it was even approved in the United States, and just want to make sure people get the facts correct. Thanks.

Ohmigawd - I can't believe some of you had your fills so soon after surgery since it's contraindicated until at least 6 weeks. The stomach is a very sensitive organ (remember what it did to you the last time you had the flu?) Any surgery on the stomach, Lap-Band notwithstanding, is followed by the same kind of diet we're on - clear then full liquids, mushies, etc. The reason for our Lap-Band surgeons to require this post-op diet is not to boost their weight loss statistics, it's to ensure long-term success with the band and to prevent vomiting for the first six weeks while the band gets situated and your stomach heals. There is an extremely high incidence of band slippage with people who don't heed the six week post-op diet. The surgeon most likely stitched a portion of your upper stomach to a portion of the lower stomach right over the band to keep it in place. This area needs time to heal. When the surgeon placed the band around your stomach and cinched it in place, your stomach reactly negatively and swelled. So with the combination of the stitches and the swelling, you NEED to be on foods that will pass easily through your new stoma. Like people have been saying, the first six weeks is not about how much you can lose - it's giving your new stomach time to heal. Yes, you should try to watch your calorie intake, but if you're hungry, have something. If you stay with liquids and soft foods with substance, like cream Soups and oatmeal, you're less likely to be hungry again so soon. You have to look at the big picture ... 1 year, 5 years, or even 10 years from now when you are at your goal weight and living life the way you have always wanted, the uncomfortable 3 or 4 week period post-op is a pretty insignificant amount of time. I beg you to follow your doctor's recommendations, go slow and take it easy on yourself.

Wow - tomorrow is two weeks since my surgery on 12/28/05. I can't believe all the changes I've experienced already in such a short time: 10. The most rewarding change? I've already lost 20 pounds!:clap2: 9. I stopped drinking my beloved Diet Coke a couple days before surgery and I haven't had one since. I don't even miss it. 8. I told my co-workers I was retiring the candy dish from my desk when I went on Christmas vacation. It's still gone. I don't miss that either. 7. I haven't eaten fast food in a month. This I still miss, but I'm working on it. 6. I walked the stairs to my basement yesterday and couldn't figure out what was different. Then I figured it out: my knees weren't making noises and it didn't hurt to climb stairs anymore. 5. I'm actually getting satisfied, and even full on things like cream Soups. 4. I took the steri-strips off my incisions a couple days ago, and you can already barely see them. 3. I have been walking more. And I actually want to. 2. I noticed I was walking taller this morning instead of my normal hunch. And the number one revelation and NSV after two weeks: I worked through my first mourning session over food. Last week when I was nauseous :sick and couldn't drink anything, I was really upset. (I ended up in the hospital overnight with an IV and I'm fine now...) I was thinking about how I'd never be able to go out again and have a Chipotle chicken fajita bol with chips (a huge amount of food!), :hungry: but then I thought - why the h*ll would I still want to? That was a 'fat Kathy' behavior and I'm doing my best to stuff her under the bed and eventually out of my life forever. It will be great to get rid of that big ball and chain. I consider myself lucky avoiding 'Bandster hell' so far. I've read that before your first fill, lots of people have a hard time because they're so hungry. I'm going to make sure and schedule my first fill right at 6 weeks. Pre-surgery, I really appreciated having LBT as a great resource to prepare me. Now I'm looking forward to supporting others who haven't yet gone through it.

Oops - it always helps to indicate what time the meeting starts - 6:00 PM.

Hi Cheri - I sent you a private message to add me - I had surgery on 12/28/05. Thanks!

Hi, I happened to catch this article someone posted on the SmartBandsters Yahoo message board, and it includes quite a few quotes from Dr. I. He sounds like quite an accomplished surgeon... http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/03/health/03obes.html?emc=eta1

I can't believe I went from whining to being scared sh**less in less than a week! I met with Dr. Weatherille of Park Nicollet last Thursday and he set my surgery for 11:20 AM tomorrow! I am really impressed with him - he's got decades of experience as a surgeon, and ten years of laparoscopic procedures experience and over three years with the Lap-Band. I think it was best that it all happened so fast because I haven't had much time to think about it. I've only had to endure the pre-op liquid diet for 5 days and managed to survive Christmas dinner without food. I'm amazed at how effective it is, though - I have already lost ten pounds since last Friday. The only hurdle left in the pre-op physical at 2:00 PM today and I don't have any reason to assume there will be any problems. I took off all this week and the first week of January from work so that gives me a week and a half to recover. I hope that's enough time. Park Nicollet's policy is for one overnight in the hospital following surgery, but I guess that's only to satisfy the insurance carriers. I'll see you all on the other side!

I am just one week out of surgery today. I still can't believe it happened this fast. I did okay the day of the surgery and the 2nd day, then I started to get nauseous from just about every liquid and when I could drink, it was filling me up so fast I couldn't drink enough to stay hydrated. By the third day, I knew I had to do something about it. My doctor suggested I check into the hospital to get an IV. He said it sounded like there was swelling at my stoma - a common post-surgery complaint, but that I needed to get re-hydrated in order to get better. I spent Monday night in the hospital and was back out by noon Tuesday. I felt much better yesterday and even better today. I don't have the nauseau or restriction I felt before, so I think it will keep getting better from here on in. The good news is although I wasn't feeling well, I managed to drop 18 pounds from my pre-surgery weight! What a great start! Back to work on Monday and back to real life.

Hi All, I had a little setback yesterday ... I was banded 12/28, and had been doing okay until last Friday when I started to get nauseous from even the smallest amount of fluids, and was getting the "golfball" feeling if I tried to drink more than a couple sips of something. It didn't get better and I got dehydrated. My doctor recommended an overnight hospital stay with an IV. I'm back home and feel m-u-c-h better! I know that I will NOT be losing weight this fast once I get to mushies, but I've lost 18 pounds since surgery last Wednesday! My doctor's post-surgery diet is super cautious and I am just now supposed to graduate to full liquids today, but he recommended another couple days of Clear Liquids to make sure I don't go back to the nauseau stage. No! I can't take it anymore! I want to take every last can of broth I have right now and drive them to the local food shelf. I am now having dreams of solid food - how pathetic!:ermm I guess I'd better follow his recommendations - he's done enough of these surgeries to know best. And it will help me to drop more weight in the beginning. Congrats to all us December bandsters ... 2006 here we come!

Boy, I must not be doing a good job of explaining myself. I didn't mean to imply that the referred pain from the gas is not real pain - it definitely is!!! It's just that a lot of people think it's from gas still trapped in your abdomen that somehow travels north to your neck and shoulders. It's not - it's from the diaphragm expanding and there's a nerve that runs from the diaphragm to the neck and shoulders that is touched off. It's really pain, and it can be helped by the liquid pain killer your doctor prescribed as well as a heating pad. The other gas that travels south from your stomach to your, uh.... is from the stomach trying to get used to a new way of functioning. I'm having the same problem there. Good luck everyone!

Hi Everyone - I had surgery December 28, so I'm only 3 days post-op. I have to admit I had a kinda bad day yesterday - exhausted, incisions hurt, stiff neck, leg cramps, general malaise. My first day post-op was a lot better, and I'm happy to report that day 3 is really good. I have very little incision pain, and I feel like I want to get out and start doing stuff. Sarabride2006 - I'm so sorry to hear you're having trouble with the gas. Actually, it's not the gas that's in your system that's causing you pain, it's what's called "referred pain". The surgeons use gas to inflate your abdomen to see better during the operation. It expands your diaphragm which in turn causes neck and shoulder pain. Be sure to keep taking your pain medication as soon as it starts hurting, and use a heating pad on the area - that really seemed to help me. I'm not even thinking of getting on the scale since I know they pumped a lot of fluids in me before, during, and after surgery, and I'm sure my body is still in shock. I will probably start to officially monitor my weight when I start on mushies in a week. Congratulations to all us December bandsters!!

Casino Cat - you wrote "Hey people! I have noticed that since I started to drink my Protein shakes, I havenot lost any weight. I am able to drink a whole glass too. I am concerned that it is messing with with my weight loss. Anybody else experience this? Then KT199 replied, "This question really bothers me because it implies so little knowledge of the real battle. I say this with much love, but the only thing that makes you gain weight is daily consuming more calories than you burn. "Shakes" are irrelevant in general, but the calories they contain contribute to your daily intake." Then you replied, "I already know that...trying to make some converstaion and get other peoples takes on the protein shake. Much love, but no thanks" I'm a bit confused, because if you already knew some information and were just "trying to make some conversation", then why did you attack KT? I agree KT's replies to you were a bit direct (sorry KT!) but the purpose of the LBT board is to help and support people, not just make conversation. If you really had questions on why you were not losing weight, you already knew the answer - you are taking in too many calories. The purpose of the the Lap-Band is for us to be able to eat normal, healthy foods but in smaller quantities, and therefore lose weight. Protein shakes are not a 'normal, healthy food'. They're not even food - they're liquid calories. Hopefully in your research of the band before your surgery you came across many references to the fact that to have success with the band, you have to rely on solid food for your nutrition, not liquid calories. There is only ONE exception, and that's in the few weeks following surgery when we're unable to eat solid food. After we can start to eat solid foods, we need to drop things like Soups and protein shakes from our menu. The other thing you hopefully learned in your research is that we do not have the same nutrition deficiency problems as RNY patients. Yes, an RNY patient needs to consume large amounts of protein a day, but that's because they aren't absorbing food normally - we are. We should have no more concern about our protein intake than the normal person. The only difference is that with the smaller amount of food we can eat, we should concentrate on eating our protein first, then fruits and vegetables, then consume our carbohydrates last. Again, pretty normal consumption. I am concerned about some bandster's feelings that they need to supplement their protein intake each day, and that the only way to do so is with protein shakes. Being only three days out of surgery, I will probably rely on some kind of shake (like Carnation Instant Breakfast) to get me through my "full liquids" week before I progress to mushies the next week. But I intend to abandon them at that point so I don't begin to rely on them for nutrition. I recommend anyone else who wants to be successful as a bandster does the same.

Hey All, I guess it's time to introduce myself. I've been mainly lurking, appreciating all the information I've gotten from this site, learned alot about the band (good and bad), posted once or twice on the Minnesota thread and am determined this will work. I originally researched the band in 2001, but no insurance would cover it. I just learned about 6 months ago that my insurance pays for all but $200 of it. I attended an info session in October, met with medical staff and had the psych/physical/diet assessments on November 30, got approved December 16 and thought I'd get scheduled sometime in early January. I got a call from the surgeon's office last Wednesday that I could have the surgery December 28 if I wanted. Holy moly! Since my meeting with the surgeon, I've been on the pre-op diet (lucky me - only five days!) and managed to survive Christmas dinner with a Slim-Fast and two bottles of Water. Then last night I made it through a movie out with a friend while she munched popcorn the whole time. I guess it's working because I've only been on liquids since last Friday (12/23) and I've dropped ten pounds! Anyway, I have the surgery tomorrow and I feel like I should be more scared or anxious, but I'm not. My sister is coming with me and will stay until I'm back in my room after surgery, so I won't be alone at the hospital. I'm sure I will feel a lot more apprehensive tomorrow morning about the time I get to the hospital. I'm looking forward to posting again when it's official. Wish me luck!

Hi Fellow Minnesotans, I've only posted a couple times before, but there has been some serious activity in the last month on my way to Lap-Band surgery. After the informational session at Park Nicollet in early October, I was told it was about a 3 month process to get to a surgery date. I negotiated with my boss to clear the first three weeks of January to accommodate the surgery. Beginning January 23, I will be teaching non-stop until the end of March (I'm a technical trainer for a St. Paul software company). I wasn't able to have my first meeting with a bariatric nurse until mid-November. Then I wasn't scheduled to do the half-day of assessments with the physical therapist/psychologist/dietician/M.D. until mid-December. Thank goodness I was able to take a cancelled appointment on November 30 and bless everyone's heart there, they finished reviewing my information in record time in order for the pre-authorization request to go to my insurance company (Blue Cross Blue Shield) by December 9. Then after a couple phone calls to BCBS, I managed to get them to pre-authorize the surgery just a week later! They notified Park Nicollet today. So far, so good. The only thing left is to meet with the surgeon and schedule the date. This is where the frustration comes in. I can't meet with a surgeon until January 5 - the absolutely first available appointment according to the surgery scheduler. Aarrgghh! I don't think there's going to be any way to have the surgery done in time! After all that work and after so many people went above and beyond to rush through information and decision-making, it doesn't seem to be making any difference in the end. I am so bummed and feeling defeated. I don't think my schedule after March is going to be any better, so January is really the only time I would be able to have the surgery. I just had to get this off my chest - thanks for letting me vent. Would you consider saying a little prayer on my behalf for a miracle to happen? Thanks.

... more like scared to death! I guess a little whining pays off. I have a surgical consult with Dr. Weatherille tomorrow and possibly the surgery next week! I don't dare complain, but it is all of sudden coming up so soon, I don't feel prepared. Has anyone else had Dr. Weatherille at Park Nicollet/Methodist for their surgeon? Thanks.

Here's another name -- Nancy Wilson from Heart. She tells her story on spotlighthealth.com, the same sight where Carne Wilson has her story on gastric bypass.

Hi Shan... I just read on the General forum that you got banded on October 11. Congratulations! :banana I'm a bandster wannabe, and hope to also have Dr Jones perform the surgery at Methodist. I got to meet him in 2001 when I had a consult with him on a different surgery - I think he's a great doctor. When you rest up, I would love to ask you some questions about what you had to do up to the surgery date. I already know that I have to go through an assessment with a nurse, have a half day of consults with psych, dieticians, and meet with the surgeon, but I'm most curious how long the total process was, like when did you go to your information meeting and how long after that was your surgery scheduled? I'm really excited about pursuing this, and just want to know how long of a wait I'm in for... :guess Take it easy and let us know how you're doing. Feel free to write me at my home e-mail: KDuckster@msn.com

I love reading everyone's motivations. I have a list tucked in my journal that I created in February 2001, when I was first thinking about weight loss surgery. Funny ... 4.5 years later, I wouldn't change a thing on the list: I want to be healthy again. I want to have more energy (...er, ANY energy) I want to fit into single digit clothes sizes again. I want to look better in clothes, and out of them too! When I look down, I want to be able to see my shoes. Speaking of those shoes, I want to be able to tie the laces without cutting off my airway. I want to be able to eat a meal without dropping food or leaving crumbs on my "shelf". I want less of a shelf - a nice "B" or "C" would do nicely. I want to climb stairs without heavy breathing and creaking joints. I want to actually *want to* climb stairs without dreading them. I want to wear bike shorts again. I want to be able to bike again. I want to be able to run again. I want to have my knees be narrower than my legs again. I never want to hear again the dreaded phrase, " ... well, you have a pretty face, but ..." I want to be able to get up out of a chair without grunting. I want to be able to look in the mirror, turn sideways and not see a look of horror in my face. I want to be able to write on the board when I'm teaching and not watch my underarm 'bat wings' sway back and forth. I want to increase my self-worth through achieving these goals. :)

Hi Cindy, Looks like you got lots of sound explanations from a number of people. I have done a ton of research over the years on weight loss methods, nutrition, exercise, and yes...weight loss surgery. I agree completely with Alexandra about the concept of "starvation mode". If you are eating enough to sustain your weight, then drop your caloric intake enough, your body thinks it needs to conserve calories. Thus the reason why increasing your calories (slightly, not like adding 1000 calories!) will restart your metabolism. The reason that anorexics and bulemics continue to lose weight when restricting calories is that the amount of calories they take in is ridiculously low, so even if the body is in starvation mode, you will still lose weight on 200-300 calories a day. But I really wanted to address your question on why gastric bypass patients lose so dramatically. The reason is because of malabsorption. When the surgeon reroutes a portion of your intestine to a new, smaller stomach, the body can no longer absorb food and nutrients like a person without a bypass. The new plumbing causes the body to pass food through faster, hence less calories, but also less Vitamins, minerals, etc. can be used by the body. Yes, a new bypass patient is told not to eat more than a couple tablespoons of food at a sitting, but even if their body is in starvation mode, their body still doesn't absorb it like before, so - voila - fast weight loss. I am SOOO happy I never went that route. I know that weight loss with the band will be frustrating at 1-2 pounds a week, but it's so much more health, and I won't look like a Shar-Pei dog when I'm at my goal weight. I also won't have to be giving myself B-12 shots in the thigh because I will most likely be able to give my body all the nutrients I need from regular food. Hope this helps!

Hi All, My name is Kathy. I am going to an informational meeting at Park Nicollet this Friday night, but I don't think I will learn anything new. You see, I started researching the Lap-Band before it was even approved by the FDA back in 2001, but couldn't afford the surgery if it wasn't covered by my insurance. I have recently come to learn that my employer's insurance covers all but $200 of a Lap-Band procedure - unbelievable! What am I waiting for?!? SuperDaddy - I met you Tuesday night (10/11) at the Abbott Northwestern Lap-Band support group. I was the one sitting next to you (and no, not the one on your left ). It was great to see so many people there and hear the stories. Hope you're doing well and your tummy feels better. Thanks for the tip on this website. There's some great information and lots of support here. I'm looking forward to being active on this forum. Annaqpreston - I am dying to know more about Park Nicollet's procedures and what it was like to go through all of it. My biggest question is, if I already know my insurance covers the procedure and they will approve it with a pre-authorization, how long do you have to wait until surgery? Do you have a date yet? I guess I'll be back here after my meeting Friday.