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any of the newer madonna cd's are really great! she's seems to be more into dance songs rather than ballads these days. the 2 i like are...confessions on a dance floor and music...both great cds with alot of up beat music. i'm so excited she's finally coming out with something new at the end of the month!

i had pretty much the same fears. i was banded feb 28th. i arrived at the hospital-checked in-a nurse came and got me and took a breif medical history type thing-went over meds-things like that. he gave me my wrist bands and then gave me a bag to put my clothes in and gave me clothes to put on. he left the room while i changed and told me to open the door when i was ready. after that we stepped into the hall and i got weighed-then my mom and husband were allowed in until they came to get me for surgery. then another nurse came-only one person was allowed back at that point. we walked back to presurgery and i got into a bed. they put on the numo boot things that help keep your blood cirulating and they started an IV. they give you a couple shots to help with blood clots and some antibiotics. the anethesiologist comes and and meets you and asks if you have any concerns...tell them you're afraid to throw up to make sure they give you something for that once you wake up...i had never had surgery either so i i didn't know but when i woke up i didn't have any so i guess it worked =) so anyway when they're ready to take you back to surgery they give you another shot to relax you and then asked my husband to go back to the waiting room...i was wheeled back to the surgery room and they gave me another shot...i remember the anesthesiologist coming in and hearing his voice and i can't tell you a thing that happened after that. i woke up in post op, which was right next to pre op with all the same nurses...i have no idea how long i was there-i asked for pain meds right away even though i had no clue if i was in pain or not. after i was comletely awake from the anesthisia they took me to my room where my mom and husband walked in right behind me. don't think about your weight or how you may look under your gown-just remember they've seen it all at least 1000 times and aren't there to judge you they are there to help you.

Mandilou-you will love everyone at fairview southdale! they're all sooo nice and helpful! i have loved my experience there and they have been so encouraging! my surgeon was dr laguna and i absolutly love him! he really takes his time with you and doesn't try to rush you and he's sooo nice!! good luck tonight!

i have uhc that pays 90%. i did not have to pay up front, i will receive a bill and my max out of pocket is 2k...so i expect to pay that with all the various bills i will receive =)

viv...i feeling the same exact way! this thursday will be 5 weeks...i get my first fill on monday april, 7th! i'm hoping it makes me feel different!!

so i had my band 2/28...i've lost about 11 lbs...compared to some people not so good, for me...well it's really good. so anyway my question is his...i read on here all the time that people have a hard time eating "reall food"...i've really never had a problem...if i start eating too much my band lets me know and i stop but i guess i've never had the problem that people on here talking about of trying to swollow their first piece of chicken...is this normal?? does anyone else have an easy time eating anything? because seriously i can eat anything...nothing bothers me...???

well i say take as much time as you can get/afford...i was tender but not very sore but got very very tired every afternoon...i too walked and tried to stay active to fight off blood clots...i could have gone back to work sooner, however i would have been asleep 1/2 way throught the day. it's better to be safe than sorry.

That's what I did busy-used a pillow-kinda tucked it in close to me so it was tight that way i could kinda sleep on my side/tummy-after a few nights i know i started waking up on my belly. it was probably about a little over a week before i could just lay on my stomach at night without too much worry.

MaLiyah is right, you're allowed so many hours a year with fmla...it's quite a bit...i used short term disability...had to use 5 days of pto and then the short term disability kicked in...i took off almost 3 weeks. i don't know how big of a company you work for but if it's a bigger co many you can call HR and tell them you need the time off for surgery and i'm sure your doctor wouldn't have any problem filling at the papers and then they can't deny you.

i was told to wait 18 months to 2 years before even trying

I have united healthcare..i had to do almost nothing to be approved...all the insurance company required was a certain bmi, which i have no idea what that was since mine was at 47 that was plenty..anyway a certain bmi and a psych consultation. the doctors office required more. I work at wells fargo so i have uhc through them...apparently from what i've heard their plan is one of the best for this type of surgery...once i got through the stuff for the docs office they sent in the paper work to the insurance company and was approved within 3 days...i started the process on jan 12th and had surgery feb 28th. there's other postings on here that say uhc made them jump through all sorts of hoops to just be denied...so i guess it just depends on your certain plan...i would say get a job at wells fargo =)

can you still eat anything taz? does anything bother you?

i ordered some samples off of vitalady.com of different protein powders...however the day after i ordered them i realized a pack of sugar free carnation and 2 cups of skim milk is 21 grams of protein...so that's what i drink since i'm suppose to have 2 cups of milk a day anyway. I sitll havn't tried any of the protein samples...i'm scared...they all smell funny. i'm 4.5 weeks out, i can eat anything...nothing bothers me.

Bel-you've been banded since you were 15, is that right? Feeling like I can eat anything scares me..I could eat anything before and look where it got me? So in a way I feel like...is this really working/doing anything for me?

i get my first fill next monday, april 7th, they make you wait 6 weeks. i was told my band is a new one that already has 4ccs in it? but thanks hopefully i'll feel it once i get a fill!

was anyone banded by dr. laguna at fairview southdale?

could be your blood pressure too...i lost 10 lbs on preop diet and i've lost 15 more since surgery...i used to have high blood pressure and with just 25 lbs my blood pressure got soooo low being on my meds...i got sick to my stomach, dizzy, headache, nauseated...so now i'm off my BP meds...YAY ME!...anyway that could also be an issue...could be too high, or too low

no problem!

Do you drink soda? for me that's what did it! i only drank one a day, a regular pepsi, I gave it up cold turkey and within a week i had lost 6 lbs by just cutting out the one pepsi! plus you really can't have it once your banded so you might as well try to get rid of that now! I had to lose 10 lbs for my surgery so then for the other 4 lbs I stopped snacking, ate meals at the same time everyday and water, water, water!

i had surgery 2/28...my ins pays 90%...i didn't need to pay...they will send me a bill once the insurance pays their part. Is it the Docs office or the hospital that bills you? for me it's the hospital so the docs office refferred me to them. When i contacted them they said once the ins pays and I get the bill that I can call them back and set up a payment plan for 10 months...So i would say call, you never know what they'll say!

I was done 2/28 as well and am still on liquids!!! I can't wait for mushies...I see the Doctor on Wednesday, so Hopefully that night I can eat something with some texture!!

ick! i'm so glad i didn't have a catheter. there are 3 doctors in the office that i went to and everyone before there surgery has to do one last meeting that goes over all of the particulars of surgery and what you can do after and then you get your final weigh in and your picture taken. well they said EVERYONE will wake up with a catheter...i was like OH MY GOD! so my fear of the tube down my throat went to a catheter! i was freaking out...the first thing i said to my husband when he came into the room was...do i have a catheter? so he was circling the bed looking...thankfully my doctor doesn't do them!!! i knew i picked him for a reason!

i weighed myself 2 days after surgery and had gained 10 lbs! i was also very swollen everywhere...i couldn't wear my wedding rings for days! don't worry...it will come off...one day you'll wake up and you'll be 5lbs under your surgery weight!

i just read your blog and it's great! i was banded 2/28. I too noticed that i peed VERY slowly and what's with the pausing so much????! probably about 5 hours after surgery i decided that i might need to go to the bathroom so off i went with my IV and my nursing assistant and couldn't get even a drop out!!! later on it was tinkle.....tinkle.....tinkle.............tinkle.........................tinkle!!! must be the anesthsia or all the pain meds they put in you, it must numb your bladder! thanks for mentioning that...i thought it was only me! by the way it cleared up for me like 2 days after surgery i think.

so i'm starting to freak out a little bit about the whole surgery part! i feel it's the right decision to get the band but the surgery part...being put to sleep...having holes in my stomach...etc etc...that's freaking me out! is this normal????