hopefulmom25

I think I'd be excited! :regular_smile: Your doc probably wouldn't put you on the liquid diet if he didn't think it was in your best interest for the surgery. So just relax and enjoy the loss. Congrats! :biggrin:

My surgeon requires an upper GI before the surgery. I think that is an endoscopy or something similar? They put you to sleep and go down your throat and look around at your esophagus, stomach, etc. I actually think it will be good to have it done and know that everything looks okay. I've always had bad acid reflux since childhood, so I want to make sure I don't have any problems with my esophagus.

So this last week has been a busy week. I had my nutritionist consult at Starbucks. She was nice I guess, but looked at me like I was out of my mind when I said I was going to self-pay. She literally stopped talking, put her papers down, her eyes got big, her mouth hung open a little, and she just stared at me for what felt like 3 hours. I know a lot of people (my husband and mother-in-law...) don't understand why I would go that far in debt for this, but I guess I can't really expect them to understand. They haven't lived their whole lives like this. Feeling like an outsider all the time. And now that I'm older (ripe old age of 25), and heavier, the daily physical pain, lack of energy, not being able to really be "me." My heart breaks when I can't play with my daughter more than a couple of minutes without being exhausted and winded. She deserves better than that, and I deserve to be able to be the kind of mom I want to be. Ah well, I'm rambling... So I had the nutrition consult. Took maybe 30-40 minutes. She had the nerve to drink Starbucks in front of me. I've cut Starbucks out cold turkey. I almost asked her if I could just take a sniff of her coffee. But that would have been weird... Then Thursday I had my first appointment with the surgeon's office. $150 to watch a video explaining the lap-band surgery :biggrin:. That was pretty much it. They weighed me, and I found out I weigh 5 lbs more than I thought I did. I thought I was at 405, but no, I am at 410. Sigh. Then I had to watch that video for an hour. Then, the lady gave me a paper with how much the cost of everything will be and the loan amount I need to take out. Yipee. Stupid employer exclusion... Friday, I had an appointment with my family doctor. I love him. He is so supportive of this decision. He had his letter recommending me for the lap-band surgery already written and typed up before he even came in the room. He also ordered the bloodwork, x-rays, EKG, upper GI, etc that the surgeon's office needs. I was so happy that he ordered it for me. That means my insurance will probably cover those tests since he ordered them, instead of my lap-band doctor. He completely understood and was very happy to do so. He said that he has several patients who have had the lap-band and been very successful. One lady was actually around my current weight, and is now down in the low 200's. He reminded me to be saving my money for plastic surgery as I lose the weight. The most interesting of all the pre-op appointments on my checklist, was the psych eval. It was on Friday too, after the family doc appointment. The psychologist/psychiatrist was very nice, and really funny. He cursed like a sailor and had really funny stories to tell (including one story about a man that liked to have sex while wearing his CPAP machine :crying:). He picked at my brain a little, but I think he could tell I'm ready for this surgery and fully aware of the physical & non-physical risks. There was only one thing that stumped me, and I've been thinking about it ever since. He said he has lots of patients that have been banded and aren't successful with it. They either don't lose much weight at all, don't lose any weight, gain weight, etc. Basically, the band just does not work for them, usually because they aren't sticking to the program, exercising, etc. He asked me, what about me makes me different from any of them. I told him that I am super-motivated and I'm going to do my very best. He replied that that's how they all felt in the beginning too. That kind of hit me hard. There are lots of bandsters that were just as motivated as I currently am with all the intentions to do everything right and lose all the weight, but they failed at it. What is going to make me different? I didn't know the answer to this and I couldn't answer him. I still don't know the answer to this. I wish now that I had thought to ask him if he had any suggestions of what could make me different from them. This question is kind of getting to me. What is going to make me different? So the only thing I've got left on my checklist is my upper GI stuff. I think that's usually done at a hospital. Someone is supposed to call me for a date for that. Even though I don't want the surgery until the last week of May or the first week of June (so DH, the teacher, will be out of school and can help out with our 2 year old), I feel so relieved to have pretty much everything done and out of the way.

Wow Ogre! 299 lbs in 19 months. That's amazing! You have given me such inspiration. Thank you. :tt1:

My two biggest worries are "will I fail?" and "will I regret spending this much money (self pay)?" Other worries: -loose skin after weight loss -band problems (slippage, erosion, port flipped, etc) that will lead to me spending even more of our own money -giving up sweets for the most part

You guys are great. Thank you for all the support and shared successes. I am very motivated now! :huh2:

I too am not banded yet and sometimes am experiencing feelings of guilt. Unfortunately, they are at my DH's suggestion. He agrees the band is necessary, but has made it clear that he feels I just won't "exercise more and eat less calories" to lose it on my own. So then I feel guilty and question myself. But I know this is right for me. I've been big all my life, and I've reached a point where my health has really declined. Sometimes we just need a little help. We shouldn't feel guilty for trying to be healthier.

Ugh. My mom called today and started a bunch of drama (she's known for being a drama queen). Even though I am grown now with my own family, she still likes to call and stir up trouble. I got really stressed out, and ended up eating half my weight in macaroni and cheese. Part of my problem is definitely emotional/stress eating. I've got to figure out another way to handle things like this... I can't just turn to food for comfort.

Ugh. My mom called today and started a bunch of drama (she's known for being a drama queen). Even though I am grown now with my own family, she still likes to call and stir up trouble. I got really stressed out, and ended up eating half my weight in macaroni and cheese. Part of my problem is definitely emotional/stress eating. I've got to figure out another way to handle things like this... I can't just turn to food for comfort.

I love Cleveland! My DH grew up there and we still travel there several times a year to visit my inlaws.

Well, I am just getting started on my lap-band journey. I haven't even been banded yet. My best friend got the band at the beginning of February, and I have been researching it since then. I knew almost immediately that this is right for me. Unfortunately, my insurance disagrees (employer exclusion). So that puts me in the self-pay category.:biggrin: The decision to definitely have a lap-band was not nearly as hard for me as the decision to pay for it out of pocket- plunging my family into debt for the first time ever. But, if we're going to be going into debt, I can't think of a better reason for it. Plus, I currently weigh 405 lbs and life is pretty painful at this size. So far I've been to a seminar, chosen my surgeon, and I've been researching like a maniac for 2 months now. I feel like if I had an actual band I could do the surgery myself. :sleep: My first appointment at my surgeon's office is next week. I can't wait! I also have my appointment for the mandatory nutritionist consult (surgeon's requirement) next week too. The nutritionist wants to meet me at Starbucks (!). My first test of willpower... Right now, because I know the band is in my future, I am flipflopping back and forth between eating healthy one week, and chowing down on ice cream the next. I keep telling myself, in a few months you won't be able to eat this crap, so you better it all now. Arg. Must stop this...

Okay, I love that last sentence. So true.

Well, finding out that fill price helped me to decide to go with a different surgeon that's actually closer. His surgery price is higher, but covers the first year of fills.

Well, I am just getting started on my lap-band journey. I haven't even been banded yet. My best friend got the band at the beginning of February, and I have been researching it since then. I knew almost immediately that this is right for me. Unfortunately, my insurance disagrees (employer exclusion). So that puts me in the self-pay category.:biggrin: The decision to definitely have a lap-band was not nearly as hard for me as the decision to pay for it out of pocket- plunging my family into debt for the first time ever. But, if we're going to be going into debt, I can't think of a better reason for it. Plus, I currently weigh 405 lbs and life is pretty painful at this size. So far I've been to a seminar, chosen my surgeon, and I've been researching like a maniac for 2 months now. I feel like if I had an actual band I could do the surgery myself. :crying: My first appointment at my surgeon's office is next week. I can't wait! I also have my appointment for the mandatory nutritionist consult (surgeon's requirement) next week too. The nutritionist wants to meet me at Starbucks (!). My first test of willpower... Right now, because I know the band is in my future, I am flipflopping back and forth between eating healthy one week, and chowing down on ice cream the next. I keep telling myself, in a few months you won't be able to eat this crap, so you better it all now. Arg. Must stop this...

Thanks for all the encouragement everyone! I know it's a lot to lose, but I am going to do it! :biggrin2:

No, she said it's each fill. I made sure to ask because I couldn't believe it. Even she said that's really high and she hates that the price went up.

I went to the regular support group meeting last night, but couldn't do the Kelly's Kitchen since it's during the day. I'm a stay at home mom and I babysit 3 kids, and I'm just not brave enough to haul 4 kids ages 4 and under to the meeting. I have heard that they might start doing some Kelly's Kitchen at night and/or on Saturdays this summer. So I hope to make those. :smile: I heard that today's Kelly's Kitchen was about fastfood? Any good info?

Hmmm...that's interesting. I wonder why?

I'm pre-op, just starting the banding process, but I decided to post this question in post-op as I figure that you guys will be more likely to know the answer. Once you are banded, I've heard it's bad to throw up. So what happens if you get a nasty stomach bug or food poisoning, and you're continually throwing up all day long for several days? Can that hurt the band? Do you have to make a trip to the doc to have the band unfilled? Just curious. I have a 2 year old, so I usually end up with at least one stomach bug each winter. Thanks!

If you were facing the board in the front of the room, I was sitting on the right row, second table from the back. My best friend was on my right. She got banded by Dr.Woodman in February, and has already lost 32 lbs. But she exercises like a maniac- every day for an hour or more. I sure hope I'm as motivated as she is once I am banded.

I was there for the support meeting tonight! The one where no one showed up to lead it! Ugh! :tongue_smilie: I haven't been banded yet, but I am starting the process with Dr.Woodman. I've been to his seminar, and I have my first office appointment next Thursday (I've heard it's mostly just watching some video). Anyways, I'm going to try to go to next month's support group meeting too, but I sure hope someone shows up to lead it!

Hi! I'm in Southaven.

Hi I'm in Southaven. Was looking in the direction of Oxford to get banded (Dr. King) but I am self-pay. Becky called me from that office and said the price is $14,500, which I thought was great. But then she said most people have to go to the hospital to have a fill while they are still large. She said a fill at the hospital will run me around $700 per fill. Even she sounded very discouraged when she said it. She said it used to be cheaper, around $300 for a fill, but the price has gone up. :tongue_smilie: Being self-pay, there's no way I could afford $700 for a fill every six weeks. So now I'm going with Dr.Woodman in Memphis. His overall cost is a little higher ($15,000-$17,000 range) but the first year of fills is covered. I have my first office appointment with his office next week. I am very excited and can't wait to get this ball rolling!

When I go in for my mandatory pre-op pscyh evaluation, should I let the psychologist know that I'm on anti-depressants? I have had very mild depression for the past few years, and I know it is because of my weight and the constant daily pain I am in as a result of my weight. I've been on a very low dosage of anti-depressants for about 6 months now. I just wasn't sure if a history of mild depression could cause a person to fail the pscyh eval? Even when the depression is weight related? I don't want that to be what stops me from having this surgery. Should I be honest about it or deny,deny, deny?