SanDiegoPhotog

I'm not banded yet, so what do I know . . . but I thought the post-op diet in the first 6 weeks was about HEALING and not about LOSING. Counting calories to that extreme sounds like losing to me and your dietitian sounds like a loser. Do what's best for you as long as you aren't eating solids too soon, etc. Good luck!

I just found out that my tentative surgery date is May 28. yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder if your family is not being supportive because of the surgery? because of surgery in Mexico? or both? Because I have to admit . . . my family would KILL me if I had surgery in Mexico. But they would totally be supportive of the surgery in the states (and they are). This is to no offense to ANYONE who has gone to Mexico for surgeries . . . but I am good friends with a lot of doctors and nurses and cath lab techs and even one Chief of Staff for a couple of hospitals here in San Diego, and, sadly, they get to see the horror stories -- so I hear them, I know about them. Yes, they deter me from having anything done in Mexico. When someone comes back to the US with problems and complications, they often end up in San Diego ERs, because a lot of San Diegans get their surgeries down there. I will be getting a LOT of plastic surgery next year and it won't be covered by my insurance. I could save thousands of dollars getting it done in Mexico and I really wouldn't have all that far to travel. I'm about 15 minutes from the border and I go to Mexico frequently -- for vacations, for shopping, whatever. But no, I won't have surgery there. And, yes, my family would FLIP. You can't put a pricetag on your life . . . But, that's just me. and like I said . . . no offense. But I have to ask . . . if something DOES go horribly, horribly wrong, who are you going to sue? You could try, but there's nothing in the world that will force a Mexican doctor to pay if he loses a lawsuit. I'm just saying . . . [and I'm sorry if this makes me unpopular on the forum . . . I just had to voice my opinion.]

Jennifer, It's funny that you said that . . . because that's who I am going with! I thought Dr. Bhoyrul was GREAT! My insurance paid the $1000 to UCSD and I STILL didn't meet Dr. Horgan . . . after the seminar and the 3-hour exam. But, guess what? I've already met Dr. Bhoyrul, he's accepting all of the work that has been done so far and is pleased with my weight loss. I have to drop off paperwork to him tomorrow and I think they'll be able to schedule my surgery date this week. YAY!!!!!! This is nothing against Dr. Horgan . . . as I know he is a very fine surgeon and his experience speaks for itself . . . but, I've never met the man and the UCSD process just wasn't for me. This was too personal of an operation for me to deal with when I didn't feel like there was ONE person who could help me. I'm very excited about going through this with Dr. Bhoyrul and his staff. Jennifer, please keep me posted on how it goes.

I just switched from UCSD to Dr. Bhoyrul in La Jolla and so far the experience has been great!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! That is SO exciting! I haven't been banded yet . . . but let me tell you . . . as soon as I get down to where you are, that Lane Bryant card will be cut into BITS. Good job!

Actually, no. I think on only a couple of occasions was there only one other person besides me in the room. The nutritionist came in with another person, there were 2 psychologists (talk about intimidating -- especially because one was rude), and one of the surgeons came in with a nurse. So it went: nurse alone, surgeon (not my surgeon), 2 psychologists, physician (again not my surgeon), 2 nutritionists, surgeon (not my surgeon), another different surgeon (not my surgeon) + nurse, then patient advocate for a total of 11 people. As far as an update . . . I am glad that you had a professional experience, Susan. Just keep in mind that the people at UCSD ARE reading this thread, which I think is just ridiculous. Furthermore, I discovered today that I have been lied to by UCSD. One of the nurses there told me that they would submit my pre-authorization to my insurance company right away, but that me having to lose 5 pounds in 4 weeks wasn't going to slow down the process because it usually takes 4-6 weeks to get approval from insurance anyways. This was right before another surgeon told me that if I was self-pay, I'd be in the operating room the following week. Whatever. Well, I spoke with my insurance company today and they said that they don't have anything from UCSD yet, but that it doesn't take 4-6 weeks for approval -- it just takes a simple phone call with a surgery date and a morbid obesity diagnosis and I'm good to go. Apparently, I have REALLY good insurance for this procedure. So . . .anyways . . . what a CROCK. I met with my new surgeon today. I have lost 14 pounds trying to comply with UCSD's 4-week thing (so that is the only GOOD outcome from the whole fiasco), and I am going to be able to get my band very, very soon. Due to my own personal schedule and recovery times, I either have to have the band before May 13 (and my new surgeon is going to try), or I have to wait until May 26 or later. In any case, I am very excited and happy about my new surgeon! Yay! [And, if you're reading this, A, and you know who you are . . . thank you for the referral!] :party:

Wow! I am glad you clarified that you meant "port below belt line" rather than "port below bikini line." In the medical world, I believe they consider your bikini line to be right around where your abdomen ends and your pubic hair starts to grow . . . for some of us, that's where the c-section line is (the bikini line) and also where a lot of tummy tuck lines are. I definitely would NOT want a port down there! LOL! Even when I get . . . .ahem . . . a wax . . . LOL . . . the bikini line is that same area. Below the belt or below the waist sounds like a much more logical place. I'm sooooo glad you clarified!

Oh no . . . I guess my dripping sarcasm doesn't come across well on the internet. I'm definitely NOT having second thoughts. I've been yo-yo dieting for over 14 years (almost half my life), so second thoughts are NOT an option at this point. DH and I just thought it was funny. I guarantee you the only reason I'm sticking to anything is to prove that I CAN and WILL change my eating habits to get this band and to have a healthier life. I simply cannot wait for my band!!!!!

I am meeting with a new surgeon at the end of this week, and he requires a food and exercise diary before surgery to show him that your committed to the band requirements. So, I've been a very, very good girl and I've lost 13 pounds. It's kind of funny, but I was thinking it and DH said it . . . something to the effect of, if I'm doing so well losing now, shouldn't I just stick to the program and keep losing weight without the band? Hahahahaha! Okay . . . so I KNOW that I need the band. I KNOW that sticking to something long-term is nearly impossible for me and I need that band to get me through those times where, without the band, I feel absolutely starving. But, all of this pre-op stuff sure does give hope, doesn't it??? :smile2:

I am researching surgeons for my lapband since I have decided not to use my first choice. One of the reasons why I liked him was because he had performed sooooo many successful surgeries. My question to you is, how many successful surgeries is enough experience for you? 1,000? 500? 50? 500 lap bands or 500 bariatric surgeries total? My thought is that if the person has performed hundreds of gastric bypasses but maybe not as many lapbands, then I still feel comfortable. But maybe I am wrong in that thinking and that the band is soooo different from the bypass that I shouldn't even take that into consideration. I don't know. How many has YOUR doctor performed???

Actually, sweet potatoes are lower carb than white potatoes (Atkins online carb counter has them at very similar carb counts but the sweet potato is lower, lowcarbfriends dot com has the sweet potato MUCH lower than the white potato). But, yams are better way to go according to all of the sites that I could find. :thumbup: I personally like the old weight watchers trick of cauliflower for mashed potatoes, but I know that doesn't fly for some people who love their potatoes.

haha. That's funny. I was born there and so were all 3 of my children! :rolleyes2: [i used to always say that I was born to shop because I was born across the street from a mall].

I've never really had a thing for coffee. I tried to start drinking it in the late 80s/early 90s when eclectic and indy coffeehouses were all the rage and my parents were more than pleased to have their teenage daughter hanging out someplace "safe" (ie, not a bar! LOL). But I could never really get into it. I could never get into smoking or drinking, either. But Diet Coke . . . watch out! I was TRULY an addict. I started looking into the band over the holidays of 2007 and quickly ended my research because I thought I couldn't give up Diet Coke. Well, I DID. I gave up all sodas and all things carbonated in preparation for the band . . . which I will hopefully be getting soon. In March, I kicked the soda habit. It's been one month and it's been surprisingly easy. I think I was just ready. I haven't replaced it with anything . . . as far as I can tell.

Thank you so much for your feedback, everyone! acstllns, I have a consultation with him next week. I liked the amount of surgeries he has performed, the reviews I have read, your recommendation, and the fact that when I go there next week, I actually get to meet with HIM. He's not at Alvarado anymore, though. At least, not as far as I could tell. He's up in La Jolla, and I'm pleased because I've been to Scripps before and I like the facility.

I haven't been banded yet, but I had my gall bladder out recently, laparascopically, and the incisions look very similar. I just waited for my adhesive to fall off on its own. Don't pull on it. The problem I had, of course, was that when everything started to heal, it itched a little bit. But I still didn't pull the strips off.

Before I "officially" decided to not continue with UCSD, I sent an email to one of their staff members. It basically said: ******************************************* Dear ___________, [insert some pleasantries here - deleted because it could give away person's identity] I have to admit that I am not sure I feel comfortable continuing at UCSD. I am still sorting out my feelings about the issue, but I was completely put-off yesterday that I had to meet with 11 strangers, explain my life story about being fat REPEATEDLY, had to show 4 strangers my belly, and after 3 hours have yet to meet the actual surgeon who is going to be performing the surgery. If it wasn't for you and _____, I think I would have left, especially after standing there having to show my belly to people that I don't know at all and having one of them literally ask me if the marks on my belly were because my jeans were too tight! (They are, in fact, stretch marks. I had twins last year). This was not AT ALL what I expected. I was told that I was going to have 3 appointments: a surgical evaluation, a nutrition consultation, and a psychological evaluation. Nowhere in all of the literature that I received was I told that 11 people would be meeting with me. I am a very private person. My weight loss battle is a very personal issue. The process was demeaning and embarassing. Last year I had 2 major surgeries through Sharp and not once did I feel this way. I am also a member of a Lap-Band discussion forum and through reading about other people's experience with this procedure, I have concluded that meeting with 11 people is ridiculous but that it is not uncommon to have not met the actual surgeon yet. I understand that Dr. Horgan is very busy. I don't understand the role of the rest of the team and I am not entirely comfortable with some of them. At every other doctor's office and surgeon's office I have been to, I have not had to "deal" with this many people. I have not left in tears and feeling like I was going to throw up. So, I do not know what I do now in terms of paperwork and insurance approvals, etc. I don't want to slow this process down, but I am unsure of my willingness to move forward with UCSD. I guess I will just wait to hear from you to see if you have any insight or words of wisdom. ***************************************** So, this person wanted to speak with me on the phone today and we did. It was a nice chat. She wanted to explain to me WHY I had to meet with 11 people, which I told her she could do, but that it wouldn't make much of a difference because it wasn't going to make me feel any more comfortable. They have their reasons . . . stuff like, so and so needs to look at my belly for scar tissue, so and so needs to look at my belly to see where I'm carrying my weight, etc., etc. It all seems highly specialized and stuff that I really can't see being handled by one or two doctors and a nurse or two. While I mentally comprehend that UCSD is a teaching hospital, it doesn't make it any easier from a patient's standpoint, especially someone like myself who is used to things being very private. I think that what put me off even further, was that after I told this person that I have done lap band research on a lap band forum, SHE LOOKED ME UP ONLINE AND FOUND THIS POST AND READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a long-time forum user (for completely unrelated topics) and I know that NOTHING that is said on the internet is EVER private. But, wow. Just, wow. Not that I regret ANYTHING that I said here, but my letter to her was professional, well thought-out, and proofread by my husband to make sure that I was injecting it with too much emotion. I came here to vent. Now, I am even more happy about my choice not to continue with UCSD. I thank you all for your words of encouragement and advice. I'll let you know where I end up and how it goes.

Kat, You're awesome! And it sounds like DH is, too. Thanks for that perspective. -shawna

somehow posted twice.

Do you really think it's not too late??? Perhaps I'll have to pay out of pocket for a new evaluation. I don't know. But I just spent 24 hours in tears. I don't think I could go back there if I tried. I had to show my belly to 4 different people. One nurse actually pointed at my belly and asked me if the lines were because my jeans were too tight. Um, no . . . they are called stretch marks because I had TWINS last year (it's in my chart). 13 pounds of baby, 2 sacs of Fluid, 2 placentas, and 2 umbilical cords.

I don't know. Because I'm a photographer???

This is what I'm thinking.

I already know my insurance company's requirements. they pay 80% of the surgery if I have a BMI of 30 or higher and co-morbidities (only 1 co-morbidity if it is a serious one like heart disease or diabetes, 2 co-morbidities if they are "minor" like joint pain). If you have a BMI of 40 or higher, then you don't have to have any co-morbidities to qualify.

I know. That's what I said. I think you read it wrong: I wanted to tell them (when they were looking down their nose at me about my BMI) that I AM taller than they think. I measured in "shorter" than my actual height, which contributed to the higher BMI that they were so pissy about.

At the seminar I just went to a couple of weeks ago, they said that the 2-week liquid diet was not only to shrink your liver, but to see if you have the will-power and the dedication to do this. I'm no expert, but it would seem that you're really not ready for this. If you're already cheating now, what's going to prevent you from cheating in the future? I'm not banded, but I cannot WAIT for my band. I also cannot wait to start my liquid diet. I gained a little bit of weight to qualify for the surgery through my insurance (I have no co-morbidities) and I know the weight will fall right off when I start the liquids. That will feel sooooooo good. I've been on liquids before, so I know I can do it. Why don't you do it for the next 7 days? I look at it like this, a week's a week. I can do just about ANYTHING for a week! So can you!