Ruby124

Hi October Bandsters...Here is a message I left last night on another board...a board of woman I have been friends with for five years. Hi ladies....Im backkkkkkkkkkkkkk! Just shortly though. I got home tonight about 7:30 PM...........just in time for O'Reilly at 8:00 PM. I don't know how I do it... My surgery was delayed another hour when I got there. They had me in the surgery room by 2:00 PM. Everyone is right. I remember nothing about the surgery. I guess I did really well. They called my girlfriend at her work at 5:45 PM. I knew she would stay till 6:00 PM..to punch-out on the hour.I was dressed to go home by 6:05 PM. I spent the time walking the little recovery area. I was the only one there. That was cool. She showed up at 6:35 PM. I had her drive my Jeep Liberty. Her car is some tiny Toyota thing. My car you can slide down...instead of her squishy-thing...pulling up. It feels best to walk around. They pump you full of air. It helps with the trapped gas to move around. It is only 10:00 PM & I think I feel a bit better already. Though I did take two tsp fulls of some pain med around 8:00 PM. I even managed to throw three slices of pizza in the oven for Chris...and, serve. It's fine as long as I move slow. I know one thing. My Surgical Team were on top of there game. They were being audited. Inspected by the Government. As they were wheeling me in the surgical room A lovely woman shook my hand and introduced herself as the Medical Director of the Operating Room. She said, "I know this is not the best time to ask this, but...Do you mind if the Inspection team from the Government (FDA like, I guess) sit in on your operation, and watch?!?! Do I have a star on my far-head! At work I run around CONSTANTLY getting my Dept. ready for ALL our FDA Inspections...Important Tours...I'm the one. I can't escape Governmental Inspections. So I said "Yea. What the hell. Now I know that Surgical Team was on top of their game!" Crazy......That is about it from me for now. Thank you for your prayers & thoughts & advice. I'm good!! Good luck to all the remaining October Bandsters. The gas is much better today. Mine settled in my back along one shoulder blade. It wasn't excrutiating. Just uncomfortable. I walked slowly around the house last night which must have helped. I only did a few little burps...so I guess it's not all that dramatic for me. I wish you all good experiences!

Good luck, Nazzy! Me to...:thumbup: It's my turn tomorrow. I didn't have any problems with the pre-op diet. Gee, that makes me think I didn't do it right. I was excellent as far as my regular diet is concerned. I only had two protein shakes during the day. Coffee, water..maybe a flavored water. Fat free sugar free pudding. If I cheated it might have been by having a little to much dinner. I hope my liver is in good shape. Some of you guys sound like you are recuperating well. Ya-hoo! Good for you! I can't help feeling a little trepidation. I read to much. I guess I am thinking about the blood thinners...circulation. I am wondering if they are going to give me medication for a day or two concerning blood thinners. I am one day surgery. I'll be home by tomorrow night. I really don't want to develop a blood clot because I decided to have elective surgery. I have been pretty calm. I guess this is not the time to over think stuff. :biggrin:

Glad it's over for you S & T.

Hi Niecey...I am ready. I am doing things a bit backward though. I had an appointment to meet the surgeon Oct 2. He said ask me anything. Do you have any question? I said tons, "Then couldn't think of any". :smile2: During that week I read on this board about a book called "Weight Loss Surgery with the Adjustable Gastric Band". I just got it in the mail from Amazon. I just started reading it this morning. --NOW--I have tons of real questions.....concerning the surgery...the size of the band...which makes a diference if to much fat gets around it (the one size)....the placement of the band is critical.....to success of failure of the operation. The one thing I am certain of is....I did research my butt off before finding a Surgeon. I am using Dr. Daniel Davis. http://http://www.obesitymd.org/ (copy & paste link. It keeps taking me somewhere called roadrunner when I click it) I do wish I had read the book earlier and been more prepared for my first visit with him. It is very interesting to know how important it is to shrink your liver (which the book explains). I wish I had an extra week of pre-op. I don't know if I did it right last week. My one small dinner could have been smaller...though it was small for me. I drank two Protein shakes during the day...vitamin Water...coffee...half cup chocolate fat fee sugar free pudding as a snack..twice a day. Now..I am worried I am not shrinking my liver enough which leads to less complications after surgery... Maybe I'm not ready...but, I'm going...:thumbup:

I think I wrote mine already. Patience was key...I wasn't very patient.

I have BCBS of NJ. My surgeon would not give me a date without approval first. He put me in for a pre-determinataion. The info was given to insurance in early July. I found out I was approved on Sept 12. My surgery is October 20. I meet with the surgeon tomorrow for my first visit.

Thanks, Mississippi! I guess I am just anxious to get that first appointment with the surgeon in so I know more about what the next coming days will bring. Now I wonder what my Doc will want me to do. Whatever it is I plan on following it to a tee. I'm glad you met your first goal shrinking your BMI. Good for you!

Hi all! I have my first appointment with the Surgeon October 2. My Surgery date is October 20. I was wondering if you guys had any idea how long I will be on the pre-diet before surgery? Will he put me on the pre-diet the day after our first appointment on the 2nd? I am just trying to wrap my head around what my game plan is. Thank you....I also have BCBS of NJ PPO

Congratulations, Ann! Good luck tomorrow. Thanks for the reply restless....I appreciate the heads-up very much!!

RestlessMonkey...Can I ask a question about what you said... Did you do everything right before pre-op and have this happen? Your advice is wonderful. I read what you wrote about why it is so important to NOT eat mushies right after your operation..and, stay on the liquids. Invaluable! Thank you! I am having surgey Oct 20. Trying to get all my ducks in a row.

Wow! You just got banded five days ago. Good for you! You will be my mentor...LOL! I hope you are not hurting to much, Neicey! I guess it is this PB'ing that freaks me out. I wonder...if I do everything right..eat slow...chew incredibly well..does that still happen? Then there is the loose skin...collapsed boobs...That scares the crap out of me. I weigh about what you weighed...I am really big...but, not flabby. I have a decent amount of muscle from physical work. My boobs are a tight 44DDD. It is hard for me to believe I can lose all of that. A 36D would be luverly....LOL! I am scared of flabby skin where my huge stomach is now. Can my DR. have any idea if I am a candidate for any of that? Congratulatiuons, Niecey!

Hi everyone...I was finally approved September 12. I meet with the Surgeon October 2. My surgery date is October 20. My info was put in to insurance mid June. Now I am nervous. Not nervous of the surgery. Nervous of what comes after. Nervous of not being able to eat anything. Nervous of keeping stuff down. Or trying to get it to go down. What I have read on here don't sound like fun...

Thank you ,everyone, for your replies. I was away for a few days. I called again yesterday. At least their has been some movement. Someone reviewed the file and passed it off to the medical director. That was most activity I heard in forty days. I guess I will know soon. nursenky9...I am sorry you were not approved. Are you going to try again? I am getting cold feet myself. I am really afraid of the loose skin stuff...and, doing everything properly & having things still get stuck. Maybe I just need to put a steal clamp over my mouth!!!:cursing:

I am hoping someone can explain that better to me. :thumbup:

Well, I am becoming very frustrated. I have BCBS of NJ PPO. My doctor put me in for a Pre-Determination. I was told it could take up to 30 business days. That date passed on 8/15. I have a 27 year old girlfriend who has the same exact insurance I do and she got approved in ten days for gastric last January. I don't think her Dr. put her in for a pre-determination. Why did I need a pre-determination and she didn't. Everything got paid for her.

:thumbup: Holy crap! If they gave you a problem I'm toast!

Wow! You guys are getting me nervous. I have BCBS of New Jersey PPO. I will be using the services of Dr. Daniel Davis. The insurance company has had my info since July 7th. I was put in for a pre-determination. I am not clear on what that means. The insurance company told me it could take up to 30 business days to find out about my approval. August 15 was 30 business days and still nothing. I have no idea how this is going to go. I work with a 27 year old girl who was approved in ten days (back in February) and had gastric (which I heard is harder to get approved for) with the same exact insurance I do. I have no idea what is going on. I am getting very anxious. :mad2:

You can't arrange for Dr. appointments after work?

Wow! I paid $160.00 & thought that was a lot. She didn't accept insurance for the initial visit. Only if I decided to go back. I live in NY one hour from downtown Manhattan. An exspensive part of NY. Some of the prices you guys are paying is off the charts! :embaressed_smile:

You go girl! What a great success story!!!

Is 'The Center for Obesity Surgery' in Ridgewood, NJ considered nothern NJ. I am currently going through the process of getting my insurance reviewed with them. They have three Surgeons. They also have offices in other area's. Something might be close to you. I am using Dr. Daniel Davis.

Hi...This is my first post. I have been lurking since November. I went to two different seminars with two seperate doctors. I am in the process of getting all my dodtor appointments done so I can meet with the surgeon. I hope to be ready to do that in early May. I want to plan on having surgery in July. Enchanted I live in Orange County, NY. I went to my second seminar in Middletown, NY with Dr. Daniel Davis who will perform surgery from Valley Health Hospital in New Jersey. Nice meeting you all.