trayrenee

Good luck! I am 3 days post-op and I felt the same exact way. I was just ready to get going. The night before I got super nervous. Kind of like "why on earth am I doing this" but my husband and friends kept me focused and now I'm in bandlandia. Keep up the good work and let us all know how you did after surgery.:drool:

Howdy everyone! I'm due to be banded tomorrow (wed nov. 19th) at 7:30am and guess what --- I'm starting to get a slight cold (or maybe allergies). I don't have a fever. Just a little stuffy and itchy face (that's why I'm thinking seasonal allergies). No coughing, no clogged chest -- just runny eyes and a stuffy nose. I'm hoping they don't postpone my surgery -- has anyone else had this happen. I'm sure anxiousness about the surgery has contributed to this.

I am right there with you. While I really want it and I'm completely committed to the band lifestyle -- I'm scared of the surgery and possible complications. I sent you a private message. Thanks everyone for such positive feedback. I can't even begin to image being 75 to 100 lbs lighter in a year. Right now that seems the equivalent if you guys wrote that I will be staring in a major Hollywood blockbuster and climbing Everest!

It is true it is hard. But it's going to be hard after the surgery too. And then you will have a band in place that can make you feel not too well if you eat too much. 1. After about 3 days of true compliance your cravings for sweets and carbs WILL go away. No lie. That crazy drug addict feeling does pass. 2. Those feelings of needing to eat the PB&J or pizza (that's mine) or whatever -- will pass also. They are just feelings and you need to say to yourself "Can I handle this for the next 2 minutes.", "Can I handle this for the next 5 minutes" and so on and so on. Sounds rediculous but I have a friend who is a recovering alcoholic and this is similar to what they have to do. Trust me some days you'll be able to say "Can I handle this for the whole day" and that seems 100% doable. There are other days where "3 minutes" seems way too long. Do NOT take this on as a week long or 9 day long or 6 month long or 100 pound losing long task. You need to break it up into teeny tiny pieces. 3. Keep in mind that it's just food, it's not going anywhere and it never tastes as good as we thing it does. I know we all have unhealthy relationships with food -- but you can make the choice. And you can do it. I know you can. 4. Find something to keep your mind busy. I bought a dumb mindless craft project at a store. I didn't even care what it was I just wanted something to do with my hands. I'm sure it's harder when you have 4 kids -- but maybe that's the perfect time to start a very messy project like finger paiting. 5. Make sure you are having shakes w/enough protein (based first on what your doc says). 6. Drink a lot of water or crystal light 7. Plan out your food/liquid consumption hour by hour. I found this was very helpful -- I mean I made myself little charts while on LD like "6am coffee" "7am protein shake" "8am crystal light" --- and then I checked it off. It was easier, made me feel in control and didn't feel like I was awash in a big abyss of liquids. Ok, those are my words of advice. I'm am a horrible dieter and I've managed to stay true to my pre-op LD (13 lbs down!) so if I can do it you can do it. Good luck and stay strong.

Hello -- I'm am looking for someone who is having surgery on or around Nov. 19th (my surgery date). I already have someone to help guide my way (my best friend had it about 6 months ago) -- but I thought it would be fun and helpful to talk to someone who is on the exact same schedule is me and see how we progress together!

As my surgery nears (next Wednesday!) I realize I need to upgrade my blender from the $10 Wallgreens special!:thumbdown: Has anyone used the Magic Bullet -- it looks like it would be good for a variety of post-lap band surgery uses. But it's like $60 so I wanted to throw the question out to the board before I bought it.

Don't feel bad. I too gained 7lbs between my pre-surg consult and my pre-op testing (1 month). In fact the nurse said "oh, this can't be right, let me reset the scale" to which I replied "oh, no it's right and it's all donuts". I completely binged out from the second I left my consult and scheduled a surgery date to the day I started my liquid diet (I am getting banded next Wed). Good news though in the first week of my LD I lost 8.3 lbs --- But still ... 7lbs in a month. Not good. But then again, I guess that's why I need the band!

Hello post-op people. I'm due to have surgery in a week and at my final pre-op class they told me that my surgeon uses staples instead of glue and not the kind that dissolve! Yikes! I thought w/such small incisions that surely I'd get the glue and steri strips -- anyone out there in the health professions know why a surgeon would use staples instead of glue? Just curious. I'm sure he has a good reason, I know my surgeon kind of leads towards the very conservative method of everything. He's really obsessed w/everything healing 100% before we attempt working on weight loss. Just one more thing for me to get nervous about pre-surgery! :-)

My dietician said we can drink SlimFast if we are desperate but did not really recommend it -- way too high in sugar and carbs. When I can't make a shake - I've been taking the Advantage Edge (or however it is spelled) to work.

I had my pulmonary function test on Thursday last. It took about 20 minutes. Basically I had to breath into a tube and the measure a bunch of things. They coach you through the whole thing. It's stuff like: normal breathing, ok deep breath, super deep, super deep, let it all out. And variations on that. It tests your lung functions. When I met w/the anestheiologist, he looked at the numbers and charts and that was it. In regards to a sleep apnea test -- I have no idea. I don't have sleep apnea so they didn't test me. On your signature - it says you've had 3 cardiac tests -- what kind were those? Except for my ekg - I didn't have anything. I wonder why? It's so odd how some docs order some tests and others don't.

I'm not actually worried about the scarring -- I mean, if I lost enough weight where I could be worried about vanity scars in my bikini:tongue_smilie:I would be more than happy. I'm just an info junkie. I was just curious as to why.

It's always so nice to hear positive outcomes. I am due to be banded on Nov. 19th and am about the same starting weight as you. To think in 3 1/2 months I could be down that much is very inspiring. So how in general has your surgery gone? Pretty free and clear of complications?

If you don't want to go all the way out to Oregon, there is a doctor is St Louis that specializes in higher BMI patients. His name is Dr. Van Wagner and he works through a great program in St. Louis called St. Alexius New Start. Here is his web site: Heart of America Bariatrics, LLC While he is not the person doing my surgery -- I have heard great things about him. Hope you find someone.

I think you'd be surprised at how supportive your skinny friends might be. I am very open about my upcoming surgery -- and even my skinniest of friends are so excited and want to know every little detail. They have all been around for my weight loss up and downs. So if they are truly close to you -- I'm sure they'll surprise you! Good luck.

I had my surgery consult on Sept. 30. And I have my all day pre-op testing on Nov. 5th -- on that day I will also see the anesthesiologist. Yeah, it's odd, when I had sinus surgery 2 years ago -- I met the guy like an hour before my surgery. So who knows. Too bad you have to drive so far. My surgeon is like 1 mile from my house - so it doesn't matter how many times I have to go back.

It truly does seem that doctors are all over the place on this pre-op diet thing. For me I am on full liquids 2 weeks prior -- not just clear --- I can have protein shakes but nothing more than that, crystal light, broth etc. Now I have a friend who lives across country (I'm in St. Louis, she's in NYC) and before she was banded she was on a modified liquid diet -- b/c she was permitted to have veggies. So who knows. I know they want to shrink your liver -- I wish I understood better why people were all over the place with the diets.

It sounds like you could use a good therapist that deals with either addiction and/or eating issues. I can't imagine going through this process with out working on the mind and heart as much as I am working on my body.

Call them up and ask. Seriously -- that's the best way of knowing whether your plan covers it or not. I thought it was going to be really difficult getting them to tell me that info (I have BC/BS of Minnesotta) but it took them 5 minutes to tell me over the phone and then they sent me a photocopy of the policy. Now keep in mind that it's not only BC/BS but whether your employer paid for the rider. I know it's stressful - but it's the only way you are going to know. Good luck and keep us posted.

Hello All! I'm due to be banded on Nov. 19th in St. Louis. While I don't have any plans right now or in the next year ... my husband and I are already talking about the next place we'd like to live in 2 or 3 years time. (I just can't stay in one place b/c of my job I've lived all over the country). :thumbup: Now I have heard about doctors being hesitant to be the post surgery doc of people who have been banded in Mexico. Or if they didn't do the surgery. Has anyone out there gotten the band and then moved? Did you have problems finding a doctor to take care of you?

Even though you aren't diabetic -- perhaps with your reduced diet your blood sugar was low -- that can make you faint. Also are you drinking your water? Dehydration can make you faint also.

Hey! I live in Missouri too... I'm in St. Louis? Where are you hoping to get your surgery? I was just approved by my insurance about 2 weeks ago. Because of lack of vacation time I had to put my surgery off until November -- but I have a date Nov. 19. I'm going through the New Start program.

I am getting banded in STL on Nov. 19th by Dr. Norbert Richardson. I am going through St. Alexius' New Start program -- St. Alexius NewStart So far it's been a great experience and they have a ton of aftercare post-surgery programs -- support groups, classes, nutrition help.

Hello. I live in St. Louis and I am having my consultation with my surgeon tomorrow (I was just approved for surgery this week). My surgeon is part of the New Start Program at St. Alexius hospital -- has anyone had any experience with this program? Or had their surgery there?

I have BC/BS of MN. My doc faxed my stuff Sept 3rd and I was approved Sept 22. It was weird after the first week I called to make sure they had gotten my paperwork. The insurance said no, so I called the doc just to FYI them. They doc called and said the insurance said yes they did and they were in the process of making a decision. That was on Sept 16th. All and all not so bad. I'd say if you don't hear in a week and half or so, follow my path and give them a call. Good luck!

Maribelle -- while asking your doctor is a good start in regards to therapy -- don't let it be your only path. A lot of doctors dismiss therapy or they themselves don't know where to start. If you are truly interested -- look around for someone that deals with eating issues or addiction issues. Sometimes local mental health clinics can point you in the right direction. Or call up your insurance and ask them for people whose specialities are these areas. Good Luck.