downsdc

My surgery is 7:30AM Monday EST but I have to be at the surgery center at 6:00AM. Since this is about 45 minutes from my house, I'll be up by 4:30. But I'll have plenty of time to sleep later that day. :-) I'm basically having to start my post-op diet (clear liquids) Sunday. So far I'm already down 11 lbs from my two-week pre-op diet. Not nervous - just looking forward to getting it over with. I'll check in after surgery.

Can you describe an adjustment procedure at the Gastric Band Institute? I know I about a month away from my first adjustment, but I'd like to know what to expect.

The monthly support group meetings at the Gastric Band Institute (Memorial Atrium on Gunbarrel behind Starbucks) are on the third Tuesday of every month at 5:30PM.

Brooke told us at the support group meeting that Johnna got another job.

Hi everyone, My surgery is Monday 1/26 (Dr. Ponce at the Ambulatory Surgery Center in Dalton, GA) at 7:30AM. I had to drive down Wednesday so they could look at my throat and make sure they could put a tube down it. While I was there they also did an EKG. Everything is fine. After two weeks of my pre-op liquid diet, the diet after surgery should be a breeze. I also went to a support group meeting at the Gastric Band Institute Tuesday nite and got some good info. Brooke said she is doing the insurance (for now) I'll check in after surgery and let you know how I'm doing. I've lost 7 lbs so far on the pre-surgery diet.

What I like best is the IDS Sports New whey liquid Protein (42g protein). It comes in different fruit flavors and if you mix it with Water and crystal lite is is just like drinking punch. Also it comes in testtube like containers that you can easily carry with you. It also comes in a 25g version. Here is the link: New Whey Liq Protein 42 Fruit by IDS Sports - VitaminShoppe.com

My doctor gave me a list of things I could eat during the pre-op and the post-op diet. All of the docs are different, so you probably should get that info from him/her. thanks for joining us!

A journey is a good description. My consult was way back in October and my lapband seminar was in September. My surgeon delayed my surgery due to high blood sugars (I'm diabetic with high blood pressure and sleep apnea). I had to work with a diabeties treatement center for a few weeks but got my blood sugar under good control. Doc said that with blood sugar levels over 180, there was too much risk of infection after surgery and I could lose my band. The good news is that since I started on my pre-op diet, my blood sugar levels are WAY down. I have had to stop taking my short acting insulin and diabetes oral meds and cut back on my long-acting insulin. For me this isn't just a lifestyle issue - it is an issue of life and death. I've been active on lapbandtalk since September and I've really learned a lot from researching and asking questions. Good luck to you and your husband!

Mink found her answer on another thread: Hi Mink, The entire amount you spent on your banding would be deductible as medical expense. The actual extent of the deductibility depends on your personal tax situation...in general, medical expenses over and above 7.5% of your taxable income are deductible. Unless you get audited, there's no need to supply any documentation or details about what your medical expenses consisted of. It's always advisable to keep receipts and notes about anything you'll be deducting, ever, but that's just good practice in general. __________ I'm planning on asking for a detailed receipt from GBI just in case I get audited. On another post the IRS asked someone (in a letter) for more detailed info and then it was fine.

I hope I can for 2009, since I'm self-pay. Unfortunately the $1000 surgery deposit and $250 consult fee I paid in 2008 aren't enough to be over the 7.5% threshold this year.

My doctor places both the Lap-Band and the Realize Band, so he makes his patients choose which one they want (he participated in the clinical trials for both bands). The main reason I chose the Realize Band is because it has a flatter "low-profile" port that won't stick out as much when I lose all of my weight. Other than that, they are basically equivalent as far as I can tell. The Lap-Band also has an optional low-profile port, but my surgeon doesn't use it. I'm having my surgery done in Dalton, Georgia at an ambulatory surgery center because it is several thousand dollars cheaper than having it done at a hospital in Chattanooga (my surgeon does them in both places). I had to go self-pay because my insurance policy with Blue-Cross Blue-Shield of Texas has a specific exclusion for gastric surgery. Chattanooga is right on the Tennessee-Georgia line, so Dalton is only about 25 miles from my house. Let's keep in touch thru this process and compare notes. It sounds like your husband is doing great. I've already lost 5lbs since Monday just being on the pre-op diet. Hopefully I'll have a lot of success with this surgery. Good Luck! Craig

Hi Christy, Sound like our post-op diets are pretty much the same. Week 1 Clear Liquids (but that includes Jello and Popcycles). Second week Full Liquids (which includes low-fat, low-sugar yougurt/pudding) and low-fat creamy (strained) Soup. Third week Soft Foods (Protein and carbs). Fourth week solid food. My preop diet (to reduce fatty liver) is two weeks of (6) Glucerna shakes, (2) cups low-fat yogurt and (2) cups %100 fruit juice per day (I can also have clear broth). Eight days to go on this diet. I'm not craving anything except almonds (very weird) which I liked to snack on before I started the diet. I have a follow-up one week after surgery and normally the first fill is one month after surgery. I don't have a time for my surgery yet, but they told me I was the only lapband patient scheduled for that day. I'm going to my first support meeting (with my wife) Tuesday nite (before my surgery the next Monday). Have you chosen a band yet? I'm going with the new generation of the Realize Band (Band-C) which was just FDA approved in October 2008. Craig

Johnna is gone, so I guess you would just call and ask. The issue is whether or not the Lap-Band is considered cosmetic surgery by the IRS. I have a CPA friend so I'll ask him if it can be deducted. Also, you can only deduct the amount over 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. You also have to itemize deductions.

I carry most of my weight around my stomach. My wife and I are going to the GBI support group meeting this Tuesday nite. It will be before my surgery (1/26).

I appreciate the concern. I've made my decision and I'm happy with it.

Dr. Jaime Ponce is doing my surgery in Dalton, GA (near Chattanooga, TN) on 1/26 and I confirmed today that I'm getting the Realize Band-C. Dr. Ponce was on the Realize band trials and was the first surgeon to place the original Realize Band in the U.S., so I guess he got earlier access to the new band. Thanks, Dr. Curry for sharing the pictures with us!

I think Dr. Curry's pictures are a better representation of what happens when the two bands are filled surrounding the stomach. Just inflating an empty band around nothing misses the point.

The issue is whether or not it creases when it is surrounding the stomach. What it does when it isn't surrounding anything doesn't matter.

Here is a link with pictures comparing the new Realize Band-C with the Lap-Band AP. I don't see any triangles, do you? Trace W. Curry, M.D. :: View topic - Pic of new Realize-C

Here is a link with pictures comparing the Realize Band-C and the current generation Lap-Band. Look ma, no creases! Trace W. Curry, M.D. :: View topic - Pic of new Realize-C

I got my insurance to pay for my upper-GI (they discovered a hiatal hernia, which Dr. Ponce is going to fix), and the labwork yesterday was submitted to my insurance company. But I don't think my insurance would pay for the adjustments, since they are associated with my gastric surgery, which is specifically excluded in my company insurance policy with BCBS TX. They told us yesterday that they don't post how much your band contains on the Realize Band website because people get fixated on that. I don't really care as long as I get to the correct restriction. And I don't want them putting a half cc in at a time just to stretch the process out to make more money. since they are only charging me $50 selfpay the first year for adjustments, hopefully they won't do that.

When were you banded, Carrie?

Is there a default amount that GBI adds at each adjustment? I'd like to get to the "sweet spot" within the first year, since the price goes up from $50 to $125 per adjustment after the first year.

Congratulations TexasWeb on your surgery approval yesterday! Do you have a surgery date yet? My surgery is on 1/26 and I'm currently on a two-week pre-op diet to reduce the fat in my liver. I'm self-pay (insurance exclusion for gastric surgery) so I had to write a rather large check yesterday (but it will be worth it).

Not what I had in mind, but it works!