pennreporter
-
Content Count
750 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Everything posted by pennreporter
-
Well, I survived and all is good!! I had to stay overnight because of sleep apnea, which was a brand-new rule for the hospital that no one seemed to know about. First attempt at Jello was special but all is good now. Thanks for your well wishes.
-
Isaviolinist,
I'm in Tobyhanna (the Poconos) and having surgery at Geisinger Danville. Because my insurance is with Geisinger, I don't have a lot of options unless I were to self-pay and since that's not going to happen..
:), I guess I just have to trust my doctors (I actually get the chief of surgery and my surgeon).I'm a low BMI patient and really had to fight for the surgery. Came down to doing the sleep test and being diagnosed with sleep apnea, which I always kind of knew and everyone else around me (family/friends) had no doubt...gee, thanks guys.
My daughter has already been banded who is 5-10 and weighed 265. She was banded Feb 08 and I can't begin to tell you the difference it has made in her life. She's actually leaving Tuesday for Houston to have her first of two plastic surgeries to remove excess skin. So good luck to you. Not sure if I will be online much the next few days.
Trisha
-
good luck quincygirl!! I'm at 10:00, which works for me. I'm 85 miles away from hospital and have to check in at 8:45 as it is. If it was any earlier I probably would have got a hotel room close by. Don't envy you on the magnesium drink...again, it's amazing at the varieties of pre-op diets. Trisha
-
Melliecat, I'm being banded on Monday, june 1. My daughter has been banded since 2/08, and I can tell you that she has never regretted it for a moment. Sure, there have been some issues, but a lot of those have just been the learning process and, personally, from my own point of view she may have been somewhat aggressive on her fills but she had an agenda at 18 months to reach goal. Her life has completely turned around. She does have some issues with reflux but but that's getting better. Her biggest problem has always been not eating too late at night because then she has a hard time sleeping. So as long as she remembers not to eat anything an hour before she goes to bed, she's fine. so like so many people on here say, as long as you respect what you can and can't do, then you should be fine (this coming from someone who hasn't been banded yet..lol). But she is my greatest support and go-to person. Good luck and it will all be good!! Trisha
-
Your June 2009 Surgery Date
pennreporter replied to Lady Lap Band's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
I know I've posted this in other places but for all of us on Monday, June 1, good luck and wishing everyone a speedy recovery!! Trisha (Pennreporter) -
Having a shake with 30 grams is a lot in one. I take one from scratch with 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, 1/c cup of FF milk, some frozen fruit, 2 splenda and ice in the Magic Bullet. it comes out to 22 grams which I guess you could add some Protein whey powder and up the protein. It's really interesting all the different variations of pre-op, anywhere from none at all to some that are horribly restrictive. I just have to get in 70 grams of protein a day but I can have SF Jello, SF pops and then a Soup and yogurt a day. So I do the Greek yogut at 17 grams of protein. But I will say doing this has helped psychologically for after surgery. Don't know how well I would have done to go from eating anything to absolutely nothing. So mentally I feel more prepared. Good luck. Some days are easier than others. Trisha (June 1 banding)
-
June 2009 Surgery
pennreporter replied to traviesa97's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
good luck toolmaker...we'll be doing the happy dance...well, maybe not Monday, but the day after...lol trisha -
Thanks. Our timing didn't quite work out right. She's leaving on Tuesday to fly down to Houston to have her first of two plastic surgeries to remove excess skin. So she barely has time to bring me home and then head back to NYC and because of mine I can't fly down with her while she goes through hers. How long do you have with your surgeon before you can go to mushy foods? I have a week on Protein drinks at a minimum before I can start adding mushy stuff. Good luck and a speedy recovery Trisha
-
I haven't been banded yet (June 1), but my daughter has. Pita bread is actually one of the few that she can eat. She can eat the crust of regular bread or anything crunchy/crispy. So I guess that's why the pita is okay, it doesn't have the mushy inside of regular bread. She eats it toasted, now granted it's not the whole thing, maybe about half. So good luck Trisha
-
Congrats! The inflation gas is normal. I think my daughter's was about a day and a half. I'm being banded on Monday, June 1, and supposedly my surgeon has a method where he tries to suck most of the gas back out with a small tube and claims his patient don't have too much of a problem with that. We'll see. Hang in there. You're on the downhill side now. Trisha pennreporter
-
? about qualifying for lapband
pennreporter replied to patri79's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Many many insurance companies, if you're under a 40 BMI, require comorbidities. I'm 5'4, highest weight was 237, but I have high BP, cholesterol, thyroid (goiter), and sleep apnea. And even with all of those, it was only the sleep apnea using a CPAP machine that qualified me. Self-pay, most doctors are pretty liberal about the BMI, but I would think you would still need to be at least a 35. I even gained 10 lbs to make sure I met the weight (which wasn't hard but even my primary car doctor was telling me to weigh in with rolls of quarters in my pockets.) So first step is to call your insurance company and find out what they require. Good luck Trisha -
Time line seems long ...9 mths until surgery
pennreporter replied to pnw's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
PNW, the only thing that sounds like it's taking awhile is getting the appointment in September. Otherwise, the rest is not totally out of line. I started in November 08. My ins company requires six months of jumping through hoops and on my sixth month appt I hadn't lost the 10 percent weight they required so that added another couple of weeks. That was April 15th, then a couple of weeks to get into surgeon and Surgery is June 1 (monday). So maybe what I'd do is keep on them about the first appointment. I was very aggressive in calling for cancellations to get in sooner on my appts. But many of us have 6-8 months because of insurance. I personally believe it's a way of weeding out some people. If we could all self-pay, we could definitely shorten that wait but my co pays on all the testing required and deductible is about as much as i could afford. So hang in there. it really does go by quicker than you think. Trisha -
June 2009 Surgery
pennreporter replied to traviesa97's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Childcare, we are on the same day. Big difference is I've been on liquid diet for almost two weeks(with a few indisretions), but I can have soup, yogurt, V8 juice). So it hasn't been so bad but now the only thing stressing me is trying to get things done with work and mowing law (if it ever stops raining) before Monday and getting house cleaned because my daughter is coming out to take me along with her new little boy-toy( she was banded Feb 08). So not my choice of when i would want to meet her "friend," but oh, well...:smile: Good luck!! We're all on the downhill side now. Trisha (pennreporter) -
Congratulations Spudmama!! The next few weeks will fly by. I'm on Monday. My first week of the liquid diet drug by and now this week has flown by and trying to get things done that I can't do next week (like mowing the grass and catching up on housework) Good for you. Saw my PCP today who has been one of my biggest supporters for doing the band and he was thrilled at surgery date and latest results for blood work. Even with just the 24 pounds I've lost with the qualification process, my BP has dropped 10 points and can probably go off of cholesterol medicine pretty soon. So just that alone makes it all worthwhile. I'll dust you off a place on the bench soon Trisha
-
Mimmosa, I have sleep apnea also but I don't even have to bring my cpap with me, which initially they said in papers to bring. So I'm going to pack it in the car anyway. I'm just taking a pair of Danskins, they're not sweats but a long pant with a loose waistline and a hoodie. My instructions also say to have a pillow or two in the car to hold on your stomach while traveling and maybe hitting bumps in the road. As far as suggestions for pre-op foods, after a while they all suck...lol. I can have V8 juice so that helps and I also blend my drinks in the magic bullet with some ice. Takes a little longer to eat/drink them. I also get yogurt. So I buy a Greek yogurt in either plain and add splenda or the fruit flavored ones that are FF but loaded in Protein. Chobani is the one I buy. Good Luck. Mine is Monday but don't know time until after 1:00 pm tomorrow. Trisha
-
June 2009 Surgery
pennreporter replied to traviesa97's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
congrats drtoliver! You're on the downhill side now!! trisha (pennreporter) -
Did you cheat on pre-op liquid diet
pennreporter replied to crystalcml's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
My plan has me at at least 60 grams of protein a day. The more the better and lots and lots of fluids. I'm not so concerned about dropping so much weight before. I have to do two weeks after. So I'm taking in everything that I'm allowed. I can have as much SF jello as I want and SF pops, which helps. So I'm still putting in about 800-1000 calories a day. My yogurt is Chobani (a greek yogurt and has 17 grams of protein). Plus I make one of my shakes a day with cottage cheese, milk, splenda and fruit (22 grams) in the blender. I would really be careful on getting yourself too weak and tired. It really sounds like you're not getting enough protein and fluids. You don't have to push yourself that hard. You've got plenty of time to lose the weight. If you go into surgery not feeling well, i have to imagine you're not going to feel well after. I truly believe they say two weeks of liquid because they know you're not going to adhere to it every day. So if they get it most of the time, then it's all good. Good luck Trisha -
June 2009 Surgery
pennreporter replied to traviesa97's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
tdtucker, your doctor is very similar to my daughter's doctor. His comment to her was "You've done so well with dieting, why impose one that you won't stick to." she even went and ate mexican food the day before. I really think it also has to do with the experience of the doctor. My doctors don't do a lot of bands (bypass mostly). My daughter's doctor has done 4,000+. so I'm on day 10 and have adhered mostly, about 90 percent to ordered diet. But I also don't want to go into surgery feeling weak, which I haven't so far felt that way, because I know food intake is limited again on the other side of the surgery. So I get Soup and FF yogurt and V8 juice also. So outside of my "slip" one day, it's been not too bad. Good luck to all!! Trisha -
Good luck LindaD tomorrow. the liquid diet sucks but it does get you somewhat prepared for the post-op. Mine has been high Protein drinks but I can have SF Jello, V8 juice and twice a day I can pick from FF yogurt and Soup. So that has helped. I've only dropped about five pounds and have four more days to go but I'm a low BMI and also had to make sure I didn't drop below 35 bmi or insurance might kick it back. Good luck. Tomorrow you will be on loser's bench. Trisha
-
I'm thinking my dr will also be very conservative on the fills. But that's fine with me. I'll drag my happy butt into NYC to my daughter's doctor for a fill. But for now, since I'm not banded yet, I will just have to wait and see. It's hard to predict. I know my daughter got 3 cc on first fill. Then went to 5.5 ccs, then 6.25, then 6.75 and immediately had to come back down to 6.25. That little bit extra was too much. but this is over a 15 month period. she was at 5.5 for a long time. Now at 6.25 she's almost at goal. So some doctors are truly more aggressive than others. My doctors don't do a lot of bands, mostly bypass, so I'm attributing them being conservative to that fact. Trisha
-
Did you cheat on pre-op liquid diet
pennreporter replied to crystalcml's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I'm on day 10 of two-week pre-op. Day 7 was my cheat day and I just had to get it out of my system. What was strange was that it wasn't out of hunger. It was a psychological thing. Surprising enough I haven't really been all that hungry, but I get two items extra a day which can be soup or yogurt. So that has helped. Good luck to all. Now it's not a problem for me because I'm running on adrenaline with surgery on Monday. Trisha -
Let's pick a name June 2009!!
pennreporter replied to spud.mama's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
hey you did good, gonnaloseit. Plus if we changed it now, I'd have to go back to figure out how I did the signature thing again...lol. Brain dead these days. I know your surgery is coming up soon. So good luck. Trisha (pennreporter) -
very funny spudmama! I did natural birth also, but that was 38 years ago, I was 18 and it only last 45 minutes. You can almost tolerate anything for 45 mins. :crying: The worst pain I've ever had ...well, two times ...both of car accident..when the surgeon removed staples from surgery on ankle and then when the physical therapist came in after I had laid in bed for sold two weeks with no movement at all (broken pelvis and broken tailbone) and proceeded to pull me by the arms out of the bed. Only time in my life I've ever screamed. So I'm going with that as a 10 out of 10 pain rating. Anything less than that I'm good with (and Oxycodone of course...lol) good luck all trisha
-
I guess every person is different in how they are with pain. My daughter had her band in Feb 08. She had surgery on Tuesday, flew home from Houston to NYC on Friday and worked on Saturday. She's a hair colorist and was on her feet all day. She said her worst pain was just the pain the gas that they inflate you with and that was just the first day. She took pain meds the first couple of nights just to sleep because she's not a back sleeper. But, otherwise, she said pain from surgery itself felt like she had just done a whole bunch of sit-ups and was sore. My surgeon has said he uses a technique where he tries to vacuum as much of the gas back out as possible to alleviate some of the inflation gas pain. But my scripts are liquid oxycodone. So it should all be good.... Otherwise I'm not really making any changes to home (have lots of steps, so no choice). But everyone has a different tolerance to pain. After crushing an ankle, 3 pelvic fractures and a fractured sacrum, this should be a walk in the park.. So good luck to all Trisha
-
My daughter went to Dr. Spivak out of the same group I think. She loved him, no real pre-op diet, very low key, no big deal. Post op diet was relatively short also. You're in good hands. Trisha