JaffreyChick

I am able to deduct co-pays for visits for a fill. My insurance picks up the cost of a fill but I do have the physician co-pay.

I track what I eat on lapbandjourney.com -- I find it helpful to look at what I eat and compare to other days. There is a chart that shows you how many calories you've burned vs what you've taken in. There is just a lot of good information on that particular sight.

I went to the last meeting but hadn't been banded yet. I won't go this week because I have an all day appt there on Wednesday for another issue and then see Hima on Thursday. I'm feeling pretty good. Probably overdid it today. I went to the Sox game. I tried my first puree today. But it was pretty basic -- my husband is a gourmet cook and made his amazing potato Soup. So I blended 3 oz with a half oz of horseradish cheese. OMG, it was amazing. I am ready for something that doesn't taste like berries (waters, yogurts, juice pops, etc.)

Hello, Surgery on 8/20 went extremely well. Came home on Friday and have not had any issues at all (well, maybe trying to get enough Protein in). I had my follow up today with Dr. Ormont. All seems to be going well, weight loss is good, had some meds converted to liquid, and will probably get my first fill in 3 weeks. I have not been hungry -- even went out to dinner with friends last night and was not tempted or hungry (did have, as my husband says, my $8 3oz of broth.:frown: I know I am in the honeymoon stage, the real work is ahead. Please share how you are doing.

I use the food journal at www.lapbandjourney.com -- I was only banded 8/20 so I don't have a lot of foods yet. But it does allow me to add the Soup as a serving and will recalculate it for me when I only have 1/2 or 1/3 of the serving. It shows how many calories and how many carbs and where you are at with Protein. I also did WW in the past and liked the points. I like this just as well and the price is great - FREE!:thumbup:

Congratulations!!! I was just banded last week and have about the same amount of weight to lose. So, it can be done. Yes! Thanks!!

My surgeon had them put a "sea sickness patch" on my neck before I went into surgery. It stays on until tomorrow. No nausea from anesthesia or anything else for that matter.

I had my surgery on the 20th. Two days out and feeling great. Been shopping and walking around. Spent Thursday night in the hospital, did the swallow test Friday morning and home I came. I feel terrific (could be the morphine) and use very little pain meds (only when I know I will be trying to sleep). I'm on clear liquids today yet, then tomorrow move on to full liquids. I did not do a pre-op diet. Oh, surgery was almost postponed. I had a mosquito bite on my stomach that I had scratched. I am a high risk for infection anyway due to a compromised immune system. But once they got me to the OR they decided that it was far enough away from where they needed to be, they put a clear bandage over it and went ahed. I don't remember anything from the time they said, here we go (on the way to OR) until I was in the Recovery Room for an hour. Since one benadryl can knock me out for hours, it's no surprise that general anesthesia can put me out longer than most. The big day is here and gone and I feel ready to take on the rest of my life. Best to all!:thumbup:

I asked that very same question at my LAST PRE OP visit today. They don't know until they get in there. They slide a guide behind the stomach and then wrap it around. That tells them the size that they need. It is better to be banded too large than to be banded too small. We spent most of the visit talking about my compromised immune system and less about band size. Seems either chemo has left me with an odd immune system or maybe I never had a good one. But I've been getting IVIG treatments and we're all thinking positive thoughts. My risk of infection is much higher than the norm, but I've had a chemo port with no problems so I'm thinking this won't be any big deal either. Cause if the band gets infected -- out it comes and I'm "back to the way God made you" -- no second chances. However, a port infection is fixable. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Surgery is Aug. 20.

My date is next Thursday, 8/20. I'm ready. Been ready. I see the surgeon one more time on 8/14. I have a question. How do they come up with the goal weight? I'm not happy with the goal weight he has selected. He says that he thinks 190 would be a good weight. I don't think so. Do I just go along with it and continue to lose (optimist)? I say 175 max and 150 is the real goal. Do they take age and co-morbidities into play? I am 54 and have lots of "stuff" going on.

Amen girlfriend. I have sworn my sibs to secrecy. No one will ever, ever tell my mother. She just won't get it. She does not believe in having "unnecessary" surgery.

I know what you mean. I work at the hospital where I'm being banded on August 20. I have seen great results from the folks that had 3 weeks of liquid diet pre-op. One gent lost 33 lbs in that time. Had lunch with him and his wife (he was banded a month ago, she was banded last week). She had yogurt. He had tuna salad and some chopped veggies. Both seem to be doing quite well. He took a week off work. She is taking 2 weeks. She did not do the liquid pre-diet, but I can see the 8 lb difference in her already. Seriously.

Hi, I am going to be banded on Aug. 20. Dr. Ormont is doing the surgery. I have my final meeting with the dietitian and pre op labs tomorrow. Meet with the surgeon one more time the Friday before my surgery and then it's done!! I work at the hospital and know a number of co-workers who have had it done. We are talking amongst ourselves about "hand me ups" -- and forming an impromptu support group outside of the one the hospital offers. But, I find hallway conversations, calls and emails just as helpful. We'll see what I think afterwards.

Hi, I'm a 54 year old female with Waldenstrom's which is in remission. Just wondering if there are any other Wallies out there. My surgery is scheduled for 8/20. Currently receiving IVIG to boost immune system before the surgery. My oncologist was wondering if anyone else with WM has been banded and what their results have been. Brenda, NH

Hi, My name is Brenda. I live in NH and am being banded on August 20. I am 5' 6" and weigh 243. I actually have insurance approval already. I got it in one week (and actually the 4th of July was that week as well). Our doctors at Cheshire Medical Center are working to become a center of excellence to make it go smoother with insurance companies. I have been heavy for the last 20 years. I have a multitude of health issues, which is why all my doctors and the insurance company were ecstatic when I decided to go this route. I have apnea, asthma, high cholesterol, high BP, high triglycerides, fatty liver, osteoarthritis, metabolic syndrome, compromised immune system (no IgA, limited IgG and IgM that goes whacko - hence the diagnosis of Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia -- a rare blood cancer). So...I am currently receiving IVIG (blood product collected from 10,000-30,000 donors) once a month due to an infection my immune system couldn't fight. This surgery has been added as a benefit to our health care plan (I work at the hospital) so there is a steady supply of support people for me there. It's amazing to see the transformations in people's lives, not to mention that they look fantastic. So glad I found this as well.:bored:

Hello, getting ready to have surgery on 8/20. I am a Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia patient with undetectable IgA, very low IgG, and normal IgM at the present time. I am receiving IVIG treatments because of throat/chest infections in the spring. Figured I would do the surgery while still getting some immunoglobulin help. My oncologist asked if I was aware of anyone else who may have had lap band surgery and who also has WM.:smile:

Hello, getting ready to have surgery on 8/20. I am a Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia patient with undetectable IgA, very low IgG, and normal IgM at the present time. I am receiving IVIG treatments because of throat/chest infections in the spring. Figured I would do the surgery while still getting some immunoglobulin help. My oncologist asked if I was aware of anyone else who may have had lap band surgery and who also has WM.:thumbup: