shantra

I pretty much thought the cardiologist visit was just another in the line of prelims for surgery. I have done everything I need for insurance and got my date which is October 20th. My surgeon requires other things, so I had two left, cardiology and colonoscopy. I knew I had a problem but I had been told it wasn't a big deal and I didn't need to see a cardiologist. Well. The cardiologist said I have diastolic dysfunction caused by my sleep apnea and hypertension and explained to me that my heart has no trouble pumping blood out, it has a problem letting enough blood back in. Unlike my Doctor, he said the heart condition is causing the Fluid retention which is also affecting my lungs and causing breathlessness.. just as I had suspected.. having had a friend who had congestive heart failure. Bottom line to all this is he would not pass me for surgery without a stress test which I am having next Thursday. So please keep me in your thoughts and wish me luck. The good news is, he says the condition can improve if I lose all the weight and my sleep apnea that he called 'very severe' is treated or eliminated. It was a shock to me. It's one thing to be told there is something going on but it's 'not a big deal but you need to lose weight' and quite another to be told by a cardiologist, 'yes you have a problem with your heart that is directly causing these symptoms' and knowing that it will worsen if action isn't taken.

I really hate my lap band. I wish I had never had it. I hate not being able to eat solid Proteins without mayonnaise.. I am so sick of mayonnaise. I am sick of vomiting because I ate too fast, or it was the wrong food, or I ate too much, or the food is too dry... see mayonnaise. I am sick of not being able to eat healthy food. And it freaking HURTS with any of the above. This is NOT worth the 40lbs I have lost in a year and a half and all of that was right at the beginning. I am struggling more than I ever have. I have asked to have it removed.. but my insurance won't cover it so I am stuck with this horrible thing. What medical reasons can I have it removed for?

Well you have all really given me food for thought, no pun intended. I took a hard look at the way I eat and what I eat and I am prepared to try again to get it right. When I had just had surgery I think I was afraid of this band, I didn't want to do anything to make it slip or anything to go wrong. I ate exactly as I should and lost weight just as I should. The trouble started when I had an adjustment and the band was just too tight for me. Finally I went back and had it loosened a bit but by then bad habits had sunk in. I have spent the morning writing affirmations and I packed food today accordingly. I went out to eat last night and ate ridiculously too much and this morning I find myself scared I did something to my band. No symptoms just showing a change in my attitude to it I think. Thanks to everyone who replied and made me feel better. I will keep you posted.

Was today, somehow I got it confused and arrived over an hour early, so two and a half hours went by before I finally saw him, he was delayed also due to a surgery he had to do in the afternoon. I wanted to write here because my husband isn't supportive at all, he hasn't shown any interest, asked me how it went.. nothing. I met a lady who had the band and told me it was great. I liked Dr. Shayani, he was very nice, very experienced and the lap band is all he does, he says he is very passionate about it. He showed me before and after photos of some of his patients. Explained the type of people he can't help and those he can. He asked me lots of questions and I asked him a couple, he told me that not being able to drink carbonated soda was a myth. He explained to me that right now we could go to McDonalds and he could eat 20 chicken nuggets without a problem.. I almost said, I will take those chicken nuggets and raise you a cheeseburger and fries.. but he was being very serious at the time. He said after surgery about 3 would be all I could manage. At the end of it all he told me to go away and think about it.. I told him no.. I already did and I want it. Oh best of all he told me I look nowhere near my age.. I am in love.. LOL. I met with one of his team who went over all the things I need, I already had a clear mammogram, having a pap smear and colonoscopy soon, they told me to make my appointment for the psych consult and tomorrow make appointments for the oesophogram and the lab work. They made a dietician appointment on the spot. I was told if all went well they would schedule me at the end of October beginning of November. So I am on my way! Very exciting phase.. trepidation too.. but I can do this.

I need help guys. I went to see the dietician today, my final appointment of all my pre-requisites and they have submitted for my insurance approval. He told me to start the no drinking while eating straight away and said I can't drink until TWO hours after. Well let me tell you, I managed just over an hour feeling like my food was sitting like lead the whole time.. at dinner this is so bad. We eat around 6 or so and we go to bed about 8:30 - 9:00 so if I am late eating I won't even get a drink after. Two hours seems way over the top. Comments?

All the negativity really bugs me. I know there can be complications with the Band, I worked hard to research it and chose it with full knowledge of the risks because to me the results for other WLS was unacceptable to me. While I am sorry people do suffer complications and I hope it never happens to me, I don't need it shoving down my throat. What I need is support and the knowledge from those who live with the band on how to live with it, how to treat it right. I am only 9 days post op, I am already on solid food per my surgeon and I have lost 18lbs. More than that, my excess Fluid is GONE, I am off Lasix and my blood pressure meds have been cut in half and that has never happened before even when I lost 90lbs. I have more energy for housework and when I return to work next Tuesday expect it to be much easier. I have had to deal with two bouts of stress that would have normally caused me to use emotional eating, I would have reached for chocolate. Also, I used to have the habit of buying a caramel magnum at Walgreens. So here I am getting out of the car at Walgreens and considering buying one, just for a moment. Then all that chocolate.. yes.. I considered it again knowing chocolate would go through the band without a problem. Then a little voice popped up I have never heard before and it said.. really? You had actual surgery and you are really considering eating that stuff? I didn't buy anything and I faced and dealt with my emotions instead of eating. Before surgery I would have gone ahead and eaten several bars of chocolate and decided I would get back to tracking the next day, or the next, or the next week or whatever. I am thrilled with my decision because for the first time in years I have hope I will get to goal and maintain.

I was banded on Monday too. No Jello allowed here, my surgeons rules are you can have anything on the list you can pour from a pitcher. And he wasn't talking margaritas.

I have four in all. I was expecting 5 and was searching everywhere for the extra one!

I was given no Protein goals at all. I am currently day 4, I was banded on Monday. On mine there is 2 protein shakes a day 15-25g and I have been drinking Atkins (which are delicious) and 15g each. I am SO sick of this shakes and soup diet already it's not funny.

Well here I am on the other side. The pain isn't and wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be, except when I cough UGHH but holding a pillow on my tummy really helps. I haven't had any trouble swallowing at all and I really thought I would, I had not been able to feel the band but when I coughed I felt something in the general area and it was a bit uncomfortable, tight. Narced up on liquid hydrocodone this morning so very comfortable and woozy. Emptied the sink of a small amount of dishes and silverware my husband left, top shelf so it was easy. Managed to feed the dogs. Put on a pot of coffee and drank a Protein shake for Breakfast. Really feeling good and looking forward to losing more weight!

I am not particularly a stranger to the operating room and I don't recall ever feeling this nervous. Things are flying around in my head and just won't stop, if I could sum it up I have a lot of anxiety and found it very tough to get to sleep last night.. ended up online till 1 in the morning. I have been cleaning the house all day off and on, we stocked up yesterday. I have the following list, in case it is useful to anyone else: 1. Prune juice 2. Cream Soups 3. broth 4. Protein shakes 5. Drinkable Yogurt 6. Chewable Vitamins 7. Chewable Calcium + Vit D 8. Pill box so that I can put all my pills in the dosage my surgeon wants before I go in. 9. 2 new Pillows to give me extra support in bed so that I can sleep sitting up if I have to. 10. A body pillow. 11. Pure indulgence.. a mini lavender bean bag bunny to squeeze and snuggle. 12. Spring Water Sooooo.. I guess tomorrow.. over to post op.

I have BCBS and the band is free because I reached my deductible for the year, a lot of the necessary medical tests have also been free. Also the 12 months of follow up visits are included in my surgery package, so all of those are free too! I am doing this purely for my health, I am 56 and it's time to stop messing around after 50 years of trying to deal with this crap.

Is there anyone else out there that has trouble with these foods? I saw a list of things to have in when you have had lap band surgery, it included fat free and sugar free on it, I just don't do either. No, it is not being stubborn, yes I have really tried to like both. Sugar free stuff gives me terrible diarrhea, as do any other products that have maltodextrin in. I can't even do sugar free powder for drinks. As for fat free, often it seems to me that fat free is full of other stuff that really isn't healthy to make the fat free palatable. And in the case of fat free cheese, even the fat free so called sharp cheddar is like tasteless plastic to me. I just can't eat the stuff. The way I see it, the band will help me to eat like the French do, quality food in very small portions. Is there anyone out there who agrees or has the same issues?

Now it almost seems like 5 minutes since I started this process. Surgery date is OCTOBER 20TH!! I will soon be on the other side.

Thank you! I am already on a CPAP machine, I have been for just coming up one year now. My oxygen level was dropping to 78% several times a night. I am definitely much better on it. You gave me great encouragement with your words though so thank you again!!

Thank you! I know the cardiologists report goes to my surgeon but thanks for bringing that point up!

I did go through that but it settled down. It was the same thing I was doing in anticipation of this time I am going to do it great at Weight Watchers and then didn't roller coaster. I wouldn't worry about it too much.,

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

Awesome!!!

If it were me I think I would be asking a surgeon to explain this one. I read a book by a lap band success whose job was flight attendant and guess what? She ate all the time but packed her own food just as you do. It doesn't make sense to me, but I will definitely ask my team about it.. seen as I hope to go and visit my small granddaughters for the first time ever next March.

I too have read some horror stories, but I try to balance that by reading successes. I just finished reading the Khaliah Ali book and found that pretty helpful. One thing that has also helped me is back in 2007 I had major surgery, a hysterectomy, bladder mesh and 5 prolapses fixed, I already have a foreign body in there kind of holding me together. If I had listened to all the horror stories and not had some of this surgery I wouldn't have enjoyed all the benefits I have. Surgery is scary, it's a big step, but is it a risk worth taking? So I think, what are the alternatives? Yet another stint at Weight Watchers? Doing nothing and carrying on with the breathlessness, everything I do so hard, compression socks, CPAP machine? Or do I be brave, move forward, and embrace the chance of a healthier future? That has helped me.

I went through the oesophogram and lab work on Wednesday morning. I have my Psych Consult booked for Monday afternoon, physical with Doctor on Thursday afternoon, apt with dietitcian the following Wednesday then insurance can be submitted. This is going FAST. I have been on and off wondering if I am doing the wrong thing. But I know it's the right thing and I am feeling more peaceful and more excited.

That's what I have kept in mind. Dragging myself out of the car for my appointment, climbing the steps up to the hospital entrance, I was so breathless and having to move so slow. It's too hot out for me, hell, I had to remove my shoes and put them back on when I got weighed and height measured for the surgeon, and the nurse got me to sit down and rest so that I could do them up! Velcro!!!! Running through my mind at these times is always.. a year from now it will be very different, a year from now I won't be suffering all of this.. a year from now I will have lost a ton of weight. And I think the big thing for me is that I believe that with the band.. any other method I had lost all hope.

I believe my BMI is closer to 55 right now as they measured me smaller than I thought I was. The surgeon said that I am clearly at a point where something must be done. He wasn't wrong there! LOL. Bit concerned about the psych consult.. I guess quite a few people are. But I feel good about taking charge and doing something good for me!

I went public on Facebook. My close family and friends knew I was planning to get banded and I wanted to be able to share updates with them, so I shared with the rest of my friends.. mostly the comments were positive. Are you public or private? Who have you told or not told and why?