ConB113

An endoscopy is where they go down your throat with a light, in fact I am having mine this Thursday. You will be put under local anestisia (sp) at least i will be. I have had so many of these things it's second nature to me, because I had a liver transplant in April of 2008. I was going about once a month for an endoscopy so they could courterize(sp) the varicies in my esophagus. This was before my transplant and a whole other story. Your doctor is most likely looking to see if you might have a hiatal hernia as 90% of over weight people do. If so, he will repair it at the same time as your lapband surgery. Good luck and hang in there, it's not so bad!! My surgery is scheduled for 11/30 but I'm thinking about putting it off till the 1st of the year since I am self-pay.

I am about 55 lbs overweight and am going to have the surgery. My surgeon has it scheduled for Nov. 30th but I think I am going to wait and do it the 1st part of January because I will be traveling alot during the Holidays. Yes, my BMI is not high enough,so I am going to be self-pay but my surgeon is trying to work it out so my insurance will pay some of it if I have a hiatal hernia which I will find out about after my endoscopy this Thursday. Good luck to you on this journey. I know I have been going back and forth with my decision for a long time and a lot of people have told me that I don't look like I need to lose this weight but I KNOW I do , so it's me that counts!!

I am in the same boat as you are. My surgeon wanted to schedule me for Nov.30th but I will be in Alabama the week of Thanksgiving and definately do not want to be on an all liquid diet then which is what would happen if I had my surgery the30th. So, I am also considering waiting till the 1st of the year so I can get through christmas first. My only draw back is my daughter is getting married on March26th (big wedding) and I was so hoping to lose at least 40lbs by then. I went to the store yesterday and bought some of those full bars and some Atkins shakes and am going to try and lose some on my own before the actual surgery. Good luck with that, huh? lol Anyway, I am going to try and keep up with you on here. let us know when you get scheduled and I will do the same. message me if you would like to. God Bless and have a good day!!

Wish I was having mine that soon. I just started the process this Wednesday, went for blood work, ekg and chest x-ray today. I talked to the co-ordinator when I gor home and they have set my surgery for Nov. 30th!! The doctor is on vacation the last week of this month and first week of November so this is the earliest I could get. I've been telling everyone today that it may give me enough time to chicken out because I've been hearing so many horror stories lately and getting really nervous!! I'm so scared that I won't be able to eat anything afterwards and I don't think I can handle that. One girl told me today that her sister had it and she can barely get anything down at all. OMG that is so scary. I thought I had Psyched myself up for this, but one day I desperately want to do it and the next I don't. Does anyone feel this way or am I the only one? Anyway, congrats on your date and I didn't mean to rattle on so long. Let us know how you do.

I have my first appointment with the Dr. tomorrow too. Like you, I am really nervous and hope I can remember to ask some of the things I've been thinking about. There is so much to this lapband thing and this is my second appointment I've made to see the Dr. I chickened out 3 weeks ago. I guess what is really motivating me the most is my youngest daughter. She is getting married next March and I would so like to lose 50Lbs by then!! Good luck tomorrow and I'm going to try and follow you here and keep up with how you're doing. Btw, if I'm not beening too nosy, how much weight do you need to lose? Where do you live? I live in Jacksonville, Fl. and am going to Dr. Cywes at jacksonville surgical center. I have 2 friends that have gone to him and both are doing really well. Again, good luck and try not to be too nervous about everything, lol Look who's talking!!:thumbup:

While reading this blog, arkansasbandster, gave me some hope. I am going for my 1st Drs. appointment tomorrow Will then know my surgery date. I was almost ready to back out because I have no desire to give up all the food I love and being only to eat a teaspoon at a time. I hope I will be able to tolerate most foods and just be able to limit myself to a few bites at a time. Does anyone on here ever eat popcorn? I LOVE it and am so afraid I will never be able to have it again. keep up the posts, I love to read them!!

me again, were you self-pay? if so, do you remember how much it ended up costing you? I have a friend that went there and was self pay, because she had a hernia it ended up costing about $7,000. I hope that will be the case with me.

O.k. everybody, this thread cracked me up but I can sure see where you're coming from. I am going to be self-pay, 15 lbs. to lite so I have really been putting this off because of the money thing. Where do you get these body weights at and what exactly do they look like? Sounds like a good idea to me!

Sorry about that. I guess I asked too many questions.

That's really great mareea2. I guess you know that Dr. Cywes and Dr. Baptista are in practice together so if I decide on the surgery I don't know which one I will get for it. I have heard that both of them are really good! If I may ask, how many days did you have to do the pre-op diet? I can't remember what Dana told me and she is probably getting tired of hearing from me, lol. I wish you well on this journey and will post if and when I decide to have it done. Thanks for posting.

I am considering lapband surgery and have already went to a seminar that Dr. Baptista held. I also went in and talked with Dana one on one and have spoken with her on the phone several times. This has been going on for about 2 months now. I am 5'6 and weigh 200lbs. so would like to lose about 50. I am also diabetic, on shots,and have high blood pressure. My BMI is not high enough for my insurance to pay for this so I will be self-pay and I just keep wandering if paying all that money will be worth it. Will I be able to eat a handful of food at a time, will I throw up all the time, will I be giving up all the foods that I enjoy so much, bread, pasta, etc! I am a popcorn addict and I think about not being able to ever eat popcorn again (I know that must really sound silly) I have got to make up my mind on this and fast. My youngest daughter is getting married in March and I do so want to drop some weight before then. I realize that if I keep putting this off it's just going to get harder. I also think about my age, 56. Am I crazy for wanting to do this at this stage of my life? My husband is the type who never gets onto me about my weight, sometimes I think if he would just tell me he wants me to lose I would br more that willing to do this. Sorry for rambling, but this decision has practically consumed me for the last 2 months, I just need someone to talk to who's been where I am. One more thing. Did you have a hiatal(sp) hernia when you had yur lapband done. Dana says that most overweight people do, and if they repair it they will turn this over to my insurance . That would be a great help with the money situation!! Thanks for listening and I'm so glad you're doing well with your band.

Fianlly, someone I can relate to! I also weigh 200 Lbs. and have been to a seminar and also to a one on one discussion about the lapband. This isn't counting the times I have talked to the co-ordinator on the phone. I have been going back and forth with this decision for about 2 months now and still can't seem to make up my mind to do it. I guess I can't even wrap my mind around the concept of never eating bread again or giving in to my sweet tooth. I am also going to be self-pay and with a cost of $16,000 that's just a lot to think about the way things are today. I talked to the co-ordinator right before I logged on here and she was laughing at me (in a nice way) because I said that 1 cup of food is nothing let alone 1/3 cup. I am having a hard time imagining only eatting that much!! I wish you luck on your decision, let us know what you decide to do. Maybe your decision will be an influence on me.:thumbup::confused: