onyah

Hi folks! I was banded yesterday! I was supposed to spend a night in the hospital, but (another!) huge blizzard descended on DC yesterday, and the doctor said that it would be just fine for me to go home last night and spare us the worry of getting home in today's crappy weather. Looking out my window right now, I'm grateful that we went that route! So... surgery was supposed to be at 12:50, but we got started a little late (I think they were short-staffed because of the weather). I went back into the little prep room at noon or so, and got changed, got my IV, and got a shot of heparin in my belly. Three nurses, my surgeon, my LPN, and my anesthesiologist all came through in the hour I was there. My mom was with me for that hour, but then I said goodbye to her and was wheeled into the OR! I remember getting moved onto the operating table and them having to do a bunch of adjustments to the table and my position because I'm so tall. I don't remember the anesthesiologist telling me that he was starting... the next thing I knew I was waking up in recovery! And the first thing out of my mouth was "I never counted backwards from ten!" I think they laughed at me. I was in recovery for an hour or so. I was shivering, so they wrapped me in blankets, and my throat and mouth were SO DRY and they gave me ice chips. A guy came in and gave me a chest x-ray without me even having to move, which was crazy. I know my surgeon came in and talked to me at some point... but I hardly remember it. Then they wheeled me into a room where I could sit up and drink some water. They gave me a pain pill (oxycodone) and some anti-nausea medicine, because I felt like I might barf if I stood up. My mom and my fiancé (who had arrived about an hour before) came back and talked to me for a while until I felt like I could stand up and get changed and get ready to go home. Which maybe took an hour or so. The timing was good -- right around the time we got to my house, the roads were starting to get really bad! Ever since I woke up in the recovery room, I've been in a mild amount of pain. I haven't been experiencing too much shoulder pain, and the gassiness isn't so bad. But my incisions and abdomen are pretty sore. I've been using an ice pack, which helps. And I keep holding/compressing my stomach, which also feels good. Last night, I was only able to drink about 16 ounces of water and 6 ounces of soup. Today, I seem to be doing better – I’ve had about 30 ounces of water, half a protein shake (made with some Greek yogurt which made it taste SO GOOD!), and ten ounces of soup. Not too shabby!

I'm on the NuvaRing, and my doctor told me to stop taking it for 30 days before and after surgery, for the blood-clotting reason others have mentioned. It has been really sucky, because I have pretty terrible cramps when I am off it, but it's only for a few months!

Sorry, luveroflife, I just noticed your question! I have CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield for federal employees. The Standard PPO option. I switched to it on January 1 because I'd heard such good things about their approvals.

#1. The week of Feb. 8th - dunno exact date yet! #2. I live in Virginia; surgery will be in DC #3. Sibley Center for Weight Loss Surgery #4. Insurance #5. 31, 5'10" #6. Current: 290; Goal: 180 #7. In 2009, I attempted my most ambitious diet/exercise combo to date, and just couldn't get it to work. After 20 years of dieting, I decided I was ready for the next step. #8. Yes indeed! Everyone is being so cool. #9. I'm getting married in October 2010. It'll be nice if I'm thinner by then (though it's not the reason I'm doing this!!), but I worry that I won't have found my "sweet spot" by then and I'll be PB'ing on my wedding day!

When I went in for my first meeting with the surgeon in early November, they weighed me (281.4). When I went in for my EKG, etc. in mid-December, they told me that my surgeon would not operate on me if I weighed more than 281.4 on my surgery date. It would've been nice if I'd known that in November... I'd already gained 6 pounds by then! I know people often lose 10+ pounds during their pre-op diet, but I don't want to risk it, so I am trying to lose those 6 pounds between now and when I start. Yet I keep being tempted to have "last suppers." I just (like, 30 minutes ago) found out when my surgery will be and now my need to lose this weight seems very real! I hadn't really been taking it seriously before, but now I definitely am!!

Thanks so much for this post -- this is very exciting to hear! What you're saying is so similar to what I hope to be saying in a few months. I'm the same as you -- a high-volume but generally healthy eater. It's so great to hear that you're working the band!!

Congratulations! Having a date must make it feel more real. I'm excited for you! I'm also hoping to have a late-January surgery date... crossing my fingers!

I am right with you on the impatience. Every time the phone rings or my e-mail goes ding, the first thought in my head is "Maybe it's the hospital! With some piece of information that moves me closer to being able to schedule my surgery!" And... so far, no movement. I'm reading this book right now, and there's a chapter in which he talks about how easy it is to get totally absorbed in your weight-loss journey, and he recommended that bandsters all go out and do volunteer work. Or something like that, that gives you a sense of perspective. I've been thinking pretty hard about the idea... I need a non-weightloss distraction!

Way to go on the 15 pounds! While I know it's a good idea to only check the scale once a week... it's so tempting to peek more often! I'm sure you'll see things change up after your first fill. Keep us posted!

I'm Ellen, and I've been lurking on the site for a while and thought I'd say hello. I know a good half-dozen people in "real life" who have gotten RNY, but no bandsters, so I am loving this site as a source for real stories from real people. I'm still pretty early in the process. The first step that I've accomplished is to have decided that yes, I do want to do this! My surgeon's office had me start by gathering a bunch of documentation from my doctors on my past weight loss efforts, which is taking longer than I'd thought. It always seems to when doctors are involved! Hopefully, we'll be done with that part by Tuesday, and can move on to labs and xrays and other such fun!