JDru

Thanks for sharing your story! You are inspiration to all of us.

Congratulations on your date!

Welcome! This site is a great resource for pre-op stuff. Be sure to ask lots of questions and read as much as you can. Good luck!

Just an update for me: I took the camera pill yesterday and it was pretty painless. Weird, but painless. I should know the results by Tuesday. Please think positive thoughts for me that I can still have surgery on Thursday!!

AZA: I have had problems with anemia as well and had to postpone my surgery. Mine is beleeding in my GI tract, not periods, but it is very frustrating!! But I have to think that I need to be healthy when I actually have the surgery. Good luck on getting everything under control and rescheduling your surgery. PS: I took the camera pill yesterday and I should have results on Tuesday!

Thanks for saying hi Divakaz!

Congratulations on your decision! This site is a great resource...read all you can and ask lots of questions. Good luck!

Oops! I just accidentally deleted all of my friend requests and i had a few new ones. If anyone from LBT tried to add me...please do it again. I promise I wasn't trying to ignore you!

Here's mine!! http://www.myspace.com/peppasragu

I am getting exctied for my surgery! I've actually had some problems with anemia (they can't seem to locate the source of the bleeding in my GI tract) so I've postponed the surgery twice. Today I had to swallow a pill that had a camera in it and the images were transmitted to a monitor I wore around my waist. Anyway, if I get ok results from that I'm still on for surgery next week!

Welcome Lucy! This site is a great resource for pre-op information. Be sure to read a lot and ask questions and you'll do great. Good luck!

Welcome Douglas! This site is a great resource for pre and post-op information. Make sure you ask lots of questions. I look forward to hearing more about your journey!

Everyone is doing so well!! Can you believe that Oct is half over?? I found out today that I get to take my fancy camera pill on Wednesday!! I had to kind of be a bitch to the nurse because she was trying to schedule me for next week (the week of my surgery), but she fit me in on Wednesday. I think she just wanted to get rid of me. But hopefully, this will find the source of my mystery bleeding and I can still have surgery on Oct 26. I'm counting down!

Well I found out today that I can do the camera pill on Wednesday. This is after I called the insurance and kept bugging the doctor's office to follow up with my insurance pre-authorization. Then I had to be stern and make sure they got me in this week...I'm pretty sure they think I'm a freak because I called so much. At any rate, we should know what's going on by the end of the week or early next week and hopefully I can still have surgery on Oct 26. Angela: Yes, I was sure to avoid those meats, beets and spinach before the fecal occult test. I've heard about the aloe vera juice, I'll have to pick some up. Thanks for the recommendation!

Good luck on your surgeries tomorrow: LIHIVE, tiredepot, MsKhris and cootie!!

Hi Jenn. So sorry to hear about your husband, it can be so hard when things don't turn out the way you thought they would. But you have made an incredible choice for YOU and your health! I wish you much luck on your surgery tomorrow, I know you will do well. Please keep us updated on your journey.

Welcome GetnHealthy! I'm also scheduled for Oct 26...so I guess we will be band buddies. I don't have a pre-op diet so I can't advise on that question. But I look forward to getting to know you.

Congratulation on your decision Jeff! You have made an important, informed decision about your health that will ensure you'll be around for many years to come. I look forward to hearing about your journey!

Great to have you here Terri! This site is a great resource and everyone is very helpful. Best of luck on your journey!

Thanks for the welcome! I was first diagnosed with anemia in August and they've been trying to figure it out since then. They have determined that I am very Iron deficient and that I am bleeding somewhere in my GI tract. They had to test my stool and found blood in all 3 samples. My diet is fine...I eat lots of meat and green veggies. At this point, the doc thinks the bleeding is coming from my small intestines (the only place they haven't looked). So that's why I have to take the pill with a camera...it takes lots of pictures as it goes all the way through your GI tract. Kind of interesting, but I just want it to be over with! I am on iron pills now, twice a day. Here are my newest lab results: hematocrit: 34.8 (normal 36-36) hemaglobin: 11.4 (normal 12-16) iron: 28 (normal 37-170) iron saturation: 6% (normal 20-50%) My original lap bad surgery date was Oct 5 and I had to postpone because of the colonoscopy/endoscopy. But then that came back inconclusive and I might have to postpone again. It's frustrating!

I don't have a pre-op diet...I think it just depends on your doc.

I used to be on Paxil CR and it worked very well for my anxiety and depression. After a few months, my doc switched me to the generic Paxil that was not controlled release and I gained 20 pounds in about 3 months! Withdrawls were HELL for me getting off Paxil. Sounds like you're going through the same thing with Effexor. I have also taken Celexa, but it didn't seem to work as well as Paxil. However, I didn't have any weight gain or withdrawal symptoms on it. I hope you find somthing that works!

Hi everyone. i just though I'd check in here with you November bandsters because although I'm currently scheduled for surgery on Oct 26, I might have to postpone and move it to November. My inital CBC test showed that I have anemia and the docs are struggling to find the source of the bleeding. I've had a colonoscopy, endoscopy and baruim x-rays and still no answers! Now I have to swallow a pill with a camera in it! Of course the insurance is taking forever to approve it...I hope it's soon. Good luck to all of you!

Hi Jenn! Welcome to LBT, you will find that it is a great resource in preparing for surgery. Keep us updated on your journey.

Welcome Tanya! Keep us updated on your journey.