mkmelissag

After years of struggling with my weight and uncontrolled high blood pressure, and being diangnosed with sleep apnea in July 09, I went to a LapBand seminar in August.  I had done a lot of research on line, so by the time I  got to te seminar and first meeting with the surgeon, I'd pretty much decided that I was going to go for it.  Surprisingly, my insurance gave approval immediately, even without all my pre-op testing complete.  I did all the normal stuff - nutritionist, psych, barium swallow, blood work.  I also was required to get approval for surgeon from a cardiologist.  Come to find out that my "innocent" heart murmur was not so innocent.  The cardiologist discovered that I had a previously undiagnosed birth defect - coarctation of the aorta.  My aorta is narrowed (pinched like a sausage link), which is a big part of my uncontrolled blood pressure.  (don't get me wrong, the extra 200 libs doesn't help!) Anyway, after a mulitute of tests: CT, MRI, angiogram, ultrasounds, etc., and finally I had to have a heart catheter and stent placed in my aorta to open up the narrowing.  I would have had the lapband October if not for that!  thankfully the cardiologist caught it and was able to fix it before I had major complications.  Now that I'm healed from that procedure, I'm good to go for the LapBand on Dec 4th! I'm excited and nervous and SO ready to change my life!