Sweetnurselyd

Hello Hope everyone had a great day today. I had a very busy day today running around to the different appointments. My day started off with a visit to the lab for bloodwork. After the laboratory visit, I took a leisurely walk to the radiology office for the abdominal sonogram. By now my stomach is gurgling from hunger since the last time thing I ate was a Protein bar around 9p the night before. I had to be fasting for bloodwork plus for sonogram. I was hungry but I ignored it. After my test was completed, I went and had a large salad with minimal dressing (not a big fan of salad dressing), a diet coke and a baked potato. I walked to the pharmacy to buy some Calcitrate with D. It was a beautiful day today so I walked to all my visits since they were all in the area. I went home for about two hours. At 3p I had my 1 on 1 nutrition consult. The nutritionist spent an hour with me discussing my diet history plus going through the entire postop dietary regimen as well as the maintenance phaseonce I reach there. At first, it appears overwhelming but as I listened and asked questions, it got clearer. I find the most intense of the diet regimen is the first two weeks of liquids. The puree food I won't mind but it is that liquid phase that we all dread. It is very doable. Tonight as I was having a cup of coffee, I read through the post op and maintenance diet again. At 5p, I had a visit with my cardiologist. I was able to get a last minute appointment instead of waiting for the end of the month. I had a battery of cardiac test done two months so it worked out well because he was able to give me cardiac clearance. He discussed banding with me and asked if this was what I had wanted. To my surprise, he had my bloodwork results from this morning. He reviewed them with me and there were all normal. So next week is GI consult on Wednesday. My journey continues. Lydia Education session: 4-7-10; Support group meeting: 4-7-10 Labs, Nutrition consult, Cardiac consult/clearance; Abdominal sonogram: 4-8-10:smile:

Hi welcome to the site. This is a very helpful forum for all us prospective banders. I have learned alot in the past four days that I have been posting here. We are all in this together. My surgeon does the fill in the office too, unless there is an issue with them finding the post then the patient is sent to interventional radiology where under fluoroscopy, the port is filled. This is a rare occurrence that a patient is sent to interventional radiology.

Hi Welcome We are in this together so you are not alone. I am finding this forum very helpful. What I am finding helpful is reading through the different postings plus have read all the blogs. I feel it gives me a better perspective. From attending my first support meeting last night along with everything that I have read the key strategy is strict compliance with everything especially the postop dietary regimen. Good luck on Monday with your surgery. Stay optimistic with your journey. Lydia

Hi As I sat through the nutrition session today, I kept telling myself the reason why I was there. One of the ladies in the group tonight said, she put herself on liquid diets to get herself prepared then watched what she consumed. She had a fatty liver and enlargement and was placed on a liquid diet and it helped to decrease liver size. Liver size greater than 20 cm, the patient will be placed on a liquid diet. The liquid diet helps the liver to decrease. It enlarged because of the fat stores that tend to build around it. The Protein Supplement requirements for us is: At least 20 gms Protein/serving, No more than 8 gms Carb/serving The patient must drink a protein supplement every day for first month. The highest protein content is Isopure 50 gms/3 gms Carbs, Uninjury (highly recommended during our support group tonight) 20 gm Pro/3 gms Carbs, Nutrimelt & Slimfast Low Carb 20 gm Pro/6 gm Carb.

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Good luck with the 60-day liquid diet. That is rather stringent. Hang in there. Lydia:smile:

Hi Yes that was stressed. No liquids with meals because it flushes food through pouch or may cause vomiting and discomfort. The internal police as it was referred to: you will feel sick if you eat too fast or too much. I plan to start making small adjustments as I prepare. The nutritionist did say it was good if weight was lost before surgery. It will not affect your approval as they submit the initial weight. The upper pouch restricts portions> the pouch size is about 1/3 to 1/2 cup.

Hi Today I attended the nutrition class. The NP spoke for about an hour about the two types of surgeries. The group that was present are all opting for the lap band. It was a review for me since I have done a lot of reading on the Lap-Band surgery. I was handed a folder with all sorts of information. The great thing is that everything is organized for the patient. There is a checklist for the patient to keep track of all the different consultations that must be completed. The nutrition class was excellent. Much of the information that I have read online and in this board was similar. The biggest thing is the changes that one has to prepare for. After the three hour class was over, I made two appointments: one for my 1:1 nutrition consult plus an appointment with the director of bariatric surgery who will be my surgeon. After I left the office, I went to the radiology office and made an appointment for an abdominal sonogram. Once I got home, I spent an hour making all the different appointments for all the required consultations. I am happy to say that all my appointments are made. I will be a very busy lady the next few weeks, but I will have all my appointments completed and hopefully all my testing by the time I see the doctor on May 28. Hopefully, my approval will be successful. My BMI is under 40 but I have a qualifier which is hypertension. I currently take antihypertensives. I have to take Vitamins but I already take Calcium with D, MVI, folic acid and Iron. Tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. I have labs (fasting), at 11 a.m. abdominal sonogram then at 3 p.m. nutrition consult. Next week I have GI consult since I need to have both and EGD and Colonoscopy, in two weeks I see my PCP/Cardiologist. My journey has started. I am looking forward to moving forward and look towards the day that I get the official ok for surgery. In as far as insurance requirements, all they require is a summary of my attempt at weight loss programs. I look forward to attending the next group meeting. I found them very helpful. It will help me prepare and it will help me to stay on track once I reach that point. In reference to the liquid diet, unless I have a fatty liver, I may not need a liquid diet for now. Prior to surgery, at least two weeks prior, they will start you on the famous liquid diet. The journey has begun..... Lydia:redface::thumbup: SW: 253, 5'9 inches Goal wt: 175 Nutrition class: 4-7-2010 1st support group meeting: 4-7-2010 (2 are mandatory) Labs: 4-8-1`0 Abdominal sonogram: 4-8-10 Nutrition consult (1:1): 4-8-10 GI consult: 4-14-10 Cardiology: 4-30-10 Pulmonary consult: 5-13-10 Psychological consult: 5-14-10 Surgeon: 5/28/10 Venous duplex & PCP clearance: scheduled once surgical date is booked. 0

Hi I attended my first support meeting tonight as two of them are required by the doctor. It was very enlightening indeed. Four of the participants were banded. They are doing great. One of the ladies lost 140 pounds, the second lost 105 and the third one had surgery last month and is down close to 30 pounds. The fourth person, a guy, has lost sixty in three months. I learned so much tonight from listening to their stories since they started their journey. They all stated that they know when they are full. They also spoke about what happened when they just gulped food down quickly. After the meeting tonight, the biggest hurdle to overcome is the psychological aspect. You have to prepare yourself psychologically for the big changes that are to come and how to deal with eating less. Being a part of this forum and attending support group meetings will help me stay strong both emotionally and psychologically. Hang in there. Lydia

Hi. You seem to be right on target. It is why we are here because the support of others will help us get through this journey. Hang in there with all of us. Lydia

Hi Ladies, Just popping in to say hello before I run off to a support group meeting. I attended the nutrition session and info session by the NP. I will be back and let you know about my day. Lydia The journey has begun....!:thumbup:

I am starting the journey too. Application approved by RD. Now on to educational session on Wednesday. I have tried various programs for weight loss too. I am not ashamed. My brother-in-law had it done and has lost 80 lbs. He is off diabetic medication and doing well. I take antihypertensives. The blood pressure history was a qualifier because my BMI is under 40. Good luck to all. Lydia NYC

Hi I am from NY too (Staten Island). Good luck with your journey. Lydia

Hi ladies, My name is Lydia. I, too, am a Register Nurse by profession. Currenly, I am faculty. I don't have a date yet as I am in the preliminary stages. I will be attending a nutrition education session on Wednesday morning for about three hours. The surgical associates I contacted first send out an application (4 pages long). I filled it out. It is reviewed by a RD to see if you qualify to go on to the next step which is the education session. I submitted copy of insurance card along with application too. I was contacted this morning to set up a date for the nutrition session. After the session, I believe they give you all the preop testing information plus an appointment to see one of the bariatric specialist. As long as all gets approved, I am psyching myself up for this journey. What does the preop diet consist of? Lydia NYC: