Sooz

Jess, My prerequisite list looks a lot like yours. I thought it was due to my age (55) but you are a youngin' so I imagine some doctors just require more. I have to do a consult and sleep study too. My first visit with my surgeon was May 27th, which was about 3-4 weeks after the seminar. Though it seems like I have been poked and prodded at every angle possible already, I still have 3 biggies to get through. It seems like I will never get a date, and I am self-pay. =/

I don't function well without at least one cup of coffee (well 2, I guess, since a 12+ oz mug would be considered that?) so it's more the caffeine fix than anything else. Even with wicked acid reflux I manage to get my coffee down now, especially since starting on prilosec. I remember at the seminar my doctor said coffee is ok in moderation but no dairy, and I know I can't handle it black, so phew, I guess I will start trying alternatives now, such as different teas. I used to drink a lot of soda, but got hooked on crystal lite lemon tea, and ice water. Yay! That's one small hurdle I won't need to bounce over when the time comes.

Though i am still pre-band I am trying to be more aware of my bad habits. I eat fast and often swallow before my food is thoroughly chewed. Even when I make a conscious effort not to swallow so quickly it's like I am on auto-pilot, and the half-chewed bite is sliding done my throat. Does this ever get easier? I mean, like second nature?

I love the support found here, and especially appreciate Betsy's words. I am so happy my family has been supportive. To me it shows that they are concerned for my health and well being. It seems extreme to some people, but they just don't realize how difficult it is to maintain weigh loss, and how discouraging and depressing AND unhealthy years of yoyo dieting can be.

Gloria/atgoalgal and other tipsters, thanks. I checked that link and have already incorporated a few of the "eat like a bandster" tips. I haven't had soda for weeks, and have no intention of drinking calories except for Protein drinks. My favorite non-carbonated beverage is Crystal lite lemon tea. I think I am going to have a pretty good handle on everything but the auto-pilot swallowing still kind of scares me. I'm going to try not to get ahead of myself here, and just go by what you all say about waiting until banded and having it all come together.

I will be self-pay and started a thread awhile back about the "extras" I have encountered. Luckily my insurance covers quite a bit of the diagnostics once I have the deductible paid. Maybe to do with my age (55) but my surgeon covers all bases with pre-requisite testing. I have 3 more procedures to go, a couple scheduled 2 or 3 weeks away, so it's not been any quicker for me being self-pay. Here's what I have to do before I get a surgery date: sleep study for suspected apnea Abdominal ultrasound (done) Chest Xray (done) EKG, Pulmonary function test, pulse oximetry EGD outpatient (upper endoscopy for acid reflux related symptoms) (done) Blood and lab work-up (done) Internal/Family Physician written consultation and clearance. (done) I almost forgot the shrink visit, haven't done that yet either. I also had a surprise colonoscopy the day after my endoscopy due to my blood work showing low Iron.

Last week I went for my consultation/physical with my surgeon-to-be and was a bit rocked by the amount of tests ordered. I suppose I should have asked for more details beforehand, but when it was described as a "physical" I assumed some things like EKG and stress tests would be done right there. I also thought that some of the tests (like psychiatric) mainly applied to those with insurance requirements. I hate the thought of spending whatever 90 mins with a shrink costs simply to be deemed "sane", you know? Here's what I have to do before I get a surgery date: sleep study for suspected apnea Abdominal ultrasound Chest Xray EKG, Pulmonary function test, pulse oximetry EGD outpatient (upper endoscopy for acid reflux related symptoms) Blood and lab work-up Internal/Family Physician written consultation and clearance. I haven't had a "family doctor" since mine retired some years back.

It's been quite a whirlwind of testing and doc appts this month. My bloodwork showed low vit A and D and low Iron. Because of the low iron and my age (over 50) my doctor ordered a colonoscopy as well. so- 6-18-10 physical with GP including EKG 6-21-10 endoscopy (showed a bit of erosive esophagitis and a hiatal hernia) 6-22-10 colonoscopy 6-23-10 chest x-ray and abdominal ultrasound still to go: 1) Pulmonary function test, pulse oximetry 2) sleep Study 3) Psych appt plus a couple of extras the GP threw in - mamogram and bone density study. I am ready for the sleep study right now.. lol. Or at least a nap!

I didn't realize the tests were required by the insurance companies to ensure safe surgeries. I honestly thought some of them were done in case the insurance companies were hedging, and the doctor hoped to find co-morbidities (especially apnea) to help the case seem more a medical necessity. I am incredibly grateful that my sub-par insurance is paying anything at all towards the testing. I've gone from a robust obese person, to hobbling around and feeling crappy in a very short amount of time, I'm happy to finally be doing something for myself.

At my consultation my doc touched on the need for fiber supplements when banded. I read a handout he gave me after and benefiber was the fiber of choice. I went ahead and got started on Walgreens generic, even though I am not banded yet. I didn't measure and maybe got carried away, but omg, I have been in agony for 2 days with gas pains after. It really scared me.. I don't ever want to feel that way again.

Kristy you are absolutely right. I haven't had any sort of physical in years and it's time. I want to do this right, especially since I have been feeling terrible and unhealthy lately.

I'm a concerned with port placement because I have (what I thought was) a floating rib on the left side. My doctor said it was actually a broken rib, after feeling around, and is looking forward to seeing the x-ray as it is a first for him. He didn't think placing the port near it would bother me, but I dunno.. I think I'd prefer the red dot, though it looks like a support bra might end up on top of it?

I suppose it is a tougher decision at 27 than it is at my age. My 20's and 30's were some of my best gorging days. I got to taste lots of delicious food then. Lots! Unfortunately, my appetite control was broken, and still is. In my 20's and 30's I could still chase after my kids. Even though overweight I could still go to exercise classes without feeling like I'd be going into cardiac arrest within 5 minutes. Although self-conscious, I could still wear a swimsuit. I could travel to exotic locales without worrying about holding my friends/family back on walking excursions and other activities. After years of being a happy-go-lucky food processing plant, it caught up with me. All those spaghetti dinners and donuts and bowls of ice cream are not fond memories any longer. I am working hard at getting all the testing done to get to the "omg I have a surgery date!" point. For you it's a choice and a tough decision regarding sacrifices. For me, now, it is regrets for allowing food to become my best friend, and new hope for the future. Best of luck in whatever you decide!

I am selfpay for the surgery and was distressed after my consult with my surgeon because I thought the cost of that visit would cover some of the required medical testing. I have "cheap" self pay insurance but found out yesterday they will pay up to 2000 a day for the sleep study, EDG, EKG, etc., so i will stagger those appts as best I can. At the consult I asked about "extras" (I posted a thread similar to this yest with the breakdown of my surgical teams cost) such as a hiatal hernia discovery. My insurance does not cover weight loss surgery at all, but I was told if a hiatal hernia is discovered it is billed separately, and in that case my insurance should cover 80% since it is an inpatient procedure.

Wow, I wish I got a deal like that, Leigha. My surgery fees total $14,450.00. - $4500 surgeon, 1150. surg assistant, 7,700. medical center, 1,100 anesthesia - and includes 3 mos aftercare w/ 1 fill. I was just wondering if what I posted is the standard battery of tests most people have to take care of prior to getting a surgery date. In the meantime, I got some very good news. I have so-so insurance, also self-pay, and I called today to find out if any of these procedures were covered. I was told $500 ded for the year and then they will pay up to $2000 per day for the studies. I think that will cover a decent chunk.

I am so sorry for your loss Chatty.. reading this brought tears to my eyes. I have 2 lovely daughters in their 20's, and a wonderful 5 year old granddaughter who is with me most days while her Mom is completing her education. My Dad passed away at age 100 in January, God bless him, and left me a small inheritance. My first thoughts were to use it to help my daughters, or even make a down-payment on a small house. Save for the future! I have been scraping by for years and not taking care of myself very well. My daughter's tell me there is nothing "material" that would make up for my health declining further, and the possibility of me dying young. Everybody has been supportive of my decision, even though self-pay is a huge expense and there are no guarantees. So now I am committed to do this for myself, as well as them.

I actually watched several lapband surgeries on youtube. I had to squint through parts of it, but it was mostly interesting to see. Not for the squeemish!

I have only been to the seminar so far (physical Tues!) but one of the no-no's my doctor stressed was "NO MILK" as part of the diet regime. Not "no dairy", as he recommended cottage cheese, ricotta, string cheese, etc., just "no milk". I was hoping to find some sort of legal creamer so I could have at least 1 cup of coffee in the morning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9Eq612oI7E

What makes people think it's ok to be such bastards? I have friends who thought they knew what it's like because they were teased about freckles, braces, etc. As if that is even close to the degradation of self-worth caused by the everyday cruelties an overweight person faces. One of my earliest humilations as a chubby child was when new neighbors moved in, and I wandered over to their yard and was tickled that the kids invited me to play. Within minutes, their Dad came dashing out to tell me that I was too heavy for the swingset, and he'd rather I didn't use it. Junior High was one horrific day after another. It hurt me that the few close friends I had were making new friends who all seemed to wrinkle their cute little noses at me. It didn't help when teachers ignored and tolerated cruel remarks. Once a teacher asked for an example of a barren wasteland and one of the popular boys pretended to raise his hand and said "Susan G?" That got some loud hoots of appreciation, and a sigh of exasperation from the teacher, who simply said something like "ok Sam, that's enough". Our "tough guy" vice-principal was a glorified hall monitor, and made everybody walk single-file to the cafateria at lunchtime. He called me "big girl" and though he had several other favorites to *tease* he seemed to go out of his way to single me out. I tried so hard to never catch his eye, just cringing inside waiting for him to say "what's the rush big girl? Afraid they are going to run out of fries?" Others have mentioned the horror of the annual "weigh-in" at gym class. In 7th grade our names were called as we sat in the bleachers, and yes, our weights were called out to the assistant doing the recording. I played sick for several days the next year hoping to be absent on weight day, but mis-timed it. I remember inadvertantly catching the eye of the gym teacher as she weighed me, and she must have read it in my face and took pity on me. She walked over and whispered the bad news to her helper. I still had several people snickering as I went to sit back down "how much??" Can't win! lol Despite the self-loathing, I think there is one positive that came from these and many similar incidents. I think it made me a kinder and more understanding person in my own interactions with others over the years.

Sorry to start another Protein shake thread, but since this seems to be such an important factor in the pre-surgery diet as well as after, I find myself wondering about it a lot, and worrying about finding something I can handle. I remember doing the Cambridge diet years ago and holding my nose to choke down the shakes. I hope it won't be like that. Also there is the expense. Is it cheaper to buy online? GNC? Are the unflavored ones very noticable in broth or say, crystal lite? What about soy?

I just got a coupon in the mail for a 20 pack Premier Nutrition Protein shake, from Costco/Sams. I looked it up online and see "add to Water or your favorite blended shake." and has 30 grams of protein. Has anyone tried this brand? I like the idea of pre-measured packets just to get started. I will try unjury.com and bariatriceating.com too, thank you. I feel like I am kind of obsessing on this but want to be totally prepared.

Thanks for all the input. I am writing these down!

I am looking forward to feeling better, first and foremost. I want to go in a grocery store and just get a little basket if I am just buying a couple of things, rather than a cart for something to lean on. I can't wait to walk up a flight of stairs without being winded and my heart pounding, or to even run a few steps without my ankles and knees giving out. I don't want to wake up gasping in the middle of the night anymore from apnea, or feeling pukey from acidy backwash in my throat. Also, I want to take a family picture without trying to hide behind kids.. lol