LDM

Help! I'm sure this has been asked before, so please excuse the repeat -- I tried searching but couldn't figure my way around so well! Can anyone recommend a surgeon in San Francisco, or surrounding areas?? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! LOU

Hello gang, I don't know if it's appropriate to post this here, but I've been reading some of the threads and, based on my own experience, feel like I have to say something about the psych eval process. I was banded in October 2006 by Dr. Shah @ Lennox Hill in NYC. Since then, I've lost about 75 pounds -- and going! Interestingly, I'm also a psychologist in San Francisco who now performs the pre-surgical evals and can say that the questions I ask and the things I look fore are MUCH different since the surgery. I don't think someone who hasn't actually had the surgery can relate as well to the emotional/psychological process before and AFTER the surgery. I don't believe MY evaluator understood me very well, and there was no opportunity to follow-up afterwards. It makes me angry that most insurance companies refuse to pay for the psych eval, although I've heard that some centers have on-site evaluators that can accept insurance via the medical doctors. I do accept insurance, yet I have not stumbled across any that will authorize the evaluation yet. As far as being denied for the surgery for psych reasons goes, I've only recommended that a few times, and only in cases where there was something major going on that was unrelated to the surgery process and needed to be addressed beforehand. I can't stress enough that this isn't something to pass or fail, or a yes or no -- I like to stress that if you are "denied" because of the psych eval, it's more of an indicator of timing or stressors usually unrelated to the procedure but might prevent you from healing afterwards. Just my 2 cents! Thanks!

OMG! u had the surgery today and are up and at the computer already!!?? WOWS! and CONGRATS! and THANKS for the referral!! I can't believe you are at the computer already!

Hi everyone, I had my surgery last week on the 24th, and finally feel normal (aside from the itching!) I've been eating (drinking) Miso Soup, tomato soup, broths, Water, diet iced tea, Protein drink, and cottage cheese (just because i felt the need to have something "solid" once per day). However, the past two days I've been feeling REALLY hungry at various points during the day, so then I panic that the band slipped or something. Did anyone else feel like that a week or so out from their surgery? Next week, I guess i'm supposed to enter the more solid/puree'd stuff, and think that might help with the hunger, but I don't know what's normal or not. Any advice??? :help: LOU

Thanks Susan For The Ticker Instructions! Worked Great, As You Can See!

Hello! Glad to have found this site, and reading through the posts I found the whole range of thoughts and feelings I've had -- pre and post surgery -- about the process! Here are my stats: Pre-op weight: 288 age: 38 sex: M I had my surgery on Tuesday, 10.24 and am just returning to work this morning (BOOO!). My surgeon was Dr. Shah @ Lennox Hill Hostpital (broth or Jello down without feeling full. But, that quickly passed and I moved on to tomato Soup and applesauce and cottage cheese, etc. I definitely recommend taking a week off work, just for your own peace of mind! I feel almost normal again, except for the following: I AM TOTALLY CONSTAPATED! Actually, I'm not sure it's constipation because there is no pain or discomfort, but i'm used to going #2 at least 2x per day and now i've gone 2 days without going #2! (Sorry for the graphic details, but It's troubling me!) I can't seem to figure how to get the weight loss meter at the bottom of my posts! any guidance would be greatly appreciated! Also, if you have any questions, feel free to ask! LM

Thank you everybody for your support and assistance! The constipation has, in fact, "passed" (hee hee) and I finally feel normal. Getting ready to go to the doctor for my first post-op check up next week!