warrior68

Just wondering if anyone has anyone read WLS for Dummies? I also saw they are coming out with a WLS Cook Book for Dummies.

I am waiting for my insurance approval, and have been reading up on the two available bands... I am leaning towards the realize band over the lap band, it seems as though there will be less fills, and it can have less problems in the long run, I.E they state on the website less blockages or food getting stuck, and less chance for slippage. Can anyone who has an opinion on this please chime in, I want to hear all opinions, good bad, and indifferent. Thanks

Thank you both for the info!

What is everyone telling their boss, and HR departments regarding disability? Are you just saying your getting a band? Or are you just saying the Dr has you out of work, and here is my note, and disability papers? I'm thinking I may be out a bit longer than most due to the fact that I am on the road all day every day, and I am guessing that with the liquid diet there will be some diarrhea? Last thing I want to to be driving, be an hour away from the nearest bathroom, and have a upset stomach. Not to mention, as a claim rep, with all the bending, climbing, and crawling over and under stuff that I have to do, I'm not to sure how well Ill be able to do that right away?

I am waiting for my insurance approval, and have been reading up on the two available bands... I am leaning towards the realize band over the lap band, it seems as though there will be less fills, and it can have less problems in the long run, I.E they state on the website less blockages or food getting stuck, and less chance for slippage. Can anyone who has an opinion on this please chime in, I want to hear all opinions, good bad, and indifferent. Thanks

I keep thinking up more and more questions as I wait to be approved by my insurance. I'm not sure how to approach this question so I'm gonna just toss it out there. When on the Liquid diet before and after the surgery is anyone experiencing severe diarrhea? This is a large concern with me as I work on the road all day every day, and can not always get to a rest room right away, Sometimes It may be an hour or more to the closest rest room. I am wondering if I may need to have my surgeon take me out of work for the entire liquid diet portion of this process? The last I want to have happen is be a hour or two from, and needing a change of clothes.

Finally had the follow up, Dr put in for my approval today! I got through a lot of the crap really quick, quit smoking, lost the 16 lbs the dr told me to for insurance, saw the food shrink, saw the nutritionist, sleep clinic.... Long story short I finished all those requirements in less than 6 weeks, and finally had my follow up with the surgeon today. I weighed in where I needed to and the Surgeon said he was going to submit the request to insurance so we could set a surgery date, Hell Yeah!! The office girl that works with the insurance company's told me that with my insurance acceptance letters usually come within three weeks and often before two weeks is up! I'm so frigging happy I could just explode! I really want to get this done before September, and be on my way to looking and being healthy next summer. The only problem I'm gonna have is maintaining the weight loss I have had to get this far, I lost it quickly by eating between 800 to 1000 calories per day, and I'm not sure how much it'll take to maintain this weight. I may take a couple practice shots at this liquid diet while I'm waiting out the rest of the process, does everyone use slim fast or Opti Fast? I tend to like the EAS Protein lite, it only has 100 calories, Same with Muscle milk light, and BJ's sells them both by the case.

I went through my surgeons check list with friggin record speed, Food shrink, Sleep study, lost 16 lbs, letter from primary doc, and quit smoking all in under two weeks. At this point I was worried because the nutritionist was the last person I needed to see, and last item on the list to complete before the surgeon would see me for a follow up to get the surgery scheduled... SO I waited, each day wondering, OMG, this Nutritionist lady could potentially hold up my progress for months! By the time today rolled around I had convinced myself that the nutritionist must be an evil woman that hates fat kids, and will make go to months of appointments before giving me the ok for the band surgery. I was walking in to her office going over the arguments in my head, I was prepared to argue any point that she could have made. Turns out, nothing to worry about at all, super nice lady, had a great little one on one talk, next thing I know she says, you're all good to go! HELL YEAH!! Called my surgeon as I was walking though the nutritionist lobby, and set my follow up for may 27th! I really hope to be banded by end of June, maybe mid July.

an anyone tell me what to expect at my first nutritionist appointment? Long story short the receptionist at surgeons office made me nervous. I went for my first appt a couple weeks ago, within 8 days I finished everything on the check list, lost 16lbs, saw the bariatric shrink, letter from my primary doc, sleep study, and so on. The only thing I was unable to to complete was the nutritionist visit because she was booked out till June. I was able to find a different nutritionist in another town that my surgeon said was ok, and she has a opening on may 6th. With my nutritionist app only a couple days away I called the surgeons office to say I had completed everything and wanted to schedule my follow up, the receptionist, who is a very nice lady, said she "could not book the follow up until I had actually seen the nutritionist because the nutritionist may want to see me more than once" I went crazy completing everything on that list, used personal vacation days, spent a Friday night at the sleep center, ate 1000 calories or less each day, worked out each day.... Only to hear, "the nutritionist may want to see you more than once" Im assuming that the nutritionist will want to talk about what a balanced diet is, good carbs, bad carbs, Proteins, and so on. I figured she will want some kind of food diary, no problem I have one from the beginning of April till now. My question is, just what exactly will this nutritionist lady want from me in order to get past her on the first visit? Is there anything I should know, or can do so that she will not make keep coming back and hold up my surgery? My doctor is booking surgery into July now, and If I dont get it done before august I WILL NOT be able to even think of it again until next April. This is the slow time at my job, but come fall we will be very busy right through the winter, I have to have this before August. Can anyone shoot me some good advice? Thanks

Thank you both for the quick replies, and useful information. I guess I'm just impatient because I finally decided that I was going to go through with this, and now I have the Nutritionist hold up deal. I have actually been going through this process for a few years now, went to two Different doctors seminars, went half way through the process for a full bypass with one doctor, only to be told by my Gastrolinterolgost that I can not have a full bypass due to my Crhons disease. Once I was told I could not have the bypass I gave up on this for a couple years, but now I'm sick of being this way, and want to move on with being banded ASAP. I dont want to have to wait until next spring, especially since everything else in place, lost the weight, quit smoking, went to all the appointments, got everything signed by the right doctors. If I have to wait till next spring I'm likely to give up on the process again. Sounds kind of selfish, doesn't it?