decided and ready to book my appointment

[snowy 0]

hi,

ive been reading posts here for the pat month and im glad i joined i dont feel alone anymore. ive made my decision and going to see the doc this week to book my surgery appointment.

im anxious nervous but want to change my life for ever.

snowy

[Spartan 4]

Snobar;

Good luck on your path to a better life.

Choose your surgeon wisely. Take your time, and spend a lot of effort on deciding who will perform your surgery and provide your post-op care. It's a very important component of the process. There are some not-so-good surgeons out there, and you really want to make sure you have the very best person.

Good luck...keep us posted on your progress!

S.

[montynic 1]

Good luck on your upcoming journey. Make sure you do lots of research and become as educated as possible with regards to the ins and outs of the band...

[susi1662 3]

Hi snowy!

I am in the same process as you are. I have been reading posts here and have decided to go ahead and start the journey too! I have been to a seminar, but that was back in October, so I am going to another one on the 1st of april. I have an appointment on april 6th with the weight loss clinic to go over my insurance stuff, and after that I don't know what will happen, except that once it starts, I am going to hit the ground running!

susi

hi,

ive been reading posts here for the pat month and im glad i joined i dont feel alone anymore. ive made my decision and going to see the doc this week to book my surgery appointment.

im anxious nervous but want to change my life for ever.

snowy

[AnneGG 0]

I've learned from being on this forum for a little while now that it takes a lot of work to be successful with the lap-band®- as people have said, it is a wonderful tool, but you need to use it.

So while waiting for my surgery, I've been practicing with being careful what I eat, getting regular exercise, and eating small bites and CHEW CHEW CHEW. Not drinking during meals is very difficult for me.

I'm glad I realized the work it will take before my surgery- the info seminar I went to made it seem like the band did all the work.

ETA- I posted this elsewhere, but thought it appropriate for your thread. I can't wait to get the support of the band for myself!

Edited March 27, 2010 by AnneGG

[Spartan 4]

AnneGG Is correct.

learning to live with the Band is a process, and it is something you don't simply turn on like a switch.

It would be very, very wise of you to "act is if" you had the Lap Band now, and learn to eat, drink, and behave in the manner of a successful Lap Band Patient. Learn everything you can about it, and, basically, "practice". Live like you will be living when you have the band.

I think it will help you a lot in your adjustment to "Banded life".

S.

[snowy 0]

Thanks everyone for your supportive and informative replys.

I've booked my doctors appointment for Tuesday adn im hoping my insurance will cover the cosots of the lap band. it will cost me 8000 USD which i can not affod at the moment.

i have decided to go with the same doctor that my freind has and she had it done over a year ago. he is known as the best where i live.

ive already started chewing chewing chewing and trying to eat smaller poritions and bites but the drinking and eating being one hour apart is hard at meal times. excersice i walk alot during the day but im hoping my weight loss will help me get more motivated with proper excercise. as is i just dont see the light at the end of the tunnel.

my question to every one here is :

1. are the fills painful?
   
2. did you have much pain when you woke up after surgery?
   
3. do you vomit after eating and if yes why?
   
4. did you have to eat liquids for one month or one week?
   

thanks

Snowy

[atgoalgal 0]

Snobar;

Good luck on your path to a better life.

Choose your surgeon wisely. Take your time, and spend a lot of effort on deciding who will perform your surgery and provide your post-op care. It's a very important component of the process. There are some not-so-good surgeons out there, and you really want to make sure you have the very best person.

Good luck...keep us posted on your progress!

S.

Hi Spartan,

Please share your story. When were you banded? Who did your surgery?

[atgoalgal 0]

hi,

ive been reading posts here for the pat month and im glad i joined i dont feel alone anymore. ive made my decision and going to see the doc this week to book my surgery appointment.

im anxious nervous but want to change my life for ever.

snowy

Hi Snowy. Welcome. We're all here to help you on your journey. Do you feel like you understand what you need to do to use your lap band?

[BetsyB 9]

Welcome, Snowy Congratulations on making this very big decision! I hope you have good luck on the insurance front, and are on your way to banding! Even if there is an insurance-mandated period of supervision, don't be downhearted---the time can be really useful for preparation for the surgery.

I'll share my responses to the questions you've asked.

1. are the fills painful? Not really. They're like any other injection--briefly uncomfortable, and done before you know it.
   
2. did you have much pain when you woke up after surgery? Not nearly as much as I expected. I expected the experience to be similar to other abdominal surgeries I'd had, but really--it was much better. BUT, immediately post op, yes--I felt pretty cruddy. Fortunately, the pain was very easily managed. Getting up and moving around right away really helped a lot.
   
3. do you vomit after eating and if yes why? No. I don't. I eat very slowly. I take very small bites and chew them well. I don't drink with meals. I made this a habit before surgery, and I practiced it before restriction was even on the horizon.
   
4. did you have to eat liquids for one month or one week? No. My surgeon's recommended eating plan moves patients to pureed Protein three days after surgery. I've been eating "real" food since then. (I didn't even have an all-liquid preop diet. But this varies tremendously from doctor to doctor.)