First Post - Surgery Scheduled for 9/22

[Tsaleen 1]

Hi guys,

I have been browsing the forums for a few months, I started my lap band journey in April. I am 36 years old and still have not been able to conceive and want to be able to have a child naturally, and the clock is ticking hard!

I have been overweight since I was about 6 years old, I have always been athletic but my body just carries a ton of weight in the middle. I am also very top-heavy even when I was in the best shape of my life I still had to carry around these huge breasts and my back hates me for it!

I started my lapband Quest in April, and was shooting for a July band date but I experienced failure delays. For me what took the longest is getting the pre-op weight loss of a measly 15 pounds. I have PCOS, insulin resistance, pre-diabetic, and very sensitive to carbohydrates. It is so hard for me to control my portions when I am hungry but I generally make good food choices when I do not indulge in sweets.

Anyways I am very nervous, my surgery date is in 12 days. My surgeon has done over 300 RNY surgeries and about 14 lapband surgeries. The weight loss center kept trying to preach RNY surgery but I don't feel it is the right surgery for me.

Good luck to everyone pursuing and currently banded. I hope to be contributing to discussions going forward!

[kittykat56 0]

Hi, Tsaleen! Welcome to the forum. I too am having my surgery on the 22nd. We have a lot on common. I'm actually 38, and I have a four year old daughter. I've been overweight all my life and never dreamed it would take me almost 4 years to conceive once I finally decided the time was right for a baby. It's a painful and very emotional situation. And I can empathize with you totally. I hope we can stay in touch throughout our respective journeys....

Good Luck to you.

[Tsaleen 1]

Kathi,

Thanks for your response! My name is Tricia.

I am happy we found each other! I have my pre-op meeting with my surgeon on Wednesday and my pre-op testing at the surgery center as well. I am getting nervous. I am worried they will tell me to reschedule since I have not lost the full 15 lbs yet.

I wish you the best on our upcoming band-day.

[kittykat56 0]

How's it going today? I didn't have to lose a certain amount weight beforehand. Thank goodness. I lost about 10 lbs from Jan thru July. Then, I gained some back. But I can tell you if you haven't started your pre-op diet yet, you're bound to lose some then. I've lost almost 10 lbs since last Wed.

Good Luck at your pre-op appts and I hope it all goes as planned. Please let me know. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[Tsaleen 1]

Kathi-

Today is good, I am weaning off my espresso habit. My drink of choice at SBux used to be a triple grande soy mocha, in effort to drop some calories I switched to a triple grande soy vanilla latte, then I changed to a grande soy latte with two equals to give up the added sugar.

Today I had a tall soy latte with artificial sweetner.

My surgeon does not require a pre-op diet, only Clear liquids for the full day before surgery and nothing after midnight. I was told I MUST meet my weight loss requirement so if I still have weight to lose when I go on Wednesday I will be doing a liquid diet for the next week I assume.

I am starting to get nervous but I do not want to grow old, being obese and having pain all over my body from carrying this excess weight any longer!

Keep me informed of your progress too. Are you nervous? Excited?

[kittykat56 0]

How did the appt go today? I hope your weigh in went well. I'm still on the pre-op diet and it's been ok. But nothing much more exciting than that. I attended a support group meeting Monday night. My hubby went with me and I was so very happy about that. Then, I had the last of my pre-requirements, a nutrition class on Tuesday morning. I'm officially finished with everything but the surgery.

Now the real fun begins. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. I've been trying to keep it low-key as there are A LOT of days between now and next Wednesday. My husband and I are camping this weekend and that should be a real test for me. But I know I can do it. I have to.

I look forward to hearing back from you.

[Tsaleen 1]

KittyKat,

My appointments went really well today. In fact much better and I am feeling less nervous. I had many questions and received the answers candidly.

First off I found that I have a mild haitial hernia, which my surgeon will repair if it is noticable. He said it is not critical, but if is not repaired it could potentially get bigger, but can always be fixed later. If it is noticable he said might as well tackle it while he is in there.

I am getting the Realize-C band. My surgeon says it is the way to go. I trust him with his decision on this one.

I do not have to have a liquid diet, just all Clear Liquids for Tuesday before the surgery, so pretty much Monday night at midnight is the last time I can have anything other than the "Clear liquids"

My surgery is scheduled for 1pm, I am to arrive and be admitted at 11am. If there are delays my family could be waiting for up to 4-5 hours for word, but the surgery will only take 60-90 minutes if everything goes well.

I went to OR lab and had my pre lab testing. The OR nurse asks me right off "why did you decide to get gastric banding over RnY surgery (bypass). I told her I had problems with Portion Control and I felt this would be the best surgery for me. She was shocked and said this is the first time a patient said that to her and she had RnY 5 years ago. She is sooooo petite and showed me her pictures from when she was heavy and she was my size a little shorter but 275lbs. She was soooo cool, and she is much older. She told me at the time she elected surgery, she didnt think she had a portion control problem, but that she ate the wrong foods and too many sweets. After surgery she slowly realized that portion control was her biggest problem. I think she was hinting that the gastric band may have been the better surgery for her without saying it.

I have more details but it's late and I have been rambling! Keep me updtated with your progress too!!!!

:wub: Your band-day buddie - Tricia

[Chrissy L 0]

Hey we are surgery date twins! I will be looking for your posts during recovery to see how you're doing! Good vibes coming at you

[Tsaleen 1]

Chrissy,

Awesome, there are 3 of us now :thumbup:

I just got a call from the hospital. My insurance is covering my surgery, but I have a high deductible. My portion of just the hospital bill is almost $6K. I still should expect separate bills from the surgeon, anesthesiologist and who knows else!

My husband told me last night we are going to go to costco tomorrow and spend all this money on food for the next 3 weeks to help out with my surgery. I said I only need popsicles, broth and Jello for the first one to two weeks. He then replied "I meant for me and Jake" his brother who lives with us. LOL This is because I usually do most of the shopping, so he wants to help me out by stocking a ton of food in the house that I won't be able to eat. Some help!

[Chrissy L 0]

They try so hard bless their hearts! LOL. I had been making food to freeze so my sister and 13 year old dont have to cook and today the 13 yr old comes to me ad says "You forgot the lasagna" I think she ran because I had the look of a fat women on a liquid diet for days:laugh:

[kittykat56 0]

Hi, Girls! Sorry it's been so long since my last post. I was camping with my family over the weekend and didn't have access to the pc. :thumbup: Boy, was that a test of willpower! My husband and I are normally the Chuckwagon Chefs and it was soooo hard not to taste test or just eat. But....I am so proud to say that I stuck to my pre-op diet and did not cheat!

So, are you ready for Wednesday? I excited, nervous, anxious, sick to my stomach, all in one! Hope you have a good Monday!

[Chrissy L 0]

That must have been hard. congratulations on not cheating, you should be very proud!I kinda lost my appetite, I was assaulted Friday night and I live next door to the person. I'm ready for Wednesday so i can focus on something else. My son came down when all this happened and I was cooking for him and his girl but wasn't real up for eating anyway so it went well.

[kittykat56 0]

I hope you are okay, Chrissy.

I haven't had much of an appetite most of the time these days. It really is true: the less you eat, the less you want. Just think, in less that a day and a half, we'll be banded!!! YAY!

Are ya out there, Aleen? How are you doing?

[Tsaleen 1]

Kat & Chrissy,

Sorry I haven't been able to post, I have been so busy trying to cram in work related tasks for my two jobs and writing a paper for my Master's. Today I am working from home and at my liesure, on Clear liquids and this morning I was getting the grumbly tummy so I am going to get some sf Jello and maybe have a Decaf coffee from sbux and pretend it is the real thing :thumbup:

Kat, I am so happy you enjoyed your camping trip with the family and were able to control your temptations! That is great! I think that is someone telling you that you are ready to do this.

Chrissy, so sorry to hear about your neighbor assaulting you, are you doing better? Will you be safe for recovery?

Tomorrow is the big day, last night was rough. We went to costco this weekend and I picked out what I wanted to have for dinner last night, Jack Daniels shredded chicken sandwiches. The sugar content wasn't too bad for the BBQ Sauce and I was going to have it on wheat bread. I was starting to get frustrated as all of the food at costco I wouldn't be able to eat for at least 4 weeks so I was very careful with my selection. I told my husband that was what we would have for my last dinner. Well I get home from work and for some reason he put it in the freezer and it needs to be defrosted for 6 hours or so so I got SO PISSED. I started crying because he said what's the big deal and I said It's not a big deal to you because your not the one who will be on liquids and soft foods for FOUR WEEKS.

My husband is having more anxiety than I am, he was tossing and turning all night long. I think he was having nightmares. He keeps saying he is worried something may go wrong or I am going to get skinny and leave him.

I looked at my hospital admit papers and although I have had some slightly cold feet over the past few days, I read the ONE thing that finalized the fact that I need this surgery:

Diagnosis: MORBID obesity

I am tired of being fat, I am tired of being tired and in pain every day struggling just to work, walk, sleep, enjoy myself. I am TIRED of being in the WAY, I feel like I am always in someone's way. I am tired of having trouble breathing, over-eating, and not being taken SERIOUS because I am overweight. I want a better quality of life, I WANT to be a normal sized person, I WANT to be healthy and I WANT to live, not die, from being overweight!

No backing out now! Ladies, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Remember if things are bad, if you are in pain, it will be temporary and it WILL BE FOR THE DAMNED BEST!!

SUPER BIG HUGS! HIGH FIVE. BANDEDED LAND in less than 30 hours!!

Tricia

[sassy k's mommy 1]

Just to inform you a breast reduction is WONDERFUL!! I had one in 2008 best decision I ever made. I was an E and now a D. My mother also had it done. I was only out of work less than a week. Most insurance cover it especially if you complain about your neck, back and shoulder pain, along with the indentions you have in your shoulders. I only had to pay 125.00 for it. I would do it all over again. I had a great surgeon.. Who was always there for me when I had question. My mom went from a E to C.