Getting Banded In Houston, Tx October 4Th (Boy Oh Boy)

[Luci84 3]

Hi all!!

So.. I am nervous excited scared anxious all at the same time. I am currently doing my pre op diet day 7 and I have lost 6 pounds so far. I am 28 y/o female, wife and mom of three boys (all under 6).

I was born in Mexico but have lived in Houston since I was 2.

I stay busy with my boys and work, but I hope to meet people on this path and even some locally too and ecourage and motivate each other!

[Amber_banded052312 8]

Congrats! I am in Houston as well. I was banded at the end of May. Not sure which facility you are using here, but feel free to message me. I am trying to get a walk group together and just a good support group all around.

[SDiane 5]

Hi Amber,

I'm in Houston and my surgery is scheduled for this Friday the 28th. I've been really calm and sure of my decision to have the procedure until today. I'm just hopeful I'm not making a mistake. I was up in the air about the lap band or the gastric sleeve. I did my research and decided the lap band would be less down time and no hospital stay so it won. I know the first few weeks are the hardest but if you could do it over again and not do it, would you? I appreciate any insight you might have for me.

[SDiane 5]

I just noticed you had the same surgeon I am having. Did you go through True Results?

[Amber_banded052312 8]

Hi! Yes, I went through True Results!

My bestie had her surgery done there in October 2011, so she is coming up on a year anniversary of being banded.

I love Dr. Hollis. He made me feel calm the day of the surgery and he talked with my friend after surgery and gave me a pretty picture of my hernia, fixed hernia and then the band in place.

I don't regret the lap-band at all. I had contemplated weight loss surgery for years. I finally hit my breaking point of letting myself go and decided that something needed to be done. I didn't want a quick fix. So bypass was out. The sleeve seemed more safe, but I have a 3 1/2 year old and I am a single mom. The down time and money weren't there for me to do the sleeve, plus it is like the bypass in the sense that you will lose weight faster, but overall there were more pros, for me, to do the lap-band. I have a friend who had the bypass done in 2010 and I see where she is in her journey. I just decided to try True Results and go for the free consultation. Once the wheels were turning, it only took less than a month before I had my surgery.

I go to the support meetings there too. Please feel free to contact me anytime!

[Amber_banded052312 8]

I really didn't give any good advice before so here goes ...

Dr. Hollis said to get up and walk every few hours. I don't know how you handle pain, but I had my sister telling me every other hour to get up and walk. It REALLY did help! I got up and since I live in apts. and we have a gated pool, I just did 1 lap around the pool. The first day I carried a pillow and hugged it while I walked the one lap. Day 2, I was able to walk a little faster and a little further. By day 3, I was walking around the complex (it is a small complex) without the pillow and was feeling much better. It could be that I wanted to hurry and get my kid back since it was the first time I had spent this much time away from my son, but I had my surgery on Wednesday and by Saturday I drove myself to the park to meet my aunt with my son. I did push it a bit much and struggled a little that night, but Sunday when he came home I was good. That Monday was Memorial Day, so I didn't have work, so we just hung out at the apartment and I was able to take it easy. (as easy as a single mom to a 3 1/2 year old can take it)

Warm broth helped. So did hot tea. You might get hungry, but don't eat .. take it slow. Just do the post op diet per Dr. Hollis's instructions. I fought the power a little and got on Soup sooner than it said I should have, but my mind was telling me that I was starving.

I am here for ya and you can always PM me and I can give you my email address and what not. I'd love to see you at a support group meeting! The next one isn't until October 29th, but it is set to be a great meeting.

Most of all, I find that just being around other like minded and banded people and listening to their story and telling your own is helpful.

I hope to hear from you soon!

Amber

[SDiane 5]

Thank you so much. Your response is just what I needed to hear. There are so many questions that I can only get good answers from someone who has had the procedure. I am anxious about tomorrow but feel confident at the same time. I have a high tolerance for pain so I will take your advice to walk, walk, walk. I will go to the support group as soon as I can because I believe the more you know about what to expect the better. I have a friend that had the lap band surgery 5 years ago and she just never lost any weight. Of course, she didn't go for fills and wasn't compliant. I know that I can do this!!!

Thanks again.

[Luci84 3]

Hey I am having mine with Dr. Hollis too!! And reading your post makes me even more apprehensive :/

I have been having a LOT of seconf toughts and my surgery is a week away.

-WITHOUT A DOUBT- the is no cheating after the lap band if you are serious about loosing weight and a truly car concsious of your health and risk factors (slipage etc..)

So my mind really starts gearing up on how good I am doing with the pre op and going to the gym and I start thinking- WHY COULDN'T I keep this up WITHOUT the surgery? Especially if I have to do this afterwards anyway... the whole eating small portions- chewing chewing chewing VERY Well and the most important one ECXERSCISE... BE ACTIVE and I totaly start second guessing my choice..

Any words of advise? Did either of you feel/or have felt this way? Please tell me I am not alone on this feeling?

[SDiane 5]

I completely understand what you're feeling. I began to believe that I could do this without surgical help because I have been so compliant with the pre op diet. I know now after 16 days of not eating all day and then eating very little at night that I can't do it alone. I think doubting the procedure must go along with the procedure itself. I have been fine up until this week. My surgery is tomorrow and I'm nervous and anxious but I believe it's what I have to do.

You will be fine. Anyone can find a way to cheat but I believe once going thru all of this before the surgery, I'm not going to want to cheat...

Good luck..I love Dr. Hollis...

[Amber_banded052312 8]

well, in 2007/2008 i lost 40lbs on my own with a trainer. i maxed out my credit card (1500) paying for training sessions, but i put in the work. I got pregnant with my miracle baby (since baby daddy put me through hell and back and it took a paternity test for him to believe that i wasn't a ***** or liar) and i gained back that 40lbs then lost it after having my son. my losses and emotional eating got me to where i am now and it took me a while to get to the point where i thought i needed help. this was years in the making. i didnt just wake up and decide to do this. i ballooned up to 355lbs and got diabetes and thought to myself... I DON'T WANT TO DIE. I have a son now and it isn't just about me. I lost my older sister when my son was 15 months and then my mom 3 weeks after my sister died. my mom got gestational diabetes with my younger sister and then the diabetes came back years later... the last 8 years of my mom's life was spent in and out of the hospital .. 4 of those years losing herself toe by toe and then finally a below the knee amputation. she was never the same again. she gave up. she was pissed that we let them take her toes, foot and ultimately her lower leg. she was so medicated that she didnt know. i don't wish that on anyone.

if i didn't have my son, i think i wouldn't be here. i would have given up. my son is my strength to keep on. he really was the reason that i decided to do this. because i wanted to be able to run around with him and be here for and with him. losing his aunt and grandmother (while he doesn't remember then really) wasn't easy for him. he is more clingy and he can't stand to be away from me for fear of me not coming back.

just weigh the pros and cons. personally, I DON'T WANT TO DIE. not right now. i have so much yet to do and diabetes and other comorbidities of being morbidly obese aren't going to be the reasons that i am not here with and for my son.

I love Dr. Hollis. I have had such a positive experience with Cindy (the patient advocate) that I have no regrets.

I may fuss and cuss and feel defeated at times, but it is my own fault. I am still, at the end of the day, an emotional eater. I get sad and i want something and i get it. it might just be an ice cream cone... but is that really good?

i am my own worst critic and enemy sometimes. this lap-band, for me, is just a tool to help me relearn to eat and how to cope with my emotional eating problem. if i wanted to just lose weight and be skinny i would have had the bypass.

you must put in the work. you will get discouraged, tired, exhausted, feel defeated, wonder why everyone else seems to be losing weight with their band and wonder what you are doing wrong ... i know because i've felt it all in the last 4 months. but, i can't and won't short change that i've gotten down 30lbs and it has stayed off.

like i said before, i am here if you want to talk. i am not going to sugarcoat anything because i don't want people to sugarcoat this for me.

if you want to read my blog where i chronicled my journey from surgery to now, it really is my feelings day per day ... i haven't edited it to sound good or reflect anyone's opinions or feelings but my own.

www.justicesmom.blogspot.com

pm me and ill give you my email address and i am more than willing to meet up and walk or talk before or after your surgery.

the biggest thing i lack is support. that is why i came here and that is why i go to the support meetings every month.

i believe in you and i know that you can and will do great! (((hugs)))

[Schmeka75 1]

Not sure if i did this right. Im new on here but i went through True Results and Dr. Hollis also, he is awesome...

[Amber_banded052312 8]

Not sure if i did this right. Im new on here but i went through True Results and Dr. Hollis also, he is awesome...

you did it right welcome!

[FatGirlFitGirl 179]

Amber...I have Dr. Hollis as well. Did you have any issues with his staff at all? I have been having heck it seems trying to get stuff done with them. I went through 6 Months with true Results and they were great, Always on top of everything.

I was approved for Surgery on September 20th through my insurance and was told I was only Approved to do it between October 9th and November 9th.

I called BayChoice Bariatrics the first day to set up meeting with surgeon. The female told me she would pull up my paperwork and would give me a call back....Waited all day, no call. The Very next day I called them again seeing as though I was on a limited time schedule with my insurance. The girl I spoke with told me True Results never sent over my information and that it was their fault but gave me information to sign up for the patient portal anyway and told me she would call back. So, giving them the benefit of the doubt I call True Results and speak with Rachel because Cindy was out on Vacation. They told me they sent it all over there the day I was approved. ( I totally believe them too) Anywho, Again...I waited all day for a callback and received nothing.

Day 3 rolls around and being the persistent person I am I called back a third time to Bay Choice. Female Answers the phone and we go through the how spill about how they will call me back once they pull up my information. At that point I had enough. I told them I wasn't getting off the phone until they set up my meeting with Dr. Hollis. They tried telling me I never filled out patient portal...which I did....the first time they asked. After being on hold for 5 minutes she came back saying she found it and that I could meet with a group to speak with Hollis on 10/16/2012 at 2:30PM. YES I'LL TAKE IT!!!

On the 15th I called them to ask again what time I was suppose to be there the female that answered the phone told me I never set anything up. It took everything I had not to throw a fit right there on that phone. I told them about the 3 days of hell I went through to get this meeting and finally after being on hold for 4 minutes they tell me they found it and gave me the time. So the next day I start heading that way (it takes 3 hours to get there from where I live) I arrive at 2pm for the 230 appointment. The girl tells me Dr Hollis is sick and couldn't make it in. I understand people get sick but a damn call to let me know before I make a 6 hour round trip would be GREAT! They tell me they were going to call me but because I didnt fill out the patient portal that they had no contact number for me. SERIOUSLY!!? You mean the Patient portal I filled out a week in advance that you found when I was sitting in your office after traveling 3 hours to get to your location? That had not only MY number but a back up number to call me on?

The only good thing was is I was able to attempt to set up surgery date. I asked for the 29th which is a Monday. When I got home I decided to call and see if November 2nd would be ok, they told me no because Dr. Hollis would be out of the country. I said Ok, So I for sure have to do it before November. LOL, As if I wasn't already pissed off enough at them they tell me I would have to do it after November 12th because that is the day he gets back. AHHHHHH.

The only thing I can say About my experience thus far with his office is that at least they weren't rude.

If Dr. Hollis wasn't so good at what he does I would have tried my best to get another office.

And just for the record, I haven't talked to him at all yet so all negative things I have to say is about is staff and the way they do things.

Excuse all typos and run on sentences too early in the day LOL

[FatGirlFitGirl 179]

OMG just realized I typed a NOVEL!

[Amber_banded052312 8]

I never had to deal with the other office other than the follow up visit and when I went there it was just a quick in and out. I didn't even see Dr. Hollis for the follow up it was his NP Beth. She was nice enough I guess.

I guess I don't understand if you are approved with True Results, why you aren't having it done at their office in Houston opposed to Dr. Hollis's office down 45 South?

If his office is closer to you, I might consider coming that just a bit further and dealing with the True Results staff instead. Dr. Hollis does surgeries 2 days a week at True Results, maybe this is why you are struggling to get an appointment to do it at his Baychoice Bariatrics office?

You got approved for the surgery, I would call Cindy and ask if there is any way you can change doctors. I know Reilly is good. He did my best friend's surgery a year ago.

The patient advocates are there to help you along the way.

I had to meet Dr. Hollis before I could have the surgery. He did a sit down with about 8 other people and talked about the surgery and had a question and answer time and then you could talk to him one on one. But, other than that and surgery day, I haven't seen Dr. Hollis. I do have to say though, that he has a great demeanor and totally made me feel calm and reassured that everything was going to be fine. And it was.

I hope that you can get this straightened out. This does certainly seem like a defeating ordeal.

Let me know how it goes.

Amber