anyone from indiana?

[FrancesMP 0]

Hey Becca!!!

I met him the other day and he is really great!!! i am doing self pay also and it was very reasonable....yeah i noticed that st. vincent is crazy busy....i felt like i was a number there and not a person...were with Dr. McEwen it was totaly different...i cant wait to get banded prayin for March 6th...have my pre-op class wedn!

Talk to you later

Frances

[ellebrookes 1]

Amy, how did your surgery go!? and congrats on starting your journey

[AmyJS27 0]

Amy, how did your surgery go!? and congrats on starting your journey

Surgery was Tuesday at 9:00 and I was home by 12:30. My stomach area is super tender but otherwise I feel great. I am having a hard time eating. I have been able to keep some Jello and Water down, but not the chicken broth. I think I just tried too much. I know I have to eat but I am having a hard time getting the 1/2 cup in at each meal. Thanks for remembering me.

[ellebrookes 1]

Surgery was Tuesday at 9:00 and I was home by 12:30. My stomach area is super tender but otherwise I feel great. I am having a hard time eating. I have been able to keep some Jello and Water down, but not the chicken broth. I think I just tried too much. I know I have to eat but I am having a hard time getting the 1/2 cup in at each meal. Thanks for remembering me.

you are only a day out! no need to eat much at all. I think I got in a few sips of Soup until day 3 or so. I ended up getting some hard candies to suck on to help with hunger- and you will get hungry. super hungry.

I ended up getting really sick on Monday with strep throat and found out my pcp doesn't work in the same office. so I am shopping for a new doctor? any suggestions? I am not from here so don't know many people to ask. I ended up going to the hospital on Tuesday. as I walked to the outpatient pharmacy I thought of you and how you were getting your surgery. perhaps even at the same time. glad you are feeling well.

next step: stitches out.

[AmyJS27 0]

you are only a day out! no need to eat much at all. I think I got in a few sips of Soup until day 3 or so. I ended up getting some hard candies to suck on to help with hunger- and you will get hungry. super hungry.

I ended up getting really sick on Monday with strep throat and found out my pcp doesn't work in the same office. so I am shopping for a new doctor? any suggestions? I am not from here so don't know many people to ask. I ended up going to the hospital on Tuesday. as I walked to the outpatient pharmacy I thought of you and how you were getting your surgery. perhaps even at the same time. glad you are feeling well.

next step: stitches out.

I hope you get to feeling better, and its nothing serious.

I really don't have a "true" doctor; besides my weight issue I am pretty healthy. If I get a cold or something I have gone to 1st Health Care over on West 3rd. They are super nice and covered by my insurance. I have had a better day today than yesterday. A few sips of broth and a bit of strawberry Ensure. I am excited for the next stages.

[cindylouwho35 0]

Hey Becca!!!

I met him the other day and he is really great!!! i am doing self pay also and it was very reasonable....yeah i noticed that st. vincent is crazy busy....i felt like i was a number there and not a person...were with Dr. McEwen it was totaly different...i cant wait to get banded prayin for March 6th...have my pre-op class wedn!

Talk to you later

Frances

I hope you had a good surgery day. Dr McEwen was my surgeon also. THe surgery center was great. Yep you are right about St Vincent....the big bypass processing plant. Everyone in the waiting area was BYPASS. They looked at me like I was an idiot when I said I was getting a BAND. It was the best thing I ever did for myself. Yep it took more work..but hey anything worth having is worth working hard for:) Any way, you will not be a number at dr mcewen's office. I am amazed that cheryl always seems to know everyone's name at group night as soon as they come in...it is wierd but in a good way. I LOVE MY BAND AND MY SURGEON!

[hoosierpoms 0]

Hello Francess...

I am hoping that your surgery day went well and that you get home and see the message here. I was in Indy today and picked up my new bike, got new shoes and pedals.....I had my adjustment, and got home and was thinking about you.

I hope you had a great day, and you take it easy.....I cant wait to talk to you...email me.....

Traci:tongue2:

[buffybandslayer 0]

Thank you for your email Cindy. I am very happy you and the other banders are successful!

As I said per my email, I was responding to several private emails I had received and I was setting the record straight per MY status.

So please do not feel it is necessary to send emails to me on your thoughts about your surgeon. I am happy that your happy and doing well.

People are free to do as they please.

Keep up the good work!

Buffy

[Chris61 0]

It is hard to believe that it was six months ago this week and next week that my wife and I were banded. Time sure has gone by fast. Combined we have lost over 70 lbs. We have had three fills each. I have a total of 5.2 cc in my band and I think she has 4cc. She has lost over 32 pounds and I have lost 45 since my high of 250 in June of 2007.

We went for are 6 month check-up with the surgeon and he feels that we are doing really well. He also feels that we are almost or right at the sweet spot. He could have done an adjustment next week but we both felt that it might make us to tight and would have to come back for an unfill. He did leave it open that if we felt that we needed a fill that we could call him and go in and have it done. He also said that we are on track with loosing 1-3 lbs a week and that by September which will be one year that we should be down another 30- 40 lbs. With summer coming on and able to get out and do more exercise etc. I really feel that we will make it.

We are both very please so far with the loss in weight, and wish to thank every one for all your support, advice and friendship. Without I doubt we would be here today. I will say that the last 9 months have gone real fast and we have seen a lot of changes in our lives in regards to health and other issues. It has been a real learning experience. People have asked if it has been easy? I would have to tell them no it has not. I tell them that what you have to do is to take baby steps (or one step at a time). It is something that will no happen overnight. It takes a lot of work to change lifestyles and eating habits. It is something that does not happen overnight. One of the biggest issues I have dealt with is when going out and eating with other people is trying to eat real slowly while they are eating real fast. I will say that it has caused me to slim a lot and to have a few bp’s. I have also had issues with some types of foods. I eat most foods and not have a problem. I have had some issues with shredded pork, real thin potatoes. I have also notice that when eating sandwiches I do not eat hardly any of the bread. The head hunger is still there. My body is still trying to adjust to the fact that Iam eating less. My stomach still says I am hungry even though I am full. I really wish there was a way you can control this.

We have both notices changes in are bodies, we are down in clothes sizes, are bodies are a lot thinner and we have also noticed that we get colder easier than before. We are able to do a lot more things and spend longer times on them. For myself I have seen changes in my sleep apnea. I have gone from a setting of 12 down to a setting of 7. I am going from the machine to a herbest dental retainer to wear at night while sleeping. Iam only getting about 2 hours a night with the mask on. The doctor feels that this will work a lot better for me, since some people have problems. We have both gone to a new doctor who is band friendly and understands the issues that we are dealing with. I saw him on Monday as well and he said the blood pressure and all the blood test were good expect for my uric acid (gout) which is still high. Were not sure if the gout will go away or not at this time. My wife has had her meds changed and is slowly getting off of insulin and her other meds as well.

I know this is long but it has been a while since I have posted and I also wanted the new people that are coming in and getting ready for this procedure to understand that it does take work, it is not going to happen overnight and that the rewards are great. This has been one of the best things that we have done and would do it again.

Chris

[Chris61 0]

sleep Apena NSV

I found out last June that I had sleep apena and started using the CPAP machine about a month before being banded. I had a pressure setting of 12 and now down to a 7. I have lost close to 50lbs since being banded 6 months ago. I have been having problems with to much air etc. along with not wearing the mask the whole night. I talked to the doctor about it and he suggested that we try using a dental device instead. Insurance approved me for the device and I have started to use it and it is great. Here are pictures of the device. The dentist who deals only with sleep apnea feels that this device will work for me and that she wants to do a sleep study in about 4-6 months to ensure that it is working. If it is working then I will not need to use the CPAP.

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So far the dental device seems to be working.

Chris

[LiveLifeAgain 8]

Jill,

I live in Mishawaka and am having surgery April 23 with Dr Greg Credi at Memorial Hospital in South Bend. Where did you have yours done?

[buffybandslayer 0]

Hi Jill

Mine was through St. Vincents-I know alot of emails going back and forth keep talking about them being a "Gastric Mill" per say, but they DO do lapbands also. I was very pleased with my surgeon, the hospital and the results. I am about 4 years out I think, maybe longer. I've lost track of the year I had it done now! I'm 120 pounds down and feel great. You will love the band. Keep going-2 pounds is 2 pounds you will never see again!!

Buffy

[Officeslave 0]

I had mine done at St Vincents as well. I was the only lap-band patient on the floor at that time and the nurses were all surprised I wasn't a gastric patient! I really had no issues there other than I didn't think they were as interested in things like me getting up to walk often etc....but I am pretty self-reliant and was doing it myself as much as I was able to.

[teckla 0]

I had mine done in Michigan City,

Hannateckla

[Chellets 0]

Hi all! Anyone from my neck of the corn field? I am in the process now with Dr Sloan. I have read this thread and haven't seen his name. I would love to hear from anyone that has been a patient of his! Thanks a ton- Chelle