Any Long Islanders?

[Musicmir 0]

I hadnt thought of asking to switch to Dr. Powers. I havent met him, but I'm sure he's just as great as Dr. Geiss. I've been to A LOT of doctors in the past year, and something about Dr. Geiss really made me feel at ease, so of course I'd rather have the surgery with him, but we'll see. My goal was to be healed by Thanksgiving. That and Lord knows I dont fit into any of my clothes from last fall/winter, so I really didnt want to buy a lot of new stuff lol. I'm going to call the office Monday morning to see if they got the letter from my cardiologist - that's all I'm waiting on. In the meantime I actually have an appointment with an endocrinologist Monday morning because when I had the thyroid function test it came back a little whacked out, and my rheumotologist (who drew the blood as a favor for me) said I should see an endo, so we'll see how that goes! I'm SOOO sick of doctors appointments, but at the same time I'm VERY greatful that I have health insurance, and accesebility to some amazing doctors.

Congrats to all who are newly banded and doing well, and yay for ya'll with upcoming surgery dates! Hopefully I'll have one sooner than later!

[susancarole 0]

Musicmir,

You seem to have such a great attitude! I am sure things will work out with the endocrinologist. My thyroid function tests have always been borderline for the synthroid use....so the doctors never put me on it.

Let us know what happens.

Sue

[Musicmir 0]

Well, I went to the Endocrinologist this morning, and she was really nice, and very thorough. She said to hold off on surgery until she gets all the labs in, as she suspects that I have *something* wrong - she's looking for PCOS, Cushings Disease, and some other crapola. Oi givultz. Then again, I still don't have a surgery date so kinda by default she wins. Oh, and did I mention that I get to pee in a bucket for 24 hours? It's a bright orange jug that I have to keep in the fridge. I warned my boyfriend not to drink it

That was gross, sorry :redface:.

How is everyone else doing? I'm starting to get this like "last supper" mentality. The Oreos stood NO chance against me last night. Gotta get my eating habits in check. At least I can blame PMS for another few days:biggrin:.

[shrinkinmom 1]

Lcubed - It would be great if we can have surgery the same date. I am aiming for that Monday or the following one. Both of those days are short work weeks for me due to Veterans day and then Thanksgiving. I am jsut trying to minimize time lost with my students. The two weeks after Thanksgiving are Parent-Teacher conferences and I am going ot have a hard time taking either one of those off.

I have an italian greyhound her name is Giovanna (italian name for an italian dog) We call her Gigi for short. She is 4 years old. WE thought about rescuing another one. Then the realilty of 2 kids under 3 set in. The last thing I need is another dog. But we lover her. :redface: I hear the big greyhounds are much tamer than the little ones.

Have you all told people that you are being banded? I don;t really want everyone at work to know but I have no idea what to tell them. I am also trying to keep it from my mother in law (big mouth) but she is starting to question all my doctors appointments, she lives with us and is getting all the appointment confirmation calls. She thinks I am really sick which I find a bit funny. Anyone got a good lie for me?

Susan--I think it is a great idea that you got rid of your scale. At this point I think we need to enjoy the weightloss journey and learn as many lifelong lessons as possible. I had to get through the batteries from my scale out I was freakin out weighing myself 100 times a day:w00t:.

[♥Amy♥ 5]

Hi everyone!

I just started my journey to bandland on the 17th of this month. I had my consult with Dr. Holover and I had my 1st Dr's appt yesterday. I went to the cardiologist and he's sending me for an echo just to be on the safe side but he said as far as he's concerned, I'm ok for surgery. I have the Endocrinologist on Nov. 18th and today I'm going to make a few more appointments. I'm not really rushing them because I have Aetna and they require a 6 month physician supervised weightloss and exercise regimen. I know there was something in the requirement about a 3 month pre-op thing as in place of the 6 month diet. Does anyone who has Aetna know about that? I have the Open Access HMO. I have an email in to the surgeon's office so maybe they can help me decipher that. It would be great to be able to get the surgery sooner rather than later.

So, hello to all you other Long Island banders and banders-to-be! I'm from Suffolk! :smile:

[Lcubed 0]

Good Luck to you Amy...and welcome!

[susancarole 0]

Hi All,

Yep, happy to have put away the scale for a while....and Shrinkin, I have only told a few people that I have been banded. I figured it is nobody's business, and, just in case it didn't work, for some reason, I wouldn't have to answer to anyone. But happily, so far, so good! I only told my parents right before I went into surgery. I didn't want my mom or dad trying to talk me out of it.....lol....

Welcome Amy, I had to go the 6 month supervised diet as well. I think a lot of insurance companies require it.

Musicmir, I had to do that urine capture as well (and store it in the fridge) but it was for parathyroid function. Your post really cracked me up! I know how you feel, once you see all these doctors, then they make you see more....I had a similar situation. That's why it took me from Nov 2007 until Sept 2 to have this surgery done!

And Lcubed...just wanted to say Hi!

[♥Amy♥ 5]

Thanks Lcubed and susancarole!:smile:

[Musicmir 0]

Welcome Amy! Hi Susan and Lcubed :tt1:

No word from the endocrinologist today. I called the cardiologist yesterday to see if he had written the clearance letter yet (I saw him last Tuesday) and he said he'd have it by the end of the week. I whined a little and asked him to have it done by Wednesday, because frankly I'm tired of waiting to have all my forms in lol. Hopefully he'll do it. I'm going to call Jennifer at Dr. Geiss' tomorrow, and also ask about the possibility of using Dr. Powers. I'm seriously growing impatient, but it could just be the PMS.

*le sigh*:wub:

So how is everyone else's day going?

Oh, I realized I never really have mentioned anything about myself - so here goes!

My name is Miriam, I'm 29, live in Levittown, and I run a housing agency for mentally ill adults. I have an AMAZING boyfriend and a very supportive family. My mother actually had gastric bypass in 2006, and now she has more energy than me! And she's a size 4 (the beeatch). So obesity definatley runs in the family (moms side at least - my dads side is all thin - jerks.) I've been successful at losing weight on my own (lost 65lbs in 2006 - except I didnt know I was thin!) but.... gained just about all of it back. I started researching the lapband back in January and finally decided that it was what I would need to lose weight and KEEP IT OFF long term. Now if I could just get a surgery date....

Talk to ya'll later! :confused:

[Josie040168 2]

Hi Long Islanders....

Had my 5 week follow up since my surgery on the 18th of June. Dr. Holover stated that he was very pleased with the results so far and that I will not need a fill at this time...:girl_hug: and I get to change to stage 3 diet...

So happy with the results myself and cant wait till my next visit with Dr. Holover.

Good Luck to all.

Jo Ann

[Lcubed 0]

Hi to everyone!

Susancarole: How are you doing? I hope you are feeling greyt!!!

Amy: How are you progressing? I hope things are moving along well for you?

Musicmir: Anything new with the change in doctors? I hope you get a surgery date soon.

Josie: Congratulations! I am happy you are doing so well.

And I hope everyone else is doing well also. I am looking forward to hearing more from everyone!

[♥Amy♥ 5]

Hi to everyone!

Amy: How are you progressing? I hope things are moving along well for you?

So far so good! I went to my Pulmonologist appointment yesterday. Monday was the cardiologist, this coming monday is my meeting with my PCP to go over everything and officially start my 6 mo. physician supervised diet and exercise plan, Oct 4th I have a echo cardio gram appointment. The Cardiologist said everything sounded fine but he wanted me to have one "just in case" but he doesn't see any reason, from his standpoint, why I shouldnt be able to have the surgery. Nov 1st is the nutritionist and Nov 18th is the Endocrinologist. The only doc I am using that is reccommended by my surgeon in the psychologist. I was informed by a few psychologists that were on my plan, very nicely, that if they were to work with me on this I would end up paying more out of pocket for them than I would if I paid the flat fee for the surgeon's psych. considering she knows what he wants and the others will have to do a lot of going back and forth.

Anyway, I'll be making some more appointments soon. The 6 months will be up before I know it! :thumbup:

Thanks for asking!

[Cappy 0]

Hi Everyone!

I live in Lake Grove, wanted to say hello and join the chat!

I am being banded by Dr. Geiss but don't have a surgery date as of yet...I just finished all my pre-op testing:lol:the only thing I have left to do is attend the meeting at Dr. Geiss's office (first Tuesday in October)....then I just wait for a date! I hope it doesn't take too long:ohmy:I'm nervous and excited all at the same time! I've been reading as much as I can on this board and really trying to grasp how my life will change after this is over!

I look forward to chatting with you guys! Good luck to all!

[Musicmir 0]

Hey Lcubed, Amy, Cappy, Susancarole... and everyone else reading!

Well I called Dr. Geiss' office to speak to Jennifer today, but she didnt call me back. They got the letter from my cardiologist, but Jennifer told me that Dr. Wistowsky hadnt given them my letter because I paid 1/2 up front and gave her a postdated check (for yesterdays date). That really pissed me off, but Jennifer said that she should be able to get it no problem and to call on Friday. Well she never called me back, so now I have to wait until Monday . Oh, and the endocrinologist called me yesterday with the results of most of my bloodwork. Only thing that came back abnormal was my cortisol level - it was way too high. Next step is the pee in a jug thingee, which i was planning on doing Sunday and bringing it in to the office on Monday. *le sigh*

I can't wait til' all this is over with! I need a hug. Oh look, I found one! :thumbup:

How is everyone else doing?

[susancarole 0]

Hi Everyone,

Lcubed: Thanks for asking...I am doing well. I talked to a woman today who was banded 4 months ago and just got her first fill. She was a lot like me....did not feel a lot of restriction with just the band (unfilled.) Anyway, she got it filled half way and is now finally feeling the restriction and loving it! Even though I have not felt restriction yet as well, I can honestly say that the band must be doing something because I am not hungry in between meals like I used to be.

Amy: I was originally so put off by the fact that I now had to go through a six month supervised diet...but, in reality, the months did go by fast. Just don't forget to make your monthly appointments with the PCP. They don't count that month if you miss! Good luck and keep coming back here to get some awesome support~

Josie: Keep up the great work...

Cappy: Check it out, but I do not think you need to have that meeting to schedule the surgery. As soon as all your prelim appointments are completed, you can schedule the surgery and go to the education meeting on Tuesday while you are waiting to have the surgery with that group. Atleast that's what they were doing 4 weeks ago, unless something has changed. OH, and don't hesitate to call them to see how your chart is going...I had to remind them several times. It is a really busy office. Good luck and let us know when you have your date.

Shrinkin: Do you have your date yet? I think Lcubed could use a buddy with her~

Musicmir: OK, you are getting there! Peeing in the jug won't be pleasant, but you only have to do it for one day, right> You can always bug Jennifer on Monday! Keep plugging away....it is so worth it!

Have a great weekend everyone....

Sue