Any Long Islanders?

[shrinkinmom 1]

Hello everyone - old and new

So I finished all my pretesting and its on its way to Dr. Geiss's office. I was thier to meet with the Pysch on Wed. Jennifer said as long as she has my paperwork by th eend of next week I could have a date as early as mid-October. She said my insurance company is really quick to approve. I was reallytaken back by that. I think i will have to hold off until mid-November though. So I am looking at Nov. 10 or Nov 17.

L-cubed we may just have our surgery the same day. I am so excited that it is so close.

Susan - I have read that there are some patients that get very little fill and are successful b/c they are not hungary between meals. Maybe its the band sitting on that part of the stomach that sends messages to the brain. I guess it could also be a placebo effect. Either way who cares is it is working. Right?

Hi Cappy - I am going to that Tuesday night meeting too. I will be the fat one. ( Just kidding--I know warped) My Name is Christine I will be sure to introduce myself. I am in my mid-thirties with short brown hair I will probably be wearing a dress of some sort.

Musicmir--Hang in there!! You are in the home stretch.

Everyone have a great weekend.

[Cappy 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

Good Morning All!

susancarole: Glad to hear your doing well and not feeling hungry between meals...I can't wait for that! Thanks for your response! I too thought I could get a date without attending the meeting but wasn't sure so I called yesterday and spoke with Jennifer. Now, I've spoken several times to her over the last couple of weeks because I had questions and a couple of times she seemed a bit short with me....I figured, she probably gets tons of calls a day with questions, so I chalked it up to that! Yesterday she told me that she put my file in for review and that by next Wednesday I should get a phone call from someone in the office...I asked if she could give me an idea as to when I "might" get a date but she repeated the same thing about someone calling me next week and seemed to just want to get off the phone. I don't know, maybe she's just overworked! The only person who has NOT sent in my report is the psychiatrist, Willow, which I don't understand because she was the first appointment I had back in the beginning of August. But my file is in for review, so I'm not going to worry about it! I'm hoping the surgery can be done in October but I'm sure that's just wishful thinking...it will probably be more like November.

Hi Christine...I will definitely look for you at the meeting! My name is Fran, I have brown hair and brown eyes (not very helpful, I know)...my husband might come with me to the meeting so that might help in knowing who I am! I'll look for the girl in the dress:smile: Look forward to meeting you!

Hope everyone is doing great!

Fran

[Lcubed 0]

Hi Everyone! I hope you all are having a GREYT weekend!

Amy: The 6 months will be over before you know it. I am lucky that my insurance did not require that. I had my initial consult with Dr. Geiss on 8/1 and started scheduling appts immediately. I had to go back to the cardiologist for extra tests, and the pulmonologist wanted me to be tested for sleep apnea (which I apparently do have) so that required more appts at the sleep center...but it's all done! I did not use their psychologist because I have my own therapist...so avoiding scheduling another appt. was good. It will all be finished before you know it! Please keep us posted!

Cappy aka Fran: Hi and welcome! Liz is the scheduler in the office and she will give you a date when she calls you on Wed. She is very nice and patient so it should be a pleasant conversation. It would be so cool if you had your surgery on Nov. 10. That's my date! I would love to meet you. I did not have to attend the Tues meeting that you are referring to. I do have to attend an educational session on Oct. 21 at 2:45. But that's it...other than the preadmission testing a week before surgery at the hospital. Liz will tell you all about that when she calls to schedule the surgery.

Musicmir: I'm sorry to hear what happened with the psychologist. I would be pissed off also. But they can get the info from her easily since she works there with them. Good luck with the "pee in a jug"! I'm sure it will work out fast and you will get your date quickly. Here's a group hug for you...:thumbup:.

Susancarole: Hi! Sounds like you are doing GREYT! How are you feeling? What's the diet like? When do you move to the next phase? Maybe we can all meet at the support group meeting sometime! I would love to do that after my surgery!

Shrinkinmom: I'm surprised that Jennifer said you could have a date in mid-October. They told me that October was all booked and they were booking for November only. I spoke with someone named Lisa. I do hope we have the surgery on the same day! Susancarole is right...I could use a buddy to go thru this with.

I hope everyone else is doing well!

[twiceblessd 0]

HI All,

I am so excited I am book for my Lapband with Dr. geiss on 11/13. I can't wait. I think this was the longest week waiting this call. Loz was so nice and helpful she answered all of my questions and was so patuent with me. SusanCarole, thanks for the suggestion but she said I need to stay with dr. geiss since I started with him. It all workout though my mom cancelled her plans and told my family I was having hernia surgery so that they won't wonder why I don't eat at the holidays.

LCubed did they tell you when to start the pre-op diet?

Nicolle

[elisa 0]

I just wanted to wish everybody luck on there upcomming surgery. Dr. Geiss did mine on 08/24. I had it 6:00 pm and went home at 10 am the next day. More pain than I thought at first but within a few days I felt much better. I am down 22 pds and slowly going down. I wasn't great on my liquids before. I kind of ate Soup and veggies/ salad. I told Dr. geiss that I wasn't the best on the liquid but he didn't say much about it. He said as long as I was making better decisions eating lite and NOt eating anything fried I should be ok and I was. I'm not saying anybody should sway from their diet. I just didn't have the willpower. He really was great. I also say I haven't had any problems eating anything. Sometimes again I don't make the best choice like yesterday I had a garlic knot and 1 small slice of pizza .I couldn't have eaten another bite. I had some sushi rolls 3 pieces the day before but I am still losing. I just want you guys to know after about 3 weeks you can go out to dinner just to make better decisions than what I make even though its a lot less than what I would of had.

[Lcubed 0]

Hello to Everyone!

Twiceblessed aka Nicolle: I'm happy to hear you have a date! Based on the materials I got when I saw the Christine, the nutritionist, I start the preop diet 7 days before surgery. I can have full liquids during days 1 thru 6, but only Clear Liquids on day 7, which is the day before surgery. I have mine on Nov. 10 so you are right behind me...lol! Good luck!

Elisa: It sounds like you are doing greyt! I can't wait to be at the point you are already!

[susancarole 0]

Hi Everyone:

Great news Twice (Nicole)! You are in great hands with that office. As like Lcubed said, the liquid diet is pre-op for 7 days, and post-op for 2 weeks.

I did the pre-op liquid myself for 8 days because I was paranoid about the "fatty" liver thing, but you really do not have to do anything more than what they tell you!

After the surgery, I did the liquids just shy of the full two weeks. I had the mushy foods two days earlier. I just couldn't take the liquids any more. However, the doctor was not thrilled with my decision because they want you to stick to the plan like glue. Honestly, I did not have a problem. But I will have to say, while I had the mushy foods just a bit early, I did NOT have any high calorie mushy foods. I just stuck to their plan.

I think that it is great that you two are only a week apart in your surgery dates! We should all meet up at one of those support meetings. I am planning on going to the October meeting. I have a friend going whom I met at Syosset hospital because we had surgery together that day!

Hi to everyone else reading and posting on this thread!

Sue

[Lcubed 0]

Hi Everyone!

Susancarole: Hi Sue! How are you doing this week? I hope you are feeling GREYT and progressing as planned. I'd love to hear what's going on with you. And I would definitely want to meet at a support group meeting right after I have surgery. Do you know when they are held?

Elisa: How are you feeling? What's it like for you?

Twiceblessd: Hi Nicolle! Our surgery dates will be here before we know it! Just 4 more weeks til we start our liquid diets.

Cappy: Did you get your surgery date yet?

Amy: How's the preop diet going?

Musicmir: Did you hear anything new yet? Did you get your date yet?

Shrinkinmom: How about you? Did you get your date yet? I'm still hoping for a surgery buddy!

Hope everyone else reading is doing well also! I'm looking forward to hearing from you all.

[susancarole 0]

Hi All,

LCubed: I do believe that the support groups are held each 3rd tuesday of the month. I actually received an email this morning from my hospital band buddy, and she is going also this month.

I am still feeling great and playing a lot of tennis. My husband and I just signed up for a competitive mixed doubles team that starts this month.

Like I said before, I had to put the scale away because it was driving me crazy. However, I am still eating somewhere around 1000 calories a day (I don't count exactly, but I think that's pretty accurate.) Some of my clothes are fitting better. And, I am still not that hungry inbetween meals. They really want you to try and eat like 5 to 6 small meals. I am getting in around 4 small meals per day.

Most likely, I will have my first fill at my next doctor's appointment on October 20. I am not feeling restriction and I really want to try that saline fill to see if it makes a difference (which I am sure it will.) BUT, actually, I have no complaints!

Hi also to: Elisa, Twiceblessed, Amy, Musicmir, Shrinkinmom, and Cappy.

[Cappy 0]

Hi Everyone!

Lcubed: No, no surgery date yet....but Liz did leave me a voice mail on my cell today to set me up....I'm SOOOO NERVOUS AND EXCITED! I called back but they were still on lunch break. I'm going to try calling back in a few minutes. I wonder if they are booked through October already. My husband happens to be off the week of October 27th through November 5th. I'm going to see if they can schedule me sometime then. If not, oh well.

Susancarole: Sounds like your doing great! Tennis is such great exercise and its great that your husband enjoys it too...something nice to share as a couple!

This may sound like a silly question, but do you (Susancarole or anyone else banded) feel like you have something foreign in your body? Are you aware of the band? What about the port? I know its sore in the beginning but I'm wondering, after the soreness wears away, does it bother anyone or does it feel sorta strange...I'm also wondering, once the weight starts coming off in the stomache area, is the port going to be very noticeable? I have small kids and we play around alot, I'm wondering if I have to be extra cautious with the port...just curious. Oh yeah, one more question (sorry, guys...have LOTS)...after surgery, how many days did you need to recover before going back to work? I know everyone is different, I'm just trying to get an "idea" as to how many days off I'll need. I work part-time (3 days) in Manhattan and travel on the LIRR for 4 hours (both ways)...I don't want to push it! I'm thinking I'll need to take all three days off and have the week to recover, but I'm not sure....any thoughts?

Thanks for welcoming me everyone! So happy I have you guys to talk and share with...this is really starting to settle in that I could be going for surgery in just a few weeks...YIKES:ohmy::cool2::ohmy:

[Cappy 0]

Just got my date from Liz...November 20th!!! YIPEEEEEEEEE!!!! I am soooo excited!!!!

However, there is one little problem...I usually go to my brother's house for Thanksgiving...the only two people that know about this surgery are my husband and my Aunt, I'm not telling anyone else. So what do I say when they see I'm not eating??? Unless I suddenly become sick and tell them I can't make it...nothing else is coming to mind:unsure:...any suggestions?

Thanks!

[susancarole 0]

Hi Cappy

Yay, you are all set-up! Nov. 20th will be here before you know it!

Now to answer your questions:

No, I do not feel like there is something foreign in my body. I can not feel the band around my stomach at all.

The portis another story. I do not necessarily "feel" the port most of the time. However, when I exercise the muscle around it, I do feel it a bit. Also, if I reach over my head and twist my left side, I will sometimes get a little pain, but it goes away as fast as it comes. I can also feel the port under my skin with my hand mostly when I am lying down at night. It does not bother me at all 98 percent of the time. Of course, (there is no delicate way to say this) if you are "intimate" with your husband and he knocks into your left side, you might also feel it a bit then, but it has not been a problem.

I have heard that if you lose weight, sometimes the port can be a little noticeable. (Actually it was in the education class with June W that I heard this....) If it is really bothersome, they can change the port size. Someone in the class asked if you can have a smaller port put in right from the start. June's answer was: the doctor does not know which port will go in until he sees how much subcutaneous fat is in the area.

Try not to worry about that stuff Cappy....but you do ask really good questions. I wish I had asked more before I went in! Of course, I can only answer how things have been for me. Honestly, I think I came through the whole thing really really well.

About Thanksgiving....unfortunately, you will be on liquids honey! I had to go to a relatives party while I was on liquids too. I just told them that I had been to a nutritionist (lol which I had) and she had put me on a temporary liquid diet as part of a new plan to get healthier. They all bought it!

About work: One of my hospital buddies went back in 5 days, the other took off 2 weeks. They address this question at the session with June. I went back to competitive tennis a week later, so I guess it all depends on how strenuous your job is. I used to commute to Manhattan from Sayville, so I know what it is like to commute 2 hours each way. I think as long as you get a seat, you would be fine.

Hope this helped you....let me know if you have any other questions.

Sue

[shrinkinmom 1]

HI Everyone,

Susan--I am so glad to here you are doing so well and I would like to join you and Lcubed at one of those post op meetings.

LCubed _ I'm hoping to have the same surgery date too but since Cappy just got Nov 20 it looks like it won't happen. My file looks like it is going to Liz tomorrow or Monday so I am hoping to have my date by the end of next week. I just want it already so I can plan around it. I am on our negiotations team at work and I keep trying not to committ to meetings in November but eventually I will have too. I would prefer to schedule the meetings around the surgery instead of the opposite.

Cappy - I will look for you and your Hubby on Monday. I think my mother may come with me. She is interested in the surgery also. I thought it would be a good idea for her to come. When you spoke to Liz were they booked through Nov 20th? I was hoping to be banded around then. I would like to combine my recovery with Thanksgiving break.

Hello everyone else...I hope you are all doing well. I can't wait for us all to be banded and sharing success stories.

What changes have you made, if any, to get ready for our new lifestyle? I have started to cut up my food before I sit down. I also leave my 1 cup measuring cup on my counter top and I fill it up. Mostly Protein and then some veges and a carb if we are having. I just want to get a visual grip on what 1 cup of food looks like. It is slightly more than I thought although I can still eat at least double. I have also signed up for a Hip Hop class at my daughter's dance school. I thought it sounded like a fun way to get in some excersize.

Have a great night? Is any one playing Palin Bingo tonight?

Chris

[♥Amy♥ 5]

Hey susancarole!

The pre-op diet is kinda getting off to a slow start.

I really need structure and discipline so I'm thinking about talking to my doctor about doing Optifast or something like that.

Does anyone know if insurance companies typically would cover something like that?

[Candle 11]

Congrats to all on your recent and upcoming surgeries!!

I was wondering - does Dr Geiss use the Realize Band now? Is that what you guys are getting or does he still use the AP bands as well?

Someone mentioned pizza and going out to eat after 3 weeks. With the Realize Band, what is the post-op diet? With the AP band, I had to do 2 weeks of liquids and then 3 weeks of mushies.

Cappy - I can't not feel my band at all. From day one, I have never felt any different than before surgery. You may have some swelling for a few weeks after surgery and that can mimic the feeling of "restriction" but everyone is different.

Re: Port. I can feel my port - it's a little knot about 4" above my belly button and to the left. It's never bothered me, other than soreness for about a month after surgery. I actually kind of like my port and find myself rubbing it a lot. :w00t: Unfortunately, I'm an apple shape and even though I've lost 128lbs, I still have a pretty big belly. My muffin top hides the port but I think after a Tummy Tuck it will stick out a little. My boyfriend says he can feel it when we hug.