March 2007 Bandsters

[Glogirl 0]

I cannot believe that my surgery is in just a few days (March 5). I actually like the Protein Shakes but the chocolate has been keeping me up at night:) I have also been eating the Protein Bars which are yummy. Today I was a bit out of control and had 2 handfuls of chips..I gotta watch that. Starting to get nervous about the pain and the possibility of failure. I REALLY want this to work. Who else has a MArch 5th date?

Mags

Me Me Me!!! I know it's almost here!!! I'm feeling a little nervous about "this better work"....a friend who I told today said "I am so happy for you. This is going to work. You have tried so hard and dieted so much I just know this will help you do it." I was stunned at such support but my friend is like that. :mad: So I send her statement out to all of us!! We have tried and with this tool we will succeed.

Now I really gota get off this and do my homework....for some crazy reason I decided grad school was a good idea a few years back....but I am on the down hill side and will graduate next fall:fruitsex: Yea Me!!!!

Hang in there everybody and have a great day tomorrow.

[magnolia 1]

Thanks glo..good friends are great...mine have been terrific. My husband is taking two days off to help me out, and he never leaves the office. My kids keep coming up with cute ways for me to vary my shakes..like adding mint extract to the chocolate..for mint/chocolate flavor, and swirling the vanilla and chocolate together. So i am definitely gettting a lot of support.(and of course the best comes from all the helpful people on this site.) Just trying to get my head in the right place to deal with the pain and the adjustment that lies ahead.

Do most people end up staying overnight in the hospital..my Dr. said that most probably I will have to.

let's all keep in touch. I am getting into bed to watch American Idol..so I can't get near the kitchen:)

night all

Mags

[Scarlett 0]

For the past 8 days, I have been drinking 2 Protein Shakes and eating one low carb meal a day, working out every other day, and drinking 8-10 glasses of Water a day. It has really paid off! I was weighed in at the hospital today and I am 9 POUNDS down from last Tuesday. 270lbs!!!!!!! I am so psyched!!!!!! I have never been able to lose that much weight at once without using appetite suppresants. I hope I lose just as well when I start full liquids on Thursday. WOOOOHOOOOOOOOO!!! :clap2:

WooooHoooo....is right.....you rock!! Kick those pounds to the curb!!

[laralynn86 0]

I'm so impressed by you Tammy! I have not been sticking to my half-hearted self-imposed pre-surgery diet at all. I lost one lb, then gained two.

I'm having random pains on my left side tonight, but I swear it's just my psychosematic way of showing stress/nervousness about the surgery.

My surgery is noon-ish on Saturday, and I do have to stay in the hospital that night.

I, too, am looking forward to being able to take some time off work, even if it is to recoup from surgery.

I can't wait until thiis time next week! (Or better yet, this time six months from now, when we're all well on our way to being fabulously successful!)

[synicalchick 0]

Ok. I am sitting:sick propped up in my bed at home several hours post op. Things went well, though he had to switch out all of the needles for the port site because my adominal wall was thick and the needles he had out to stitch it in place were to thin. *I* would like to think that this is because I am so MUSCULAR...:cry R I G H T.:nervous I"ll have to ask him in three weeks when I go in for my fill. ANYwho... this is how my day went.

As you may already now, Auntie Flow decided to visit yesterday:mad: VEHEEERRRRy convineant:tired . I slept pretty well last night suprisingly (thanks to the two tylenol p.m.) :notagree and woke up about 6. I got up and showered with the monkey blood soap stuff they gave me that kind of dried my skin out, got out of the shower and laid down with my heating pad until my sweetie :kiss2: got up and got ready. I put on my best/favorite pair of tie dyed socks and undies and threw my favorite denim dress over my head, grapped my little stuffed moose and away to Baptist we went.

Got there about 8:20 checked in and hung out in w. room. The called me back about 8:40 and got me changed. The anesethia guy came in and did my IV then two or three more anesthia people came in asking me the same quesitons over and over.. who are you,, what are you having done.. WHAT... is your favorite color... etc. I'm like.. hmmmm The do know what they are doing and where they are right?? :paranoid They let my hubby back about 9:30. OH>>> and those of you who might be wondering, they let me wear a tampon.. :clap2: it probably depends on the surgeon. Anywho.. 10:39 comes around and they wheel me back to the surgery room, scoot me on to a different table and put on this DREAMY warm blanket:p ... Next think I know, I'm awake and my 'port site' was hurting like a mo-fo:cry .:faint: they give me something for pain in my IV...30 minutes later some more of that then 30 minutes later the finally gave up and gave me some morphine. After that they wheeled me back to xray, had me drink some barium... which folks.. I'll tell you here and now... WAS DELICIOUS:hungry: . I was "lips sticking to my teeth" parched. And you know.. after not eating real food for awhile.. it's amazing what taste great. The table they had me scootch up on this time was a beeeeatch :omg: for me to scoot on because of the discomfort of the port site. Anywho... it was like a frigging 6 flags ride:phanvan . My feet were against a metal thing at the foot of the bed and it was the only thing between me and me sliding off in the floor:juggle:... ALL 331 lbs of me. Wasn't a real comfortable experience and lasted a little long for my taste.. but.. the things we do for beauty:rolleyes: . All that took what seemed to be about 40 minutes or so then they wheeled me into my room where I got to hang out and watch Oprah, the news, then Hank Hill. Had to wait :bored around until someone looked at my rays to make sure things could go down. I had lots of ice in the meantime.

The 1st thing I remember when I woke up was... YES IT"s over Finanly it's over. To ,me it's the worst part.. all the waiting:bored . waiting for all of the paper work to get filled in... :pout:waiting for Dr.'s appointments, :bored waiting to hear all of your paper work was faxed in. getting denied and :pout:waiting for paper work to be faxed again. finding out your approved, then:bored waiting to schedule, :pout:waiting for your preop testing, :bored waiting for you surgery date, the THE WORST waiting of all for me, is:pout: waiting in your pre op room for the procedure.. then all of the sudden.. the waiting is over... well... unless you count waiting to go home.

I 1st tried to do this 4 yrs ago with diff. insurance and was crushed when I got denied, now, Im sitting here, typing up my experience.. and it's DONE!:clap2: Now all the work begins, but that is ok... because now I have a Tool,,, finally a tool that will work for me and help me to become the healthy me that I was meant to be. I'll be healthier at 40 that I have ever been in my life. I just had my 37th bday and I can't wait to be 40! :humble:

I didn't really have trouble with nausea :speechles until the ride home and it wasn't overwhealming. Todd turned up the air and drove real slow. When I got home he got me set up in my bed with tons of pillows and stuff so i'm not laying down flat. I'm keeping my liquied antibiotic and liquid Loritab in a cooler filled with ice right here along with some sugar free popcicles.

My throat is fairly sore from the breathing tube stuff and my chest is kind of tight and breathing deep isn't the best experience. I kind of dread Thursday slighly 'cause for me, the 2nd or third day after something is usually pain wise the worst.. but maybe not this time. I'm on liquids until Friday then I start stuff like soft scrambled eggs and Soups and oatmeal. Don't know that I'll be ready for that yet but we'll see. I would be nice if I could work a 1/2 day on FRiday even though I have it off. So far.. knock on wood, no gas pains however I did buy some rolaids gas chewables just in case. When I do get up and walk around some I burp a couple of times and i feel a little better. I have had to cough a few times and I've been holding a pillow on my tummy for that and it's not so bad.

It keeps going through my head over and over.. now I have a chance..... now I have a chance. I am so excited about this new opportunity I've been given and can't wait to become more active and do the outdoor things I love. Oh.. also.. if you haven't had it done yet.. I got a reach/grabber thing from bed bath and beyound called the gopher and IT"S GREAT. I can grap stuff with out bending over.

I can't wait to take a hot bath. He did say that I chould shower tomorrow. YOu should see my insicion bandages.. they cut the gauze into heart shapes....:eek:

Well it's about time for pain med dose 2 so more later.:biggrin1: :mad: :hug:<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

__________________

Started Process 1/3/07

Insurance of BCBS if TN

Have exclusion policy for WLS

Date of approval 2/13

Date of surgery 2/27

BMI 54 Weight 336 Height 5'6 1/2" age 37

Surgeon Dr Charles Morton Baptist Hospital Nashville, TN

Goal: Not sure yet. Somewhere under 200

"Always leave get well cards on your mantel, that way when guests come over, they'll think you've been sick:sick and unable to clean."

:hippie:Blessings & Fae Kisses :kiss2:

[kyethra 0]

Went to see my primary Dr. for results of labs and to do EKG. Apparently my liver and Protein readings were a little high, and my Dr. was going to contact my surgeon and recommend postponing for 1 week :faint: . I had to fax the Dr. info on the herbs I'm taking as she thinks that might be the cause of the readings. So everything is in limbo now, and I was all ready.

I was a little concerned something like this might happen to me. I'm a carrier for alpha 1 antitrysan deficiency which means that I don't have it- I'm fine- but that because I do have one abnormal gene my levels of alpha 1 antitrypsan tend to be in low normal range. Now thats just fine. But comparing notes with other individuals like myself (carriers) I've noticed that we do tend to have infections linger longer sometimes in our lungs (one of the organs alpha 1 affects). It also means that sometimes my liver test results are off the chart. My enzymes will get crazy high if I'm sick or even sometimes just because. My brother is the same way. At first doctors get all freaked out then I explain its always been that way and they will go back down and then they do and when it happens again its no big deal. So I mentioned that to the doctor at the surgeons office and that I have no idea what size my liver is or what effect the liquid diet will have but I said please don't freaked out if my liver enzymes are high. She said she had never had a patient with a situation like that before, then she tried to think of a tactful way to tell me I was wierd medically (because I also have narcolepsy and fibromyalgia and stuff) and I just told her it was ok.

I have to do my preop stuff yet-- I think I am supposed to do that soon. Do you get a lot of blood tests normally? How does your protein level usually look?

[kyethra 0]

gynecological surgery- like for cyst removal is usually something that I think takes about the same amount of time too in the operating room-- at least in my experience.

And in my experience a cyst is certainly something (like a complex one with torsion) that could cause you to not be able to eat solids or at least not able to keep them down for a while!

Me, I just tell everyone. And I'll share the journey too. I tend to be a pretty open person about most things. I think that makes it easier for me to hide what I don't feel comfortable being as open about with everyone(like how mentally ill I think my mother is).

[gailannr 1]

Ok. I am sitting:sick propped up in my bed at home several hours post op. Things went well, though he had to switch out all of the needles for the port site because my adominal wall was thick and the needles he had out to stitch it in place were to thin. *I* would like to think that this is because I am so MUSCULAR...:cry R I G H T.:nervous I"ll have to ask him in three weeks when I go in for my fill. ANYwho... this is how my day went.

As you may already now, Auntie Flow decided to visit yesterday:mad: VEHEEERRRRy convineant:tired . I slept pretty well last night suprisingly (thanks to the two tylenol p.m.) :notagree and woke up about 6. I got up and showered with the monkey blood soap stuff they gave me that kind of dried my skin out, got out of the shower and laid down with my heating pad until my sweetie :kiss2: got up and got ready. I put on my best/favorite pair of tie dyed socks and undies and threw my favorite denim dress over my head, grapped my little stuffed moose and away to Baptist we went.

Got there about 8:20 checked in and hung out in w. room. The called me back about 8:40 and got me changed. The anesethia guy came in and did my IV then two or three more anesthia people came in asking me the same quesitons over and over.. who are you,, what are you having done.. WHAT... is your favorite color... etc. I'm like.. hmmmm The do know what they are doing and where they are right?? :paranoid They let my hubby back about 9:30. OH>>> and those of you who might be wondering, they let me wear a tampon.. :clap2: it probably depends on the surgeon. Anywho.. 10:39 comes around and they wheel me back to the surgery room, scoot me on to a different table and put on this DREAMY warm blanket:p ... Next think I know, I'm awake and my 'port site' was hurting like a mo-fo:cry .:faint: they give me something for pain in my IV...30 minutes later some more of that then 30 minutes later the finally gave up and gave me some morphine. After that they wheeled me back to xray, had me drink some barium... which folks.. I'll tell you here and now... WAS DELICIOUS:hungry: . I was "lips sticking to my teeth" parched. And you know.. after not eating real food for awhile.. it's amazing what taste great. The table they had me scootch up on this time was a beeeeatch :omg: for me to scoot on because of the discomfort of the port site. Anywho... it was like a frigging 6 flags ride:phanvan . My feet were against a metal thing at the foot of the bed and it was the only thing between me and me sliding off in the floor:juggle:... ALL 331 lbs of me. Wasn't a real comfortable experience and lasted a little long for my taste.. but.. the things we do for beauty:rolleyes: . All that took what seemed to be about 40 minutes or so then they wheeled me into my room where I got to hang out and watch Oprah, the news, then Hank Hill. Had to wait :bored around until someone looked at my rays to make sure things could go down. I had lots of ice in the meantime.

The 1st thing I remember when I woke up was... YES IT"s over Finanly it's over. To ,me it's the worst part.. all the waiting:bored . waiting for all of the paper work to get filled in... :pout:waiting for Dr.'s appointments, :bored waiting to hear all of your paper work was faxed in. getting denied and :pout:waiting for paper work to be faxed again. finding out your approved, then:bored waiting to schedule, :pout:waiting for your preop testing, :bored waiting for you surgery date, the THE WORST waiting of all for me, is:pout: waiting in your pre op room for the procedure.. then all of the sudden.. the waiting is over... well... unless you count waiting to go home.

I 1st tried to do this 4 yrs ago with diff. insurance and was crushed when I got denied, now, Im sitting here, typing up my experience.. and it's DONE!:clap2: Now all the work begins, but that is ok... because now I have a Tool,,, finally a tool that will work for me and help me to become the healthy me that I was meant to be. I'll be healthier at 40 that I have ever been in my life. I just had my 37th bday and I can't wait to be 40! :humble:

I didn't really have trouble with nausea :speechles until the ride home and it wasn't overwhealming. Todd turned up the air and drove real slow. When I got home he got me set up in my bed with tons of pillows and stuff so i'm not laying down flat. I'm keeping my liquied antibiotic and liquid Loritab in a cooler filled with ice right here along with some sugar free popcicles.

My throat is fairly sore from the breathing tube stuff and my chest is kind of tight and breathing deep isn't the best experience. I kind of dread Thursday slighly 'cause for me, the 2nd or third day after something is usually pain wise the worst.. but maybe not this time. I'm on liquids until Friday then I start stuff like soft scrambled eggs and Soups and oatmeal. Don't know that I'll be ready for that yet but we'll see. I would be nice if I could work a 1/2 day on FRiday even though I have it off. So far.. knock on wood, no gas pains however I did buy some rolaids gas chewables just in case. When I do get up and walk around some I burp a couple of times and i feel a little better. I have had to cough a few times and I've been holding a pillow on my tummy for that and it's not so bad.

It keeps going through my head over and over.. now I have a chance..... now I have a chance. I am so excited about this new opportunity I've been given and can't wait to become more active and do the outdoor things I love. Oh.. also.. if you haven't had it done yet.. I got a reach/grabber thing from bed bath and beyound called the gopher and IT"S GREAT. I can grap stuff with out bending over.

I can't wait to take a hot bath. He did say that I chould shower tomorrow. YOu should see my insicion bandages.. they cut the gauze into heart shapes....:eek:

Well it's about time for pain med dose 2 so more later.:biggrin1: :mad: :hug:<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

__________________

Started Process 1/3/07

Insurance of BCBS if TN

Have exclusion policy for WLS

Date of approval 2/13

Date of surgery 2/27

BMI 54 Weight 336 Height 5'6 1/2" age 37

Surgeon Dr Charles Morton Baptist Hospital Nashville, TN

Goal: Not sure yet. Somewhere under 200

"Always leave get well cards on your mantel, that way when guests come over, they'll think you've been sick:sick and unable to clean."

:hippie:Blessings & Fae Kisses :kiss2:

Synical Chick,

Thanks I enjoyed your post hope you have a comfortable night.

[Sophie248 0]

I was a little concerned something like this might happen to me. I'm a carrier for alpha 1 antitrysan deficiency which means that I don't have it- I'm fine- but that because I do have one abnormal gene my levels of alpha 1 antitrypsan tend to be in low normal range. Now thats just fine. But comparing notes with other individuals like myself (carriers) I've noticed that we do tend to have infections linger longer sometimes in our lungs (one of the organs alpha 1 affects). It also means that sometimes my liver test results are off the chart. My enzymes will get crazy high if I'm sick or even sometimes just because. My brother is the same way. At first doctors get all freaked out then I explain its always been that way and they will go back down and then they do and when it happens again its no big deal. So I mentioned that to the doctor at the surgeons office and that I have no idea what size my liver is or what effect the liquid diet will have but I said please don't freaked out if my liver enzymes are high. She said she had never had a patient with a situation like that before, then she tried to think of a tactful way to tell me I was wierd medically (because I also have narcolepsy and fibromyalgia and stuff) and I just told her it was ok.

I have to do my preop stuff yet-- I think I am supposed to do that soon. Do you get a lot of blood tests normally? How does your Protein level usually look?

I wonder if they will make you wait until your enzymes are normal?? Are there any risks for you re: surgery because of this?

I had tests in 2001 and liver and protein were normal. I don't understand what causes these readings or what the risk would be going ahead with surgery. The Dr. asked if I drank the night before I had my blood test (1 glass of wine), took tylenol (no), or was taking herbs (yes). She's taking more tests (which are a little scarey). Hope they will be ok and I can get this over with.

[Sophie248 0]

Synicalchick, I'm so happy to hear that everything went well for you! Your description was excellent! Happy Bandday!!

Glogirl and Magnolia - I still hope to go March 5th with you guys. I'm pretending it's still going to happen.

Tammy - Contratulations on the weight loss! :clap2:

[hlayne 0]

I want to tell you guys about the people I have told that I'm having surgery...cause it's funny (to me anyway). At my full time job...7 others have had lap band, so when I tell people there, it's no big deal. At my part time job...I told two people I'm having lap band and they just said "What's that?" So I just asked if they wanted to see a picture (my patient card) and they dropped the subject...hahaha.

I'm two days away and I made my last shopping trip tonight for some last min items...

+a thermometer (sp?) cause apparently sometimes you can have a high temp afterwards...so I just want to keep an eye on that

+sugar free Jello cups (I had boxes that I could make, but I decided the less effort at first...the better)

+a new scale (I've been through 3 this month just trying to find a really nice one that I like)

+Mtn Dew, because after Friday I can never have it again..haha

+Orange juice, it's on the list for the first week as long as I Water it down

+Propel Fitness Water....I'm getting a little obsessed with this drink, it's YUMMY

+a couple things for a friend of mine that is going to come stay the weekend with me

+plastic baggies...a friend of mine with lap band told me to keep one in my purse and one in my car for emergencies....I hadn't heard this suggestion yet, so I'm glad she mentioned it!

That was only what I got tonight, of course I've had a few weeks to stock up on anything else I might need. I've done my laundry, because I work the next two nights and wont have time. Cleaned my apt too.

I still just feel unpreparred!! Maybe it's just a mental thing, I mean, I'm only going to be in the hospital a few hours, I don't know what I think I'm gonna need!!

Good luck to those going in tomorrow!!! I might not get to post again before I go on Friday!

[Sue in Russia 0]

Cynicalchick- thanks so much for sharing your journey! It doesn't sound too bad, no? Are you handling the pain ok??

I was nodding as I read everyone's post. We all seem to be worrying about the same stuff. I am only worried about my husbands' reactions now and he is very sweet and very supportive. HE is definitely joining me on THE FARWELL TO food TOUR I am currently on.

Tammy- that's just great..9 lbs. I would love that!

I wanted to respond to everyone but this morning I decided to add highlights to my hair so I am out the door again..I will check back later for patient updates. How cool is this we are starting surgeries and entering lapland...WAY COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tammyj 15]

Thanks Everyone!!! I woke up feeling a little nauseous this morning. I know it's just my nerves knowing I start my pre-op diet tomorrow. The surgery is becoming more of a reality and I am getting quesy just thinking about it.

Synicalchick, I'm so glad everything went well and that you are back home and resting. I know it's such a relief to have the surgery behind you finally and I can't wait to get there with you!!!

hlayne, Mtn Dew????? Right after surgery??? I thought anything carbonated was a no-no. Even if it can't hurt the band do you want to risk the gas pains? I know some people who have been banded awhile will have a pop every now and then. If your Dr. does allow Mtn Dew right after surgery, I hope it's diet because the extra sugar and calories are just not worth it.

Sophie248, You're not having surgery???? What happened? Did I miss something?

[tammyj 15]

Went to see my primary Dr. for results of labs and to do EKG. Apparently my liver and Protein readings were a little high, and my Dr. was going to contact my surgeon and recommend postponing for 1 week :faint: . I had to fax the Dr. info on the herbs I'm taking as she thinks that might be the cause of the readings. So everything is in limbo now, and I was all ready.

Today is day 2 of Liquid Protein diet, and a little better than day 1 (except for this headache!). I realized at 5:00 pm on day 1, that I had only had 2 of my 5 Protein Drinks. I was STARVING when I got home from work, but managed to avoid doing anything crazy. I'm a bit concerned about how I will manage to get my protein/drinks/H2O in during my hectic workday on an ongoing basis - while eating slowly. It will be a major adjustment in making sure I eat at regular intervals with the band and not do my starve until evening - then binge - behavior. I'm not sure it will be possible....

In all my excitement last night, I totally missed this post. I hope they get you rescheduled very soon.

I often wonder about finding 30-40 minutes to sit down for each meal. I can see alot of meals being skipped becasue of that.

[Sue in Russia 0]

Oh girls, see it makes you just nuts getting ready for the surgery. I am sure they will go ahead with the surgery but they have to chase down any red flags. Keep thinking positive thoughts/positive energy that's what I am doing.I hope I can keep it together. When I had my last 2 babies(I was 42 and 42) and i had amnios done I was a freakin' mess before that procedure. BUT I made it through, that's what I keep telling myself.

I stopped drinking soda AND coffee 2 monthes ago.. I won't miss that. I converted to tea..love it.