N E 1 been Banded at Mt. Carmel col, oh

[sailorChristy 1]

Hi, SpecialK and friends,

I'm not sure it qualifies as "fun," per se, but I'm spending this weekend counting down the finals days 'til I'm banded! The big event is Tues @ 9:30 AM. :-)

[SpecialK 22]

Hi, SpecialK and friends,

I'm not sure it qualifies as "fun," per se, but I'm spending this weekend counting down the finals days 'til I'm banded! The big event is Tues @ 9:30 AM. :-)

Congrats Christy! I think I remember that you are going to Dr. Curry in Cincy. Wishing you all the best. Post and let us know when you are home.

[lynlynkr 0]

Special K

You only gained 1 pound after vacation! That is great. I can gain 1 pound by the end of the day! Ice cream is my weakness too. I just can't have it around. Your mom and I would be camped out at the ice cream parlor.

I still have problems ordering too much at restaurant also. I try to order small amounts but it is still too much. If I order a side salad with everyone else - I am too full for the Protein. How are the rest of you managing the ordering part of this process?

Another thing I am very cautious about -is when I have to eat with coworkers/boss and they don't know about the band. (new job- they only know me thin) It wasn't a big deal at first, but now they are starting to notice I do not eat much and that I usually order Soup. Big panic- what if something would get stuck!!!!!

My cast comes off Wednesday - can't wait.

Have a great holiday weekend. Lynn

[SpecialK 22]

Here's a weird food episode. On Memorial weekend, we had burgers grilled out and an ear of sweet corn and did fine. I cut the corn off the cob of the extra ears of corn and tried to eat about 1/2 cup of corn tonight and totally sliming all over even with having chewed the corn very well. I don't know if it was the combination of the hamburger had some grease to help ease things down or what. I think I'm going to use my little food processor and chop that corn up into "creamed corn" because it did taste really good.

My Mom and I went to KFC and got a 1 piece chicken meal with 2 sides of coleslaw and I really was more interested in eating the coleslaw first and lo and behold, I got full on 3/4 cup of coleslaw and never touched the piece of chicken. Restriction does seem to vary day to day on some things.

[nurse niki 0]

Kathy, I am having the same experience as you. One day, I can eat about a cup of food, depending on the consistancy...the next, I need to be careful to have some type of "sauce" to help the meat go down. I really love my level of restriction right now, and would hate to get Fluid taken out...so this is by no means me complaining!!!

I find that I have more trouble before my TOM and then things loosen right up after the homones have calmed down.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weather and finding some activities to keep our heart rates (and weight loss) up!

[lynlynkr 0]

I totally agree. Some days I can eat something and the next time I can't. Somedays I can only eat a cup of food at a time and other times I can eat more. Very strange. I get a little anxious when I have to eat in work settings - am I going to get through the meal or not. Of course by now my family is use to it. It is really an ongoing learning experience.

I am soooo glad I have my band. It has really be a life saver! I look and feel better than I have in years. So for that I will tolerate the quirks.

I weighted in at 155 today. All Time lowest weight with my band. Yeah me.

Have a great weekend.

[BillOh 13]

I get a little anxious when I have to eat in work settings.

I think anxious is ok, it means your aware. The few times I've had a problem is when I have been over casual and not paying enough attention to how I'm eating. I've told people eating small bites and eating slowly is one of the main ways I've lost weight, which is largely true.

[SpecialK 22]

Last night's Mt. Carmel Bariatric Support group was led by our program nutritionist as our bariatric nurse coordinator was off on vacation. I have seen alot of interesting postings on this board about the VSG or Gastric Sleeve and I asked her if she knew if Mt. Carmel's surgeons were considering offering that in addition to Lapband and RNY. Turns out Dr. Choban is doing an extensive study and I guess there is a ton of preparation work and certification in the medical field, the nurses, the OR staff, etc. before they can add a new surgical procedure to their offerings. She even mentioned that Mt. Carmel now offers the Realize band as well as Allergan's Lapband which I didn't know. She said it took alot of special preparation to add the second manufacturer's band option to their bariatric program.

[Floridainohio 2]

Hello,

I am new to this journey and just got approved by Mt. Carmel the other day. I have forwarded my $300 administrative fee and am awaiting the next step.

Obviously, I am nervous but also very excited.

I've been reading the threads, but don't see anyone that has had the procedure done by Dr. Miller. Anyone out there? I keep seeing Dr. Choban's name.

One other thing that I haven't read about before is the nausea. What is this about??

I know I'm going on & on & on, but I have so many questions for people have gone through this already. Any advise, suggestions and encouragement will be happily accepted.

thanks

[SpecialK 22]

Hi and Welcome FloridainOhio -- I see Dr. Miller for all my lapband follow up care after Dr. Price did my surgery and I really like Dr. Miller. I have met several of his patients at the Mt. Carmel Bariatric Support meetings and everyone of them is positive so I'd say, you're fine working with him. All three of the Mid Ohio Surgical Assoc doctors work in concert with each other which is something I like because they back each other up if one is out and not available, you can see the other.

Not sure what the nausea you are reading about is. Post surgery for the first couple days I had some pain from gas from surgery that migrates up from the abdominal cavity to the upper chest/shoulder area as it works itself out -- they use gas to elevate the abdominal skin and cavity so they can work laproscopically and then the gas is deflated but a little remains inside and has to work itself out. I think they could be referring to that. I wasn't 'sick to my stomach' with nausea really.

[sillypuddy421 0]

Hi Everybody~

Had my one on one nutrition class today,and the group one at the end of the month, then they will be turning everything into Cigna. I so hope there won't be any hassle getting approved. I am so excited,but a little scared too. Scary giving up the "friend" that has gotten me through a lot of stressful times,but also taken so much of my life away. I have been trying to get out of my house more when I am not working,and trying to make new friends. I am pretty outgoing now,and I know with a lot of this weight gone, I will be able to do even more! Keep your fingers crossed,and if anyone has any ideas of how or what to do instead of emotional eating let me know!!!!

Joyce

[SpecialK 22]

Sillypuddy - congrats on moving another step closer in your lapband journey. Most of us find that when we meet all the requirements like the nutrition documentation, etc. the approval process with insurance goes fairly quick once they do the submit. Wishing you smooth sailing.

On emotional eating, the lapband restriction definitely helps with the quantity of food I used to eat when I was stressed because I know just can't eat the volume I used to eat when I hit these times, e.g. like the major portion of a pizza by myself, to confess one example. However, the lapband doesn't stop you from still satisfying emotional needs with something like ice cream, so yes, you are going to have to just mentally tell yourself that you can't do that. I just don't keep ice cream in the house for example. If I have ice cream now, its a single scoop in a dish, and I limit how often I even give myself the okay to do that. I do keep "safe" Snacks with Portion Control built in as things I can eat if I am hungry and stress is driving my hunger. I keep mini-carrots, yogurt, applesauce cups, SF Jello pudding snacks, 100 calorie snack packs, for examples. I have one and see if that is enough, wait awhile, then if I am still feeling hungry, go get a second one, etc.

Now that the weather is getting nicer, just getting out of the house where there isn't food is an avoidance - yard work, a nice walk, etc.

I am seeking help regularly from support groups, this lapbandtalk board, obesityhelp, etc. and it helps me.

And, sometimes when I am really stressed, my body is just plain tired, I go to bed early and give myself that extra rest instead of eating, a nap or earlier bedtime.

I am also a reader, choosing to read a few pages of a good book before going to sleep to relieve stress.

Last and of course crafts -- I am into scrapbooking and I am keeping a scrapbook of my weight loss journey and so I keep taking pictures of my progress as I go along, and I'm keeping momentos of the different milestones, and then when I have some things saved up, I get all my supplies out and make a mess keeping my hands and mind busy.

Hang in there, its a journey and if we have a few detours, and I certainly have, where I have eaten things I am not proud of, get back on track the next day.

[Floridainohio 2]

Hello SpecialK,

Thanks for responding to me - I appreciate it.

I'm curious as to what to expect in this papework/approval process. I filled out my paperwork, received my acceptance letter, submitted my $300 and received a call to schedule my initial consultation w/ the surgeon. However, I missed the call and have been trying for 2 days to get in touch with the advocate Unfortunately, I just keep getting a voicemail box. I understand she's probably super busy; nevertheless, it doesn't help my anxiety. With my work schedule, the more advanced time I have to get something scheduled the better. It difficult to just take off tomorrow.

I am really trying to not get frustrated here, especially not this early on in the process. Honestly, is this the way things go with Mt. Carmel??? Should I expect to not move along quickly? In reading some of the threads, I noticed one woman who seemed to go through drama after drama before being banded. She did say it was worth it, though.:biggrin:

What should I expect - - I think this will help with my anxiety. I know general information about the clearances and things, but specifically how does everything flow? I understand the time frame itself may be different for different people How long after initially meeting the surgeon

did you have your surgery? How many clearances did you have to go through?

I guess I'm so ready to do this that I want it to JUST HAPPEN (lol)

thanks

[seebs 0]

FloridainOhio,

Hi,

I was banded Oct 2007 and had to do all the paperwork dances that you did. I had it all mapped out in my mind that I would get the surgeon call right after I did the paperwork and then schedule the surgery and be started with the new me. Well, it doesn't always go that way.

I missed a phone call too and had to wait. It was June that I had all the paperwork done and Aug until I got the surgeon's appt. The next available surgery date was Oct. Your milage may vary, of course, but don't let the stress get you done.

Susan

Seebs (who has been out of contact for awhile as home laptop went kablueey).

[SpecialK 22]

Ditto what Seebs said.... the one person who does the paperwork stuff for this does have a little bit of a reputation for not returning phone calls as timely as we all want and you just have to keep calling and emphasizing that you want a call back. I can also tell you that if you call the main number of the doctors office, they mention if you don't know the number of the person that there is a phone directory of those in the office and if you take the option or put in the office manager named "David" you can leave him a message of, hey, I'm not getting called back tiemly enough and he does then grease the skids to get you a response.

Again, the trouble with the paperwork is now a distant memory to me and it was worth it.