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

SpecialK · May 2, 2008

Congratulations Call Me Joy! Approval is the biggest hurdle. You should be hearing about a surgery date soon. Be prepared that they could call you and give you as little as one week or maybe 2 weeks to go for surgery.

The pre-op admission testing day is about a week ahead of that. You go that morning for pre-op admission testing and they do an x-ray, draw bloodwork, then you go for bariatric surgery class with Melissa, then a nutrition class with the nutritionist (Andrea I think her name is), then they take you to a different floor where you get into a gown and they weigh you, do an EKG, blood gasses (another blood test), then finish you off with a physical by a hospital staff doctor. I was surprised that the process took maybe about 4 hours that day. Here's a heads up- go early enough that you get the x-ray and bloodwork drawn done early (you have to be fasting) then you can go to the Tim Hortons and get coffee and a bagel or something to eat, before going to the 2 classes and the other testing.

On waiting for your sister... humm.... I can kind of see waiting and kind of not waiting... If they offered me a surgery date in May and I was ready to go but she doesn't have her approval from Medicare, I'd go ahead and get my surgery. If she gets her approval before they give you a surgery date, then maybe I'd wait to synch up but I was chomping at the bit to get banded as soon as possible to so I could start losing.

Pre-op diet -- Dr. Choban and Dr. Price didn't make us do pre-op diet but I did voluntarily on my own and lost about 6-8 lbs by doing 2 Protein shake meals and 1 meal with lean meat and veggies only, sugar free popsicles for treats. So, other than the night before surgery, nothing to eat after midnight that night, not even Water or ice chips, you don't have to do a pre-op diet.

Now, some of us, me included had one last fling or "Last Supper" or "Farewell to Food" meal the weekend before our surgery on Monday -- I chose to do mine on Friday p.m. (PIZZA) so that it had more than a good chance to be digested and out of my system by Monday a.m. surgery time (actually I had a 1pm surgery time). I have heard of folks having some huge meal on Sunday evening as their last meal and then think they are good for after midnight to fast for Monday surgery but I really think some of that food is still moving through your digestive tract so just to be safe if you're going to have a splurge I'd do it Friday or Saturday for a Monday surgery date or something similar.

SpecialK · May 2, 2008

For the Shrinking Shamrocks bandsters -- I got my 2nd fill appt scheduled for June 10th just 3 days before I head to Florida for a week of vacation but I think it will be fine because I tolerated this first fill just fine and I think 3 days is enough to see if I'm having any trouble with restriction. It will keep me on the straight and narrow while I am on vacation so I am okay with that.

I get my first appointment with Dr. Miller now as my follow up physician for June 24 after I come home from vacation so that should be good for me to be able to tell him how I'm doing with the 2nd fill.

I am surprised to again find the scale going down some each day following this first fill and that I'm again able to stay in the 800+ calorie range these days after being very hungry trying to stay at 1200-1400 calories right before my fill on April 29.

Amazing tool here! Work it Baby!!! LOL

lynlynkr · May 2, 2008

I received a voice message from Charlene today asking to schedule my appointment with Dr. Choban. I have not had my psych, nutition or sleep study yet. Best guess, how long do you think it will be for a surgery date? I am self pay

Call me Joy · May 3, 2008

Thanks Special K for all the info. You are doing terrific with your band.I cannot even comprehend being full/satified with 800 calories.It seems like I am a botttomless pit and I hate to even think how many calories I consume in a day. .

Charlene called my Sis back this afternoon and she is going to summit to Dr. Choban and get us all set up with a surgery date. I guess Medicare does not need pre-approval. I was thinking exactly what you said about going ahead and doing it alone but as things turn out we will get to do it together.

I will take your good advice and not eat a heavy last meal the night before surgery and do it a few days before. And as I have read on this forum do the walking after surgery. I am so excited it just seems so dream like to me.

gregw · May 3, 2008

Welcome to all the newbies! I don't know how far back you've been reading the posts on this thread, but there's a bunch of us who are all 6-7 weeks post-op. I just think it's cool that there's a whole new wave of bandsters joining the group and encourage you to visit here often. I'm sure you will find a lot of good info, as well as developing relationships with a built-in support group. It's great for everyone to be able to share their experiences, tips and support. (You will also find it is a good place to vent your frustrations to some sympathetic and empathetic ears when the need arises.) Wow - now I feel like an old fart who needs to retire and make way for the new kids on the block! :party:

SpecialK · May 3, 2008

I received a voice message from Charlene today asking to schedule my appointment with Dr. Choban. I have not had my psych, nutition or sleep study yet. Best guess, how long do you think it will be for a surgery date? I am self pay

Before I had my psych eval, cardiac and sleep clearances and nailed down I had my first appointment with the surgeon so I think that is what they are trying to schedule you for with Dr. Choban. That is exciting that you don't have to go through the insurance approval hoops but only what Dr. Choban requires so she can approve you not having to potentially do the others if she feels its okay. If not, it could be possible it will take a month or more to get to the appt with Dr. Choban so I'd go ahead and be working the psych eval and sleep clearance things in the meantime, particularly the psych eval because I am guessing they won't let you hop past that clearance because they want to be sure we really are emotionally and mentally equipped and ready for this decision.

If you can convince them you are not a person who snores at all, you might get past the sleep clearance. If you do have a snoring problem, you probably will have to do the sleep clearance.

When I did my sleep study, I had a pre-study appt with the dr., then the 1st night's sleep evaluation overnight, then 2 weeks, then the 2nd night's sleep evaluation with me on my CPAP machine so I think 4-6 weeks elapsed on that in total.

I was guessing your name is Lynn from your user name. Welcome!

Call me Joy · May 3, 2008

Thanks for the welcome Greg. I have tried to read most of the posts on this thread. I will be having surgery with Mid Ohio and value this threads opinions and experiences. Also this group seems to be the most positive. I do not want to know about the bad things that happen with the Lap Band. I figure if I keep my mind cleared of the negatives,they won't happen.

I found the posts of you walking down the corridors at Mt Carmel to be the most enlightening. I guess a full moon brightens up everyything, no matter where it happens. I am just trying to figure out how to put a robe on over an IV. Any suggestions?

SpecialK · May 3, 2008

They give you two hospital gowns - one you can snap/tie in front as a robe on top of the one snapped/tied in the back. I just made sure the back was tied up good and walked without the 2nd hospital gown as a robe. You are right, getting an arm in a robe with the IV in your hand/arm would complicate things.

P.S. You can slip your undies back on shortly after surgery once you get up to your hospital room and/or first time you get up to go to the bathroom so that your backside is covered up for the strolling the halls :-)

Call me Joy · May 3, 2008

Thanks so much K....that is good to know.

lynlynkr · May 3, 2008

That time line sounds about right. On Monday, I will schedule my appt. with Dr. Choban and get my appt. set with the Psych., nutitionist, and the sleep study. It sounds like what you are saying the sleep study takes the longest to get through. Like everyone, I am excited to get started.

I know this sounds stupid too, but I am right at 35 BMI, I am afraid if I loss any weight now (before I see any of the doctors) they might turn me away. Do they do an offical weigh-in? Since I am in a very motivated frame of mind, I could try to loss some now.

I think this is really the most helpful Thread, since we are in the same region.

Lynn:cool:

wildercrews · May 3, 2008

Special K - I saw Dr. Price on May 2 for my post op. All is well. Weight lost is 12 pounds in 2.5 weeks. He said that Dr. Choban will take it from here on out. "Judy" will schedule my first fill. Should I call in a week if I don't hear from anyone?

Grammy in Columbus

nurse niki · May 4, 2008

Hello everyone! I am glad to see we have a few new friends that have joined us over the last few days! Welcome!!! This is the place we all find love and support during our journey! Please let me know if I can help you with anything!

I am proud to announce that I have felt restriction on two occasions!!! Yahoo! It was not a typical "full" feeling, but I was eating some cheese the other day with crackers and I felt like the cheese was VERY slow going down. I had to stop for a minute and take a deep breath.

The other time was eggs and toast this am. I am not sure if the toast was too dry, but I had to take a pause while eating again. I was still hungry with both of these cases so I was able to finish without any trouble. Was this the right thing to do? Should I have stopped with the first sign of restriction even if I was hungry? Just trying to figure this thang out...

Call me Joy · May 4, 2008

Niki, Thanks for the welcome. Fantastic weight loss!

Granny, I am so glad to see that someone close to my age, is doing so good. 12.5 lbs!!! Way to go!

Thinner me · May 4, 2008

Just wanted to check in before church. Hello and welcome to all the new people! Gotta get out the door, eveyone have a blessed day.

SpecialK · May 4, 2008

Hello everyone! I am glad to see we have a few new friends that have joined us over the last few days! Welcome!!! This is the place we all find love and support during our journey! Please let me know if I can help you with anything!
I am proud to announce that I have felt restriction on two occasions!!! Yahoo! It was not a typical "full" feeling, but I was eating some cheese the other day with crackers and I felt like the cheese was VERY slow going down. I had to stop for a minute and take a deep breath.

The other time was eggs and toast this am. I am not sure if the toast was too dry, but I had to take a pause while eating again. I was still hungry with both of these cases so I was able to finish without any trouble. Was this the right thing to do? Should I have stopped with the first sign of restriction even if I was hungry? Just trying to figure this thang out...

Niki, I would just trust my feeling of fullness or for me last night at dinner it was a sense of pressure when I was eating a salad at O'Charley's that is a favorite - a huge bowl of lettuce with chicken tender pieces, some walnuts, few crumbles of blue cheese and dried cranberries. Normally, pre-band I could easily have eaten most of that big salad. Last night, Not! I couldn't even finish about half the chicken on the top - was eating that before the lettuce and picking pieces of nut and cheese to mix in flavors. I easily took 2/3 of that salad home and I'm going to give it a try as dinner tonight. After a certain amount of chicken, which I was taking small bites (not tiny really) and chewing well before swallowing, it was going down fine, just started to slowly feel pressure - I guess that was my stomach pouch sending me a signal of fullness. I stopped at that point and allowed what I ate to settle and I was fine the rest of the night on hunger then.

P.S. It is so hard passing up the rolls at O'Charley's but I have done that twice.... :blush: