Lap-Band in Upstate NY

[KelCan 0]

To hnladue - I may be going to the September support group with Dr. D. I was surprised they want us to attend BEFORE we have surgery.

To Barbie 1978, Gilta and Carol also - I just met with Dr. DiBenedetto last week for the first time. It was a total chance. I had my information session on 8/13 with Dr. Gandhi the new doctor. I liked him. I liked him so much that I decided to go with him, however, because he is so new (July) he is not credentialed yet with my insurance company. I called the office back and decided it would probably be best if I went with Dr. DiBenedetto so I did. I had a 10/01 appointment. They called me back the same day and said they had a cancellation for 8/20!!!!! WOW was I excited! It went well. I like Dr. D. very much. The support staff in the office I felt was over-the-top wonderful. The only thing that threw me a bit was he said I may want to consider the gastric bypass over the banding due to my family history and my binge eating. He said we would explore that more on my second visit. Now I am confused and perplexed. I have all of my other appointments scheduled; sleep study, nutrition, psych all in September! Now I have to get losing weight. I found out my cousin is also going through all of this at the same time as I am in Corning or Elmira. Just had a family reunion and 2 more cousins had the bypass and one has lost over 100 pounds, one 160 in the last one year. For a gal who was not considering bypass, this sounds very positive!!!!

To Carol - HOW ARE YOU DOING POSTOP???? I thought for sure I would have heard how you were doing by now. It's been, what, about 3 weeks?

Thank you all for your support in helping me make a decision, especially regarding Dr. DiBennedetto. I feel at home there; very comfortable all the way around. No matter what decision I make, I feel I am making it in the very best place. Actually, I feel more like I am going forward for sure, but the whole bypass idea has thrown me off. Did any of you have that recommended to you instead of the LapBand and what did you decide?

[gilta 0]

Kel,

I am glad you feel comfortable with your decision. That is the most important thing!

Things will seem like they take for every to happen and the next moment it is time for the surgery! Let us know when you finally have a date.

I am now 3 weeks out and doing well. I was down 20 lbs! I know this will slow down eventually, but I am enjoying seeing the scale move fast. I started on adding in a few things this week. I feel hungry now, but only can get in about 1/4 cup at a time. I get the signal "hiccup" and immediately stop. That helps a lot.

Keep in touch~

[hnladue 7]

I got my 3rd fill yesterday. I'm up to 6.5cc in my 14cc band. Dr D had a little touble finding the port. Ouchie. Then when filling it I could feel the Fluid going in. I thin it was the temperature difference in the fluid. He took out the old and added new that was room temperature. As a precaution, he stabbed me again and checked to make sure all the fuild was in the band.... ouch. So I was really sore yesterday and on clear fluids until this morning. He said I'm gonna briuse good because of that. So I hit him in the arm! He's never had trouble finding my port, but I did bruise really good last fill.

Ok today, I can feel tighter. Not bruising yet, but my belly looks like a pincusion. Oh and I'm down anoyher pound at least. Maybe this fill will get me on track!

Hows everyone else??

--Heather.

[gilta 0]

Heather,

I am so sorry to hear about your bruises! I hear they can be painful. I am scheduled for my 1st fill on 9/12. I am only occasionally getting hungery, but I am eating every 2-3 hours.

I hope you feel better soon.

[terilynn112 1]

I'm still in the pre op phase. I'll be banded in 16 days. Whoo hooo!

teri

[MKelder 0]

Hello has anyone been banded in the Albany NY area? I am seeing Dr. Shingh?

[terilynn112 1]

My friend, and son's dr had GB surgery with that office. They loved him.

For a dr to pick another dr is a high recommendation.

Teri

[barbie1978 22]

Well HELLO EVERYONE!@ :confused: I'm FINALLY back online...and i have an update....

I had some hiccups in my appointments...I was supposed to see Dr D for my second appointment on 8/28...they had to reschedule b/c they did not have my PCP's letter of support (TOTALLY my fault)...they squeezed me in on 9/10, but they had to reschedule that as well becasue i'm not down 20 yet (but soon!!!) and i didn't finish my 18 sessions of Beyond Diets...i only have 3 left!!!!

As soon as I found out that I couldn't see him until i lost the full 20lbs i got my butt in gear. 2 wks ago I was down 7 pounds...last week i lost another pound...so now i'm down a total of 14! WOOHOO!! I can absolutely be down 6 pounds by my last Beyond Diets meeting..and then I can reschedule and she said that she would get me in ASAP when I call...i'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!! These next 3 weeks are my final step...EVERYTHING else is done so I should be sending in paperwork VERY soon and getting my surgery date! YAY!!!

I'm so glad to be back online and hearing how everyone is doing....talk to everyone soon!

Heather, i'm sorry to hear that there was some issues...i'm also going to expect that it will NEVER happen again! (to ANY of us) OUCH!

Gilta, how are you feeling??

[gilta 0]

Hi Barbie,

I am sure you will get those 6 lbs off quickly. Motivation is a wonderful thing!

I have started working out during the biggest loser and I find that I can go much longer on the elliptical when I am watching that. I do not want to go back to the size I was!

I am doing well! I am not almost 2 months out and I have not needed a fill yet! They put 2cc's in my band during surgery and that seems to be enough for me right now. I am starting to think about a fill as I am able to eat a bit more than I was, but I am still losing on a regular basis. They will not fill you until you stop losing. I like that about them. They will keep me in check this way.

I do my official WI on Friday am, but I peeked this am. I am down 43 since starting this journey and 32 since surgery! That is about 4lbs per week. Not bad!

I am eating about 900-1000 calories a day and they are mainly Protein. Occasionally I have a piece of chocolate or a glass of wine, but portion size is much smaller.

I started as a size 20w and now am close to a regular 16!

I am really happy that I did this!

Best,

Gilta

[barbie1978 22]

Gilta, that's great! 4lbs a week is something i've always wanted to accomplish...nice to know that it's attainable (after surgery)...

I LOVE The Biggest Loser! I applied 2 years ago but I really believe that you HAVE to go to a casting call...I dont' care who's video they show...that show is so motivational...every season I try to lose wtih them...i do..then it comes back..but not anymore!

Did Dr D do your surgery? Or were you at Highland? I don't remember...and i'm too sick at the moment to scroll back through the pages...stomach bug sucks...

[barbie1978 22]

HN...do you have Preferred Care?

[gilta 0]

Hi Barbie,

I am sorry about your stomach bug. That is going around here too. I am grateful I have not gotten it yet.

I am slowing down on my weightloss and only lost 1 lb this week. I was hoping for more. I know I will need a fill soon, but have been trying to put it off as long as possible.

I had my surgery at highland. I have been extremely happy with their care there. THey have been very supportive throughout my journey. I had a bit of an issue post op with calories and the nutritionist talked to me for about 1/2 hour on the phone to straighten me out.

Feel better.

Gilta

[terilynn112 1]

I hope this doesn't come off as a poor me. But doggone it. I've tried several times to join this CLICK, and yet you all ignore me. Well fine. I'll leave you be, but thanks for showing other new yorker's how welcoming some are.

teri

[gilta 0]

Terri

Oh - I am so very sorry! You are more than welcome to join the thread!

I have been on the August 2008 forum and not here too much.

I see that you had your surgery on the 16th (my birthday!). How are you feeling? Are you up and moving around without problems?

Where did you have your surgery?

I read your post from a few pages ago. You are smart to get on the right path now with your boys. My son is 19 and he is overweight as well. I tried teaching him, but he just copied what I did. He now sees what I did wrong and is trying to change, but it is hard doing yourself.

How much have you lost so far?

Gilta

[terilynn112 1]

Terri

Oh - I am so very sorry! You are more than welcome to join the thread!

I have been on the August 2008 forum and not here too much.

I see that you had your surgery on the 16th (my birthday!). How are you feeling? Are you up and moving around without problems?

Where did you have your surgery?

I read your post from a few pages ago. You are smart to get on the right path now with your boys. My son is 19 and he is overweight as well. I tried teaching him, but he just copied what I did. He now sees what I did wrong and is trying to change, but it is hard doing yourself.

How much have you lost so far?

Gilta

Just kindda felt left out. You and one other pretty much kept his thread going, and I wanted so bad to be part of it. Had hoped to be an august allstars too, but made the september samurai (gosh I can't spell that). I had my surgery on my brother's birthday too. Told him he would have to share his special day with me now.

To date, I've lost 39 pounds, and gained back two. I am up and walking, and lifting on my disabled son. Which is a killer. Thankfully Dr Heneghan (at Bassett Cooperstown NY) knew the situation, so took extra care to stitch the port in properly. It feels nice and tight in there. Sometimes to tight :thumbup:

Have you all had fills yet? I think Im more nervous about them than the actual surgery> Surgery doesn't scare me. I've had so many. Something like 10+.

Thanks for welcoming me.

Teri