Where Is The Connecticut Band Fam

[MarilN 0]

Hi! I'm just starting, too. I'll be having my band put on at Midstate in Meriden, hopefully in May. I just had my first dietitian appt. & will be scheduling my psych eval. in a few weeks. I'm supposed to lose 20 lbs. before the surgery, but it's been hard with the holidays. My doctor says the prep process takes 6 months. Is it the same with you? Thanks & keep in touch.

[shortgal 5]

For post op, I followed the Dr's instructions fairly carefully, I probably advanced to each new stage about one day earlier than the full week that was recommended.

At one month out, I am still very carefull about the foods I try. I do find that after a month, I am not having trouble getting the things I try to go down.

If I consume liquid shakes to get my Protein in, they go through the band easily and don't make me feel full very long and if I consume normal but softer foods, my calorie intake goes up and I start to not lose.

So I am in that stage that lapbanders hate. My next fill is Thurs! I hope to get some added restriction from that, until that fill too becomes loose ( hopefully not for a couple weeks) and then I'll repeat the fill process.

I've been fat for so long, but still always impatient to lose the weight in a hurry. I am away from home this weekend and away from my scale, which I am finding is really disturbing for me. I need the security of the scale to tell me if I am at least staying on track. Hopefully, there'll be no bad surprises when I get home and step on it. AND hopefully, there'll be a good surprise that it went down.

I really wanted to get to 198 by Dec 31/Jan 1. Fingers crossed!

[shortgal 5]

No real recipes I can share. I drank the Ispopure CLEAR Protein drink the first week and added SF Jello and I tried chicken broth, but found it was just not agreeing with me until about 12 days out.

I stayed on the thick liquids a little longer than recommended because pureed food is just not appealing to me at all and I found the Atkins shakes agreeable and filling at that time.

Later I progressed to adding scrambled eggs, applesauce and gradually tried turkey meatloaf, some mashed potatoes and still added a shake or two each day to get the Protein in. A few of the lean cuisines, like meatloaf, or salisbury steak are soft for me now and yesterday I had some poached salmon and green Beans.

A lot depends on your food preferences. There's a whole section on the forum dedicated to food questions and some recipes, so that's a good place to try.

I want to try adding the Protein powder like I've read some people post on the forum, to try to add more protein in without adding on the calories. The problem is they come in huge cans and if I don;t like it, I'm stuck with it. I asked at GNC if they had any small sample packs, but they said no.

you'd think manufacturers would have that.

[poodlecamper 0]

CANTWAIT2BETHIN: I'm scheduled for January 15 at St. V's! Dr. Craig Floch is doing my surgery. I start the Optifast diet on Tuesday.

CT MAN: My insurance required a 6 month process before they would even review my records. Fortunately they approved me in 6 days. I had my gallbladder out this past October--the man next to me had lap-band done by Dr. Erlich, who stopped to introduce himself. The doctors and office staff at Fairfield Bariatrics are fantastic. And St. V's was great also--wonderful people.

[poodlecamper 0]

Oh, and CTman, please don't worry about the surgery--or try not to. The guy next to me was walking all over the recovery room before I went home, and I was also up and about. I used a total of 2 pain pills. Mostly I felt tired afterwards.

Hope you get a date soon!!

[CTman 0]

Hi Mariln,

So far things seem to be happening quickly for me and I pray they continue to stay that way. I'm anxious and ready to get this done and begin feeling better about myself and know that I'll be around longer for my children. I see the surgeon on 1/3/08 so I guess I'll have more clarity about what is coming up. Thanks and Keep In Touch, Chris

[CTman 0]

Poodlecamper,

Thanks soooo much for the insurance encouragement. I am told that the Anthem BCBS for state workers is very good and I shouldnt have any problems. I'm trying very hard not to worry about the post/op situation. Hopefully I'll have more information after I meet with Dr. Erhlich on 1/3. Best wishes with starting your diet. I'll be praying for you on the 15th.

Thanks again for your support and I'll be in touch.

12/11/07 Initial Seminar

12/18/07 Therapist/ Dietician Appt.

01/03/07 Dr. Erhlick Appt.

[CTman 0]

Poodlecamper,

Thanks soooo much for the insurance encouragement. I am told that the Anthem BCBS for state workers is very good and I shouldnt have any problems. I'm trying very hard not to worry about the post/op situation. Hopefully I'll have more information after I meet with Dr. Erhlich on 1/3. Best wishes with starting your diet. I'll be praying for you on the 15th.

Thanks again for your support and I'll be in touch.

12/11/07 Initial Seminar

12/18/07 Therapist/ Dietician Appt.

01/03/07 Dr. Erhlick Appt.

Well 1/3/08 is here and I have to go and meet with Dr. Erhlich. I hope I don't have to take a million more tests. I'd like to get a late Feb. 2008. My insurance shouldn't be a problem. I just met a lady at my job that got banded recently. I was told she had no problem. Sorry to ramble. I guess I have to admit I can't wait to get this weight off of me.

[poodlecamper 0]

CTman---How was your visit? I met Dr. Erlich when I was in for my GB in October--nice, cute, too. I'm on day 3 of Optifast--not too bad tasting, but the TV food ads sure loom LARGE and everything smells good----hope I lose a good amount to start me off.

My insurance required a 6 month process--and the time went by fast, although at first it seemed like forever.

Had my preop bloodwork done and saw a friend who had gastric bypass about 3 years ago. She lost close to 200 lbs. and looks great. Told me she can eat whatever she wants and doesn't feel deprived at all--good to hear.

12 days to go!!

[shortgal 5]

Hey CTMAN: I was at the Dr's office today for a fill appt. There were no men there, so our appts must have been at different times. How did your appt go?

I had my second fill today and I now have 3cc in my band. I know I was ready for this fill as my food intake was going up and so was my hunger in between eating as opposed from the first few weeks after surgery.

I had nothing to eat before the appt. I had an Atkins shake when I got home. I noticed I had to drink a little slower after the fill.

I just finished a small glass of V8 and that went down slower, too with a little gurgling. Today and tomorrow I'm to stay on full liquids and then 2 days of mushies before returning to normal food.< /p>

I hope to get at least a week of feeling like I have to go slower and eat less as I haven't lost any weight in the last week.

My next appt is in 2 weeks and I was told we'll evaluate my hunger, my weight loss and how well food is going down and then decide if a fill is necessary. Sounds like a good plan to me.

I have to say this fill hurt a little more than the last, but different person did the fill?????

[CTman 0]

Hey Shortgal, Happy New Year, Congrats on your fill, I had an 11:30 appt. with Dr. Ehrlich. It went great, he seemed surprised that I had seen the dietician and therapist already. After I saw him because I hadn't eaten anything. (I was too nervous to eat) I went and had my bloodwork done and had my gallbladder ultrasound. The only thing left on my check list is to see my primary care physician. I'll be seeing the doc on on Tues. 1/8/08 to get my letter and EKG. Then I'm done. I spoke to one of my co - workers and Anthem took about a week to approve them so hopefully I'll be given a date for the end of Feb. Thanks for keeping in touch. ~ Chris

[shortgal 5]

Glad to hear you got a lot accomplished yesterday. do you have to do an upper GI series as well?

I had my gallbladder out years ago, so I didn't need the ultrasound and I had a upper GI several years ago because of acid reflux and that test diagnosed a hiatal hernia. I was glad I knew that ahead of time b/c Dr. Erlich was able to fix it at the time of surgery and it wasn't a surprise for him to go in and find a hernia that we didn't know about.

You're lucky about your insurance. Our insurance is pretty good on most things, but not on bariatric surgery.

I started the process with Dr. Ehrlich last Feb. and got a big runaround from my insurance. After waiting months and going through denials and appeals, I just didn't want to wait anymore. So bottom line is we self paid and within a month of that decision, I was done!

I'm happy I'm changing my life. I know the first struggle is to get the weight off and I know even with the band I will struggle to keep it off. I honestly feel the "help" of my band will allow me to do that.

Let the CT group know when your date is set!

[CTman 0]

Hooorrrayyyy No drinking uppr GI juice for me. Thanks for asking. As soon as I get a date I'll let u know

[sharona 2]

Hi Ct Man,

I am having my lapbank surgery with Dr. Tischler at Hartford Hospital.

MD visit 12/27

Bloodwork 12/30

GI series 01/03

Cardiologist 01/09

Psychnologist 01/09

Nutritionist 01/10

sleep study 01/11

my next appt with him isn't until end of March but things are going so fast I may change that. I already know my insurance covers the procedures.

wgt. 240

hgt 5.3

BMI 41.2

Sharon

RN/MSN

[shortgal 5]

Hooorrrayyyy No drinking uppr GI juice for me. Thanks for asking. As soon as I get a date I'll let u know

Let us know how you make out after your PCP apt on the 8th! Hoping all goes smoothly for you.

Well, I'm several days past last fill and after a couple days of full liquids, I'm back on soft food and I don't think this fill will last me very long. I can tell I have a band as I have to chew food well or I get that lump feeling and have to wait before continuing.

But I am not feeling full very long after eating or maybe I just need to learn to understand what "full" really feels like. Everything is very new and it's hard to understand the difference between our "old" feeling of belly full and the new feeling of "pouch" full.

The no drinking with meals thing is hard is follow. Even if I don't drink with the meal, I wish I could drink at the end of the meal. I find I'm watching the time right now when I finish, so I'll know when it's an hour and I can drink. I know down the road, I will break that rule if we go out to dinner, as I will occassionally want to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner. I will have to be diligent not to break this rule often.

It's like a baby learning to walk!