Pittsburgh Banders

[pgh3rivers 0]

I have had a lot of difficulty deciding between the band vs bypass. I'm struggling with my 6 m of dieting. I'm not loosing weight. A couple days ago I panicked about thought - maybe i should just get the gastric bypass done because i am never going to loose weight. The thought of Gastric Bypass scares the $@!#@! out of me. I thought about it a few years ago and decided against it. I found out UPMC covers the band and started the Magee Weight Management Program. I am 98% sure I am going to have the band.

[pgh3rivers 0]

I added my counter by clicking on one that I liked and it took me to a website. I created it and added the script that the site provided me in my signature. Viola- my counter appeared!

[reif78 0]

its a hard decision to make on which surgery you would prefer. but its best to research them both. yes gb is faster with the weightloss but lapband is safer for you in my eyes. and with gb you have more of a chance to have more excess skin cause of the rapid weightloss as with the band slower weightloss less chance of a large amount of excess skin! plus its reversible if something would happen where the bypass isnt reversible very easy. good luck with your choice

[pgh3rivers 0]

Thanks for the support Shelly. It's starting too look like the kids will have a delay tomorrow. I checked out local school district on kdka.com and so far- no closing/delay. Pgh Public has a two hour delay, I imagine we should be posted shortly. I don't have children of my own however on snow days my house is a zoo with everyone else's. That probably will keep me from the gym and I will be tempted to nibble on junky kiddie Snacks my sister in law and neightbors will drop off along w the kiddies.

:tt2:

[reif78 0]

thats the one thing with me to, with the way i work i always used to just grab and go with snackies. soooooo lol i get those 100 cal snack packs. if i have calories left i eat one of those. i try not to eat over 1000 calories a day but sometimes i have a bad day.

[pgh3rivers 0]

Let me tell you about the horrible snack I tried today- quaker oats 90 calorie chocolate drizzle rice cakes with marshmallow fluff spread on them. OMG- they are so yummy. I got the idea from hungrygirl.com. the only problem is that i want to eat a lot more than the amount i am suppose to. I LOVE junk.

[reif78 0]

your not banded yet are you!! well just wait til u are u wont be able to eat all the junk youll either get too full or it will get stuck and youll throw it back up. trust me its not a good feeling. but i guess thats the way we learn. lol cause even if ya chew it really good it can still get stuck. so that will help get u to cut down on the junk.

[Leslie P 0]

I am just coming up on my 2 year anniversary. I was banded at McGee in March 0f 2006. Dr. Ramanathan was my surgeon. He was very good. I liked him alot. Things must have changed down there because I only went to one seminar before I started the process. I went for a check up today and I am doing great. I have lost 115 pounds. I am only 5' 2" so that is a real big difference for me. I hope to lose about 20 more, but I didn't get a fill today. I think I am tight enough. I don't go back for 6 months.

Anyway, when I was there for the conference, I also met personally with a couple of people and they also tried to talk me into bypass because I am diabetic. i didn't want bypass, in fact if there was not such thing as banding, I wouldn't have considered surgery at all. It turns out that I made the right choice. My blood sugar levels are those of a non-diabetic. I am almost completely off insulin.

Go with your gut. Don't let anyone talk you into something you know is not right for you.

[young at heart 0]

Hi dgnlp2033, I am from Altoona and going to the informational session on Aug.13 at Magee. How many sessions all together will I have to attend. I have Medicare B ins. and I am not sure but don't think I will have to do a 6 mo diet as far as they are concerned but I am anxious to find out how many other sessions Dr. C will require me to attend. I hate the thought of all the traveling back & forth I will have to do. We have two Drs. at Altoona Regional Hospital here in Altoona that do Lap Band Surgery but we are not considered a COE as of yet and Medicare requires that. Appreciate any information that you can give me. Thank you....Yound At Heart

[Barbie54 0]

I am going to McGee to have my surgery on Aug 7th. I had to do the 6 months classes, nutritional consult, psy consult, stress test, upper gi, cardiac consult, stress echo , chest echo, labs....I'm 54 and fairly healthy but 100lbs overwt. I worked 40-50 hrs a week and still had to have all the tests. BY the way I have UPMC insurance. Good luck

[young at heart 0]

Barbie 54, The 6 month classes that you referred to are they once a month or weekly? Are they held in the evening or during the day? Thanks....Young At Heart

[Barbie54 0]

The classes are once a month for 6 months. You pick the day. It could be like the first Monday, the second Tuesday, the third Wed, or the Fourth Thursday. Then you have to go to that class every month. I picked Monday so I went the first Monday of every month. On the 4th month you get to see the doctor and after that you can see nutritionist and psch consult. BUT, that was with my insurance(UPMC). It could be different with yours. If you need any more info, ask me.

[Ninababy 5]

Hi all, I am thinking of having the Band by Dr. Eid down at magee. I just am very concerned that I will hate it and be depressed... I really need to lose and know that.. but hope to be able to have "smaller amounts" of what I love...

I am a "foodie" as in I love to cook and am very italian when it come to this. I am worried that I will not be able to eat anything I like ever again or be able to cook and enjoy cooking.. I know that is how I got here... but...

Anyone have this experience? and also.. anyone have Dr. Eid? I know someone who had him and loved him..

[Barbie54 0]

My doctor is in the same group as Dr Eid. They are all supposed to be very good. As far as eating goes, you can only eat small portions at a time. You don't have to give up food that you love, just eat smaller portions. The first 2 weeks after surgery is liquids only, the next two are mushy or semi soft and then on to more solid foods. Different kinds of food give different people some problems but I believe that we won't be hungry so we won't care as much to eat. Once the weight comes off, you will want to look and feel better so it will be worth it.

[Elayne 0]

Ninababy -

When you are truly "ready" you won't have as many negative thoughts about the process.

I was reluctant for years -

"But I want my Friday nite pizza!"

"I love to go out for dinner with my husband and grown children"

"what about hanging out around the dining room table for hours talking and nibbling on holidays!"

"I've dieted before and always bounced right back up the scale - how is this going to be any different?"

Most of us have an "AHA!" moment.

That impetus that puts us firmly and obsessively on that path.

It's a ray of hope that gets us on our way.

My epiphany was the sudden awareness that I will NEVER run with my grandchildren some day.

It hit me like that old "ton of bricks" and an image of me romping and full of vigor stays in my mind.

That to me is more important than the palette.