time4change

reneachilds · September 22, 2008

Hi everyone, I am so excited. I have weight issues all my life. I was so happy to discove this forum. I am pending approval through my insurance company. I know that i will be approved. It is time to make a change in my life. I fully understand that this surgery is only a tool. I have two teenagers and a spouse. They are supportive of my choice. I have tried every diet under the sun and Gastric bypass was just not an option for me.

Lanakila · September 23, 2008

Welcome to the boards! I found so much information here, and have made some great friends. I've even found folks who live close to me, one just over a mile! Enjoy exploring and feel free to write if you prefer.

reneachilds · September 23, 2008

Hi, and thanks for responding. I am in Jacksonville NC. Could you share with me your weight loss journey?

Lanakila · September 24, 2008

Hi, and thanks for responding. I am in Jacksonville NC. Could you share with me your weight loss journey?

Rena,

I chose the band because I had a BMI of 50, high blood pressure, and apnea. My mother developed diabetes a couple of years ago, and I have a long family history of heart disease. I was married last year and with the last 35-40 lbs I picked up I lost a lot of energy and physical stamina. I couldn't garden for long at all, couldn't take walks on the greenways without stopping at every bench, and was just plain disgusted with my appearance. Funny, because until a few months ago I had an impression of my size that was much, much smaller than I thought. I thought that I looked like I wore a 22, but I actually wore a 26.

I had always completely ruled out a bypass. The whole malabsorption thing was really unappealing. I had seen the commercials on tv, but didn't really look in to it until early May. I was leaving for a long vacation, so I scheduled my consult for the end of June. Come mid-July I was all done with pre-op appointments and had approval from my insurance. I work at a University, so I couldn't really fit the surgery into my schedule until late August. I could have done it in early August otherwise.

I was banded on August 28th by Dr. Moran. Because I have sleep apnea, the anesthesiologist required me to stay overnight. The surgery was very quick, and I was fortunate to have a VERY easy recovery. My surgery was on a Thursday, and I went back to work the following Tuesday (Monday was a holiday). Dr. Moran does things slightly differently from the other local surgeon, so I didn't suffer any of the gas problems, and have always been able to "drink" instead of "sip".

Anyhow, I've lost a total of 15 lbs. I didn't have a pre-op diet. I'm not hyped up about that loss, but at least I haven't gained. I don't have any restriction at all, since the only Fluid that they put into my band at surgery was enough to fill the tubing. I'm back on regular food now and haven't had any troubles. I'm neither gaining nor losing. I go for my first fill on the 29th. In the "big picture", I'm actually ok with the 15# in a month. Shucks...I've lost less on traditional diets!

As you can tell, I'm chatty. :rolleyes2:

Edited September 24, 2008 by Lanakila