Kaiser Richmond Pre-op

[swishbc 0]

I had a blast, I hope everyone did! There were four of us there: Reggie, me, Nicole and Sheena. (oh and Audrey, Nicole's little one!) It was so cool to meet people in person that are going through the same process. I don't know ANYONE personally that has or is getting a Lapband, and only know a few that have RNY. It'll be even more interesting as we all have surgery and can support eachother through our weight losses!

Riley, I'd be willing to meet up somewhere between you and I if you ever wanted to, just let me know!

Can't wait to do it again soon. :tongue2:

[swishbc 0]

Reggie, no need for the Sac Richmond Team name right? Instead I'll just trip over the rug on the way in and we'll figure it out that way! :tongue2: That was so funny.

[swishbc 0]

Also, do any of you have blogs? I'm going to start one and I want to start back at the beginning where I decided to have surgery and follow up with the appts that I've had so far. Once I think of a catchy name I'll send you all the link.

I want to have documentation of this journey to keep motivated during hard times and to make me proud once I meet my goals.

If any of you have a blog you should post links...and if you don't have one you should start one! You can get a free one at blogspot.com :tongue2:

[riley4183 0]

So glad you all had fun and found support from one another! It is SO important. Wish I could have been there but work is a real bear right now. I would loved to have seen little Audrey, I miss my babies so much! They are 25, 20 and 17 now . . yeez

So I saw mt PCP today and he really wanted to emphasize to me that he thinks I should have Lap-Band and not RNY. I guess he has a patient that is so malnourished after RNY that she can't stop losing weight (she went from 315 to like 105 and is still losing), they keep putting her on IVs and stuff and I guess now they are going to operate again. . . . I have never heard of it being that bad, but the whole malabsorptive thing is not my cup of tea anyways. He did not say if she had had the surgery done at Kaiser, I kind of think not but I didn't want to ask . . . I will ask my support group leader tomorrow night if she has heard about this, she tells us the risk stories too so we are very well-prepared. I wish you guys could all have this class too! It is so helpful. Now you can form your own group in Sacto! It is so helpful (and it sounds like Christine is providing a little comic relief!) When I got weighed in today and my doc saw I was down almost 25 lbs over the holidays he said wow whats your secret so I can share it with my other patients, and I said it was the support!

OK gonna go put some more steps on the 'ol pedometer, you girls have good night!

:tongue2: Riley

[mollymai 0]

So tomorrow is the day I finally go to the psych appt.:thumbup: I am having thoughts of backing out of this because I don't know if I can deal with how drastic this surgery is. I know and understand the benefits of it and I also know and understand to cons and I am getting scared. I already can not lose on my own and have a hard time trying to lose 10% of my weight and just don't know if I can do it.

I am sorry for ranting on, but I know that all of you will be supportive.

First off my husband do not approve of it because he don't surgeries and I haven't told him about any of this. This is a life change and it is a drastic one. I am not going to stop like I did the last time which was over a year ago. I am going to keep going to my appoinments and make my decision as I go along.

What a decision. I thought I had my mind made up :tongue2: :eek:

[swishbc 0]

Good luck tomorrow, and try not to worry. Try to enjoy this stressful but exciting time in your life. If you end up having the surgery you'll look back on this in about a year and realize how strong of a woman you really are!

It takes lots of courage to make a change like this in your life, but it'll be so worth it when you're healthier, happier and looking HOT!

Your husband is probably scared because he loves you and wants you to be safe. The risks for Lapband surgery are SO MUCH less than gastric bypass!

Just take it one day at a time, one appointment at a time and be positive. You can do this, you CAN lose the pre-op weight! Just try to eat less and move more and you'll be off to a good start. :tongue2:

We'll be here to support you, we're all in this together!

[AudsMom 2]

It was a pleasure meeting you ladies:D Audrey had a BLAST! As we all know.. lol

Reggie, good luck tomorrow:D

Riley: I say listen to ur pcp, i choose lap band for exactly those reasons!:tongue2:

Molly: i went thru that same thing also, just keep going, you have until surgery day to back out:D

I am so excited to know you all, we will all be thin in 2010.

[swishbc 0]

Good luck Reggie and mollymai! We'll all be thinking of you tomorrow.

Check in when you get back and give us all the scoop. :tongue2:

[momcof3 1]

Can others join your Sacramento group? I had my surgery in Richmond on Aug 26 and have yet to find a lapband support group in the Sacto area. It's kind of hard for me to meet in the middle of a week day due to work, but I am interested in getting together for support.

[swishbc 0]

Of course! I haven't seen you around here in a little while but I was hoping you were going to be able to come yesterday. Maybe next time we can do it in the evening so working gals can still come. Or maybe we can do a lunch on a Sat or Sun.

It will be great to have someone post-op in our support group, even though we'll all be post-op in a few months!

How's the weight loss going for you? Do you have restriction?

[AudsMom 2]

Of course!!! So how did u get thru the process in 3 months? It seems after the surgeon alone its going to be close to that long...

[momcof3 1]

When I went to orientation it also included the nutrition class so we were there all day, but it saved a trip back. We were also given our first appointment dates at the end of orientation. I think they have more people actually going through the process now. I had lost 12 lbs by the time I saw my surgeon and only needed to lose 8 more. I saw the psychiatrist a month after the surgeon and I was at goal so they gave me my case manager appointment that day and they had an opening for the next week. When I met with Liz she asked me when I wanted surgery - so I ended up having surgery Aug 26. I have had one fill - on Oct 6 - so now I have 4 cc in a 10 cc band. I only feel restriction with certain foods and if I eat too fast - otherwise I don't feel any restriction. I am going back to see Robin and Dr. Im on Jan 16 and I am hoping to get another fill. I had bloodwork done on Sunday. I have been stuck at 225 for at least a month. I ate some Cookies the week of Christmas which caused me to go up to 227, but I am back down to 225. I hope my body is just adjusting to losing 60 lbs and will start losing again. I go to Curves three times a week and also walk. I was really excited at the beginning because the weight just kept coming off, but now the routine is getting kind of old and I am struggling a little mentally. Sometimes I think it would be just easier not to eat at all. I am looking forward to Jan 16 as I feel more motivated after talking to Robin.

I would love to get together with the group and to help you through surgery and post op. Let me know when and where. thanks.

[swishbc 0]

It definitely sounds like you're in need of a fill! Hopefully you'll get nice and tight again and the weight will start falling off again. Who does the fill? Is it your surgeon or a nurse?

[AudsMom 2]

Yeah at our orientation we got an appt.. but all my appts started 2 months out and then i saw the pscyh was at goal, and now im 1 month out from the case manager.

Im nervous id like to be in mushies by the time march 22 gets here for my convention.

How did ur post op diet go? Was 2 weeks of liquids hard?

[momcof3 1]

The surgeon did the fill. The fill needle didn't hurt, but the numbing needle stung. The fill iteslf didn't hurt although I was a little woozy afterwards. He had me drink some Water right afterwards to make sure it would go down. I ended up sitting in the waiting room for about 15 minutes afterwards before driving home.

I did the 2 days of Clear Liquids, and then almost 3 weeks of full liquids - which was okay at first but then I was starving - serious hunger pains. I was so happy to go to pureed - which I only had to do a week, and then to soft foods. I think they forgot about me while I was on full liquids - you have to wait for the call from Robin before advancing to the next stage. I finally called them as I was about to fall apart. I had to do clear liquids for 24 hours after the fill and then soft foods for 24 hours. I went out to Mel's Diner that night after getting my fill and brought a sugar free Jello with me and ate it while my family ate food.< /p>