Hello from Quiche from Los Angeles, CA

Paradigm Star · April 14, 2009

Greetings to all of the people who call this forum home:

My nickname is Quiche and here is some of my history:

About 3 months, I saw my doctor at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center. She told me that I had lost 10% of my body weight. When I started the medically supervised wt loss program, I was around 275 lbs. Now, I am about 233 lbs. I went to see the Registered Dietitian to get on my modified diet (that means that I am eating conventional food for at least one meal). I have been doing that with some degree of success.

On February 6th, my mother and I met with Dr Nishi at Cedar Sinai Medical Center. Dr Nishi is my surgeon who will be doing the Lap Band surgery on me. I understand that Dr Nishi is the VERY BEST surgeon is can have to do the Lap Band on me. Dr Nishi gave me a Pre-OP work-up list to do before he will consider me for the Lap-Band surgery. I have done most of the following test on this list:

Upper GI Series

Abdominal Sonic gram

Chest X-Ray

Pneumonia shot

Full Pre-Op physical with my internist

full blood labs.

Consult with their Social Worker (LCSW)

I have to get all that in a period of 3 months because if I don't do all of my Pre-OP medical work up in a 90 day period, I will disqualify myself for the Lap Band surgery. I am almost at the end of my 3-month period and still don't know where I stand in the process of seeing the LCSW for a psych review and going to Pre-Op class at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center.

Dr Nishi told my mother and I that he sees me getting the Lap Band surgery within 2 months time. Also, I have been told that since I have both Medicare and Medi-Cal, plus private insurance that I don't have to pay anything for the Lap Band surgery.

Now as I wait for the Petient Care Coordinator to call me back to tell me what the next steps are toward getting my Lapband Surgery, I am in a high state of anxiety because I don't have all of the information to make an informed decision to get my Lapband surgery like my Mom wants. That is why I am glad that found this Lapband forum, so I can get the info I need.

Any comments on what I have written would be appreciated. I am happy to be here with all of you!

Quiche

Edited April 14, 2009 by keciaw

plain · April 14, 2009

Hi Quiche! Welcome to lapbandtalk. I'm a little confused. What information do you need exactly to make an "informed decision"? If you ask very specific questions, I think you'll find that folks here will try their best to answer them (either we're a friendly lot, or a bunch of know-it-alls. You make the call, lol).

Paradigm Star · April 27, 2009

Hi Plain,

Thanks for your reply to my Welcome post on Lapbandtalk. I want to thank you for your patience in awaiting a reply to your post to me. I have been in the hospital on a non-lop-band matter and I am now checking my email that notified me of your response.

I will in the future, ask very specific questions on what it's like to get a lap band, so I will have the information that I need to make an "informed decision". Sorry about the confusion that my first post caused, Plain. I would seem to think that everyone Lapbandtalk are "a friendly bunch". Again, thanks for the warm welcome, Plain.

Quiche :laugh:

Edited April 27, 2009 by keciaw

Brandy~ · April 27, 2009

It's nice to meet you and I am very glad you came looking for answers. You shouldn't go into this surgery without the proper research first. The surgery is reversible but very much a life altering experience.

Everyone on here is so willing to answer the questions if you don't find them already within the threads.