PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

My surgery is scheduled for next Thursday. I just got off the phone with the pre-admission nurse who was asking me my history. He ask if I have sleep apnea and I said yes. He ask if I have a machine...I told a white lie and said yes. He said make sure you bring it with you. The doctor who would prescribe the machine is booked 3 weeks out. My surgery is next week. What if I "forget" it at home, which is nearly 3 hours away from my the surgery facility, will they cancel my surgery or will they loan me a machine? I hate lying but if I needed an emergency surgery would they say "sorry you dont have your cpap machine". I am 4 days without eating. I am a littl…

I just got the approval from my insurance to do WLS, and already have started all of the paperwork for the clinic I will be going to. I just have so many questions! It seems like the lady that I talked to on the phone today really was pushing for the RNY instead of the band. It made me question things, which kind of upset me. I really just want to know, how did you decide to go with the band? Can I really expect to have the same amount of weight loss with the band(vs Gastric Bypass)? How fast did the weight start to come off after your surgery? Is there an 'average' amount of weight lost over the first year or so? To me, the band seems like a much easier thing t…

Can someone tell me what items are allowed during the clear liquid phase?? Thank you for your help:tt1:

Okay,, so I know this has been talked about repeatedly but I need to share with people who truly know where I am coming from.... The past two weeks my 7 siblings have been visiting from elsewhere at my dads who lives next to me.. We haven't all been together since "02" and were long overdue. We had a great time going to the fair, doing some work on my dads house, visiting and eating. I went out of my way to make food that was health friendly because we have a variety of eating issues amongst us,, vegetarian, chrons, heart disease, morbid obesity you name it one of us has had it. I am the official cook and love it, but wish I was good at anything but after seeing the fam…

I just finished all my testing and I go for my pre-op appointment on 10/28 what should I expect and about how long does it take to get a surgery date?

This happend way to fast....I found out that I was approved on Oct. 1 and called the surgeon's office and they told me that they would call me back in a week to ten days for a surgery date and that there was a "waiting list" and that it would be at least the first week of December! They call today and said to come in tomorrow for educational class and that surgery is Oct 29!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY COW>>>>>>>>>>>> that is only two weeks away so I have a few questions if you all could take the time to answer them. First of all...GUYS STOP READING HERE.......I may be having my menstrual on the day of surgery.....anyone else have it anyway? T…

Hello all! I just got all my preop labs back and I have a vitamin d defiency. Anyone had this? I am supposed to start taking vitamin d/calcium supplement twice a day for the next two weeks. Then have it rechecked. My surgery is 2 weeks from tomorrow. This won't affect it right?:redface::w00t:

:cursing:Ok..so i haven't told my parents about the surgury because i was not ready. At 8pm tonight i get a call from my mom at work giving me a rash that i didn't tell her about it, and the dr. told her about it. Is that even legal? I thought it was confidencial? how can he tell my parents about this? i am 27 year old married woman. He just broke the medical privacy act. (he also knew i didn't tell them, and i asked him not to say anything) I just wish i could tell them in my own time, now i am going to hear about this for a long time. This is rediculous. Is this legal??????:wub:

I am looking into the lapband. I am self-pay as my insurance company does not pay for the surgery. I have been to one seminar in Little Rock, AR (where I live) and have good information. However, I won't lie, with the high cost, I am thinking about going out of country. Has anyone here done that? Where do you get fills once you have it done?

Two days until I get banded. My Dr. did not require any post-op diet. I have been watching my calories, and try not to go over 1,200 a day. I been really good. I do want to have one last meal before my surgery. I am thinking of having it tonight so I have plenty of time to let it pass threw my system. Any suggestions on what to have for my last real meal?? What did you eat the few days prior to your banding?? :tt1:

Hi Everyone, I just read a post about having TOM during surgery and realized I should start on Tuesday next week and my surgery is that Thursday. Does anyone know if TOM might delay the surgery? Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!!

I thought I was pretty together and ready for the surgery. Well, I think that it is really weighing on my mind. I got my blood work back and my glucose levels were really back so I am trying to really watch my diet this week so I will heal better after the surgery. So, tonight I went out with a bunch of people from work for a celebration. I was really good, but I wanted one bite of my friend's mac and cheese because that is what I really wanted, but didn't want to order it. My one coworker took the fork from me and was like, you can't have that! I realize that she thought she was helping me. I kind of flipped out on her and was like that isn't helping me. I made a bit of …

Hey ya'll... First post...been on the liquid diet now for 5 days. I can't stand the taste of Slim Fast/Atkins/Any of the Vanilla/Choc/Straw/ shake mixes. They taste like you're drinking cake batter... Started using New whey 42g Bullets. They taste fine to me. Problem is....All of these things are Killing my stomach. I've never had any protein/milk allergy or anything like that. Is this just something I should get used to becasue I'm only getting liquids? Should I take some Immodium?

I haven't slept in the 4 days between confirming my appointment and now! I have never had surgery before in my life and im so scared of the effects of the anesthetic and the pain, and if i'll be able to walk after! How long does the pain last, and i don't want scars on my belly! Are they really visible? Ive been reading that you get gas too..how embarrassing for the person who is with you. Does this happen immiediatly after surgery, or does it kick in after a while? How soon do you have to see a fill Dr. after? Do you lose weight slower if you start off with a lower BMI (33.7)? What is the most uncomfortable part of the surgery?? I think my anxiety is obvious. Any help…

My doctor requires a 2 week Optifast diet. Was anyone else required to do Optifast? If so, how much did it cost? Thank you!

I might as well start by saying that I need (and want) the band. But since I've talked to my insurance and they couldn't tell their butts from a hole in the ground, regarding a six month diet, I thought I might as well start it right now. I have joined weight watchers and will tell my doctor and my shrink the next time I see them and I'm also keeping records (I'm just doing the online thing) and hopefully they will say, "Aww, you don't need a six month diet!" Hopefully you'll accept me into your little group! I'll be here for a long time!!:biggrin: See ya soon, JRG

Anyone interested? Come tell us about your banding experience. We are meeting on Nov 8th (Saturday) at 1:00pm at Anita's Diamond Back Grill.10287 SE Hwy 212, Clackamas OR The restaurant # is 503-656-2432. I will let you know if there are any changes to date or time.

Hi.. I have a 21 year old daughter in the Winchester VA area who is getting ready to be banded in Nov. We are all so nervous for her, and she is really nervous. I have been trying to get her to register on this website for some support. Until then, would anyone be willing to email her if I give her address and give her some words of encouragement? Thanks!!!:crying:

I was about 85% convinced to have the surgery before the summer started and then I read about 6-7 different trials on how much the surgery improves diabetes and I was convinced. I didn't get into the August seminar, but attended the September one. I have had all of the heart tests, stomach tests, and sleep studies done in the last 2 years, so I am ready to go. I have to wait until November 20th for my initial consultation. I am so impatient, I'd just as soon have it done tomorrow. Secondly, when we get into the new year, my co-pays and deductibles apply anew. So, I will have to come up with about a grand ( I think ) to have it done. I live in Northern Michigan and wha…

I know many of you out there feel OK about telling coworkers about your WLS. I do not. I feel that I will be judged and I also feel that this is a very personal decision. I plan to get my surgery during vacation time: Christmas, if I can swing it by then. I get 2 weeks off and could feasibly get back to work with no one knowing, except that some of my job requires being on my feet for extended periods of time and some heavy lifting. I know people will ask when they see the weight oming off, and I plan to say that I am on a serious diet. What have some of you done to hide your surgery? COuld I say I had gall bladder surgery???:crying:

i know that i am pre-op, i am suppose to be on a liquid diet right now for two weeks. BUT....my dad called (who never calls) and asked me if i wanted to do a father daughter dinner. I was wondering what i could do? Could i have salad? What if i use ex-lax? (even though i know that is not the purpose of it)

Here's my dilemma: One surgeon, whose info meeting I attended yesterday, is 15 minutes from my house, as is the hospital/support group meetings/nutritional appts, etc. he is in my current medical group. I want to be successful, so attending support meetings is important--if they're close by, I'll be more likely to attend. This guy has done about 400 WLS. The only positive testimonials I can find are on his own website--although I haven't read anything negative either. The other surgeon is an hour away, has done over 2000 surgeries, not in my medical group, although I can change it no problem--just takes more time. I have read countless positive testimonials about this d…

Gawd. I have been researching this for.ev.er. and finally decided to pull the trigger. Now that my initial consult is here I feel like I am going to throw up with nervousness. I have never had surgery, never even had anesthesia...all my kids were born without pain meds....scares me to death. Not to mention the incredible feeling of self-recrimination for not losing the weight all on my own. Wish me luck..I hope to be banded right before Thanksgiving (self pay)!

hey...how bad are peanuts? I know i am on the liquid diet, but i find if i have 13 peanuts (so 26 individual) i do not crave anything at all. I figure that it is better than many other alternatives. They did say i could have a fat free yogurt if i wanted...i am sure peanuts are not the greatest, although it is high in protein which is helpful. Right now i estimated that i have 39g protein from shakes, the yogurt is 9g. Adding the peanuts (the past 2 days) has helped greatly with keeping me satieated. any suggestions? I could eliminate them completely and will...just it is sooo hard when others are eating.

Just wanted to wish everyone banding on Oct 6th and 7th (my date YEAH) the best of luck... Today is my last day of work for a week (thankfully I have a slacker type job and don't have to do much)... if there is anyone banding on 10/07 I would like to connect with you... Just send a PM... I'm also on myspace so if you have one just let me know and we can trade info... Much love to all of our October Bandsters!!! :tongue2: Renee'

I am getting really scared because I feel like for the past 3 days all the new posts popping up on the home page of the site are negative. Everyone isn't losing weight...or has only lost 10lbs. I guess I need some support from people who have lost alot and are/were well educated as I am going to be about the whole surgery process.

Omg!!!! Im so excited, and yet so nervous. Im surviving my pre op with no problems except the occasional headache. I went to get my passport to because im going to Mexico. I wish everyone good luck and yay smashing pumpkins...our month is here!!!

OMG! Please tell me that I didn't just blow it! I just took a Colace 100mg. I am on clear liquids all day tommorrow & surgery is scheduled for 8:30am Tuesday morning. I've finished packing and we are set to drive out to Michigan in the morning. I'm sitting down re-reading my paperwork and its telling me no advil, and other stuff. Doesn't mention colace... but is this a deal breaker before surgery? Please tell me if I need to tell my surgeon I took these - or do you think I'll be okay 24 hrs away? What was I thinking?

I started my pre-op diet Wednesday, and have lost 9 lbs in the first 2 days. Is this normal? I am just over 300 lbs and have never lost weight this quick b4. I am not having any probs and don't think this is too awful hard so far. I feel good and hope that this continues. I am thinking this is mostly water weight, I guess. My wedding ring is already starting to slide off. I just want to know if this is the norm or am I not eating enough? Karen

Previcid long capsule Plaquenel is a rectangular pill Zocor is big round pill Hct Blood pressure very small round Lexapro small white round pill Iron big green round pill. How will I take these pills after surgery? They told me that they could not be any bigger than an M&M. I was so involved with everything else around me I forgot to ask them how was I going to take my medicines. I also should be taking a Vitamin D Calcium and One A Day. How do you take big pills like that? Thanks for listening. Cheryl :tt2:

Has anyone who has had Optifast prescribed by a doctor have it covered by their insurance? Just curious. I know Optifast is an approved physician supervised weight loss program by Aetna but I'm not sure if they cover it. It's tough getting a straight answer from them. Thanks in advance!

I have united and now they are asking me for my medical history for the last five years. The problem is i just started going to the doctors in the last three. Dose anyone know what they are looking for and should i maybe get medical records from when i was in high school? Dose it have to be five years in a row. I just need some feed back please.

My surgery is scheduled for October 9th. I was supposed to have gastric by-pass but due to a problem with my stomach, my doctor said it would not be wise; thus, banding is my next option. I had done extensive research on the bypass but find myself coming up short on info on banding. What liquids should I have on hand when I come home from the hospital and what is the best protein mix to use. I would like something that taste good. I need to lose 70 to 80 lbs according to my doc. I am 62 years old and in need of much better health.

Hi, I just discovered this forum. I "joined" LBT last month which is also when I started my 6-month diet required by insurance. I currently have BCBS of TN but my company will change to Cigna in Jan. I'm working through my other pre-op requirements including WLS class (done), nut class and psych eval (to be scheduled). Anyway, I was glad to see this forum. I've been craving carbs for the past couple of days but I think it's the change in season (for me that seems to be at trigger). Hope to hear from others who have gone through this process. Dee

Hi all, I thought I would start a new thread to talk about the preop diet. Please join me in venting, complaining, whining, bragging, advice, and/or encouraging words etc. I just feel kind of alone tonight. Well I am on Day 2 of the liquid preop and have done it so far with no cheating but some of it has been kind of tortuous for me. I have 10 more days left and I keep thinking if only I could have a green salad with a 3 ounce chicken breast on it with fat free dressing - would that really hurt me??? I have to choke down the shakes - they are sickening sweet and we are allowed broth which I had for dinner but oh well you know what I am going thru right?!? I did l…

I am a bit nervous, I have two weeks until I get banded. I am getting it done at Hackensack, NJ. anyone get it done there?

Hello. I went to the meeting at NYU on the recommendation of my doctor. I like NYU and would like to move forward but am concerned that I am not doing the steps in order. I have received information from my insurance company that they will cover if medically necessary (which I am trying to decipher all parts of that) and am meeting with my primary care doctor tomorrow to get things moving. What next? Should I get the OK from insurance before I make a psych and nutrition appointments? Would anyone mind mind please giving me a quick run through of what they did? THANK YOU!

I just started my 2 weeks pre-op diet today and wow!!! I am not handling this well. I admit...I ate like a pig up to yesterday. My doctor has me on the Carnation Diet, 6 shakes per day. Any one who claims Lap Band is the easy way out has never been on all liquids for 2 solid weeks. Does anyone have any suggestions? Any thing I should know to get through this? Thanks!!! Surgery date: 10/16/08

So, my surgery is on the 13th. I'm super excited, but I'm also starting to freak out. What if it doesn't help? What if something goes wrong? I'm having a party tonight as kind of my last hurrah before the surgery and it feels like it is a goodbye to food. I'm fed up with food. I am so excited to be getting my freedom from it! Guess I'm excited and scared to death at the same time!

Hello Everyone! So I have been lurking on this site for a few weeks now and I am finally posting. After "thinking about it" for about 5 years I am starting the process. Tuesday is the first meeting. My insurance seems pretty easy to work with (Health Partners, anybody have it?) so I am not too worried about it. My BMI has been over 40 for many years but I also have NO other complications due to weight. So I guess I am a little nervous about it. So I guess my biggest question is; from this point how long has it taken people to get the surgury? How much say do you have in when it's done? I have two full weeks off at Christmas and I was really nievely thinking th…

I am scheduled for surgery 10/20. Saturday I found out that my husband has been cheating on me with my own f..ing sister that we let move in for a few weeks at the beginning of the summer because she had no place else to go and she is an alcoholic. We were trying to help her out right.. So she moved out a few months ago and has been drinking again and kept calling us over and over and over all hours of the day and night. I started getting suspicious and finally after multiple fights he finally admitted to cheating for the past couple of months.... What do I do now... I know stress is not good for the band and I don't want to let her get the satisfaction knowing that…

How long does the pre surgery process take? I am meeting with a new PCP on Monday Oct 6(my old one basically told me he wouldnt write me a letter of referral and said I should diet...and since I have been dieting for 14 yrs and obese for almost 16 I wasn't too happy to deal with him especially since he has been by PCP for over 10 yrs) and for my insurance United Heathcare Choice all i need is a letter from my PCP showing 5 years of a BMI 40+ which i know I have...my only real concern is that my former PCP was such a slouch that I was rearly but on the scale and would ask me what I weighed and since I was in denial so much I always gave a weight that was significantly lowe…

today is the offical liquid diet day...the husband is eating my fav. chienese left overs, i am about to have some but i am not. I did have one piece of spare rib...more like spare tire on my hip. I need to hate this food....i need to think of how much fat and wasted calories that this food is. I do not find it supportive that he is eating this in front of me...he plated it and brought it in next to me!!! and then left the room after wards...i am starving...i would die to eat right now, and i can't. PLEASE HELP....

I just got my surgery date of November 6, 2008. Excited and nervous at the same time. Pre-Op and testing starts next week.

So, I have been debating with myself over having lap band done on and off for about 2 years. Two weeks ago I finally decided it was the right choice for me. I called my PCP and made an appointment with him (I go tomorrow for that meeting) and have already registered for the 2 hour seminar at the Bariatric Surgery center here. I am VERY happy with my decision and know this is the only way I am going to get my life back. I waited until this weekend to tell people about my decision and I am getting less than positive responses in all directions. A friend I have had almost my entire life started questioning what I had done to try to lose weight in the past and offering m…

I just wokr up I have to be there in 4 hours to be banded and I woke up with a stuffy nose!!!!!!!!!! will they still do it I'm afraid of not bieng able to breath while i'm under anastesia........has anyone had a stuffy nose when they went?

I'm thinking this may a repetitive post, but I wanted to maybe post a fresh one so newly banded people would see it and be able to put their 2cents in. I am getting ready to go to the Vitamin Cottage (Natural Grocers) or GNC - whichever - to buy my Protein supplements. I need three weeks worth, that includes my post-op liquids and mushies. I would love to hear which drinks and powders everyone used. I need a "tasteless" Protein powder as well as Water and milk based liquids and additional powders. I would love a variety, so I don't get tired of a specific supplement. What is your favorite, and least favorite? Any tips are so welcome, I already…

Hi all! Today is the big day for me. I know there's several other banders for the 1st so I thought that as we Smashing Pumpkins have our surgeries, we can log in on this thread with the thumbs up or down. I'm ten hours away. Hooray! For those of you in the insurance process, keep the faith. It took me a year. I was denied initially by United Healthcare then appealed and won. Keep fighting! I'm off to become the person on the outside that I always knew I was on the inside.:thumbup:

Hi everyone! I'm on my 3rd month of my 6 month diet. I've been doing, so, so. It's been hard, I was a carb addict! I used to skip Breakfast and my nuitritionalist wanted me to have something, so she suggested I try some Protein drinks for breakfast. So I've tried Designer whey, powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury and another that I'm not sure I've seen on this web site, it's called Lean Dessert. This is by far the best one I've tried, granted I haven't tried many, the other two were good, but this one is killer! I have the chocolate fudge pudding flavor. Now this one compared to…

:w00t::cursing:I'm so frustrated!! 3 months ago my surgeons office told me that my ins. required 6 months of medically supervised weight loss treatment (within a 2 year span) before getting an appt...After calling my ins. co (bcbs of tx) they told me that Weight Watchers was accepted as supervised weight loss and my surgeon's office agreed...So now 3 months in I call my surgeons office as they told me to so that I could start my appts with them. I faxed over my WW paperwork and they call me today and said that I had to be having monthly visits with my doctor while I was doing weight watchers..She must have forgot to tell me that part!!!!! So now I'm back at square one...…