PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

I am scheduled to have my surgery on July 14th--yea!! But I think that I might have my period at the same time. Has this happened to any of you? If so, how did it go? Thanks, Jane

I just received my paperwork in the mail today and I am already getting nervous. This packet gave directions on the first steps in the paperwork end of things. First get a Psych Evaluation, then get 6 months of weigh-ins from my pcp (not looking forward to having to wait 6 months. I am hoping that we can get around this with my insurance - Definity Health - TN). Then onto the Dietitan appt and nutrition classes. They did include a few medial tests that they felt I needed to have done: A sleep study, and an upper GI. I believe the two above tests may get waived as I think they thought I had been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and Acid Reflux. On the bottom of the page …

I am in VA and my surgery will be performed through Norfolk Surgical Group. I am required to get a "White Light Scan". The way it was explained to me is that it scans your body mass and then you back every so often and get re-scanned and it compares kinda like a "shrinking woman" picture. Has anyone else participated in this? Could you give me more info or tell me what to expect???

Help! I am so looking forward to getting the lapband. But, my BMI is 57 and my surgeon won't do the surgery until I get rid of 45 lbs and get my BMI to 50. How embarassing to be too fat for weight loss surgery. I had no idea that I would be too big. I have seen many others have the lapband with BMI's in the 50-60 range. I am a self pay. I don't have to deal with an insurance company telling me what to weigh before surgery. Everyday I start the liquid pre-op diet. Everyday I just get soooo hungry that I screw up. That is why I wanted to lapband. To stop the hunger. Has anyone else had this trouble? Thanks for listening!

I am trying to buy things I will need after surgery. I already have a heating pad, lip moisturizer, gas x strips, and have been looking into blenders. I currently have a regular size blender, but I was thinking about getting a single serve blender, or a magic bullet, or walmart has a sunbeam brand just like the magic bullet. I don't know which one would be best to get. Any suggestions on things I will not be able to live without after surgery?:confused2:

To anyone who has had to take lovenox pre op, how much did you have to take?? I am at 150mg 2x/day. Looking online this is the largest dose they reccommend. also read that dose should be used for someone 150kg... which I am... I am about 340 pounds. My concern is that I am bleeding for hours after an injection (not pouring blood...just seeping) I was on heparin 16,000 units every 8 hours for 10 months and never bled like this. Any input would be appreciated.

Hello all, I was wondering from your experience what was the time frame from the day of your first consultation about getting the lap band to the day of your surgery, thanks in advanced! :grouphug:

I got my surgery date! It is *drum roll please* JUNE 26th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so exctied but yet SO scared!!!!!!!! I have not even ate all day because of my excitement and nervous-ness. I will need lots of support peoples seriously I know I can't back out they already go tmy check :rolleyes2: but even the more reason there is nothing to stand in my way now!!!!!!! Ok so i got the gas X strips, and lots and lots of Water, and even Propel flavored water. Anything else oh heating pad I will pick up this weekend at Walmart. Anything else that any of you can share you have already piced up before surgery?!?!?!?!?

Hi All.... i am in the very early stages of getting a lapband.. I have my first consultation on 29th May with the surgeon to see if I am a suitable candidate for the surgery. I know that I have tried every other option & that my BMI should not be a problem, my mental state is fine too... but I am concerned about a blood condition I have. I have got Factor V Leden which basically means that my blood is a little bit more prone to clotts than normal blood. Myself & my sister have it becasue my dad is a carrier of the gene. I have never had a clott & don't have to take any medication but was just informed if I ever got pregnant or had surgery I may need…

In one week I go to the Informative Class at Womans Magee Hospital in Pittsburgh. My husband is coming with me so he too can learn all about the process. I told my best friend, and that is really about it. I tried to tell another friend, but she flipped out just mentioning the surgery.... saying that I am taking the easy way out, and I will prob die, and why can't i loose weight the Normal way? Please understand, she prob has 135lbs to loose, she just recently became a type II diabetic, and has tried to loose weight her entire life. Maybe she is jealous that a I am starting to take this road! I have prayed about this and put this in God's Hands, but He seems to be lea…

:ohmy: After 9 days on liquids I ate food. Not much, but even so I ate food. How bad is this? I am suppose to have my surgery this Thursday coming up and I am scared that I have messed myself up. I’ll get back on nothing by liquids today which will give me another 4 more days before surgery. Will that help? Please, any help would be great.

I found this website on another board: https://www.chikenutrition.com They have half portion samples they will send, but they are $6 or so for S&H. But...if you ask your doctor to call they will send them a LOT of free samples, no charge. I asked my surgeons office to order it for me, and they sent 100 packages of powder. It comes in 5 flavors... chocolate, vanilla, orange, banana, and strawberry. I have not tried it yet (I am waiting til post surgery) The surgeon said it does not have enough Protein to use as a "protein drink" but it will maks a great Meal Replacement post op. So... if you are looking for something...I woud recommend trying it :redface…

Hey all. I have been looking around here at all the bookstores and I haven't been able to find ANY books specifically on lapband. I have seen some online but do not have a way to order things online. Does anyone have any old LAPBAND books they don't need anymore. I keep finding books on weight loss surgery in general but none on lapband. If you have any books on Lapband/gastric banding please Private message me. I would SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO appreciate it. Thanks so much.

My goodness! What a ride! My partner is scheduled for banding this coming Monday, June 23rd. We very nearly had a delay in getting the procedure approved by her insurance, as I previously posted, and that was solved. This Tuesday she went in for the pre-surgery consult with the anesthesiolgist and was told she was anemic, and he wouldn't do the surgery until her Iron level was up. I appreciate the care these folks are taking (I imagine this isn't always the case, especially if people are paying out of their own pockets), but she was halfway through her 10-day liquid diet when she was told this. :smile: Her surgeon said she could either wait a couple more months and…

After reading some of the feedback, I noticed folks have ports in different parts of their body. Do the doctors let you pick where you want it and if so what area do you think would be the best for the port? I assume you wouldn't want it to be in a spot that would get rubbed by a waist band or under wire bra. Any good advice?:rolleyes2: Maybe I'll have it put on my husband!!

My surgeon wants me to do 2 weeks of a liquid diet. The problem is that I ordered the shakes he wanted me to and I cannot drink them. I can't force myself to swollow them. So I have gone to the 2 slim-fast and one meal a day. Do you think this will be o.k.? My question is that is it just the point of being on liquids to shrink the liver fat or is it just as long as I'm losing weight my way I'll be o.k.? Sorry, I hope not too confusing. Thank you for your help.

Any thoughts on the findings below would be greatly appreciated. I've inserted my thoughts on the recommendations at bottom. Thanks! Position: The patient spent most of the night in the lateral position. sleep Latency: The patient’s sleep onset latency after lights out was 27.5 minutes. The REM sleep latency from sleep onset was 178.0 minutes. Total Sleep Time: The total time in bed was 363.0 minutes with a total sleep time of 219.0 minutes. Sleep efficiency was 60.3 %. Sleep Architecture: The patient had 30.0 minutes of REM for 13.7% of TST, 55.0 minutes of Stage 1 for 25.1% of TST, 103.5 minutes of Stage 2 for 47.3% of TST, and 3…

I start next week. The day I go to my proop class is also the day I start. I'd like to be prepared. Please tell me about what are you drinking for those 2 weeks.

Hello Everyone - My surgery date is next Wed. 6/25 (woo hoo!). :redface: For those of you that have been banded, would you like to share any "Lessons Learned" for what you did - but wished you DIDN'T one week before and two weeks after surgery? Thanks for your input!

alll the tests are done. now the waiting game for approval and my doctor has been away for 2 weeks while his office is being remodeled what luck lol. anyhow im looking for july and i hope it goes well

can I use that on my pre-op liquid diet? Anyone have experiance with it? GNC - Pro Performance Shop Page: GNC Pro Performance

bc/bs of la. approved my surgery and now says they wont certify my surgery for tomorrow even though i met all requirements!!!! anyone else had this happen!!! and have to appeal :wink2:

I just saw my surgeon on Tuesday to get my surgery date for July 17th and just checked Tricare's website and I've been approved! Now this is going to become a reality! I feel very blessed as I'm the last patient my surgeon has accepted with my insurance.

Today is the first day of my pre-op diet. And no the the meal replacement drink isn't exactly tastey but I am soooooo excited. I am so glad to really be started. I weighed this morning and I only gained 3 lbs on my goodbye food week (well actually two weeks).

HELLO ...I HAVE A ? WHICH IS THE MORE PREFERRED BAND THE INAMED BAND OR THE JOHNSON N JOHNSON?:smile:

I need some help in deciding when and where. I am BMI of 43, diabetic 2 with insulin pump, hypertensive since I was 18 now am 57. I live 6 months in Wa. due to insurance needs and then 6 months in MO as we bought a house there (thinking of changing insurance but can't due to BMI, insulin use and hypertensive- no insurance will take me) so have to keep residence in WA as primary. My ins will not cover the surgery. So have to self pay. I have until Oct. 7th here in WA before going back to Mo. The lap clinic here will do 13 months follow ups. So I will miss some time either way, if I do it now or wait until next April. Or should I do it at Kansas City? Then have to …

How do you check out a doctor? Surley if you can check out just about any business, there is a way to check out doctors.

Hi, I haven't written for a long time because I did not want to be discouraging to anyone. I entered the hospital for my lapband procedure May 7 surgical day went fine. The next day while in the hospital I ended with more than severe pain. I turned blue was placed on oxygen. I was to swallow the xraY fluid complaining of extreme nausea i begged not to drink more and was told I needed to keep trying I ended throwing it all up. Went to emergency surgery where they found my lapband not only slipped it ripped a hole in my stomach. They had to remove the band, clean my abdominal cavity patch the hole. Upon xray I had aspirated the xray fluid and ended up with toxic pneumoni…

Hi, I'm new here - I have a consultation at the beginning of July, and hope to be banded shortly after that. My question is....does anyone have any regrets that they had the surgery? And secondly, do you think that most of the negative side effects that you have experienced are due to either eating too much, too fast, the wrong thing etc. I'm so excited about the prospect of having this done, but at the same time I'm cautious and want to be sure I'm doing the right thing. Thanks everyone!:confused_smile:

My appointment to the surgeon was Aug 14th. They called today and want to know if I can come first thing Next Friday. I am so excited feel like I am now going somewhere. Getting nervous about meeting the surgeon But still cant wait.:smile: Renea

I know everyone seems to have a different pre-op diet. I have 2 weeks of liquids with 1 sm protein rich meal per day. Does anyone know what effects alcohol will have during the pre-op diet? Not a big deal, just trying to gather information so that I understand the whole shrinking of liver thing.

Question for all of the NYU bandsters -- what pre-op tests did you have to have? I've had my routine physical bloodwoork, an EKG and a pulmonary capacity test. I've heard folks mentioning chest x-rays and sleep apnea tests -- are those required?

I have been reading these post for a long time and have finally decided it's time to post. I am from Vancouver Canada and getting banded in 8 more days by Dr. Joya in Mexico. Holy cow...am I crazy! To make matters worse I've opted to save a bit of money and travel alone, instead of taking one of my support team. Even though I was very through I'm scared that I didn't do my research well enough and Dr. Joya isn't the right choice for me. Does anyone have some encouraging words about him? I keep imagining how scary and surreal it will feel to be in the hospital for the pre-op testing and those minutes right before the surgery when it all starts to feel REAL. I hope …

How is someone my weight supposed to buy exercise equipment? Does anyone here have stuff that has a weight limit of 250 or 300 and still use it and it works fine..if you weight more? I weigh 407 and the only treadmills I can find goto 250 lbs please help

Hi all - I just got my surgery date today and it is July 21st. I have to start an all liquid diet 10 days before the surgery. I hate Slimfast and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for things that are better tasting, more variety, etc. I would rather not have 10 days of choking things down and trying not to heave it up again! All suggestions, ideas, etc would be appreciated - thanks!!:biggrin2:

So, this is what I think I've gotten so far- LapBand is not a sure thing & you still have to work at it (Eat right/move) Lapband eventually makes you full faster. If you over eat you'll get sick. Can anyone fil me in on anything else? If you exercise & eat right will you lose faster?

Hi! I'm Nindy... I am on my 1st day of pre-op liquid diet. My band date is June 25th. Only 5 more days to go. I am so excited I want it to be tomorrow. Just taking one day at a time! :confused_smile:

Hello everyone I am almost at my finish line:biggrin2:… but I have come to a fork in my road.:biggrin: I am a serve asthmatic and I just recently got sick. I came home from work and everything was good I fed my son cleaned the kitchen I was fine, but then I sat on the coach an I couldn’t breath. I told my husband we need to go to the hospital so off we went. I was at the hospital for about 4 hours and I went home. Here is the kicker :success1: I walked in my apartment and no more than 6 minutes later EMS was at my house to take me back to the hospital. I couldn’t breathe again and I was getting worst. As I was at the hospital I kept thinking to my self would I have such …

:tongue: I feel like I have to call or email them all the time in order to get anywhere. I HATE feeling like I bother people but I can't get answers otherwise. I've been waiting for a week to get my surgery scheduled and no one has called me. It usually takes them 2 days to get back to me. It's been such a long process and I want to be able to plan my future some. I just want a flippin date. I know the poor insurance person at my doctors office probably hates me.

Hi everyone, I have really enjoyed reading all the posts;they are very informative. My problem is that I don't feel like the surgeon's office is doing much to keep me informed of what I have to do pre-op and what is going on with my insurance. I responded to the WLS flyer I got in the mail. I called and they asked a lot of questions and made me an appt. to see the surgeon. Somehow they forgot to mention that it was also a seminar and a lot of people would be there. We had the mini-seminar and they we were placed in rooms until the surgeon came in to speak to us individually. First of all my BMI is 37 but I have several co-morbidities--GERD, high cholesterol, high trigl…

I have been lurking for awhile, reading posts and doing research. I am about one month out from my surgery date (July 2nd). My surgeon (Dr. Maher in Richmond, VA) originally recommended laparoscopic gastric bypass during my initial consultation. He suggested this for two separate reasons: 1) the amount of weight I need to lose (130 pounds) and 2) the adjustments needed for the lap band. While he is willing to do either surgery he felt that in the long run gastric bypass would be more successful. When I met with him I was dead set on lap band. However, reading about the complications, adjustments, etc. I am beginning to waver. I feel that the surgery for the lap ban…

Yesterday I had my first appointment w/ PCP to tell her my plans & get a referral. It was a bit confusing to them & me. They kept saying they don't usually have to give a referral. This is what my insurance wanted. ANYway, I'm all set up w/ my first info seminar July 8th, then I meet for my first consult w/ surgen July 25th. I am sure I want to have the surgery done & I just hope everything goes well w/ not too many set backs. :rolleyes2:

How soon did everyone return to work? I really cannot miss to much work, but I do work in a job that I can sit most of the day with some walking and no lifting. I work in a lab...nothing to exciting? Any advice on what I should do or expect to happen?:rolleyes2:

Ok, I am not at the 40 bmi, I am at 37, I have high blood pressure, HIGH HIGH cholesterol over the 300 the medicine makes my body feel like it has the flu. So the PA I work for said that it is going to have to come down naturally. My weight is 235lb and 5'5" tall... So going to the orientation on Saturday. Husband is not supportive as of yet, I am very scared. I worry that I will fail at this too.. Then everyone will say look she can't even lose weight with the lap band. Has any one went in with less. My knees are killing me. My mom is heavy and had both knees replaced, and that tur:confused2:ned out bad... I guess I just don't know what to do... Any advice, …

I've been learning about the lapband and know I need to - and want to - do this but am afraid - scared by the mechanics. Do you feel the band inside you? Do you get used to knowing it's in there? Do you get used to feeling the port? All help welcome !! Thanks.

As I am getting closer to my surgery date I am having vivid dreams. I am excited about having it and I have made up my mind about this. Has anyone else experienced this?

I am currently on cellcept for sarcoidosis. I am meeting a surgeon this week, but I was wondering if anyone was on cellcept while getting banded.

Hello this is my first post. I am 41 and have a BMI of 47. 6'1" and 365Lbs. I have been lookin at this website for awhile but never registered until today. I would love to feel different by losing weight but I am very scared to say the least. Mostly of the operation and more intently on teh feeling of not having control over what they are doing to me. One big problem for me is the breathing tube, I have so many problems when I am awake that I cannot imagine them forcing a tube down my throat, are you knocked out enough to not care? Nothing after the surgery seems to come into mind that freaks me out, just the before and during. How do you overcome these feelings as I know…

I have my first phone consultation tomorrow afternoon with my center and I would like to know the right questions to ask without wasting time... so If you could do your first consultation over what questions would you ask, and what information would you have liked to be provided if it wasn't. My partial question list so far. Support groups in my city (surgery is in TO, I am in Calgary) Spousal support, is there any? clinics for fills in my city resonable healing and recovery times what to expect 3,4,5, months and several years post-op definite diet restrictions? calorie managment (training burns 1500+ a day for me) airport security? I have a small umbilical…

Does anyone use crystal light during the pre op diet?