PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

That when they called with my band date and everything she said that she would like to take a before picture and follow me for 6mths to a year and have me taped to do a commercial to appear on tv next year as well as the internet, and in magazines as well... What do u all think about that....

Just got my blood test results. Hgb A1c too high at 9.2 need to be at 8 or less for the surgery to take place. Has anyone else had this problem? Just wondering how long it will take for Hgb Ac1 to drop (by cutting out all sugar), PCP was willing to retest in 30 days.

My cardio & pulmonologist pre-cert appts are coming up. What are these appts like?

I finally called my surgeon yesterday afternoon because I had not heard from them. 3 weeks ago I called to see if my PCP had sent the info to her and she said "oh yes! It's been faxed to insurance and now we just wait". Well, I didn't want to be a pest, but I finally called. She apparently "mistook" me for another patient, and I don't have all my stuff ready to send to the insurance.. namely my PCP has not sent the letter, and I haven't had the psych eval. (I thought they would tell me what I needed to do.. yes, I need a little hand holding i guess) I was so mad and I didn't want to say anything that I would regret that I just hung up. She didn't even apologize for …

I am so excited I can hardly type...after 9 long months of waiting and jumping through all the hoops u can imagine, I heard the 3 magic words this morning....YOU ARE APPROVED.....I called the drs office and they said as soon as they get me a date they will call me back.....the nurse is pushing for a date asap as my family and I are scheduled to leave for Disney on June 15th......I just had to share my excitement with all of the wonderful banders I have talked to on here.......:tt1:

Just got my date today - May 28th - can't wait to get on here and watch my ticker move Excited and a little scared - Don't know what I would do with out this site!

I had my EGD today and it all went well, and before I left the nurse told me that I needed to start on a 1200 calorie diet? She gave me a handout of the sample diet, but I am just wondering if this is my "pre-op" diet??? The only thing I have left to do is go to the diet and nutrition class. All of my pre-op medical tests have been done!! :biggrin:

I know, I know. There are so many threads on this, but I need to vent. I have been on liquid diet since last Tuesday. Today I started with clear liquids. So, what all can be considered clear liquids? Can the protein shakes be one? I am hungry!!! I'm steady eating the popcicles and drinking water. Can I heat a can of soup and drain the contents? Please someone help! I am to be banded Friday. Thanks, D'

Is that based on your weight, your doctor, or your insurance company?

I know many of you have been in my shoes. I have my first surgical consult tomorrow and then my bariatric psych eval. I am wondering what the Doc will have to say. I am pretty sure I qualify and that my insurance will pay . I have been big and up and down for about 20 yrears or so and now I desperately want to be thin again. Why am I so worried about this appt? I expect him to say I need a six month diet. :thumbup: I wonder if he'll order a cardiac clearance and a sleep study. Do I really have to sleep with people watching me? My mother had open heart sugery at 57. Will I pass the cardiac clearance? And of course their is the psych eval. Will I pass or fail th…

Hey all I had my surgery last thursday(24) had to stay 2 nites in hospital do to my left arm was swollen and bruised (they think they pulled a muscle or something, waiting on x-ray to come back). But i am doing really good a little sore and alot of gas... but drinking plenty of liquids and jellos.Oh yeah and plenty of gas x. The 1st day i was like what the hell was i thinking????Then each day after that i was like this was no big deal the pain is nothing compared to the pay off- losing weight.. thanks all.....

Just had my surgery this morning. I am home and really sore. How long for this to go away so I can lay down and slee? Any help will be appreciated. Thanks

I woke up yesterday with little cough and today, I have a sore throat a cough and dry heaves :w00t:( YUK :huh2: My surgery is scheduled for Wednesday... I guess I will have to postpone my journey- but I believe Everything happens for a reason... Hopefully tomorrow I'll wake up good as new and we won't have to worry! Yes, I have HIGH HOPES!

Hello! I have been approved and I think I have decided to have the LB surgery. I am going on vacation to Mexico with my DH and DS June 9th-15th. The soonest date I can get my LB is May 16th. Is this too close to flying to Mexico?? Will I be completely recovered? What if there are complications? Please give me your suggestions. Margo

i'm reading in lots of posts about a "pre op diet". my doc hasn't told me anything about that. my banding date is < 7 days away. i take it that every doc is different. am i missing anything?

Hi everyone! I was wondering I just had my doctor at add zoloft to my wellbutrian and i'm curious to know if this will affect my approval for the surgery? I've already passed my psych consult but now i'm worried that since he's changing my meds around if it's going to look like i'm not ready for the surgery has anyone has experiance with this? :wink2: thanks!!!

I'm scheduled for surgery on 5-1 and am going back and forth whether to cancel or not every 10 minutes. I come up with the reasons to talk myself into it and then I end up obsessing and come up with even more reasons why I shouldn't. The thought of having a foreign object in my body for the rest of my life is not easy. Not knowing what the band, tube and port are doing in my body at any given second freaks me out. I told the case manager that I'm dealing with at the hospital what I'm feeling and she said, "well maybe the surgery isn't for you". Maybe she's right. I've lost 40 pounds since I started this and wonder if I can just do the rest myself. I've been a fatty…

Hello everyone. I'm new to this website and so far the info here is great. I'm 2 weeks post-op and I've been having a strange feeling in the back of my throat for about a week. It feels like there is something back there that I can't see. It doesn't hurt, but it's really annoying. Before I panic and call my doctor, has anyone else felt this or know what it is?

Hi, I get banded on May 7. I did a lot of research and feel good about my decision. My biggest question which I have asked several people, but still feel I don't understand is when eating do you feel satisfied or restricted by this procedure. I guess I have this fear of never having an enjoyable meal again.

In the info session i went to, the surgeon stated that you have to be off caffeine...is that permanently or just before the surgery? Can i really never have a cup of coffee again? Also...I understand why they say no more soda...but has anyone tried it post op...what were the consequences (sp?)... Thanks in advance for the feedback!

had a scary thought today. Getting banded May 9th. I was wondering what is the difference in stopping at full with the band vs. not stopping at full pre-band. I know for me, I am this way because I eat past full!! Thoughts?

I had my surgical consult this past Wednesday, which was also the day I got my surgery day (YAY!) and the surgical coordinator asked if I'd be interested in using a new version of the band. She said that it was made by a new company, but just like the original and they were looking for people to try it out. I freaked, and told her no way, I wanted to stick to something that I know works well and that has been used over and over. Now that I am thinking about it, I regret not asking more about it before immediately saying no. I mean, why wouldn't I want a newer more improved version if it is available? But I also don't really know if this option is actually a better ch…

Hi all, I was just banded on Monday and I keep thinking about this guy at work who was banded in April. He has lost 110lbs in just 6 months and he told me that he eats ice cream every night. He said that he eats ice cream every night even immediately post-op and I think about the ice cream in my freezer. He also recently told me that every day on his way in to work, he stops at Mcdonalds and orders a scrambled egg and sausage patty. this is his Breakfast every day. However, he still continues to lose weight at a rapid rate. What is you opinion of eating ice cream? What about McDonalds? I don't really like McDonalds, but I thought it was strange that he thought th…

I'm about 5'0" and 200 lbs. Diets have worked, but I always give up after a couple of weeks and 10 lbs., mostly because it is difficult to make "regular" meals for the family and special meals for me. Not only is it time consuming, but it is hard on the budget as well. I guess b/c I'm not quite 100 lbs over weight, I'm worried I'd be shot down right away (I have trust issues with doctors, as it seems they tend to immediately dismiss my opinions - wrongly so with 2 of my son's pediatricians). I'm not sure if the issue is with me being oversensitive or them being jerks, but to me it feels that doctors (and other people) think that because I'm fat, my opinions aren't i…

Hello All, I'm meeting with the dietition tomorrow because after months on the weight watchers (which I can't keep on good terms with) because I'm always going out to eat otherwise I'd never see anyone! anyways I'm hoping this will help me pick better things and not have to have my computer with me to find out what the points values....I know WW can and do work for some people but it's just not for me I guess. I'm in my 2nd month of the 6 month diet and I GAINED 4 POUNDS!!!! I'm going crazy I do watch what I eat for the most part I'm guessing it's all the other parts that I'm missing that are skrewing me up. I'm so looking forward to having a list after the surger…

I am a newbie, Can anyone tell me how would you take vitamins and pain killers after surgery????(Crushed???). Also can I get back on my vitamins schedule after the surgery???? I hear protein is very important, I currently take a very good hair vitamins and I would like to continue it, due to the problems with hair loss after the surgery....

Does anyone have any good or bad you can tell me about lap band at Tallgrass in Topeka? Do they help you get approved by your insurnace company? How do you sign up for a seminar? I have looked on the web and it tells very little about the lap band. I am from Kansas City and am trying to make the best decision as to where to go for the lap band procedure. Any help would be appreciated!

hey everyone out there in lap band land -- I have a question/concern. I am getting banded on May 23rd -- and I am sooooo excited -- I have been debating this surgery back and forth for 2 years now and have finally made the decision (after a ton of research and conversations) to move forward. But as the date gets closer I find myself getting more and more scared. Not about the surgery, or the post-op diet/eating change but a lot more about what happens if the band and losing weight doesn't change anything. Here is basically my concern in a nut shell -- I have this really great guy friend -- we hang out all the time and have a complete blast together -- we confide in …

So, I'm having surgery on May 21st and I'm rather nervous. I seem to be excited and looking forward to losing weight, feeling better, moving better one day to feeling like a failure the next day. I haven't been able to lose weight on my own because food is too tasty and I like lots of it. I have gotten my head around the idea that I need some help but there are those days when I feel like giving into the band is a failure on my part and it really drives me up the wall feeling that way. What did some of you do to get mentally prepared for the sugery?

I had my Upper GI this morning and the radiologist told me I do have a hiatal hernia but it is small (2 cm). I am not sure if this will make a difference to my surgeon. The radiologist did say that it should not be repaired. Anyone have any expereiince with a hiatal hernia - relative to getting their lap band? Thanks, Mary in Las Vegas :crying:

I couldn't figure out what was happening! i was :huh2:,my weight was down 4 lbs,i wondered what i was doing wrong. Well it finally hit me this morning! :w00t: i was reading other posts etc,and other sites,when i realized,that feeling when you first start eating your meal,and there is a feeling of being stuffed quickly,i thought my food was stuck,you know the feeling of eating and something is stuck,well duh! to me! that's the feeling i'm suppose to feel,the feeling of being full! i was waiting for it to pass before,and then finishing my meal. well no wonder i was staying put or only down a few pounds. So here's to a new day,and now i know!

It seems so strange because he is like What if they told me that I was banded and I really wasent. Then he tops it off with I ate an entire box of Kraft Mac & Cheese and 4 chicken wings do u think it's working....:smile2::biggrin:... R u serious... I understand over eating is an illness because like myself I would eat just for the hell of it. But why would a person eat and eat and eat just to see how much they can hold down before getting sick or throwing it back up... that is crazy to me. I just had to get that out and vent because some people make me think do they really send everyone thru a phyc evaluation?

Hi everyone. If anyone needs any encouragement...read on! Today, I am wearing size 18 pants - not women's size 18, just regular 18s. And, they fit PERFECTLY! This comes 7 months after my surgery, almost 78 pounds gone and I feel fantastic. Yesterday, my best friend went shopping with me to Kohl's and I actually was able to buy XL from the ladies department and didn't even look in the women's sizes. I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! When I had my surgery, 26/28s were tight. I will admit that I have had a pretty easy adjustment to band life. I finally hit the sweet spot with my 3rd fill and am doing well. I eat whatever I feel like eating, but I make much bet…

Hi All So excited :grouphug: :frown3: I had my consultation early feb and was weighed etc & due to work committments could not have surgery until mon 28/04/08. I must confess & after consultation went 'food crazy' saw it as 'last chance saloon' & ate lots of rubbish (there confession over!) So was really worried when went back for pre-op tests would weigh more than I did in feb...but I have managed to pull myself back & been on low-fat pre-op diet for 3 weeks & now weigh 5 kg less than in Feb. :biggrin2: I consider monday as my new birthday & can't wait to stop my life time of obesity... Just thought I would share my thoughts & j…

My paperwork to my insurance was sumitted yesterday! yea! my 6 month program was up yesterday. i lost 14 lbs. not bad. she said i did good. wish me luck. i'll let you guys know!

Hi, I just need to vent. I am getting my band Wednesday, April 30th and am on day 5 of my pre-op diet. My day started out great with watching my daughter in her first parade for tee-ball. When we got home, it was so beautiful with a nice strong breeze, I threw her in the car and drove to the park to go kite flying. We were trying to get it going and I took some steps back, lost my balance and fell. My worst nightmare. I have rhumetoid arthritis and have not been able to take my enbrel injections for it since April 1, it needs to be out of my system for the surgery. It (the fall) was awful and so painful!! I fell right on my knees, my most affected joints. I co…

I was on phen-fen years ago and lost 80 lbs, but then they pulled it off the market and I gained it all back plus the usual 20 more..... Now since I was on it my surgeon wants me to have an echocardiogram. Any of y'all had to do this also?

Hello Everyone, My overweight journey began in 1978. It all began with my clothes fitting a little tighter, Jeans being harder to zip. I shrugged it off as bloating thinking it will go away. I was wrong. Over the years I was under a lot of stress and food took on a whole new meaning of "comfort food." Now 30 years later, here I am from 116lb. in 78-263lbs. today. My doctor discussed gastric bypass surgery with me back in November of 07, and I finally made the call last week. My husband and I attended a seminar this past Saturday and we were very impressed by the lecture as well as the guest speakers with their testimonials. I go for my consultation tomorrow and maybe …

Hey everyone! I have not had surgery yet - but I was trying to find out where in Pa everyone else went - and where you get your fills. I just feel like there isnt a whole lot of options for us in Pa. Maybe I am wrong - but I havent really seen alot. :teeth_smile: K Thanks everyone!

Well.. I went to my surgeons consult today with the RN, Surgeon & Dietician. To my dismay.. I have to quit smoking 8 weeks before my Dr. will do surgery. I have tried to quit so many times, but I've been unsuccessful. I guess it's the same as with dieting, try try try-right?? I know smoking isn't good for me to begin with, but trying to eat right and quit smoking has got to be an oxy moron... ANY ADVICE!!!!:blushing:

My mom is planning to travel to be with me after my surgery. I wondered if any of you had any recommendations regarding who offered the best prices? THANKS!

I began my liquid Protein diet today. I'm going for 7 days then 3 days Clear liquids. I'm only allowed to have liquids to make sure that my liver is not too large. [YIKES!] I'm doing whey Protein shakes 3x per day. 40-60 gm of protein per day. In addition to being diabetic [i don't take MEDS, I use diet to control.], I'm also hypogylcemic. In the past, I have had difficulty keeping my blood sugar from plummeting. Anyone have any problems keeping the blood sugars from peaking and bottoming out while on the liquid diet??

I am researching surgeons for my lapband since I have decided not to use my first choice. One of the reasons why I liked him was because he had performed sooooo many successful surgeries. My question to you is, how many successful surgeries is enough experience for you? 1,000? 500? 50? 500 lap bands or 500 bariatric surgeries total? My thought is that if the person has performed hundreds of gastric bypasses but maybe not as many lapbands, then I still feel comfortable. But maybe I am wrong in that thinking and that the band is soooo different from the bypass that I shouldn't even take that into consideration. I don't know. How many has YOUR doctor performed??…

Just like I posted in my last thread. I don't know why I stopped working out, I guess not wanting to loose to much too fast and them saying that I didn't need the procedure done. But since it is taking so long I am getting really pissed off at myself for not working out. So i'm going to get back on track A.S.A.P. Now from your experience does working-out help you heal faster vs not being active? I am more determined to get this freekin fat off more than ever.

I have a very symptomatic medium hiatal hernia that will need repaired. I thought banding might be out of the question for me but I was pleased to see several responses that indicated hernia repair is actually required for those who have one. For those of you who have undergone simultaneous banding and hiatal hernia repair, were you hospitalized over night? How long was it before you were able to return to work? How long before you could return to normal activities such as vigorous exercise? From what I have read on the forum, post-banding diet is typically 2 weeks of liquids then 2 weeks of "mushy" foods. Are there any differences to that when a hiatal hernia repair is a…

I have done all of the preliminary tests, visits and weight loss needed and I will meet the Dr. for the first time next Wed 4-30-08 and hope to get a surgery date but I am having difficulty kicking the coffee / caffeine. Anybody able to drink coffee (real) after surgery?

It is a great idea if you take a few minutes to look up your physician thru the State Board of Medical Licensure in the state you are having your surgery in. All you have to do once you access the site is type in their name etc, and it will pull up their records. It will list any malpractice or complaints that have been filed against their medical license. This is a great tool to use for ANY physician you are seeing.

Well, two years and three months after my initial consult... I finally have a surgery date! Tuesday, June 10th 2008. I will be banded by Dr. Poplowski in Ypsilanti, MI. :thumbs_down: I'm so excited. It's like Christmas coming early.

I started my liquid diet yesterday and I have had a splitting headache since yesterday afternoon. I got home from work last night, fed my kids dinner and went straight to bed because I thought I was going to die. My head is still killing me. Has anyone else had this problem? If this continues I don't know what I will do because I know I won't be able to last 2 weeks with this pain. I have been drinking all of my required items from the doctor so I am supposedly getting all of my necessary nutrition and I have been taking my Vitamins and Calcium. HELP!!!!!!

I have my anesthesiologist appointment tomorrow - what happens there? Did you get weighed? What do they ask about?? What is the purpose?