PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

I posted this on my blog and another LBT thread and people really seem to like it: a virtual weight loss simulator from Prevention. Just plug in your current weight and your goal weight and you have a mini-you…now and at your ideal weight. Here I am…now and at my ideal weight of 140. Pretty fun!

Although I am hypothyroid and supposed to be intolerant of cold, I CRAVE the cold and am always too hot. I am not "flashing". I'm just always warm. Others around me just attribute it to being overweight. For example every morning after I have showered, done hair and makeup I start persipring to the point I need a paper towel to dab at my face and neck for several minutes. Is subsides about twenty minutes after I am on my way...but it always happens. I do have hbp under control with Lopressor. Anyone else out there always hot? With or without thyroid troubles? Did it change once you lost a significat amount of weight? I always remember being like this.....but I h…

I am going for my pre op on Friday, even though my surgery isn't until the 28th. I was just wondering what kind of questions I should ask. Does anyone have any suggestions?? First one I have is will he fill the band some during the operation. Thank you so much for helping. Alesha

Well, I started my 6 month Dr. supervised weight loss program a month ago - - went in for weigh in and lost 12 pounds. Dr. is happy and says this is just what the insurance co wants to see - he is not worried that I will lose too much to be approved. My BMI was 42 - -now, it obviously is less - - I am worried if I go below 40 I won't be approved.

:thumbup:Has anyone ever seen this show on TLC before? I have been watching it for the past 3-weeks and it seems like it works... Basiclly they are saying that it is all in your mind...

I have BCBS of Minnesota and my insurance doesn't actually start until 4/1/08 but I started my six month supervised diet in January and hope to submit to my insurance by June. My surgeon and his office has been amazing! I haven't even met with him yet and his coordinator has been by my side with all questions for the last three months. I meet with him on Thursday the 4th!! I have been doing my six month diet and when I did my first way in my BMI was low because I had lost 8 pounds it took me three months to get that weight off. So I am worried about that my BMI was 39.1. But I have diabetes and heart disease on both sides (my aunt just died 3 weeks ago of heart attack…

In my continuing investigation (pre-surgery) I came across this website- - The Mini Gastric Bypass It talks about eventually (10 years out from banding) most everyone will have had to have another surgery. It also shows a film of someone having the band taken out and a mini gastric bypass done. She had to have the band removed because of the scar tissue that developed after several years on her stomach and the fact that the tube grew into her liver. I am terrified. I want to think this is just this MDs site trying to get new patients but... I need to hear from those of you who have had the band for many years (10 or so) to know what the long-term consequences…

I am a 61 year old grandmother pumped up about my surgery. Surgery April 14. Anyone older than me that got banded? Just wondering, how did it go for you? Grammy

Does anyone drink through a straw? If so does it cause you any problems with your band?

I am not yet banded, but I'm hoping to get my surgery date in the next few weeks. I started thinking about getting banded last July, but it took me until January to actually get serious. My problem is I feel guilty for getting the band, I sometimes feel like if I just worked harder, or was more commited, and stepped away from the candy bowl I could it on my own. I am 30 years old, 5'5'' and 240lbs. I have been at this weight for 5 years (since having my son) I have done other things to lose weight but nothing worked. Has anyone else dealt with feelings of guilt over getting the band?? :confused2:

There is one thing my brain can not wrap around and that is how is it that your metabolism not go into a nosedive? How can you be on beef broth for weeks and have yoru metabolism go to hell? I'm sure that is where the exercise comes in but I'm just not understanding how that can be effective [the non eating not the exercising]...? So I gues my question is ... DOES your metabolism nose dive?:confused2: I have my first nutritional appt. tomorrow and plan on asking them but I guess I wanted the truth from you guys first!!!!!

There was a little mix up when the lady called to schedule my surgery. When I had my consult I had told the doc that I don't do to well with surgeries, it takes me a long time to recover and the anesthesia really makes it hard to stay awake after they wake me up and I'm also an hour and half away from doc's office. So I asked him if I could please have it at the hospital and stay in the hospital overnight because I would just feel safer, not that I'm saying something will go wrong, but I don't want to take that chance. He said he understood and it wouldn't be a problem. So when she called me for the surgery date, I explained it to her and that I was also going on a l…

How soon can one have a drink or two after surgery? I'm know I'll ask my doc this and follow his instruxtions, but I was just wondering how long it was until you had let's say a margarita?

I am feeling a little bit frustrated. I made the decision to have lap band surgery and finally got a surgery date on March 31st 2008, only to have it cancelled due to a high white blood cell count on my blood test. I had to jump through hoops and hurdles to get an appointment with a hematologist and he cleared me for surgery on Friday so now I can reschedule for a new date. Now my Mom (who has been such a big support) just mentioned that "Oh I heard this thing about Opt-Fast.. maybe it is an option?" This made me so mad. I know of course she would rather me not have surgery if at all possible but I already made the decision to be banded! I'm just feeling alone and n…

id like to introduce myself to the group im mike and i just started the process of getting approved i have aetna hmo and im curious as to how hard they are to get approval from im 6 2 332 lbs with advanced djd in my knee and i suffer from major depression i was also told that i would have to do the liquid diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery and im in philadelphia pa if that matters to the health care providers any help would be greatly appreciated ty and im waiting to wither away

I am so upset. My surgery was scheduled for Monday March 31st, and the surgeon's office called me on Thursday and said that my labs came back and my white blood cell count was high(this means i might have an infection.) I was so frustrated that they didn't call me earlier to tell me this. Instead they call 1 day before my surgery! So, I rushed down to my PCP office and re-did the blood work and it is still high. My doctor cleared me but the surgeon won't do the procedure because it is a risk. I am perfectly healthy and they have no idea why my WBC is high. So now I have to get cleared by a hematologist in order to re-schedule my surgery. I was so looking forward to …

My band date is 04-09-08, I don't think I would have made it this far without you guys. I'm so happy to have found this forum. I was with my best friend today and she has such negative feeling about the band. She claims she know three people who have the band and they all have negative results. ( haven't produce none of their numbers) I don't even bring up the subject to her. I'm trying to remain positive.

Hi i'm Donna i'm 24 years old i'm from North Yorkshire in the UK and I weigh 25st,11bl im 5ft,9 and am a size 30-32 in clothes. This is my first visit to any sort of forum and i am looking around for any sort of advice. Iv been thinking about Lap/Gastric bands for a long time now but friends, family and doctors always try to put me off. I have had a quick look through some of your conversations and thought this would be the best place to help me along with my desition. But if doctors wont listen to me how do i start the ball rolling?

I saw my gastroenterologist today. I told him about the AGB and asked him for a letter to back up my decision. He gave me one written on a piece of prescription paper. I also spoke to him about my GERD and the likelihood of a hiatal hernia (I don't have one that I know of). I don't have any abdominal pain, but I figured before I got the AGB I'd be proactive and make sure everything was okay in there first! :tongue: So it's scheduled for May 16th! I didn't want to get banded until June or July anyway, so May is perfect! Anyone get an endoscopy before getting banded?

I had a meeting with my surgeon late Thurs afternoon and weighed in at 329.5 :regular_smile: He put me on liquids for three days prior to Monday's surgery and today is Day 3. I weighed myself when I got up this morning and I am down over 8 pounds. That is a crazy amount of weight to lose in 2 days! I will be on liquids for 5 weeks post op and I can't even imagine how much I will have lost by the end of that. Should I be excited or alarmed?

I am new to this whole thing, so pardon me if I am asking dumb questions. My surgical eval is 4/14 . . . but in the meantime, I'm excited, nervous, excited, scared, excited . . . did I mention excited? I know that the band controls "stomach" hunger and it gives you the sensation of being full on normal/smaller portions of food. But I know that with every "diet" I've ever been on, I've felt hungry in more ways than just with my stomach . . . I get headaches, I get shaky, I get irritable. Do you get this when you are eating less with the band? I just look at my portions now and I'm questioning how it is EVEN possible to mentally feel full after eating so little. I…

I had Gastric Bypass Surgery in 1989 and I have gained almost all my weight back. Does anybody know if I can have Lap Band Surgery?:confused2:

Hi all of you :thumbup: I have not had my band fitted it should be in May. I just have a couple of questions for the more experienced bandsters. 1. I would like to take up kick boxing after I have some initial weight loss but am wondering if it is going to be a good idea??? Would it possibly disturb my band is I substained some impact to the band area??? 2. Does any one ever feel the tube from the port to the band move about? Sorry had to ask curiosity was killing me!!! Thanks in advance! Miss Wilde XX

At my information session last night, I asked the RN how long it would be until my first fill. She replied six weeks (which as I've read here is standard). However, she said that it is changing a bit now because with the new band model that came out a month or so ago, it's recommended that they do a fill during surgery. Anyone with newer bands have a fill during surgery?

Hi everyone, I am new to this site and have lots of questions but won't ask all now. I am curious with so little food going in how are the bowel habits? Are they normal? Also was anyone scared going into surgery not because of the banding but because of being put to sleep?:tongue:

Hi everyone, I am being banded on Tuesday, April 8. The only pre-op diet I have is 48 hours of Clear liquids. I'm ready for that and I was wondering, if any of you were given any restrictions about alcohol so close to surgery. I enjoy a couple of glasses of wine a few nights a week and I know I won't be able to do that post-op, but do you think it would be a problems for tonight and tomorrow night, if I indulge a little? I got my medical clearance today and my former post about toothache has been resolved and the surgeon said any meds I took for the root canal will not affect the surgery. I was so worried. Good luck to all this coming weeks new bandsters. We're go…

I could've sworn that I once went to a website where you could type in what you weighed now, and it showed you like a model of yourself. And than you could type yourself in like 40 lbs. less, or at your goal weight, and it showed you what you'd look like then. I have a really hard time "seeing" myself at lower weight because I can't remember ever being smaller. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Please tell me how much you lost on your 2 week pre-op liquid diet. I am wondering what to expect. Thank you for your input.

I'm considering getting the lapband surgery and I'm wondering how everyone does with the pre-surgery diet. It looks like some of you are able to follow it, some not so much. I feel that if I could follow a liquid diet, I wouldn't need the band! I'm sure after the band I will be able to follow the program because I will have no choice, but I don't know how I will do with the pre-diet....

I'm still in the process of getting the LB approved through my insurance, but I found out over the weekend that my surgeon is not just a bariatric surgeon, he is a general surgeon as well. In other words, he does things like appendectomies, colostomies, etc. I'm not sure how that makes me feel. I think he is a great doctor and I liked him right away...but knowing that he doesn't do JUST bariatric surgery has me going . It's too late to change doctors, in my particular case. How would you feel?

Hi all. My surgeon requires fairly extensive pre-surgery testing of all patients regardless of health history - sleep study, psych evaluation, dietician approval, EKG, chest x-ray, echocardiogram, blood work, and approval of family doctor. He also requires that all patients lose a minimum of 10% of their body weight prior to surgery - no exceptions. That means I have to lose at least 28 lbs. before the surgery. Is this common? Have others had this requirement?

Can anyone tell me, fore sure, if the insurance co uses the weight before the six month supervised weight loss program or the weight after? I had a date prior to approval, and 6 days before my scheduled date the insurance co change their criteria, and said no exceptions. If I stick stricktly to a weight loss program I can loose weight but cant keep it off and can't stick to a plan because I'm allways hungry. If I loose too much weight will they deny me saying I can do it with diet and don't need the surgery? I've lost 26 pounds since Dec. but I'm affraid to continue prior to approval.

I made it through the first week my pre op diet. My doctor has me on 4 weeks of 5 Medifast shakes a day. When I came home and read the calendar it was actually 5 weeks (even though they said it was 4) which made me go nuts. Anyway I did not do it exactly by the book. I did 3 shakes a day and one dinner, a piece of tilapia (100 calories) and steamed broccoli. I guess it was okay because I lost 10 lbs the first week. I know it is mostly water weight but I don't care. 10 lbs is 10 lbs. I was weighed in on Monday and now it is Friday and I lost another 3 lbs. My goal is 5 by weigh in next Monday.

Has anyone experienced weight gain before being banded? I was such a nervous wreck before I got the approval from insurance that I feel like I gained some weight. I'm afraid to step on the scale...as usual!!! My doc does not require a pre-op diet, but I think that I will try some protein shakes for a few days before surgery.

I was told my my surgeon's nurse, when she called to tell me I was approved by ins, that there would be no pre-op diet. Just no food after midnight the night before. Went to my final surgeon appt yesterday and he put me on liquids for 3 days before the surgery. Getting banded on Monday and no food with chunks for almost 6 weeks. Oh well, I suppose my liver could use some shrinking!

hehehe Well, not really. What I mean are those online medical sites that tell you syptoms and give you a possible "diagnosis." After reading about hiatal hernias I got nervous and went online to see the symptoms. Well, there aren't many, but I do have GERD and a chronic cough. Sometimes I get the lump sensation in my throat. (sigh) So now I'm freaking out that I have a hiatal hernia. Good thing I'm seeing the gasteroenterologist tomorrow b/c I'm going to mention this (plus tell him about me getting the AGB). So, have you ever looked up symptoms on the net to "diagnosis" your problems? :bolt: I swear I have almost everything on that site! :eek:

kinda a long story here... i had a semi-crappy childhood and have spent the past 6 years on and off in therapy. December 2006 my therapist suggested i confront my mom about things... so i did and my mom stopped talking to me for almost a year no matter how hard i tried to contact her. a week before christmas 2007 my mom invited me to spend christmas with the entire family. we're working on repairing our damaged relationship and i've never been happier with one exception. i have asked my parents to go with me when i have surgery which is 4 hours away from home. they have agreed but now my mom is starting to push her way back in control of my life. she doesn't wan…

A YUMMIE Protein shake?!!!!! I have been trying out a whole bunch and today i ran out!!! ahhhh, so off to the base I went and they only had myoplex and muscle milk. muscle milk??? hmmmm....chocoloate mint? YUM! So I grabbed a four pack and came home and poured one over ice...it's REALLY GOOD!!!!!! Other's on my approved list: Atkins Carmel Latte - sooooo yummie Atkins Mocha - i add an oz of sf davinci kaluah syrup to it and it's my starbucks fix! mmmmm yummie! Muscle milk has a ton of different flavors so I am going to try out a few more as soon as I find where I can get them.

I would like to be in touch with people who are 6+ months from Lap Band placement. I am approaching 6 months. I have challenges, mainly around emotrional eating. Anyone else? :biggrin: LaRose

I am and thought I would start a thread for that group. I am being banded in NYC on Monday.

I have my surgery date, most of the tests done, and I started the liquid diet today. The doctors office told me it was too early to send the information in and get approval. My surgery date is 4-28-08. I have BCBS of NY. Really????? What happens if they deny me? Do I have to stay on the liquid diet for longer than the 4 weeks I am on it? I am so confused?

I'm a little dissapointed, because he thinks i'm on the verge and that my insur. (the dreaded Cigna) might not approve me.. My BMI is right on the edge of being able to get coverage (40.1) ..and I don't have any co-morbidities(sp?) .. I just made an apointment to do a sleep test for apnea ..and that isn't until May 21st! ..So if it turns out I don't have that.. I feel like I should just give up. Why do they make this so darn hard!! Thanks for letting me vent...:biggrin: Kristen

I'm worried the most that they will eventually discontinue the AGB for some reason or another. I say this b/c of all the other types of bariatric surgeries that were performed, but are not anymore (ie. VGB banding, stomach stapling, etc.). The AGB is the next thing since sliced bread now, but will that fade away like the others? I'm also worried about the problems I may have with the band and that I'll want to yank it out of my body. Now, of course, these are just concerns and won't make me not get the band. :thumbup: It's just something for me to worry about. What are (were) your concerns?

Too excited to not share. I got the call from insurance today and was approved, yes!! Called doctor's office after lunch and she scheduled me as the next available... May 22nd. 5 days before I turn 30. I am too excited for words!! :thumbup::tongue:

I don't know what I can take. I had a root canal on Monday and I didn't have a toothache going in. I had a broken tooth that was sensitive and it is right in front. I've had root canals before but never had so much pain afterward. I have been taking Tylenol but it really isn't working. Any kind of aspirin product is out because it is too close to surgery. I am tempted to try a vicodin or a half. I also started amoxicillin last night when the pain started. I am afraid to even call the dentist because I don't want to have to go back and have him do more and start all over and jeopardize my surgery on Tuesday. Any suggestions? Thanks. Alice

Someone had asked about a protein/vitamin supplement you can add to Water that has no flavor. I found this GNC.com I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like a good thing to try. I am going to go up to the GNC today and pick it up for my post op liquid diet. (edit in) The one I linked is actually chocolate flavor but they listed 'plain', vanilla, and chocolate flavors

I am scheduled to be banded this Friday 3/28/08 and I am so afraid of anesthesia. I had a bad experience when I had my wisdom teeth removed in the hospital back in the early '80's. I was sedated and then all of a sudden I was awake. I could hear the doctor and nurses joking about who was supposed to bring the donuts. I was not able to move at all or open my eyes. I could feel the tube in my throat and I just wanted it out of there. All I could do was just lay there and breathe, feeling very scared and helpless. Then I went back to sleep so it is not one of those cases where I was conscious during the procedure. When I woke up I was throwing up blood and I was naus…

What is the actual process of banding? I've done the seminar, I meet with my surgeon tomorrow.. I just would like to know what I have to get done and crammed in before my surgery date. At what point do they shedule you for surgery? Thank you!

Ok, I'm throwing this random question out there, hopefully not too gross for some of you, but I'm a bit worried... I've been taking the Alli for about 3 weeks and just when I eat "normal" (a bit on the greasier) food. I've asked my Dr. nurse if it was ok to take 2 of them when I do take them, but no more then 3 per day if that. My question is, my stools are not greasy but the last 2/3 days when I do go, my stools (sorry) are a GREEN in nature. I expected them to be on the loose side but not green. I've stopped taking them to give my body a couple of days rest, but I really don't want to stop taking them because they've really helped me. Like I said, I'm sorry if this is…

I started my Prevpac Thursday, so I just took my AM dose for day 3 this morning and I am sick as a dog! So far, I have thrown up twice and even the thought of food makes me nauseous. I have to do this for 11.5 more days??? I don't knwo if I can make it!! :thumbup: