KristeyK

Go Sexxy!!! I dearly want to be an NP, and with the new rules that means DNP. ACK! Maybe I'll change my mind and become a midwife, which is still a Master's. LOL.

Good luck to brookb, MissBliss, Gaylebco, Heatherr, Lynn225, TipsyNoodle, texas123!!! Let us know how it goes!

Now, I am still a student nurse, but I know that there's at least one nurse, and I noticed someone else with nurse in their screen name. Fess up- how many of us are nurses? (YAY NURSES!)

Good luck to BigSexxy, MamaMcKinzie, heygirlfriendB, chelle622, rubyspring and newdaycomn! Today is the beginning of your new lives. Check in when you can and let us know how you're doing. YAY!

YAY!!! Good luck and let us know how it goes.

My info was submitted on a Tuesday, I gave it until the following week to start calling, and got my approval the first time I called. WOOHOO!

Unfortunately, there aren't any products that will take care of it. (Anything that says it does is selling false advertisement.) Stinks, doesn't it?

OMG! The two stomachs! I absolutely LOATHE that. As I type this, I am sitting here MISERABLE because I had two oz of chicken breast, it's stuck and hurting, but I am still STARVING!!!!!!!! I really feel like going and throwing it up just to get rid of the pain. (Going on three hours now without any relief.)

I got my band in May 2008, and my surgeon is planning on doing it all at the same time. (I say planning, because there COULD be issues that prevent that, but he said he hasn't encountered anything bad enough yet to keep him from doing that.)

I hope you get better answers than mine, but I am having surgery on a Wednesday, and I start back to school the following Tuesday. I'm a nursing student and my first day back has a rather long lab that morning, but it's not 8 or 12 hours of getting up and down, just four hours of standing and performing procedures on mannequins. (I won't be back to my clinicals until three weeks after my surgery- otherwise I would have put off surgery until our Christmas break.) I have seen where some people only take a week off, and others take off three weeks. It's my understanding that since we're getting a revision, we'll be a little more sore than others who get this, but I don't imagine it's much worse than when we got the band. (I'm hoping so at least!)

WOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!! I see your big day is tomorrow. You must be getting excited!!! YAY!!!!

Appeal the decision. Make sure your surgeon sent in something written that states he believes you need the revision because of the band failure. I would also have your primary care Dr. write a letter and give that to your surgeon's office to submit with the appeal. YOU should also write a letter stating everything you've been through because of this. ANYTHING you have that documents your issues since having the band will only help your case. Hopefully someone else will be able to chime in with more advice. GOOD LUCK! I know how much that band sucks when it malfunctions. It's not an easy thing to have to live with.

I was going to say exactly what Wishes did for the most part. Even if you're financially able, the six month diet requirement isn't a bad thing. It'll help you out after surgery in that you'll already be "preprogrammed" for the lifestyle modifications this surgery requires. (This is coming from the queen of impatience! LOL) GOOD LUCK!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! That actually sounds like fun. (And it must be nice to live somewhere that affords you the ability to do that in the middle of summer. We'd just get cooked here in Tucson. LOL!)

I am still pre-op, but one thing I want to add to the list is this: Anxiety about this surgery is NORMAL. Make a list of what it is that makes you anxious about getting this done and TALK ABOUT IT! This is a HUGE life changing thing we're doing, and to let the anxiety control us before we even have the surgery is another step backwards we'll have to overcome, especially if it messes with any pre-op diet you have to follow. Some is healthy, but don't freak. (Frankly, I plan on remaining anxious about having to be so vigilant after surgery- it'll keep me motivated. ) Someone else mentioned support groups- excellent idea! I like it here a LOT- but there is something about having to go ATTEND a meeting that is much more motivating. It has prepared me quite a bit for what I am to expect in a little less than a month. YAY! So if you have one available, PLEASE go!

ITA! Kiss your surgeon and thank your mom for asking. I was dumb enough to not listen to my surgeon. Fast forward 3.5 years, and I am getting this stupid band OUT! WOOHOO!!!

Welcome! I love that we have so many nurses here. YAY!!! I did a med-surg rotation earlier this semester that was on the bariatric floor at a hospital here in Tucson, and it COMPLETELY solidified in my mind that this was the right thing to do. As for the Protein shakes, don't buy the big containers of the powders until you find one you actually like. I go buy some at costco and they're tasty. (Can't remember the brand name, but they're premixed, in a white container that say "Protein" down the side.) I also bought a few Syntrex flavors that have been good so far. (Wild cherry, caribbean cooler, and Cappuccino.) I also bought myself some unjury chicken broth for my clear liquid stage post-op. (Can't tell you how it tastes yet...it's spendy and I don't want to have to buy more of it in case I REALLY like it. LOL) Good luck to you!

Haven't been sleeved yet, but I did have the lap band a few years ago. It was not bad. (I have a 3" incision from my port being put in too.) It hurt, I won't lie to you about that, but it wasn't bad after a day or two home. (Didn't feel a THING in the hospital thanks to the better drugs.) However, I have a HIGH tolerance for pain. I finally got rid of my Rx pain meds for it about 6 months ago, and I MAYBE used two doses out of it. I'll be able to tell you about getting sleeved in exactly a month from now. Good luck!

Aside from the fact that being on your period might give you headaches, you're probably having caffeine withdraws. I know I get MONSTER headaches when I go without it. (SOOOOO not looking forward to giving it up.) Do you have any clear Protein drinks? If so, have some of one, and get Water in. If you're like most of the country, y'all are having a MASSIVE heatwave, which will require you to drink more water by itself. (Dehydration will also cause a headache in a flash.) Good luck!!!

It sucks, but Lily is right on point. This is the best time to learn about how to deal with temptation, as much as you want to eat and drink the "fun" stuff, learning NOT to for quite a long time is for the best. Good luck!

MUCHO KUDOS TO YOU!!!! What a great feeling that must be!

My pre-op diet is just two shakes a day and one small meal. Something TOTALLY doable.

Go with the Jewish Hospital. Chances of leaks with us are higher, but still minimal.

Hi Eddie!!! Saw this on my Facebook feed and had to come say HELLO! I wish we could ALL have your hubby's experience with that damned lap band. I'm in your boat, although I KNOW I want the sleeve. I was also considering getting the RNY, because I think I need that anti-cheat mechanism built in because of the dumping syndrome. However, I did my research and decided on the VSG because of the long term success numbers of it. I also see that the people who are happiest with the decision in my support group meetings are the ones who have had the sleeve done. (I've also watched my mother regain quite a bit of her weight with the RNY, whereas my sister has done remarkably well.) I wish you luck! Come say hello in the "band to sleeve revision" area if you haven't already.

Oh I thought it was just ME! lol. I wasn't able to eat solid ANYTHING for about 5 weeks after that stupid EGD. It was AWFUL! But hey, I lost 28 lbs. HA! Still would have rather been able to eat a little something and have some energy though.