depressed_bandster

Well crap! I typed up a long detailed postop update & my phone deleted it! I'll type it again later. I'm doing good.

I am doing good....would be MUCH better if I would/could have a BM! Sorry TMI... First couple days was worse than expected but each day has been better than the last. I'm more miserable with my bowel issues than the surgery at this point. I had a really hard time with the anesthesia this time...waking up was horrid & apparently, according to my mom & daughter, I was mean. Day 2 was ok, I slept a lot & was only in real pain when I had to get in/out of bed. Left the aftercare facility & went to the hotel where that evening (Thursday, postop day1) my wonderful doc came to see me at the hotel, checked my bandages & fixed my CG, making me much more comfortable. Day 3 I was getting around better, could walk by myself but needed help to get in&out of bed....couldn't wait to get home to the lift recliner I had rented. My hubby has been a much better & more compassionate nurse than I had expected. I'm getting a little stir crazy having to ask for help for most everything I need. I've tried doing too much on my own & pay with pain and/or fatigue. My drain ports are more uncomfortable today too. Hoping tomorrow is better & hoping I'm up to going to see family for a short time tomorrow afternoon.....WISH ME LUCK!!

I'm finally on my way to my surgery. I thought this day was never going to come. I'm not nervous but very emotional for some reason. Can't wait to get this started!!!

I don't see why not....the port goes on top of the muscles, between the muscles and skin. LapBand is a big surgery to have, having a foreign object place in you, for 50 pounds. I'd ask your dr about other appetite suppressants or other methods before going through the recovery of a LapBand. However, I will say the my band was the best decision I've ever made for my life!!

Ok, I was confused.....that thread is on a different site. Can't figure out how to delete this topic......SORRY!

Am I blind? Where did that thread go?

JoMi....did you have a TT when you had your port changed? My TT is the 19th & I will be getting a low profile port and they will be moving it to down near my BB, which seems to me like it would be more obvious there after a TT. FAMOUS1...did you end up having to get your Fluid removed? Glad to see (on the other thread) you are recovering well.

I'm so sorry for you...that is just heartbreaking Have your doctor's office appeal for you. I read on her about a lot of people who have had to submit, appeal, re-submit and finally get approved on the 2nd & 3rd try. I don't understand it, but apparently its more common to have to appeal before approval than approval the first time. Your doctor's office should be familiar with how to do this. Stay on top of your doctor's office AND your insurance. With a BMI of 41, you shouldn't have to have a co-morbidity and that in itself is a medical necessity. What state are you in? I have Anthem BC in CA.

I was sondering to about the blisters...where and why? I know I'm gonna get blasted for this, but if your doc says soda is ok, go for it. My doc says its ok to sip on, better if you let it sit for a few minutes. I drink soda (diet) almost daily, I let it sit in a cup for 10-15 minutes prior to drinking and have had NO problems for a year. I don't gulp it and I do consciously pay attention and make sure I don't feel a bloated type feeling. I know several people who do the same & have had no problems with carbonated drinks. Follow your docs instructions though...if he says yes, then enjoy....if he says no, stay away!!

Honk.....I do not do ANYTHING without asking my doc first!!! I'm paranoid and probably his most annoying patient. I have his cell # & text him for every little question, anytime, anywhere I am....just to be sure!! I don't want to have any problems, so I ask him about everything! I would absolutely eat and drink popcorn in front of him...as I stated before, little portions of popcorn and when I'm eating and drinking at the movies, its even soda!!! Okayed by my doc!

Good luck with your journey....it's an exciting journey and a wonderful life change!!! If you ever need any extra support or encouragement, feel free to contact me anytime. YAY you!!! You CAN do this!!!

BTW: Protein ideas....egg salad, tuna, salmon (I don't like fishy taste, so I douse it with lemon pepper seasoning), chicken breast (I shred it sometimes with taco seasoning & sour cream), shrimp scampi, (3) turkey meatballs with marinara sauce & mozzarella cheese. I get a lot of recipes from a book called 'Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery' GREAT helpful book!

Congrats on your weight loss!! Where are you having your TT; what state do you live in?

Surgery in Tarzana on 11/3/11....Good luck to you all!!! LOVE my band!!!

Like line-dancer, I too will "splurge" and drink & eat popcorn at the occasional movie....that's the only time I do this. I don't have a problem with it when I do it; just did it yesterday in fact! It is, however, easier to over-eat at the movies, so be mindful of how much you are eating (especially if you're drinking too). I pre-measure out my popcorn in my tray before the movie starts & limit myself to only what I pour into my tray, otherwise I would keep eating and eating through the whole movie and OVER-EAT!! I even have a couple red vines during the movie too.

I just started the pre-auth process for a panniculectomy w/breast reduction and lift. Anyone out there have this approved through Anthem BC PPO and if so, how long did it take to get approval? Did you have to appeal to get approval?

I have Anthem BC PPO also. They approved my band on the first submitted auth request and approved it very quickly; about 5 workdays. I think my BMI was about 38-ish and my only comorbidity was sleep apnea. If for some reason you are not happy with the dr at your seminar, I have been VERY please with my doctor(s) from LapBand VIP. There are 3 doctors there, all of which are WONDERFUL! I started with another lapband company and was not happy, switched to LapBand VIP, had surgery November 2011, and have lost 64 pounds. My docs have been very responsible with my fills & I have had NO problems, no over-fills, no vomiting, no sliming and have follow-up appointments every 4-6 weeks (more often if I feel the need). Their main office (& surgery center) is in Tarzana. Make sure you are able to contact your docs anytime you need to (I have al my docs cell phone #s). Ask how they do their adjustments (fills), I think these should be done on an individual basis; I have heard some docs do "routine" adjustments, giving everyone the same amount. Ask if you will have available to you a nutritionist at no cost to you; this will be very helpful to you should you ever have a plateau or just need some advice. A nutritionist familiar with the lapband is additionally helpful, so if the office offers this, it is a BIG plus (mine does). Can't think of any other questions to ask at the moment. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me anytime. I recommend the band to anyone who is willing to put in the work...the band is a tool & does not do all the work for you. It was the best decision I made for my life!!!

My husband was the same way..."not dieting right, not exercising right, more output (calories burned) and less input (calories in)".....easy for him to say, he's NEVER struggled with being overweight and even at age 40, has an incredible metabolism & an awesome body. HOWEVER, I made the decision to do it, did not ask his permission, but informed him I was doing it.....FOR ME, because I needed it! For my health, physically and mentally. AND I AM SO GLAD I DID!!!! And he is too. Now that he has seen it works, he is supportive and my biggest fan; every Tuesday (my weigh in day) he asks how much I've lost and tells me how proud he is! Like everyone else, he went online and read all the horror stories, not so many success stories. As long as you research your doctor and trust him, you have nothing to lose....EXCEPT ALL THAT UNHEALTHY WEIGHT!!!! He will respect, once he learns the truth about the band, that the band is a tool and does not do it for you. It is NOT the easy way out! You HAVE TO do your part. You have to be willing to eat right, listen to your body, make the necessary changes to your habits, and exercise. The band helps you eat less and not be hungry, thus, taking in MUCH fewer calories. The changes are easy to adjust to when you see the scale moving in the right direction. That was always my big problem....dieting & exercising, being super strict and losing only 5 pounds in 3 months.....VERY discouraging!!! HOWEVER, using the band as your greatest tool, you will see the pounds coming off, which is SUPER encouraging and will help keep you going in the right direction. With the band you can still love to eat, you don't have to deprive yourself, you just eat LESS....one cookie instead of the whole box, half a sandwich instead of 2, 1/2 cheeseburger instead of 2, one brownie instead of half the batch, etc....again, this will be easy to do when you see it working!!! Getting the band a year ago (Nov 3, 2011) was the third best day of my life...only behind marrying the love of my life and the birth of my children. I LOVE MY BAND!!! I have lost 60 pounds and I'm still losing! I would recommend the lap band to ANYONE who is willing to make the changes necessary and willing to exercise and wants to make life changes for a healthier happier life!!!! I am so much happier and healthier than I was at this time last year, thanks to my band!

Best decision I ever made!!! You will not regret it if you do your part and remember the band is a tool....it won't do all the work for you! You have to do your part of eating right and exercising. Nov 3 is my one year bandiversary & I've lost 60 pounds and still losing! The day I got my band is #3 important dates of my life....right behind the day I married the love of my life and the birth of my children. I LOVE MY BAND!!! Good luck! Follow instructions of your dr and YOU WILL SUCCEED!!!

I was banded on Nov 3 and I love my band and I'm 100% satisfied with it!!!! I have lost 44 pounds in 5 months, pretty easily. I do watch what I eat (calorie-wise) and how much I eat & i do have to remind myself the band is a tool and does NOT do all the work for me. However, I am able to eat anything I want & the band doesn't keep me from eating anything. I have never had a slippage issue, I have never had a stuck issue, and I have never vomited since being banded. I chew my food VERY well, eat less, and take smaller bites. I have heard a lot of nightmare stories about people vomiting with every meal or being stuck with every bite they take, but I have not experienced this. These same people also complain about feeling "too tight" so I partly blame the doctors for their bad experiences. My doc has been great! If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me. I'd be happy to help in any way I can. I would recommend the band to anyone and everyone! It was just the help I needed!

Taste of Home, Comfort pod Diet Cookbook.....has nutritional information for all recipes. Recipes are great for families too, your family won't even know its a diet recipe!!! So many yummy recipes, hard to choose recipes for just one week!

2 months......AND LOVING IT!!!

Welcome! I made my decision to be banded in early October and was banded Nov 3.....and I'm so happy I did it!!! This is exactly the tool I needed! This is an awesome site for information. People ask questions you would have never thought to ask....and others answer them! It's wonderful! What questions do you have?

Mrs Rogers, this is a life changer....for all in your family. You do need to tell him how YOU feel about your weight. My husband has always thought the band was "the easy way out" and had only heard the horror stories about the band, so I knew it would be a sore subject when I decided to do it. I went to a seminar and did A LOT of research before making my final decision to have the band & once I made my decision to do it, I had to tell him. It was hard for me, just because I knew it was not going to be a pretty conversation. He is a healthy, muscular, can eat anything he wants man with a high metabolism so he has no idea what it's like struggling with weight or dieting. He has never had a problem with my weight (246 on surgery day) even though I was about 115 when we met. Luckily, I had my surgery within about 2 weeks of making my decision and telling him. He didn't think it was going to work, he was afraid for me having surgery & having a foreign object placed in me....but now that he sees its working and sees it is NOT the easy way out, he's my biggest cheerleader! He sees the band is just a tool & i have to do my part.....watch what I eat & exercise. I weigh every Tuesday & my whole family can't wait til Tuesdays to see how much I have lost that week. I am 2 months post-op & have lost 28 pounds, fairly easily. I am already a happier person and my family sees that. Your husband, I'm sure, will want you to do what you have to do to be happier and healthier so you can share a happy healthy life together! Get your data and research together when you talk to him, bring him on this site, and show him it is NOT a dangerous surgery like we all hear about & it does work. This site is sure to answer any questions he might have. Good Luck! And just know this is the best decision you will make FOR your life and his!

Stacey Diederich-Speager started a PRIVATE facebook page for people banded in November. Send her a friend request and let her know you were banded in November and she will add you. It has been very helpful to us all. We are all going through pretty much the same things, pretty close to the same stages & it's so nice to talk to others going through the same things, so you don't feel so crazy! It's been an awesome tool for my journey. If you choose not to join this FB page, feel free to message me anytime. I was banded Nov. 3 and had my first fill today. I really have not had any problems, other than feeling increasingly hungry before my fill today. I am excited about this new life I am beginning and feel this is one of the best decisions I have ever made!