rbmk14

My last day of pre-op is today too! I go into surgery tomorrow morning at around 9:30! I'm very excited. I also had knee surgery (but this past december) and the recovery pain was so bad (plus I couldn't walk for three weeks) that I feel like this one's going to be a breeze. I know it's going to hurt but there's no way it's as bad as that! I'm honestly not nervous at all just ready to get it done and get back to normal!

I'm right there with you! I'm 22 and I definitely think it's different being this young. I was going to tell people I was having my appendix out, but honestly people aren't stupid and if 6 months from now you're 50 pounds lighter after an "appendectomy" or whatever they're probably going to suspect it. I kind of had an easy was because I had knee surgery a few months ago, so my professors think I'm having a small followup surgery for that, so I can have a week off of school. None of my friends or anyone other than immediate family knows, and I intend to keep it that way! My mom is also a big mouth and I had to swear her to secrecy because I know she'd tell everyone. I guess since your mom already told people you were having surgery you could go with the hernia/gallbladder story and hope people aren't nosy enough to connect your weight loss with the surgery!

I know I've only lost 2 pounds on my 2 weeks preop diet and my surgery is in 2 days! These next 2 days are all liquids so hopefully I'll lose a couple more because of that! I'm hoping the preop diet worked to shrink my liver even though I didn't lose a lot of weight!

My PCP is not on board with the lap band. I went to him about it a few years ago and he pretty much said it was a bad idea and that I would need to lose 40 pounds on my own before he would even consider it for me. At the time I was thinking that if I could lose 40 pounds I would have done it already! This time around I didn't even consult him and went right to True Results. I guess he'll figure it out next time I need to see him and hopefully he'll see that it was the right choice for me! My orthopedic doctor who did my knee surgery in December was the one who suggested I look into getting the lapband so he's totally on board and supportive, and my physical therapist is too because obviously any weight I lose will make me healthier and will be better on my knees!

BringingSexyBackToTX that's what I'm nervous about too! I'm not too worried about the surgery itself or the pain but more that I won't stick to healthy food choices and it'll all be for nothing. I know it's totally in my control but I worry that I'll slip up!

Almost anyone who's been banded should be able to answer these questions, but my main concerns are getting around in the first couple weeks after surgery. I'll be at home with my parents for a week, but after that will be living alone 3 hours away and going to school full-time. First, how did everyone sleep after surgery? At my parent's house we have a couple recliners I can sleep on for that first week, but my bed in my apartment is lifted to about hip-waist level, so I'm thinking that might be difficult, but maybe not after a week? Someone clue me in please! I also drive a pickup truck with no running boards, so I kind of have to half jump into that as well and definitely have to use stomach muscles to do so. Do y'all think it would be a bad idea to try to drive my truck? I can probably have one of my parents switch cars with me for a little while if I really need to. I'll definitely ask my doctor at my preop appointment but want to get a general idea first!

Mine's on the 10th too! I've been doing the preop diet for 3 weeks now and it's not so bad, but I'm on 2 small meals and 2 shakes. If I was on all shakes I don't know how I'd do it!!

So sorry you had to put up with that, but especially your daughter! Being still young myself, I also had some medical professionals make remarks like that when I was a teenager and it was very off-putting for me to be able to trust any doctor. My sister is a registered dietician, and she's very supportive of me getting the band, but the info she was taught is way off base. She told me multiple times that the doctor slaps the band on and then they never see you again and don't care what happens to you. Uh..no? I have followups every 2 weeks for 3 months and then once a month for the next year. Plus the staff at True Results who is incredibly helpful and supportive. I've found more than a few times that medical professionals are more judgmental then helpful, sad but true.

I also love sweet tea and I found a substitute that is really good! It's the Crystal Light Peach iced tea in the packets that you put in a glass of water or a water bottle. It's the best one that I've found and only 5 calories per packet! You could also sweeten unsweet tea with artificial sweeteners if you want, but my doc says no artificial sweeteners if you can avoid them. I really like the peach tea though you should try it! Good luck getting back on track!

I had my initial consultation on February 28 of this year and am being banded on July 10. I got approved in a couple weeks after my consultation and got my first surgery date then (June 21) only because they were booked before that. I could have gotten surgery on June 7 but my birthday was that week and I had a trip booked. My insurance didn't require anything other than a 5 year weight history, no co morbidities, no supervised diets, nothing. So if they had had openings earlier I could have been banded in March/April. Mine ended up getting pushed back a few weeks due to doctor scheduling but the main thing with me that took time was getting the schedule right with school, family commitments, and the fact that I'm moving in August and didn't want to be banded too close to that.

Idk about when you'll be able to do crunches but if you want to strengthen your abs you should try pilates! Way more fun and more effective then crunches. I did the videos cuz I wasn't brave enough to go to the classes lol. My doc told me at 6 weeks if everything goes well I can resume all exercise so I'm sure that includes ab stuff!

I'm not banded yet but my doctor said if you throw up at all you should go see your doctor ASAP for an unfill. Definitely go in on Monday!

Hey Penny, we're "band twins"!! I'm on the 10th too! Super excited cuz my surgery was pushed back 2 weeks from the original date (june 28) so I'm definitely ready now. Been on the pre op diet for 3 weeks and haven't weighed myself yet but I definitely feel better! I usually do drink my shakes after a workout and idk about y'all but when I walk outside and it's this hot (103 today here) I drink water when I get back but am not in the mood for any food for at least an hour. I guess that's good!

I have to share this with y'all because I just discovered it and it is so good! I've had a terrible time finding a shake I could stomach, and I found 2 today! For both I use the Isopure zero carb unflavored powder. The first one tastes just like a wendy's frosty, no joke! It's just 5- ice cubes, 8 ounces skim milk, 2 tbsp LITE hershey's chocolate syrup (only 45 calories), and 1 scoop of the Protein powder. It is so good! I also tried putting it in the freezer because they always get so frothy and I hate that, but after putting it in the freezer for about 30 minutes and then mixing it all with a spoon it was just like the frosty consistency and not frothy. Best one I've tried! I also did one the other day with the same Protein Powder but mixed 1 cup frozen peaches, 1 cup frozen strawberries, a cup of crystal lite lemonade, and then added some spinach and ground flax (optional, you can't taste either one at all) It's very good also and tastes like frozen lemonade almost but I didn't freeze that one so it was pretty frothy. Just thought I'd let those of you who haven't found one you like that these are great! I'm sure you could use any unflavored powder, but the Isopure is really great and I really don't taste it at all, no after taste or anything!

I know I've seen a few of these before, but haven't seen these specific questions. My two main ones are how long after surgery were you able to swim (preferably in the ocean) and how long until you were able to lift heavy things? My surgery was pushed back 2 weeks, and now my timeline for a couple things has me a little concerned. The major one is that I am moving apartments on August 10, and my surgery is July 10. Do you think it would be feasible to me able to move furniture and boxes by then? Also, I have a beach trip planned for the week after, like August 14. My old surgeon said 6 weeks for public swimming but I just changed surgeons and won't get to ask him these questions until my preop appointment which is the day before my surgery. I tried to ask his office staff on the phone today and they impolitely told me that my Dr could answer my questions at my preop appointment. So if anyone could give me an idea what your surgeon told you that would be great!

Thanks for the info! That's what I was worried about was not being able to help move my furniture! Guess I'll have to use my dad and brother for that! I feel bad but I don't really have any other options as I have to move and that's the only week to do it!!

That's so awesome! I can't wait for people to notice my weight loss! I need to lose some first lol, but I know I will!

Oh good! That's reassuring to know that some people had a good experience with him. The office staff just seemed so uncaring that I was a little worried! But I'm sure he'll be nice. I also have my preop appointment just the day before my surgery so I don't have any time to change my mind if I don't like him lol.

Idk about you but I get headaches when I'm really hungry, which happens a lot on the pre op diet! It's definitely no fun, especially when I'm in class for 5 hours a day and trying to listen and pay attention and I can't! I've been drinking water like crazy which definitely helps. I think I definitely had some caffeine/sugar withdrawal from the diet soda but my doc says NO soda or carbonation on the preop diet so that was the first thing to go!

Wow 30 pounds is awesome! I'm on July 10 so right behind you!

PlayRider I'm sure you're already at the office by now, but the preop at his office is just to go over the surgery and meet the doctor, and then there's a seminar thing with a group of people that his wife presents and just goes over the diet, what to expect after the surgery, etc. I already knew everything from True Results, but i guess if you didn't go through them you might not know all of it. They also have you sign the paperwork for surgery and most importantly, give you your pain and anti-naseua medications!!

So I was scheduled for surgery this Thursday, the 27th. I almost had a setback last week when the facility I was scheduled at stopped doing bariatric surgeries so they had to move it up a day and move facilties. No big deal, same surgeon, just a day earlier. Now, I got a call from True Results saying that I'm going to have to change surgeons and facilities because my insurance requires me to be inpatient and the facility I was going to doesn't do inpatient because it's just a surgery center, not a hospital. Also, I knew that the insurance said it had to be inpatient when I got approved with TR, but the surgeon's office (not TR) reassured me many times and from many different people that it does not have to be inpatient. Now They said it's going to take until Friday at the latest to get the surgeon change completed with the insurance and then MAYBE I can get in next week or the week after. I'm a student and had to pull a lot of strings with my professors to get a week off for the surgery. I also arranged for my sister to watch my dog for a week and my mom took a few days off of work to help me while I'm staying at her house, and now I have to make all new arrangements. This is extremely annoying. Not to mention I've been on my pre-op diet for almost 2 weeks now and now I have to keep doing it for the next 2-3 weeks! Did anyone else have any setbacks this close to surgery? I was getting so excited, and now I'm just feeling really discouraged.

I was supposed to be June 27 but they had to reschedule me so now I'm with you guys on July 10! Having my preop appointment July 9, and have been on the preop diet for over a week now for my original date so I'll just continue it for the next two weeks!

They called me back today and my TR advocate felt really bad that the surgeon's office messed up so she got me in for preop on the 9th of July and surgery on the 10th. I'll still have to miss just a week of school and my mom's going to be on vacation that week, so I'm having my sister drive me home from the hospital and my Dad will be home all week so he'll help me out. Which means just a month on the preop diet! Good to get used to the good habits now, I guess, but it still sucks!

That's awesome! I'm glad it worked out for you, cuz they majorly screwed up with me!! I just got a call from True Results and they're now telling me that I have to change surgeons and locations because my insurance requires me to do it inpatient. I knew this when I was approved and literally talked to everyone at Dr. WIlkenfeld's office to make sure it was okay to do it outpatient, and they all told me it was fine, I don't need to do it inpatient. Now I've been on my preop diet for almost 2 weeks and was supposed to have surgery 3 days from now, and now I'm going to have to wait another 2-3 weeks. Ugh I'm so frustrated right now.