Bandista

I know I've had sleep apnea since college and I was thin. So I'm not expecting anything earth shattering changes with my Cpap. I just wish someone asked me about my sleep since I've had issues since the 80's. When I was having a procedure I had to be incubated since I stopped breathing and was told to be tested for sleep apnea

i asked my surgeon if i would "shrink out" of my cpap. he said probably. however, he knows a marathoner w/ 10% body fat on cpap. it is an airway issue, too, not just weight. so i will do whatever is best for my health, now and as i reach my goals.
adjustable pressure machine sounds interesting.

You have the attitude of a winner, which means only one thing....

I would definitely try the auto route. That way if you need it, it adjusts for you.

Hi Jackie, be careful not to take advice from strangers on the internet. We are here to offer support to each other but medical decisions can only be made with the help of our medical professionals. I can only speak to my own experience and the Lapband has been wonderful for me. There are a couple of links in my signature below that talk about how it works -- not to restrict intake but to help signal the brain for satiety. Best wishes to you as you research and decide what's right for you. I am lucky that I knew from the get-go which surgery was right for me and I'm glad it was available as I would not have done something more drastic. I like it that the band is reversible and I still have my whole stomach, etc. Many people who have the Sleeve and other surgeries are very happy as well -- the successful weight loss people are ones that do a lot of research and work closely with their doctors to follow instructions to the tee. Weight loss surgery is life-changing. I'm so glad I did it!

Hi Jackie, be careful not to take advice from strangers on the internet. We are here to offer support to each other but medical decisions can only be made with the help of our medical professionals. I can only speak to my own experience and the Lapband has been wonderful for me. There are a couple of links in my signature below that talk about how it works -- not to restrict intake but to help signal the brain for satiety. Best wishes to you as you research and decide what's right for you. I am lucky that I knew from the get-go which surgery was right for me and I'm glad it was available as I would not have done something more drastic. I like it that the band is reversible and I still have my whole stomach, etc. Many people who have the Sleeve and other surgeries are very happy as well -- the successful weight loss people are ones that do a lot of research and work closely with their doctors to follow instructions to the tee. Weight loss surgery is life-changing. I'm so glad I did it!

Well, for those of you celebrating with me over breaking up with the sleep machine, we are back together again. I love the concept but it turns out I was waking up frequently, gasping and all the rest. It may be that I am with this thing for the duration. Last week I was really dragging, pain index high (I have arthritis) and just not feeling "myself." Well, I think that can all be attributed to poor sleep. I went back on the CPAP two nights ago and have had a complete turnaround. Plus my husband is happy as I'm not waking him up now, so there's that. My plan for now is to lose ten more pounds then go back for another sleep study to make sure the machine is tuned to my new body and working optimally. That's the update! An NSV Take-Backsie but I am still one happy woman.

Well, for those of you celebrating with me over breaking up with the sleep machine, we are back together again. I love the concept but it turns out I was waking up frequently, gasping and all the rest. It may be that I am with this thing for the duration. Last week I was really dragging, pain index high (I have arthritis) and just not feeling "myself." Well, I think that can all be attributed to poor sleep. I went back on the CPAP two nights ago and have had a complete turnaround. Plus my husband is happy as I'm not waking him up now, so there's that. My plan for now is to lose ten more pounds then go back for another sleep study to make sure the machine is tuned to my new body and working optimally. That's the update! An NSV Take-Backsie but I am still one happy woman.

Well, for those of you celebrating with me over breaking up with the sleep machine, we are back together again. I love the concept but it turns out I was waking up frequently, gasping and all the rest. It may be that I am with this thing for the duration. Last week I was really dragging, pain index high (I have arthritis) and just not feeling "myself." Well, I think that can all be attributed to poor sleep. I went back on the CPAP two nights ago and have had a complete turnaround. Plus my husband is happy as I'm not waking him up now, so there's that. My plan for now is to lose ten more pounds then go back for another sleep study to make sure the machine is tuned to my new body and working optimally. That's the update! An NSV Take-Backsie but I am still one happy woman.

Well, for those of you celebrating with me over breaking up with the sleep machine, we are back together again. I love the concept but it turns out I was waking up frequently, gasping and all the rest. It may be that I am with this thing for the duration. Last week I was really dragging, pain index high (I have arthritis) and just not feeling "myself." Well, I think that can all be attributed to poor sleep. I went back on the CPAP two nights ago and have had a complete turnaround. Plus my husband is happy as I'm not waking him up now, so there's that. My plan for now is to lose ten more pounds then go back for another sleep study to make sure the machine is tuned to my new body and working optimally. That's the update! An NSV Take-Backsie but I am still one happy woman.

Well, for those of you celebrating with me over breaking up with the sleep machine, we are back together again. I love the concept but it turns out I was waking up frequently, gasping and all the rest. It may be that I am with this thing for the duration. Last week I was really dragging, pain index high (I have arthritis) and just not feeling "myself." Well, I think that can all be attributed to poor sleep. I went back on the CPAP two nights ago and have had a complete turnaround. Plus my husband is happy as I'm not waking him up now, so there's that. My plan for now is to lose ten more pounds then go back for another sleep study to make sure the machine is tuned to my new body and working optimally. That's the update! An NSV Take-Backsie but I am still one happy woman.

Hi there and congratulations on everything. I remember my first fill and how I didn't realize the surgeon had done it already. Very easy! And yes, eating slowly and chewing very thoroughly are definitely where it's at. Best wishes!

@@Inner Surfer Girl thank you, I will look into that! My machine is pretty old at this point and I'll bet there is all sorts of new technology available.

Exciting times! I couldn't wait to start getting fills and feel full sooner with less food.
There is nothing special you need to do before. Eat whatever you would normally. The fill itself is really easy, just a tiny pinch and then it's over. You'll likely talk with your dr or nurse about how much to add. The practice I go to, I believe, starts everyone out with about 3 cc's, then does smaller fills after that. I think a lot of people reach green zone between 5-7 cc's, but everyone is different so don't worry if you're on a different path!
After the fill your dr will likely have some specific instructions for you. Mine says to have liquids for the rest of the day, and the next day, then have soft foods for 2 days.
Once you start getting fills the most important thing (at least for me) is to eat slow! This is really hard to do when I'm hungry, but if I eat too fast or don't chew well enough the food will get stuck and have to come back up. It's really unpleasant and can lead to lasting long term negative side effects it happens too often. So make sure you're eating carefully. Also, eating slow will help you brain realize it's full with less food. That's the best part, and what you should be looking for. You don't want to be physically restricted from eating.
It might take a few fills to get to the right place, but keep practicing good, slow, eating habits from day 1.
Good luck and let us know how it goes!

I am sorry you are disappointed, but please use it if you need it.
Maybe like many other people who have sleep apnea, it's not caused by obesity. Not everyone who has it is obese.
Or, you just aren't at a point where you can completely stop using it.
When I saw my sleep doctor about a month after surgery, he switched me to an automatic machine that automatically adjusts pressure. Have you tried one of those?

It's a process, right? That's how I feel after I went back on a second blood pressure med this month. I was so sure that particular rx was a thing of the past. Oh well. I need to maintain a normal BP, and you need to sleep. Taking good care of ourselves isn't always done exactly how we would want it , but we have to do it.

Well, for those of you celebrating with me over breaking up with the sleep machine, we are back together again. I love the concept but it turns out I was waking up frequently, gasping and all the rest. It may be that I am with this thing for the duration. Last week I was really dragging, pain index high (I have arthritis) and just not feeling "myself." Well, I think that can all be attributed to poor sleep. I went back on the CPAP two nights ago and have had a complete turnaround. Plus my husband is happy as I'm not waking him up now, so there's that. My plan for now is to lose ten more pounds then go back for another sleep study to make sure the machine is tuned to my new body and working optimally. That's the update! An NSV Take-Backsie but I am still one happy woman.

Well, for those of you celebrating with me over breaking up with the sleep machine, we are back together again. I love the concept but it turns out I was waking up frequently, gasping and all the rest. It may be that I am with this thing for the duration. Last week I was really dragging, pain index high (I have arthritis) and just not feeling "myself." Well, I think that can all be attributed to poor sleep. I went back on the CPAP two nights ago and have had a complete turnaround. Plus my husband is happy as I'm not waking him up now, so there's that. My plan for now is to lose ten more pounds then go back for another sleep study to make sure the machine is tuned to my new body and working optimally. That's the update! An NSV Take-Backsie but I am still one happy woman.

So excited for you all! Boy oh boy do I remember the bundle of nerves thing.

The bed, not the girl! We are just back from a four-day getaway and our beautifully-appointed hotel room had a Queen. Before weight loss? No way! For years it's had to be a King but no more. But now it was just fine. Oh, and I just hopped off the scale and did not gain a thing despite the fact that I ate deliciously-rich restaurant food (mostly French) -- those small portions really work. And I love it that now I can (and do) just stop. Now for some serious exercise (another NSV -- wanting to do it!).

Hi there @@lou2807 -- I was 52 when I was banded two years ago. Had never been an overnight patient in a hospital before, am kind of an alternative medicine health food type (can get plenty fat on good food, too, lol). Writing everything down was helpful to me. In electing weight loss surgery I was choosing myself and my healthy future which was powerful in unexpected ways. Getting the appetite monster off of my back has been a beautiful thing. There are links below in my signature that really helped me understand how the band works; maybe they will help you, too. I still love food, just in small portions at appropriate intervals. Best wishes!

Hi there, I was pretty nervous before my surgery -- for one thing I'd never been an overnight patient in a hospital before. And I'm older (was 52 when I got my band -- if only I'd done it sooner!). It was so much better than I thought it would be. I took my sense of humor with me -- the glamorous gown and slippers, a final weigh-in, the paperwork and all those people. Very nice medical professionals there for me; I just relaxed and before I knew it I was going up and down the hallway and celebrating. I upped my exercise prior to surgery -- walked a little more each day. And I benefitted from therapy. It was good to have some one to talk over food issues with and help me break down my triggers. This site helped me a lot. I filled my prescription for pain meds but did not need them. Yes, discomfort, but not bad and to me it was all so much better than, say, a dentistry event. I love my band and am glad to have gotten it when I did. Many surgeons don't want to do all that pesky patient follow up. This is key and my advice for any one getting banded: keep all your appointments. They are there for you. I really liked the accountability and patient contact as I learned how to work my band. Also for me it was much better to pay attention to my jeans falling off than that number on the scale. Getting weight loss surgery was very powerful for me as it was about choosing myself first and my healthy future. I am so happy now!

I just got my surgery instructions and my date is December 18th!!! It has been surreal up to this point now I'm just anxious and beyond excited! :D

I don't know how the initial appointment may differ from the usual format in the U.S. In any case, I think the questions you ask of the staff member(s) you'll be seeing tomorrow are more to the point. You want to gather as much information as you can so that you understand the nature of surgery, how each procedure differs from the others, and what you'll have to do going forward. You also want to know what to expect before and after. My own feeling is that I won't mind certain things if I know ahead of time that they will or may occur -- when it comes to surgery, surprises are undesirable.
My guess is that they'll take your medical history and draw blood for routine analyses, maybe some not so routine. Whatever they ask is likely to relate to National Health's criteria for coverage of bariatric surgery.
In the U.S. a psych evaluation is pretty standard as part of the approval process. It's primary purpose is to determine whether the person has realistic expectations of surgery and is capable of understanding and following doctor's orders and willingness to follow orders along the way. Common-garden depression (and I say it as it is I) is no obstacle; you sound as though you function at least well enough to meet the psych criteria as I understand them.
"...healthily nervous and a bit excited..." is good. Just write out your questions to present at your appointment and question anything you're told that isn't clear. If you miss something, it can be filled in during subsequent appointments and by asking here and doing a little research.
You'll be fine.

hi
i'm 52,5ft 10....weigh 20 stone :-( suffer with under active thyroid,sleep apnoea and depression thrown in for good measure !! lol
My gp referred me to Kings Colledge Hospital,London,UK,a good few weeks ago,for possible bariatric surgery, I had a phone call from Kings this afternoon,they have a cancellation appointment tomorrow at 9am,which i am gladly/happily
attending.
Would anybody know what i should expect at the appointment?? what questions i'll be asked etc etc. I'm healthily nervous and a bit excited at the same time.Any opinions,help would be very gratefully received :-)