SElaine

Hi Diane! It's great to see you back on the board. Are you in town now? It sounds to me like you have done your research and have about everything you will need. Have you already requested copies of all your tests be sent over to them? If not, I would do that ASAP so they have it before you ever go in. (Maybe have copies with you as well.... in case anything gets "lost".) Meeting with Mike the nutritionist is not a big deal and you will probably meet with him at your first appt. (Sidenote: Mike is really a great guy and has really been a help to me. ) Since you appear ready, I think your timeframe is going to depend on your insurance and how long it takes them to get you pre-approved. As soon as you get your insurance approval, it's usually two weeks till surgery. You'll schedule your pre-op appt. and start your two week liquid Protein diet. Oh, and about the hernia.... I have heard several people in support group meetings say that they had hernia's fixed at the time their lap-band was put in. So, I am pretty confident they will do it at the same time. Good luck and keep me updated on your progress!

Hi Eclipse. I certainly hope you are able to get an answer from the doc and I certainly hope you don't have complications like I did. But, if you do have any type of complication, it's good to find out early. Here's my situation: About 3.5 weeks after being banded I started to feel a sharp pain on my left side, under my left breast, near the bottom of my rib cage. It came and went, but at times was extremely painful. Sometimes just taking a deep breath hurt. But, in my case it didn't come consistently like you are describing (2 hours after eating). It would hit out of nowhere. Sometimes (but not always) it almost felt like it was radiating through to my back. Anyway, it was almost 3 months after being banded before the problem was realized. The first test I had was a CT scan. The CT scan showed a pocket of Fluid around my band. I subsequently had two barrium swallow x-rays and an EGD. The following morning I was in for surgery. The truth is, I don't know if the pain was related or not. I can only assume it was because I haven't experienced the pain since my surgery. I also have had no fill in my band since surgery so I don't know if restriction had anything to do with it or not. But, I don't think it's worth taking a chance. I hope this helps. I hope you get answers soon. I know it sucks being in pain. It's even worse when you don't know what the problem is. Good luck. You are in my thoughts.

Iluvcarbs-- I just sent you a PM.

Hey! What time is your appt. on the 12th? Is it the four hour appt? I also have an appt. on Wed. the 12th. Mine is in the morning, 8:30 am, I think. As for the dreaded PB.... nope. Can't say that I've ever had one. The thought certainly is scary, isn't it? The worst thing that ever happened to me was when I was on vacation. We were in a hotel room and I was STARVING! Well, of course I didn't have anything smart to eat in the hotel room but I did find a bag of chips my kids had. I ate two chips. I ate too fast, or didn't chew well enough, or both........ and started producing mouthfuls of saliva for 3-4 minutes. (Sorry to be so blunt..... I don't know how else to describe it. I guess it's what people here refer to as "sliming".) I just went over to the sink and spit it out. It wasn't painful or anything.... just weird. But, after that one experience it hasn't happened again. My diet has been pretty normal, just smaller portions. Of course, after surgery you go through a phase of liquids only, then "mushies", then soft food before you progress to regular food..... but it goes by quickly. The best part is because I don't get hungry, I also don't get cravings like I used to. As long as I eat when I am supposed to, I'm fine. There have been a few adjustments-- I really haven't tried rice or Pasta since the surgery. A lot of people have problems with them getting stuck because they are sticky. I don't eat as much bread as I used to. I still have bread, but not the really soft doughy white breads. I prefer making wraps with whole grain tortilla's instead of a sandwich. For me it just goes down better.

Holy cow! My progress..... I just realized I haven't updated that thing for a while. I've since lost 20 more pounds! OK..... after this I've got to update it. I had a crazy morning. I really haven't bought clothes since the surgery. I've been meaning to, but really it's been difficult to find the time. I've been sick lately, school started, busy with the kids, etc. Anyway, I do have that ONE outfit I refer to whenever I need to go anywhere. It still fits OK, you know? We had a party to go to this afternoon so I put the outfit in the washer and the dryer to be ready to wear. To my horror, one of my cute little innocent children had either put crayons in the dryer or left some in a pocket somewhere that I missed and melted crayon had ruined my outfit! Dang, and it was almost time to go. I was going through every drawer and every outfit in my closet trying to find something to wear. Finally I found a pair of denim shorts that didn't look too bad and a shirt that was obviously way too big and went to the party. Well, to sum up, some people at the party felt so bad for me trying to keep my pants up, they offered to watch my kids this afternoon so I could go shopping. Isn't that nice? So, off I went to AZ Mills this afternoon. I was absolutely shocked at what I found as I was trying on clothes. I could actually fit into a size 18 in some things! OMG! I haven't been an 18 since shortly after high school. Still a 20 in some things, but..... hey! Four months ago I was a 28. This is what you have to look forward to! Is your mom having the surgery, too? Wow, how nice to have someone to go through it with. Dr. Orris is great, too. I've actually seen both of them several times and had a surgery with Dr. Orris as well. They make a great team. I looked at several places and I'm still very happy with the decision to go with WLIAZ. So, how far along are you in the process? Do you have any idea when you will be having surgery?

Hi Ihadenuf...... I don't mean to alarm you, but I would definately call your doctor and tell them about your pain. I had the same pain that you are describing. It was on my left side, around my rib cage. It hurt terribly; Sometimes it hurt just to breathe. I asked about it on this board, but really didn't have much luck with answers. The pain lessened for a while but kept coming back again. Long story short I had an abcess (puncture) in my stomach from the banding. The abcess became infected. The infection spread to my liver. I had to have an emergency surgery, two blood transfusions, and spent 11 days in the hospital. I certainly don't mean to imply that you are in the same situation. However, I do wish I had done something about my pain earlier and saved myself a lot of trouble. Call your doc. And keep us updated.

Hey, Iluvcarbs! How nice you found us over here. Actually, I haven't logged in for quite a while. I'm surprised by how quiet it is. Where did everybody go? Well, no matter. You are here! As for the hospital stay, I think a lot of it depends on your insurance, what time of day you have your surgery, etc. I was a cash-pay patient and stayed overnight. I think all of the others that had their surgery on the same day I did ended up staying overnight, as well. A lot of it may be personal opinion. If you have the option to stay overnight, I would recommend it. But, that's just me. It certainly wasn't a peaceful night's sleep; The silly IV machine kept beeping all night long. They couldn't get it to stop, even though they changed machines and changed my IV twice. Then there were the respiratory therapy people that came in every few hours to make you breathe. Hmmm...... on second thought...... just kidding. OK. The swallow test. I have a lot of experience with that one, since I have had 4 of them. I did overhear a nurse recently say that they were no longer going to do those routinely on every patient, just if they think it's needed. I don't know if that's true, but wouldn't it be nice! Anyway, my first swallow test I had just come out of surgery. Well, at any rate I was still trying to wake up. It was an awful experience. I was so asleep I couldn't stand on the machine and almost rolled off. They kept yelling at me to wake up and had to get some guy to come hold me on so I didn't fall off. My first time around, they had the machine upright so you had to stand on it and then they moved you down to a laying down position. Yeah, that didn't go over very well with someone who was still trying to wake up. Then they kept yelling at me to drink.... drink.... drink...... and there was the straw. And all I kept thinking about was "I'm not supposed to use a straw". It was nuts. But, hey, got through it. The subsequent tests went much better, mostly because I was actually awake. And on the subsequent tests, they had you climb up on the table which was already in a flat position, so there wasn't as much moving around. The stuff you drink tastes terrible, though. Have some mouthwash in your room to rinse with afterwards. The recovery from surgery wasn't that bad. I know a lot of people say they were themselves again in a day or two. Well, realistically for me I'd say it was about day 10 or so before I felt "normal" again. But, it went by quickly. Finally, let me just say that I think you made a great decision going with Dr. DeBarros. He's the best and he'll take care of you. Good luck to you and keep in touch!

Kristin, Yay! So glad you found us! :confused: See you Monday! P.S. What are you going to wear?

Karen, Congrats! You are getting so close! I was on a two week liquid Protein diet prior to surgery. Different surgeons have different requirements, though, so I would definately check w/ your doctor's office.

Julie, Thanks for the encouragement. Isn't it exciting you already lost 13 pounds so quickly? I lost 15 pounds during my pre-op diet; most of that was during the first week. My recovery went well. I have to say, though, that I was a little surprised at how long the initial recovery took. I had read so many stories about how people went back to work within a day, left the hospital after an hour, etc. etc. etc. that I thought it was going to be a cake-walk. Don't get me wrong-- I suppose in the grand scheme of things it probably is a fairly easy surgery. It's just that I wasn't doing cartwheels on day 2. it took me about 2 full weeks to be able to sleep in my bed comforatably. It also took about two weeks to be able to sit upright at a computer screen for more than just a few minutes at a time. The area where my port is was really sore for those first few weeks. But now, nine weeks out, I feel like a completely new person and no pain whatsoever. Thank goodness. Oh, here's one I didn't expect: Don't be surprised if you come home from the hospital looking 8 months pregnant and weighing 10 pounds more than when you went in. I was bloated and swollen for quite a while. Suggestions: *Buy some liquid tylenol and have it on hand before you get home from the hospital. After the first day or two, you probably won't need the strong pain killer but will probably want something. At least, that is how I felt. *A heating pad could help w/ soreness and gas pains *Keep a pillow in the car for the drive home and keep one near the first few days after surgery. If you have to cough or sneeze, it really helps to hold it against your abdomen. *Some slip-on shoes or slippers for the hospital. You need to get up and walk but probably will be unable to bend over to tie shoes or put on socks. I hope this helps. If I think of anything else, I'll keep you posted.

So, here's my story.... I went to seminars w/ Dr. Simpson, Dr. Blackstone, and Dr. DeBarros (WLIAZ). For me, there wasn't a question about who I felt most comforatable with and who I felt knew my needs the best. I went w/ the team of Dr. DeBarros and Dr. Orris at WLIAZ. I am a cash pay patient. I'll be honest; they were not the cheapest. However, I firmly believe you get what you pay for so finding the best deal was a concern, but not my biggest priority. My biggest priority was, of course, my safety and well-being. Anyway, it has been a little more than two months since banding and I couldn't be happier. I have made good progress (52 pounds so far!), and I am pleased w/ the support I have gotten. Mike (the dietician) is the best. There have been several times when I needed questions answered and one time in particular I just needed to reach somebody. He has always replied right away and gone out of his way to help. He's awesome. Dr. DeBarros has a great bedside manor. I appreciate that he spends time with you when you are in and does the fills himself. It's a relief to know your surgeon is not going to hand you over to a NP or someone else after surgery. I hear that his partner, Dr. Orris, is great, too, although I don't have any personal experience w/ him. I do like the fact that there are the two of them, though. There is always somebody on call that can be reached, if needed. So, that in a nutshell is my experience. Anyone else?

Ok, all. I thought it might be helpful if we had a thread dedicated to the surgeons in AZ for new people that might be interested in referrals or information. Feel free to post about your experiences!

Hey, guys! It's been a while. I figured it was time for an update. How is everyone? (and where did everybody go?) Nichole, So glad to hear you are doing well! Isn't that exciting about the seatbelt? I can totally relate. I haven't flown yet since my surgery, but I can't wait just so I can prove to myself I can get the seatbelt on! Do you have a date for your fill yet? Julie, Congrats on your date! It is going to go by quickly. You are so close! How's the pre-op diet coming along? I'm hoping you are not still sick! OK everybody. I had my first fill today. Yay! I have to say I was a little nervous but it went great. Dr. DeBarros is GREAT and I really appreciate that he actually spends time with you at your appointmements. (And, by the way, he's looking really good, too!) And, here's the best part..... 52 pounds gone since my first weigh-in. :biggrin1:

Yes, and yes. I had to go in for an unfill at about 4 weeks out. I was too constricted and too much restriction without even having my first fill. Dr. Orris said at the support group meeting last night that many people find perfect restriction without a fill or on the first fill. Dr. DeBarros said last night that he has never had a fill, either.

Hi Diane! Yes, I have the new band. So does Virginia (Virginiann), Nichole (forgve70x7), and LilMonkey. (Are you still around LilMonkey? Haven't heard from you in a while.) Oh, and yes, Dr. DeBarros has the new band as well. My surgery was done by Dr. DeBarros, but Dr. Orris seems awesome. I have seen him many times in the office. I think you are in good hands! Welcome to our group! Hopefully we can meet up sometime after you get here.

Hi Paragirl! Welcome to LBT! I, too, am a self-pay bander. My insurance doesn't cover any weight related procedures. Frustrating, isn't it? I was banded on May 21 of this year. It has been less than two months and I am feeling great. I am down 50 pounds from what I weighed in at on my first appt. I would do it again in a heartbeat. It's not easy, but seeing the progress I've made this far keeps me motivated. Good luck to you! I hope all goes well for you today!

Any new info on the Saturday support group?

OK, I'm back from my vacation. Where did everybody go? V.... Sorry to hear about the emergency in your family. I hope everyone is safe and well. Did you get your fill on Thursday? How is your restriction now? How cool you and Karen got to have breakfast together. I am so jealous. I would have loved to have been there. Nichole.... How are you doing? Did the surgery go well? It's been a week, how are you feeling? I remembered you last Monday! I am down another 8 pounds after my two week vacation. Isn't that exciting? Who would have thought I could go on vacation and actually lose weight, instead of gaining? Here's the cool part..... I am now down 50 pounds since my first weight-in. Woo-hoo! :clap2: I think it may be time for a fill. I am starving all of the time. I'm still good about eating only small amounts, but then I'm sooo hungry an hour or two later. And when I get hungry, I tend to want to eat the naughty stuff, you know? I'm a sucker for sweets. I'm going to wait and see how I do this week now that I'm back home and back to my regular routine. In some respects, I think it may have been a little easier on vacation because I had all of the extended family microscoping everything I ate plus I was just busy and on the go all of the time. Does that make sense to anyone? Anyway, I'll just see how I do this week and if I need to, I'll call next Monday for a fill appt. I know one thing, though. It sucks being too restricted. I don't want to go through that again. Please give an update and let me know how ya'll are doing!

Hi Betty! I looked into Dr. Simpson. I had a first appt. and went to the seminar with him. I also looked into two other places before deciding where to have the surgery. Are you a cash pay patient? This is a major decision. Before you decide on a surgeon, I would suggest checking out several. There is a difference in quality. Good luck with your search. If you have any other questions, please ask! Shauna

Hey gang! This is the first time I've had to check-in since I've been on vacation. So far, things are going pretty well. I am actually proud I've been eating pretty well. (Except for the 4th. Well, one bad day can be expected, right? I had some fruit salad that I know was full of sugar and a little piece of cake. Oh, and today I had a margarita! ) I can tell that my swelling has gone down. I don't feel like I have much restriction. I do find that I have to eat every few hours or I am starving! V, how's your restriction after your fill? Did I read somewhere you ate steak and corn on the cob? Seriously? Goodness, girl, I'm still shying away from hamburger meat! I don't think I'd even attempt a steak! I had a salad the other day from Subway that had sliced roast beef on it and I had to pick off the roast beef. It was too chewy and tough. The chicken, ham, and turkey went down fine, though. Oh.... I have a happy story. I went to one of my favorite stores (that we don't have in AZ) to buy some clothes. I bought some shorts in a size smaller than I thought I needed in hopes they would be motivation to keep doing well. (Three sizes smaller than when I started this process.) Guess what? When I got back I tried them on and they fit! I couldn't believe it! I was soooo excited! I have no idea what my weight is doing. I haven't weighed myself since being on vacation. V... when are you leaving for vacation? I hope you have a great time in San Diego. I'm going to the lake all next week so I won't be able to check in. I hope everyone is doing well. I should be able to check in again tonight or tomorrow. I hope everyone is doing well!

Did you see Mike today? Is it normal to see him on every visit? I'm proud of you for getting us Saturday meetings. Way to go, girl. By the way, I think we are invited to bring a guest with us to the support meetings. If any of you non-WLIAZ banders want to go, let me know and you can be my guest.

Hey, V! Congratulations! Woo-hoo! I'm glad all went well. So, you are really feeling the restriction, huh? That's cool. I am really starting to feel hungry-- some days worse than others. I'm sure I will need a fill one of these days. I'm just going to get through my vacation and see how it goes. As long as I'm losing at least 2 pounds a week I'm OK with that. Being too restricted was miserable. I can see how easy it would be to become dehydrated. Since I can't drink with my meals, I have to make it a point to drink otherwise. It can become all consuming. Did the fill hurt? Of course the shots themselves really don't hurt but my port site was still quite a bit tender and all of that poking around made it sore for a while. You? I only have 1cc in my band now. I had 2 cc but had 1cc taken out. To anyone that may have a little more experience with the band in this area than I do-- I read that menstruation causes some women to become more restricted. Anyone experience that? I am curious now because I have had the period from hell now for the past two weeks. Now I'm wondering if my sudden restriction had anything to do with that. Who knows. OK.... I'll check in tomorrow but then I'm outta here! I will try to check in while on vacation. When will you be back, V? I'll be gone for two weeks.

Hey, V, how'd it go? How are you feeling?

Hey, V! You did it! Mike is on the WLIAZ site asking who wants Saturday support groups! We need to log in and let him know so we can get them started! Woo-hoo!

Hey, V! Where are you tonight? Good luck with your fill tomorrow! Be sure to check in and let us know how it goes!