k_podski

Hi All:) I am about 3-4 weeks out from surgery. My final consult and pre-op are next Friday.. WOO HOO!!, Right? I'm not so sure.. Lap band is something I have wanted for 3 years now, however I didn't actually start this journey until last July.. The closer I get, the more worried I am that I am going to fail. I keep replaying all of the diets that I failed, the exercise I failed to keep up with, and all of the broken promises I made to myself that "this is it! I can do it this time"..and I can't help but worry I am setting myself up.. I feel like this is my best (and last) option. In one way I am so ready to be banded, but I can't help but think of my future as a bandster and sabotaging this "last chance." Am I completely out of my mind?!?! Has anyone experienced this second guessing? Your responses are greatly appreciated:) Kerri

Hey Sarah! Did you make it to the support group yesterday? I was there, but not sure if you were.. I should've asked you what you'd be wearing so I could be on the look out for you lol... I just got home from the overnight shift- blaaaahhhh!! The roads and weather are so horrible right now.. Gotta love Maine! :)Kerri

Hi Vamaillady:) Congrats on your weight loss!! The closer I get to surgery, the more I am petrified about not succeeding.. I can only hope to be as successful as you! 65lbs in 6 months is fabulous! The southern weather would be great about now.. The snow this year has been unbelievable! Don't get me wrong, I do love it for winter activities, but it can really be a pain at the rate of 2-3 storms per week. It is so hard to get to work, and (as you can see on the above posts) the support groups! All I have to say is God Bless 4X4!! hehe.. Best of luck to you, and keep up the good work:)

Hi all and congrats on becoming a bandster in March!! I have not yet received my date, although, I got my approval last week and my pre-op is set for the 21 of February.. They told me to expect the first or second week in March, no later:) YAY!! I have been working on this process since July of last year, so to say the least, I was thrilled to get a vague idea:) It seems that everyone got their surgery date really early on?? They don't even submit me for a date until the day of my pre-op.. Hurry up and wait, right? lol.. Looking forward to this journey with you all! :biggrin2:Kerri

I am really hoping that Tuesday's snow will hold off until night time... I am worried that they will cancel, and I wont have my 3rd support group for Thursdays appt.. EEEKKK!! I am about 45 minutes to an hour away (depending on roads and traffic..) as well. It's not my favorite trip to make, but always well worth it! I got some extra time off on Tuesday so I can pop into the Christmas Tree shop after group. Yay!! I love that place:) I am soooo crossing my fingers that the snow will hold off until late.. Hope all is well with you! :)Kerri

Congrats on your first consult! It feels so good to get things going, huh? My psych eval was 3 hours long... The first part was just basic paperwork, going over my history of being overweight/ family history, and a short essay on what banding is. The second part was a 567 3part true/ false personality test.. The test was pretty straight forward.. It asked questions like, "I tend to have a low self esteem", or "I look for food when I am stressed", but also seriously bizarre questions like "I think someone is trying to rob me", and "I want to hurt my Mother"... lol Strange, but true. I am not sure that every Doc does this personality "test" prior to surgery though?? The last part was talking to the doctor, and he reviewed my history that I had filled out earlier.. It was pretty easy... Just tiring. Hope this helps:) Kerri

I had to go to the nutritionist 3x and the pych Doc once, which is standard for here. The nutritionist appts were 4-6 weeks apart, so it wasn't too bad, I feared driving back and forth like 3x a month which luckily didn't happen:)

I started a thread called "alcoholic beverages?" in this forum a while back... You can search for it in the upper right corner under search.. I got some great responses:) Best of luck to you!

My Dr.'s office/ surgery site is about 1.5 hours from me.. Unfortunately they make you go through their network of people to do nutrition and the psych eval.. They wouldn't allow anyone more local to me.. I know how frustrating this is! Hopefully your Dr.'s office is more lenient with you.. Best of luck to you:) Kerri

My nutritionist told me that for at least the first month between each meal you have to drink a protein shake.. There are tons to choose from, but I think the guidelines I got were less than 5g of sugar, and about 20g of protein per shake. I think there is a thread on here about protein drinks... I don't have my binder right here, but when I get it I can tell you for sure, as well as names of some of the shakes. Good luck to you, hope you're feeling better soon:)

Hey Sarah.. I got the 12th off for support group yahh!! lol... There was nooo way I was traveling to Waterville yesterday in the nasty weather.. I called my boss this morning and told him that I AM taking off the afternoon of the 12th lol. I have to go to that group or they won't let me have my final consult with Dr.Trieu.. I am already crossing my fingers for good weather next Tuesday! Possibly see you there? Also, I wanted to join the Maine group on here, do you know how to do that?? :)Kerri

welcome auntie jo, and congrats on your banding! How is everything going for you since surgery? :)Kerri

To get my ticker, I just clicked on someone ticker, and it brought me up to the ticker factory page. It says "create your own ticker". It took me some trying.. I 'm still working on getting up my starting weight and my goal, but for some reason it's coming up with my BMI and how much I have to lose.. hmmmm.. Good luck!:biggrin: Kerri

Yup, I wen to the July seminar.. It's been quite a work in progress since! I will be sure to let everyone know the date:) I am so psyched!! And yes, I figured out the ticker kind of, but I wanted my starting weight and goal weight on it, not my BMI, and how much I have to lose? I am easily confused..lol.. I am just happy to have gotten this one up:) p.s.Thanks for sharing my excitement!

Congrats, Connie, and welcome:) Great job! Just wanted to let everyone know that I got the call yesterday that I am approved, approved, approved!!!!!!!!YAY!!!!!!!!!!! It happened so quick.. Last friday at my last nutrition appt, they told me that it would take a week or 2 to have my case go to team, then it takes about 30 days for insurance approval.. Well... All of it took less than a week?!?!?! YAY!! I can't tell you how thrilled I am!:biggrin: I have my next appt with the nurse then Nate the trainer both on the 14 of Feb, then my final consult with the surgeon and my last appt with Nate on the 21 of Feb, then I wait a week for my surgery date!!!!!!!!! I can't believe this is finally happening:) Just had to share.. I have been DYING at work since yesterday without the internet to share my news:) ~(A very excited..)Kerri

Okay, never mind about the ticker, I think I got it finally?? lol :tt1:

Yes, Sarah, I totally agree about the support groups.. It is definitely nice to have a safe zone, and a group of people that understand you and your struggles!:tt1: Congrats on getting your first nutrition appointment behind you, and your next set for 4 weeks out, that is awesome! I am going to be at the next support group even if I have to call out sick! lol.. I just changed my work schedule to better suit my hectic life.. I just decided to go back to school in the Fall. I am nervous, but psyched, I've wanted to do this for years.. Anyhoo.. I've had a long day, and an even longer one ahead of me tomorrow...ugghh.. Take care, Kerri:) p.s. do you know how to put a ticker up on here?? I'm kind of lost..lol

I didn't get there tonight:(.. Last week it was extremely crowded as well, but it was a really good meeting and well worth it! Good luck at nutrition tomorrow.. I really enjoyed the appointments:)

wow, it does seem that you are moving right along! I was going to try to get to the support group tonight, but I don't think I'll be able to get the time off :eek:.. Just one of the many set backs for me.. grr.. Anyhoo.. enough complaining lol.. Who are you going through for your psych? I went to HPMaine in Waterville.. They have a call list in case someone cancels.. Then they would call you.. That's what I did, they called me twice, but I couldn't get there both times:(

The appointments do seem to take forever. After my first nutrition appt, (I had Krista) my next one was scheduled 6 weeks from that, then from my second appt. my next was 4 weeks, which was last Friday:)! My psych took about a month to get in which originally was in November but, due to a family illness, I had to cancel and reschedule for January..ugghh.. That appt was January 5, but the Bariatric Center still hasn't gotten the results (although the Doc said I was all set as far as he was concerned:) yay!! I am now waiting on them to send my case to "Team", then (hopefully) insurance approval, then Nate x2, then final consult.. Wheww.. lol I attended the seminar in July, so I have surely been on the slow path! Which seminar did you go to, and which nutritionist did you have? Best of luck to you, and it would be great to keep in touch! :)Kerri p.s. sorry for rambling lol I can't tell you how psyched I am to find someone that's going through Maine General, I've been waiting since September!!:wink2:

The appointments do seem to take forever. After my first nutrition appt, (I had Krista) my next one was scheduled 6 weeks from that, then from my second appt. my next was 4 weeks, which was last Friday:)! My psych took about a month to get in which originally was in November but, due to a family illness, I had to cancel and reschedule for January..ugghh.. That appt was January 5, but the Bariatric Center still hasn't gotten the results (although the Doc said I was all set as far as he was concerned:) yay!! I am now waiting on them to send my case to "Team", then (hopefully) insurance approval, then Nate x2, then final consult.. Wheww.. lol I attended the seminar in July, so I have surely been on the slow path! Which seminar did you go to, and which nutritionist did you have? Best of luck to you, and it would be great to keep in touch! :)Kerri p.s. sorry for rambling lol I can't tell you how psyched I am to find someone that's going through Maine General, I've been waiting since September!!:cursing:

Hi there, I am going through Maine General. I have had all of my nutrition appts, my psych, and I am waiting on them to bring my case to team, then insurance. My surgeon is Dr.Trieu. He is wonderful, as are the staff at the bariatric center:) Best of luck to you, glad to see fellow Mainers here! Kerri

Hi! My name is Kerri, and I am going through Maine General as well. My surgeon is Dr.Trieu. Were you at the support group Thursday night? I suggested this site to people at the meeting.. Glad to see someone local on here!!!

wow wow wow... That is crazy?! $50k.. Did you have to pay 10% of that??? that blows my mind.. I am glad to learn the hospital that I chose isn't the only one who has this "program fee" .. It sounded odd to me at first, but I guess if that's what they do.. oh well:) I'll take my own advice this time, and "suck it up buttercup".. lol Thanks all!!:eek:

AGGHH!! I am very frustrated with the hospital that is doing my surgery. They so kindly sent me paperwork explaining that they charge a $500 non-refundable "program fee" to help cover the cost of materials and pamphlets before the surgery can be done.... I would think they could somehow include the $500 fee in with their $16,000-$22,000 surgery... Like the hospital can't afford pamphlets and materials?? Or... maybe afford to charge it in with the insurance? I already have to pay a minimum of 10% of the surgery out of pocket. (Plus I pay $120 a week to have the insurance on myself.) I just don't understand? Has anyone else had to pay a "program fee"?? I am very irritated with this. whewwwwww.... thanks for letting me vent lol.... ~Kerri