kathystrick

I haven't heard of anyone's surgery being held up because of the infection. Since most of the testing is usually done a good bit before actual surgery (and in my case, even before insurance approval), there shouldn't be any reason it would hold you up because you should have been through with treatment for a while. Good luck to you getting through treatment and with surgery! Hang in there!:shades_smile:

I have taken antibiotics before that leave an aftertaste, so I kinda expected that could happen, but nothing like this! I am carrying a small bottle of Listerine with me and rinsing my mouth often. When I can't do that, I suck on a peppermint or cinnamon candy and it helps. Any normally bland food tastes funny (milk, eggs, etc.), but at least that makes me not want to eat it. LOL Only 8 more days to go!! Glad to see I am not the only one who has suffered through treatment. Just one more thing to make the surgery worth it in the end.

I started my Prevpac Thursday, so I just took my AM dose for day 3 this morning and I am sick as a dog! So far, I have thrown up twice and even the thought of food makes me nauseous. I have to do this for 11.5 more days??? I don't knwo if I can make it!! :thumbup:

WOO HOO!!! Way to go Tom!!!! I hope you are proud of yourself because you should be! :grouphug:

I took phentermine for about 3 months December 2006 - February 2007. The first 6 weeks or so was awesome! I lost about 25 pounds, even during the holidays. Then during the first week of February, I was hospitalized with "stroke-like symptoms" - slurred speech, confusion, lack of concentration - all listed side effects of phentermine. I spent 5 days in the hospital before they figured out the phentermine is what was causing it and ruled out anything else. Scared my husband and son to death. So if you can take it to help with weight loss prior to surgery, lucky you! You will definitely have a good jump start once your band is in place. Just be careful and if you start having any symptoms, go to your dr. immediately!!! Good luck!

I have started journaling about it all and I am feeling a lot better. My hubby has also been very sweet and attentive lately, which has helped a lot. I can finally really believe that he is actually here because he wants to be.

Just got my diagnosis today and was also prescribed Prevpac. Thank goodness for insurance. Prevpac is $404 retail. :drool:

I just got the results of my test today and they were positive. They are calling in a prescription for Previpac and I have to take it 14 days to clear it up.

As I go through my mind and try to get some head work done in preparation for surgery, I am becoming increasingly more aware of all of this repressed anger I have built up inside myself from years of medicating myself with food. So now, I have to figure out a way to deal with all of these issues, all these years after the fact. What fun!! I don't know what to do. It is really causing me a lot of stress because I have things I want to say to people, but know if I bring it up, it will only cause more problems because it has been so long. So, what do I do? I know if I don't get it out and deal with it, I will have to continue feeding it (literally) to keep it at bay. I feel so overwhelmed...:biggrin:

As I go through my mind and try to get some head work done in preparation for surgery, I am becoming increasingly more aware of all of this repressed anger I have built up inside myself from years of medicating myself with food. So now, I have to figure out a way to deal with all of these issues, all these years after the fact. What fun!! I don't know what to do. It is really causing me a lot of stress because I have things I want to say to people, but know if I bring it up, it will only cause more problems because it has been so long. So, what do I do? I know if I don't get it out and deal with it, I will have to continue feeding it (literally) to keep it at bay. I feel so overwhelmed...:confused_smile:

I feel your pain. I work for the school district and was hoping to have everything lined up for surgery over Spring Break. No way that is happening. So it looks like I am on hold until June unless I just decide to say the devil with it and lose the money. If I can't eat, why should the rest of my family?LOL Good luck to you!!

From what I have heard, it is more of a problem with GBP than LB. Something to do with a possibility of the tissues not healing properly.

I am having an EKG, which is required by my surgeon. I just had one about a year ago, so am not anticipating any problems, but better to be safe than sorry. He also requires an upper GI and blood work. This was all co-ordinated by his office and I am going to the hospital tomorrow to have it all done in one shot. JoJo! 9 tubes of blood???? Did you have any left? I hope they don't take that much out of me tomorrow. 12 hours is a long time to go without food in preparation for the other tests for a fat chick. I might not be able to walk out of there if they bleed me dry too!! LOL

I am doing so horribly with my food intake pre-surgery. I try everyday to make good choices, but then by the end of the day, I find myself starving (headaches, shaky, etc.). I usually have a protein shake of some sort for breakfast, fruit for mid-AM snack, something high protein (tuna, chicken, etc), yogurt, and usually a piece of fruit for lunch, protein bar for mid afternoon snack. Sounds like a lot of food, but lately hasn't been enough. I am so ready to be done fighting food. It has ruled my life for so long now. It only seems like the fight is getting worse the farther into the approval process I get. Like a demon fighting to keep control of my body. I will take it back, with the help of the Lap Band. I will make my body, and therefore my life, mine again!!!

I am doing so horribly with my food intake pre-surgery. I try everyday to make good choices, but then by the end of the day, I find myself starving (headaches, shaky, etc.). I usually have a protein shake of some sort for breakfast, fruit for mid-AM snack, something high protein (tuna, chicken, etc), yogurt, and usually a piece of fruit for lunch, protein bar for mid afternoon snack. Sounds like a lot of food, but lately hasn't been enough. I am so ready to be done fighting food. It has ruled my life for so long now. It only seems like the fight is getting worse the farther into the approval process I get. Like a demon fighting to keep control of my body. I will take it back, with the help of the Lap Band. I will make my body, and therefore my life, mine again!!!

I am starting to have the anxiety. I have been telling myself and my family how I am tired of failing at losing weight and I NEED to have this surgery so I can be healthy and happy. But what if I still fail? I know that is a possibility and it scares me to death!! To deal with it and all those other troublesome thoughts that hound me throughout the day now, I journal. I have a journal I am keeping solely for the surgery and tracking all my thoughts and feelings about everything to do with it. So even if I don't have anyone to talk to about it all sometimes, I am still getting it out. One day, I will be thin and healthy and read all that I am writing now and think to myself, "What was my problem???" Good luck to you!!!

HeavyHeartland: So nice to have a man's perspective on this!! It has never occurred to me that he might actually fear the attention I may receive from other men. I just thought he would be flattered because he knows we are together and feel that much more lucky to have me. The only questions he has ever asked about the surgery have had to do with changes, so I have just never thought to discuss the things that aren't going to change. Definitely something we need to talk about. Thanks again for your insight from both perspectives.

ajoneen: I agree, we do need to talk. That is so easy to say and so hard to do sometimes. I was hoping he would go with me for my testing Thursday and that would give us plenty of time to talk about things while waiting at the hospital, but no such luck. He has to work. Maybe a nice, quiet dinner at home to help him relax and open up... Thanks for your advice.

I have also just started keeping track of my daily food intake. I use sparkpeople.com. I am working really hard to improve my relationship with food before surgery, but some days are still a big disappointment. Just don't get discouraged because you are hardly in this boat alone. Good luck!!

I have not had sirgery yet, but my doctor said he recommends at least 60 grams per day after, so I am working on getting used to planning for that now. I didn't realize how little protein I actually eat in a day until I started really tracking it.

Hi Bobby! I had my psych eval last week and it was pretty simple really. He just asked me questions about diet and exercise, my support network, and how I am dealing with the emotional things that make me eat in the first place. Not nearly as bad as I expexted. I know some people on here have had to answer extensive questionaires and stuff. Don't be too worried. You'll do fine. Good luck!

I was talking to my husband last night and mentioned in conversation that I had paid the hospital $150 when I called to pre-register for the tests I am having done next Thursday, 3/6. He flipped!! I couldn't believe it! Mind you, I got a second job about a month ago to help with what I knew was going to be extra expense. So what is his problem? He said he feels like it's just one thing after another and everytime I go they are wanting more money for something. All I have paid out of pocket is $250 as the first half of my program fee and the $150 yesterday. Of course we haven't met our deductible yet since it's so early in the year, so I knew I was going to have to pay at least that $500. I just think there is so much more to it than the money. Is he realizing, like I am, that this is REALLY going to happen now that I am having all the tests and stuff? And why does that scare him? It doesn't make any sense. I thought he would be happy to be getting a hot wife after almost 9 years of marriage. Apaprently I was wrong. His reaction scared me so bad that now, I am really afraid I may just end up single before I reach goal. :biggrin:

I was talking to my husband last night and mentioned in conversation that I had paid the hospital $150 when I called to pre-register for the tests I am having done next Thursday, 3/6. He flipped!! I couldn't believe it! Mind you, I got a second job about a month ago to help with what I knew was going to be extra expense. So what is his problem? He said he feels like it's just one thing after another and everytime I go they are wanting more money for something. All I have paid out of pocket is $250 as the first half of my program fee and the $150 yesterday. Of course we haven't met our deductible yet since it's so early in the year, so I knew I was going to have to pay at least that $500. I just think there is so much more to it than the money. Is he realizing, like I am, that this is REALLY going to happen now that I am having all the tests and stuff? And why does that scare him? It doesn't make any sense. I thought he would be happy to be getting a hot wife after almost 9 years of marriage. Apaprently I was wrong. His reaction scared me so bad that now, I am really afraid I may just end up single before I reach goal. :thumbup:

I am shocked at how easily and quickly I seem to be moving through too. I have been to my initial consultation with the PA, psych eval and nutrition class, but didn't get excited until I called today to pre-register for my Upper GI, EKG and blood work. All of a sudden, as I sat there with the phone in my hand, it hit me and I almost started crying. This is really happening!! Hopefully, insurance companies are beginning to realize how much money they will actually save by paying for the surgery and will start giving approval more easily. Good luck to you, Aquameliza and everyone else!!!

I go for my appointment with the psychologist today. I am a little nervous, but have been doing lots of "me-search", so I think I am ready. Who knew I began checking into having surgery almost six months ago that I had so much to learn about myself? I am far from perfect and still find the urge to indulge too much to resist some days, but I know that will get easier as I learn other ways to "fix" all the pain inside. Here's to the bright, healthy future...