JCJSTL

To tell you the truth in some ways I am thankful it happened. Sounds stupid since i almost died lost a band i paid 14 grand for, and the family is in real money problems since my works short term disability hasnt kicked in yet. But it made me wake up to what really matters , i trully dont get angry anymore, things that seemed like a big deal no longer matter. In some ways i think it was a message. I just hope and pray that i dont lose that message in time.

thank you all for your well wishes. i truly feel for you spunky. I also had a pic line and they considered sending it home with me to continue to get Iron and antibiotics. but they decided to remove it before i left.

Thank you for the prayer and good thoughts they are appreciated... The dr says he knows how and when it happened but no clue why.

Just want to put my story of how I lost my band out here... It will probably be a little long ... so sorry about that. OnSept 30th I went to my Regular Doctor with severe flu symptoms my stomach was killing me. Walking into the building I collapsed my knees just gave out. The Dr took my blood pressure and it was very very low. He called 911 and had me moved to the er. after being treated for dehydration and trying to get my bp up. (which is strange because i have highblood pressure). I was then admitted. After being in my hospital room for about 20 minutes I drank a couple of little juice things that have in there and out of no where i broke out into cold sweats and the room started to swirls around me.... my bp had dropped really bad and reall fast..... they very quickly moved me to icu and tried to figure out what was going on.. being a stuborn man i am i fought with them on putting a central line iv in my neck ... they knocked me out and i woke up four days later by puling the breathing tube out of my own throat at 2 am. While i was out. 3 arteries around my colon burst and dumped 8 out of the 10 pints of blood in my body into my stomach. I dont know all the details but and dont realy want to, but i do know the dr had to do 2 surgeries to fix it .. in between the surgeries they had me iced down. They removed my band ( they say to limit the change of infection.) I belive because they didnt know what else to do to fix the problem. ( the surgeon is a lap band doctor as well as the hospitals top gi surgeon). Today marks 1 month since i walked into the dr office and today, I havebeen home for a week and have been told by most nurses and doctors involved I am lucky to be here and progresses as far and fast as i have. My home care nurse said it will be about a year before i am 100%. I can walk from my bedroom to the bathroom kitchen or living room but thats about it. i had dialysis for 2 weeks because with the blood loss my kidneys shut down thatkfully They are working about 50% and the dr thinks they will come back more in time. So now all i have to do is get strength back and in 3 month go back for another surgery to reverse the colostomy they gave me...... well sorry for making this so long but i needed to type it... oh and by the way i would have had my band for 1 year nov 18th and i lost 95 pounds.

Joe

I called my doc about this yesterday and was told that other than calories alcohol does no harm to the band. I specifically asked about spirits as when I do drink its Vodka on the rocks (only 53 calories per serving). They even said that as long as you account for calories beer is fine if you can handle it. He allows carbonated beverages after 2 months.

When eating cereal I use a couple spoonfuls of light yogurt inplace of the milk and I can tell the difference in how fast it fills me up. I like it actaully better than I did with milk

I am also under 800 for the past 3 weeks 1 weeks before and 2 since and my energy level is good till about 10 pm then its lights out .. but that might just be mental

I am on day 12 and have not been on a scale since the 23rd but I was down 25 pounds at that time .. I can see a difference in my face and believe it or not my my work shoes are too big now ... down one pants size already. Havent felt hungry or full since the surgery. I am going back to the do on dec 22nd and will get my first fill then ... I hope all of you are as joyful as I am about the life changes we have commited to.

Joe

My doc discovered my hiatal hernia in the or doing my band ... he fixed it then put my band on.....

I went into surgery yesterday and woke with people freaking around me ..Apparently something raised my bp allot it was at one point 242 over 120. And to top if off my Dr discovered a hernia and had to remove it before he could put the band on(cant wait to see what thats going to cost me). I did my upper gi everything is working so long story shot i have my band i am in a little pain but not to bad.

Paul,

I have my surgery on friday and am starting to freak out ... I'm 30 year old man acting like my seven year old son... I am putting up a pretty good front of not being scared but its just that a front.

I am on day 2 of my preop liquid diet and was told that i cannot have the any Protein or anything else than regular clear liquids. broth is about as hearty as i can get.

Im getting mine on nov 18th

It has been resoved... i "kindly" exlpained to him that either way i was having the procedure and i could either do it with his approval and go to the hospital and get 24 hour care, or with out his approval and do it thru surgery center and go home the same day. So if he was so concerned about me he should probably go ahead and give me the approval so i would be under the doctors care for the first 24 hours. He is suppose to be sending his letter of approval over to my surgeon today. Thanks to everyone letting me vent and a time of extreme frustration.

I fully intend change pcp's after the surgery, but its kinda late in the game to do it before surgery i had my surgery set for 18th of this month that way i could have 10 days off with only using 4 vacation days as thats all i have left ... then they said oh yeah we need your pcp letter of approval for the hospital ... im going to the pcp's office after work today to try and talk to him and see if i can get him to see it my way .. if not maybe you all will see me on the news in the morning :mad:

Yeah i can still have my surgery if i do it at the surgery center. But for the same money i can have the surgery at the hospital and be taken care of overnight. and the hospital is the one that wont schedule with out the pcp approval.

Did any of you have your pcp make it difficult to get your surgery. First he wouldnt sign off on my surgery because my blood pressure was too high. Um well gee doc I weigh just shyof 400 pounds and I just walked almost a mile from the parking lot thanks to construction.... So i am going back this afternoon but then he tells me that he needs the results of my bloodwork back before he will approve the surgery. Problem with that is the test cant be done more than 2 weeks before the surgery or they will not be any good for the surgeon and i will have to pay for them again ... and they wont schedule the surgery with out his approval ... AND IM SELF PAY. my surgeon has already said he will do it with out my pcp approval but the hospital will not allow it.The sad thing hes not even my pcp by choice. My old doctor left the practice to move out of state and shes the one that brought up the whole thing about the surgery to begin with.. this guys wants me to try and alter my diet and work out more ... oh if it was that simple so you think i would be this big by choice ... I love how people that have never dealt with weight have all the answers.

I am an actual patient of Dr. Joya's who is very happy and proud of my doctor and do not have a clue about Belighter or whatever you are talking about....

Can we just ban this person or something every single post they have made is an infomercial on dr joya they make no contribution to the site. imho

could you substitue splenda for the sugar in these? i mean the bag says use just like sugar for baking or cooking?????

Has anyone used Dr. Van Waganer in St. Louis? He does his surgeries at St. Alexis

I am 99% sure dr wagner is going to be my doctor. He has done a couple of people on here.

Roger A. De La Torre MD He is in the St Louis area now. He just did my RNY 2 weeks ago but he also does a lot of lap bands. I am not sure of his number but I believe he is in Bridgeton. He does his surgery at DePaul.

I was suppose to go to his seminar last wed and didnt go becuase in his packet that i recieved was an agreement to waive any rights in regards to lawsuits and agreeing that if something happens i have to go through arbitration. Now im not looking to take anyone to court but im sure not giving that right up if he makes a mistake or is incompetent.

The Dr. I am looking to have do my band has said that after 2 months if you feem ok after drinking soda that you can as long as its diet but not for the first 2 months.

Mine movie was "raiders of the lost ark" and Im Bill Clinton

my 2 cents .... being tall and while I commend you and her for her ability to read this doesnt make her emotionally able or mature enough to handle school .. My son was in private schools from age 2 up and he didnt start kidergarten till he aws 6 the way the birthday cut offs are here. At first I didnt like this because he just wouldnt have been ready and that was even with all his private school background. That being said i think if she is mature and emotionally able to handle it then by all means... those would be my only two concerns. By the way i think its amazing what is expected of kids today .. kindergarten for me was choclate milk, naps and macaroni art ... my son was trouble shooting computers last year.

You know my wife has always said men are wimps and women take pain much better .. i realized shes right when for a split second when i learned i would have to have a catheder (sp?) i had second thought about the surgery.