Dody

Now that I'm in Tennessee for my surgery I've become a sweet tea lover. Everyone here drinks it. I buy decaffinated tea bags and boil them, add splenda (I love a touch of lemon too) and have it cold over ice. I also love lemonade. I am not going to be banded till the 18th, but I thought it was time I gave up my addiction to root beer and diet Cherry-vanilla Dr. Pepper. I really haven't missed it that much. I also love cranberry juice light, which is especially good for the bladder and kidneys. I didn't think I could find a sub for my diet colas but there are lots out there and I want to be on them before surgery. The sweet tea with splenda and a touch of lemon is absolutely delicious. I guess where I come from it's just ice tea, but it is sweetened more here. Splenda makes it taste wonderful and is a great sub for the sugar in it. Start experimenting...also limeade is good. I drink orange juice in moderation because my dr. wants me on Metamucil and I mix it with a little orange juice....not too much though because it contains acid. I also love my Water with the sugar free kool-aid or Crystal Light in it. You have to put sodas out of your mind completely and leave your mind open to the new things that will work with the band. My dr. tells me people do insist on drinking carbonated drinks, but he strongly suggests you let them go flat first....doesn't appeal to me. They are truly empty calories, so keep that in mind. God Bless, Dody

severe arthritis and osteoporosis keeps me from the excercise I need so badly. I'm having knee surgery this coming Fri. and will be riding a stationary bike for recovery. I'm hoping losing some weight will help me in the walking process, as my problem is not so much in what I eat but the fact I can't excercise. I'm sure my feet will quit hurting some if I take some weight off. God Bless, Dody

In going through your pre-testing were you tested for sleep apnea. Having it can drain a lot of energy out of your body even with the right amount of protein. I feel sooooooooo much better since I was diagnosed and am on C-Pap and finally getting a good night's sleep. It is something to think about, and yes your diet is definitely important. God Bless, Dody

I've lurked here for a year and posted for about half that time. I will be banded July 18 at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. Because of this terrific site and people I have learned so much what to expect after banding. It's been a great trip getting to know all these people. There are just a few spoilers in the bunch, but don't let them rain on your parade. You are doing the best and healthiest thing you will ever do for yourself. Best of Luck. You are going to meet some fantastic people who will be able to help you with every part of the journey both pre-band and post-band. God Bless, Dody

I am in Tennessee to have my surgery and I merely signed a form with my family dr. and cardiologist and they faxed all my medical info down here. I had no problem getting a quick responce from my physician and I also quickly was able to obtain a letter from both her and my cardiologist stating they were 100% behind this surgery. Those letters both helped me out a lot. My dr. even documented the years I had gone to her as not being able to lose weight, and went out of her way to help me and she is one of the most popular doctors in my city. I doubt being an internist/gyn that she has much time off herself but she is always bright and cheerful. I would suggest you obtain your medical records yourself and find yourself a new dr. This one sounds like he may be a tad old fashioned and mean spirited. Perhaps he is getting on in years, but that is certainly no excuse. I'm certainly older than he is You have every right to your medical records anytime-anywhere. Get them and send them yourself. Best of luck. God Bless, Dody

Tagamet is one of the older medications used to treat ulcers, and used rarely anymore. I don't see where it could contain histamines of any sort. Prevecid and some of the rest are far newer than Tagmet. It's been around since the late 70's. God Bless, Dody

So sorry you had to go through this. I'm sure you were scared to death. What you experienced may help those of us that are yet to be banded to avoid trying anything with skin on it. Thanks for sharing, and I sure hope you are feeling better. God Bless, Dody

I was thinking this would be the easier surgery to recover from, but apparently it isn't. Well...I need to be able to move around after banding so I can do my part and right now I'm just stuck with sitting and a walker of all things. I really can't go anywhere or get any excercise, so this surgery is a must. I'm hoping I recover pretty quickly because I have surgery within 2 weeks for the band. Just please keep me in your prayers. I'm determined after all the waiting to get this all done. I will definitely be walking and aware of bloot clots. I'm a retired nurse and know what can happen. Thank you so much for your support. God Bless, Dody

Well I have two surgeries to get through in about 2 weeks time. I have to have arthroscopic surgery on my knee for a torn medial meniscus on July 7th, stitches out on the 14th, then leave for Vanderbilt in Nashville on the 17th for my surgery on the 18th. Wow, two surgeries in so little time seems like a lot to tackle, but I have to be able to get around so, therefore, the knee definitely needs fixed first. I'm getting anxious but not scared. I've faced one very serious surgery when I had my bypass heart surgery, and nothing in this world could be worse than that, so I'm anxious to get this over with. I want an epidural for the knee surgery. I don't want to be out if I don't have to be. I have no choice with the lap-band. So much to do and so little time. It took so very long to get to this point with injuries and delays in my surgery that I can't believe the time is almost here. I'm so ready for this new journey, and this board has been a huge inspiration to me in the time I've been hanging around here. I think I have a much greater understanding of what to expect after banding, and I know I've picked up some great recipes for mushy and solids when I go on them. My dr. wants me on Carnation Instant Breakfast and Water for days prior to surgery. I thought he might want me on something else, but he says Carnation Instant Breakfast is really high in Protein and he's the expert here. Wish me luck please and keep me in your prayers. It's been a really rough few months for me first with pneumonia, then tearing up my knee and postponement of my surgery in June for what they thought were blocked carotid arteries and turned out not to be....but it's finally coming to an end and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. God Bless, Dody

I'm having surgery on my knee on July 7, but I'm getting an epidural. Still I get my stitches out on the 14th and have my band surgery on the 18th. I've handed it over to God, and I truly believe that is the best way to go. I wish you lots of luck. I had my gall bladder out a couple years ago and recovered really quickly from it. Dody

Too funny, and I believed it until the end...well perhaps the ending isn't that far off

Congrats on your great accomplishment. You are a great inspiration. Dody

As many of you know this last mo. has been pretty horrible. My surgery was supposed to be June 5 and anesthesioloy found a bruit in my neck and I had to see my dr. who ordered a Doppler ultrasound which showed blockage. I then saw a specialist who ordered another test where they insert dye into your arm and do a scan. Lo and behold I had little to no blockage. It was the thick tendons in my neck that is the problem. I knew I had a hard head, but little did I know the tendons were involved I also tore the medial meniscus in my knee and am having surgery on that on July 6 or 7. I am making the final arrangements tomorrow. Everyone is going out of their way to see that everything will be done in 3 weeks. I am so much more relieved now then I was a mo. ago when my surgery got cancelled, but I am ever so glad I had to jump through all the hoops I did before surgery as I have some medical problems that needed attention and I needed my surgery done in the states. Vanderbilt here I come......:success1: Dody

My wake-up call came 5 years ago by way of a 5-way-bypass...Heck of a wake up call. I haven't touched cigarettes since that day. Dody

After all the postponements, etc. I HAVE A SURGERY DATE FOR JULY 18. Dody

As most of you know I was scheduled to have my lapbanding surgery on June 5 and it got derailed when they found a bruit in my neck. From there the mo. has been hectic. The next day I saw my family dr. who arranged a Doppler ultrasound at Methodist Hospital, and that came back saying 60-79% blockage. My surgery was cancelled immediately. I was so bummed, but also knew I had to deal with the problem at hand. It took 2 weeks to get an appt. with an excellent vascular surgeon who wanted another test where they inject dye in your arm and then scan you. The test came out fine. It appears the tendons in my neck were too big to get an accurate reading on the Doppler and the blockage was not much at all, and certainly would not keep me from getting the band. What a relief!! Then I had to wait for the vascular surgeon's office to fax the test to Vanderbilt and they called me to re-schedule. My surgery date is July 18. What a trip this has been. I still have the torn meniscus I have to have surgery on, but I think it is going to have to wait till this surgery is over, as the orthopedic surgeon is very busy too. They are going to call me if they can get me in. Praise to God. Everything has worked out. God Bless, Dody

It's nice to hear a dr. say that "his boss is the same as mine". Who could ask for anything more? Again, welcome.

I love country and always have. George Strait is my absolute favorite country singer. However, I do like to listen to Fuel, Savage Garden and Journey on occasion. I also love Michael Bolton and love his new CD with all of Sinatra's old hits. I love Barry Manilow's voice and think it is one of the best all time voices there is, so I guess you could say I just plain like good music of any genre.

Wow, that must have been a horrible experience for you...the surgery and then waking up and not having the band. My Mom had CHF and I know her kidneys had to work extra hard, and I know it puts the other organs in jeopardy, but I don't know about enlargement of the liver as simply being linked to CHF. It could be you had a fatty liver from the foods that you ate for years and years. I'm so sorry for you that you had to go through this. Did you follow a pre-op diet for a week or 2 before surgery to shrink the liver? Let us know how you are doing. God Bless, Dody

I was told that aspirin (which is contained in iburprofen) is a big no-no, which presents a major problem for me. I am (and have to stay on Plavix) which is a blood thinner for clots. I also have to take one baby aspirin a day and will for the rest of my life. When it comes to life-threatening conditions your physician will most likely tell you that you need to take your meds, but if you are talking about just a headache Tylenol based products are definitely the best. Anything with aspirin in the ingredients is a no. It adds to fast erosion of the band (or at least they think it does, although no one really knows) and is hard on the stomach in general (could cause ulcers). I have no choice but to take mine, but I'm also on Prevecid to somewhat counteract it. If I had the choice I would not touch anything with aspirin in it, and I'm sure your dr. will tell you the same. (Mind you this is a theory that it causes erosion, just as carbonated beverages do). No one actually knows what causes it. Some of the best bandsters in the world have taken none of these products and end up with erosion. Maybe someday they will have all the answers for us. I'm signed on for a study group at Vanderbilt (if the day ever gets here I can get my band) thatis studying erosion of the band and slippage and the things that might cause it. They will talk with me (and a lot of other people who are participating) every mo. and see if anything happens if there is a common denonminator. Mr. dr. says the band is the very best they have for now, but that it still needs fine tuned and over the years will just become better and better. I'd actually prefer we could take aspirin based products over the Tylenol, which leads to a lot more liver problems, but unfortunately most dr's. rules are NO aspirin. Hope this helps. Dody

thanks for clearing that up. I thought that was the only way they did RNY anymore was laparoscopically. Glad to have you as part of the forum.

Just a quick question. What is "lap RNY"?

A friend of mine has Tricare (she is military) and they covered RNY for her but not the band. She went with the RNY, but she has been sorry ever since. She has lost a lot of weight, but has never really felt good. I don't know why they cover RNY and not the band....seems idiotic.

Every drug is not right for everyone. Lexapro seems to be working to your disadvantage. I have tried a lot of them over the course of the last 10 years and find Celexa and Cymbalta (helps with fybromyalgia terrifically) to be the best of the drugs out there. Give your dr. a call and perhaps a different med will have you feeling better in no time. God Bless, Just noticed your up-date where the dr. increased your meds. I hope this works for you, but upping my meds only made me more tired. Anti-depressants do that to me anyway. If this doesn't work, ask to have your meds changed. My daughter's sunny disposition completely disappeared on Lexapro and she was grouchy and touchy all the time. She is now on Cymbalta and loving the way she is feeling. Anything 40 mg or more is too much of an anti-depressant to take in one day. God Bless Dody

My answer is NEVER to returning to work. I spent 38 years as a nurse so I've served my time. I've raised 5 girls and managed to go through 2 husbands. I've sworn off both (the children not even being an option:) I love retirement, except that's when things start to need to be patched up. Here I am needing knee surgery, and some surgery on my carotid arteries, before I can get the banding. 5 years ago it was 5-way-bypass and my gallbladder, OH and a broken foot, but those are just the little things that happen when you get old. My spirit is young and so I shall continue on my Quest. Each and every day I wake up I thank God (even with the aches and pains) for being here and having another day with the children and grandchildren. There is not much golden about the golden years when you have health problems, but not working is sure a nice thing. I imagine the younger people spring back much faster and go back to work faster than us old folks do anyway. They seem to do great, but I know quite a few oldies but goodies that are doing terrific with the band. If I could change anything about my life I might just change my weight without needing surgery (not going to happen) and some of the rheumatism, but aside from that I'm still here and kicking and consider myself one of the lucky ones. God Bless, Dody (It would be a good idea to state what type of work you go back to. There would be a huge difference before you could go back to digging ditches as opposed to a sedentary lifestyle as a secretary or librarian).