suzyt

I was cleared for solid food at my two week post op appointment. As everyone says -- every doctor is different for what they recommend.

Hi Nora, I am also in Charlotte. Which surgeon are you going to see?? I had my surgery 6/26th at CMC-Mercy done by Dr. Gersin.

I am very sorry you are having such a rough time. Hopefully, this new fill will give you the right amount of restriction and help you lose more easily. Why did you doctor yell at you? Is there another doctor in that practice? I don't think I'd stand for being yelled at.

My PCP was against my choice of surgeon until I met with her and showed her the research I had done. Until then she didn't know anything about him. Once she saw the research she agreed with me that it would be a wise choice. She also said that I am always her patient and she just wants to make sure any other doctors are good choices. She continued to say without many details that when she was a resident a patient went to a surgeon she didn't know and there was a bad outcome. This may not be what is in play in your situation, but I quite frankly was glad to know that she is that concerned for my well-being. Good luck with your choice.

If you think not having caffeine will be a problem, you may want to wean yourself off of it before surgery. I stopped drinking caffeine a month before my surgery so I wouldn't have to deal with that as well. I stepped down from Diet Pepsi to unsweetened tea and then to decaf tea. I felt a lot like myself after one week, but didn't feel horrible before that just achy and tired. I would definitely make sure if you go back to work that you are able to rest after work. Good luck!! Suzanne

We were all strong enough to realize we needed help with loosing weight and chose the band to do that. You'll make it through these trials as well. Remember to vent whenever you need to -- we'll be here!!

Thanks for the link. I was most surprised to see that they are in the town I grew up in (my parents still live there!) It's a small world!! Suzanne

Hi Tina, I've been keeping up with your situation and I thought of you last night while watching Dr. Phil. He had a husband who had cheated on his wife and he kept telling the husband that you need to do whatever your wife needs you to do for as long as she needs you to to help her get through this. And kept emphasizing the whatever and as long as she needs!! I am quite sure there are more like me who read your story and are pulling for you, but don't have anything different to offer. But we are here for you nonetheless!! Keep strong!! Suzanne

Tai, My doctor does a liver biopsy with every banding or bypass surgery. But I am glad they told me that up front. I can imagine that you have been quite worried. Suzanne

Happy Birthday!! You have landed in the right place -- there is plenty of information here -- enough to answer all your questions and some you haven't thought of yet. Hang in there, it can be a bumpy ride, but take the time to decide if this is right for you. I was banded June 26th and I am recovering well and ready for the next part of the journey. Please let us know if we can answer any questions for you!!

I have told my family, many of my co-workers, neighbors and friends. Everyone has been very supportive. I attribute some of that to the fact that they have seen me struggle with my weight for many years. My Dad apparently had concerns at first but didn't mention them to me until he had resolved it and realised it was what was best for me. I had surgery yesterday and the number of people who e-mailed and called with good wishes was astounding. I feel so blessed to have such a supportive group of people in my life. I expected to have some negative reactions due to what I have read many times on LBT, but luckily for me it did not turn out that way.

I have told my family, many of my co-workers, neighbors and friends. Everyone has been very supportive. I attribute some of that to the fact that they have seen me struggle with my weight for many years. My Dad apparently had concerns at first but didn't mention them to me until he had resolved it and realised it was what was best for me. I had surgery yesterday and the number of people who e-mailed and called with good wishes was astounding. I feel so blessed to have such a supportive group of people in my life. I expected to have some negative reactions due to what I have read many times on LBT, but luckily for me it did not turn out that way.

Are you taking any blood pressure medication? Maybe you don't need it anymore........

I am on day 5 of the two week pre-op liquid diet (surgery June 26th) and I am so excited to be this close to surgery!! At this point the liquids couldn't be easier, but I truly believe that is because I am so excited to be each day closer to surgery. I am getting 100 - 165 grams of Protein and I am not hungry at all. Good luck to all of us Jazzy June and July bandsters!!

I have tried two flavors of the clear fruit drinks -- the passion fruit and blue raspberry. Both tasted good, but the passion fruit had a funny smell to it. I will definitely buy the blue raspberry again, and may try one more bottle of the passion fruit before I give up.

That should make 200!! Oh my goodness!! Seems like we are the biggest group of bandsters yet!!

Is that count right? I make #167? Wow!!

Add me to the list!! June 26th!! Yippee!!!

I will be banded on June 26th!! I am so excited that I cannot sit still in my chair at work!! liquid diet starts June 12th!! Thanks to everyone for being so supportive to all of us, but also tough when we need it!! I am so happy to join the family!! Suzanne

I am beginning to think that some of these doctor's staffs don't realize how much we want this surgery and how much more excited and anxious we get with each step closer to the surgery date. My psychologist e-mailed me to let me know he was faxing his report -- the last thing I needed. I called the surgeon's office the next day to make sure the insurance lady got it. She replied "Well, if he faxed it, it is here somewhere." Ok. Then I asked her that when she had everything together and submitted it to the insurance company, could she call and let me know (my insurance company approves in 3-5 days, so I wanted to know when it was sent). She replied "If I remember." Great customer service! I attended a support group meeting for my surgeon's office on Tuesday evening and everyone from his office said to stay on top of her. Ok, I will. I called Wednesday morning, left a message, no reply. I called Wednesday afternoon, left a message, no reply. At 5:15 pm, she calls me at work to say she had submitted it Tuesday morning. Great!! I have read so many posts here that things fall through the cracks, so I called the insurance company to see if they had received it. Guess what? No record of it. Called the surgeon's office and she swears that she has a confirmation number that it was received. Alright. Called the insurance company again today and they said they received it 5/30/2008 (yep, TODAY) at 9:38am. Hmmmm. Are you thinking what I'm thinking....... I will say something to the office manager or surgeon after my surgery. Up until now I have had a pretty smooth ride, with getting in earlier to appointments due to other cancellations and such so I am trying not to get too upset, but poor customer service just kills me. Especially since this is our choice to get the surgery and we have chosen their office to do it. I am extremely happy with everyone else in my surgeon's office and looking forward to getting my approval so I don't have to deal with this woman anymore. Sorry to go on so long, but I do feel better... Hugs, Suzanne

My nutritionist also said that caffeine is an appetite stimulant and that is why they wanted me to switch to decaf tea. I quit Diet Pepsi a month ago and switched to unsweetened tea. Last week, I quit caffeine all together and started drinking decaf tea.

Hi ladies!! I thought I would share my favorite bra with you. It's from Target and available in stores and online. It's definitely a push up bra, but since I am 41 that's a good thing. I haven't gotten banded yet, but I am looking forward to getting new bras in smaller sizes. Gilligan & O'Malley® Textronic Lace Half-Padded Bra - Basic Colors : Target Thanks to everyone for their constant inspiration and support!!

Fenton, Here's a different one that's not from a Protein vendor -- and surprise!! my required amount was 8 grams lower. But this calculator also asks how active you are as well as your age and frame size. UMMS: Protein Calculator

Here's another response by another GIRL. I was told about this proteing calculator a couple of weeks ago and found it helpful. You are correct, there are different requirements depending on your height and weight. Good luck with your journey! Protein Calculator

Melissa, The day I first met the surgeon, I talked with his physcian's assistant, had blood work drawn and made appointments with their fitness person and the dietician. Since then I have had a sleep study consultation and the actual sleep study, a psych evaluation, gotten two letters of support -- one from my PCP and one from my parents since I am single and live by my self so didn't have a husband to write the support letter, and I had already gotten my five years of documented weight history from my PCP. This Friday, I find out the results of my sleep study and meet with the dietician. And once the doctor's office receives my psych eval -- he said it was ok -- then I am ready to file with Blue Cross. I am not sure if a chest x-ray, etc is part of the pre-op follow up that is done after you are approved or not. I do still have to attend a support group meeting, but I am going to try to see if they will submit to insurance and delay surgery if I should happen to miss the meeting for some reason -- it would have to be a flood or something for me to miss it at this point!! How far along in the process are you? I've actually been staying on everyone and trying to move appointments up whenever possible and Friday will be 30 days from the seminar I attended. As you can tell I am anxious to start life as a bandster!!