RestlessMonkey

And thanks Georgia Girl for pointing that out!

I think its entirely possible that either 1. The doc misquoted or 2. I misunderstood or 3. I misremember....because I agree 1 in 200 seems high. That would be .5% and that is pretty cruddy odds, actually! So I think I'll have to say disregard that please. Laparoscopic surgery is pretty benign. I know the odds of dying from the surgery are MUCH lower than the odds of dying from some complication of morbid obesity!

Welcome! And take it from me...follow that preop diet perfectly! I didn't (I lost but tinkered with it) and my liver was too fatty; I got opened up and closed back up w/no lap band! That was pretty vile! Now I am perfectly on my preop diet and we'll try again 8/29. Personally, the surgery was easy. Doc told me pain with the band won't be any more than what I'm feeling now, and I've just needed an occasional tylenol. You'll do great!

Are you sure you can get Cigna if the company is offering alternative coverage? I thought cobra only applied if you left the job or the company cancelled all insurance; not sure you can keep it because you prefer it to the new coverage.....

Just make sure you're honest with your doctors, don't try to hide any symptoms, and give them the info they need to get you through. IE if you didn't fast pre op like they said, but had breakfast...(Ok that's over the top but it's just an example) You be straight with them, they will get you through it. People who lie, (ie have a cold and hide it) are the ones who are sure to have problems.

The statistics I was quoted were 1 in 200 die. My Doc has never lost a patient and he's over 1000 now. Surgery carries a risk but I think to stress the "Die on the table" thing is over the top. IMHO if the surgeon is that unsure, find another one.

Everyone has a different pain threshhold, and experiences pain differently! Your situation shouldn't scare anyone off.

Hey Froggi! That's the same diet my surgeon had me on. I did not follow it to the letter (ie I had low fat cheese, lite butter, I ate pizza one night) and my liver didn't shrink but this time I am doing exactly what he told me. Follow the instructions and you should be fine! I weighed 399.6 Tues evening (1st day post op for my non-lap band surgery) and this am am down to 384! Some/most Water of course but when you are only eating 600 cal a day, some of it must be fat! So do what your surgeon says and you will be fine!

I had my 1st lap band surgery on 8/11 and much to my chagrin and dismay, my liver was too thick for the doc to properly place the band. He has me (again) on a diet to shrink my liver (which I have learned to follow to the letter this time, as I said, shame on me) and will try again on 8/29. Besides doing what he's said to do (2 - 3 Protein shakes a day, 3 oz lean chicken turkey or fish, 1 cup green veggies no oil, and at least 64 ounces of Water daily) does anyone know of anything else I can do to make sure that sucker shrinks some? Exercise? Anyone have any tips? Thanks...

Yes Long2befree thanks for the reminder and of course I'll get their clearance.

Thanks! Between you and shamrockgirl...I may just give milkthistle a try. If it won't hurt me, it can maybe help!

PaisleyDaisy all I can tell you is to do what your doc says! scrupulously! I lost 15 pounds during the 1st 3-week diet but had some low fat cheese, had pizza once, etc and essentially used his directions as a "guideline"...to my shame and chagrin! This has been a good lesson and I'll remember it postop too...just do what your doc says and I'm sure you'll do fine!

Thanks shamrockgirl! But I need something that will work in 2 weeks; my surgeon rescheduled me for 8/29. I am doing what he has told me to, TO THE LETTER this time! LOL but wanted to know of any other tips or hints. He's got me on an almost no-carb diet for 2 1/2 weeks, plus exercise, and I guess thinks that will shrink it enough. I HOPE so! :biggrin:

Thanks! Sorry you have to wait so long! :biggrin:)

well I had the surgery, just no band! LOL (I've got the 6 holes to prove it :biggrin: Doc said to stick RELIGIOUSLY to the preop diet and he'll try again 8/29! I can say for me, post op pain is non-existent (and he said how I do now is how I'll feel with the band) so that's good. A few tylenol and I'm good to go!

Hi All! My starting BMI was 67.someodd, at 5'5" and a weight of 405.1 I got down to 390.5, had surgery on 8/11 but my liver was still too fatty so I'm back at home on a (religiously followed this time!) preop diet till 8/29 when we try again. It's nice to find this spot with us larger people being banded. At our WL seminar the doc said that in Australia, results 3 years out were similar for WLS and banding, but in the USA we bandsters fall short of that figure. I hope to be one to help get our averages up to more "Australian"...80% of excess lost instead of 50%! I think with support and fortitude the band will be a wonderful tool for all of us!

I went to the mandatory seminar 7/10 and was scheduled for surgery 8/11. I didn't get the band because my liver was too thick and I didn't follow surgeon's preop directions to the letter (shame on me) but there was no 6 month waiting period. That depends on surgeon and insurance.

Honestly? I did not get the band (liver too fat) but my surgeon told me the pain I felt postop is how I'd feel after the band, too. I got 2 mg of morphine in the recovery room and that was it. Doc prescribed lortab but I didn't realize it is hydrocodone and tylenol; it makes me vomit so I can't take it. SO I've been on tylenol. The tape over my little "insertion sites" hurt more than anything and that was minor! I do recover quickly from anesthesia but I think if you don't expect to be in pain you won't be. My doc says he has people back at work full time in 1 week...just no heavy lifting. I feel great and would feel greater if my liver hadn't been too thick, but am rescheduled for 8/29. It really doesn't hurt; I've stubbed my toe and it hurt more than this!

Much to my great shame, I only "kind of" followed my doc's preop diet. I did lose 15 pounds in the 3 weeks but didn't shrink my liver enough and he did not place the band. So 8/11 was a sad day for me! I am rescheduled for 8/29 and believe me am doing EXACTLY what he says to shrink it; plus I'm exercising to help that along. I felt miserable when I woke up and it wasn't done, but lesson learned for me; I'll do what he says instead of what I think. I mean, I am paying the man for his skills, experience and expertise! So just do what your surgeon says and you should be fine!

Mine was a questionnaire (long one, part of the MMPI questionnaire) and then a brief 15-20 min interview. Some try to "bypass" this but I think it's important; if I'm going to wake up with the band in place and be miserble I would rather not do it! I "Think" i'm a good candidate, but I want that seal of approval, you know? The whole thing was non-threatening and easy. Passing it made me feel stronger about my decision to go with the lap band. It's just another info tool.

Sure! To be depressed "about" something and to have clinical depression are two very different things. I'd ask for a different therapist just in case there was some, um, "miscommunication" between you two, you know? Because really, if you truly are clinically depressed (and sometimes people can't tell they are; it's kind of like a can't see the forest for the trees thing) then a therapist can help you even without drugs. But if you are just down because you are overweight, then that should just help motivate you to be compliant with a new post-op diet! I think you should pursue it because to my mind you are win-win. If you are depressed you'll get help with it and if you aren't, you'll get your surgery sooner rather than later.

I feel for you! I was supposed to get banded today but my liver was too darn thick; they closed me back up! Now I have a special diet etc. and they'll try again in a bit. So I understand your disappointment. BUT, maybe it happened for a reason? I'm 200+ overweight and not depressed so I don't agree with the weight always causing it. Maybe a little therapy or whatever could position you in a better place for the lap band to help. I know you are in shock (like me!) so I hope this doesn't sound harsh cuz I don't mean it that way; just be gentle with yourself and see what another therapist says. And in the long run? They ARE human; the first one is possibly totally off base and a "new" one will have a different take. If not, they can help you.

HI! I'm Jeff (but I'm female) and I'm a nursing student in San Antonio TX. I'm 53 years old and this was a HUGE career change. I'm getting banded tomorrow, Aug 11, by Dr. Sonny Cavasos. I have gone from a little chubby kid to a starved teen to a little chubby 20-something to a morbidly obese 50-something. I have wanted the band since it came out and finally insurance and everything have aligned to help make it happen. I have no kids, one lazy cat, one great husband I've been married to for 25 years this year. Like many of you, I want a more active lifestyle and have tried "diet" upon "diet", able to lose and then slowly regain what I lost, plus another 20 or so. I'm planning to work the band 10000% and I know if I do that, it will help bring me the success, and maintenance, I've looked for for 20 years! Good luck to all!

I'm so excited I'm almost grumpy! LOL I have researched and thought about and soul-searched for years and now it's finally here. I'm to be at the hospital at 1230 central time for an approx 2pm banding. I wish I didn't have to stay in the hospital overnight but otherwise its all good! I need to do laundy and pack but am sitting here on the computer.... Good luck to all getting banded tomorrow!

Hi all! After years of struggling and researching various types of weight loss surgery, I am getting the lap band on Monday Aug 11 provided all my pre-op tests are within parameters. I'm so excited! Just wanted to say hi and introduce myself (53 yo female student nurse) Good luck to us all!