NBflo Girl

Hey China and All : I had an appointment yesterday at 2:30 -- didn't get out until about 4:15. Its ok because I had alot of questions and I hadn't lost almost anything for about a month or more. Anyway, Lori gave me a fill of 3cc. Apparently when you have the Realize Band, they insert the band w/o any saline and if you need a fill, it holds 9cc altogether when you need it. Lets see what happens now. I have to be on liquids and pureed for awhile now just like in the beginning but w/o the new surgery sensitivities. I spoke to the girl who gave me the next appointment and she said that it is the 21st @ 6pm and there will be one in Feb also. But, the next monthly meetings (from March on ) will be for the Gastric Bypass patients along with the Bandsters together in one meeting. Previously, they met on separate evenings. I really don't know if they are so shortstaffed that they have to do that but I can't see how we would get anything out of those meetings. They all have different problems than we do with their malabsorption and all. I think also their diet is different too as they don't have to watch calories or fat intake and we really do. Oh well, hope to see you at the meeting, weather permitting. shar

Lucky, I would send it in together with the application. Try to get in also as much medical information you can with it, however, if you don't get it all, don't worry about it yet. Just send in all that you can and work on gathering it before the clinic appointment (after the seminar) and remember, take copies of all paperwork before sending it in or handing it over. Also make that psych evaluation appointment asap. good luck shar

I think the next meeting is the third wednesday of the month which would be Jan 21st. But not sure. One of our friends (future bandster) Sandra has an appointment on the fifth of January and she is going to find out the date for us. I will post it as soon as I find out. I felt tight in the beginning but after about 1 to 1 1/2 weeks out, I was ok with the liquids. In fact I thought that I was drinking too much. But alot of the discomfort that I had was the gas... that lasted at least for 10 days out then all of a sudden it went away. Sounds as if your doing ok. China, how are you doing ?? shar

Dear Lucky... Good !! I'm glad you received the application. Get the application filled out, your letter written and have your doc fill in his portion.... send it in asap !!! Then gather up all the add'l medical information prior to the clinic visit... you really don't want to hold up the application at this point. After they receive your application, they will then invite you to attend a seminar that is very informative. the clinic visit comes after you attend the seminar (all of us needed to attend the seminar before the clinic visit). If you have gotten a colonoscopy in the past, get the report and add it to the information also and bring it all to the clinic visit with you.. The clinic visit is when they weigh you and put you on the south beach diet for you to loose the 5% of your total weight. good luck shar

Kathy, My BMI was also lower.. 38 or 39 but I qualified because of my Sleep Apnea. I needed a copy of the report. I had a sleep study approx 5-6 years ago. I thought for sure that they would have me get another sleep study but as long as I was able to come up with the report, I was golden. shar

Vicki, thanks for the encouragement... I think I am allowing enough carbs into my diet... Once in awhile (xmas time of course) I have a cookie here and there.. I am also stealing a few of my husbands french fries here and there and I have been eating chicken fingers of course with the breading, but have not had a slice of bread or baked potato or any pasta at all since way way before the surgery. I have not been exercising much only because Kim (Nurse Practitioner) told me not to go over 2 to 2 1/2 miles an hour on the treadmill. So when I go to work out, its not even like a work out. I don't even break a sweat !! And I feel that its for nothing. At home, I have four floors and am going constantly up and down the stairs.. I get more of a workout home than at the gym. Well I just got a call from the clinic and I have an appointment on Jan 12 at 3pm with Lori.. Maybe I ccan get a fill !! Is anyone going at that time ?? I would love to sit and have a cup of tea with you. thanks shar

Vicki, was there a time after the surgery that the scale didn't move at all ?? I don't think I have moved down in weight in about a month at least !! I am getting discouraged. I was banded on 11/11 and I lost pretty good the first couple of weeks but lately nothing !! I know I need to go back to the gym. that may be part of it but the good thing thru this holiday, I haven't gained.. shar

Danielle That crappy drink is really crappy but just gulp it down and let it work.. it not so bad. Good luck tomorrow.. Its normal to be nervous but in a couple of days, you will be so relieved its over and also be proud of yourself that you took this step to make your life better and healthier instead of just complaining about it. I know I am !! shar

Hi Mary.. I was recently banded on Nov 11 by Dr. Posner. I am not sorry, however, it is hard getting thru the holidays with all the good food hanging around and temptation is constant. When I first rec'd my application, I filled it out the best I could and then wrote my letter explaining why I feel that I would be a candidate and listed all of the prev weight loss diets I have tried and failed. I also included in the letter all the previous medical information from the pcp that I was including in the package. I did see my PCP and had him fill out his portion of the application in front of me. Sometimes if you leave it to the primary to fill it out and send it on his own, it may sit on his desk for weeks or he may very well send it in asap but the clinic will loose track of it and not have it in your file when they need it. When you have your PCP appointment, have him copy all of the testing etc. that he has on you.. e.g. MRI reports, x-rays, most recent bloodwork, mamogram and pap smear reports, sleepstudies.. Anything done routinely annually and also anything out of the ordinary.. If your PCP does not have it, call the MD office that ordered the testing. (e.g. my otolaryngologist ordered my sleep study and my gyno had my mamo and pap test) When you get all of this information - make a folder for yourself and copy all of all information before sending it in. The clinic is famous for loosing important info and its really a pain having to get it all over again, so do yourself a favor and copy it for yourself also. Next, call for an appointment for the psych evaluation. Suburban Psych Associates.. 85 Bryant Woods, Amherst.. 716-689-3333.. Tell them that you need a psych evaluation as you are contemplating bariatric surgery and you are going thru this process with the Comprehensive weightloss program at Kaleida Health - BGH.. Do this asap as sometimes you have to wait awhile for an appointment. Mary, this all seems to be alot of work and it is, but the more that you do up front, the better it is for you. I had mostly all of my information and I still had some that I needed to get. This is a long process as I started my process in April and did not have my surgery until November. Also, we have a monthly support group meeting. It helped me so much and I have met some very nice people. I don't know what I have done with out these new friends of mine. The support that I received was unbelievable.. The people in attendence are new patients that have not had their banding and people that have had the band for a year or so. I asked so many questions.. Good luck.. If anyone can add to this to help Mary, please jump in. shar

Linda, sounds good. I will call you either way when I'm done with the doc. Lets see how the weather is. The sun is shining here but very windy and I just spoke to my brother and he said that it has been very blizzardy there until about 9am. He said it calmed down since but you never know !! Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. Are you far from the hospital ? Maybe I can save you a trip. Shar

Linda, did you ever discover what the cause of the dry heaves was ?? Has anyone else out there in Bandster Land had this besides you and xraigirl ? I hate hate hate the dry hieves !!! shar

Daniell, like Linda said, you really should have someone to help you up for the bathroom and walking the halls. Sometimes the nurses take their time to get to you and when you have to go, you have to go with all of the fluid they are pumping into you thru IV. You really are not in very much discomfort unless like me and China with the dry heives once in awhile and I think its because they insisted on giving me dilauded for pain which I didn't have. When you wake up the next morning you will feel much better, especially after the test they give you, then you can have broth and popsicle. The first day is just water and ice chips. I don't do plain water very well. After lunch I got dressed and waited to be discharged and I felt great. With the situation regarding your insurance, I think that the doc will let the last few pounds go. Good luck and don't worry. You won't be sorry. shar

Bloom... I don't know why but sometimes I find my lap postings in my SPAM mail !! China, hope all went well with yoiur surgery. shar

Danielle, I will be there for a f/u with Dr. Posner on the 22nd at 10 am. What time are you going to be there ? Maybe we can meet. What doctor are you having ? My approval came w/i 5 days of the request and I think its all up the the doc if you don't loose the 5 %. Maybe with the insurance issue at hand, he will let it go as long as you loose some. shar

I think I will take a protein shake instead of beakfast and see what happens. Sounds like a good idea. thanks shar

Hey Gurl... how much of the soup or protein did you drink to get your stomach hurting ? Maybe you drank too much of it or too fast ? I don't know if I am fortunate that I was able to drink anything or not because now I feel that I can eat and drink too much without a problem !! The scale is not moving !!! I just wonder what the doctor is going to say to me next week when I see him !! Oh well, maybe I need a fill already.. I hope not. shar

Biggirlx, I am so sorry you had to go thru that.. I guess everyone is different. The only pain I had was the biggest incision.. maybe 2 inches.. I really would have liked some ice on it.. China , Bring a couple zip lock bags from home because the ice bags they give you only last for about 20 minutes.. The only time I got sick is when the nurse insisted that I would want pain medication. I said ok but only half the dose and it made me so nauseus that I had the dry heaves.. Other than that, I was fine. China, good luck on monday.. its not bad at all. I think the gas pains is the most discomfort and they last about 10 days unless you can let it out and believe me, you do. It has been 1 month today already and I am eating alot of protein.. I'm still staying away from the carbs as much as I can. But I feel great !! shar

Judy, I didn't think that we would loose hair but at the last meeting, (I wasn't there) a couple of the girls were talking about hair loss. Also, I thought that we need to do the protein shakes for quite awhile. shar

China, I feel very good. I think the weight is coming off but very slowly.. Its ok.. I don't care if it takes a year as long as I see a light at the end of the tunnel and I do. I am eating alot of protein and vegs. Sometimes I'm gassy but I just look at the person next to me and act like its them and not me !!! not really !! but I do tend to get gassy after eating especially my protein shake... Yes, its normal to be scared and nervous,. I was freaking out. But it was all for nothing because its really isn't bad. The day of surgery you are alittle uncomfortable but not in alot of pain at all. Don't worry. it will be ok. shar

Great news about the surgery date... But, did you find out if the ins will cover the f/u appointments with the clinic following the surgery ? Also, when I wasn't loosing any weight and at a standstill.. I didn't put anything in my mouth after 6pm.. Water only.. That might help.. It helped me. shar

Hi China... Good luck on your surgery. About 2 weeks before mine, I was freaking out so much, I made myself sick and irratable and didn't sleep etc., etc, etc. It really was not not bad at all. The pain med they gave me made me nauseaus but I didn't even fill the script. I only took tylenol 3x at home and a couple of times, I put ice on the biggest incesion. Its been 3 weeks now since my surgery and life is almost back to normal. I can eat enough to fill me up but not so much that I get sick. The trick is to eat slow and know yourself enough to stop when you are full. Good luck shar

Judy, I can't believe they charge 200.00 for the session.. I said 100.00 because the morning of my appointment, my Mom had a heart attack and I couln't make it so in order for me to reschedule the appointment, I had to pay 50.00 over the phone or they wouldn't give me an appointment.. I assumed it was half.. Hope you girls had a good time at the trott and for thankgiving.. Its been 2 1/2 weeks and today I felt my first weight loss. I am going to Montreal for a funeral and packing some clothes and found that none of my suit jackets fit me. YEH !!! shar

I would call Healthy NY Customer Service Dept and find out what Psych groups par with HNY and then mention the list to Dr Hoffman. See if he will accept any of their consults. Could it be that HNY does not offer psych coverage ? Its a possibility. If thats the case, you may have to pay out of pocket.. I think its about $100.00 for the consult. Good Luck shar