MISS.SUSAN

i have to go next week for arterial gas test? where they draw blood from the artery i guess that hurts a little? they told me to where comfortable clothing (loose) its a good thing i quit smoking a couple of months ago, i don't think i am going to do good on blowing into anything after smoking 30 years! yikes!

yeah i always feel it at night in bed too! weird. but i do go to the heart doc on the 10th for all my results - i'm hoping there is nothing wrong with me. i embarassed the tech. i first went in for the stress test so i was familiar with how they take the pictures. so then i went in for the echoe and he asked me if i knew what he was going to do? and i said "yes, you are gonna grease me up and take pictures!" boy did he turn red! and then of course i said while getting the pictures "its been years since i've been felt up this much!" i wonder if i will see him when i get my results! i'll have to say HELLO!

hope your not in too much pain when you get back! good luck

oh that bites! its a shame you can't get them done at the same time! and 2 weeks apart no less! ugh! wow, sorry to hear you have to go thru that! hang in there!

can you not take the vitamins/supplements for a day and see if that helps?

i'm am having trouble moving too. i am in new jersey and its been in the 30's and 40's and being from so. calif i don't like it one bit! getting out walking in it is a drag. i wanted to go to the library and see about finding the richard simmons sweatin to the oldies tapes. some people on here said they were great. my living room is big enough for me to do arobics in - but i tried last night with the on demand videos and it just wasn't appealing at all. i hated it. i think i would do better to just go walk. atleast that way i am focusing on getting somewhere and making my way back, jumping around in the living room for 20-30 minutes seemed to take forever. is there anyway you can bundle your toddler up then put him in a stroller and throw a blanket over him and go walk for 20 min or so. i use to have to walk to work and drop my 2 yr old off at day care on the way - i made him walk and this was in Northern PA. i would be numb by the time i got to work! i guess thats why i always ended up back in california. the cold is just sooooo cumbersome to me! but i have learned if its up past 35 its not that bad if you bundle up correctly. i just dont have to hats and scarfs. i have been wanting one of those hats with the flaps over your ears. im going to have to break down and buy one now. as far as loosing and gaining weight on the 6 month diet my doctor said my insurance will deny me if i gain one pound while on this diet. that kind of threw me for a loop but he wouldn't do the surgery until i get my bmi under 50 so i still had to loose the 8lbs. so i am going to start getting on the ball. i can't afford to screw this up. i wish i had someone to walk with me. my neighbor is trying to loose weight thru weight watchers but she wont walk on the regular basis. its soooo much better when you have someone to do it with.

Hello my name is susan, i too went in Sept to see the surgeon. i went at the end of the month so my first 3 appts have already came and went! i go for my 4th Dec 4th. i can't believe its half way over! i have been getting tests done and seeing the heart/lung doctors. i go this fri the 21st for the stress test. i hope that i can pass that! i need to loose 8 pounds before surgery to get the bmi down under 50. i have lost about half. i did loose weight before going to see the surgeon - so i guess that helped. but i need to get on the ball as far as walking and watching my diet. i cheated this weekend. i quit smoking 10/1/08 so that was a rough month. but doing much better. i figure if all goes well i should be done feb/march and maybe by this time next year i won't be in so much back pain and feeling way more energy. feel free to email me anytime! susan_mounts@yahoo.com

i think its just like any other addicion. over the years i got sober, so i turned to food and cigerettes and got really fat and unhealthy. so now here i am 40 and had to stop eating and smoking. and let me tell you, i didn't want to stop ANY of them. i kept thinking "if i can't EAT, SMOKE, DRINK OR GET HIGH" what am i suppose to do with myself? thats all i know. so i went out and bought an electric guitar. the doctor suggested i start reading. forget that! its true, you have to replace those bad habits with good ones. and its ok to miss the bad stuff!

your right, don't loose any until you go see the doctor. i lost 6lbs before i ever got to the appt. and i wish i hadn't. originally i was 343 but by the time i saw him i was 336. and they said don't gain not 1 pound or your insurance will deny you. but then on the other hand my bmi was over 50 and he said i still had to loose another 8lbs to get it below 50. and its been ok - i'm loosing a pound or two every time i go see him. so by the time my six month diet is over i should be at the 8lbs. the only thing im struggling with is the weather and getting out to walk. i need alot more exercise. don't worry about the liquid diet. just stick to it - thats what is important - to shrink the liver. good luck

Caffeine is known to prompt insulin production, which in turn prompts sugar cravings and increasing appetite. That is why they want you to give it up. wow, i didn't know that- prompt insulin prod and causes sugar cravings! my doc didn't mention it to me. i have 3 more months of the diet left. i have already mixed decaf with what regular coffee i had in my house and planned on cutting back anyway. but at work we only have caffinated. and i had 2 huge cups this morning. and i agree - might as well cut out the soda's i quit smoking and don't plan on starting up again - that was was rough! good info! thanks

can anyone give me some ideas on using house hold items for weight training, like i have heard to use Soup cans... (i just don't have the money right now to buy dumbells) someone told me instead of doing that - to get the resistance bands. is there a website that will show me how to do some for beginners and people with serious back problems. thanks

Hi Debbie, The dietician and psych eval i want to try to get my insurance to pay for it. The problem is a lot doctors don't take my hmo thru medicaid. But I did call the insurance co. last night and the guy said there are diet counselors that basically do the same as a dietician (i guess they are dieticians) that are in my local hospital that are on my insurance list of doctors. So I’m waiting for the dietician counselor to call me back. And he also gave me a number for mental health to see about getting the psych eval. I understand my surgeon offering these services with colleagues of his. But I just can't afford it. I mean, if I qualify for Medicaid – that right there tells you – I have no money. nobody takes these hmo's thru medicaid anymore. or you have to travel far and wide to find someone who does. oh, i shouldn't complain - there are people on here going to other countries for all of this. i guess i'm spoiled coming from the los Angeles area, i never had trouble finding a doctor, dentist or even jobs. i live in a less populated area now that is basically a tourist area. its a big change.

hey serenity, no i can't read or play be ear! but i started my lessons last monday night, and he is teaching us chords and umm oh what was it called.... uh - Oh progressions. what ever that is, i did learn there are stock progressions, that was interesting. so i have some practicing to do before next monday. i have to learn the - doe ray me fa so la ti doe - and the E major progression (i believe it was called) and 4 different chords. and i still need to learn how to tune my guitar. it will all come in time i guess! i saw my surgeon yesterday - i'm down 2 more pounds - i swear i thought i gained 2 pounds. the cheating i was doing! i have to call my insurance company to see if they will pay and have any dieticians around here. the surgeons dietician is 500 bucks. plus the psych evaluation is $150.00. so i'm going to try to get it done thru my insurance instead. hope you all are doing well, take care susan

yeah, i just started this journey a couple of months ago, and my surgeon said "why should i try to fix the number 2 killer for you if you are going to continue smoking when its the number 1 killer"?? so i told him when the pack i had in my purse was done - that was it - i was done. of course he didn't believe me. but i haven't had a cigerette since that day when i ran out. its been since 10/1/08. i can't wait to see him again to tell him. the last 2 visits has been with his nurses and assistants. maybe next month! the first week or so - i wanted to kill somebody. but it did get better. its not as hard as you think. kicking heroin was much worse. there is great info on the internet about what you exactly go through when quitting. http://whyquit.com/whyquit/A_Symptoms.html but it is true, and they are soooo expensive. and i am sooo tired of these stupid things having a hold on me. i don't know why i have had sooo many additions in my life, i am 40 and i want some kind of a life. so now i am learning to play guitar! and it really does keep my mind and hands busy! just do it! its scary but you get over it pretty quick, just stay away from people that smoke (thats the worst) thats how i started up again. good luck susan

ok! i found it! hello my name is susan i am 39, bleached blond hair, use to be natural, getting old i guess. brown eyes. 5'8', 336 lbs. single mom of one teen boy. since i cannot smoke, eat, drink or god knows what else! i decided to learn electric guitar. i have always liked rock, alternative, punk music so i thought what the hell. the doctor suggested i start to read books, yeah right! this last month has been real hard - not being able to eat or smoke at the same time. but it has gotten better, i am over the cigerette cravings pretty much so now i can focus on my eating habits. i will start some lessons next monday night. i am hoping i can learn and actually have a real hobby instead of sitting in front of the tv eating. i got sober in the 90's and turned to food. my back is in real bad shape so this is it, if i want to be able to work i have to get this weight off. i work in an office now and even thats hard sometimes. i'm on the 6 month diet thing i guess im on my 2nd month. i have seen the doc twice so far and my appointments have been 2 and 3 weeks apart. i go again on 11/4/08 so that will be my 3rd. thats ok with me, i hope this time fly's - i figure if all goes well, i will have surgery by march or april of 2009 and hopefully be out of pain or close to it by this time next year. good luck to all of you! and if anyone knows any good tips on learning chords or the notes and memorizing them that would be a great help to me. thanks susan

i looked thru the forum and didn't see anything about musical bandsters? its probably right in front of my face and i dont' see it! where is it? whats it called? thanks

How many of you did the "take it home and do it yourself" Sleep Apnea test? how was it? do you know who should give me the referral? the WLS doc didn't give me one, so i'm guessing i can call my pcp and ask her for one? also she told me that if i gain one pound over from where i started my insurance will deny paying - thats a bit much? i know my doc wants me to loose 8lbs before surgery and i have 5 months do do it in - i'm sure i'll be ok, but i thought that was strange? thanks!

My doc told me i had to loose 8lbs to get below 50 and i will be on a liquid diet (not clear) for one week (which i am happy to hear) prior to surgery. and of course my insurance requires me to be on the 6 month diet crap! so time is on my side! i hope next spring comes fast! hopefully this time next year i will feel a lot less back pain!

i got the knock off at Big Lots for 20$ if they have them in stock of course.

this is good info, if i'm going to be on a diet for 6 months then a liquid diet for who knows how long before surgery, i should just start cutting back those carbs now as much as possible so its not such a shock before surgery. i'm going to ask the doctor what he required for the pre op diet when i see him this friday, this liquid diet really has me nervous. i get soooo sick and shaky now - just when i eat cereal or yogurt for breakfast.

i thought the gas only stayed in a few days, she has been banded since May, it can't be gas can it????????????

I'm going to AtlanticCare in Atlanitc City NJ and my doctor said i have to see the nutritionist and it would cost $500 out of pocket? i told him i wouldn't have that kind of money till next Feb (income tax) and he said thats fine because i will be on the 6 mo diet until about then anyway. i just read a post where the nutrionist was rude to someone on here. so what do you do with a nutritionist, how many times do you see them, is it only before surgery? and if you slip and eat something you shouldn't should you just keep it to yourself? i'm not trying to make excuses for slipping or lieing, i know i have had some freaking mean doctors in the past, and thats why i haven't even bothered to go see one unless its an emergeny. the person that posted seemed to be pretty hurt, i relate to that - i can just see myself half starved - craving a cigerette, and some nutritionist popping off at the mouth at me....... theres no telling what i'd do. if i only have to deal with it once - then who cares! i was just wondering if you had to see one like a counselor every week for months on end, thats all. who knows i may get a nice one!