DrStoooopid

You won't say that when you're 31.

It's usually a certain percentage based on your BMI...and an estimate of how much your liver is supposed to shrink under those conditions.

Yeah, you have to watch the insurance companies, because they try to get you to do that, so that they can say "oh but you can lose weight this way, so we're not going to pay it, and you'll just have to work with a nutritionist"....anything to keep from dropping a dime on the bottom line. For every day they hold onto that cash they would've paid to have the procedure done, they're making money in interest. It's an insurance adjuster's job not to pay out, or delay payment as long as possible, so they've devised these schemes to keep from forking over the dough.

I'll put it to you another way.... The more fat you have on your body, the more pressure required to move the blood throughout that extra body mass + your "normal" body weight. More pressure == more blood pressure == more work your heart has to do. This equates to your heart wearing out faster than it normally would. This doesn't even take into account the other co-morbidities. Joint wear, Type2 diabetes, gall bladder, liver, and kidney problems, as well as sleep apnea (which could kill you or the person in question)

I lost the required weight my Doctor prescribed, and he STILL had a lil' trouble. I was one of those one in a million "liver's still big" patients. I'm not saying it can't be done, but he had to keep me under longer, and I didn't really come around for quite a while afterward. (they even had to remind me to breathe a few times), my blood O2 got down into the high 80's..which is bad....but that can be attributed to sleep apnea.

United Healthcare....they're incredibly ignorant, they won't pay for the surgery OR the after-care...got mine done in TJ, Mexico, and it was worth every penny. (7500 hotel included)

Try another brand.

Not unless you have bladder dysfunction. No.

This incision sites aren't near the umbilicus, so it should not be an issue.

Are you kidding me?!??! My advice to you, FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR if they suggest for a minute that you don't need a pre-op diet. You were lucky....but it is extremely risky not to have a pre-op diet. You have to be the perfect 10% of all patients who don't have either a fatty liver, or one that's enlarged due to high carb intake. Why? Your liver is going to be in the way of where the doctor needs to operate. There are two MAJOR blood vessels near where the doctor will be poking and prodding around. The descending aorta and inferior vena cava. (see File:Gray531.png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Your stomach rests on top of that area, and your liver on top of your stomach. The purpose of a pre-op diet, is to force your liver to burn excess glycogen, so that it shrinks and gives your surgeon extra room to operate. I don't care who the surgeon is, no surgeon is immune from error. One tiny slip up, and he can nick one of those two blood vessels, and you could bleed out by the time you got home. If anyone considering surgery has their doctor suggest no-pre op diet, PLEASE seek a second opinion. A no pre-op diet is HIGHLY irresponsible of your surgeon. This is your life we're talking about.

another thing...DO NOT OBSESS ABOUT THE scale... ..weigh yourself once a week...THAT'S IT. You're going to have to re-learn how to eat, be patient. Eat somewhere quiet, away from distractions, do NOT watch TV while you're eating (at least for a while)...you'll still have a lot of your autonomous eating habits that you've had all your life that lead us up to where we're at. I've done it, I'll admit it....and I immediately went to try to cough it up before it hit my stomach...BE CAREFUL.

it's completely doable... I was the biggest glutton on the face of the planet. If it was something I liked, and it was available, it was in my mouth. Nothing is "sure fire" we're all different after all....but Protein shakes help a lot (when you're on full liquids), chewable Fiber tabs (if you're allowed). Try to stay away from any kind of carbs for a while. (although admittedly, my first meal was a slice of pizza)...not everyone can handle the same things. The easiest thing for me to eat and tolerate, is stir fried vegetables w/ extra firm tofu. roughly 300 calories for 16oz. You won't want to eat THAT much after freshly being banded. You'll be lucky to eat more than a few spoon fulls. Learning to eat with chopsticks helps too..(you can only pick up one thing at a time..or at the very most 3-4 if you're skilled like me)...still...CHEW. I never experienced "bandster hell" until about a week before my first fill...for some reason, I didn't need on till 4 months after surgery...other's mileage my vary. When you can eat 1/3rd of your pre-op intake, see a fill dr.

I will say this. It's a very easy trap to fall into, knowing that it's easier to void what's in your pouch...(and it really is)...I've never been bulimic in my life, but I can almost always "purge on que"....and you REALLY have to watch yourself, and make sure you don't rush yourself, or over eat with the band. You can: 1. Stretch your pouch 2. Slip your band. 3. irritate your outer esophageal lining, and cause an erosion. Think long and hard about whether the band is right for you at this time, this is your health you're talking about, not a quick fix, and the Band is only a tool, nothing more. Abuse it, you'll lose it.