Stitchy

I weighed 232. At the eval I weighed 225. I was worried. The psych person said the insurance company looked at BMI. If your BMI is lower than 40, you probably need some co-morbidities. (That's sick:omg: . Needing co-morbidities!!!) However, the Dr. only required a BMI of 30. So, depending on your circumstances, you may be OK. Good luck

I just reread all the papers they sent home with me. There is no special diet. Just nothing by mouth after midnight. If they aren't instructing me to not eat, I'm not doin' it. There's plenty of time to eat liquid food :nervous

For a few years, I wished there was something other than dieting, which didn't really work out very well. You all know the story. I knew about gastric bypass, but it was just too scary. I didn't want to take drugs either for the same reason. A co-worker had bypass surgery a couple of years ago. She missed a lot of work because of her health. Then I saw something on TV last fall about the LapBand. I didn't think much more about it for a couple of months. Then I started thinking probably late February and started researching, and reading forums. I went to a seminar in March and thought about it for a couple more weeks. In early April I made my consult appointment for 4/19. Surgery scheduled for May 9. So, it happened rather quickly, but when I look back, I really have been thinking about it for quite awhile.

I just came from my psych eval today and I know how you feel. When the psych asked what my greatest fear over LB surgery was, I said "Failure. I know that most people will not fail, but what if I'm that 1-3 percent?" She said that was quite normal. That is the single greatest fear that everyone has. So, I guess just hang in there. It will end.

DH and I got to Everett earlier than the appointed hour. They were allowing 15 minutes to fill out all the paperwork. LOL!! Took a lot longer than 15 minutes. The phych eval was THREE separate pages that asked nearly the same thing, I had to review a little bit to be sure I wasn't contradicting myself. (Don't want to screw THAT up!). DH got to go in with me during the nurse/nutritionist portion but she made him leave during the psych visit. But, there was nothing that he couldn't have been there for. Anyhoo, she said she would approve with no restrictions. Woo Hoo! Visit with the doc followed. Nice guy. Very informative and he certainly believes in his work. You can tell he loves what he does. I feel very confident. Tiring day. Time for couch potato stuff now.

DH and I got to Everett earlier than the appointed hour. They were allowing 15 minutes to fill out all the paperwork. LOL!! Took a lot longer than 15 minutes. The phych eval was THREE separate pages that asked nearly the same thing, I had to review a little bit to be sure I wasn't contradicting myself. (Don't want to screw THAT up!). DH got to go in with me during the nurse/nutritionist portion but she made him leave during the psych visit. But, there was nothing that he couldn't have been there for. Anyhoo, she said she would approve with no restrictions. Woo Hoo! Visit with the doc followed. Nice guy. Very informative and he certainly believes in his work. You can tell he loves what he does. I feel very confident. Tiring day. Time for couch potato stuff now.

Baby Jane They didn't say anything about pre-op diets. Just nothing after midnight before surgery date. Maybe I will find out more later.

I brought the groceries into the house today. Before I unpacked them, DH said "Wait! Wait!" He ran upstairs to get the bathroom scales. He weighed two of the sacks and handed them to me! He said "You want to lose 100 lbs. Those sacks weigh only 25 lbs. Try to imagine carrying around 4 of them all the time." Guess he will be supportive.

When someone asks completely rude question, I like to respond with "Why do you want/need to know?" :eek: That usually causes them to slink away. We (most of us anyway) are so programmed to be polite, and I do think that responding in kind is demeaning to ourselves. I believe the correct thing to do is not engage. Just put your earphones back on ... loud!

Hamilton Beach Personal Blender with Travel Lid Walmarts are in a lot of places, but not everywhere. I found one at Target for about $16. They are probably in other small appliance stores, too.

I had two surgeries in the past four months. All I remember was being wheeled into the OR and seeing someone on the other side of the room. Next thing I was waking up and being offered juice and crackers. I felt a little woozy for a few minutes, but that was it. For me, nothing to it. Hope yours goes as well.

There are lots of Dr Watkin's patients on Yahoo Groups http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SmartBandsters/ Jessie Alhroni is extremely active on that forum. She works at the NWWLS and does their fills amongst other things. I am having my first consultation with Dr. Watkins. on April 19. Good luck. Keep us all informed about your experience.

My consultation is next Wednesday. I have got myself so psyched up over this. Now I am getting paranoid. What if I'm not fat enough? What if my BMI is below 40 and I don't have co-morbid conditions? I read on one of these forums that high cholesteral isn't one. That is the only thing I am taking meds for. I called medical records to get my last glucose reading for diabetes. My mom and grandpa both had diabetes. Since I am so overweight, I thought that I might be at risk. Dr. said that I was fine when I saw him last, but this is the same Dr that told DH that 160 bp was ok too. I was losing faith, but maybe it was just isolated. Maybe I should ask him what my bp is last time. I should just get over it.

My consultation is next Wednesday. I have got myself so psyched up over this. Now I am getting paranoid. What if I'm not fat enough? What if my BMI is below 40 and I don't have co-morbid conditions? I read on one of these forums that high cholesteral isn't one. That is the only thing I am taking meds for. I called medical records to get my last glucose reading for diabetes. My mom and grandpa both had diabetes. Since I am so overweight, I thought that I might be at risk. Dr. said that I was fine when I saw him last, but this is the same Dr that told DH that 160 bp was ok too. I was losing faith, but maybe it was just isolated. Maybe I should ask him what my bp is last time. I should just get over it.

Northwest Weight Loss Surgery in Everett, Washington charges about $17,500. I was quoted that price about 2 weeks ago http://www.thelapband.com/ The price includes 1 year post-op care and unlimited fills (I think) during that year.

What is pars flaccida technique?

It seems like most of the posts regarding fills are the early on ones. First, second, third, etc. I am wondering about the long term fills. Is this something that will always have to be done? I am planning to go full-time RV-ing in about a year. Is there a place/link etc., to find competant fill docs while on the road?

:laugh :laugh I love it!

Where did you hear that? I check a Seattle TV site and also cnn.com. I couldn't find anything.

Right. I would hope it wouldn't be an urgent matter. Actually, my original question, though I may have phrased it a little awkwardly, was really this: After you have been banded for a long time (think years, here), and goal is reached (Hope, hope), will it be necessary to have fills regularly? Will the band maintain the fill or is there leakage that might require more fills in the future? I suppose that a lot depends on the individual person, but I am trying to anticipate any problems that could occur. I have my first consultation with my doc in a couple of weeks, and I will have a lot of questions for him. I am kind of looking for what actual users (of several years) are experiencing. Thanks lot to all of you.

I made my consultation appointment today ... for April 19. DH will take the day off as sick time. It's medical isn't it? Then I started feeling very nervous about it. I mean, I ONLY have 100 lbs to lose. My BMI is around 37-38. What if Doc doesn't think it's high enough? I was thinking about slumping during weigh-in so the BMI would be higher. Bad girl! Do I have to gain another 20-30 lbs to get some help? BUT, I do have high colesterol and had knee surgery 3 years ago (called it arthritis), and arthritis in my shoulder. Got varicose veins, too. Must be OK. :help:

I made my consultation appointment today ... for April 19. DH will take the day off as sick time. It's medical isn't it? Then I started feeling very nervous about it. I mean, I ONLY have 100 lbs to lose. My BMI is around 37-38. What if Doc doesn't think it's high enough? I was thinking about slumping during weigh-in so the BMI would be higher. Bad girl! Do I have to gain another 20-30 lbs to get some help? BUT, I do have high colesterol and had knee surgery 3 years ago (called it arthritis), and arthritis in my shoulder. Got varicose veins, too. Must be OK. :help:

Well, wouldn't THAT be something to look forward to.

I have been reading for a couple of weeks. I am contemplating LB surgery and just need info. I live in Washington State, married and looking forward to retirement maybe in a year! Yippee!!

I am in the process on information gathering. I've been to an information seminar. I've read everything online that I can find - good and bad. Kind'a seems like online is preaching to the choir. I can't find a lot negative. And you know, if something seems to good to be true .... I called my prospective Dr Office and did find out that they haven't had much luck getting my insurance to pay :girl_hug: although they will pay for gastric bypass. (Now that doesn't make any sense. Payfor a very expensive risky operation and not pay for a safer reversible one.) That being the case, I would be self-pay. So, there is no reason to delay any longer. I guess I will call for an appointment on Monday. I am in Sammamish and they are in Everett. Nice that it is so close.