Elisabethsew

Welcome! Call your insurance carrier and ask them to mail you the requirements for weight loss surgery. This step will prevent any surprises or refusals. I had my surgery 3 months after the first appointment and did have to appeal to the insurance company after I was denied the first go round. They wanted proof of 6 months of a medically supervised diet. Best of luck on your journey.

Welcome, Ladies. Make sure you are well informed on all options before making any decisions. Don't forget to ask lots of questions when you talk with the surgeon and his/her team. There is a wealth of information on this forum so read, and post often.

Welcome! Try explaining to your PCP that you have educated yourself in weight loss surgical procedures and that the lapband is merely a tool to assist with your PCP advocates. You might even try journaling for a few weeks and present that to him/her. If all else fails, consider a new PCP.

Welcome! I also work 12.5 hour nights (RN) and didn't have a problem returning to work. I had a shake at 3 AM, another at 9 AM, and had the 3rd before I went to work @ 4-5 PM. Bring in some cup-a-soups (tomato has more protein), and some protein water so you stay hydrated.

Welcome. I know it can be frustrating having to jump through the insurance hoops but it will be worth it once you're banded and on the road to a healthier you.

If you drink with meals, STOP! Once I followed the rules and removed my glass from the table with meals, the weight started coming off again because the food stayed in the pouch, made me feel fuller with less food, and eased the cravings.

Unfortunately, there is no absolute answer to your question. Age, genetics, distribution of body fat, etc., all play a role in how much excess skin problems you'll have. Try asking Dr. J is the plastic surgery section who is an expert in this area.

Welcome! I'm in the states but LOVE Ireland and plan on coming back for another visit soon. Making a list of questions for the surgeon is an excellent idea. I hope all goes well.

Welcome! Most body creams don't work but ask your surgeon if he/she suggests any particular brand. You're on the road to a new you so read through the posts, learn as much as you can, and ask lots of questions.

It's very important that you speak with your anesthesiologist before the surgery and express all your concerns and fears. I have awful nausea after general anesthesia and told that to the MD before I went "under." When the usual medications for nausea didn't work for me, there was another medication ordered in case I needed it. Bottom line: be honest and ask as many questions as you need to. Good luck!

I've never heard of that one. Many surgeons have a particular protein drink that they want their patients to use so it's best to ask yours before buying something that might not meet your nutritional needs.

Welcome! If you follow the band "rules" that will be reviewed by your surgeon and his/her staff, you'll do fine. Go to the free informational sessions in your area and ask lots of questions. Also, read the MANY success stories here and ask questions.

Welcome. I would advise calling your insurance company and asking them to send you the requirements they require for approval of weight loss surgery. My insurance carrier required 6 months of a medically supervised diet but yours might differ.

Welcome. Remember to take it slow and litsten to your body. Healing takes 6 weeks and it's important to take in enough protein to facilitate this process. Medications that are not enteric coated or time released can be crushed. I take several medications (and am a registered nurse) and find taking my medications with a hot cup of coffee flushes them out of the pouch and prevents that gold ball feeling.

Welcome! You'll learn a lot reading through the posts. Getting through the medical red tape can be a hassle but it sounds like things are finally going your way. Good luck with the upcoming appointments.

I've been reading posts on this board for about 2 months now and am a little concerned that some people seem to feel that complications from the lapband are minimal and that RNY and DS gastric surgeries are a sure Rx for complications. Because of pre-existing health conditions, I made the decision to have lapband surgery as well as to have the surgery done here in the United States. While it is true that lapband surgery is less involved and less invasive than other forms of gastric surgery, post-op complications do arise. I've been an RN for MANY years and I train RNs to work in ICUs. The hospital I work in has a very big bariatric surgical program. Currently, we have a patient in the surgical ICU who opted to have lapband surgery. This patient is 43, male, a lawyer, 320 pounds, 5' 10" with no co-morbidities. He wanted to surprise his wife so he told her he had a business trip to take and went into the hospital on Friday to have his surgery. He stayed overnight and went home on Saturday. On Monday, he was feeling "weak" and spiked a fever to 100.5 and went to the ER. He was placed on an antibiotic and sent home. Two days later, he was short of breath and his fever was 101.4 so he went back to the ER. While there, his shortness of breath worsened and he was placed on a ventilator and transferred to the surgical ICU. The patient was diagnosed with sepsis (overwhelming blood infection) and, during the course of his 4 weeks in the ICU, he cardiac arrested twice, went to the OR to be unbanded, returned to the OR 5 times for a gastric "wash-outs," developed renal failure, was placed on dialysis, was trached (tube into the trachea) for prolonged ventilator dependency and required nutritional and physical therapy support. The patient eventually got off the ventilator and was transferred to the floor. He will always have renal insufficiency and will need months of physical therapy but he is expected to make a "full" recovery. My point in sharing the experience of this patient is to illustrate that ALL surgeries have risk factors. It's important to talk with your MD and research ALL available surgeries. I have seen 60 year old patients with one or more co-morbidities sail through RNY surgery while a 30 year old healthy patient having the same surgery ends up with complications in the surgical ICU. Price should NEVER be the deciding factor when choosing a surgeon or a facility. Likewise, one should NEVER decide on one gastric surgery over another until ALL are options are researched and the pros and cons of each are addressed. My surgeon drilled me on my dietary intake. Why? He wanted to determine if I was a junk food lover or a volume eater. Why? Because if I was a junk fook lover, he would have suggested RNY for me explaining that it's easy to "cheat the band or beat the band" by consuming empty, high carb foods that easily slip through the band. So, take the time to make the RIGHT decision for YOU and CHOOSE wisely.

For me, the Lapband has acted as a "device" that simply doesn't let me eat the way I used to. I still have a significant amount of weight to lose but don't regret getting the band. The last few months my weight remained stable and I was having trouble with a low heart rate and dropping blood pressure. As it turns out, my thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was high meaning I was hypothryroid. I started on synthroid and finally have the TSH level in the normal range and am starting to lose again. The lapband will only work if you work with it to lose weight. It's not a magic cure and foods like candy, cake, chips, icecream, etc. slide right on down. Do a lot of research, attend meetings and ask banded members questions, talk to MDs who perform the procedure, and make the decision that's best for you.

Breaking out of the 300's is a wonderful milestone and it does wonders for your motivation. My highest was 440 and I got down to about 195. My Dad was ill and I ended up living in the ICU for a solid month until he died. During that time my focus was him and not me or food so the weight piled back on. When I hit 350 pounds again, I looked into this surgery. I truly believe that successful weight loss is in your head. Something "clicks" and the losses motivate the desire for continued losses. If you can get into this "mode" it really does become a habit. I finally feel like I'm back in a good place and think I will easily make my goal by the end of the month. I like to do achievable goals (no more than 2 pounds per month) so I can experience success. Anything extra is a real bonus. Keep doing what you're doing because it's working! Congratulations on kissing the 300's bye-bye!

CONGRATULATIONS FAITH!!! YOU MADE IT! :whoo::clap2: I am back in control of what I eat and have been working hard to stay in a healthy eating pattern. It feels great to say no to bad foods and deal with temptations. I'm down another 2 pounds! September Challenge Name...................... Starting....Loss....Current.....Goal......To Go losingjusme.(Christine).. 273..........-4...........269.........252........17 faithmd...................... 302.........-4.6.........297.4.......290.......7.4 ridinmyhddream (Carol)...262..........+1..........263. .......250........13 insubordination..............300........-2.2.........297.8.......292........5.8 Kimmie.........................314........-18. ........296..........290........14 Tinkerbell77..................317..........2.6.... ....314.4.......299.......14.4 Rainer (Lorraine)............298.........-8...........290..........275.......15 Chiefsfankatie...............305..........-8..........297..........290.......7 jbtullis ........................300..........-2..........298..........285........13 Elisabethsew.................278...........6..........272..........269........3

Insubordination, I agree about the tyroid. I am an RN and have had a struggle with weight my entire life. Consequently, I've had my thyroid function tests done many times and they always came back normal. In fact, insurance demands that you have these tests done before they will OK the lapband surgery. I stopped losing weight, felt tired all the time (working 12.5 hour night shifts doesn't help), noticed my pulse was very low, and felt faint. My cardiologist was the one who tied the low heart rate to an underactive thyroid and ordered the test. Hopefully, this dose of synthroid will bring my numbers back to a normal range. Have a great vacation.

September Challenge Name...................... Starting......Loss.....Current......Goal......To Go losingjusme.(Christine).. 273..........-4...........269.........252........17 faithmd...................... 302.........-1.7.........300.3.......290.......10.3 ridinmyhddream (Carol)...262..........+1..........263. .......250........13 insubordination..............300........-2.2.........297.8.......292........5.8 Kimmie.........................314........-12. ........302..........290........12 Tinkerbell77..................317..........2.6.... . ...314.4.......299.......14.4 Rainer (Lorraine)............298.........-8...........290..........275.......15 Chiefsfankatie...............305...........0...... .....305..........290.......15 jbtullis ........................300..........-2..........298..........285........13 Elisabethsew.................278..........4....... ....274..........269........5 I'm down 4 pounds... finally get to where I need to be in my head to be successful.

I haven't been around for awhile. I began experiencing periods of lightheadedness, etc. As it turns out, my heart rate was very low. The cause was determined to be hypothroidism! Go figure, I have had my thyroid checked MANY times and it's always been normal. I started on synthroid at the lowest dose (25 mcg) but it didn't budge my too high TSH level so a week ago I was increased to 50 mcg. Welcome to all the new people and congratulations to all the great losers. I'm going to join the Sept. challenge late and hope to be back on a losing tract. They won't test my thyroid again for another 3-4 weeks but my heart rate is better and I am feeling more like myself. While I didn't lose a lot of weight through this ordeal, I did manage to maintain. September Challenge Name...................... Starting......Loss.....Current......Goal......To Go losingjusme.(Christine).. 273..........-4...........269.........252........17 faithmd...................... 302.........-1.7.........300.3.......290.......10.3 ridinmyhddream (Carol)...262..........+4..........266. .......250........16 insubordination..............300........-2.2.........297.8.......292........5.8 Kimmie.........................314........-12. ........302..........290........12 Tinkerbell77..................317...........0..........317..........299........18 Rainer (Lorraine)............298.........-8...........290..........275.......15 Chiefsfankatie...............305...........0...........305..........290.......15 jbtullis ........................300..........-2..........298..........285........13 Elisabethsew.................278..........0...........278..........269........9

Congratulations, Tann! Your prize is going to be kissing the 200's goodbye VERY soon. You're so very close but I hope once you hit 199 you don't leave this thread.

Welcome back, Lapbandit! Add your name and STATS to the July challenge. ANY loss posted by the end of the month will prove to you that you're on your way back. A gain of 22 pounds is nothing compared to what you've lost so celebrate your success and put the gain in past history where it belongs.

Name...............................Starting…....Current…......Goal…..........To Go losingjusme..(Christine).........293.............. 293... ..........276.................17 tann.............(Tammy)........ ...224............. 216..............212..................04 Josette.................................322....... .......322..............307.................15 RidinMyHDDream.(Carol).. .....267..............267..............256........ .........11 FaithMD............................... 312..............306.6............299........... ....7.6 Elisabethsew..(Elisabeth).. ....275....... .......275 .............265..................10 Libra..(Angela)...................... 218...........;...216..............208............ . ....8 glindab..................................286...... ........285..............275.................10 Inner_me.....(Chris).............. ..295...............295.............280........... .......15 I gained the 2 pounds you lost, Tann, plus 2. I lost 2 of the 4 and HAVE to lose the rest this week.