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Hello All No I am not looking to cheat the band or any surgery. Just making a comment that I don't think any surgery is foolproof. I don't think they will every come up with something cheat free. I know the studes favor RNY and I don't know why. Is it considered cheat free? I have my appointment on Monday, Feb 9, 2009 and have to decide by than. I favor lap band. I was 254 and my BMI is 40. I need to lose 100 pounds. I am borderline and was told BMI42 and under seems to have success with lap band, over not so good. But they think the weight loss is not as consistent with lap band. I was 100% band until the doctors started showing me all the stats and such. I just want to make a good decision and make sure others are happy with the band???

Hey Reggie it is that time for me as well and I feel like I gained everything back I lost. I know I didn't but it is discouraging!! My orientation was december 16 and I was fine until all the family arrived for Christmas. I ended up giving up until everyone left after new years. To much eating out and at other peoples houses. I know if I had started the day after orientation I would have already been at goal weight. I lost two solid weeks to Christmas. I had to start on New Years and than it took a good week before I really got strict and cut everything out. No carbs or soda at all today but no weight loss either. Ahh I hope the bloat is just water gain. I have to go on blood pressure medication this week. How sad right before surgery, losing weight and still high blood pressure. Gonna take a Beta Blocker.

Thanks Aud. I was afraid it would take a long time so I didn't go at lunch today. So is the EKG the same place as the blood draw done? I really need to get it done this week so I can have before I get my CM appointment. I am indimadated I have only lost 13 pounds look at you all go!! I have already hit a plateau. I wanted to be 30 down before surgery. Maybe I will make it yet!! Good luck all tell us how the CM appointments go? Oh Riley what kind of a physical for pre op appoint? Do you know?

Can someone tell me about the EKG? What can I expect how long?

Hello All So glad everyone is back!! Missed all the chatter I think were are all on the same track right now. I am strangely getting nervous now and I don't even have a date. I am 1 pound away from goal. I have been the same for 5 days now. What happened 1-2 pounds every couple of days last week?? 12 down and now I am stuck!! I thought I could lose it by Friday but maybe not!! LOL. I am going to undereat and over execise until Friday and way extra water!! It is also that time of the month so I hope that if I give it a few days that maybe this is just Water weight..............I can hope anyway. So nice to know they will work with us long term. That helps. I am ready for my CM appointment and than pre op. It is just the surgery I am starting to get nervous about now. Why? I guess it is going so fast now and I realize this is real now not just an idea. I can't decide between lap band and RNY but I am on this site so it shows where I am leaning. I am 20% undecided right now!! LOL. Yea I like the staff at Richmond alot. The psych appointment was fun I liked Dr. S. Would like to pick her for individual sessions if I lived in Richmond. Wise woman. So good luck tomorrow. Who does everyone have for doctors?? I have Dr. Baggs. Oh and I know about the scales I like the same one Riley. Gave me a -3 rating from 246-243............yes, yes I did have my coat, shoes and sweater off as well. Dr. Baggs walked in while I talked to the office staff and told them about the weight difference..............he started laughing maybe because he knew they had just adjusted them all and they were all the same and there I was telling the office staff that the other scale was better!! LOL. Wish we were all in the same pre op class. I am going on vacation in March and hope to have it the week I get back the end of March. I gotta get me some of that cranberry stuff!! GReat idea!!

I didn't make it to the lab today to get my EKG and bloodwork done.Tomorrow for sure. So it can all be done at a Kaiser lab without making an appointment? Great I am going in tomorrow. I though the EKG had to be by appointment only. Kaiser is very good about getting the labs back quickly. I wish I would have thought about getting my lab work done there!! Never even crossed my mind. So more lab tests? Ok I know what to expect than and next time I will see what I can get done there. So did they give you the paperwork for time off work? But they only gave you a month to inform your employer. LOL. My boss won't like that I think maybe I will tip her off now that it might be coming in March or Early April. How long are people taking off for this surgery. They said they recommend 4 weeks but I wonder what is realistic?? I probably won't have the surgery until after March 25, 2009 when I get back from Africa. I am going to see if at the CM meeting this month if they are ok with putting it out a bit more than a month for me. I debated not going to Africa and doing this surgery ............but I think I can do both. Dr. Baggs seemed willing to wait a bit. Riley do you know if you get a say in when the surgery is scheduled?? Like if I wanted to put it out a couple extra weeks would she be open?? And yep they are using the AP banding which I am really excited about. Brand new.

Hey Riley Wow so what was the second surgeons appointment about? Also what classes are you in now on Feb 5? Is that pre op and nutrition? How long? All day? Another 7:30 am class? I am right on your tail and am wondering what to expect next. So Feb 23. Wow. I mean wow that is fast!! I am seeing how quick I could be in there. exciting but scary too. So what was the CM appointment about? What questions and things did she want to know? What time is your surgery scheduled for? Did you get specifics on what you need to do/how long you will have to be there? I read the whole folder last night and answered the quiz and got the contract and everything ready to turn in. I need to get to the advanced directives read soon here. Really soon I guess. I thought I had a bit of time. I also emailed Dr. Baggs today and he went over the AP band with me!! LOL. Got right back to me in fact. I Impressive. I am pretty sure the band is where I am headed as well. Only thing is long term if you don't stay with Kaiser your on your own with the band. I don't like that part since my job is at risk right now. I bet Dr. Baggs wondered why so much interest in the specific band of all the sudden!! LOL.

Is there any surgery you can't cheat?? So is anyone disappointed with the band or wish they went RNY? I am having to decide in the next three weeks what to do.

I am having an EKG and all the blood work tomorrow. So has anyone done this yet? Wondering what to expect timewise and how long to get the results back. No chest x-ray I wonder if they will order that later?? Ok down to 241. But that is my scale at home. I am going to weight until I am 238 on my scale just to give myself a little lieway. I don't want to drive two hours and get sent home. Is everyone getting weighed with their shoes and coat on or off? For me I weighed both ways. I asked to reweigh at the second appointment that day and my coat, shoes and sweater were three pounds!! LOL. They said why did you wear that?? LOL. I was cold!! LOL So if they weigh me with my shoes on...............than I will need to be three pounds under my goal. I am waiting to hit that point first before I call for the CM appointment. better safe than sorry. HOw are they weighing most people?

Riley let me know about your appointment tomorrow. I am down another pound out of tghe 2.5 I need to lose. So my guess is I will back over to Richmond in a couple of weeks for my appointment. I would love to know how it goes and what they want to know. HEy maybe we will end up doing the pre-op classe together. I have decided on lap band for sure. I am going to email Dr. Baggs and let him know but also will ask him about the new procedure and what brand of band they use. I think it is the new AP. I would also like to know how much of a fill they leave in? I heard up to 30% which would be nice. Also would love to know how the time off from work things goes. When do you tell your empoyer, how long off? I heard 2-4 weeks (I want the 4 if since I have 4 months of sick time now). Do they have to write what the surgery is? Or can that remain private? anyway I am really anxious to hear how your appointment goes!!! Where is everyone else. This thread had been a bit quite lately.

Hey Riley I did some research. Are you talking about the AP lap banding? I think that is the newest lap band and if I remember right that is the exact one that Dr. Baggs showed me. I am not sure about an installation method but I know for sure this is the newest band and it is created to avoid some of the pitfalls of the older band. Also it sounds like the it comes int a 15cc and a 10cc and that they leave about 30% of the fill in it when the place it. Sounds exact like what Dr. Fishcher told SWISH about leaving in 30% of a fill to get faster results. Wish I knew more I can't find much but it seems to me I do remember reading something about Dr. Baggs and his additional training in lap band too way back. Can't remember where I saw that..................let me know and I will let you know!!

Wishing all a great weekend. Reggie: there seem to be alot of cancellations when I was there today. Amazing as I was willing to drop everything to come to my appointments. Call and ask for Kelly to get in. Worked like magic!!

Checked reviews on Dr. Baggs and nothing but great reviews from every place he has ever worked!! Can't find anything on the new lap band procedure he was talking about though.

Tina is my first name. Planning to get this weight lost and the CM appointment before I leave for Africa, but no surgery until I come back. Dr. Baggs was joking not to gain weight in AFrica and put on the surgery I told him I would actully probably lose by default since I am not used to the food. Going to Mozambique. Which is right above South Africa on the east ocean side. Going to Maputo and chomio.

I didn't get to talk to Dr. Baggs much today. It was kinda rushed since it was last minute for both of us. I just really, really appreciated he worked through lunch for me. I had really high blood pressure today.........all the rushing around....and he was concerned about that and my cholesteral levels. He was giving me alot of advice with that stuff first and than we got into the surgery stuff. (my blood pressure was ok last week?!?!) I might have to go on medication until the surgery to get it down!! I am so excited though that I am almost at goal weight and that I can go get my blood tests done. I am going with lap band. With my diet I think it is the smartest thing to do. Please I don't want to lose weight so fast that people constantly are shocked when they see me. I want some privacy and personal space as I lose!! LOL

thanks Riley. I think not eating meat is hurting my losing. I have to resort to eggs and low fat cheese and cream of wheat ect. I also eats beans once a day for protein but i think it hurts my weight lose. I get 1200 but..........if I eat no starches or carbs at all i lose way faster. I feel heavy with carbs without I feel lighter all day if that makes sense. I want to lose another 10-15 at least before surgery. I know I don't have to but I know I can...........especially going to Africa for a couple of weeks............it will be hot and I will be working doing construction all day..........I have to lose quiet a bit in two weeks........................ Wish we would have meet up today!!

Riley wow that is so much weight loss in such a short time. I hope I am there in a couple of months. I am truthfully disappointed in 10 pounds in month but at least my goal is only 241 and I think I can lose the next 2-3 pounds by next Friday.........(I hope). Over 30 pounds so impressed did you really stick to the 1200...........I really try but 10 pounds in a month I know other people lose faster than that. Dr. Baggs said to up the exercise and still to the plan. I am going to Africa for two weeks in March so I want to wait until I get back to have the surgery. Just in case there are complications. I will be back March 26, 2008. I hope to LOSE alot in Africa since I am sure the food will not be what I am used too!!

Hey Riley where did you get the information on Dr. Baggs and the new procedure? I would love to see that. Wow did I luck out to get him than. I asked for the surgeon who was the best at lap band but they said they all were. And I told them pick for me than. They said if you stay today you can see Dr. Baggs. Interesting he also told me that under 42 BMI tended to do good with lap band. But he also really stressed that they have no long term studies and don't know what happens 15 years down the line to the lap band and studies show better weight lose with GPB. I think you were right before me LOL?? Too bad we didn't meet. I did mention being vegetarian and he said that is really important and you would probably do better with the lap band unless you plan to start eating meet. I did ask him what his choice would be if he were me and he laughed and said I like them both you chose!! He said I was healthy enough to do well with either. He said same recovery time and basic surgery risks either way. I told him 80% lap band and I would decide before I lose the two pounds. Wow if I call in next week I might also be looking at surgery in February or early March too! So what about the preop and nutrion class? Do you have to do that as well? So what is with bariactrics and back surgery being together?? The lady next to me kept asking me how I hurt my back. I didn't have the heart to tell her "no I am just here cause I am fat!! LOL" She kept telling me they were going to crack me open and check out my back..............she also couldn't hear me very well. What a strange combination!! LOL

Went to my appointment today and it turns out they psych said I was normal, maybe boringly normal!! She was fun and we had alot of good laughs. She was doing a job I do daily so it was a bit of twist for me to be getting the questions. Luckily I knew who the president was and who I was!! So I passed that although they didn't really like that ADD part since I guess that could interfer with my followthrough with the nutrition part. I assured them I am over organized and on top of things to compensate. My appointment was at 11:30 but I got there at 10am. I saw down to read a book and got called 5 minutes later. I was done by 11am. I went to make the surgeons appointment and they said how soon do you want it. I said very soon. They said what about today in two hours!!! So I stay a bit and meet with the surgeon as well. Another cancelled appointment. And he actually took his lunch break and meet with me at noon. I was assigned to Dr. Baggs and he seems great. I can go either way lap band or gastric. I think he prefers gastric but I couldn't get him to commit to which one he thought was best he said I needed to decide. I was down to 243 today. 246 with my coat and sweater but they gave me a chance to weigh without it :-) Dr. Baggs says my goal weight is 241!!! So two pounds way . I have to get my lab work done this week and my EKG. He ordered all the labs and I have to meet with the nutritionist and case manger. I have to be at 241 to call and make the appointment. He advised maybe being 240 just to make sure the case managers don't send me home which he said they will if you are even slightly over your goal weight. So I am down except for losing a few more pounds and the final appointment!!! I am shocked how quick it went!! Everyone was so nice over there and I personally thanked Kelly for getting me in so quick this week. I guess I can thank my bottom heavy body for not having to lose the full 10%. Also since I am vegetarian I meet with Robin a bit and realized that lap band is probably better unless I plan to start eating meat. GPB patients don't do as well on a vegatarian diet. So that is where things are at with me. Anyone else have Dr. Baggs? He seem quiet young but confident. Oh I did have to have my stomach examined to see if I was ready for surgury other than that it was easy appointments.

So I called in today and got Kelly. How lucky is that. She gave me an appointment for Friday at 11am. THIS FRIDAY!! I am so glad I called!! She wanted me to come in tomorrow but I didn't think I could get off work on such short notice. But Friday I already have off anyway. I will have my pysch appointment with Dr. S? Than I get the next appointment from there. Ah finally some progress. Wish I had lost more than 10 pounds though:-) I am gonna be in the 1200 strictly the rest of the week. I will also let them know to check my med records as I plan to weigh in a couple times a month with my local Kaiser. I have to get my blood pressure checked anyway so I will be weighing in each time!! I hope it goes well and I don't get caught in traffic. I am coming from Sacramento and the appointments is at 11am. I am guessing I will get there more like 10am since I plan to leave after I drop off my daughter at school. Last time the traffic was horrible and I don't want to take a chance. It took me 2+ hours to get there. (an hour to get home!!) Referral made: November 5, 2008 Orientation: December 16, 2008 Psych Appoint: January 23, 2009 Surgeon: ?????? Case Manager: ??????

So are people doing the psych first or the surgeon?

To bad people are not showing for appointments. I would take those missed appointments in a heartbeat. So what is the step everyone seems to be getting waived? Nutrionist? Seems like if you lose alot by the surgeon appointment they waive that and probably for good reason. Case manager appointment. I was told by someone on the board they were waiving that as well. But from what I heard at orientation I didn't think that would fly. I am gonna call in today and ask for Kelly. It has been over a month since I have heard anything. I was told I would hear something by Jan 5, 2008 for sure and that was weeks ago. I am just wondering if I qualify or if they are seeing if my insurance will approve. Something is holding up the process on my case but I have no idea what. I have been really nice to the office staff, but still just keep getting. We can't do anything for you until after you get an appointment scheduled and to wait for someone to send me a letter or call me. I did go to Kaiser and weigh in last week. I know it shows up on their records so hopefully that gives them a push to call and schedule an appointment :-) I am going on a trip all of March and really want at least one appointment before I go.

Hello Riley. I think being so far away from Richmond doesn't help much. I have no way to get in there and let them know who I am. I think the face to face contact helps. I just can't eat meat. I have been vegetarian all my life (LO) and I throw up when I eat meat. I have been eating eggs and cheese and beans alot. Beans have carbs so I make tacos with small amount of beans and lost of cheese and lettuce and cucumbers. Just enough beans to taste. I also have been making veggie chili and eating that at night. Egg sandwiches, egg omelets, scrambled eggs. Lots of string cheese and weight watchers yogurt. Fat free pudding. Truthfully eating the same things over and over since my choices are limited. I actually hate dairy products including eggs but I decided to have to give somewhere the dairy is easier than the meat. I don't drink milk and never have but soy milk works just as well. Oh and cream of wheat. Lots of cream of wheat right now. But again I don't think that this is the healthiest diet forever. I am used to eating nuts and soy meats too. Some are high protein but overall I had to get rid of the soy meat products for the most part. ALso I eat alot of salad and always have. But now without the salad dressing and cheese, unless low fat. I did discover that low fat cheese is wonderful I can't tell a difference. Go figure. Lots and lots of water and crystal light. More than 4 ounces actually. Than I don't crave soda all day. I think my biggest problem has always been soda and sweets. No that I can't eat candy and can't drink diet soda all day I don't have much I crave. (I still crave the sweet but none in the house so..........I am outta luck unless I want to drive to the store. I just really don't think I can do the meet and I am waiting for an appointment to try and get some ideas. I did try to call and talk to Robin but again no appointment so I can't do anything untill they call me. I just feel like I am on my own until that first appointment.

Yea I figure if nothing else I can be at goal weight by the time they call so that I don't have to wait over a month for the next appointment. I would really like to get this moving and it is very discouraging and hard to stay motivated when I don't don't have dates for my apointments. Even it if was not until April at least I would have something to work towards. Just trying to figure out how I can outsmart the waiting period and I think losing the weight before I see the surgeon might have me on the fast track after that point. At this point I am not even eligible for cancellations because you have to have an appointment to get a cancellation. Ughh..............really frustrated about it all. Maybe this week. Also I am vegetarian so I am tweaking the 1200. Probably not in the best way but it seems to be working. I am not sure I am eating the healthiest as I don't eat meat but I am losing so I must be doing something right. I am eating alot of the same things over and over and lots of water and soup. Soda is down to a couple of times a week. With all the water I don't crave it as much........drinking the crystal light which taste like it should be fattening but apparently isn't!!

I called today and they told me that they haven't gotten the December group scheduled yet and to wait another two weeks and than call again. They said they are pretty sure I should get a call next week but if not than to keep calling them so they know I want an appointment. It has been over a month since I have heard anything or got anything in the mail. I am at 40.5 BMI and I wonder if maybe they are taking the higher BMI's first and than worker their way down. Maybe that is why it is taking so long without hearing anything. I was told to call again in two weeks and insist on talking to Kelly if I still have not heard anything by than. I just an wondering if I wrote the right phone number down?? Seems strange I have not gotten called. I know other people that were there for that orientation that were called two weeks ago. I have lost 8 pounds however and went for a weigh in as Kaiser here in town and they recorded it for me.