ibelieve

Hey everyone sorry I haven't checked in in a while, but april is the cruelest month. I don't know who said that but so far it's been correct, at least on the professional front. I know I shouldn't complain because at least I still have a job....I hate when people say that, I can still complain it's my right as an american.

Hi Jay... my surgery scheduled for May 6 with Dr. R. will probably be pushed back, since I had an asthma flare, was put on steroids Thursday, and I got sicker Friday night and was sent by Urgent Care by ambulance to hospital to be admitted... fortunately the situation turned around and they let me go home early in the morning, then called me back in for a CT scan with contrast... which turned out NORMAL... but they want me to see a pulmonologist.

So with my pre-op eval. scheduled for Tuesday at the Weiner Center, and visit with Dr. R. afterwards - I am quite sure everything is going to be pushed until a Pulmonologist will sign off on the Surgery, not to mention the weight gain from steroid caused Fluid retention... and probably cannot stay strict pre-op when so sick...

I am not going to let this get me down though... I just ordered a feather bed for the post-op need for fluffy-luv, and a bunch of low-glycemic vegetarian and vegan cookbooks from Amazon for my post-op reading, to prepare for post-mushy phases and a new lifestyle.

:laugh: :thumbup: :thumbup:

I just need to vent a little, as I have had a setback in the middle of my pre-op two weeks (diet and the surgery itself)

I am a little bummed, Friday night an asthma flare went downhill, so I ended up at Urgent Care at 1 am, and from there, I was sent by ambulance to hospital to be admitted... because I had been started on 5 days of prednisone(steroid) on Thursday morning and had gotten worse instead of better after two days of treatment...

Long story short, the two treatments at Urgent Care, and the oxygen in the ambulance must have started to work about the time they loaded me into the ER treatment room... and I ended up being able to leave there at 5 a.m... but then I was home, and trying to sleep, and got a call from the hospital to come back in as a radiologist did not like something on my chest x-ray so they wanted to evaluate me further...

I went in, had a CT scan with contrast (Radiologist thought they saw "enlarged veins" around the cardiopulmonary connections apparently, so a lot went through my head while waiting for the scan and the report of NO ABNORMALITIES from the scan with contrast... my thoughts were, was it FenPhen that did this and so on and so forth...

But now I am afraid the gain from the steroids (mostly Fluid retention) and the restricted pre-op diet (could this be too severe for someone who is so sick), and will the Surgeon push back my date...

I was so afraid of this all winter, as they would not give me a date, would not give me a date, in spite of insurance approval very early on - since the later it gets in Spring, the more likelihood of asthma (this has been a problem for the past year)...

I will not know anything, until I have the pre-op eval. with the anesthesiology team at the new pre-op work-up clinic they have. I see the surgeon after that. He will weigh me again, and there there will be all of this flurry of medical activity this weekend for me, to consider. But at least I know my heart, lungs, aorta, etc all looked normal on the CT scan.

Anyway, my lungs are still pretty reactive, and I have a feeling my surgery is going to be pushed back at least a week or two... :laugh:

I am planning on a full 7 days off (Wed-Tues) and the option for the Wed-Fri following if necessary. A lot of people here and in groups have mentioned going back to work the next day!!! Hopefully you will recover quickly if you are expected to get right back to work... Take extra care of yourself if you do!!!

Question: should I count on going boobie commando for the ride home and for however long after, or will I be able to wear my bra home from the hospital and forever and ever after???

Fujika, that is a great idea! What size is the screw cap? Is it roughly the size of a cap from a soda or small bottle of Water? ?? I am such a spatially oriented person, so if I could have a reminder or several reminders, such as this around, it would make it easier for me to comply.

I need to update this post a little...

about my efforts as pre-op weightloss, I was able to get down as much as 20lbs lighter than the original 287 at my first surgery consult... but I fluctuated, then a weight check with the surgeon, I was at 272 and he okay'd me to proceed to book that date, May 6. I gained another 6 lbs because I was exhausted and began to eat again, all the wrong things in all the wrong quantities...

The reason I am bringing this up is that we should acknowledge when we are not successful, but we should always keep trying, and never give up. I would not need band surgery if I was able to lose weight without diet pills (fen-phen now off the market) and really restrictive diets.

I should add my other issue... AND NO EXERCISE.

I am back on a liquid/restricted monotonous diet, and will change to strict pre-op in a couple more weeks. I am not about to give up, and it is my hope that I will have the self-discipline it takes to be a successful bandster. I have been very aware of where my hunger comes from, and its from some mental habits I have developed. But when I was losing that 20 lbs. I did not think about those things, and when there was temptation within reach, I let it go. So I know I can do this. And anyone else in this situation can too!

It's mental will power, more than hunger. And physical exercise is an absolute necessity.

Good Luck Angie!!! I am a month away from my surgery... and I am already getting jitters and nervous about it, but I know everything will be fine.:glare:

You should call your surgeon and let him know about the Prednisone - this medication could affect your ability to recover from the surgery, so I think they will look at your dosing, or may have to reschedule. Mostly I think they would make sure you were taking prednisone during and after the surgery - so that your adrenal system is able to respond to the stress of the procedure and anesthesia.

I have severe asthma, and my surgeon always checks to make sure I am not on it. They will check again I am sure, when I see everyone for the pre-op. I last had to use it in November '08, and I gained some weight, but I think that was mostly as a result of the Holidays, when I ate like I was getting ready for lap-band diet restrictions and getting some things out of my system...

Good Luck. Waiting a little extra time for surgery is not so bad. I started with the Orientation in October, Surgeon visit in November, needing to lose 25-30 lbs (and only losing 16-20 of it), finally getting the surgeon to ok me to schedule the surgery, and gaining a few lbs... now I need to lose again, and in a 2-3 weeks start my pre-op...

Oh wow!!! May 6 bandsters on the loose!!! Woot!!! I just got the paper work today for my pre-surg work-up with anesthesiologist and pre-surg check-in with my surgeon on April 28.

I am doing a mostly "pre-op" strictness of diet, since I gained a few pounds since last visit with Surgeon, and he would not be happy to see me gained when I see him on the 28th... And then in two weeks, I start the for real strict pre-op diet as prescribed. At least I was on it, and strict, for a whole two weeks, so know that I can get through that part!

I feel better to have some more May bandsters get their dates!

I like mayo BANDitos too! Shrinko De Mayo is a classic... How about... MiniMAYzers???

I have been reading a lot here since I joined in January, and it looks like the band does wonders for fertility. In my orientation session, the surgeon mentioned that he recommends patients use BC at least in the first months after the surgery because women who are infertile due to excess weight convert to fertile very quickly following the surgery.

That being said, there are a lot of bandsters here who have had what they call "band babies" so I do not think you should worry much about the band and childbirth. It sounds like you have to get an unfill while you are pregnant though, to assure you are able to take in the required calories and nutrition.

Good Luck!!! I know how it feels about that 300 number! :smile:

When my PCP first approached me about WLS in 2002, I was not ready. In 2003 we tried to get Insurance approval for Lap-Band, and we were refused, and refused again on appeal...

Every year, at Annual Exam time, my PCP would bring this up. In 2004 and 2005 I said my family and I had discussed it and they were against it.

Each successive annual visit, he would bring it up again... suggesting I sign up for another plan that would okay the surgery, and always, I would refuse. Now, the annual visits were only the formal annual, interspersed in their are over 100 office visits, for my various health problems!!!! In 2004 I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. In 2005 I got very ill, and I turned out to have blood sugar over 400!!!

This last year, I had a revelation when I was alone on a vacation in late August. On Oct 1 in our annual, he brought it up again, and mentioned our insurance (its a private health system/ppo-hmo) now covers it... and I said YES. He was so happy. I saw the surgeon in November who asked me to lose 25-30 lbs. I tried to, and I did get down 20lbs. but gain easily, especially Water, and finally the surgeon okayed me for surgery when I was down 16 lbs....

I have a lot of feelings about this. But I know for sure, if I had been ready long before this, I would be wearing much smaller clothes, I would probably have a love life, and social life where I associate with and enjoy the company of others, and my 5 year old nephew would not have to have a special conversation when he wants to talk about how HUGE my belly is and WHY is it so HUGE (kid, its not nice to talk to people about how they look, how fat they are, why they are different etc)....

You will have to make the right decision for yourself. I just know that when I lose weight, I gain it back double, it is unfair and tears me up. I have lost over 90 lbs in the past with the help of fen-phen, but they took it off the market, and I stopped taking phentermine since I suffer anxiety, and the weight piled on, all 150 lbs. and it is hard to get and keep it off. I need the band. I would prefer a sleeve gastrectomym but hardly any insurers in the US are covering it. So I will take the Band instead, and I will be very grateful too. I worry some about the risk of surgery, but I probably will end up dead if I don't anyway. :smile:

BUMP!!! :smile:

Thank You for sharing your great news with us. My surgery is May 6th, and its been a long wait to get to this point, and sometimes I wonder is this really going to happen for me? Will I be able to stick with it and work with the band, using it like a tool to help me cut back on most of what I am having trouble with? Stories like yours give me so much hope for myself.

Regards!!!:smile:

My date is set, May 6... I had lost up to 20 lbs, was down 16 when I got okay'd for surgery on March 10, but I have gained 6 back. I am back on a strict diet. I had to go off of it, I was exhausted and it was affecting my ability to do my job... (I had done the pre-op diet for around 3 months!!!)

Now I need to start a regular exercise program, because in order to be successful, as I have learned from all of the bandsters here, you must follow strict diet and exercise often!!!

Back on the Chain Gang for me :eek:

Surfergirl, I used to sail and surf, and those are a couple of the things I am looking forward to enjoying once my weight gets down enough. I want to cross-country ski again to!

I finally have my surgery scheduled.

Wednesday May 6 2009.

Lets starts seeing some ideas of our names! Last year's crew were the Shrinko De mayo. I like that!

You should consult with your surgeon about this. Have you tried doing a search of this site to see if anything turns up about coughing after surgery? Here is a search I ran for you, on coughing...

Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum - Search Results

Good Luck and let us know how things turn out! My surgery is scheduled for May 6.

Keep up your mental strength!!! It is only one more week of liquid to get through. Take it a step at a time. I have been off and on the pre-op surgery diet, since January, not only to lose weight, but to prepare for the real thing, so that I will not fail during two weeks pre-op and shrink my liver for the surgeon to be able to safely work on me and place the band.

I have found that I CAN get through some of the most mind-blowing temptations, just overwhelmed with sight sound and smell of people eating and having to prepare food for others while strictly nearly all liquid dieting. Fortunately I do not force myself for more than a two week stretch at a time... I think that is about the mental and physical limit and thus, this is the reason for the two week intervals with our process... maybe...

Good Luck and stick with the program your surgeon and nutritionist have provided!

Hey Singing, your sleep tech sounds like the one I had, was it out in Malden at the little hospital up on the hillside? In order to make sure I slept while he prepped me, I kept my eyes closed and tried to relax so I would not get wound and could eventually sleep and I did, surprisingly. They found I had over 60 episodes that interrupted my sleep! I remember that at one point, he came in to wake me, and had me put the CPAP mask on... Now I won't sleep anywhere without it, because at that point, I was suffering exhaustion and out on medical leave for it... eventually I figured out how to sleep with one on and my life improved immensely.

I saw Dr R today for weigh in... he came in and looked at the weight on the chart "hmm, you're down over 10 lbs since I saw you one month ago, thats pretty good, thats real good..." then he got confused over that "did we already operate on you???" :biggrin: So he wants me to continue losing and said we could schedule 6 weeks out. Jennifer set me up for Wed May 6 at Brigham, but told me I could have a Faulkner procedure, but a week after... I said, NO, (I want to have my band in, and first fill and to be adjusted to that and any problems dealt with by the time I have my first Cape Cod vacation the first week of July).

I asked him why no one is doing sleeves around here, he said they cannot get Insurance approval, and the couple they've done were a hassle through out of state insurers. I have been looking into it around here, my insurer has a board that approves which bariatric surgeries to support, but it looks like they are extremely conservative here, but I have found that from all the recent literature it IS, and really should be, a valid surgery that should be offered with the suite of bariatric surgeries currently accepted... And here, BOSTON, the epicenter of all this medicine, is not as up to the minute as the rest of the U.S. Latin America, Europe, (i.e. world) apparently.

Oh well, Allergan lap-band it is, May 6th!

:tt2: yeah, I know how it feels...

I went to my surgeon for weigh in last month, after losing about 12 lbs... and I step on their supercalibrated scale and I was about 8 lbs up!!! I could tell the surgeon was thinking I was cheating on my strict diet, and though I did little things (some corn nuts here or there) I was NOT cheating... then days later, I was down 10 lbs!!!

So I have been eating a lot of asparagus and drinking about 3 cups of tea a day, and that Water retention has not been the problem that it was. Albeit, at the weight I am at, there must be gallons of fluids in my tissues... one day the cat accidentally poked a claw into my shin, no blood, but while I sat at the computer I felt something dripping onto my foot, and it was water... I figured it was sweat. So I sat back to read Lapband Talk and I felt drops going down my lower leg, finally I looked and it was Water drops coming out of the little puncture wound. How bizarre is that?!?

But it got me to consider water retention to be the problem and judging by the scale (and I use my 153-154 lb brother to calibrate that it is not insanely off since he does not fluctuate much at all) it is, now that I am using commonly found natural diuretics. It makes the dieting easier to handle to see steady results. But if you are on an all liquid diet, you may only get to have the tea if it is allowed, but maybe if you get a certain amount of veggies you can sub. asparagus in if you like it. :laugh:

I am educating myself while waiting to see the Surgeon on the 10th and hopefully get my surgery date for the band. Based on what I am reading about complications, I am leaning towards ~ if I have any complications with the band, that I might want to get sleeved, condition permitting.

But I am also trying now to see the band as a medical device/prosthetic that can, and does, go wrong. I still want to take my chances with it, to start out. I have met too many RNY patients who had a heck of a time from the procedure...

Best wishes on your recovery, that must really be traumatic for you. Do you know exactly which band it was? Also, how many Lap band surgeries has your surgeon performed?

I am a patient of Dr. Robinson as well, working on pre-op weight loss right now and hopefully I will get my surgery date when I see him for a weight check on March 10... It does not look like I will be a March bandster after all though...

Some can live like that..I can't. That's why I am getting banded...to HELP me control my hunger in a SANE way.

I hear you loud and clear on that!

I gained all of this weight because all of the weight I lost on Phen-Fen, and then Phen, and then nothing but starvation to be 150 lbs. I just got tired of the weight battle and starving myself, and I was emotionally drained after a divorce... and I had a boyfriend who I know now was sadistic and cruel... but long story short, I just gave up. And then severe asthma and prednisone really made me amenable to packing on the pounds. I am trying to look at food as a life giving blessing and gift that can also be unhealthy for most anyone, based on what we now know.

I was referred to the book Good Calories Bad Calories by Gary Taubes, and he has brought together all of the information, starting in the 1800's, of the effects of simple carbs on health and weight. If we have the simple carbs in moderation, mindfully, then those yummy goodies will not get to our asses, even with the band. So my goal is to find a healthy medium, depriving myself of the defeatist "I am a loser anyway I might as well eat all the sweets I can stomach, instead of dinner" attitudes.

And you are right, one slip is not the diet killer, it is a defeated attitude that takes you back to square one.

Right now, the band is my hope for a normal life. Everyone deserves a shot, even those who do not think they deserve it.