LindaO

Well, I started the program at Beaumont Hospital yesterday and met with the physician. They did lots of blood work, like 6 vials, and an EKG. My BMI IS 44 and I weighed in at a whopping 263. :tounge_smile: I have appointments scheduled next month with the dietition, the exercise physiologist, a psycologist for my psyc evaluation, and again with the doc for appointment #2. My insurance requires 6 months of documentation in a medically supervised WL program. Unless I get my PCP to sign off. Anyway, the ball is rolling so that is the good part. I made the leap so to speak. That evening I went to the hospital's Club Bariatrix support group meeting where one of the 2 surgeons in the program were speaking. He is an accomplished RnY surgeon but has not started doing the Lap Band in his practice yet. He has assisted the other surgeon with the procedure. He is getting started and needs to set up 3 people in one day to get his certification. Anyway, all the people in this meeting were RnY patients and not one Lab Bander. (just my luck) Everyone there looked like they had lost a lot of weight and I really can't say anyone looked "healthy". Everyone had a drawn out saggy, thinning hair look about them. It was really disheartening. I really need to get intouch with some other Lap Banders. As far as the surgeon goes. . . I am signed up with the other surgeon in the practice who has done about 150 LapBands. But I may end up going with the other surgeon because he happens to be my long lost second cousin, and I figure I can call him up and drive him nuts with any problems or questions I have. :thumbup:

Well, I started the program at Beaumont Hospital yesterday and met with the physician. They did lots of blood work, like 6 vials, and an EKG. My BMI IS 44 and I weighed in at a whopping 263. :thumbup: I have appointments scheduled next month with the dietition, the exercise physiologist, a psycologist for my psyc evaluation, and again with the doc for appointment #2. My insurance requires 6 months of documentation in a medically supervised WL program. Unless I get my PCP to sign off. Anyway, the ball is rolling so that is the good part. I made the leap so to speak. That evening I went to the hospital's Club Bariatrix support group meeting where one of the 2 surgeons in the program were speaking. He is an accomplished RnY surgeon but has not started doing the Lap Band in his practice yet. He has assisted the other surgeon with the procedure. He is getting started and needs to set up 3 people in one day to get his certification. Anyway, all the people in this meeting were RnY patients and not one Lab Bander. (just my luck) Everyone there looked like they had lost a lot of weight and I really can't say anyone looked "healthy". Everyone had a drawn out saggy, thinning hair look about them.:thumbdown: It was really disheartening. I really need to get intouch with some other Lap Banders. As far as the surgeon goes. . . I am signed up with the other surgeon in the practice who has done about 150 LapBands. But I may end up going with the other surgeon because he happens to be my long lost second cousin, and I figure I can call him up and drive him nuts with any problems or questions I have. :thumbup:

It isn't bad enough that I celebrate traditional Easter Sunday with my husband and his family only to be followed this year, one week later with Greek Easter! For those of you that don't know, it is a day filled with eating literally tons of delicious home made Greek foods. Roasted Lamb, done outside on a spit just like in my Big Fat Greek Wedding, except we do ours in the back yard in stead of on the front lawn like the movie! Our side dishes include: Pastitsio (Greek version of Lasagna made with cream sauce)Spanakopita (Spinach Pie), roasted potatoes, rice, stewed green eans in tomato sauce, cooked and marinated fresh beets, a huge Greek Salad with feta cheese, dyed red easter eggs, breads, cheeses, and I am sure other stuff I am forgeting about. And you have to taste it all, because it is all just soooo good. So this year I am sure I will be stuffing myself silly, cause I still can. But next year if all goes well and I am banded, it will be a whole different story. But I hopefully won't be as fat as I am this year either!!!

It isn't bad enough that I celebrate traditional Easter Sunday with my husband and his family only to be followed this year, one week later with Greek Easter! For those of you that don't know, it is a day filled with eating literally tons of delicious home made Greek foods. Roasted Lamb, done outside on a spit just like in my Big Fat Greek Wedding, except we do ours in the back yard in stead of on the front lawn like the movie! Our side dishes include: Pastitsio (Greek version of Lasagna made with cream sauce)Spanakopita (Spinach Pie), roasted potatoes, rice, stewed green eans in tomato sauce, cooked and marinated fresh beets, a huge Greek Salad with feta cheese, dyed red easter eggs, breads, cheeses, and I am sure other stuff I am forgeting about. And you have to taste it all, because it is all just soooo good. So this year I am sure I will be stuffing myself silly, cause I still can. But next year if all goes well and I am banded, it will be a whole different story. But I hopefully won't be as fat as I am this year either!!!

Thanks for the reply. I should look into their program as well as Beaumont's. I am still undecided as to what to do or to go through with it at all. I am chickening out so to speak. I will go on line today and see if they have a seminar I can go to. Please keep me posted as to how you are doing. You can also email me at lindanton@sbcglobal.net if you would rather. I would love to keep in touch. I live in Royal Oak, but am an east sider and used to live in Warren, and all my family lives on the east side. . . clinton township, etc. GOOD LUCK to you! Linda

Well, I started looking into the lap band proces about a month ago. I have gone to 2 free seminars at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak MI. I took my husband to the second one with me. He is very supportive in this decision and is helping me through the thought process. I am really lucky to have him. :wub: I on the otherhand am still not 100% convinced. I need to lose 100 pounds. That is a fact. Can I lose it on my own (again) and keep it off? Most likely not. Do I need a tool to help me get the weight off? Yes, for sure. Do I want to go through bariatric surgery and have my insides re-plumbed.? Not really. So, the Lap Band even with its downfalls (nothing is perfect) seems like the best route to go. So I made my medical exam appointment for April 20, 2009 and I am giving myself til then to make up my mind. I just ordered 3 books from Amazon about the Lap Band which should be a help. That and all the great things I am reading on this very helpful site. I am not hearing a lot of negative, which is a good thing. So that is where I am today. By the way these are the books I ordered: "Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding: Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery" Jessie H. Ahroni Ph.D. A. R. N. P. "LAP-BAND Companion" Mark J. Watson; "Lap-Band for Life" Ariel Ortiz Lagardere

Well, I started looking into the lap band proces about a month ago. I have gone to 2 free seminars at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak MI. I took my husband to the second one with me. He is very supportive in this decision and is helping me through the thought process. I am really lucky to have him. :thumbdown: I on the otherhand am still not 100% convinced. I need to lose 100 pounds. That is a fact. Can I lose it on my own (again) and keep it off? Most likely not. Do I need a tool to help me get the weight off? Yes, for sure. Do I want to go through bariatric surgery and have my insides re-plumbed.? Not really. So, the Lap Band even with its downfalls (nothing is perfect) seems like the best route to go. So I made my medical exam appointment for April 20, 2009 and I am giving myself til then to make up my mind. I just ordered 3 books from Amazon about the Lap Band which should be a help. That and all the great things I am reading on this very helpful site. I am not hearing a lot of negative, which is a good thing. So that is where I am today. By the way these are the books I ordered: "Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding: Achieving Permanent Weight Loss with Minimally Invasive Surgery" Jessie H. Ahroni Ph.D. A. R. N. P. "LAP-BAND Companion" Mark J. Watson; "Lap-Band for Life" Ariel Ortiz Lagardere

Congrats! What is a NSAID for Migrains? I take Frova for them once a month. Can't we take regular migraine medication with the LAP BAND??? I didn't think it was a problem, only a problem with the RNY surgery.

I hear what you are saying. I told my sister I am considering the surgery and all she could say was. . " well you know it is MAJOR surgery. . .and sounded disapproving. And this is someone who is also overweight by about 60 lbs! It did make me say WTF!!! Thanks for bringing it up. I am not sure if I will tell many people.

Hi All, I am in the proces of learning more about the band and have been to two seminars at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak MI. I am afraid to commit to it, but feel I really have no other choice. I have been dieting all my life from age 12! And I am once again at my all time high of 265! So really I see no other option and that is why I am here. So any words of advise you have would be greatly appreciated! Good luck to you all and if you have any encouragement for me to get over the fear please help me out. Linda

Hi, I am new too and also from the D. (Royal Oak) I am looking into the Beaumont program. Can you tell me where you are having your surgery? I would really like to know more about surgery in the Detroit area, other doctors and hospitals. I have been to two seminars so far. Took my husband to one as well. I have met Dr. Krauss so far. But would like to meet the other Doc there before I make a decision. Good luck and any advise you have would be appreciated! Linda