beautyqueen

Thank you, DownInSoCal. I have a prescription for klonopin and I do take it at night when the panic starts to really creep in. It's definitely waves, like it washes over me and I feel a little sick. I'm no stranger to anxiety though (yay, me! haha) so I am doing my best to tell myself that the wave will pass and medicate if needed. I think a key thing I avoided mentioning is that my MIL died from complications from RNY. After almost 7 years, her malpractice trial is going on RIGHT NOW which is making the emotions very raw for my husband and making me feel selfish for having the surgery at this time (although I could have never known that her trial date would come at the same time my surgery date did especially since it's been so long). My husband is a wonderful, supportive, incredible man and has not passed on his fears to me at all but I know they're there. So it's a surreal time which is why I think I alternate between denial that my surgery is coming and periods of hope where I am looking forward to my new life. I love your story about taking the pre-op pictures. That's a great idea to get my head in the game and concentrate on what my new life is going to be like. Again, thank you all so much. I wouldn't have known about the sleeve if it hadn't been for some sleevesters on lapbandtalk.com and I surely would have never gotten this far in the process without so many wonderful and inspiring people to reach out to.

Hi all, My date is next week (gah!) -- October 22nd. I started this process back in April intending to get the band. I've had a lot of ups and downs, switched surgeons, insurance issues, and now it seems all systems are go. My surgeon doesn't have me on a specific pre-op diet (just not to gain any weight) and I think that maybe I'm not focusing as much as I should be because I don't have to do anything different over the next 10 days. I am trying to get in exercise every day. I've said "goodbye" to some foods like Pasta and bread. I've been having a Protein shake for Breakfast and lunch (I really don't mind them so it's no big deal). I'm taking my prilosec, my Vitamins, and drink my fluids. I did shopping for my post-op recovery and I have samples of powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury, chike, plus I bought some Isopure and EAS carbadvantage shakes so I feel like I have enough options for the 2 weeks after. I've even started thinking through things during the mushie phase as I'll have to eat out for some occasions and I'm working through what I'll be able to order so I won't have a breakdown in the restaurant when the time comes. All of these things sound like I'm getting ready for surgery but I'm afraid that once the day comes I'm going to unravel. A few of you have said that surgery day is nothing you can truly prepare for and I understand that. I alternate between denial that it's happening in 10 days to waves of anxiety and absolute fear that something awful will happen. I want this surgery. I want this new life. Is there anything I can be doing over the next 10 days to reassure myself that I am ready to make this change? Is it normal to live in this state of suspended reality where it doesn't seem like it's really happening? Any and all advice would be welcome. I want to be a success at this. I'm trying to focus on that more than what *could* happen because if I start thinking about the risks I will truly lose my mind.

Thank you all so very much. I feel very reassured that what I'm feeling is normal and to be expected. I've seen a lot of posts from people who wonder if they'll be the only person that the surgery wasn't successful for and they don't lose any weight. I guess I fear that too since I can't imagine at this point not being hungry or being satisfied with little food. I suppose if I *could* imagine those things then I wouldn't need the surgery! Thanks again for the great insights. I'm sure I'll be back again with more worries before the big day. Nothing will make me happier to come back and post that I'm sleeved, home, and doing well. Thinoneday -- good luck on your upcoming surgery. You have a great attitude!!

Best wishes! You'll do great! You'll be back here in no time to tell us all how it went!

Hi Shanda, How's it going? Are you feeling okay? Are the post-op emotions settling down and life is getting back to normal? I'll be getting sleeved 2 weeks from tomorrow (gah!). Can't wait to compare notes with you.

It's official, I have approval and a date. :thumbup: It's slowly dawning on me that it's less than 3 weeks away. My pre-op appt with the surgeon and hospital is on Tuesday. I have a lot of questions that I didn't ask the last time like if I'll have a drain, a catheter, what size bougie, etc. I just placed an order for some powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury samples. This weekend I'll start getting more post-op supplies: a heating pad, papaya enzymes, Gas-x strips, Isopure, SF Jello, etc. I can't believe this is actually happening. I'm going to have to really try and keep my anxiety in check over the next few weeks. My MIL passed away from complications from RNY 6 years ago so I naturally have some fears about something awful happening. Worse, I'm sure my husband is freaking out but, bless his heart, he's being supportive and positive and not letting his fears show. Thank goodness for this online community. I'll be counting on you folks for support!

Thanks everyone, your tips are invaluable. The saran wrap one sounds like it will be a lifesaver as even now I am not a fan of some of the Protein drinks I've tried. I look forward to sharing this adventure with all of you. I want to be a loser too! :001_unsure:

Hey Shanda, Congrats on being 1 week out! How are you feeling?

I've been reading all the posts here and on OH about VSG and I'm a little dismayed by all the stalls everyone seems to have. I remember hitting them in my WW days and it was maddening when I would calculate my calories in/calories out. It made no sense that I wouldn't be losing weight and yet there would be weeks where nothing would happen. Stalls with the sleeve seem even more nonsensical because I know if I'll be eating 800-900 calories a day it's about a third of what I'm probably eating now where I'm maintaining. How on earth does that not translate to weight loss? For those who have had surgery, have your docs or NUTS ever given you a scientific reason why these stalls happen? I have to be honest. I'm nervous about this. It seems like it all works out in the end but hitting a stall would be a major kick in the teeth after having gone through surgery. Thanks for your replies!

Best wishes for an easy surgery and quick recovery! Can't wait to hear about your progress and to watch that ticker go down, down, down...

Congratulations! I was just catching up on posts and I saw your last one that said the next time you posted you'd be sleeved. So glad to hear you're already home! Thank you for the detailed description of your surgery. It is definitely appreciated (as someone who is hoping to have surgery). What is a lactated ringer? I don't think I've heard of that before. I look forward to hearing about your progress in the coming months!

I'm so sorry that you're going through this. Best wishes that you feel better soon. You've certainly been through enough.

I hope you get some answers and a resolution soon. Best wishes.

Thanks so much for the replies. I will look into the Isopure, I've read about that before. I can definitely work with a high protein/low carb diet, I'll do some looking online for some ideas. I'm thinking eggs, greek yogurt, grilled chicken and salad, etc. Thanks!

I'm not banded yet but my surgeon said he would probably be using a Realize band on me (TBC once he does the actual surgery). He showed me the difference in the ports (the Realize port being flatter) and I just could not imagine how it will be inside of me without it poking out. If you don't mind sharing, how obvious is your port? Does it get worse as you get thinner? It's not like I'm expecting to be in a bikini or anything but I really would prefer it not be obvious if I was wearing something more form-fitting.

Haha, good point Karensue. A little protrusion is a lot less obvious than being morbidly obese. Rock on, luluc and Jachut with your bikinis!!! I can't imagine wanting to be in any kind of bathing suit right now so you both give me hope! :thumbup:

I don't have either band yet but my surgeon said that he will likely use a Realize band on me. However, he said that he usually doesn't make the decision until he gets inside and sees everything, which is fine with me. Other than the patient-directed benefits (like the website), I don't know what the clinical implications of the different designs are. They both are supposed to be efficacious and safe. If your surgeon prefers one over the other I think that's fine.

Oh wow, I'm so glad you posted. I'm not in Westchester but our insurance is Empire Blue. I called them twice to see if there were any requirements for surgery and they just told me that it had to be medically necessary (ie, morbidly obese). I had my first appt with the surgeon on Tuesday and he thought that they might require a 6-month pre-op diet. It sounds like that's not the case? Any info on Empire Blue would be very helpful!

Best wishes! My one-on-one meeting is on Tuesday. It's freaking me out a little that within a month I will have 3 of the 6 steps required by the surgeon completed. I think I'll be okay if it's a few more months before the actual surgery depending on what insurance says. I want to get at least 10 lbs off before the surgery (I'm hoping for 20) and I want to make sure I'm ready in my head and heart to do this. Let us know how your consultation goes!

First, I could not believe how many people were there. Way more than I expected. The surgeon gave almost a full 2-hour presentation focusing mostly on gastric bypass and lap-band. It's so interesting how different everyone's surgeons are, based on the comments here on the forum. He doesn't do a specific pre-op diet but he would like everyone to lose at least 10 lbs before surgery (20 for people over 400 lbs). He said that insurance companies may have their own requirements but that is his criteria. I know anything can happen with surgery but I did feel reassured that he knows what he's doing. He has performed over 1000 gastric bypass surgeries and almost as many lap-bands. He is on the state board for bariatric surgery and his program is a center of excellence. (Good!) He has had 2 leaks with his gastric bypass patients out of 1000 and 1 fatality. The fact that this information was readily shared and not something I had to dig around on the internet was appreciated. His pre-op requirements are the group consultation, an individual consultation with him, a group consultation with the psychologist and nutritionist (they do a session once a month together), then individual consultations with each, and 3 pre-op group sessions. He said that, depending on insurance approval, it's about a 6-8 week process before surgery. When I was driving to the meeting I kept saying to myself "I don't need to do this, I don't need to do this." But now that I've been there made this first step, I'm feeling more and more like this is for me. I'll call tomorrow to make my one-on-one and we'll take it from there. Nervous. Excited. Hopeful. I know y'all can relate!

Hi Jenni, I went to see Dr Jonathan Aranow. He's affiliated with Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, CT. I haven't read anything about him here but I found a lot of reviews on obesityhelp.com. Other than being a little arrogant (and most surgeons are, my husband just had heart surgery and you would have thought the surgeon was the second coming of Christ the way he carried on), people said he was excellent and at the top of his game. Good reviews on his staff and follow-up too. I have my one-on-one scheduled for April 28th.

So glad it went well! I'm glad you're home and recuperating!

Hi all, I am just beginning this process although I have considered lap-band for several years. I am going to my first information seminar with the surgeon in a few weeks. Right now I am at a qualifying BMI for the surgery. I know that surgeons require you to lose a certain amount of weight before the surgery, which I don't have a problem with. My question is -- will an insurance company reject you because if you at the qualifying weight but lost, say 20 lbs before surgery and no longer met the BMI? What weight goes in with your paperwork, your first visit weight? I'm just worried because I have lost 20-30 lbs literally a dozen times in the last 10 years. I can get that far and can no longer keep going. If I get rejected for losing that weight I will be crushed. Thanks in advance for any replies. As you can tell, I'm totally uneducated about this process at this stage.

Thanks, Megster. I'm hoping that's the case. I am just over a BMI of 40 now. With spring coming I am actually looking forward to getting outside and being more active. It would seem to counter-intuitive to dissuade someone from doing so just so they can maintain a qualifying BMI. I guess I'll have more answers on the 14th (my seminar date). I wish it was tomorrow.