pennreporter

Walmart carries them here, but I like the EAS Edge or EAS Lite, 17/20 grams of Protein. The EAS Edge is only 110 cals but I do have a Slim-Fast (coffee flavored one) every once in a while. Over a two-week period you have to change them up a bit. i also can do FF yogurt. So I get a Greek yogurt called Chobani (but there are several out there), that's almost as many grams of protein. Good luck Trisha (Banding June 1, '09)

Debbie, 17,500 is definitely more than a lot of people are paying. My daughter flew from nyc to Houston and paid 13,500 (NY, NJ, PA are all pretty high). Her doctor was part of the original 14-member team that introduced the band to the US from Europe. Requires almost no pre-op diet (he's done 4,000 plus procedures. I've also seen on here doctors in Colorado under 10k. And whether you're making the right decision or not, only you can answer that but if it's a lifelong problem, do you want to spend the rest of your life dealing with it. I'm being banded June 1, but my daughter is my biggest support and my primary care physician. My daughter was 265 at 5-10 on Feb 2008. i can't even begin to tell the difference it has made in her life. She is now about 170 and a size 8, but is having to have plastis surgery. But she has never regretted it a day. And, yes, there are some people that don't do as well. I have a neighbor's sister who had it done and has never had a fill, never lost a pound, but is also an alcoholic...duh. I'm 57 and clearly don't expect the same results as a 37 year old, but I've lost the same 50 lbs I can't tell you how many times and it is now or was 87 pounds and every time I gained it back, it came with a new set of health issues. So find a support group if you can near you. If money is the issue, you clearly have options. Once my daughter had all of her blood work and whatever other tests her doctor required in Houston, she was scheduled within the month (no six-month regimen like some of us have had to meet.) Good luck in whatever decision you decide. Trisha

Mimi, I thought a week would be good also. Surgery is on a Monday, taking that week off and then I have a follow-up on Tuesday of the next week. I'm a court reporter. So clearly nothing physically strenuous about work. Just lifting briefcase in and out of car and driving. I will dump as much out of the briefcase as possible to lighten the load. I could see if you are moving and grooving up on your feet all day where you might need more time. thanks Trisha

Lucky you Nano. Mine is two weeks liquid but I kind of feel this is going to show how well I can sticking to it even afterwards. My only cheating so far (4 days) is just eating more of the tomato Soup that I can have to begin with. Today, a little lightheaded, nauseous and a light headache. I'm definitely getting in the Protein. I'm allowed two Snacks a day, which to me aren't snacks...they're my dinner..lol. I love ff greek yogurt. So that's one with some splenda added. But I'm headed out to get a Magic Bullet so I can make my own. Good luck to all on their pre-op diets. Can't believe I'm four days into it already. Next week will go quick because I have three drs appts and busy at work. Again, good luck trisha:Banane20:

Mimi, did you feel that you needed two weeks or could you have gone back sooner? My daughter had hers on Tuesday and flew back to NYC on Friday and worked Saturday, but felt she could have worked Friday. Mine is on a Monday and I plan to return the following Monday. Just curious if you just had taken that amount off to begin with or is that when you felt you could go back. thanks trisha

Nano, once you go to tickerfactory.com and create your ticker, there will be boxes that come up, you have to copy and paste, or at least that's how I did it. Once you've copied it, then you paste it into the "edit signature" box under User CP. Good luck Trisha

It's whatever your surgeon recommended. Each surgeon has a different protocol. I personally am of the belief that the more experienced the surgeon at doing banding the less they have you pre-op or it could be how high your BMI is. My surgeon does more bypasses so they have a generic two-week liquid diet for band and bypass. My daughter didn't have to do anything except just abstain the night before. She even went to eat Mexican food the day before but her surgeon has done 4k procedures, mine 120. So go by what your doctor told you, not by on here...there's too many variations. Good luck. Your surgery is on my birthday. Mine is June 1 and my goal was to have it before my birthday. ta-dah! trisha

I would so run, don't walk to a new dr. Also, if you don't sleep well (and if you snore), you may well have sleep apnea, not uncommon for overweight folks. Ask your primary care physician for a referral (if you have the kind of insurance that requires referrals) for a sleep study. If getting approval depends on a nutritionist, I would clearly pick one who is not a holistic nutritionist. She will probably never agree. Just like my first primary dr told me "well you just need to count calories." Oh, silly me, like I didn't know that for the past 20, multiple lose-gain-lose-gain cycles. I promptly changed drs and new pcp is extremely supportive of my getting banded. Good luck Trisha

Dr. Fielding is in with my daughter's doctor, Dr. Kurian, who she loves. Although my daughter had to self-pay and went to houston with Dr. Spivak, but because Kurian knew Spivak's reputation, she agreed to do her follow up. Lisa loves loves loves the guy in that clinic that does the fills. Says it's five mins and can barely feel anything. Trisha

i'm on 2nd day of two-week post-op. So right there with you. So far not too much hunger, a headache when I woke up but think that's from sodium from chicken broth. Just hang in there. Trisha

The book by Mohammed Ali's daughter is great also, written by her and her doctors. I think it's called Fighting Weight.

considering that many doctors only require a 3-day pre-op diet, I think you're okay. My daughter went out to eat Mexican food the day before surgery. Her doctor didn't even really require much at all. So I agree, don't beat yourself up. I'm on 2nd day and just taking it a day at a time. Good luck. The 26th will be here before you know it. Next week you'll be running on adrenaline. Trisha

I've not been banded yet (June 1), but my daughter has and her doctor, Dr. Spivak in Houston, who is truly one of the leading doctors in this industry (on the original 14-member team of drs who introduced the procedure to the U.S.), well, he had my daughter on soft foods within 4-5 days (puddings, yogurt, running mashed potatos). He told her he wanted her to learn how to eat with her band as soon as possible. He's done 4k procedures. eggs might have been a little much. But every doctor is different. Mine is two week liquids, cream Soup, Protein shakes. But you'll know what you can eat and can't. It will let you know. Trisha

I'm right there with you. Day 2 of two-week pre-op. I've been okay with the liquid part. Woke up with a headache this morning. So probably didn't get enough Protein. Plus, if I take in too much sodium it causes headaches and I think the tomato Soup may have done it. Good luck!!! Trisha

My daughter is having her lower body lift (LBL) and breast reduction in a few weeks. It's good to read your posts, even though I know the LBL is much more than just a TT. I'm hoping her progress is as good as yours. Her dr. will be sending her home with a morphine pump and will be in the hospital three days with morphine. That's the only thing I worry about for her is the pain, but she's pretty strong too and has waited for this for so long. Thanks for your posts. Trisha

I'm with Geisinger Insurance which is an HMO sort of (kind of like Kaiser permanente in Calif., have their own clinics/hospitals). I had my PMP, who was extremely supportive, refer me to the bariatric group, from there they had to approve whether I even qualified under insur co.'s requirements for someone under 40 BMI. Once they agreed that I met all those requirements then it's just been going through the six-month plan. I would first go to see your PMP. If he's not supportive of your decision, change PMPs until you find one who is because he will refer you, depending on your insurance company. I wouldn't get discouraged yet. If your company has a web site, it will probably have on there the requirements for bariatric surgery. Now I will say that my surgeon won't approve lapband for just anyone. They are big believers in bypass for patients with really high BMIs. So he was fine with me having it. So hang in there and do your research with your ins. co. trisha

Well, good luck with the MMPI...with my luck, they'd decide I was a multiple personality disorder or some other crazy stuff ... lol. Four hours of answering questions will drive anyone crazy Trisha

my insurance company had a whole six-month program. I started at 235 (five-foot-four). I had to lose as close to 10 percent as i could. Got down to 219, which was close enough but doctor did tell me that I needed to keep it right at that...not to lose or gain until I went to see surgeon. If I dropped any I would fall out of 35-40 BMI range (under 40, my ins co requires sleep apnea or diabetes along with BP/cholesterol). But once I saw the surgeon there were no issues. I think once you have surgery date you're okay because with pre-op diet it's very common that you will lose weight, which they're happy with. So I couldn't worry. Plus, since I met with surgeon and got surgery date, I've gained about five pounds...so even with any weight loss during pre-op diet and what I may lose during that two weeks, I will still be in good shape (as long as they don't double-check my height...lol) Can't believe they all took my word I was five-four instead of five-five...:rolleyes2: Good luck Trisha

I'm not banded yet. My daughter is 38 and banded last year. Trust me, how much she eats has never been an issue with any dates. She has a new "boy-toy" friend but he knew her before surgery. But the difference in her social life before and after is monumental. When you're 5-9, size 8, long blond hair, the dates/men she meets, food is not an issue...lol. Plus she also does the first date where it's just meeting for a drink/coffee with just an appetizer. She never does dinner on first few dates because she still has "issues" with some foods. And I agree with other poster, if once you tell someone and they have issues with it, then maybe they're not the right person for you. She is going for plastic surgery next month and her scars will be substantial at first (lower body lift). So she has some concern over that but it's not an option. Has to be done. Boy-toy doesn't seem to mind. So good luck Trisha

I'm not banded yet but my daughter is. I don't think the not bending is the norm. She was able to go up and down stairs the day of surgery just slowly. But she had surgery on a Tuesday in Houston, flew back to NYC on Friday and worked (she's a very busy hair colorist) on Saturday, but felt she could have worked on Friday. I'm a court reporter and carry lots of equipment with me and asked doc about lifting 30 pounds in and out of a car and he didn't seem to think there would be any problem. So I don't think I'll be outside lifting bags of mulch or dirt or anything like that..lol Mine is June 1. My only concern is that I won't have anyone around. My daughter is taking me but she's leaving the same night as she has to catch a plane to go to Houston again the next mornign for plastic surgery (we didn't plan it to be this way but her dates and my date have overlapped). So my question is: Is there anyone that is also going to be recuperating by themselves? I have someone( dog walker) coming in to just check on dogs the first two days. Good luck Trisha

My office manager and company owner know. Office manager is a living plastic surgery advertisement :rolleyes2: and has relatives that have done bypass. So no judgements there and a videographer that his mother has had bypass. All my close personal friends know but even with some of them, I've not really gone into many more details because of few of them have given me the "I've got a relative/friend that lost theirs with just hard work and dieting." So I knew where that judgment was going. My daughter had hers 14 months ago and she's my biggest supporter and personally family is all that matters to me and they're all supportive as they have their list of medical issues and understand you have to do what you have to do. So I will probably follow the "don't ask-don't tell" policy of the military...lol Good luck all trisha

absolutely no problem deciding, zip,nada, no. Bypass has never been an option. Too many complications. Plus, I'm not on the higher end of the weight scale. 37 BMI but lots of medical issues. Plus my daughter has had and her best friend had bypass. World of difference, Plus being off work 6 weeks was not an option. Trisha

I haven't been banded yet, but daughter has. To this day (14 mos.) she still can't eat chicken breast. It's too dry. So I'm sure that's all it is, but try to get as much fluid as you can tolerate. Good luck Trisha

I haven't been banded yet, but my daughter has. Hang in there. It will get better. I think the side sleeping will get better. She was 265 at her highest and a size 22-24, banded 2/08. She's at 170 now but a size 10 and going for her first plastic surgery to remove excess skin. I go the 1st of June. I think it's wonderful that you guys did it together and are support for each other. I think it must be tough on couples or really anyone that is still having to cook and prepare the same meals for others. I live alone and only have to feed the dogs. (thank goodness) The transformation for my daughter has been nothing short of mind-boggling, emotionally, physically and just her lifestyle. She's close to maintenance. So kudos to you and your wife!! Trisha in da Poconos

I doubt very seriously that it's the MMPI. That would be a bit extreme. Mine and my daughters was basically just a pyschologist talking with you and asking questions. It's mainly to see that you have a healthy realistic mindset about what's going to happen and that you understand what you're getting into and not bulimic, etc. and that you've done your research and understand that the band is not the be-all end-all and is only a tool. MMPI is really a whole different thing. Good luck Trisha