mskutz

Thanks again guys for your kind words of encouragement and wisdom! I wish I had a chance to reply to each one of you guys individually, but time does not allow. I am slowly realizing that even if I got stuck 100X's, the lapband was somthing I chose to have and no matter what I just have to role with the bunches.....(but this is easier said than done, trust me!). I am now going to start being more assertive when I get my fills, and I am demanding that they be done under fluroscopy and only by the surgeon. I will also not passively sit by and let them stick me so many times. If they cant get it on the third time, Im outta there! I have even been looking into other doctors and fill clinics in my area. The nurse practitoner was just too rough!!! Im willilng to fight for my life....even at the cost of becoming a human pin cushion again!!! I AM SO DETERMINED TO SUCCEED!!!!!!!!!!! Stay blessed yall!!! Smooocches..........

My first fill was UNSUCESSFUL! Surgeon couldnt find my port and stuck me over 25 times!!!!! I cried the whole way home and still have swelling and pain in the port area!! I am so discouraged. Question: If he wasent putting the saline in the port, where was it going when he injected it in my body? Doc wants to schedule an appt. in two weeks to do the fill under floroscopy. At this point panic has set in and I am worried that my port may have flipped or is angled in such a way that a port revision surgery will be warranted. I am so depressed!! Havent excerised and losing motivation to eat right!!! Has anyone else had a first fill horroR? Is this common? What do I do next? Helllllppppppp!!!!!:(

ok. guys, made it to the mushies! that clear liquid diet was pure hell! However, I lost 13 pounds on it, so I wont complain. Truely loving the puree diet! No longer feeling hunger pains, and 4oz per meal truely fills me up, with no restriction in my band yet! This must be heaven.....I hope I can maintain this feling of satiety! Down another 5 lb!!!! Stay encouraged yall, we can do this!!!!!!!!

OMG!!!! Banded on 3/18/10, w/ no complications (thank you jesus!). Natural restriction from the swelling is going down quickly and I believe I am entering bandster hell because my appetite has not only come back, but come back with A VENGENCE!!!!! HELLLPPPP!!!! I am sooooo hungry. Beginning to feel hunger pains, cramps and light-headness!!!! OmG, if this is what bandster hell feels like, I dont know how I will make it until my first fill in 6wks!!!!!!! So tempted to eat somthing not within my liquid diet!!!! HELLLLPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!!

i did it guys! officially a bandster, thank u lord!111 thank you guys 4 everything, I really could not have done this without u all!

congrsts! i was suppose to b banded today too, but the hospitsl had an emergency n postponed it until next week :blushing: good luck and I am sooooo pround n envious of you! if u feel comforyabke sharing, please tell us whatbur whole surgical/ hospital experience was like, i would love to know....im sooooooooo nervous!

so ready to give up guys! my surgery was postponed until next thurs. the 18th, due to an emergency at the hospital!!! just found out 1hr ago n been crying ever since the hospital called. really considering giving up....maybe it was just not meant to be...i am so fusrated, confused and HUNGRY!

yes, i agree with everyone else. please try to stay positive n prayed up@ ur surgeon would not have scheduled u for surgery if he did not think u were an optimal candidate for surgery. my surgery was orginally scheduled for tommorow but jus got pushed back a week till next thurs. you will b fine, i am praying for u!

I love you guys soooooo much! And although I dont have time to respond individually to all of you, thanks you all so much. I have been on clear liquids all day today (my docutor just requires a liquid diet the day prior to surgery) and it must be God's grace, because I am really not hungry. The protein shakes are working! Praise God!! I know this could change at the drop of a hat, but for now I am content and calm! Thanks all, Pray for me, tommorow's the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :sad:

You guys are great! Thanks so much for the words of encouragement. They have really helped calm me down! Keep em' coming guys! They really help so much!!! :thumbup:

Hey guys! I know I havent been on in ages, but I finally got a band date this week for 3/11/2010. And I am soooooooo nervouse I can hardly sleep. Not afraid of the pain afterwards or the drasitc lifestyle change, but very afraid of the surgical procedure itself, being put to sleep and the breathing tube. Please help me guys! Any words of enrocurgament or advice from you guys already banded would help. How was your surgery experience? How was the pain aftweards? Please post....Im going nuts over here!!!!!!!:biggrin:

hello all!! I just started my six months too!! it seems like an eternity!!!! I pray that these months go by fast...July is going to ONLY be month ONE for me...BLAH!!!!

I agree! Call ur insurance company and see what the requirements are to qualify for surgery. Typically, its a bmi over 50, or a bmi under 40 with two illnesses, i.e Hypertension, diabetes.... Trust me, if your insurance company will pay for it, a doctor can and will perform the surgery! Hope this helps, dd.

thanks all! That helps so much! Im changing doctors!!! JHU Bayview dosen't have any program fees!!! I just have to start the program again...lol..."What dosent kill you will only make you stronger!!"""""

Hi all....I am a newbie to the forum and I attended my intro seminar yesterday. The surgeon, Dr. Liao from GBMC in baltimore explained that you have to pay a $500.00 program fee before your information can be submitted to the insurance company for approval. Has anyone else had to pay a fee like this? Moreover, has anyone had surgery at GBMC with Dr. Liao or Dr. Mo? Also, does anyone have BlueCross/Blue Shield. If so can you explain the insurance requirements? And if they have a 3mo or 6mo suprevised weight lost requirment?

Hey guys! Yea, I just attended my first seminar yesterday and I am trying to make my mind up too. Like you Egala, I am 250 punds and the surgeon said he does not think that I look "heavy enough" to want to have the banding procedure done. However, my height and bmi qualifies me, so I think I am going to go for it! Was anyone required to pay a program fee before you got your surgery done?

You will definetly be in my prayers! I just attended the seminar yesterday...and was a bit discouraged that my first appointment with the surgeon can not be until next month....Why such the long wait?