dean123

Went for diet and psyc evaluations today. I am getting excited. Just waiting for the call of approval and to come back for next appointment.:wink2::Dancing_wub:

Eat at least one banana a day. I have a history of on again off again low potassium. Bananas and tomotoes help bring it up as well as a potassium supplement.

Just an idea.

I got my psyc/diet appts for 10-9 I can't wait to get all this information in so the insurance can approve me.

I will be going through Dr Olsofka's group. I have a 6 month diet before my insurance will consider it. I have been to the seminar and am working on my paperwork now.

Well had my first appointment today. So now waiting to hear from insurance and his office.

I see Dr. Oldham and Dr. Weiss. They are part of Bluegrass Bariatrics. I'm doing good. Im a little over 2 weeks out and I feel wonderful. I went back to work last weekend and didnt have any problems. Ive lost 18 pounds so far. So do you have a date set yet?

That is great!!

How long were you in pain after the surgery? What was your diet mostly?

I hope my insurance will take my weight watchers records from 2007 otherwise I will have to forget about surgery until the end of next year.

If all the paperwork goes through I will not have to pay for the surgery since I have met all deductibles for the year.

not yet but seeing surgeon today for first visit

I am seeing Dr. Olsofka on the 30th. How are you doing?

Anyone had there banding in Louisville?

I go to my first appointment with the surgeon Wednesday 9/30.

I had an upper GI this Friday. They found no signs of a small bleed. :tongue2: This would have been the best solution for my low Iron, anemia, they could have fixed it and I would not have to worry about it holding up my surgery.

So now after my appointment on the 30th I have to see a blood specialist to see why my iron is so low. I hope it is nothing big.

Anyway if all goes well I would like to know what types of liquids you have to do and how long before and after surgery?

Other than things like Protein shakes and ensure and slimfast what other types of liquids have you all tried and had success with?

Then as you move to soft what types of things do you eat?

What foods are off limits if any?

It depends on your diet, actually. I go daily still but I'm cognizant of getting adequate fiber in each day (females generally need about 28 g daily and it's HARD to get that much in!)

As to the Water, no issues whatsoever. Although you most likely will be given some restrictions about beverages with your meals (and after) otherwise liquid SHOULD go through the band fine; you may hear gurgling but otherwise it should process like it used to. In fact if you get so tight (band filled so much) that liquids don't go through, or go through too slowly, you need to get an "unfill" (have some saline removed)

Thank you for this information

Oddly my sister, too, had this problem after her hysterectomy (she was a year or two older than you, I think). Hers was her diet. I don't remember her numbers and don't mean to be glib about your situation but just hope it is something that is easily and quickly put right for you!

And once they get the numbers back up you'll most likely feel a lot better! So this is frustrating beyond words I'm sure but it's a good thing they found it. :biggrin:

Yes I pray it is just my diet. I do not eat a lot of Iron rich foods. So that would be a great fix for me. I am glad they found it to. It was the morning before I was scheduled to give blood.

I thought it wasn't necessarily uncommon for pre-menopausal women to be anemic (if that's what you mean) My gyn always checked us for it at our annual physical. Hopefully with you it's something easily corrected! Good luck!

I am not sure of the cause. I have had a total hysterectomy, on hormones. Not having bloody stool or anything like that, right now it is a mystery to me.

my numbers are like 9 when range is 20-? I think.

Ooh, I love talking about poop! In fact, I blog about poop quite often! So, to answer your questions:

Before band I pooped probably at least 3 times a day. Of course, at 327 pounds, I was eating tons of crap (heehee) during the course of a 24 hour period. So more in, more out. During the preop liquid diet, I learned to never trust a fart....meaning....a lot of liquid in, a lot of liquid out.

These days, I poop once every two days. Sometimes three. And they are nothing like they used to be. Dr. Oz says your poop should be a nice S-curve...mine are more like chicken nuggets. But less food in, less food out. You have to make sure you get your fiber in. I do a good job. I love Beans and eat a fiber bar usually 5 days a week.

Water is important for this as well. Dehydration can play a part in hard or lack of poop. I drink lots of Water though, so that is not my problem.

In all my presurgery classes, they made it sound like after surgery I would have to slowly sip water. Not true for me. I can still chug water like normal. It goes right down through the band. Even at my tightest restriction, water never gave me any troubles.

Hope that helps!

Good luck on your journey!

Amy

You remind me of my sister. She loves this subject.

Thanks for your input/output.:biggrin:

So does the water go right in and right out or does it actually sit there for a while?

I know this is not a pleasant subject.

I was wondering do you have a normal number of bowel movements as before surgery? Are they more often or less?

What about when you are drinking your liquids, do they go straight through?

I am a drinker, I constantly have Water with me. I am always drinking Water and sipping water. Will I have to slow down on this?

Mary, two years ago I had surgery for a ruptured achilles tendon and got an infection in the insicion area. The hospital in Key West (I was out of town, on vacation) was running basic blood work to prep me for emergency surgery to clean out the infection and discovered my Iron level was a big 6 (needed to about about 13). They gave me a transfusion to raise my levels and did the surgery, but when I got back home, I had to go to GI doc to find out why my Iron level was so low. They did the edoscopy thing and found digested blood in my stomach and a bleeding ulcer. Medication took care of if (I took Aciphex for a year, but at the follow up endoscopy, it was already healed up). Be sure to tell the GI doc that you are trying to get cleared for lap band surgery and hopefully he can take care of that for you along with the examination for a possible GI bleed.

Oh my goodness! I am glad all has worked out for you.

I to have achilles tendonitis, it is so painful. I hope they can find the source. I had an enoscopy top and bottom in February and said all I had was some reflux issue. I hope they did not poke something and have me bleeding inside somewhere.

I am showing no wasting out of blood, which they find odd. So I guess that is why they are running test with specialist. Hopefully I do not have a bad blood condition.

Even if I have to put off the surgery I just want to be healthy.

Thanks for your response.

I'm sorry to hear that, Mary. I have a feeling, as overweight people, we often overlook symptoms of Iron deficiencies and other similar illnesses, because we tend to attribute tiredness and pain to our weight. I hope you quickly get to the root of the problem, and that you're back on track for a band very soon.

Yeah I am upset too.

Well looks like everything has come to a screaching halt. I had my family doctor call Friday and tell me that my Iron is way to low and that she wants me to see gastrologist and hemotoligsit to try to find out where I am having blood loss.

So until that is fixed I will not be doing anything.

Thank you all for your support and your stories.

Dean

Man my tail bone is killing me. I am a professional faller. I hope after having surgery I will not be such a faller.

Dean,

You have had some very good advice and experiances replied back to you. The only thing I can add is.... Yes, I was nervous before surgery,, about the surgery itself, failing AGAIN. BUT... I WAS MORE NERVOUS NOT TO HAVE THE SURGERY. I was so close to diabeties, had high blood pressure, out of breath.. all of the things that go with being Morbidly obease. I HAD TO DO SOMETHING.

I was self pay and do not regret one cent that I spent. I do not regret it for one minuite...... only wish I would have done it sooner.

The more information I have been getting here from everyone is making me feel much better about my decision to go ahead and make my appointment with the surgeon.

See I already have borderline high blood pressure, high cholesterol, thyroid problems, swelling and joint pain, heart issues, depression, anxiety and I am on at least 8 different medicines at the age of 36. I want to feel better and be healthy. I would love to know what it is like to live just one day with no pain. I have some kind of joint pain everyday. I have almost become used to the pain being there. I also want to sleep better. Be able to walk and not get so winded.

You have all made me feel more confident about this surgery.

Still I do not want to be looked at as a failure and someone who is weak. (You know my family) not at home but siblings.

Any way I feel much better and less nervous, kind of excited.:biggrin:

One big thing about the band that I think I "knew" but didn't really understand before I got it is this:

The banded person has a large degree of control over his or her banded life.

How tight you are filled is in YOUR hands. I can eat a cup of food; my doc said that is perfect because I am losing. I get satiety (one doesn't go for "full", just satisfied. And honestly for me, full hurts! LOL) on about 1 cup of food, I am losing weight. I could be tighter, but why? Then I probably would need to sip, I could only eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup (or whatever) and certain foods would be off limits.

As I am I can take all my pills without crushing them, I even (at one year post op the doc actually told me "do it as long as it doesn't cause you any pain) can drink carbonated beverages and occasionally have a beer!

Could I be tighter, and more miserable? Sure. Do I want to be? No. I got this for life. It's my tool, not my warden. Life is good, it's grand. And too tight, a person always risks eating the wrong foods because they go down more easily, and thereby gaining.

I don't mean to imply that anyone who has a food intolerance is too tight, ok? I don't mean that at all. BUT WE are in the driver's seat. How your banded life goes is largely in your control. You DO have a band around your stomach. You will need to make good choices, stay hydrated, be responsible. But most of the choice is yours.

I guess actually if I decided I wanted to go on an eating spree I could even do that. I'd need an unfill but once unfilled I really can go to town. It's all my choice.

So yes, 1 cup of food. You may find that's good for you, or too much, or just right. But you'll get to tinker with it and make it work for you. I love that about it.

Just read KLZ's post (before mine) and her doc's goal is 1/2 cup, 3 meals 3-4 hours apart. Mine wants 3 meals 5-6 hours apart, and he said a cup is just perfect. And I do NOT drink with my meals. Not sips. NOTHING. It hurts me, and I feel it's not productive. So you see? There's no hard/fast RIGHT way to do this. Some very successful bandsters snack, too. I do better if I don't, but not all are like that. It's really really individual. Love it.

I totally agree. It is up to me and for me to be in control. I appreciate all your advice.

I would like to thank all of you today. You are making my nerves calm down. I love all the feed back you are giving me. I can't wait to hear more.

I can't wait till the 30th. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing.

I am 3 months out from my surgery. I haven't had any problems with different foods. I've had steak, bread, and spare ribs with no problems. I don't drink 15 minutes before a meal, and wait 60 minutes after. I drink Water and Decaf coffee with non diary creamer and sweet and low. I just make sure I chew my food well and give myself 20-30 minutes per meal. I only have 3 meals a day and no snacking.

I also was nervous about having the procedure done. I was nervous up to the day of surgery and went back and forth wondering and questioning if I was doing the right thing. Since the surgery I am so thankful that I was able to have this done and went through with it. I do not regret having the surgery for one moment. I feel much better about myself, I'm not fatigued or winded from walking up a flight of stairs anymore, I can partake in more activities with my children now, and I have not had to take my blood pressure medication since the surgery.

Good luck in your journey :thumbup:

Wow this was so helpful.

So you can actually eat about a cup of food. Wow that is more than I was thinking you could.