Barb119

Hey Miss Milo, welcome to the group of Jan Band Journeys! I'm doing a 7-10 day liquid, which is actually turning into 9 days and so far I've had to keep my mind focused on anything but food! I went for my pre-op today and have surgery in five days and a wake up!! I'm excited, scared, apprehensive, anxious and about a dozen other feelings....so definitely being nervous is something I think everyone feels. Hang in there with your liquids and post some more messages....we all want to stay in touch and share the good (as welll as the not so good) This site is a strong suppport for me; maybe it will help you too!!

Hello and welcome to the site . . . I'm fairly new here and still finding my way around. For me, the psychogical portion included completing a very lenthy "exam" type thing, multiple choice with subjects dealing with all the emotions, scenarios, etc. that you could imagine....then spoke with the doctor a while and went back for a review of the results of the paperwork. He then wrote an evaluation that was submitted. So apparently, I'm not too off my rocker, so it was approved. My insurance covered it, so that was good. Good luck on your journey, and there's so much info on this site that will be helpful . ....keep in touch with your postings. :thumbup:

Count me as voting for "Jan Band Journeys" . . . good ring to it and I'm excited for all of us!

Re: Name for January banders . . . Lots of good ideas and certainly would make it easier to post in one place on this site, as I got to admit, I don't follow these threads that well :glare:...so this would be under the Social Groups category? All of the names suggested would be good . . . how about "January Journeys" or should that Journies? :thumbdown: Also, since a few of us have the same date of Jan. 12, good idea to have that second layer of commonality.....whether it be twins, triplets, quads, or more!!!! :smile2:

Good luck with your surgery . . . I know you'll be glad to get this behind you . . . Mine's not until January 12, so I'm on pre-op diet now . . . I think my doctor will fix a hernia at the same time, so I don't know what to expect from you. . . all in all, I'm ready. Keep posting on we'll all know how you're doing! :rolleyes2:

Hey Laura. I'm Barbara in Georgia and I understand completely what you're saying . . . I have had such mixed emotions and 99% of it isn't about the surgery but about the food. I've had portion control problems even with the healthy stuff. I've used it to medicate myself for so many years, plus with the thinking, "well, what does it really matter?" Well, now I've reached the health issues as opposed to just looking better,and decided that whatever I have to do, I will. This is a tool that I'm looking forward to getting, which will be January 12; I'm on the liquid diet now. After surgery, when I'm on regular food, I will choose quality over quantity and know the band will provide me that ability. Good luck to you and keep posting here so we'll know how you're going.

Thanks, JackieJ. . . the 12th will be here before we know it (I hope!!!) . . . I'd like to be your band twin! Where are you having surgery . . . and what kind of pre-op diet are you doing? Yes, I think we are blessed to have made this decision to fight this lifelong (for me) battle, that I keep losing....am very excited about outcome and feeling better healthwise. So have a Happy New Year and let's keep in touch via this site. Cheers!

Hey everyone . . . thanks to all of you who posted on this topic. I start liquid diet today and already am doubting if I can do it . . . your encouraging words have helped . . . and I'll just deal with it . . . after all, it's not forever

Hey JGF . . . sounds like our pre-op diet and band date are about the same. . . mine in Jan. 12 and my doctor says 7-10 days on Slimfast or Carnation Slender by having one within an hour of waking up, then every three hours until the 1000-1200 calorie limit is reached . . . hope to keep it around 1000 cal. Until I start liquid, I'm doing low calorie. Yes, all my friends (exc. one) and my sister thinks I'm going to the extreme . . . but so be it, I'm ready for a change from being miserable and I know I cannot do it alone....(been there, done that way too many times to count...as most of us here have done). Anyhow, support on this site is really important to me, so I'll be following everyone's journey.

For me, the endoscopy was an easy breeze!!! Just showed up, got all settled with an IV, was out like a light, and then I woke up---procedure over, a little sleepy, no sore throat . . . nothing bad . . . stopped by breakfast on the way home! Hoping you'll have the same experience.....be brave! And yes, definitely, let's all stick together . . . wishing you the best! :biggrin:

CherieLynne, absolutely . . . sounds like a great idea to have a "same day" bandbuddy! We all need support, and this site is my primary source right now. My sister is totally against the surgery, and some of my friends are being supportive (after they all told me that it's not a good idea)! Anyhow . . . Sorry to hear that you're coping with arthritis and hope you stay infection free. What kind of pre-op diet are you doing? My doctor says 7 days of Slimfast meals, but with the recall and if I can't find it, I'll need to switch to something else. Any ideas? Will look for your postings! Glad to have a band buddy!!! :smile:

Just talked with my surgeon's asst. . . I have a JANUARY 12 surgery date at Emory in Atlanta :thumbup: and I cannot begin to say how excited, nervous, scared, and anxious I am. The doctor requires a 7-day liquid diet (Slimfast), but I'm going to start today to get a jump. My support group is limited, so I'll be relying on this site and all of you a lot. So far, all your postings have informed and comforted me. Thanks! :thumbup:

Marge, I'm close to your age and I've wondered the same thing about having this done at this stage of my life....however, I'm thinking getting banded/losing weight will probably increase the numbe of years I have left.... so, let's look at it this way! Let's keep in touch . . . there's a section based on age, so I'll be checking in at that thread too. Good Luck!! :thumbup:

Thanks, Dulcevida, for your message ... it has gotten really discouraging because of scheduling, and you'd think the insurance companies would realize that meeting all the required testing, lab work, nutritional consults, etc. takes time, plus with the holiday season throwing all kind of kinks into it---then like you, having to deal with your surgeon's personnel with less than great results....thanks again . . . and hoping for wonderful results for you. Will be looking out for your postings on this site. Happy Holidays. Barbara

Thanks for your response . . . yes, I considered cancelling travel plans but just couldn't do it, although the decision might really come back to bite me if the insurance won't give approval again. If that's the case, I will appeal and see what happens. So the doctor's office can't do anything until the expiration date of Dec. 31, so we'll start all over in January, and all the tests/ requirements completed should still be good and I won't have to redo everything (I hope). . . also, I'm trying to tell myself that all this delay with scheduling is happening for a reason, but it's so hard to be positive :ohmy:, but know I need to give it better effort than I have, so here goes ! ! ! :thumbup: All of the postings on this site have helped me and I appreciate and wish the best of all of you!

Well, ticker is working but that's about all right now. .. got call from surgeon's office...the surgery cannot be on Dec. 29 because of the hospital not running all OR's that day and they can't fit me in....so the date could be Dec. 22....BUT already have plans to go out of town for Christmas and this won't work for me.....my insurance only approved through Dec. 31, so I won't be banded this year :mad:. Now I'm told that the ins.company only gives two extensions and this makes two for me. and the doc's office said they will have to resubmit the whole request again and they don't know if it will be approved......so....I am totally discouraged, even more depressed, and my every thought is about how overweight I am, how could I be such a weak/stupid person to get in this shape, and how in the hell I can't get out of this hell I'm living in . . . sorry to be a real bummer (and long-winded) today, but this is just how it is. Has anyone else had such insurance problems?

Hey all . . . I'm in Georgia too, near Athens . . . I have "jumped through all the hoops" and have insurance approval . . . pre-op is Dec. 21 and surgery is Dec. 29. I'm having very mixed feelings but since I've struggled with weight issues for years, and with sleep apnea, high blood pressure, bad back, no energy....it's time to bite the bullet and move ahead for better health! Good luck to you. Barbara

Sorry to hear your bad news, Paigey . . . I hope May will come fast for you . . . I don't understand such differences in insurance companies' requirements. I had to provide written documentation of my dieting/weight loss/weight gain and it's been an ongoing yo-yo for 30 yrs.---time for a change. I've been contemplating lap band for almost two years, but finally decided that with my health problems--sleep apnea, high blood pressure, aching joints, no energy, etc.--that I don't have much choice if I want to really have an active life. My surgery date is Dec. 29 at Emory Mid Town . . . I'm in Georgia too, near Athens. Good luck with your process!

Just got call from doctor to set pre-op for Dec. 21 with surgery on Dec. 29 (which I already knew) . . . pre-op diet is ten days with Slimfast . . . seems like most everybody has other protein shakes type things. . . should I be concerned about this? As I've said before, I'm scared--not by the surgery itself, but the life adjustments. I'm going to need your help, please! thanks. Barbara (I still can't get ticker to work right

Thanks for all who have posted . . . makes me feel good that I am not alone in this journey! I saw my surgeon yesterday and we've scheduled a DECEMBER 29 surgery date!!! I'm so happy about this and believe this is what's right for me. I want to be part of the December 2009 Bandster group and will join in the social area too. Your input, views, information, and support--is so good for me as this process begins. . . . As far as pre-op diet, just protein shakes for ten days prior to surgery. Thanks to all and I look forward to sharing and hearing from you all.:thumbup:

Nancy6015, our situation is about the same, weight, age. I will be 62 in January and am hoping for a January surgery date . . . see my doctor tomorrow. Many of my friends have let me know that this is not a good idea, but I feel like now is the time. . . as I'm a "young" 62 and have a lot to be gained by this . . . I haven't had heart attack but suffer from sleep apnea, high blood pressure, joint pain, and really bad depression. Let's keep in touch . . . good luck!!!:scared2:

I meet with my surgeon on Dec. 11 to get a surgery date --hoping for middle of January . . . however, my insurance approved it back in the summer with an approval expiraion date of Nov. 3 . .. well, I didn't have surgery prior to that date because of various reasons (not all tests were done and some preplanned travel during October) . . . anyhow the surgeon's admin person called today (although I had asked her in early November to get an extension date), to say that insurance needs more information from my primary physician to actually give me clearance for the surgery . . . They already approved it, so why the turnaround now with more infor needed . . . what do you think it up with this? Has this happend to any of you? Now I'm afraid it won't be approved and my worry/anxiety level is off the chart . . . let me hear from somebody, please ~!! :thumbup:

Hey Melissa. . . I'm new to this site too and am hoping for a mid-Jan. 2010 surgery date (see my doc next week). This site and postings have been very informative. I, too, am very sad and have been for so long . . . losing weight, gaining weight, then starting all over with this rollacoaster....this is not how I want to spend the rest of my life and it sounds like you don't either. Wishing you the best as you make your decision.barbara

Thanks for your post . . . hoping for a mid to late January surgery date and yes, I can't help but to think ahead as to what my January 2011 will be like!!! Very anxious, excited, scared, depressed--a lot of donflicting and different emotions all mixed together.

1.What is your current and goal weight? C-249, G-145 2.What is your surgery date? Hoping for mid Jan 2010 3.What is your age? 61 4.Where do you live? Northeast Georgia 5.Where are you having surgery? Emory, Atlanta 6.Who is your Doctor?? Srinivasin (sp?) 7.Insurance or self-pay? Ins (BS/BS HMO) 8.What was you "deciding factor" for having this surgery? I am so tired all the time and want to be healthier (PS: I'm not getting any younger!)