Bell1138

Has anyone had an abnormal GI. The tech. asked if I usually took a long time digesting my food. I am so worried that I might have something wrong that will prevent me from getting the surgery. He said the liquid I drank was taking a long time to empty. Please share any upper GI experiences.

I had my upper GI done today, and the tech said he saw a prolapse. He said he was not suppose to tell me, but he did. I really don't know what this means. I am worried I won't be albe to have the lap band surery. Anyone have this experience, please HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

I went for my upper GI today. The tech said that he was not suppose to tell me, but he let me see and I have a hietal hernia. I am not to worried because my bariatric surgeon he could repair the hernia during the lap band operation. The tech also told me that it looks like a have a prolapse. I don't know if he meant a stomach prolapse or a esopageal prolapse. He said the liquid I drank was taking a little long to get through. Has anyone else had this problem.

Oh by the way my surgeon does not require a pre-op diet , unless your BMI is over 50, mine is between 40 and 41, so I will not have to do a pre-op diet. I was kind of looking forward to doing one, I though it would be good to clean out my body, I will try to eat lighter the week of surgery.

I am getting banded on Feb. 11, 2010. I am really excited. Maybe we can share this our journey, since we will each being our journey around the same time. I wish you luck.

I am so excited, I will be bannded Feb. 11, 2010. I live in Miami, Florida. I am having the surgery because I have tried numerous times to try and lose the weight, and I don't have the commitment to stick to a diet for more that a couple of weeks. I know that if I don't get this done, I will just end up gaining more and more weight. I am so excited to see what the future holds. I am a little bit nervous about going under, but I don't even want to think about it because if I do, I won't want to have the surgery. I hope to be able to share this journey with everyone else that will be bannded in Feb. good luck.

I also have a data, I am so so so so so so so HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My date is Feb 11, 2010. I am so excited. My doctor only requires at pre-op diet if your BMI is over 50, I have a BMI of 40 or 41. This is going to be the longest month ever.

I am glad that there is someone out there that feels the same way I do. I find myself saying let me eat a lot of this now because after I get the lap band I won't be able to.

I am in the process of getting my lap band. I have an appt. with my surgeon this week. I have found that I am eating constantly, because I know that I will not be albe to eat much after I have the lap band. I find that I spend the entire day eating. Has anyone else had this problem?

I will be self paying my lap band surgery. I have an appt. with my surgeon on 1/13/10, the surgery coordinator told me that at my first appt. the doctor would tell my what pre-op testing he feels I need. I know that I will need a psy. eval, the surgeon stated at the seminar that everyone must have one. My question is what is the average cost of of the standard pre-op testing for the lap band, and were all these test done at the hospital or were they each done seperatly. I know the psy. eval is done seperatly. I would appreciate any info. Thanks in advance.

I was wondering if you are self pay and you pay to have the lap band surgery, and for some reason or other the band slips or their is a problem with the band, do you have to pay to have another surgery. I don't know how I would pay for any type of repair surgery, I am struggling to pay for the initial lap band surgery.

I finally went to the info. session today. I really liked the surgeon, he seemed very confident and sure of himself, which is a characteristic I really want in someone operating on me. The surgery coordinator was also at the seminar, and she said she would be calling me tomorrow to schedule and appt. with the surgeon for next week. The coordinator said that I would have a surgery date the day of my first appt. I am worried, yet excited at the same time. Wish me luck.

I really appreciate everyone's input. Thank you very much. It is not difficult to quit smoking for me, I usually only smoke if I am having a glass of wine or a beer, but it is not very difficult for me to let that go. What is difficult for me is to not be able to drink a glass of wine or a margarita every now and then. It is a bit overwhelming no alcohol, no cigarettes, no food. Exercise, exercise, excercise; is that what my new pass time is going to be?

Congrats, you must be so excited. I was wondering did your surgeon tell you how long before surgery you should not drink alcohol. Some people say 2 weeks, others say 4 weeks, 8 weeks, etc...

Want to be thin. I am glad that you are so honest, thank you. Does anyone know how long you have to stop drinking alcohol before the surgery. Just to be safe I am no longer going to smoke or drink.

I was reading some post online that say that the lap band might increase your risk or even cause esophageal dilation and esophageal cancer. Has anyone every heard this before? Also, has anyone experience difficulty swallowing because of the lap band.

I am a social smoker, which means I only smoke if I am at a get togethter or if I am having some drinks. The last cigarette I smoked was on New Year Eve. I do not plan on smoking every again not even socially, this is not a problem for me because I have spend days and even weeks without smoking, I know I am not addicted to cigarettes. My surgeon says that he will not operate on anyone unless they are without smoking for 2 months, wow I thought it would be around a month. Now this is going to prospone my surgery even more. My question is for those smokers, how long did you surgeon require that you quit smoking before surgery?

I really hope that the port does not show through the skin. I am planning on having single incesion lap band surgery. The surgery is done through your belly button. I hope to someday be able to wear a bikini again, so I really would not want the port to show; that is a bit weird.

I was wondering if anyone here has been banded in Miami, Fl, and if so who was your surgeon. I would appreciate is you would share your experience.

Anyone have their surgery done with MAC anesthesia? I was wondering if this is possible. Terrified of general anesthesia.

I keep on going back and forth about whether or not to get the surgery. I have had so many failed attempts to lose weight, and I am still young, I don't want to spend the rest of my life over weight. Every time I read the complications of the lap band surgery, it makes me so scared. I am so afraid of the surgery it self. I am scared of the anesthesia, I am scared of getting a blood clot, I am scared of everything associated with the surgery. I have two small children, and I am afraid that something will happen to me, but on the flip side I know it will feel so good once I lose the weight. Has anyone else had these feeling?

Thank you so much for your response. I could use any words of encouragement.

I have suffered from heart burn for years, and I have a very sensitive stomach that I have miss treated over the years. I am so afraid that maybe I have an ulcer or maybe I have an ulcerated esophagus. I really hope I pass all my pre op testing; I really want to get this surgery. Has anyone else had these worries before pre op testing?

Thanks for the response. I don't plan on smoking any more. I still have to go through the entire process in order to have the surgery, I think I atleast will have over a month before my surgery.

I was wondering if after losing the weight, is the port visible? Is it possible to wear a bikini without seeing the port, and can you feel the port.