ausamerican33

I hope your surgery went well! How you had the band removed the first time? I had my band put in May 5th. The surgery/recovery sure wasn't fun - but it's the changing of my eating habits that is proving to be harder than anything else.

Yep, I did it! The band was put in yesterday! All went very well. I was so nervous about the IV, but they gave me a valium that morning, and then really, it wasn't bad at all. They gave me a local numbing shot before the IV, and it wasn't bad whatsoever. Then I just waited, and they wheeled me away, after some happy drugs through the IV. I remember them saying that they would be putting me under through meds in my IV and it would burn - and it sure did - but it was so fast and then I was gone. Woke up hurting, and they gave me pain meds. Then I just basically waited a few hours until I peed - their condition for going home, and then we went home. I have oxycodeine for pain and zofran for nausea, and have been taking them religiously. My port site is the most painful, and it kind of cramps up everytime I move. But water is going down just fine, and so is tea and broth and a popsicle. :thumbup:

Good for you for remaining strong!! Whenever someone would do that to me, I'd jokingly and in a funny way, say "sabateour!!!" I can't spell the word, but said with the right amount of humor, people see it as funny, but also back off. :thumbup: I had my band put on yesterday! It all went very well. Very sore tummy, but still bearable. And not hungry - what a weird and lovely sensation!! Good luck with your band and your last week of pre-op!

That sounds like a good list so far! I want to start a list, too, of things I need to do, food I need to buy, etc.

Hi there! I read in your other blog entry that you are only having a couple hundred calories a day - do you feel like your starving?? Or do you not feel hungry at all? I go in for surgery May 7th - I feel like I have so many random questions - the unknown is scary, but it helps to read about other people's experiences. Thanks for sharing! :thumbup:

..... and super nervous, excited, hopeful. All the things I'm sure most people go through before they make a major life change. I told my family about my decision to be banded - I was worried I'd have to really defend my position - but I didn't. They asked thoughtful questions, and I answered them the best I could.

I've had my psych visit (super easy), my nutritionist visit (interesting!) and met with my surgeon's resident. After all of that (and xrays for ankle issues, and a sleep study for sleep apnea), my insurance approved my the first time! I was surprised - I really thought they'd either flat out deny it, or it would be a back and forth issue to get there. My BMI has not been over 40 for 2 years - it's flucuated. However - I needn't have worried - it went smoothly. I feel like I've invested alot of money already with all these visits. My out of pocket was estimated at $2400 - that seems quite reasonable to me. Also, I can go on a payment plan (yippee!!).

Sorting out my emotional eating from my eating for hunger has been what I've been concentrating on. I def. eat out of boredom, stress, etc - and I hope, hope, hope I can stop doing this, in order to make the band work.

Right now, I've been eating quite healthfully, as my husband just got diagnosed with diabetes and high cholesterol. It's funny how it's easier to eat healthfully for someone else, but not just for myself. Something to ponder.

I'd love to hear back from others, and would be very interested in meeting people in the NC/Raleigh/Triangle area who are in a similar situation, or have already been banded. :tongue:

Take care and God Bless!

-Tracey