Hi all....

To start us off....Ill begin with a little about myself.

I had joined the thread Feb Bandsters...however...Ive been booted to March...as I am being treated for sleep apnea....so I needed to push back surgery date from Feb 8th to March 15th..hoping it stays there!!

Im hoping to connect with others that are on a similar time frame for surgery, for support, advice, education, encouragement and just to shoot the breeze...to share experiences from the first consult if needed to way after being banded...lets get together and share this journey the good, bad and the ugly of it all!!

so.....lets get to know you....by answering some questions that was asked of me before....im passing them on through this group....it was a great beginning. Ill start.

Date of Surgery: March 16th

Where Surgery will be: NY

Doctor/Center: New York Bariatric Group

Dr. Holover/Manhasset

Seminar date: January 2009

1st consult date: Dec 30th, 2009

2nd consult: Feb 3rd, 2010

Consults and tests completed: Cardiologist. Pulmonologist, Endocronologist, Sleep Study, Nutritionist, Endoscopy

Tests still needed: Psych test

How is surgery funded? Insurance

Concerns? How will I ever be able to re-educate my brain to eat differently

Reason for banding? See thread in "Introductions"for NYSparklegirl.

Hi I am being banded March 12, 2010 and the time doesn't seem like it is flying by fast enough, but I know it will be here some day :wink:

I'm 38, mother of 2 boys, an LPN in nursing school as we speak to get my RN. On November 6th, 2009 I herniated my L4 disc and have been in and out of agony ever since. My doctor suggested I take off at least 100 pounds, but told me that it would all have to be done by diet or at least until I could get the pressure off my spinal nerves, yeah RIGHT!!!

Anyways, all I am waiting on now is for my income tax return to get here as I am flying in to El Paso and going into Juarez MX for my surgery to be performed by Dr. Jose Rodriguez as I do not have insurance and his reputation seems pretty good. I am using BeLiteWeight to facilitate my surgery and they are very nice.

My biggest problem with my weight seemed to come after my children were born and I had double oopherectomy operations after tubal pregnancies. I just started racking up the weight until I am so out of shape, my metabolism is shot, and I can't seem to get it off. My weight gain is making me hurt everywhere and I am to the point I won't look at myself in a mirror anymore.

My S.O. is a little reluctant and thinks I might leave him after I lose the weight, but with reassurance he is actually starting to get excited and showing me a lot more support. My family, who is all in the medical field, are very hard headed and continue to believe that I should just eat right and exercise and it will come off and feel that what I am doing is a bit self-serving and I could use the money somewhere else.

I will be very happy to join the March-banders and wish each and everyone of you the best of luck!!

I am really really sorry...I did get it the SN wrong..I am so sorry!

I am hoping for a March date! I finish with all of my pre-op tests on 2-15-10.

I don't remember all the questions, I have CRS lol.

I am a biker

I am 44, female

I weigh 240 and 5'5"

I am having surgery march 19th tentativly.

I am paying myself as my insurance thinks a 39.9 bmi needs to wait another year?

I am having surgery in Mexico.

I broke my leg in November and decided that I had had enough and it was time to do this.

I have two sons, one is 19 in February and he is very excited that I am going to be losing weight and as he puts it "it's about time!"

My 14 year old is very supportive and moved schools recently and joined the weightlifting class there and actually is wanting me to lift weights with him and teases me all the time about drinking Protein shakes for muscle mass :thumbup:

My S.O. is coming around and I think is very excited about the proposition of a new woman lying next to him, and I'm not meaning another woman :thumbup:

I just can't wait to get started, but at the same time, it seems like there is a lot for me to prepare. I have been ordering different Protein Shakes over the past few weeks and stock piling so that I have what I need when I have to start the pre-op diet and for the weeks after surgery.

I found out from the girls in nursing school that they've got my back, as far as lifting, when I come back to school after Spring Break, so that is very reassuring. I was worried about my school telling me "sorry but if you can't lift, than you'll have to wait until next semester to finish up!!"

Right now it seems like I'm just waiting for all of my funds to come in so that I can get things together, and so far the income tax return isn't here, but it should be soon and the process of getting things sent in, tests done, and finalizing my travel arrangements will all come to full circle.

Anyways, I hope that all of us March bandsters can keep in touch and share our experiences and offer each other support, because it definitely is needed.

I finally got my approval, YEAH! Spoke to the Doctor's office (already had consult) and they will not schedule me for surgery until I see the nutionist and the nurse is diligently trying to work me into the schedule. I know the dtr is about 4 weeks out, so if I see the nutrionist in 2 weeks then it will be the middle of March that I can probably say I will have the surgery done.

I have learned so much from this website, and will continue to use it as a tool for the balance of my journey.

I will be having my surgery in Champaign/Urbana IL at Carle Hospital with Dr. Oliphant doing the surgery.

Is there anyone else from Champaign/Urbana area doing this also?

I am hoping for a March date! I finish with all of my pre-op tests on 2-15-10.

Good Luck....Hope it all works out!!!

I finally got my approval, YEAH! Spoke to the Doctor's office (already had consult) and they will not schedule me for surgery until I see the nutionist and the nurse is diligently trying to work me into the schedule. I know the dtr is about 4 weeks out, so if I see the nutrionist in 2 weeks then it will be the middle of March that I can probably say I will have the surgery done.

I have learned so much from this website, and will continue to use it as a tool for the balance of my journey.

I will be having my surgery in Champaign/Urbana IL at Carle Hospital with Dr. Oliphant doing the surgery.

Is there anyone else from Champaign/Urbana area doing this also?

Yea you! Glad to hear that your pretty much on the way!

As for as the nurtritionist and psychologist they were also really busy and booked for about a month when wanted to see them at the center..so needed to find someone and theirs did not take insurance anyways...

so, I just picked one from the list of providers on my insurance plan which is oxford and started calling the numbers closest to where I lived...and asked "do you do consults for the lap band who had the next apt available closest. lol

Turns out I liked the one I picked and am now seeing her on a reg basis.

I did this for the psych eval as well...as far as the other consults that involve med tests etc I went to whom my surgeon recommended. food for thought.

Glad you joined......

Jodi

Hey everyone... Just a reminder that we all should join the "Spring into March 2010 Bandsters" social group so that we have a convenient place to stay in contact and support each other... :-) With Feb starting on Monday, March is just around the corner!!! :biggrin:

Hi Everyone,

It looks like I will be a March Bandster as well. Just got my insurance approval letter on Saturday (took a year with CIGNA), boy did they put me through the hoops.

I called the surgeon's office this morning and the office gal was busy scheduling other surgeries so she is going to call me tomorrow. I'm not telling anyone I'm having the surgery. I also plan on only taking 3-4 days vacation as work is very precarious right now and we may be having lay-offs later (another reason to do this while I still HAVE health insurance).

Reason I am having the surgery is HBP, diabetes, high cholesterol. I'm 5'5" 209lbs. I had gotten down to 201 before Xmas but have been stress eating like crazy this month.

Nice to see others will be in March as well! good luck to all!!

Hi all...nice to see all the new people joining us March bandsters...

It has been such a crazy week for me....I got my CPAP machine last wednesday and it seems that I am so nurvous that Im not using it correctly that I keep waking up every so often to see that the mask is on right.

I hope by the end of this week things will get better because I could really use some sleep. lol

I found out that my clearance letter from the endocronologist had faxed a letter to my surgeon without sending me one...so ive been hounding him to send one and he allready had....on the other hand I thought the psychologist sent his letter and he didnt....when all this is over the hardest thing about it better be this process of getting all these consults. l

Wednesday I finish the two week Prev Pac...ive been sick to my stomach from not just one antibiotic but two. This Hpylol bug best be dead by the time the treatment is over....wednesday...or I will just scream.

I thought I was finished with all the tests and consults and I found out that I might need a echocardiagram and stress test because im older then 40...but my cardiologist didnt think it was necessarary...I think ill let him and the surgeon figure it out and just let me know what to do when they do that!

Going to a support group this Thursday...patient education group....before hand, that should be interesting.

After this all......and not sleeping.....im tired!!

so im going to sleep...I hope all is well with everyone and things go smoothly with all consults, insurance glitches and tests for everyone.

have a great week.....

Jodi

Hi, everyone. I'm hoping to be banded in March. I find out at the end of this month. I live in Texas and have BC/BS Texas.

First doctor visit Dec. 14, 2009

Nutrition visits Dec 28 and Jan 25

psych visit Jan 7

pre op visit with surgeon 2/24

No pre-op studies ordered at this time. My insurance requires 3 months of medically supervised weight loss.

I can't wait!!

Hi, everyone. I'm hoping to be banded in March. I find out at the end of this month. I live in Texas and have BC/BS Texas.

First doctor visit Dec. 14, 2009

Nutrition visits Dec 28 and Jan 25

psych visit Jan 7

pre op visit with surgeon 2/24

No pre-op studies ordered at this time. My insurance requires 3 months of medically supervised weight loss.

I can't wait!!

Hi Camile...welcome....I hope you get banded in March as well....what ever date....we will support you!!

How is everything going? consults, tests etc.

Let us know......

Jodi

Hi,

First off I want to say that this has been a very informative site. I have been reading the posts and am thankful for the information that everyone has posted.

I am scheduled for surgery on March 12, 2010. I atteded the seminar in November of 2009, Had my first visit with Dr. Fox on December 14th. I had to gather a lot medical information which was pretty easy. I had my psych consult, and had my sleep test done. I do have mild sleep apnea, but will not effect my surgery date. On Feb 23rd I will have the remaining test (ekg's, pulmonary etc.) March 4th I will meet with the nutritionist and begin my 10 day liquid diet....can't say i'm looking forward to it, but it will be just fine. I look forward to more posts from the March Bandsters.

How do I join this thread? I'm a March 15th Bandster. Are there others?

thanks!

Hi,

My surgery is scheduled for March 22nd. It can't come soon enough. I am so ready.

My surgery will be in Richmond, CA.

My doctor is Doctor Baggs.

Insurance: Kaiser

Seminar date: Nov. 6, 2009

Orientation: Jan. 21

Met Surgeon: Jan. 27

Psych Evaluation: Jan. 27

Tests: EKG, Blood work

Reason for banding: I am tired of being fat and tired of working so hard at dieting and getting nowhere.

Concerns: I am just hoping that everything goes as planned and that this will be the tool that finally works.