April 2006 Bandits

nanahanna · March 17, 2006

Well, dang it! I am back to square one since Medicare only covers the surgery at Centers of Excellence and the Hospital I was going to use is not approved for that status yet. I stayed up til 2:00a.m. this mornign researching Centers of Excellence and Drs who will operate on patients with medicare within 4 hours of me.

picardy3 · March 17, 2006

Ok, the pre-op diet has officially begun. That was made very evident at our meeting this morning. We had a group meeting which was kind of neat. Two of us will be going in the same day! We were told that if Dr. Smith has too many problems fighting with your liver, then he will just close you up. Not what I want to happen.

Anyway, I'm really fighting head, body, spirit, etc. over carbs. meat and veggies just aren't cutting it yet. :hungry: :hungry: :hungry:

And why did the grocery store have to pipe the smell of fresh baked Cookies all over the place????? :) That was the pits. At least I went after lunch or I might have succumbed. I did my ritual of telling myself "you can't buy that". People do give you funny looks when you say it out loud.

Audra

Angels · March 17, 2006

My big day is April 4th!!!Praise GOD whom all blessings flow.

picardy3 · March 19, 2006

Ok all you April Bandsters, how's the pre-op diet coming along?

I am soooooooo wanting to eat anything that even LOOKS like a carb. I know that some of us are having to do liquids only and that I get to actually eat real food, but I'M HUNGRY!!!!!!

I'm drinking my Water (which I always drink a lot of anyway) and trying to distract myself, but sometimes it doesn't work.

Anybody got any ideas on what else I can do? Two weeks of this while trying to teach small children is going to be interesting. My mother is already praying that I won't hurt someone. :biggrin1:

UGH!!!!!!! :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry:

Audra

picardy3 · March 19, 2006

Ok all you April Bandsters, how's the pre-op diet coming along?

I am soooooooo wanting to eat anything that even LOOKS like a carb. I know that some of us are having to do liquids only and that I get to actually eat real food, but I'M HUNGRY!!!!!!

I'm drinking my Water (which I always drink a lot of anyway) and trying to distract myself, but sometimes it doesn't work.

Anybody got any ideas on what else I can do? Two weeks of this while trying to teach small children is going to be interesting. My mother is already praying that I won't hurt someone. :biggrin1:

UGH!!!!!!! :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry: :hungry:

amourette · March 19, 2006

Wow, I see we have a couple more 'bandits' for April, will add you to the list and keep us informed if you can of how it goes.

Picardy3, I thought of you on Friday going for your appointment, see I am jealous that you have started your pre-op diet 'cos it means you are closer to your date, I still have about 10 days to go before mine starts and I am stuffing all the food in my sight, did you have that problem also? You will get thru', 'cos you can come on here and talk to us!! Maybe you could write a list in large writing and stick on your wall, in your purse why you are doing this and look at it every hour..........I know I am all talk, as I really don't see how I am going to get thru' my pre-diet of 4 Protein shakes only a day, my mom said she would do it with me for encouragement but balked when she heard what I could only have, um, don't think she is joining me now, hehehe!!!!! Do you need any ideas from us for Protein meals?

Nanahanna, sorry about your news, I understand, I have to pay fully for my own op, my medical will cover perhaps $4k if I am lucky, but I am up for about $10k myself out of my own pocket, so it has been a bit decision for me to undertake. In Australia it is covered fully by medical insurance, they are soooo lucky.

I had a hard weekend, i will post more in next message in a few hours as I have to go and do some errands, but it really got me down about my weight.

So hi to you all!!! Thinking of you

:biggrin1: :clap2:

picardy3 · March 20, 2006

Picardy3, I thought of you on Friday going for your appointment, see I am jealous that you have started your pre-op diet 'cos it means you are closer to your date, I still have about 10 days to go before mine starts and I am stuffing all the food in my sight, did you have that problem also? You will get thru', 'cos you can come on here and talk to us!! Maybe you could write a list in large writing and stick on your wall, in your purse why you are doing this and look at it every hour..........I know I am all talk, as I really don't see how I am going to get thru' my pre-diet of 4 Protein shakes only a day, my mom said she would do it with me for encouragement but balked when she heard what I could only have, um, don't think she is joining me now, hehehe!!!!! Do you need any ideas from us for Protein meals?

:biggrin1: :clap2:

Hey all!

Things are much better today. The carb withdrawals seem to be almost over. The crockpot has made the house smell so good. It's full of carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, and stew meat. lunch is now ready for the week. Just have to figure out the Snacks that I can take to work with me.

amourette,

My mother laughed when I asked if she wanted to do this diet with me. Oh, well, I tried. :confused:

Tomorrow will be two weeks 'til my surgery date. I'm beginning to get excited. I will get to shop in regular stores again, I won't mind trying on clothes, I won't have to pay almost $2000 a year for prescriptions. Yeah, I'm ready to spend that money on something else.

Audra

Jen RN · March 21, 2006

hi everyone, jen from wichita kansas here.

i am scheduled for surgery april 3rd. i start my preop diet this friday and i am totally freaking out. i am soooo anxious about having surgery. i have not even had stiches before. i am last suppering it bad in fact i have gained about 6-7 pds since i got my date. i wish i could just my mouth shut. oh well i have high hopes for some weight loss during the preop. good luck everybody!

picardy3 · March 21, 2006

We're being banded on the same day!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Are you excited yet? :biggrin1: How's the pre-op diet going? :hungry: I actually get to eat food and not just liquids, but I'm consuming so much more Water than I usually do that I'm having a hard time staying out of the bathroom. Makes it difficult when you teach.

I went this evening and bought a few of the necessities that I will need after surgery, so I'm hoping I'm just about through buying.

I did the same thing with the last supper syndrome. Between the time that everything was submitted and I found out that I was approved by insurance, I kind of went nutso with the meals. Luckily that's all in check now. There's not anything I would eat right now if it meant that Dr. Smith couldn't put my band in on the 3rd.

Good luck and let me know how things are going.

Audra

nanahanna · March 21, 2006

Amourette, thanks! I may not get there with y'all in April but I have found another surgeon who accepts medicare patients in Louisiana and they will find out May 2 if their committee decides to approve medicare patients for lapband surgery. So....I may be in late May or June! I am going to another seminar next week and getting the ball rolling with the requirements his office has told me they need and I'll be ready when they get the word! Go bandsters!

amourette · March 21, 2006

Hi Angelu, welcome to the April group.........wow, another one getting banded in the first week........... and Indababy......and JenR!!!!

nanahanna, hope you will check in with us and let us know when you do get the go-ahead.

Picardy3..........I am thinking of you and your crockpot;)

Well gang, when I rang up to make an appointment to pick up my pre-op diet drinks the nurse said I may not be able to be flying before the op, as you probably know by now I am a long-haul flight attendant and this just isn';t an option for me.......I have to break for 4 weeks as it is from flying after op and have a mortgage to pay by myself on top of that!!!!! So waiting with bated breath to see what will happen, if I can't fly so close beforehand I am going to try and push my date forward a week, so I may be with the 10th -15th April group also........will let you know! Having to be grounded from my job has made me realise how big a thing this all is, and how important it is and how much I need to want it..........one of my distance kind of relatives comented on my weight and didn't I have to be skinny to be flying as a job, it got me so down and depressed after, I wish I had had the guts to be rude back to her........I mean I used to be skinny, and I am really good at my job........still hurts a bit!:phanvan

sandraann · March 21, 2006

hi good luck all you april bandsters,i was lucky didnt have to do a preop diet,

amourette where in NZ are you from,we go over quite often to auckland as we have family luv it was married there

sandra......

Eficka · March 21, 2006

Hi everybody,:update:

tomorrow is starting the big mess with the pre op exams. I have to undergo gastroscopy (yuck-they will stick some tube to my stomach) then sonography, dietecian and another appointment with my doctor. Has anybody had the gastroscopy? I am afraid of it, I can imagine how I take the tube out or something :eek: They wont knock me out completly, just some kind of local anesthesia.

And I hope that tomorrow I get my surgery DATE:)

Im basically on preop diet already for a month, but its not only liquids, its normal food (no junk food ofcourse), just smaller portions. They want me to lose as much weight as possible. I already lost 10pounds. I cant wait to get the band and start losing a lot of weight.

Good luck to all of you and keep us updated

nanahanna · March 21, 2006

Efrica, I believe it is an EGD (esophagogastroduodenoscopy) that you will undergo. I will have to have one too. I know many many people who have had it done and said it is not bad at all. They anesthetize your throat and have you swallow a tiny little light that is attached to a tube and then they are able to push it down into your esophagus on into the duodenum which I think is right at the opening of your stomach to see if your esophagus and duodenum are healthy with no problems, strictures, ulcers etc. You are sedated so you barely are aware enough to "swallow" when they tell you to. Good luck....I know you can handle it!

amourette · March 22, 2006

Hi all:cry I'm so sad today, just had a few tears. My health insurance rang to say I didn't fit the criteria for financial help, it was only $4000 but it was a lot to help with the $15K fee that I am facing............am a bit heartbroken as I really thought there would be no problem, am surprised doctor said there would be no problem, surely he sends enough of these evaluations off to know what will get thru' and what won't.

I will go ahead with my op but it means I will be financially strapped even more, damn it!!! How did all us other bandsters get their ops financed would love to hear.........other than that hope you are all well, hi Picardy3, hope you are getting thru' your days fine!:hungry: