Interested in having a get together?

Hi Vinny,

Glad to meet you.

Being nervous is normal, but know you are in good hands!

Learn as much as you can, be educated about as much as you can.

Ask questions, everyone here and at the doctors office is available to answer your questions.

Amanda is so right ... start practicing some of the bandster practices now and it will be second nature afterwards.

I am usually calm as a cucumber, but I will tell you I was so nervous while I was in the holding room before going to the OR, I was shaking!

My husband said he never saw me so nervous!

My nerves were unfounded! But normal!

I did great and so will you!!

I had my 1st post op appointment this morning.

I was seen by Diedre H PA and she was great!

She answered my questions... here's a slight shock I had a mesh hernia repair, though I and Dr Geiss knew I had an small umbilical hernia, and I would say most of my preop pain was in that area , not to mention my umbilicus was more black than blue! I just figured they were looking around with the scope and that was the cause but I was going to ask.

I never had to, Diedre told me right off!

I also previously had mentioned here that I didn't get an Implant Card and she went right out and got me one, and it's the correct one for my AP Band.

So now I am finally graduated to the soft diet.

dinner this evening ... 3 really small mushed up meatballs with sauce.

SO YUMMY!! LOL!

I am so looking forward to a nice piece of flaked fish this weekend!

I was nervous before i got there but then once I was there i knew I was doing the right thing. My wife said she knew it to because i was relaxed while I was laying there waiting. I got this feeling that whatever was to come I was at peace with because I couldn't keep going the way I was. L.I.J. was great to me and I had Dr Geiss. I started at 316 on 4/15/08 liquids and lost 11lbs by 4/21/08 my surgery date. As of today 5/22/08 I am at 278lbs or 38lbs and feel great. I start solid food on Sunday I can't wait. The time goes fast after so don't sweat it. Follow the diet as close as possible and you will be all right. Good luck to all that are approaching your date and come to terms with yourself and say am I going to be better off than I am now. Big Dawg in Lindy:thumbup:

We should all try and attend a support group together. I'd love to meet everyone.

The only meeting I've been to was the required pre-op group at the Ritz Club.

Have you guys been attending the monthly meetings at Dr Geiss' office? If so, do you find you get anything out of it?

It's a 45 minutes drive and I just never get the motivation to go :crying:

We should all try and attend a support group together. I'd love to meet everyone.

The only meeting I've been to was the required pre-op group at the Ritz Club.

Have you guys been attending the monthly meetings at Dr Geiss' office? If so, do you find you get anything out of it?

It's a 45 minutes drive and I just never get the motivation to go :crying:

i was at the last meeting at the ritz club... i think that was the 6th.... a tuesday. i didnt know there were meetings at docs office

There is a meeting for banded under a year on the third Tuesday of each month and for banded over a year on the fourth Tues. The ones at the Ritz are general information and maybe a past patient speaking about his/her experience. Meetings are $20.00 and held at Syosset Hosp.

I went to the one in April. There were about 20 people from 6 months out to one month out. The meeting is run by the nutritionist or psychologist. I actually got more out of talking with folks after the meeting. Bumping around ideas,suggestions and advice.

You got a small plastic bag when you were released from the hospital with lapband stuff there should have been a coupon from the Dr for a free support group meeting. If not ask for one at the office.

There is also a group that meets in North Port with some folks that get together on the first Wed. Mixed group of about 8-10 people. Different Drs.

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!!

thank you all,

i am very excited about this, i have gone to the meeings at the ritz, and should be going to june's meeting,,, My fear comes from the un knowning, and change. even if for the good, i am in a great mind set, and cant wait to i get a date....

thx to all

Thanks Amanda

20 people is a decent amount.

So I just tried to schedule the appt with my PCP for clearance and the receptionist told me that I had to wait until I got a surgery date!!

I thought after all my testing that the results would just go to my PCP, she'd review them and would clear me. Now they say that I have to wait until I have a surgery date and then call the PCP to schedule MORE bloodwork before they can clear me.

I've already had bloodwork, and with the battery of tests I'm doing wouldn't that be enough?

Is this right? Do I have to wait to have a surgery date to get cleared from my PCP?

BTW-I tried calling Dr. Geiss' office just now but they are closed for lunch. I thought I would post here hoping to get a reply soon! :sad:

msjessy- yep that is correct. You will need to see you PCP within 7 day before your surgery. It is a hospital requirement. You will need to get blood work done if it is older then 3 months. NY state requires all women having surgery to have a pap test done within a year of surgery. So you will need that also maybe. When you go for the Pre Op testing at the hospital (about 3 days before surgery) you will have a blood test (pregnancy, type, Xmatch), urine, EKG (if you haven't had one within 3 months) and meet with an anesthesiologist and nurse to cover the basics of the procedure.

Hope this helps.

I wanted to see how you are doing after a year. I am also 39 year old commack resident going to Dr. Geiss.Any info you can give would be great

I just got my date with Dr. Geiss. I couldn't do July so I picked Aug. 28th They are scheduleing for the 3rd week in july.

This is amazing to me ...after all the tests and bloodwork I can't believe it's required to have additional tests 7 days before the proceedure!! If this appeal doesn't go well there is no way I can afford this out of pocket.

You folks are blessed that your insurance companies covered you. Feel grateful...for the rest of us with companies like Cigna and a BMI just shy of 40 it's tourture and feels like a dangling carrot.

Or at best a waste of time and money!!

elisa - Good luck!! We have almost the same surgery date, one year apart. Mine was 8/27/07 with Dr Geiss!

Sooverit - I'm sorry that you are having a hard time with insurance stuff. I know how frustrating it is. I spent quite a bit in co-pays, out of pocket shrink & nutritionist, etc ... BUT look at where I am now!!

I had to buy a self pay plan with GHI to cover my band because my insurance thru work had a WLS exclusion. GHI is an option for anyone in NY. The plan was $415 per month. Let me know if you need any info or help. I don't know anything about their policy on lower BMI's though.