November Bandsters!

[AngelaT 2]

Jackye I got your message...tahnks. I wrote to cathy and said we are friends and want that special....2 weeks ago they got your history?

[AZA 0]

Well I received disappointing news today. My surgery has been postponed because my pre-op blood tests showed I have anemia. I've been anemic on and off for the past several years but never really got into finding out the cause of it. Now my surgeon refuses to operate because my hemoglobin levels are too low.

On the positive side, he's referring me to a specialist to finally figure this out. I think I might have uterine fibroids because I have abnormally heavy periods. I hope to resolve this quickly and get my surgery soon!

[L8BloomR 1]

WOW, lots of soon-to-be-banded people here..... we will be quite a support group!! Am I the only person who does not have to be on a pre-op fast? I only have to fast the day before surgery....clear liquids. I am feeling guilty when I read about the stuff everyone else has to do. Hang in there!

[L8BloomR 1]

Aza, so sorry to hear your surgery got postponed, but glad that you will hopefully find out the reason for your anemia. You will probably feel alot better when it is resolved and more up for surgery. Good luck and keep us posted on your test results!

Karen

[Laurba 0]

I got my surgery date today, November 20th as long as my insurance comes through, which it should. I am excited!!

[helensmith 0]

Hi all , just wanted to update I finally found doc close by for psyc consult have apt tues, got cardio on fri, and still waiting for cat scan, sometimes I just want to give up , but i read your struggles and how great your doing, and say I can do this , but please someone tell me why it takes so dam long for the insurance to give permission, its like they are waiting for you to say the hell with it with all the pre test and trials , but im not giving in, I just hope after next week they give me a date soon. How long does it take usually to find out after all test results are in can any one answer that?:smow: no ciggs for a week now doing great with that too.

[kym828 0]

DeniseC who is your doc? i am also scheduled for Nov 2nd. i am suppose to start the pre-op diet 7 to 10 days prior to surgery. i find myself going to all these places i know i wont be able to eat at for awhile... i will have to stop that soon!! good luck to you!

[AngelaT 2]

Welcome all of you who are new!!!! Hi Karen.... I was also told only one day clear but I think I will do 2 days of full liquids...smoothies, blended low fat Soups, etc... and then the clear liquids....I want to make sure my liver shrinks enough! AZA good luck with your tests! Make sure you are eating green leafy veggies and enough Protein and B vitamins....take care!

[L8BloomR 1]

Hi Angela.... you are so brave to do the fast an additional day! I WAS doing pretty good trying to diet these last weeks, but I am fighting that "last supper" mentality: "hmmmmm, I better eat this now because I won't be able to later....." :hungry:

How is everyone else doing with that? I hate it...I will be glad when I am banded and can change my focus. 3 weeks from today----YEAH !!!!!

Karen

[Veggestyle 0]

Hey Laurba,

I have the same scheduled surgery date as you do! Good luck with everything!

[Veggestyle 0]

I personally have to do a ten day liquid day and personally in a way I am looking forward to the challenge...but ask me how I feel about it after a few days in...I hear that the average person loses about 20 pounds while doing the liquid diet. I guess that it is important to do this so your liver shrinks in order to make the surgery more successful.

[Inner_me 1]

Hi ladies! I'm back. I just realized I didn't say who my surgeon was. It's Dr. Cahill in Oak Lawn, IL (Chicago area).

As for the liquid diet, they require 1 week prior to surgery and SIX weeks after. I'm hoping this "liquid" is figurative language... I went to a herbalist a few years back, who put me on a 5 day juice, special tea, Protein liquid diet...and let me tell you, at MIDNIGHT of the last day...I was eating baked fish. I wonder if it was because I was TRULY hungry and my fast was over, or because at the strike of the clock I also turned 30...LOL. You know at 29 and single, you think your life is over...and just 3 years in, I realize it's just beginning.

As for the herbalist's program, it was designed to clean out the toxins that were in my system. He did allow us to eat fruit (my Dad started going to him, too, but not for weight...no matter what you needed, Doc wanted you to detoxify yourself)...I took that to mean one piece, so each day I had a little red apple. WHEW, it was the best thing ever - when you go cold turkey on liquids, it felt like fine dining. I treated it like my dinner every night, and couldn't wait to get home. I was on his "change of lifestyle" eating program for 5 months, lost 35 to 40 lbs but eventually became discouraged. I had NEVER lost that much before, and I now realize my discouragement was caused by a plateau...and now that I think about it, my plateau started when I added exercise to the program. Of course, I've gained that back plus 5 to 10 lbs.

As for the anemia...I'm so sorry to hear about those who's surgeries are being postponed. Actually, you've been scaring me. Anemia runs in my family, and I've been put on prescription Iron in the past. Sort of weaned myself off of them and on to over the counter Iron, just to make sure my numbers are good. So far, my Dr hasn't hollered at me. Hmmmm, maybe I should double up for a week or two. Whenever I get overly tired my mother, who is anemic and an RN, has a fit and tells me the over the counter isn't strong enough for me - double up for a week or two. I'll have to give this some thought, and check my last test. If the numbers were low, I'll do it. Because, while not getting enough iron is bad for you...getting TOO much is also bad.

Quick note: I wouldn't recommend anyone do it, unless your physician recommends it.

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Chris

[Inner_me 1]

I was SO busy sharing about my past experience with liquid diets and anemia...that I forgot to mention that my old doctor's office FINALLY gave me the papers that was holding up my surgery.

Now, I'm just waiting for the actual surgery date. Keep your fingers crossed for me - that there is still an opening in November. For those who didn't know, in September I was given an October date, but then paperwork held up my insurance approval....I'm talking a four week delay, but that's behind me now. I think, and this is a good suggestion for everyone, from here forward, before I switch doctor's offices, I'm going to ask for a complete copy of my medical records. That the soon to be "old" doctor has on file. My documents, my right.

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Chris

[AZA 0]

As for the anemia...I'm so sorry to hear about those who's surgeries are being postponed. Actually, you've been scaring me. Anemia runs in my family, and I've been put on prescription Iron in the past. Sort of weaned myself off of them and on to over the counter Iron, just to make sure my numbers are good. So far, my Dr hasn't hollered at me. Hmmmm, maybe I should double up for a week or two. Whenever I get overly tired my mother, who is anemic and an RN, has a fit and tells me the over the counter isn't strong enough for me - double up for a week or two. I'll have to give this some thought, and check my last test. If the numbers were low, I'll do it. Because, while not getting enough iron is bad for you...getting TOO much is also bad.

Chris, is your doctor not running blood tests for you prior to surgery? It's better to be safe than sorry - I was told being anemic put me at increased risk for cardiac problems while under anasthesia.

How much iron is in your prescription? I'm taking over-the-counter iron at 300 mg a day. My doctor never mentioned a prescription - he said the next step was getting it via a needle in the rear! Yikes...I never should have stopped taking my pills.

[AngelaT 2]

Hi,

I have been crying all afternoon...the U.S. office staff of the doc I was going to use in MX is not very nice. The physician is excellent, but they leave much to be desired. Calls not being taken care of in a timely manner, they get irritated with many questions, and the coordinator forgot what it used to feel like to be fat! She is now hard and snobby and not compassionate at all. They did not like that I kept asking why things were not being done...like why hasn't a doc called to get my history when the surgery is only a coiuple of weeks ahead. Of course already i was anxious with the surgery, but with so much uncertainty and questions not being answered my anxiety went through the roof. A health prefessional should know how to deal with anxious patients. Instead I was scolded harshly like a child and told I was rude and that maybe they should not do the surgery. That I was not ready...she is Not a psychologist... She said she did not want to send any more rude americans to MX!! I could not believe my ears. I am so not rude in most cases...anxious, yes I have been, but they just needed to be compassionate! My job is to take care and help others and I try to be compassionate even with those patients who have been rude and aggresssive and even physically aggressive at times...hospyals are like that...besides I am from Latin America and know better than to be rude, especially down there!

I called my second choice, which should have been my first! They are soooo nice!!!!!! within one hour they had sent me the pre-op questionaire and all the info I could possibly need. WHAT A DIFFERENCE...I COULD FEEL THE WARMTH and Compassion! On top of it all I will be saving $2,000!

Sorry for the venting, but it hit me really hard, I did not think that professionals would act like this with an anxious patient.

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