Hi everyone, I would like for all of us in Ohio to start talking and getting to know how we are doing with our Lapband or if your are thinking about having the surgery, how things are going for you.

I had my surgery Oct. 18, 2006 and I have lost 30# so far. I wish it would be more but hey at least I'm losing and not gaining. I really haven't had any problems with my lapband. I have had two fills so far and I think I might need another one when I go back to my Dr. in January. I chose not to tell anyone about getting the band except for my parent's, not even my two grown sons. You see I have failed at so many attempts in losing weight that I didn't want the pressure of everyone watching me and feeling that I would be under a microscope. For the first time in many years I do feel in control and I know that I can make it happen and finally win this battle that I have been fighting for so many years. Don't get me wrong I know that it's not going to be easy but at least now I have a tool that I know will help me get there because it has already started me on my way.

I hope to here from some of my Ohio bandster family, because I really do care how you all are doing, I feel that we could be such a help to each other.

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday and I am looking forward to a fantastic New Year.:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Hi Paige,

Testing went well and we learned a lot. Wish we could have had lunch with you girls. Maybe in March...

My daughter and I both are now getting very nervous. She has never been put under or been in a hospital. I did have to have a filter put in my neck last Thursday just in case I get any blood clots. That was a little weird. He put it in my neck and it goes down toward my legs in the stomach area. I bruised behind my ear pretty bad, but not on the neck where he put it in.

What did you eat the day before your surgery? Its nice that we didn't have to do a liquid diet

I have bought gas x tablet, my vitimans, my protein powder and I still need to go get some gause and tape. SF jello, SF pudding, Sf Popcycles and broth. Am I missing anything? Just say a prayer for us. Hope everyone else is doing great! :clap2:

Hi Paige,

Testing went well and we learned a lot. Wish we could have had lunch with you girls. Maybe in March...

My daughter and I both are now getting very nervous. She has never been put under or been in a hospital. I did have to have a filter put in my neck last Thursday just in case I get any blood clots. That was a little weird. He put it in my neck and it goes down toward my legs in the stomach area. I bruised behind my ear pretty bad, but not on the neck where he put it in.

What did you eat the day before your surgery? Its nice that we didn't have to do a liquid diet

I have bought gas x tablet, my vitimans, my protein powder and I still need to go get some gause and tape. SF jello, SF pudding, Sf Popcycles and broth. Am I missing anything? Just say a prayer for us. Hope everyone else is doing great! :clap2:

Hey Debbie:

Okay, don't know about the filters but I can tell you the anesthesia is a breeze. I've been put under more than a 1/2 dozen times and it's just going to sleep. You just take a breath and then you wake up in a different place (your post-op bed). I ate taco bell the night before and stopped eating around 9p altogether. I was STARVING by the time I went in to surgery because my procedure was delayed and we didn't start until 2p the next day.

I didn't buy protein powder or popcicles. I only bought a little soup, oatmeal and pudding. I did buy glucerna and slim-fast supplements. Quite honestly, what I bought I didn't even use except for the pudding. I gave away all the supplements and I still have the broth and soup. When you leave the hospital you're on full liquids. So, I got away with milk, pudding, oatmeal. I ended up back in the hospital (as you know) and spent mostly the next two weeks NPO (nothing by mouth) entirely. But, when I left hospital after my gall bladder surgery, I had graduated to soft foods and was on real food within three days after that.

So, have fun and don't sweat it. It should be a breeze. The gas pain hurts like hell (in my opinion) and the Gas-X did nothing. I just kept using my pain killer and burped/*&*(& as often as possible!! Oh, and walk, walk, walk. The walking is ESSENTIAL and REALLY makes a difference. I walked at least 20 laps in the hospital after both surgeries.

I start working out next week and my weight loss has slowed to only 1.5 pounds per week which is exactly what I want - I want it to go slow for a number of reasons. Well, take care and stay in touch. As far as I know, I'll be coming still in March. Depends on whether I'm still losing - I may not need the next fill. Talk to you later and good luck.

Disco Diva...Why did the dr put a filter in? Are you prone to DVT's(blood clots?) I have seen that done several times but usually only if the patient has had a history of them. They also do it postop if the patient develops them and they are not responding well to heprin therapy. It is good that he thought about it. That is a wonderful filter that has saved several lives. Surgery will be a brease for you. Worst part is the sore throat after from the intibation and the gas pains. Just walk walk walk and did I say walk. The more you walk the less the gas pains will be noted. More you lay around the more it just settles in your back, shoulders, neck or chest and it isnt a feeling that I can tell you first hand is pleasant! Wishing you and your daughter the best of luck!

Paige....glad that you are doing better. Too bad its not the same as when you had a major surgery and they removed the galbladder at that time. Insurance wont cover it anymore.

Lisa...how are you feeling? anybetter?

Oh yeah....sorry I almost forgot....

Carolyn....are things getting any better for you as the time goes by? Wish you a speedy recovery!

I am scheduled to be banded tomorrow by Dr. Schumacher. I'm a little nervous, and think I may have read a few toooo many postings. I am not anticipating any problems. I got myself into this body and now I am making plans to get out of it. Wish me the best! ROSIEG

I am doing fantastic ! Feeling better than "normal" and am soooo happy that it is done.

Thank you, everybody, for your well wishes ! I truly appreciated the kind thoughts from you all who have already gone through this. Isn't this GREAT ?!!!!!

DiscoDiva & Daughter, RosieG you all will have no problems. Dr. Schu is absolutly the best ! It is so worth any gas pains you might experience. I didn't walk as much as I should have, so I used the Gas-X cherry creme chewables. It worked for me.

Paige, I would very much like to meet you all for lunch on March 5 ! I think it would be fun. Nurse Teresa can you make it ?? Baby Boomer, Barbara, is really busy with Heart month and has let me know she is doing fine.

Talk w/ya later......until then.....take care.

Nurse Teresa,

They wanted to put the filter in because I have had 3 SF blood clots in my left leg. I have very bad vain's in both of my legs. They are so ugly but I have to deal with it. They also hurt and swell all the time. It was just the card's that I was dealt.

I hope we can get to the hospital on Weds, with this snow storm coming in. I live in Huber and if 75 is clear we should have a streight shot. I have to be there by 6am. UGH...I am a night person. LOL

OHraintreeacres..glad to hear that you are feeling so great..that gives me hope that I will also. LOL

Paige, hope you are doing well too. If any of you have an pointers for us let me know before Weds, LOL

Have a great week.

Debbie

"murphys Law Is That Whatever Can Go Wrong Will"! The Hospital Called Yesterday At 2:30 And Left A Message That My Surgery Was Cancelled For Today (2/13) Because It Wasn't Approved By My Insurance. I Came Home From Work Listened To My Message And Called The Insurance Company (who Also Said It Wasn't Approved Yet). The Billling Department At Sycamore Said She Would Cancel My Appointment For Surgery After She Talked To Me And Asked My What I Wanted To Do : Cancel Or Bring A Cashiers Check For 12,000 And A Few Hundred. I Called The Billing Department Back At 4 And No One Was There, And I Never Received A Call Back. I Have Been On The Phone Numerous Times With United Health Care And Also With Dr. Schumacher's Office And Am Still Waiting - Maybe I Will Get The Surgery Tomorrow. I'm A Little Ticked Off Since I Was At Sycamore For My Preop Testing And Wished I Had Been Told By Billing Then Of The Situation. Wish Me Luck! Rosie

I am so sorry for your situation. What a bummer ! I truly hope that the insurance company gets their "shit" together ASAP so you can go on with your surgery. It is definitely worth the wait, but, insurance companies have us by the balls and we have no recourse but to wait on them !

Thinking of you.

Hey All!

RosieG: I am SO sorry for you. Just know that you are thought of and it WILL work out. You've waited a while and this will be the last hurdle. I'm sure you'll have it before long; besides this way you can enjoy the snow we're in. I LOVE IT!

Disco & Daughter: I just wanted to wish you good luck and god speed. It will be a breeze. The hospital staff (in addition to Dr. Shu) is EXTREMELY helpful and SUPER nice. When I did a search, Sycamore was the only hospital that had -0- complaints about customer service. So, my thoughts will be with you and DRIVE SAFELY in the morning. They say the snow will stop around 6a. Please post and let us all know how you are doing. Oh and don't forget to WALK.

OH RAIN...Yeah, back to normal - so glad to hear it. Please do come for lunch on the 5th. Baby Boom Barbara is picking the restaurant so as soon as she gets back to me, I'll post the location. She's busy with Heart Month right now as a volunteer.

Well, guys - I'm down this week because I didn't lose in the last 5 days and I don't feel that restricted. In fact, I don't feel any more restricted than I did before the 1cc. I'm definitely restricted more than I was before the band and can only eat small amounts. But, I didn't lose this week and I'm hanging around 199. Course, I could be exercising by now. Dr. Shu did release me to start last week. So, I'm probably griping and not working too hard this week. I need some veteran encouragement.

Well, enjoy the snow everyone!

Mindful

Hi paige,

Thank, I sure hope that 75 South is in better condition in the morning about 4:30 or 5 am....It usually take's us about a half hour to get to his office, but with this weather I think we will need to leave pretty early. I never, never ever sleep when I have to leave that early in the morning for something, so I should be so tired that they may have a hard time getting me up to walk around. LOL

Hope all goes well with everyones up coming band day.

Debbie

Hi paige,

Thank, I sure hope that 75 South is in better condition in the morning about 4:30 or 5 am....It usually take's us about a half hour to get to his office, but with this weather I think we will need to leave pretty early. I never, never ever sleep when I have to leave that early in the morning for something, so I should be so tired that they may have a hard time getting me up to walk around. LOL

Hope all goes well with everyones up coming band day.

Debbie

Hey Debbie: Don't fret. Just drive carefully. Besides, I bet not too many will be up yet! Good luck and I'll be thinking of you!

Hi paige,

Well it's after midnight and I am wide awake...LOL I am not taking much to the hospital with us. We are going to ware there gowns and I am going to take a shower there befor we leave so we will take those kind of things. Oh ya and my pillow... it goes everywhere with me. LOL Hope to email you when I get home.

Debbie

Good luck Debbie everything will be fine and I am thinking of you and your daughter.

RosieG I'm so sorry about the mix up with insurance but just hang in there and it'll happen, I just know it will.

Paige- I didn't really feel any restriction until my third fill and I ended up cancelling my appointment for this past Monday because I didn't feel that I needed another fill at this time. I go through spurts where the scales aren't moving and then all of a sudden I drop 4-5lbs. And I like you don't exercise, I know I should but I always find a way to talk myself out of it.

I reached my Valentines day goal to lose 15lbs. so now my next goal is for Easter and I want to lose another 15lbs. I'm planning on going out to California to see my son and that would make me losing 30lbs since he last saw me.

Well talk to everyone later

Well, it's 1 day after I should have had my surgery. Unforuately United Health Care is not making my life any easier. I am so frustrated after having talked to them 9 times so far. They keep asking me who said I didn't need the preapproval - I told them when the doctors office called they were told that. I was just repeating what I was told - I didn't schedule myself for the surgery. So I can't stay off work - waiting for the approval, so I will just go back to work and hope I hear something soon. I have already wasted 2 and 1/2 days of sick leave. I am certainly not a happy camper. Wish me luck. RosieG