February 2007 bandsters!

[Zannie 6]

Looks like a handful of you have your band date coming up very soon! I was plenty nervous before my surgery on the 15th, but all is well now (11 days out). Remember, you researched this decision & your surgeon, it's not just some whim or yet another fad diet. And you're making the choice for better health...go for it! See ya in Bandland soon -- Good luck & Godspeed!

[Success in lapband 0]

Zannie;

Your ticker quotes 17,500; is that for EVERYTHING? Hosp, surgeon, anethesiogogist, etc.??

[louise162 0]

I was due to go back to work yesterday. I was 13 days post op and thought I could cope. Well I lasted just under 2 hours before I had to come home. I sit at a desk for f***s sake and I couldn't cope. My port was killing me and my back hurt. I was swaying with dizziness and kept breaking out in a cold sweat. I feel like a total failure especially when I hear of people going back in under a week. I did have a massive hiatal hernia repaired so maybe that's the reason; I'm also still not sleeping properly. I'm seeing my doctor later on today to discuss getting a medical certificate for work. I'm hoping when I get on to pureed food in two weeks I'll feel a bit better.

Sorry to go on but no one else knows what I'm going through here. I feel like I'm in my own little bubble.

[luv2blab 0]

As of this weekend...I can sleep on either side again....sleeping much better now!

Only have a little pain my largest incision, the one under my right boob...

sort of a stretch/pull kind of pain..and only that one is tender to touch

and still swollen. Healing up well.

Last night for dinner, I made myself baked ricotta with marinara sauce, and motz cheese sprinkled on top. OMG....it was great...I really needed

to taste some yummy Italian food. I have been wanting pizza so bad ever since I had surgery....but I know it's a no no.

Love to have instant grits in the morning with a half shake.< /p>

Love to have Soup or fruit with yogurt for lunch.< /p>

Dinner's have been trial and error...but going well.

My clothes fit better....not sure on my actual weight loss until I go to the surgeon on Thursday.

Energy level is better than I ever expected...I was able to get back into all the housework by this weekend.

Feeling fine at work...careful as to what I lift and I am to step aside for now if a patient freaks out, elopes, or needs CPR. My co-workers are looking out for me.

The hubby is a little more attention now...he wouldn't want you to think that but...I can tell. His hugs are all incompassing and more often.

I'm enjoying comments from people who weren't told of my surgery. They compliment my hair or makeup. Their not sure what's different about me.

Well, for those pre-ops and those who recently had surgery....keep your chin up. Everything you're doing is going to be well worth it.

Take care!

 

 

Banded Feb 13'th, 2007

[kedasmom 10]

Been away for a long weekend, scrapbooking. It was alittle hard with everyone eating all the time but I made it. Best night sleep I've had in years. Sleep number bed. Came home and ordered one. Saw the doctor yesterday and everything is coming along good. I go back for a fill in 1 month. I'm alittle scared of that because of my needle fear. But I'll make it through that to, because I want this to work more than life. Hope all of you are doing well. thanks

[Success in lapband 0]

Louise

I looked up recovery time for hiatal hernia and the recommended recovery is 3 weeks depending on how big the bump was.

I think hernia repair would be MUCH MUCH MUCH more recovery time because I am familiar with the procedure involved, maybe what you should do in NOT beat yourself up and look on line what your body is doing to repair itself.

I would also call your dr. and ask his opinion on what his recommended next step for you is. (ie: another 2 weeks medical leave or maybe he will tell you to come in so he can do a follow up visit on your recovery)

[Zannie 6]

Zannie;

 

Your ticker quotes 17,500; is that for EVERYTHING? Hosp, surgeon, anethesiogogist, etc.??

 

That's everything from Day One -- except the cost of these blasted Protein Shakes & a gym membership (which if I joined the one near my clinic, I'd get a 2 month free trial & a WLS discount -- but 45min is too far from home to go for a gym!)

 

 

$......30 for the initial WLS-readiness computer assessment on 12/27/06

$....160 for the psychological evaluation by the staff psychiatrist

............. Note: could have chosen my own psychiatrist, but

............. A) I didn’t have one, and

............. I thought seeing somebody who knows WLS was the

.................. wise choice since I had no INS-imposed restrictions)

$ ......60 for co-pays at a therapist the staff shrink recommended

............. to address my ‘guilt & hostility’ that she thought might

............. hinder my progress if I didn’t face them head on

............. – optional, but I figured I should do everything I

................ can to make this tool as effective as possible!

$11,000 for the hospital (Sentara Careplex - Hampton, VA)

$ ....750 for anesthesia

$ .5,500 for the surgeon, including a “program fee” which covers

..............- all fills/unfills for 1 year, with floro under x-ray

..............- unlimited visits with the staff nutritionist for 6-months post-op

_____________________________________

$17,500 total for LapBand surgery on 2/15/07 :faint:

 

 

Having witnessed my research on WLS for 5 or 6 years (with an insurance exclusion policy), and after much deliberation amongst themselves…my parents generously offered to pay for the procedure. And I tearfully accepted. (Thanks, Mom & Dad!)

[Success in lapband 0]

I figured the surgeon would have gotton a much bigger piece of the pie than that.

Thank you for sharing!

[silry 0]

I SLEPT LAST NIGHT!!!

oh my!!! for the first time in ... well, since the night after my sugery in the hospital, i had a full nights sleep. i even slept in my bed with my hubby and dog!

plus my nutritionalist said i could start Soups early, so i had Tomato bisque for lunch and lobster bisque (minus the lobster, which of course they put loads in...) for dinner. yesterday was the first day that hunger didn't gnaw at me ALL DAY LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i'm so freaking happy today that i feel like my old self! i didn't even yell at my dog when he snuck past DH and made a beeline for our neighbors. :paranoid

[Zannie 6]

I figured the surgeon would have gotton a much bigger piece of the pie than that.

 

Thank you for sharing!

 

I agree, but I paid the hospital at the hospital itself, and sent the anesthesia people a check directly, too. And my surgeon got his fee at my last pre-op visit. All separate fees.

 

Frankly, the hospital portion (11K) seems the most outlandish of it – since an overnight stay is optional, but you don’t get a prorated fee or anything if you chose to have the surgery done outpatient. (I chose to stay overnight, rather than drive to the hospital again the next day for the x-ray my surgeon requires before moving you off Clear Liquids & onto creamy liquids. Plus, I was receiving Lovenox injections post-op preventatively for blood clots & the hospital bill covered all meds while inpatient.)

 

Either way…it’s expensive here in VA compared to some of the other self-pay signatures I’ve seen. But a good surgeon & a clinic close to home for fills were very important factors to me, so… Money well spent, I hope!

[Kelsy 1]

I was finally able to sleep on my stomach last night -THANK GOODNESS!

I still have some back/shoulder pain... It drives me krazy. I wonder when it's going to stop.

I am still out of work and it's pretty boring around here.. I'm doing light duty housework even though i still have slight pain on my incision sites.

How much Whipped/Blended Cottage cheese does anyone eat in one sitting? I love it and started to eat it, but stupid me left it out all night and now i need to go buy more.

[Nursedeeva 0]

I was banded 2/16/07. I had my first post-op appt everything was OK lost 11lbs.

[louise162 0]

Louise

I looked up recovery time for hiatal hernia and the recommended recovery is 3 weeks depending on how big the bump was.

I think hernia repair would be MUCH MUCH MUCH more recovery time because I am familiar with the procedure involved, maybe what you should do in NOT beat yourself up and look on line what your body is doing to repair itself.

I would also call your dr. and ask his opinion on what his recommended next step for you is. (ie: another 2 weeks medical leave or maybe he will tell you to come in so he can do a follow up visit on your recovery)

I saw my doctor and he has signed me off for another two weeks and this is just to start with. My hiatal hernia was huge about 2" in diameter so I guess it will take it's time to heal. Thanks for your help!

[DWILSON 0]

HELLO ALL,

 

I was banded in Monterrey Mexico on Friday Feb. 23. What an experience.... I flew down from Texas with 2 friends who were scheduled to have the surgery the same day. We arrived late in the evening on Thursday. Our driver picked us all up at the airport and took us to the Sheriton in Monterrey and said he would be back at the hotel to pick us up at 6:45 am the next morning to take us to the hospital. We checked in to a wonderful hotel and got ready for bed. We awoke early Friday to go to the hospital where we checked in around 7:30 am. Within 10 minutes we were called back one by one to the preop room. Just that quick we were on our journey. After surgery we were taken to our rooms to recovery. The day is still a blurrrrr.. but all went well. I slept through the night without any pain to speak of. On Saturday morning I woke up feeling great. I took a shower got dress and even walked down a flight of stairs to sit with my daughters while they at Breakfast. After breakfast I went back to my hospital room. When I arrived back at my room is when all HECK broke loose. I suddenly felt like I was developing a fever. I also developed a really bad case of the D word along with this I began to vomit uncontrolably. Around this time is when we were scheduled to be picked up by our driver to be take back to the hotel to spend the rest of the day and that night. I was so afraid to tell the Dr. for fear he might keep me in the hospital that I remained quite and preceded to hotel. I seemed to get worse as the day got longer. by night fall I was so sick I didn't think I would make it through the night. I didn't sleep at all Saturday night. All I could think was... If I was gonna die I sure wanted to be in the good old U.S.A. when I did. Well I did obviously made it through the night and I left for the airport Sunday morning at 6:00 am. I was still so sick going at both ends but I managed to board the plane at 8:20 am, thanks to my daughters who tended to all the paperwork at the airport while I waited in a wheel chair in the corner. I flew back to Houston with a bag in my hand all the way, I was so glad to hear the pilot announce "Prepare to Land". I just kept telling myself just one more flight and I would be home. I found the neareast restroom and vomited again. We boarded our connecting flight in Houston bound for Tyler Texas around 11:00 am. Just my luck I looked up and saw a cousin I had not seen in probably 4 or 5 years. I looked like death warmed over. Once myself and my 2 friend ( oh yea....the came through the whole ordeal perfectly!!!!) boarded the flight and settled in to our seats I breathed a sigh of releif. We landed in Tyer at 12:30 pm. Oh My Gosh I was so thankful to be home. I ran to the nearest restroom to vomit and to.. you know the d word and then we were in the car headed home. Once I arrived home I went straight to bed. I slept from 3:00 pm Sun. until 7:00 am Mon. When I woke up on Monday I felt tons better and all my symptom had vanished. It is now Tuesday and I am still feeling fine. I believe that the virus that has consumed our small community found me in Monterrey on Saturday the day after my surgery. I know that I handled alot of this badly but you just never know how you will react when you are in a foreign country and you get sick. I guess I should have alerted the Dr. in Monterrey but I was so afraid he would prevent me from flying home on Sunday. Luckily all is well now with the 3 of us that went to Mexico for the surgery.

I am now 5 days post op and getting really tired of the liquids but am looking forward to mussys. the Dr. in Mexico only requires liquids for 1 week. thank goodness. I think I might make it now....

 

dwilson

banded 2/23/07

[NursCEO 0]

DWilson,

 

Did you use Dr Zapata? Just curious. I used him on the 9th and it was great. I am sorry about you being so sick! I would love to keep in contact with someone who used Ready4Achange if that is who you used. Just for support reasons.