My name is Audrey, I currently live in the Lakes Region of NH. I am considering having this procedure done and hope to talk with other people from NH who have had this done or are considering it like myself.

Hi Audrey! Im NOT from NH, but just wanted to say Hi anyway! Good luck and glad to meet you:) .

Thankyou, Paula! I see that you recently have had the Lap Band procedure. I wish you all the success in the world!

Hello Audrey !

I'm Audrey too - pleased to meet ya !

Looking forward to getting to know you better !

Aud x

Hi, Audrey, I'm "not close physically" but just a click away on this forum. Best of luck to you on your Banding Journey!

Thanks, Audrey and New Hope! I love this site, everyone has been so helpful and supportive. What a great group!

Hi This Is My First Post. I'm From New Hampshire. I Have Decided To Have The Lapband Surgery. Which Won't Happen Til Sometime In February. So Any Kind Of Advice Is Welcome.

Thanks

Hi Audrey. I also live in the Lakes Region!! Scheduled for surgery at Portsmouth on Dec. 8th, pending final approval. Glad to know I am not the only one here goint through this. Good luck to you - where are you going?

My name is Jeannie and I live in the seacoast area. I had my surgery on Sept 19th and It was the best decision I have ever made. My results so far have been close to 50 pounds. So if you're considering doing the lap-band I say go for it. I've had lots of support and that's key, without it I don't think I could have done it. Well I wish you the best of luck, and keep on truckin':)

HI MOONIETOONS, My name is Jeannie and I had my surgery at Portsmouth, Who's doing your's, I had Dr. Gens and I love that man, he's so nice and he's very caring. Best of luck to you. Are you having the lap-band or the bypass?

hi booper, I have recently had lap-band surgery and it was the best thing I could have done for myself, the best advice I can give you is stick with it. Give yourself this wonderful gift of a new beginning. I've had my moments, but then I look in the mirror and say WOW is that really me? keep up the good work and I wish you all the best.

Hi J. I am so glad to hear from you. My name is Sunshine (really). I am an Oncology Nurse at Lakes Region General. I have Dr. Gens too!! It is wonderful to hear you had a good experiance. I have only met him twice, seeing him again Monday. Hard to really trust someone you don't know. Are you feeling well? How was your recovery? I have found the group at PRH to be great, so far. Scheduled for surgery 12/6. Any suggestions you have for making the hospital adventure better will be appreciated. Did you stay overnight? Wow, can you tell I am excited to make contact with someone from the same program. Hope you don't mind all the questions. Thank you, Sunshine

Hi sunshine( i like it), no I don't mind all the questions, in fact I encourage them I enjoy answering them and am eager to talk about the whole experience. I'm so glad to hear that your surgery is coming up and good for you for making that step. It was one of the hardest ones I've ever had to make and also one of the best, if I had to do it all again I wouldn't change a thing. I started program at 305 pounds, I had to loose 16lbs prior to my surgery which was on Sept 19th, I ended up loosing 23 lbs, and since surgery I've lost a total of 50 pounds. As for my hospital stay it was wonderful, my only suggestion to you would be get up and walk as soon as you can, one because the beds aren't all that comfortable and you will have less of a chance of getting that pain associated with the gas they fill you with. As for the way I feel, I can't tell you the last time I felt this good, I can actually move like a normal person it feels great to be able to walk without pain in my hips, back or knees, and to be able to climb stairs without loosing my breath. I just went back to work I'm an LNA and to be able to do my job at a normal pace without pain is the greatest feeling. I must agree with you, the team at PRH is wonderful and very helpful I couldn't have asked for a better group. There was only one problem I had with the whole thing and that was the 3 weeks of that lovely tasting CIB, I think that was the worst part, I think I tried talking the nutriontist into letting me back on soilds after one week, which of course wouldn't fly. Please if you have any more questions feel free to contact me and I hope to meet you at a support group meeting. Again best of luck to you and keep up the good work. It only gets better from here. :banana

Hi again,

I am so glad to hear you are having a good band experiance. Few more questions, if you don't mind. How much pain did you have your first week post-op? You work as an LNA, I also work with patients - How long did it take you to get back at work? I am living on CIB now (my insurance has some very strict weight criteria, my BMI has to be under 50 for them to pay - or it is by-pass only. I am currently at 48/49 - too close for comfort, so I have to lose more to get the surgery). I will take your advice and walk asap. Have you had an adjustment (fill) yet? What is that like? I'm telling you - really hope you don't mind, I have so many questions... Take care, Sunshine

Hi Booper. Good luck on you journey. Where are you going for surgery?

Don't mind a bit. It took me a little over 2 months to get back to work only because of the heavy lifting and such. I was also having a bit of pain in my lower left abdominal area(still don't know what it is)nothing to worry about though. Sorry to hear about the insurance, the one I have had no problem with approving me, they told me as long as the MD thought it was medically necessary then they would approve it, I had no problem with them and didn't have to jump through hoops either. As for my pain post-op hardly any except that lower pain, but that came about 2 weeks after. I also lived on CIB for about 2 weeks prior to surgery and the three weeks on liquids nearly killed me, I can't tell you how bad I wanted soild food, so bad in fact that when I did get put back on it I was so excited that I went home and made some chicken salad and ate it in 15 mins (it's supposed to take a half hour to and hour to eat) thus I had my first experience with food getting stuck. So when they tell you to make sure to chew your food well and take small bites, listen to them, cuz let me tell you, it feels like you've swallowed a basketball and it's very painful, I had to lay down for about an hour and I could feel the food sliding through(very strange feeling). I just had my first adjustment 1 week ago, Dr. Gens said they usually do that about 2 months after surgery depending on the person, I was doing so well I hoped I could wait, but I gained 2lbs and was very upset about the whole thing, he told me that's because we need to fill the band and it was no big deal that I gained 2lbs , but of course I beat myself up about it, I never ever want to be where I was prior to the band I like the fact that I can fit into smaller jeans and they're only going to get smaller. Filling the band is really no big thing, they do right in Nancy's office where that big scale is, I of course had to give Dr. Gens some problems, only because he didn't have an easy time finding where my port was and ended up doing it through x-ray. Not everyone has to do that so don't worry, it really is not that big of a deal it takes about 5 to 10 minutes give or take a few. Well I hope I've answered some of your questions and I look forward to answering more if you have them. I have a queation for you, how much do you have to loose prior to surgery? and what is your final goal? I set mine at 150 pounds and now I only have 100 more pounds to go, I'm very proud to say that I hit my fifty pound mark, that's according to my home scale, we both know it's Nancys scale that really counts......Hope to hear from you soon, keep on truckin' :cheeky Jeannie