Hi im a first timer... Im getting banded by northwest wieght lost by dr. montgomery. Im a lil timid about the operation, anyone have an words of wisdom for me??

Hi, I am not known for words of wisdom---but I will say, that I believe you will find this to have been one of the best decisions you will ever make for yourself! I love my band, it has been such a blessing!!! I have control over my eating, and I weigh less than I have in well over a decade---close to 2! I have energy, and hope... I cannot say enough good things about it!

Are you prepared? Do you have all the things you will need following surgery? It is not impossible to get out and do things following the surgery, but it is a lot easier, if you have all you need waiting for you at home, and all you have to do is lie there for a day or so.

I found the surgery to be very easy. I was up and walking withing a couple of hours of getting back to my room. I flew home on day 3, and had no problems. The following day I was wondering Home Depot with DH. I didn't have any residual gas issues or anything.

What scares you the most? Maybe we can tackle that....cuz as I say, I just lack wisdom!!!!

Kat

I guess some of my concerns are coming from some of the mix messages I'm getting: I was to have surgery on the 6th of March (I'm self pay) butt had to cancal due final payment to clear one week prior. When I went in on the 27th, I have psych eval. that went well, after that I saw Dr. Montgomery (running a hour and half late) The 1st thing he said is "how much do you know about the lapband?" I told him it's a tool to help me. I understand that I still have to watch what I eat. I felt confient with my choice of the lap band. Having to lose (101 pounds) I'm looking forward to having less pain in my joints, and back. His reply "was this is not a cure all even thin people have back pain!" Butt he thinks maybe I'll get off my blood presure medication. I told him I have faith I will do well and if the hardest thing for me is to give up my Diet Coke, it's all worth it! He said maybe I won't have to give it up, some people don't have a hard time. I told he not to give me (that's Okey) you can have it, when in my head I have convenced may self that my new tummy can't handle it! I felt like I was being discoraged. Also he said not to gain any more weight before the my date, butt don't tell me how? some fellow banders are losing 10 lbs before there date (How are you doing that?) moving along after I saw the pre-op nurse. She give me my preceictions for pain meds. Was I to have lab work done? Dr. Montgormy did hear my heart. I'm trying to get my mind focus on good habits. I sooo want to be at my goal weight by 2 years from now for my 30th Anniv. Plus my Son is getting Married 7/14/07 and would love to wear a smaller size. I'm wearing 18/20 Hummm..

what size dress you think I'll be by July? I started going to the YMCA for Water aerobics. Hey, all my banded sisters, Please help me I need your surport.

:faint:

Usually you lose weight before surgery through whatever preop diet your surgeon requires. Losing weight serves a bunch of purposes but mostly makes it easier for them to work around your liver (reduces the size of a fatty liver). My surgeon required two weeks of an 800 calorie diet then 2 days of clear liquids. He said that is not his guideline, it is an absolute. And if you didn't lose at least 10 pounds by the time they weigh you in the day of surgery, he will not do it.

Welcome to the world of lapband. I think it would be a challenge to find any 2 Dr.'s who do either the banding or the follow up that agree 100% on any aspect of the surgery or recovery, or ongoing care. Some Dr.s have a month of liquids prior to banding, some no pre-op diet whatsover. Some only require diets for high BMI's. Some are full liquid diets, some are low fat or high Protein. Some require a percentage of weight loss before surgery, some are a set amount, some don't require any loss prior.

Then you get to surgery...some use 4 incisions, some 5. One Dr. will place your port high, another down at waist level. Some stitch, others glue or staple. Some Dr.s catheterize you---others don't.

In the hospital---some keep you on IV, others remove it right away.

Some say "use a straw to sip" others swear "straws are evil".

Some do your surgery as a day surgery, in & out in the same day, others are in for 1-2 or even 3 days.

Then it would be a whole new thread to even touch baseon how many different directions we all got on what to eat and when and how to eat it.

YES it does get confusing, and intimidating. It leaves you wondering if there is a right way or not. What it boiled down to for me, was this. I chose my Dr. from the thousands who do the surgery, for certain reasons. I decided not only is he the one who will cut on me, and bring me through the surgery, he is the one I will listen to---it is his guidelines I will follow. I do not expect others to follow MY plan---neither do I expect, nor appreciate, them wanting me to blindly follow theirs. I have been on this board for almost a year now, and I have not heard of one person dying---and I know if one of us had, it would have been reported and mourned. So that tells me that even tho we all follow different guidelines, and plans through our Dr.'s---they must keep us within a range that is acceptable with the band.

I fully believe there are things we can do, or not do, that will affect the health of both us and our bands. Some of it our Dr. will touch on--or maybe even more than touch---some things they will "forbid". But what it boils down to is common sense. If there is a viable reason to avoid something, then that is what we should do. Aspirin for instance. Yes I could likely take it today and it not bother me, I could maybe take it for weeks or months without issue. But common sense tells me, that would be hard on my pouch....it is my call, and I see good reason not to do it. So I don't. I feel the same way with certain foods and drinks...if I feel it is not band friendly--I intend to avoid it---regardless what my Dr. or anyone elses Dr. tells me, or them. I have a brain and I will use it along with the information and guidelines given to me by the Dr.

There are entire threads dedicated to what each Dr, allows. There is for instance an entire thread concerning how much fill you have in your band. That is so individualized, it seems inconsequential to compare. We are all different, our fill levels will be different, our tolerence to foods will be different, our recovery, and lives with bands will all be different.

So while I see where you are concerned with whether or not your Dr. is doing all he should or shouldn't....it should be a whole package that you accept when you choose the Dr. As I said before each one does things differently...good or bad.

Most weight is lost prior to surgery due to strict pre-op diets. It doesn't sound like yours put you on one. And most Dr.'s site the reason that cosean stated--- it helps in manuevering the liver. Simply because he didn't prescribe you a pre-op diet, there is nothing stopping you from doing a smart, health concious diet prior to surgery. I would not do anything real drastic without his consent and approval. Only because you do not want to run down your system without his knowledge. But healthy eating...watching your calorie count, increasing your protein, decreasing fats and sugars---is not going to hurt you in any way. Same with giving up the Diet Coke. Have you ever seen the show they do, pouring Coke over the piece of steak and the nail? Withdrawals from the caffeine, and the habit may not be fun---but can be done!!! I am living proof!

I looked back through my journal, and in my case by the time I was 4 months out I had lost 43 pounds. I know of others who have lost more, and others who have lost less. But you should be able to be down a size or 2 by the time of sons wedding without too much problem. Especially if you work it! Keep in mind though, that the less you have to lose, the slower it is to lose it. I began in a size 22, and am now in a 14. Working out will help in a BIG way!! I wish we had a YMCA here...I am finally to a point I would get in a swimsuit and go...but we don't only a couple of snooty clubs.

Hang in there---through all the opinions and advice, keep your head about you---and listen to yourself (you usually know good/bad, right/wrong, if you just listen) and your Dr.---and you will be fine.

Nerves are getting to you!!! Very normal!! We will be here---just pop in and have a little melt down anytime!!!

Kat

Hi MommaMiaJones--I'm getting banded 9 days after you in Edmonds--we're pretty close to each other. My dietitian put me on an Atkins Diet for 10 days pre-surgery but I was impatient and started it already. I lost 9 pounds in one week! I know it's mostly water but I havn't had the scale respond like that in years! I thought about going with Northwest weight loss and after what you said about Dr. Montgomery I'm kind of glad I'm going to Puget Sound Surgical. I've heard nothing but good though about Northwest and I'm sure you are in good hands! Good luck with the surgery!