Cleveland R U there????

[Forestcat5 1]

Terrisch -

You are doing so amazingly well!! You are quite an inspiration! Reading your posts just makes me want to have the surgery right now. This waiting is for the birds. I feel like one of those race horses that are in the gate before a race, banging around and snorting, screaming in their heads "C'MON!! LET'S GO! LET'S GO! LET'S GO!!!"

I am trying to imagine what it's like to eat a little bit of food - and be full. The only thing I'm a little concerned about is not drinking with meals, or before or after. Are you having any problems with that? I only drink Water and coffee, and I drink them all day long. I chug down a whole bottle of Water easily at every meal. I have tried a few times not to drink during meals, and didn't succeed - so I have to work on that.

I'm trying to be patient and not call LaTonya to see if she's gotten the paperwork from my Dr. I have a lot going on for the next few weeks, so maybe I can get my mind off of the W-A-I-T-I-N-G.

You mentioned the burping - have you had any heartburn or acid reflux? I have to take 2 Pepcid's a day or I'm in agony. Dr Ben-Meir sent me for an upper GI barium xray to look for a hiatal hernia, but I don't know what the results are. He said if I had one, and I already have the one by my navel, he could not fix both AND do the banding. Wonder if I get to pick which ones get done?? :confused:

Enjoy your day tomorrow.....do you still plan to go to work on Thurs??

[Forestcat5 1]

sbee,

HOOOOOOOORAY!! Only a few weeks away!!

Do you have to go on a total liquid diet before the surgery? Do you know if you'll spend the night in the hospital or not?

Please keep us posted what's going on and how you're doing before your big day!!

[Forestcat5 1]

Do either of you know why I have that funky little arrow on the envelopes of my posts? I know it's supposed to stand for that I'm registered or something - but no one else has one.....

[sbee 0]

I think the arrows are to tell youu that you posted in that thread and I'm guessing that you only see the arrows that pertain to you and I see different arrows for threads I posted in. (I don't know..I'm guessing)

By the way Forestcat. I have to start a 2 week liquid diet on Tuesday and I believe that I will have to stay one night in the hospital.

[terrisch 0]

Hi

Sbee...congrats on getting your surgery date!!! Will be here before you know it!

I did have to follow a liquid diet; was supposed to be Optifast but I hated it. Looks like you've lost a lot of wt already. THat is awesome!

Forestcat5...I did go back to work today and all went well. As a matter of fact, sometimes I think I am healing too quickly. I don't have any "reminders" not to pick up heavy items, and my appetite has returned. I've found that I have no problem eating strained foods (even though I'm only supposed to be on liquids). I tried mashed potatoes today for dinner, and had no trouble. Soup gets old very quickly. Still got full quickly, though.

It is SO tempting to try more. I'm glad I'm back at work b/c I am too busy to eat outside of lunch and only bring soup for lunch, so there isn't much to tempt me.

Still had some shoulder pain on and off today, can't believe how long it takes to get rid of that.

Got to take the dressings off of the smaller incisions today (4 of them), but have to leave the one over the port and can't take off for 5 more days. THe incisions are tiny (3/4 inch or less), but per Connie the one over the port is bigger.

I did have significant reflux (but no hiatal hernia) per the UGI. I didn't know this until I went in for the pre-op visit in August, even though I had the UGI back in April.

A couple suggestions...call LaToya and find out the results of your UGI (they don't necessarily tell you even when it is abnl) and ask about insurance approval (oh, and make sure you get copies of your labs when you get them). I always felt like I too was bugging LaToya when waiting for insurance approval, so I waited a couple weeks before contacting her again. When I did, she said "oh yea, it's been approved"...I don't know how long it had been since they got the approval, but I have a feeling they had it for a bit and I would have never known unless I had called and asked. I got scheduled for my preop visit and surgery the same day I made that call to LaToya. So, GO FOR IT:) and good luck

I am also worried about not drinking fluids w/meals. It is weird how much we have in common. I also drank lots of Water, coffee, and tea during the day. For the first 2 wks post-op, you are supposed to drink, drink, drink, so I haven't had to deal w/solid foods and no fluids just yet.

I have coffee w/ whey Protein powder and SF caramel flavored coffee mate (to cover the taste of the Protein powder) every morning for Breakfast. Yum!

[Forestcat5 1]

terrisch -

I wrote and wrote a post to you, then my computer did something weird, and now it's gone! So, in a nutshell:

Called LaTonya because of your encouragment, and left a message for her to call me tomorrow.

You are doing GREAT!!!!!!!!!

I'm still doing the Atkins diet,(so I don't gain wt before surgery) and my daughter says she can tell I've lost weight.

I'll write more tomorrow......I can't believe I lost that post!

[Forestcat5 1]

sbee -

Thanks for the info on the arrows!! Now I can stop thinking: "Why ME? What did I do to deserve these arrows??"

Did your Dr tell you what you had to drink for your liquid diet? Does it have to be Optifast, or the stuff from GNC or something? How are you feeling now that the date is getting closer?

I'm glad you started this thread! Where are all the rest of the banders from the Cleveland area??

[Forestcat5 1]

Who else is loving this weather? I LOVE when the weather turns cool. I hate HOT! I love spring only a smidge better than autumn because of the spring flowers. When everyone else is grumbling about the snap in the air, I have to contain myself to not do "The Dance of Autumn" in the parking lot at work.

Terrisch - I called and left messages yesterday with LaTonya and my Dr's office asking them to call me back today and let me know if my paperwork had been sent, and no one called me back....... I'll call them again on Monday.

Are you still feeling good? When do you go for your first fill? I wonder how restriction is going to feel. Has Connie called you any more? I've been on the Atkins diet for the required 6 month diet, and I'm still on it even though the 6 months are up. I plan to stay on it until the pre-op liquid diet - unless this process keeps dragging on and on, I may have to have a few bites of pizza or some ice cream to keep myself sane. We are hoping to go visit our daughter in the spring, and I wanted to have a good amount of weight off by then. I wanted to at least fit in the seat on the plane better.

Do you post on any other threads here? I have a few times. But I jump around and read a lot of them - such good information.

Let me know how you're doing!

[terrisch 0]

Forestcat5..hopefully no reponse means that they are working on getting it done!!

I go for a post-op appt the 1st week of October, and my first fill in mid-October. I'm pretty nervous about that, but really think I'll need it. I can tell that the swelling has gone down around the band. I can take pretty big drinks of beverages w/o probs. And as long as I chew well, I seem to tolerate soft foods. No nausea or vomiting. SO tired of Soup and popsicles!! Had tuna salad for dinner.< /p>

Since the surgery, I've had ZERO heartburn, even though I was dependent on zantac prior to surgery. Ben-Meir said the surgery eliminates reflux, and he was right. amazing.

Still have some shoulder and chest pain...gets less every day, and is only intermittent, but it really hurts when it does happen. How long does it take for that gas to escape?? I've had a laparoscopy before and remember having that pain afterwards, but don't remember it taking this long for it to finally go away.

I've read some other threads, but haven't posted.

Hope you hear something soon!

[Forestcat5 1]

Terrisch,

No heartburn/reflux sounds wonderful! I take 2 Pepcid's a day, and HAVE to take them or I'm miserable. I've read posts where people have reflux after surgery and they didn't have it before. Wonder why?

Has anyone noticed anything where you work - like have they noticed what you're eating (or not eating)? I have a very nosey officemate, who watches everything I eat now because he knows I'm on the Atkins diet. I think I'm going to start taking my lunch to the cafeteria next week, so it isn't such a sudden change after the surgery. Which is a shame because I really like the quiet of the office while I'm eating, and playing solitaire on the computer, or making calls. I even had to ask my boss if I could use an empty office to make calls to my Dr and insurance company because I needed privacy. (he knows I'm having hernia surgery) He said it was no problem. Making these changes are going to be worth it though - just for my peace of mind, and for keeping my private life PRIVATE.

I hope your pain goes away soon. So weird to think about the gases still floating around in there. I've had other surgeries too where they used gas, so at least we know the pain WILL go away.....

I'm going to try to only have an Atkins drink for lunch today. Besides preparing myself for the liquid pre-op diet, I want to start losing weight now so people notice it before the "hernia" surgery. So stupid to have to do this. But I've had a lifetime of people making my weight their business - and I've had enough.

I'm ready for this to happen!! You're so lucky to have already begun the journey!!!

[terrisch 0]

Hi-

Good luck getting started w/the liquid phase of your diet! I had found that it wasn't too onerous if the beverages contain Protein (seems to really help curb hunger) and you stay busy.

My office-mate knows I am on a "diet". I work while I have lunch, so there isn't much notice of what I eat or don't eat.

I think that if someone complains of reflux, it is a sign that their band has slipped. I hope that never happens!

Hope you get some good news tomorrow!!

[Jiggleypuff 0]

Hi Everyone!!

Another Clevelander here. I am still pre-op, waiting on final papers to go to insurance. I am going with Dr. Stilleto at University Hospitals, of course, that's if I get insurance approval.

Best of luck to all of us! Shawna

[Forestcat5 1]

Hi Jiggleypuff!

Great to hear from another Clevelander! I'm also waiting for my paperwork to be sent to my insurance (CIGNA). I want a surgery date so bad I can taste it.

Did you have to do a 6 month Dr directed weightloss? How long has this process taken for you? I've been working on it since the first of the year.

Please keep in touch and let us know when you hear fron your insurance!

[Jiggleypuff 0]

I have been active in the process since mid August. I have been interested in the band for about 5 years.

I am not sure if I have to do the 6 month thing for insurance. My insurance is United Healthcare and my PCP wrote a note saying that he has been observing my diet and exercise program for 6 years. So I am not sure what they will come back with.

I just want to get this waiting thing over with!!!!! I am trying to do it before the end of the year. I had another surgery in March of this year so all my hospital co pays are up to date and I won't have to pay if I am able to do it in 07. But you know Murphy's law.

Stay in touch, Shawna

[terrisch 0]

Hi Shawna

That would be awesome if you can get everything covered. I had to invest $5000. w/mine, possibly more depending on my final bill. That doesn't include cost for Optifast, fees for program, time off work, etc. But I think it is worth the investment...at least I hope it will be.