Cleveland R U there????

[Forestcat5 1]

Thanks sbee!

Please tell us how everything went for you - and how you're feeling now. Have you been able to get in all your liquids? How was the pain right after surgery?

My contact person at St Vincents called me today with a few more questions, and said someone would be calling me in the next few days to give me a surgery date. She said they are scheduling for Nov now.

Congratulations on becoming a bandster!!!! Keep us posted!

Forestcat

[Forestcat5 1]

HEY CLEVELAND - I HAVE A SURGERY DATE!!!

They called me at work today, asked me a few questions, then said "ok - your surgery date is Nov 5th". I am so amazed that this is really happening! Especially since I had been denied. I go on Oct 17th for the pre-op testing, then start the pre-op diet on the 22nd.

So terrisch and sbee - please let me know how you're doing. And thank you for answering all of my questions. I'm sure there will be more!

Where is everybody? Watching the Indians??

Forestcat

[sbee 0]

Congrats ForestCat I am sooooooo happy for you. November will be here before you know it and it will all go so fast. As for me, I'm okay. I haven't been able to walk like I wanted to, I wanted to go back to work on Monday but I'm not so sure anymore.

Well good luck and keep me posted on your progress. (By the way...GO Tribe!!!!! )

[Forestcat5 1]

GO TRIBE!!!!

sbee - How are you doing? Are you able to walk more or get more liquids in? Are still thinking about going to work tomorrow?

Terrisch - How's it going? You get your first fill pretty soon, right? The last surgery I had I was in my 30's, and now that I'm in my 50's I'm wondering how this surgery is going to effect me. The old body ain't what it used to be. I copied the list of things to get before surgery,so I'll be getting that stuff soon. And I need to find out about getting some of my meds in liquid form.

Now I have to think long and hard about if I want to tell the rest of my family about the surgery......LOTS of things going on in the family right now, good and bad. And my parents live on the street right behind me, (they moved by me, not me by them ) and they drive by our house a lot, and stop in sometimes.... Maybe I'll put my dilemma on "Lapband Discussions" or something. I really don't know what to do at this point.

I hope you both are doing well!

Forestcat

[Forestcat5 1]

.....sbee?......terrisch?......hello?

[terrisch 0]

Hi!

sorry for taking a while to respond..have been quite busy.

Forestcat, congrats on getting a surgery date!!!! Less than a month away!! Time will fly by and it will be here before you know it!

Sbee, congrats on your surgery. Hope you are feeling better! Are you getting in enough fluids and Protein? I went back to work one week after surgery.

I haven't found anything that I can't eat. My appetite is definitely back too. Hopefully I will be able to keep the wt off until my fill (another 2.5 wks away). Still eating a lot less than before surgery though.

Forestcat, when you go in for your pre-op, you will have a pulmonary function test, labwork, nurse assesment, education from nurse and dietician (I was the only one there, but usually it is in a group), physical from a general medicine doc, and meet w/financial person (though you may not need to do this if you don't have to pay anything for your surgery). You will also get your drinks.

Not sure if the fills are covered..guess I will find out soon!

[Forestcat5 1]

terrisch -

Glad to hear from you! I know how it is being busy - I just started to worry a little bit.......

It's great that you haven't had any big problems. So you can eat bread and Pasta and meat with no problem?

Thanks for the info on what's going to happen at the pre-op testing. I had no clue I was going to have a physical! Do you know if we HAVE to go on Optifast for the pre-op diet? Could we go on the Atkins drink or something from GNC? I know that you didn't like the Optifast, and I haven't read where too many people here liked it. I have to pay close to $1000 out-of-pocket at the pre-op testing, so I really don't want to shell out another $300 for the Optifast. But maybe the other stuff would cost about the same....

Keep up the good work - you are doing fantastic by not gaining weight!!!!!

Forestcat

[terrisch 0]

Hi Forestcat

I was surprised about the physical too. Nothing major, though.

Not sure what they would say about not doing the Optifast. But definitely worth asking! I had to pay $5000 up front, so I know what you mean by not wanting to spend the extra $300. I gave all of my leftover packets to my sister who is trying to lose wt.

I can eat anything...even tried a small piece of red meat last weekend and didn't have a problem. I really need a fill!! Am so hungry when I get home from work.

Patience, patience, patience....

[sbee 0]

Sorry to take so long getting back but I wanted to wait until I was feeling like myself again. The clinc told us to do High Protein Slim-Fast drinks or Carnation Breakfast "Carb Conscience for the pre-op diet, maybe you could ask St. Vincent if that would be acceptable. I hear the if you go to UH there is no pre-op diet (I didn't even know UH did banding ) Anyway in case your intersted I told my whole sugery experience on another thread. Talk to you soon.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/1-week-out-my-story-42771/#post587402

[Forestcat5 1]

sbee -

I read your 1 week out story......how are you doing now?

I hope you are improving every day. When is your first fill?

Let me know how you're doing. Forestcat

[sbee 0]

Hey Forestcat,

I feel pretty much back to normal. I went back to work last week, and by the end I felt like me again. I'm not sore anymore and have alreadt lost about 14 pounds. Occassionally my stiches itch or aches a little but I have no complaints. My first fill is November 7th, and I can't wait for regular food. How are you feeling? Does it seem real yet? Are you nervous?

[Forestcat5 1]

sbee -

I'm very happy to hear you are doing so well!! You are further proof that the first few days are the worst. I hope I can remember that when I'm going through them!

No, it doesn't seem real yet. Maybe after my pre-op testing on Wed it will seem more real. I'm not nervous though....that won't hit until they are moving me onto the operating table. I'll be panicking and fighting the urge to yell "WAIT! I'VE CHANGED MY MIND!" I'll be sure to mention I'd like a valium or something. :eek:

Nineteen pounds gone is GREAT! Have you had any PB's or anything? Are you looking forward to your fill?

Keep in touch -

Forestcat

[terrisch 0]

Hey Forestcat, how did the pre-op visit go??

[Forestcat5 1]

Hi terrisch!

The pre-op visit was fine. There were 3 other women there also, and it was nice to be able to talk with them while we waited. I told them about this site and all the info they can find here. The only thing I found out that I didn't know before was that we can't drink ANYTHING until we have an xray (flouroscope?) the NEXT AFTERNOON?!?!?!? Was that the way it was for you? With my other surgeries it was like they were bringing me diamonds when they brought me ice chips when I got back to my room! You had nothing?

I got the Optifast and 2 boxes of bars. This weekend I'll go get all the supplies and other liquids I'm allowed. I have a family get together next Sun (the 28th) and of course there will be food, and I'm not sure how I'm going to handle that. I still haven't told them.

It's funny - my 2 friends at work who know I'm getting the band, both pulled me aside this week and told me of people they knew, or knew of, who died after surgery. I asked if it was the full gastric by-pass or the band, and they didn't know. I told them it was most likely the by-pass surgery and that the banding was much safer, etc, etc. And even today one of them told me about a diet book they saw on and infomercial, that said all you have to do is eat this certain substance and it somehow tells something in your brain to stop eating, or not eat fat or something. And how people are being tricked into thinking they could only lose weight if they had weightloss surgery because the Dr's make lots of money from it. I asked what the substance wasthat the guy was talking about, and she said he didn't tell - you had to buy the book, and I thought "Hmmm - guess it's ok for HIM to make money!" But I'm really surprised they are acting this way. I'm pretty sure they are doing it out of concern.

How are you doing? Is your fill next week? Are you feeling 100% back to normal? Sorry I'm gabbing so much! Had coffee with dinner and it perked me right up!

Monday morning - Optifast here I come!

Forestcat

[terrisch 0]

Hi Forestcat

That is nice that you had others at your pre-op visit. I was the only one. But it did go very quickly, which was nice.

After surgery they gave me ice chips with one of those sponges on a stick to moisten my mouth. I ended up sucking some of the Fluid out of it (which they advised against), but it helped a lot and I didn't have any trouble. I got the barium study done in the morning and by late morning was able to have fluids. The nurse brought in a popsicle and it was the best popsicle I've ever had in my life!! lol But really it wasn't so bad waiting to have fluids. I focused more on sleeping and walking when I was awake.

Regarding your co-workers, I am sure they are well-intentioned. But you are educated on this choice. There is evidence for the band, unlike the other things mentioned. And even though there is some evidence that diet and exercise can lead to mild to moderate wt loss, it is not as much wt loss as seen with this surgery, and even better people keep it off. The published studies supporting wt loss surgery and the reported complications are not "made up" by surgeons who want to make money. I just don't buy conspiracy theories...that is rarely the case. Secret ingredient to lose wt my a--!!! If that were really true, the author would be a multi-millionaire and everyone would be using it. Snake oil.

Those kinds of authors are really the ones who can't be trusted. There are no miracle cures.

For your family get-together, maybe you can drink the liquids (and maybe substitute low cal liquids) then eat at the event...just limit how much and what you chose.

I have absolutely no restriction on what I can eat (still can't eat a lot though), so I am really looking forward to the fill next week. I think I may have gained a couple pounds (my wt was the same last week when I checked, but then this morning was up, but I also had more clothes on than usual). But overall I think I am doing pretty well considering....I usually have very minimal calories at Breakfast and lunch, it is just dinner time when I eat a full meal.

It's weird....I forget that I even had the surgery. Seems like a distant memory already! So I definitely feel absolutely fine. And separating the liquids from solids really hasn't been so bad. Though I did have a margarita w/dinner the other night. Had a horrible day from beginning to end, didn't have time to eat lunch, so I REALLY needed that margarita! I know that isn't the best way to handle stress, but if you could have witnessed the day i had, I think anyone would have understood. I barely ate any of my dinner so it all balanced out from a calorie perspecitve!

When do you start Optifast??