Okay, so I went to see my Primary Care Physicain today. This was my last step before scheduling with Kuri. I wanted to make sure I at least had her support, should I need to see her after banding. Antibiotics? Whatever I might could possibly need without having to drive 2 hrs to my follow up Fill Dr. and pay cash.

Here's how it went...

What was my Cholesterol last time I was here, and blood pressure?

267 and 142/88

I have been exercising faithfully 3-4 days a week for the past year, and I have lost 12 lbs since I last saw you.

Good.

Twelve pounds in a year is not so good. Also, last year you were concerned about the possibility of sleep apnea, due to my red blood cell count being high. Since then my brother, father and sister, all overweight, have been put on CPAP machines.

HMMM

If I were to lose weight, the problems would all go away.

Right, very probably.

I have been seiously considering Weight Loss Surgery

Don't you have to have a BMI of 40?

Yes, or 35 with 2 co-morbidities

Yes, your cholesterol is definately one.

I have been looking at the LapBand

I have a patient who got that and it came loose (smirky laugh) She's thinking of doing the other, gastric bypass.

Hmmm

So why don't you just get the gastric bypass?

Blah,blah,don't want my insides rearranged...problems, yada yada. So the Lap Band...

I have 1,2,3,4,5 or 6 patients who have had the gastric bypass. One was about 450 and lost 100 and then had some problems, I think maybe she wasn't following the program well....but most patients do well with the gastric bypass...

She had the nurse draw blood for lab tests, wrote me a prescription for phenteramine (diet pills) which I didn't ask for, and another RX for my face medicine which I did want. Thank you! Bye!

Conclusion? She does not know enough about the Lap Band to advise me against it, or for it for that matter, but she is, what's the word, amenable? to the thought of WLS for me, or at least wouldn't completely scoff at me if I did it. I have enough support from her to be able to tell HER what I need from HER if I need it. I would be educating her, but that's okay.

Maybe that's why I like the idea of Mexico. I am not a good socialist, and don't want the gov't or insurance co or even my Dr. making my every decision about my life and health. I own my life, me and God. My Doctor is a resource for me, not the one who decides. I know that I have the "I'll do it my way" tendency that helps make the MX decision a little easier for me. It's not for everyone.

Final Conclusion? I have scheduled a surgery date! Friday April 8th, Dr. Kuri. Next are plane tickets and mailing the deposit.

I want to say to all of you that I would not be doing this if not for you. I know that I have such a HUGE resource, a wealth of info, and loving, kind support here. I would not be able to get through without LBT. Thank you.

YAY! I'm getting Banded! I changed my avatar to Celebrate.

Kathy, Congratulations! Possibly you could pursue this surgery w/your dr. and health insurance. You have some co-morbidites that might qualify you. But I know that you are tired of waiting. And believe me, there would be plenty of that. I know that you are carefully weighing all your options and will make a well-informed choice. One thing that you know by now, please be sure that you have your after-care lined up (before you're banded.) Best of luck to you!

Kathy~ Please do not take your Phentermine without cosulting with your band surgeon. My PCP tried giving me some back in Oct when I first went to talk to her about the band. I told my Surgeons office this was perscribed to me and they said not to take them because it takes a long while to get diet meds out of your system and they would have to be sure I had been off them at least 30 days before he would do my band. So I never took them.If you take them and then do your lab work they will show up that you are taking an imfetamine which could alter pre op test results. I 'm just giving you advice to ask your band surgeon before taking these. It may delay you getting your band.

Thanks Marie, I did. My insurance plan excludes Lap Band. Gastric Bypass is my only option if I go through them. No thank you. So I'm self-pay, and that leads me to MX. My Follow-up/Band surgeon/Fill doctor is about a 2 hr drive away, said to call about 2 weeks before needing my first fill and bring my X-ray and OR papers from Kuri, he will want them. Fills are $200, plus another 250-300 if you want/need flouro. Will be prepared to pay if needed. It's all lined up! I can't believe it. Thank you.

And no phenteramine, I'll pitch the RX when I dig it out of my purse. I have some left over from last visit, won't take it anymore, for sure! It's very jittery...thank you!

So I call today to find out the lab results from the blood drawn at this last visit.

It's neat, I call the lab, press my secret code number, and I hear a message from the nurse about my lab results, so I don't have a print-out with everything on it...but the nurse said,

Your cholesterol was 267 and now it's 263. Your triglycerides were 190, now they are 222. Please continue a low fat, high Fiber diet and increase your exercise, the Dr. would like to see you back in 6-12 weeks for a re-check.

I wonder what she thinks will change in 3 months? Blah, blah, blah.

The good news is, according to my weight at the two visits (last year and this most recent visit) I have lost a whopping 12 lbs., but it did make my cholesterol go down 4 points (wooohoo! I could still have a stroke with those numbers!) and I don't know what to make of the triglycerides, so any feedback would be welcome.

At my follow-up appointment, I will have had my band for 5 weeks. Wonder what she'll say?

Ohhh...I am so excited to get my band...and have these health issues behind me! I know that losing the weight is the best thing I can do for my health, but I'm even more excited about feeling better about ME.

Looking forward to: pulling on a pair of Levis 501 button fly jeans. I have dreams about it. Do they even make those anymore? I need a fashion update, haha!

The nurse prescribed Phen Phen to you? I thought they banded that stuff years ago. I am really suprised with your higher blood pressure. I remember I was on that back in the day and thank goodness I got off that stuff. I have a high rate of heart disease in my family genes.

Don't you hate it when doctors tell you all you have to do is lose weight and excercise!!! Especially when that person is either skinny, or really overweight themselves?

I agree with you........she probably has no clue on what the lapband is all about.

PS I use to have to use a CPAP when I was 282. When I got down to 250, I was tested again, and passed with flying colors. That was one of the deciding factors of my getting the lapband. It wasn't very romantic wearing a mask to bed lol

Hi Kathy -- I missed this thread when you first posted a few weeks ago. I think you have a great attitude that will see you through the entire banding process. April 8 is just a month away. Congratulations to you for taking your health and body into your own hands. Maybe you can get your primary care doc to pay you for LapBand instruction!

Did you notice that after using the CPAP machine that you were able to lose any weight? I am having testing done and will probably need to use one. One of the things in the paperwork said that it would help with weight loss????

DeniseG? I think this one's for you!

I haven't lost any weight since I've been using the C-pap machine. However, as much as I hate that machine, I use it every night. I feel like crap when I don't use it. It really has made such a huge difference in the way I feel.

Congrats on taking contol Kathy. (oh, my Dr. told me a couple years ago that all I needed to do was take up running. Yeah, right, me run for anything less than my car blowing up???)

Hi Kathy. I had to laugh when I read your posts...my PCP wanted me to stay in the US for banding. I really like him a lot & told him I was going thru w/it. He did all my testing here & was supportive after I told him to forget about the US (Cigna doesn't pay). So, now my hubby's not feeling too well, & I went to the same doc to accompany him on a visit...the doc's mouth fell open when he saw me. I couldn't wait to hop on his scale, whereas before I wouldn't go near it, I would just tell him how much I weighed! Since then (about a month ago) whenever my hubby goes to see him, the whole staff asks him how I'M doing. I have to admit, my husband feels a little neglected. But he's truly very proud of me. So, we just have to educate these doctors & show them our great results. Best of luck to you.

Karen

Yay KarenB!!! You show 'im! My hope is to open my Dr.s eyes about Lap Band, and educate her like Zoe said. Dont' think she'll pay me though...hmmm.

Angeleyes, there are other threads about Cpaps, go up to the top and do a search and you will finds posts...I'm not sure if it will help you lose weight, but losing weight will help you lose the machine! Good luck on your sleep study, start a thread about it and you'll get lots of feedback.

Oh, Denise, the Dr gave me a prescription for Pheneramine, which, I think is one of the Phens in phen/fen or fen/phen. It does increase blood pressure and heart rate, but apparently mine is borderline enough that losing weight with it is worth the risk? Too jittery for me. I tried 1/2 a tablet once and it made me want to sleep, plus I "tinkle" all day long...it really does speed your metabolism but the side effects...not my thang.

Vinesqueen, you crack me up. I love your attitude. Hope your day is getting better! Haiku is one of my next stops...

Sorry, it didn't alert me there was a new response on the board. Forgive me for not responding. I didn't notice any weightloss, maybe your doctor meant you would have more energy because you would get a good nights sleep. Or maybe like me, after you wore that thing it would motivate you to lose weight to get off of that hideous looking thing lol