starting a new thread for anyone who has or is considering surgery thru the Brigham/Falkner program.

~Mel

surgery 11/13/07 Dr Vernon

-35lbs

Glad to hear you are on the mend!

Carnation has milk...are you Lactose Intol?

If so, there is a liquid Carnation which is totally Lactose free.

I ordered unjury powder(unflavored) to add to my Glucernas after procedure because I don't want to have thinning hair as some do. It is thin enough already! I am supplementing also with Biotin.

I also find that Crystal Light causes D in some, myself included..it's the sugar substitutes. Are you drinking a lot of Aspartame or the like?

I don't think I'm lactose..I've been drinking the milk based shakes okay.

I don't think I'm drinking a lot of aspartame..my diet consists of:

Glucerna, Atkins Advantage Shakes, unjury, Carnation Instant, and Trader Joes World Protein.

For Water, I'm drinking Fruit 2 0, Propel and regular water with some sugar free Jello mixed in.

It was great to see everyone tonight! I almost didn't stay today because my fill was at 3:30 so glad I changed my mind. I feel uplifted and ready to face the challenges before me!

Mel and Paige thanks for your inspiration and information. I'm so thankful to have successful banders as part of the group to guide me. I think I can speak for the group when I say we would be lost without you girls!

Jay you look great! The last time I saw you was back in February. Hang in there through the fills...we have to find that green zone sooner or later...

Have fun in Aruba Paige!:laugh:

Hello Everyone, I'm a newbie, I go to Faulkner tonite from 6 to 7:30, I have a BMI of 38 and high cholesterol. My cholesterol is family related, all my others are normal, blood pressure etc is excellent. My doctor recommended this and I have Harvard Pilgrim PPO in MA. Can anyone tell me what I can expect tonite or from the insurance company? I'm getting married next year, late in life, so I've really taken stock about staying with my future husband as long as I can without medications for high cholestrol which my doctor said if I dont do this route I will have to be on. My future hubby is younger, so I guess that makes me a cougar:tongue_smilie:, I have no issue working out, I do curves smart 3 -4 times a week and just got a treadmill to incorporate into the lap band journey, if I'm approved. Any help or suggestions I'd appreciate. I was wondering is it true you can be scheduled to have it in within 5 weeks? Thanks and have a great holiday weekend!

Hello, Newbie here,

I have my first meeting at Faulker tonite. I'm 47, BMI and high cholestrol. I have Harvard Pilgrim PPO, and I'm on edge as to how long it takes, if I'll be approved, who long out of work, but still I believe as my doctor does this is the best way to get my cholestrol under control, my BP is 110/78 and everything else is fine not even any PERIMENOPAUSE lol, I know my friends want to hit me, no one night sweat etc......but I have a family history of high cholesterol,etc that has lead to other things. Any help would be appreciated, who is the best Doc as Faulkner? Thanks so much

Hi !

I am scheduled to be banded next week.

I also have Harvard Pilgrim and they approve within a very short time.

I wouldn't worry with your cholesterol and BMI..especially if the Bariatric surgeon says that you qualify.

I am having it done with Dr Malcolm Robinson at the Faulkner and he is known and reported to be one of the BEST!

Scheduling is rather slow, though in the Brigham/Faulkner program, so you have to make many calls to get your appointments scheduled. I found that it was not a question of my being approved, but a secretarial matter. You will find it almost impossible to get an appt for surgery with Dr Vernon. Dr Robinson and Dr Lautz are really good.

The info meetings are very informative with slides and talk by a surgeon, someone from finance talking on insurance, etc, and a nutritionist...all make a great presentation. Questions from the audience are plentiful and they encourage questions.

I wish you the BEST! Let us know how you make out.

THank you I will, how long did it take you from start to finish? does everyone have to take a sleep study? My primary care said that not the surgeon, so I"m a bit apprensive, but thanks on the scheduling thing......I will remember that the squeaky wheel gets the oil, can you have all your appts at the faulkner?

I was wondering is it true you can be scheduled to have it in within 5 weeks?

I went to the meeting in January and pushed to have it done as soon as possible which was in May.

It all depends on the surgeon's schedule and also the openings for appointments for a psych eval, nutritionist consult, initial surgical consult,sleep study etc. The insurance is usually all set before the appts...HP is fast.

re sleep study: if you don't tell the dr at the initial consult that you snore or have any problems sleeping, chances are that you won't have to have one. Don't mention snoring like I did!

thanks for that! I didn't want to do the sleep study lol, plus I heard faulkner lost a surgeon Dr. Munn so they are behind, Good luck and let me know how your feeling, 4 months, not too bad, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks again

one more thing I'm on meds to sleep becuase I have a seizure disorder which I dont have to take meds for, but the meds force me to sleep so I dont end up having a seizures or symptoms, so hopefully that will guard me against a sleep studdy, I do not want that LOL, thanks for reading me rant:lol:

can you have all your appts at the faulkner?

Sleep study and psych eval are not there, but nutritionist , dr and upper GI can be, I believe. Consolidating the appts to one location where possible may slow down the process. I went for my sleep study in Medford, my psych at the oldWomen's Lying In Hosp, my appts with Dr R at Brigh and Faulkner , my initial info meeting at Brigh and my upper GI (required) at Brigh ..some on same day. I had 3 on one day... the upper GI at the Brigh, then walked past Children's Hospital to the Wonen's Lying In for the psych, and then went in the afternoon to Faulkner for the nutritionist.

one more thing I'm on meds to sleep becuase I have a seizure disorder which I dont have to take meds for, but the meds force me to sleep so I dont end up having a seizures or symptoms, so hopefully that will guard me against a sleep studdy, I do not want that LOL, thanks for reading me rant:lol:

I would DEFINITELY tell the doctor about the seizures and the medication..not something to be quiet about with anesthesia.

IMO.

Others will jump in with some information on their journeys towards being banded as the evening progresses and folks get home from work.

this is going to be a dumb question, what is the upper GI? I will go wherever I have to to get this all done in time, thank so much for taking the time to answer my questions and making me feel at ease

this is going to be a dumb question, what is the upper GI? I will go wherever I have to to get this all done in time, thank so much for taking the time to answer my questions and making me feel at ease

It is an x-ray of your alimentary canal or digestive track. They give you some barium liquid to swallow and as you are flat on a table, they watch it going down through the esophagus and into the stomach. Not a bad test at all.

:smile:

Well, my lungs have cleared, the pulmonologist says I am all set, surgery is scheduled for June 3rd, and my second round of pre-ops with Anesthesia clinic, and Dr. R, are both next Tuesday morning, the 26th.

Today is day one of pre-op... it will not be an issue, since I have been practicing with this diet since January.

And to reiterate what Jay said, on my first visit to the BWH weight loss surgery clinic, I saw Dr. R and the Nutritionist, Sari, and she gave me all of the information regarding pre-op, surgery, and post-op diets.

I also picked up the following books, for anyone who is vegetarian or not, and might be interested in low glycemic/low carb veg cooking. There is a lot of information in some of them, regarding the health benefits of a low "white carbs" diet. These books are keeping me from longing for things I do not need, should not have, and am determined to live with out. The book "The New Glucose Revolution" has very good information.

Another book, if you are interested in something to pass time, is "Good Calories, Bad Calories" by Gary Taubes (its the book with the piece of toast on the cover). Basically, this book sums up what many bandsters have learned when they had intolerance for bread, pizza, etc... and their PCOS and diabetes virtually disappear. It's the "white" flour carbs that are hurting us. Not necessarily sugar, per se, though I do not encourage sugar consumption, but the opposite. Its the carbs though. The bad ones, that are hurting us, to this point, where we require surgical intervention. JUST MY OPINION though, and I encourage everyone to search out the information that they need to make informed decisions for themselves.

I am just glad Amazon remembered that Diabetic Vegan cook book (it sucked, the recipes were terrible and it was too strict and made me stop being vegan) a few years back, now that these titles came up with their algorithm they have on me!

I accidentally ordered 2 of the first one, if anyone is interested in it, I will bring it to a support group meeting for you...

"The Vegetarian Low-Carb Diet: The Fast, No-Hunger Weightloss Diet for Vegetarians"

Rose Elliot; Paperback; $12.21

"The New Glucose Revolution Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook: 80 Delicious Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes Made Easy with the Glycemic Index"

Dr. Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller M.D.; Paperback; $15.56

"The Whole Foods Diabetic Cookbook"

Patricia Bertron; Paperback; $10.17

"Low Carb Vegetarian"

Margo Demello; Paperback; $10.36

"Month of Meals: Vegetarian Pleasures"

American Diabetes Association; Spiral-bound; $13.57

"Carb Conscious Vegetarian: 150 Delicious Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle"

Robin Robertson; Paperback; $13.57

Regards,

Me! :mad2: