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Richmond, VA June Surgery Date

Hollins2003

By Hollins2003, in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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Hollins2003    0

Hollins2003
Posted

Hi Everyone!

My name is Jennifer and I have been researching lap band/gastric bypass for years. I have been heavy my whole life. The first time I remember feeling fat was when I was in the third grade. I have always been at least 50 pounds overweight and right now I am about 150 pounds from where I need to be. I have traveled a long road to make the decision to finally have lap band surgery. I have been successful on diets before (espically Atkins) but have had trouble keeping the weight off. My hope is that the lap band will be another tool to help me maintain weight loss. I began pre-op "stuff" with VCU and Dr. Maher in April. I went for the initial consultation and psych eval on April 3. Dr. Maher wanted me to lose 21 pounds before scheduling the surgery. I did this easily within a month and now have a surgery date of June 25th. I am going in for pre-op "stuff" on June 17th with my liquid diet beginning on June 11th. I am a teacher, so this is perfect timing. I am most excited about being active again. I used to show horses and want to buy another horse and start that hobby again. Also, my partner and I want to learn how to kayak (we live right near the Maury River). I would love to hear any advice, stories, etc.!!

Jennifer

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luvinke    0

luvinke
Posted

Welcome Jennifer,

You are well on your way to a new you. Just keep in mind that exercise is important. Start slow at first if that works for you but be sure to move around. I started exercising about a month in a half ago and now the scale is moving, I'm feeling good and I've got a lot more energy. It took me a while to find out that if I get off the sofa, and walk or jog that I can lose weight (it takes some longer than others). I've been a slow loser but now that is changing. You will do fine. Keep me posted. Best of Luck!

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Zannie    6

Zannie
Posted

Congrats on the Band date, Jennifer! And on getting right to what you needed to do to improve your health. :confused_smile:

Being Banded was the best thing I've done for ME is a very long time... I live in Williamsburg, am a stay-at-home mom of 2, & I'm 15 months out from my surgery -- down about 110 of my apx 200 excess pounds. Remember, the Lap Band is only a tool & not a magic pill. You have to work WITH it, not against it. The new way of eating is an adjustment, and any exercise at all is a real life style change for me, but I have NO regrets at all. My world is opening up again in ways I hadn't even realized were closed. In fact, I have just started back to college for those last few courses between me & my Bachelors. For the summer semester, my class meets at Meadowbrook High up in Richmond. Anyhow, I noticed your post & just wanted to welcome you to LapBandTalk.

I wish you much success! Good luck with your Band!

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Go To Topic Listing LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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    • Aunty Mamo

      Aunty Mamo

      Iʻm roughly 6 weeks post-op this morning and have begun to feel like a normal human, with a normal human body again. I started introducing solid foods and pill forms of medications/supplements a couple of weeks ago and it's really amazing to eat meals with my family again, despite the fact that my portions are so much smaller than theirs. 
      I live on the island of Oʻahu and spend a lot of time in the water- for exercise, for play,  and for spiritual & mental health. The day I had my month out appointment with my surgeon, I packed all my gear in my truck, anticipating his permission to get back in the ocean. The minute I walked out of that hospital I drove straight to the shore and got in that water. Hallelujah! My appointment was at 10 am. I didn't get home until after 5 pm. 
      I'm down 31 pounds since the day of surgery and 47 since my pre-op diet began, with that typical week long stall occurring at three weeks. I'm really starting to see some changes lately- some of my clothing is too big, some fits again. The most drastic changes I notice however are in my face. I've also noticed my endurance and flexibility increasing. I was really starting to be held up physically, and I'm so grateful that I'm seeing that turn around in such short order. 
      My general disposition lately is hopeful and motivated. The only thing that bugs me on a daily basis still is the way those supplements make my house smell. So stink! But I just bought a smell proof bag online that other people use to put their pot in. My house doesn't stink anymore. 
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      BeanitoDiego

      Oh yeah, something I wanted to rant about, a billing dispute that cropped up 3 months ago.
      Surgery was in August of 2023. A bill shows up for over $7,000 in January. WTF? I asks myself. I know that I jumped through all of the insurance hoops and verified this and triple checked that, as did the surgeon's office. All was set, and I paid all of the known costs before surgery.
      A looong story short, is that an assistant surgeon that was in the process of accepting money from my insurance company touched me while I was under anesthesia. That is what the bill was for. But hey, guess what? Some federal legislation was enacted last year to help patients out when they cannot consent to being touched by someone out of their insurance network. These types of bills fall under something called, "surprise billing," and you don't have to put up with it.
      https://www.cms.gov/nosurprises
      I had to make a lot of phone calls to both the surgeon's office and the insurance company and explain my rights and what the maximum out of pocket costs were that I could be liable for. Also had to remind them that it isn't my place to be taking care of all of this and that I was going to escalate things if they could not play nice with one another.
      Quick ending is that I don't have to pay that $7,000+. Advocate, advocate, advocate for yourself no matter how long it takes and learn more about this law if you are ever hit with a surprise bill.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      BeanitoDiego

      Some days I feel like an infiltrator... I'm participating in society as a "thin" person. They have no idea that I haven't always been one of them! 🤣
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • ChunkCat

      ChunkCat

      Thank you everyone for your well wishes! I totally forgot I wrote an update here... I'm one week post op today. I gained 15 lbs in water weight overnight because they had to give me tons of fluids to bring my BP up after surgery! I stayed one night in the hospital. Everything has been fine except I seem to have picked up a bug while I was there and I've been running a low grade fever, coughing, and a sore throat. So I've been hydrating well and sleeping a ton. So far the Covid tests are negative.
      I haven't been able to advance my diet past purees. Everything I eat other than tofu makes me choke and feels like trying to swallow rocks. They warned me it would get worse before it gets better, so lets hope this is all normal. I have my follow up on Monday so we'll see. Living on shakes and soup again is not fun. I had enough of them the first time!! LOL 
      · 0 replies
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    • BeanitoDiego

      BeanitoDiego

      Still purging all of the larger clothing. This morning, a shirt that I ADORED wearing ended up on top. Hard to let it go, but it was also hard to let go of those habits that also no longer serve my highest good. Onward and upward!
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