I am being banded Oct 29 and I would like to "emotionally" hold hands with someone that morning who is having surgery that day.

Hey Tammy and all

My mom and I have not told anyone except my dad (our nursemaid) and my friend that has also done the lap band (she has good info). We are just telling people we are still on weight watchers and are really trying hard this time. You lose weight slower with the band so we hope people will just see us actually doing it this time! Don't freak out if you cheat, remember you won't be able to eat some thigs ever again!

I hope you and yours feel better for you "vacation"

Heather

oh and i need someone to help me with my weight loss ticker!!!

testing testing 1 2 3

Heather - Super! So glad you are doing great. I'm getting so excited. Bad thing is I am starting to get a little tickle in the back of my throat. Ugh! Guess I am gonna call surgeon's office today and see what I need to do. Continued good luck to all.

OK Gotta Vent a Little

Surgeon's office called back and told me to call PCP. I did and they were able to work me in this afternoon at 2:15. I love them for this. But I was checked over and she said she was gonna give me a shot and a z-pac. Yea! That way all good for surgery in 1 week!!! I think they had something other than antibiotics in the syringe or that girl jabbed me in a wrong spot. It frickin' hurts! By the time I drove home I had a pain into my hip joint and like little fingers of pain up and over to my spine. OUCH! Now that I took some tylenol and laid down and got off that hip it is feeling better but still tender. Ok Now I feel better. LOL Hope everyone else is having a very uneventful time leading up to our surgeries. Good luck all and best wishes!

I just found this thread tonight... I'm scheduled for the 29th at 8:45 am in California. I'm on the super-fast track and my head is still spinning! I'm very excited and a little nervous. I found out about the BAND3035 study (for those with BMI's between 30 and 35) about a month ago (my BMI is 34.7 - I'm 5'5", 208 lbs.), I attended the "open house" info seminar on Oct. 13, met with a bariatrician who did both my PCP and Dietician evaluations on Oct. 16 (stopped by the lab on my way for the blood work-up), had the upper GI and chest x-ray on Oct. 17, and had my psych evaluation on Oct. 20. So, basically, I managed to get all my paperwork, tests and evaluations done in just 2 weeks from the info seminar and 3 weeks from my initial inquiry about the strudy! I'm self-pay (because insurance won't pay for study participants and I don't have any co-morbitities to qualify otherwise) but at least the cost is at a slight discount. I knew very little about the lap band before a month ago, and now I'm getting one of my very own in just a week from now! I have group and pre-op tomorrow and I wonder if I will be put on a pre-op diet... and for how long. I'm hoping that if I have to do a liquid diet that it is only for 2-3 days before surgery because my cousin is coming to town tomorrow afternoon and she'll want to go out to eat! What kind of pre-op diet is everyone else being put on? Does anyone else have a lower BMI? I still need to lose 78 lbs. I wonder how long that will take? Oooh... I'm getting more excited!

Here we are....less than a week away!!! I have my final doctor appointment w/ the surgeon tomorrow! How is everyone doing? I am a little scared and am not sleeping well. I will be starting my clear liquid diet Monday and was wondering about something....I really don't like chicken broth....I was wondering what you people think about having STRAINED hot and sour soup broth? Do you think that is ok for a clear-liquid diet? I also don't know what really to take to the hospital with me...my insurance doesn't cover an overnight stay...so I will be going home unless problems occur. I know they make you walk around the halls ....so should I bring pj's? My mind goes a thousand miles a minute these days....thinking about all that is about to happen.

Hey I have a question - my doctor never said no, but I have been reading that we are not allowed anything red the day before surgery? I know I need clear liquids, but I assumed red jello was okay. Now some are saying it's not?

wvgal - I am packing a small bag (pj's, toothbrush, deodorant, chapstick, etc) just in case. You know if you don't take it you might end up needing it. I am just excited! I am also hoping the shot in the buttocks and z-pac get totally rid of this dang cold before next Wednesday.

gracie - my pre-op diet is very specific to nothing red the day before surgery. even so far as to type in all caps NO RED Jello. I am assuming there is a super good reason. I personally think because red tends to stain. Haven't you ever sucked on a red cough drop and then ended up coughing some phlegm up and it is all red plus if, God forbid, they were to nick something while disecting out your stomach to put the band around it might look like blood if there happened to still be anything in your stomach. Anyways, I am sure they have a good reason. LOL

Well Good Luck to us all. Thinking good thoughts for us all.

I'll be thinking of all of you on Oct 29 - I'm being banded in TJ by Dr. Ortiz that day. I'm flying from Canada and am a bit nervous of the long flight home, but am not trying to give my worries too much energy and just focussing on receiving and emitting good energy. My hospital overnight bag consists of: slip-on walking shoes (walking post-op is essential i hear), toothbrush/paste, socks, undies (don't want to be stuck w/paper ones!), loose clothes, book, body cream (air can be dry), chapstick, throat losenges, sports bra.

I'm on day 2 of liquid diet. It kinda sucks, but suppose i have to get used to it!

I just found this thread tonight... I'm scheduled for the 29th at 8:45 am in California. I'm on the super-fast track and my head is still spinning! I'm very excited and a little nervous. I found out about the BAND3035 study (for those with BMI's between 30 and 35) about a month ago (my BMI is 34.7 - I'm 5'5", 208 lbs.), I attended the "open house" info seminar on Oct. 13, met with a bariatrician who did both my PCP and Dietician evaluations on Oct. 16 (stopped by the lab on my way for the blood work-up), had the upper GI and chest x-ray on Oct. 17, and had my psych evaluation on Oct. 20. So, basically, I managed to get all my paperwork, tests and evaluations done in just 2 weeks from the info seminar and 3 weeks from my initial inquiry about the strudy! I'm self-pay (because insurance won't pay for study participants and I don't have any co-morbitities to qualify otherwise) but at least the cost is at a slight discount. I knew very little about the lap band before a month ago, and now I'm getting one of my very own in just a week from now! I have group and pre-op tomorrow and I wonder if I will be put on a pre-op diet... and for how long. I'm hoping that if I have to do a liquid diet that it is only for 2-3 days before surgery because my cousin is coming to town tomorrow afternoon and she'll want to go out to eat! What kind of pre-op diet is everyone else being put on? Does anyone else have a lower BMI? I still need to lose 78 lbs. I wonder how long that will take? Oooh... I'm getting more excited!

Grateful1, My surgery was changed today for Oct. 29, also. I am having it at Sutter Hospital in Sacramento, Which Hospital are you having yours? Who is your doctor? Mine is Dr. Patching on Howe Ave.?

WvaGal, small world, I was born & raised in WV. Where do you live in that beautiful state. Lots of us on Oct. 29.

Maggies:shades_smile:

Hi Maggies! I live near Huntington WV. The leaves are beautiful here this week!

Ok...I went to my preop appt to see my doctor today...I was scheduled for noon....and I got to see the doc at 2:33...OMG.................that sent my blood pressure to the roof!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All that wait to see the doc for 15 mins top. He didn't rush that bad...but I felt like I needed to hurry and get back to work after all that time had passed...so maybe I rushed.

I asked him about red Jello, and red stuff in general...and he said that if I were having like a colonoscopy I wouldn't be allowed red stuff...but red is ok (at least for me) before surgery.

He kept asking me ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS.....is this normal? Also....I thought I was coming home the same day...but it looks like for some strange reason...I am spending the night. I don't know what to make of this because all along the plan was for me to go home. I don't know how I feel about this yet.

I still can't get a straight answer about paying the balance for the procedure. I have asked everyone in the office and they don't really know how that is done. I will owe 90%...I have no idea how much that will be...I dont even know how much the whole procedure costs! I hope they don't ask for it on the day of surgery....I won't have it. I have asked for months how much I will need and if I will need it the day of surgery...and no one knows....now, w/o saving...I will have to make payments - and now that I think about it....wouldn't it be a different price if I stayed 5 hours or 23 hours??????....so how would they charge me? I know hospitals are different...but have any of you that had insurance coverage paid for your surgery yet?

Another question that popped into my head today is....I wear an underwire bra....am I going to be able to wear it on my way home from the hospital? I think there is an incision under the breast right?

So many questions are popping through my mind...I have a headache!

wvgal, What insurance company are you with.? Wow, they only pay 10% on your surgery. From what I have been told the surgery is anywhere between $10,000. and 15,000.00. And of course the longer you are in the hospital the more it will cost. You should call the ins. company and demand answers. Are you having your surgery in Huntington or Charleston? Good luck and let me know what you find out. Maggie:shades_smile:

Hey all - Yea the 29th is closing in. I am going to store for a few more things and for oj and chicken noodle soup to knock this cold out before wednesday. I would think the underwire bra would be uncomfortable at least for a while after surgery depending on where your incisions are. I will be thinking healthy good thoughts for us all on the 29th. I wouldn't think they would bill you at the time of your surgery since they won't know what part of your out-of-pocket maximum you have met for the year until they bill the insurance.

Go to get my stitches out of my back on Monday just to be cut open again on Wednesday. But its all for a good cause. Yea Us!

OMG...I meant my insurance pays 90%...I am left with owing 10%...Sorry about that!!

I am having my surgery in Huntington by Dr. Nease.

So are you all bringing like a sports bra or regular bra to the hospital?

My incision ended up being about 2 inches below the underwire bra line. Maybe it depends how long your torso is? I am fairly "tall" at 5-7.

My surgeon's office couldn't tell me what my cost would be either. They said the surgery ran between $14,000-$17,000 but that the 10% I paid wouldn't be actually 10% because it would be after their insurance discounts and then could only reach my out-of-pocket amount. I did have to pay a surgeon's upfront fee of $217.

Hope this helps!

~~anne