Surgery November 5th

[Graceful One 4]

Well officially I have 13 days and 40 minutes until surgery...not that I'm counting!

Just wanted to say hi to everyone (Becca especially!)

[Lioness81970 0]

Hi!! I will be banded on November 25th. I am having it done at Elmbrook Hospital and Dr. Burhop from Brookfield Surgical will be doing the surgery!!!

[Lulu 0]

Hi Jennye, What wonderful news! You will be banded on my birthday - so you can be sure that I won't forget you on that day!!!

Carmen - I went for my pre-op tests today; chest x-ray, blood work, training session for the Lovenox (blood thinner to be injected BY ME the night before surgery). That should be interesting. One week from now it will all become reality..... this time certainly flew by! Today I started full liquids and on Tuesday go to Clear Liquids.

Still haven't told many people about this since I don't want them mentally measuring my butt every time they see me. I'm planning to be a bit evasive until it becomes really obvious and then I'll still be selective about who to share this with. There are a lot of friends who would benefit from the lap band, but I'd rather be a "living testimony" first......... and then I'll shout it from the rooftops.

[Graceful One 4]

I've probably told more people then I should...oh well...I'm excited and tend to blab my mouth when I am...most of them are close co-workers however...I guess I'm just confident it is going to work for me so who cares if I tell some one right...now that's the attitude I need to keep!

Well good luck to you guys...glad I'm getting reborn on your birthday Lulu!

What's up with the liquids before surgery...haven't heard anything about it yet...wonder if I will....

[Lulu 0]

The more I read the individual posts, the more apparent it is that each doctor is different in their requirements prior to surgery. Some don't require anything except to not eat the night before surgery, and others want their patients to just have liquids for several weeks.

As I understand it, the liquid regimen is to shrink the liver in order to make it easier and safer to insert the band. Full liquids are anything that will go through a straw; Soup, yogurt, cream of wheat, sugar-free puddings - more substantial "liquids." The two days of Clear Liquids will include apple, cranberry and white grape juice and broth, popsicles, plain Jello.

I don't know if my doctor recommends different programs for different patients, or if it's "one size fits all." Whatever - I'm so happy to be this far in the process that I'll do whatever it takes!

[Lioness81970 0]

Hey guys - I went to the dietician yesterday and I start a full liquid diet on 11/16 for 1 week and then 2 days prior to the surgery on Clear Liquids. I guess it was the same diet you had Lulu. I was not happy with the dietician that I had yesterday at the hospital. Did you have her at all? Her name was Joan and if I didn't need to see her I would have walked out of there and wouldn't have looked back. My husband came with and he had the same impression I had. She wa very condiscending and spoke to me like I was a 2 yr old. Finally I just couldn't take it and said " Look, I have done my research on this and I know what I am doing. Either you are going to HELP me or not but either way I am not going to allow you to talk to me like I'm a child." My husband kind of looked at me like I was crazy because under normal circumstances I am very reserved and it takes a lot to push my buttons. Once I said that it was smooth sailing. Did you have any experience with her?

[Lulu 0]

Good for you, Carmen! Some of these health-care professionals are anything but! I was very fortunate to have worked with Mary and Heidi; both were wonderful. I'm having a hard time sticking to the full liquids; my tummy wants real food (or is it my head?). Have an appt with Dr. Engstrand tommorow; my two-week post-op. I wonder how loud he yells????????

[Lioness81970 0]

How was the dr's appointment? You don't need a hearing aide from all the yelling, do you? :D

[Lulu 0]

My appt went very well - NO HOLLERING!! Megan said that they are not there to scold us but to support us. Wow - what a concept! I've lost 14 # since starting the process; 7 since surgery. I'm a happy camper!!!!!

[sassyangelic1 10]

Hey Jenn...how ya doing?? I go for my 3rd fill on the 10th of march...Ive had my period for 9 weeks...so my weight has been absolutely stuck!! stuck is a polite word!!LOL I go monday and see if my tonsils and adenoids will be coming out...so popscicles and Water will help slough off some stubborn weight!! Hope you are doing great!! I haven't officially weighed at Dr. Chuas office in months...I think since November...so we'll see what my loss is sitting at. Can't wait for spring to come, that way I can kick up my activity... I'm tired of being inside!!!

Let me know how you're doing!!

Becca

[Graceful One 4]

Hey Becca!

Wow, tonsils and adenoids out...had that done at 20 and my doctor said most women think it's worse than giving birth! Good luck with that!

Well things are going good...the 5th was my four month bandiversary and I'm down 42lbs...I've been stuck for the past two weeks (pre-menstrual) and was pretty tight...we'll see what Water weight drops off soon!

I'm loving my band...I'm so glad I did this and can't wait until spring either!

I'm going to Dr. Chua's on April 2nd...supposed to go for a fill but not sure I really need one...Deb bumped me up from 2.5 (with no restriction) to 3.0 (gagging to get Water down at first) and I think I'm at my sweet spot...struggled for the past two weeks but things seem to be getting better now...

I'm sure after a good fill things will pick up for you!

Take Care,

[Guest Chris Larson]

Where do you guys go for support group meetings? Or do you use this awesome site for support exclusively?

I was just banded on Thursday by Dr. Chua... doing well, but was a bit disappointed that nobody came to see me before being discharged the next morning. I have to go back to the office on Thursday for my post-op appointment. How much weight did any of you lose the first week? Just curious... I haven't weighed myself yet, but I am waiting until Thursday.

[Graceful One 4]

Chris,

I have yet to attend a support group meeting. I do consider LapBand Talk and Spotlight Health my support groups. I'm fortunate that my band twin (done the day before me) has been a great support. We schedule our fills together and bounce ideas off one another...she too lives in Green Bay.

If your interested, Dr. Chua has a support group meeting in Fond du Lac which is probably a bit closer to you than Milwaukee...ask Deb about it at your first f/up appointment.

I don't even remember how much I lost right away...I want to say about 17lbs in the first two weeks...quite a bit...but the site of food made we want to vomit!

Congratulations on being banded!