Love this new forum, just wish it had been around when I was searching.

However, for those who are searching, FYI, I chose Dr. T because of the location (GREAT hospital), and his willingness to perform fills when you NEED them versus based on a schedule. He also just charges a copay for fills which is great when I hear all these people who have to pay upwards of $100 for a fill. Makes being compliant much easier!

I'll be glad to answer any questions anyone has about Dr. T or his office.

Hi. I'm new on here, well at least for posting or replying, but I have lounged around and read for almost a year. I tried to go through bc/bs last year and they refused to pay bc my weight has always went up and down so now I have decided to just go ahead and pay out of pocket (which is a really big decision bc I am in nursing school right now). To make a long story short, Dr. T will also be my doctor but I will be going through the surgery clinic and not the hospital. I am really nervous and really scared but at the same time very very excited. Will you please tell me about your experience with Dr. T? Maybe give me some helpful hints such as what is clear liquid besides broth, jello, and water and anything else that will make this journey a little easier and a little less mentally exhausting. I think I can handle the physical pain but I am really trying to pump myself up to help with the mental/head hunger stuff that I hear everyone talking about. I sent this to you bc I saw that Dr. T was your doctor but I appreciate any info/advice that anyone wants to give. I am new to this so as much research and studing that I have done, I still know there are those that are already banded that can tell me hundreds of things that I dont know yet. Wish me luck, I hope to have this done the month of June if all goes well, if not it will definitely be in July.

Melinda, I am glad to help any way I can. First off, Dr. T has a great nutritionist that you are required to see. I got her email address and phone number and I didn't hesitate to use it! They will give you an extensive list of foods you can have which will give you ideas as far as the liquids go. My surgery was a breeze and I think it is really because I was super-compliant with the preop diet. I told him before my surgery that I should have a great-looking liver since I did so good on my preop diet and when I came out, he said my liver looked better than most he had ever seen; in fact, my whole procedure took 30 minutes or less because of that.

No easy way around the head hunger. That 2 weeks of liquids only is HELL. I never looked at it as 2 weeks, though, or I would have gone insane. I just took it 1 day at a time and kept concentrating on how long I had waited to have the surgery and telling myself I could do it! Of course, I also spent a lot of time reading posts on LBT to keep myself motivated. I did a lot of walking outside when I thought I couldn't stand it anymore -- which helped with the gas pains, kickstarted exercise as well as got me as far away from the room with the refrigerator as possible!

I'm sure I didn't answer all your questions but I'll be glad to talk to you any time! Just let me know!

Thank you for such a quick reply. I think I will like Dr. T. He seems to know what he is doing and for the most part I have heard nothing but good things about him. I am really nervous about the surgery but I know that the lapband is the only answer to helping me lose weight and keep it off. I have already seen him as well as the nutritionist so now its down to calling to schedule the appointment. I just wanted to get a little feedback from you as well as his other patients, mostly bc this is such a life changing experience and the other reason being that I have to pay out of pocket. At this point my mind is really already made up, I just have to get my nerves to that point (lol). I'm also trying to find a good time when I can work around school, just in case the pain is worse than what I am expecting. Thanks again for your help.

Hi. I'm new on here, well at least for posting or replying, but I have lounged around and read for almost a year. I tried to go through bc/bs last year and they refused to pay bc my weight has always went up and down so now I have decided to just go ahead and pay out of pocket (which is a really big decision bc I am in nursing school right now). To make a long story short, Dr. T will also be my doctor but I will be going through the surgery clinic and not the hospital. I am really nervous and really scared but at the same time very very excited. Will you please tell me about your experience with Dr. T? Maybe give me some helpful hints such as what is clear liquid besides broth, Jello, and Water and anything else that will make this journey a little easier and a little less mentally exhausting. I think I can handle the physical pain but I am really trying to pump myself up to help with the mental/head hunger stuff that I hear everyone talking about. I sent this to you bc I saw that Dr. T was your doctor but I appreciate any info/advice that anyone wants to give. I am new to this so as much research and studing that I have done, I still know there are those that are already banded that can tell me hundreds of things that I dont know yet. Wish me luck, I hope to have this done the month of June if all goes well, if not it will definitely be in July.

I'm getting my lap band on June 10th (this Wednesday!). I'll keep you posted. I'm nervous and very glad to be getting this lap band. I've been looking at it for about 2 years. I was ready to get it last summer, but a family illness kept me from doing it at that time. I'm a teacher, so summers are my ideal time to get anything time-consuming done.

Let me know if you have any questions! Good luck to you!

I'm getting my lap band on June 10th (this Wednesday!). I'll keep you posted. I'm nervous and very glad to be getting this lap band. I've been looking at it for about 2 years. I was ready to get it last summer, but a family illness kept me from doing it at that time. I'm a teacher, so summers are my ideal time to get anything time-consuming done.

Let me know if you have any questions! Good luck to you!

Forgot to say..Dr. Touliatos (sp?) is my doctor as well.

Congrats!! June 10th...that is so exciting and scary at the same time. I had originally set a date for June 19, but had to change it bc of nursing clinicals. I still have every intention of having it done but I have to work around class but I will eventually get it all in order. I am so happy for you. It sounds like we have both done a lot of thinking and praying about this. I know that it has and still is one of the hardest decisions that I have ever tried to make, but I do feel like it is in my best interest to do it. Thank you so much for sharing with me and I would love to know how everything goes for you. Will you be at Trinity or at the surgery center? I will be going to the surgery center bc I am self pay and I will still have the same wonderful doctor, it will just cost a little less. FYI, I heard that Dr. T and Pennington are wonderful. I work with a few nurses that think the world of both of them, not only of their bedside manner but also of their skills. I think you will be in good hands. I will keep you in my prayers and hope you have a speedy and painless recovery. Please let us all know how you are doing as soon as you feel up to it. GOOD LUCK!

Hello! I had my band done on June 10th of last week, and so far so good. I'm getting tired of the liquid thing , but I don't have far to go before I start the mushy stage. I LOVED the folks at B'ham Surgery Center. They were quick and professional. I've had the luxury of taking it easy, but I did walk 30 minutes on the treadmill this afternoon and did 10 minutes on the eliptical. I've been REALLY good about taking all my protein and vitamins. I'm ready to get back in the swing of things!

Edited June 17, 200917 yr by becky1963

Hey Becky! I'm glad to hear that you are doing good. I am really getting excited now that my date is getting closer but still very nervous! I will be able to take it easy for a few days, like 5 or 6 but then it will be hard at it again, but my instructors know that I cant lift for a little while. How has the pain been for you? Are you glad that you decided to go through with it? Thanks for sharing about the surgery center, I'm really glad that someone could let me know a little about it. Good luck with the band and your new journey.

Hey, Melinda! So far I have no regrets. My healing has been as easy as it can be for a 46 year old woman. I've lost 18 lbs. in three weeks, and I am reminding myself not to expect that every month:-)

If you are young and in good health, then I do encourage you to take the risk if you've tried everything else. One thing I have learned from others: don't drink your calories. I 've been so good not to drink my favorite thing: real coke. I did have two tiny sips of a friends Pepsi today, but I was glad I did not overdo it. I don't like really sweet things (I'm a meat, potato, and bread person) except for the coke, and I've kept crystal light and Water at hand.

There's risk in every surgery, but I think Dr. Touliatos does a good job of screening his patients. As long as you go in realizing the potential problems and having a plan "b" in mind, that will help. I tend to look at life with the expectation of the things that can go wrong, but that makes it easier for me to go into plan b mode when I need to without my life flying apart. There are enough things in life that will hit you upside the head already that you will never see coming, so plan, plan, plan (I've been a teacher for almost 25 years so that's where my mindset comes from).

Becky, glad to know that you are doing well. Like you, I have tried to keep in mind that things can and do go wrong or at least take an unexpected turn but I have made up my mind to do this. At one point after I got a surgery date my thoughts started racing, but I just decided I'm doing this and from this point on I have to think of it as being as important as any other life threatening surgery. So far that has worked to keep my nerves settled. Thanks for letting me know how you are doing and about the surgery. I wish you well and hope that you have a speedy recovery. BTW, I knew that you were a teacher before you told me. I think it was just the planning and having a plan b....bet you are a really great teacher! Best of Luck!

Sounds like you've got the right mindset! One thing I think you will like to hear: my incisions were MINIMALLY invasive. One looks like anything was hardly even done. I saw a few post op pics on this website and, quite frankly, I'm not sure I would have had the nerve to go through with it if I ended up with some of the incisions I've seen here! I know everyone responds to incisions differently, but Dr. T is obviously very skilled and did not butcher me up. Everything is nice and neat!

6/20/09- 19 lbs. lost!!!!

Edited June 22, 200917 yr by becky1963

I saw some of those pics too and finally quit looking bc I decided "Lord knows if I stay this big, I dont ever have to worry about anyone seeing them anyway", but I am glad that you said yours wasn't so bad. I think I heal pretty fast and the only surgical scar I have is from a tubal ligation and really isn't vizable. I also survived 5 older brothers without too many scars so maybe I will be as lucky as you. As far as your pain, is it gone yet or have you had any trouble? I go 9 days from today, so of course that it is one of my biggest concerns right now. BTW....19lbs! wow, congrats!

The pain has not been that bad at all. The gas was pretty bad, but, to me, no worse than my worst binge. Just keep some gas-x strips handy. They worked really well for me. I sleep on my side and it was painful to move from side to side for about a week. Press a pillow to your abdoman when you move and this buffers the pain a good bit.

My two week post op appt. is on Thursday and I can't wait! I don't think my scale varies more than one pound from the dr's scale, but I like to make sure!

Hello. This is all very new to me and I'm hoping to find some help and support on here. I'm 23, have struggled with weight issues my whole life. I'm looking into having lap band surgery. I'm really not even sure if this will happen for me, but hopeful! I've tried everything and I'm at my wits end. My insurance will cover 80%, but I still havent been able to find a total cost. I work over 50 hrs a wk, in nursing school, and I'm a single mother....so needless to say, I have my plate full. <no pun intended I am attending drs. touliatos/pennington seminar this thursday (very excited to get the ball rolling!) But I'm still not sure if I will be able to afford it. Any advice/support would be very appreciated.

Wow...you sound so much like me, except that I was a little older when I got the process started. I was also in nursing school and working full time and had a 16 yo nephew living with me. Do you work at Trinity, just asking bc of the insurance info that you gave and I had the same 80% coverage and that is where I work. I'm not even gonna try to sugar coat it, I started trying to get the insurance to cover but bc I had lost 120lbs (and gained it back) they refused, after paying the $200.00 out of pocket then waiting the 6 months for insurance to tell me I was denied and I had to start thinking of a new way. In the end I had to self pay, or actually bc of being in school and all that my mother got a medical credit card and we put it on there and I am paying for it monthly. Dr. T was wonderful and he did not charge the full 200.00 once I had to start the process over, think it was only $50.00. He is very good....loved the fact that he prayed with me before surgery. He also told me everything to expect good and bad....upto the hernia that he had to repaired and the left shoulder pain. He isn't very strict with the fills, after the month if you think that you need a fill every other week, then he will let you get them that often. He lets you have control over your treatment, which I really like but he is a wonderful doctor and wants to see you every 3 months the first year....pretty strict about that too! I wont tell you that having the lap band is easy bc that is not true. The weight will not just fall off you...wish it did work that easy. I think going to the support groups should be mandatory..only bc I have only made it to one and I really need some support. It is still easy to get off track, but a little easier to get back on track with the band. I was off track for a while, just got back on and trying to get some more weight off. I quit working with my band, it didnt quit working for me. So as you get started just remember that it wont be easy but it will be alot easier. I wish you the best of luck....if you go with Dr. T you will be in great hands! If there is anything that I can help you with, please let me know. You can also pm me.