After nearly three years of going back and forth to have WLS done, the day finally arrived last Thursday, March 22, when I had my lap banding surgery done. I was discharged from the hospital Friday night, and I did a lot better with this than I did when my appendix was taken out 18 months ago.

I'm a little sore around the incisions where the banding was put in (nothing a heating pad or a Tylenol won't handle), but other than that, I feel great. Of course, I can't bend from the waist or carry anything heavy for awhile, but that's only temporary.

"Meals" for the next few weeks will consist of clear liquids; I need 64 oz of liquid daily..but here is the good news--I got taken off FOUR of my meds! Yippeeeeeeeeeeee! The rest I have to crush up or take out of the capsules; totally GROSS tasting!

Next week, I should be going from clear to full liquids, then on to pureed goodies after that. So far, I've dropped 12 pounds already. Heh.


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*Lady Who Loves Doing PR for ASAA!*

Hope your good progress continues Lori. Glad to hear you're not finding it painful.

Brian

LoriPA wrote:

After nearly three years of going back and forth to have WLS done, the day finally arrived last Thursday, March 22, when I had my lap banding surgery done. I was discharged from the hospital Friday night, and I did a lot better with this than I did when my appendix was taken out 18 months ago.

I'm a little sore around the incisions where the banding was put in (nothing a heating pad or a Tylenol won't handle), but other than that, I feel great. Of course, I can't bend from the waist or carry anything heavy for awhile, but that's only temporary.

"Meals" for the next few weeks will consist of clear liquids; I need 64 oz of liquid daily..but here is the good news--I got taken off FOUR of my meds! Yippeeeeeeeeeeee! The rest I have to crush up or take out of the capsules; totally GROSS tasting!

Next week, I should be going from clear to full liquids, then on to pureed goodies after that. So far, I've dropped 12 pounds already. Heh. :-D

Wow! If you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to do this?


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SnickersPie

   Awesome Lori, good for you.


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SnickersPie wrote:

Wow! If you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to do this?

It's been something I had been considering for a long time, more to prolong my own life than anything else, when all other options had been tried and hadn't been successful in the long run. I have some health problems that could benefit improving from weight loss (such as arthritis of the knees and perhaps my apnea, for starters), and all the women in my family are also heavy. Both my mother and grandmother never even saw their 80th birthdays; heck, my mother never even saw her 70th--she died of cervical cancer at 68, after getting diabetes in her early 50s and being in a wheelchair from arthritis at 55. I am not looking to meet that same fate if I can avoid it.

Today has been a week since my surgery and it is the official weigh in--I am down 23 pounds so far!


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*Lady Who Loves Doing PR for ASAA!*

Quote:

Today has been a week since my surgery and it is the official weigh in--I am down 23 pounds so far!

Terrific!


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LoriPA wrote:

SnickersPie wrote:

Wow! If you don't mind me asking, what made you decide to do this?

It's been something I had been considering for a long time, more to prolong my own life than anything else, when all other options had been tried and hadn't been successful in the long run. I have some health problems that could benefit improving from weight loss (such as arthritis of the knees and perhaps my apnea, for starters), and all the women in my family are also heavy. Both my mother and grandmother never even saw their 80th birthdays; heck, my mother never even saw her 70th--she died of cervical cancer at 68, after getting diabetes in her early 50s and being in a wheelchair from arthritis at 55. I am not looking to meet that same fate if I can avoid it.

Today has been a week since my surgery and it is the official weigh in--I am down 23 pounds so far! =D>

23 pounds in a week? That's amazing!

Again, if you don't mind me asking, do you feel any weakness? Lightheadedness? Or the like? What do you eat? How much? I'm fascinated by this topic.

I could stand to lose about 40 pounds, but I wouldn't be considered for any type of surgery.


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SnickersPie

Outside of a bit of gassiness, I feel pretty good. No lightheaded feeling or being weak at all.  Small meals every 3-4 hours, though I am on the full liquid stage at the moment, and I have to drink a protein shake three times a day (which doesn't taste too bad--it's chocolate flavored lol), and take multivitamins daily, along with calcium supplements (the chewable Viactivs) and zinc. Once I get to the solid food stage, naturally the portions are going to be smaller than average in order to pass through the band properly without getting 'stuck.'


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*Lady Who Loves Doing PR for ASAA!*

LoriPA wrote:

Outside of a bit of gassiness, I feel pretty good. No lightheaded feeling or being weak at all.  Small meals every 3-4 hours, though I am on the full liquid stage at the moment, and I have to drink a protein shake three times a day (which doesn't taste too bad--it's chocolate flavored lol), and take multivitamins daily, along with calcium supplements (the chewable Viactivs) and zinc. Once I get to the solid food stage, naturally the portions are going to be smaller than average in order to pass through the band properly without getting 'stuck.'

Sounds reasonable. I was wondering how you got nutrients.

Good for you! I wish you the best! I've struggled with my weight all my life ...


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SnickersPie

Lori,

How wonderful that you had this done. What a positive step you have taken. Do you mind if I ask about what type of insurance coverage you have? PPO? HMO? I have an appointment with my internist Apr. 7th, but with the HMO, have little hope of getting the ok from her.

Did you have to undergo pdoc evaluation? I have had some pretty severe depression during the last year and I wonder if they would allow it because of that. Do you have any ideas for me?

Thanks for reading.

Sarlis-hope this info helps you. I have Cigna. They have already approved my surgery with the following stipulations-I have to be seen by my private MD 6 months straight(cannot miss 1 appointment and must be consecutive months) then I must see a psychologist(surgeon has 1 who evals all of his potential patients)and then must have meeting with nutritionist(again provided by my surgeon)my surgeon also makes patients lose 5% of their weight before he'll do surgery. Sounds very involved but worth it in the long run.


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CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO~ http://tinyurl.com/69q52a

With my insurance, before mine was approved, I had to have a body mass index of 35 or higher, have the minimum of a medically supervised six month diet history, a psychological evaluation, nutritional consultation, sleep study, cardiac stress test, echocardiogram, and clearance from both my PCP and cardiologist.


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*Lady Who Loves Doing PR for ASAA!*

Wow, Lori, that is a lot.

I guess if I could actually DO a six month medically supervised diet, I could probably get some of that weight off. But depression from not yet properly treated OSA prevents me from taking the initiative to do anything.

Thanks for both answers. It is really more involved  than I realized.

sarlis wrote:

Wow, Lori, that is a lot.

I guess if I could actually DO a six month medically supervised diet, I could probably get some of that weight off. But depression from not yet properly treated OSA prevents me from taking the initiative to do anything.

Thanks for both answers. It is really more involved  than I realized.

sarlis,

My SA also is untreated, and though I take an anti-depressant, I also don't have the initiative to do anything. I admire Lori for what she has done.

It's tough ...  


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SnickersPie

I went so far in desperation to investigate the surgery, even to talking with some who have been successful.  One chap lost from 433 to 190.  I backed out when the idea was presented that the sole purpose of the surgery is portion control.   So i'm trying to do it on my own.  Good luck and watch those gassey foods.


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91 Apneas per hour/BIPAP ResMed VPAPIII. Although no one ever said brilliant and my name in the same sentence, I'm not the flattest bisquit on the plate. But I haven't whopped sleeping with a whisser on my nose.