Hey everyone. I am new to the site and I'm happy I found a weight loss surgery section. I have been trying to get lap band for over a year now and just when I thought it was happening I got hit with another obstacle. I had to get my gallbladder removed which set me back a month. I am still in recovery. (1 week post op) I am going to be banded sometime in May, no official date yet. I am super excited to share my journey and learn from everyone else. I have been following the youtube weight loss scene for 2 years and now make videos myself. PM me if you would like to see my channel. Anyway, feel free to introduce yourselves to me And if you have any tips, or warnings before I get banded let me know!

Thanks!

hi bandarina - welcome to our corner of the world. wow. your gall bladder must have been a huge problem for them to remove it when you were already scheduled for band surgery. what happened here?

Oh no I wasn't scheduled for the band. After I finished all my insurance requirements they were about to schedule me to get banded and then my surgeon saw my ultrasound results and scheduled me to get my gallbladder removed instead. I was kinda angry that he wouldn't do both surgeries together, but oh well. He obviously knows more then me I am going to have like 9 incisions instead of 5 -_- I have a 2 week post op check up with him on the 11th and at the end of the month they're sending all my results to insurance and giving me a date! I am sooo excited I hope I don't get denied because that will just stall me another month. I have been trying to get the surgery since February 16 2010! Oh and I had a terrifying time coming out of anesthesia. I couldn't breathe for 10 minutes. They asked if I slept with a cpap machine at night! Sorry I'm all over the place but I was excited while writing LOL

wow - two surgeries. and i gotta say something here - your doc does know more medicine than you or i do, BUT that also means that he has the responsibility to explain what's going on in a way that YOU can understand.

PLEASE [and i'm begging here!] before you have the band surgery, make sure you understand EVERYTHING that he's saying. EVERY single instruction. EVERY little bit about what to expect after surgery, what's a normal pain, what's a pain that might mean trouble, and what sign [pain, leakage, whatever it is] that means that you should call him NOW. Write it down. ask questions. ask more questions. check with the nurse. ask your pharmacist [about whatever medications you might need and possible interactions]

we all want you healthy and happy. and it starts with making sure that your doc makes sure that you understand what's happening.

And i apologize if this seems like a little lecture - but it's SUCH an important thing for all of us - whether or not we're having surgery. we have a lot to take care of - children, older relatives, DHs/DWs, pets, friends, etc. - and we have to make sure that we know what's what.

Hi Bandarina,
Jillypop is right. Please make sure you understand everything your doctor says. It's his legal and ethical obligation to make sure you understand everything he says to you. You have the right to question him too.
I'm a nurse and I know a sign of a great physician is somebody who will take the time to explain the procedure and make sure you understand.
Good luck with your band and hope you recover fast from your gallbladder surgery.

Zombie

We are so glad you joined us. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask, even if they seem silly to you (there are no silly questions when it comes to surgery). I agree with the chickies, you can not know enough before surgery.



Leenie

Thank you everyone for your support! I have been asking lots of questions to my surgeon and been researching online myself. I am almost done with my process, waiting for insurance's response. I think I will be banded by mid May.

Hi Bandarina! I'm new here as well and have been wanting WLS for about five years now. I've finally decided to get the lapband and have started my journey. I have six months of nutrition classes before insurance will cover it and I should be getting it done late October or early November. I was just waiting for insurance to deny it but was so excited when I found out they said yes. In fact, I was so excited I did the happy dance in Walmart. lol

Hi Kaye,

and congrats on getting started

.

I'm so glad you got approved! I am waiting for my approval as well and then I'll head over to Walmart and do my happy dance heheh! Do you have a date yet?

Just make sure your approval number gets sent to the surgeon's office. My insurance company tried to play games with me 2 days before my surgery... talk about unnecessary stress.

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you. I don't have a definite date yet but I'll finish my 6 months of nutrition classes Nov. 19 and hopefully I'll get it soon afterwards. I haven't even finished a month yet and it feels like three. It's going soooo slow.