Today was my group visit with my doctor. (8:30 - 10 am). It took about an hour and a half. There were four of us there that are all scheduled for surgery on May 25. I'm the first surgery of the day. Don't know why that makes me happy, but I'm sure it is a good thing. Out of the four of us, three were lapbanders and one was gastric.
I have attached a picture of my doctor up above (right). He reminds me of the actor Frank Langella (left) , who played Dracula in the movie. :) Kudos to my dr. and the bariatric center:
I have attached a picture of my doctor up above (right). He reminds me of the actor Frank Langella (left) , who played Dracula in the movie. :) Kudos to my dr. and the bariatric center:
Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence
In August, 2009 it was announced that Centegra Health System, Amir Heydari, MD, and Centegra Weight-Loss Surgery Center was named an American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. The ASMBS Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence designation recognizes surgical programs with a demonstrated track record of favorable outcomes in bariatric surgery.
Highlights from the event:
The 10 day pre-op diet has a few options/loopholes :) which helps:
-Focus (little or no sugar carbs)
-Soups okay, not creamy, but chicken noodle okay
-Juice okay
-Soups okay, not creamy, but chicken noodle okay
-Juice okay
-Fresh fruit okay (no canned or frozen)
-No more than 1 banana a day
-No more than 1 banana a day
-Once or twice if starving, a 1/2 of a lean turkey sandwich
-Four to five protein drinks a day
-Sugar free jello and Popsicles okay
So all in all, not terribly bad. :) Then again, ask me next week. It is one thing to read about it, and another to live it.
Day before surgery is Clear Liquids only.
No Aleve...10 days prior take Extra Strength Tylenol for pain as needed. I generally take two Aleve a day for arthritis pain. Works wonders; so I may be thinner but in pain. :)
We are supposed to wash our tummies extra well the next ten days and clean our belly buttons.
He said on the day of our surgery we would be given the option of a Realize or Allergan band. If we didn't have a preference, he switches back and forth between the two. He said there really is not a big difference between the two of them. Any thoughts on the two bands??? Good things about one or the other??? Here is an interesting link http://www.wlshelp.com/lap-band-vs-realize-band.html
It takes him about 25 minutes to do a lapband.
He talked about the problems that can occur with surgery and that surgery alone is not a cure all. We have to do our part (moving afterwards) and following the diet. He talked about erosion/slippage. We watched a video during the initial seminar explaining the different surgeries and the computer video early in the approval process, so this was not new.
WLS is considered successful if a patient loses 70% of their excess weight. For example, if a patient needs to lose 100 lbs., and they lose 70 they would be considered successful. He said it can take lapband patients 2 - 2 1/2 years to reach their weight goal.
We discussed protein drinks. I will share those later this weekend. I got the Bariatrix Essentials by Metagenics. I purchased some sugar free flavors (Torani) from World Market that another lapbander suggested.
All in all, that wraps up the preop visit with the doc. Starting to get a few butterflies in my head and tummy. :) Does anyone ever think that they can skip the surgery and just stay on the liquid diet forever??? Just a brief thought in my head.
No liquid diet forever for me. I couldn't handle it.
ReplyDeleteYour pre-op diet looks like a feast compared to mine!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited that you're getting closer to your banding!!!
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and commenting on my blog. That was so great to see a new face :)
This is all very exciting. You will be banded almost to the day I was a year ago - and while you have lots of work coming your way - your band is going to change things for you in ways you never dreamed. Only 12 days left.. oooh.. I'm excited for you now. Its great. Look forward to more posts.
Cara
Wow, moving right along, you'll be banded before you know it. The pre-op doesn't sound so bad. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't given the turkey sandwich and fruit options...all liquid all the time. (But I was able to do creamy soups.) I'd ask about broth, by the way, it was essential for me. I needed something salty/savory.
ReplyDeleteI feared the pre-op diet more than anything else relating to surgery. Turned out to not be so bad. Day 2 was the hardest but 1/2 way through day 3, I wasn't even hungry anymore.
I have no suggestions about which band, sorry. But I doubt you'll ever say "Man, I wish I had chosed the other one."
Your pre-op diet sounds relatively painless. The next 12 days are going to fly by and then you'll be banded. Yea!
ReplyDeleteA couple of years ago a friend of mine had GB and a month or so later we went away for the weekend togather. I watched her eating cottage cheese and apple sauce and baby food and wondered why she didn't just skip the surgery and do the diet. But that isn't realistic. The lap band will allow you to eat all of the foods you love in quantities that allow you to meet your weight loss goals. It is the best thing I've ever done for myself!