New to group

[Guest guest]

welcome aboard, sherri. think i have 5 incisions, pretty much faded

except for the bellybutton one. oddly enough, i almost hope the scars

never fade, they're a reminder of my sacrifice.

lori h.

23 grateful months post-op

> Hello, I have just recently joined your group.I have just returned

> from my orentation at Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston.I'm

> wondering if anyone has had experience with this facility. The staff

> seemed great, but I would still prefer a couple of personal

> references. Also, can anyone elaborate on the post-op hair-loss. Do

> you actually loose all of it? How about the incisions with the lap

> vs. the open. I have tried to find photos but haven't been successful.

> Thanks very much,

> Sherri

> North of Boston

[Guest guest]

Hi Sherri,

I just had laparoscopic surgery on Tuesday, the 6th. I have 6 small (each

less than 1 inch long) incisions on my belly. They are kind of in a round

patern. I just looked at the old laparoscopic scars on a friend of mine and

they are nothing compared to stretch marks. They are hardly noticable. I

can't believe how amazing I feel just 3 days out. I am trying not to over

do it but I feel really good.

~

new to group

> Hello, I have just recently joined your group.I have just returned

> from my orentation at Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston.I'm

> wondering if anyone has had experience with this facility. The staff

> seemed great, but I would still prefer a couple of personal

> references. Also, can anyone elaborate on the post-op hair-loss. Do

> you actually loose all of it? How about the incisions with the lap

> vs. the open. I have tried to find photos but haven't been successful.

> Thanks very much,

> Sherri

> North of Boston

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

here is what someone told me and these were golden words for me.

Take a robe because it gets cold in the hospital sometimes ( the kind that

opens/buttons in the front.)

take lip balm/chap stick with you

take thongs or slippers because they make you walk

take your favorite toothpaste and toothbrush

At 08:19 PM 5/20/04, you wrote:

>Hi, I am new to the group but enjoy reading and learning from

>everyone. My date just got moved up a month so now I go in for

>surgery on Monday, May 24th. What a flood of emotions, but excited

>to move on to the next part of the journey. I was wondering if

>anyone had any advice that they wish they knew someone had told them

>before surgery, as far as preparing for when you get home. I am

>having my surgery with Dr. at Unity in Fridley, MN.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

REST REST REST...drink slowly,,PROTEIN PROTEIN(don't forget the

protein)),,sips sips sips....don't try to do things you know that is wrong

to do ok. now with that said...my name is Beck I live in

Galesburg,Illinois and had open RNY on march,10 2004 and so far have lost

78.3 pounds. and am feeling so much better. but have had two problems ((not

to bad)) just needed to learn to eat slower and lots less then i do. i try

to keep up with my hubby and it dont stay well with me..i had a scope done

on the 27 of April and found out that instead of having a 20 cc pouch i have

a 10 cc so mine is somewhat smaller and i needed to eat one oz instead of

two. but i am doing great now so like i said REST, REST, PROTEIN, PROTEIN,

SIPS ,SIPS, SLOWLY EAT AND,HAVE A GREAT TIME BECOMING A LOSER IT IS A GREAT

FEELING TO BECOME ABLE TO DO THINGS AGAIN....Much to you all.... Beck

New to group

> Hi, I am new to the group but enjoy reading and learning from

> everyone. My date just got moved up a month so now I go in for

> surgery on Monday, May 24th. What a flood of emotions, but excited

> to move on to the next part of the journey. I was wondering if

> anyone had any advice that they wish they knew someone had told them

> before surgery, as far as preparing for when you get home. I am

> having my surgery with Dr. at Unity in Fridley, MN.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

This is only accurate in certain circumstances and varies based on

insurance companies and physicians. For instance BCBS-GA considers only

" medical necessity " there are no comorbidities required, only 100+ lbs.

and the BMI that would naturally be high at that weight. You will want

to check with your insurance company and physician to determine if you

are a viable candidate for the surgery.

Lap RNY April 9, 2004

348/286/140 (begin/current/goal)

www.carrieburns.net

> 5'5 " and 215 lbs ?  you need to be 2oo lbs overweight   and have 2

> exceptable comobities ( diabeted - acid reflux - sleep apnea- ) higher

> than 42 i believe bmi . there are some insurance co that are doing it

> if you are only 8o lbs but that is very few and i don't know who they

> are.i'm 5'4 " 240 lbs and i almost didn't get the surgery until i told

> them i was not diabetic. my surery date aug 18th lap

>

> bye shirley of fontana so cal

>

> skunks4me wrote:

> Hi all!  I am new to this group but have been reading posts for the

> last

> several days.  My name is Priscilla, I'm 52 yrs. old, and I live in

> Pleasant Hill, MO.  That's just south and a bit east of Kansas City. 

> Is

> there anyone here who lives in KC and if so, can you recommend any

> doctors

> here?

>

> I am no different than anyone else on this list.  I too have had

> weight

> problems all my life and, of course, have tried and failed every diet

> ever

> invented, gaining back lost weight, plus.

>

> I have been contemplating this surgery for almost three years.  Last

> year I

> was living in Florida and had gone to an info meeting, was getting

> things

> set up, when my life changed drastically.  Now I'm in another state

> and

> looking to start over again and am still looking for a doctor that is

> willing to do the surgery on me.  I say willing because I am not all

> that

> terribly heavy right now.  I have lost about 30+ lbs. in the last nine

> months by eating low carb, but, I can't keep doing this diet as it's

> not

> normal and I'm finding it harder each day to continue.  I know as

> soon as I

> stop I will start the regaining process and I am here to tell you

> that I am

> totally dieted out!

>

> I am now around 215 lbs., 5'5 " tall.  I have major ankles problems,

> due to

> weight and being extremely flat footed, sleep apnea, my hips and

> knees hurt

> when I'm in bed, ( I already have two memory foam mattress on top my

> regular mattress), I tried and failed on every diet for the last 40

> years,

> my self esteem jumps up and down like a yo yo along with my moods and

> I

> suffer chronic depression.  All of this, not to mention the problem

> finding

> clothes that fit and have some sort of style, not getting the job

> cause I'm

> too big, even though I'm better qualified than the thin person they

> end up

> hiring, being overlooked in a store or stared at from someone with

> disgust

> on their face, etc.  I know you all know exactly what I'm talking

> about.

>

> I am terrified to gain back the weight I've suffered to long to take

> off

> but I know I can't keep up like this and I also know I will never

> reach a

> decent goal.  I get so depressed that I will not go out in public for

> weeks

> at a time and so discouraged that I my depression gets worse because

> I keep

> waking up in the mornings.

>

> I'm not looking to be a size 6.  I just want to be able to walk

> without

> pain, sleep and feel rested, lay down and not hurt, be visible to

> others,

> and feel good about myself.  I want to be able to take the grand kids

> to

> the pool when they ask me to go with them.  I want to wake up in the

> morning and be excited to be alive and ready to jump into the day.  I

> want

> to feel confident, secure about my body, and like a hole person and

> not two,

>

> So, what do you all think?  Think I can find a doctor to do the

> surgery?  Think I'm not a candidate?  What?

> p

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone

I haven't been here very long - just over a week, but already I've

learnt so much, and feel a lot more positive about my surgery. I'm

going in May 7 (this time next week it'll be over! Strange thought.)

for upper jaw moved up and forwards, lower jaw forward and

possibility of genio as well.

It's been a long road, as many of you know from your own

experiences. I had braces for 2 1/2 years when I was younger, but I

always knew I would have to have this operation when I stopped

growing. I got braces on the bottom last year February, after having

two teeth pulled (bicuspates). The surgeon and the ortho decided

that removing the teeth and then closing the gaps, in effect pulling

my lower jaw back even further, would be the best way to correct my

overbite. First question: has anyone else had this procedure? The

ortho did explain why it would be more effective, but for the life

of me I cannot remember what she said! So if someone could explain

it to me, I would be so grateful! Right now, 6 days pre-op, my

bottom teeth are so far back I feel like I could swallow them.

To continue: I got upper braces on in mid-September. Clear plastic

brackets on 6 teeth (the front ones) but the ortho said they would

be fine for surgery. Then the fun began. Originally, the ortho said

late Novemeber, early December for the operation. Well, late

November, early December came and went without a word from the

ortho. Then she said, no, February. February became April...and now

its May 7 (providing the medical aid comes through - another

hurdle!) I'm not complaining that they wanted to get the teeth in

the perfect position for the surgery, but then she should have never

told us late November, early December of last year! But I'm over

that now - I'm just so grateful to have a definite date. The end is

in sight!

I have a few more questions though:

I have an ortho appointment on Thursday - I'm assuming this is for

the hooks? I'm getting elasticked shut, not wired. How long are you

banded closed for? How long do the hooks stay on for? Does everyone

get hooks?

The splint - does everyone get? How long does it stay in for? What

does it do, exactly? (Sorry if I sound completely ignorant!)

I noticed in some of the pictures (I went through all of them!) that

some people turned green or yellow, esp on the neck and chest. Why

is this? How long does it last for?

After the operation, the surgeon told me I would be in high care.

This is standard, right? My surgeon is the best, btw. I really like

him. One of the best things about him is that he did the exact same

operation on his daughter, so he knows first-hand what it's like

afterwards etc.

How long after the surgery do you begin to feel 'normal' again? I'm

not going back to work for 4 weeks - so I'm expecting a while.

My whole life I've had sinus problems. The surgeon said that it

would improve after the operation. Did any of you experience this? I

know with upper jaw, because they cut through your sinuses, you're

not allowed to blow your nose for a while. This is worrying me! What

about sneezing? What happens when you sneeze? And sniff??

Ok, I think that's all the questions, for now!

Katja - your photos are beautiful! My profile is exactly the same as

yours was, so if I end up looking as good as you I'll be so happy!

- best wishes for your surgery! I'll be going in 4 days after

you, so we can recover together.

Thanks for reading!

Tarryn