Gotabmeme
It's been a long time...
Jun 13, 2008
It's been a long time, and alot has happened since I've logged on last.
March 24th I had my psychiatric evaluation with Dr. Jerome. I don't know if I mentioned elsewhere that I was undecided on Lap Band or Bypass, but this meeting cleared things up for me. He agreed that it would definitely be best for me to go with the band and thereby avoid any stigma associated with my mother having the bypass. He felt that my eating habits would be addressed by placement of the band and that I would be a good candidate. Sent me home with a booklet of 400 questions that I had to fill out and mail back... some very odd questions in there.
April 2nd I had my consultation with Dr. Tomita. We discussed both surgeries, and he explained to me the advantages and disadvantages of both in great detail. He asked me if I had decided on a procedure and I told him I would like the band. He showed me the band and explained how it would be placed. We went over pre and post op expectations for myself and the medical staff. He also asked me for questions and answered all I had. Excellent bedside manner and good sense of humor.
April 22nd Meeting with Dr. Mohlman, the internist. Prior to this appointment I had some fasting bloodwork done at the hospital. Dr. Mohlman also has a great bedside manner. He went very thoroughly over his role during the surgery and also answered questions. He does have a concern because by iron is a bit low, so he advises I take an iron supplement and have addtional bloodwork done after I've taken it for awhile. On this day I also spoke with the HMR staff about trying their diet. I was doing OK on Atkins, but I was hoping to lose faster. The HMR plan is appealing in taste, but it was very little food, about 1050 calories per day... isn't that why I'm having this surgery???
April 24th Appointment with Dr. Vorenkamp. She is my family doctor and I had to get a medical clearance from her for surgery. The clearance had to state that we had discussed the surgery, she was aware I was having it, and was in full support. Also, that there were no contraindications to my having the surgery. She required blood, urine, chest x-ray and a physical before she would do this.
May 9th Upper GI at Memorial Hospital. I can't remember the name of the doctor that performed the actual procedure, but he was a real jerk. Didn't say two words to me (I think they may have woke him up to do it?). The "nurses", or x-ray techs, or whatever their titles, were real angels.
May 16th Curves is doing a fitness study. Join for 30 days for $30.00. Went and joined today. They wouldn't let me workout until Monday.
June 9th Called Dr. Tomita's office and spoke with Sandy Bulemore. Just wanted to let her know I hadn't fallen off the face of the earth and to make sure there wasn't anything I needed to do besides lose weight. She indicated the fax she received from Dr. Vorenkamp was not thorough enough, and would fax her office a template to get what she needed. Still need to get the new blood work after taking the Iron. Need to do a 2nd patient education (first I heard of it) which is done the 2nd Wednesday of every month. I could come in this Wednesday or wait until July, I opted for this Wednesday. She reminded me of the $900.00 fee needed 2 weeks prior to scheduling the surgery for the 5 weeks supply of liquid diet and supplements. Something NEW: Dr. Tomita requires all patients with a BMI of 50 or higher to have a removable inferior vena cava filter implanted. This is done at the hopital by Dr. Vachhani's on the Friday before surgery (all surgeries are on Tuesday). I must call Dr. Vachhani to schedule a consultation sometime before I will need the implant.... and keep losing weight. Sandy informed me that even though I had been going into the office as a walk in, as I was instructed to do, and giving my weight to the receptionist to put in my file, it was not being recorded. So she did not have a weight on me since my visit with Dr. Mohlman on April 22nd. She indicated that if I wanted my weight recorded in the file, I should come in when SHE is there and make sure I ask HER to chart it... odd.
June 11th 2nd Patient Education. I arrived for the appointment, and asked the receptionist if I should wait in the waiting room or if there was a meeting room I should find. The receptionist indicated that she did not have me down for the Education Session, but she did have me down for July. I explained that I had taken 2 hours off of work to make it to the appointment per my conversation with Sandy on Monday, so she excused herself and asked me to be seated. She came back and said Sandy would see me in a few minutes. I did not ask what happened when Sandy called me back, but she went over the material with me on a one on one basis.
So here we are. I am a bit frustrated as I have been faithfully working out at Curves 3 days a week but I have GAINED almost 2 pounds. I am going to have to modify or completely change my diet.... I have not been totally faithful in all honesty, but you'd think the major increase in exercise, going from none to 3x's a week, would make a difference. Anyway, I do enjoy Curves. It has helped with mood and the workouts go quite fast as you don't have time to think about what you're doing.
March 24th I had my psychiatric evaluation with Dr. Jerome. I don't know if I mentioned elsewhere that I was undecided on Lap Band or Bypass, but this meeting cleared things up for me. He agreed that it would definitely be best for me to go with the band and thereby avoid any stigma associated with my mother having the bypass. He felt that my eating habits would be addressed by placement of the band and that I would be a good candidate. Sent me home with a booklet of 400 questions that I had to fill out and mail back... some very odd questions in there.
April 2nd I had my consultation with Dr. Tomita. We discussed both surgeries, and he explained to me the advantages and disadvantages of both in great detail. He asked me if I had decided on a procedure and I told him I would like the band. He showed me the band and explained how it would be placed. We went over pre and post op expectations for myself and the medical staff. He also asked me for questions and answered all I had. Excellent bedside manner and good sense of humor.
April 22nd Meeting with Dr. Mohlman, the internist. Prior to this appointment I had some fasting bloodwork done at the hospital. Dr. Mohlman also has a great bedside manner. He went very thoroughly over his role during the surgery and also answered questions. He does have a concern because by iron is a bit low, so he advises I take an iron supplement and have addtional bloodwork done after I've taken it for awhile. On this day I also spoke with the HMR staff about trying their diet. I was doing OK on Atkins, but I was hoping to lose faster. The HMR plan is appealing in taste, but it was very little food, about 1050 calories per day... isn't that why I'm having this surgery???
April 24th Appointment with Dr. Vorenkamp. She is my family doctor and I had to get a medical clearance from her for surgery. The clearance had to state that we had discussed the surgery, she was aware I was having it, and was in full support. Also, that there were no contraindications to my having the surgery. She required blood, urine, chest x-ray and a physical before she would do this.
May 9th Upper GI at Memorial Hospital. I can't remember the name of the doctor that performed the actual procedure, but he was a real jerk. Didn't say two words to me (I think they may have woke him up to do it?). The "nurses", or x-ray techs, or whatever their titles, were real angels.
May 16th Curves is doing a fitness study. Join for 30 days for $30.00. Went and joined today. They wouldn't let me workout until Monday.
June 9th Called Dr. Tomita's office and spoke with Sandy Bulemore. Just wanted to let her know I hadn't fallen off the face of the earth and to make sure there wasn't anything I needed to do besides lose weight. She indicated the fax she received from Dr. Vorenkamp was not thorough enough, and would fax her office a template to get what she needed. Still need to get the new blood work after taking the Iron. Need to do a 2nd patient education (first I heard of it) which is done the 2nd Wednesday of every month. I could come in this Wednesday or wait until July, I opted for this Wednesday. She reminded me of the $900.00 fee needed 2 weeks prior to scheduling the surgery for the 5 weeks supply of liquid diet and supplements. Something NEW: Dr. Tomita requires all patients with a BMI of 50 or higher to have a removable inferior vena cava filter implanted. This is done at the hopital by Dr. Vachhani's on the Friday before surgery (all surgeries are on Tuesday). I must call Dr. Vachhani to schedule a consultation sometime before I will need the implant.... and keep losing weight. Sandy informed me that even though I had been going into the office as a walk in, as I was instructed to do, and giving my weight to the receptionist to put in my file, it was not being recorded. So she did not have a weight on me since my visit with Dr. Mohlman on April 22nd. She indicated that if I wanted my weight recorded in the file, I should come in when SHE is there and make sure I ask HER to chart it... odd.
June 11th 2nd Patient Education. I arrived for the appointment, and asked the receptionist if I should wait in the waiting room or if there was a meeting room I should find. The receptionist indicated that she did not have me down for the Education Session, but she did have me down for July. I explained that I had taken 2 hours off of work to make it to the appointment per my conversation with Sandy on Monday, so she excused herself and asked me to be seated. She came back and said Sandy would see me in a few minutes. I did not ask what happened when Sandy called me back, but she went over the material with me on a one on one basis.
So here we are. I am a bit frustrated as I have been faithfully working out at Curves 3 days a week but I have GAINED almost 2 pounds. I am going to have to modify or completely change my diet.... I have not been totally faithful in all honesty, but you'd think the major increase in exercise, going from none to 3x's a week, would make a difference. Anyway, I do enjoy Curves. It has helped with mood and the workouts go quite fast as you don't have time to think about what you're doing.
First Official Appointment
Mar 19, 2008
I had my initial nurse assessment today, March 19th, 2008. It included personal and family history, blood pressure, weight, temp, EKG, lung capacity test and scheduling for my next 3 appointments. Dr. Tomita's nurse, Sandi, also answered questions regarding the surgery, and explained my requirement to lose 36 pounds. She indicated I could lose the weight in whatever way I felt was easiest/best for me. I also set up an appointment to see the internist, the psychologist and the surgeon. Also, before seeing the internist, I have to have 12 hour fasting blood work done.
Originally I was leaning toward the lap band because the complications are lower than the bypass. Also, my mom had an open bypass 10 years ago, and she has not been an ideal patient. She went from about 350 to 140, but she has consistently had medical problems because she has not taken supplements or eaten properly. Today I came to the realization, that with over 200 pounds to lose, and the higher failure rate of the band, the bypass is the better option. Making this decision was difficult and very scary for me. I am a single mother of two young girls, and I know having the surgery will in the long term be best for them and for my health. But have a sort of messed up logic that goes like this: Most likely, in my condition I will live for, at the very minimum, 15 more years, and in 15 years, my youngest will be 22 and an adult. If there were a serious complication, resulting in death, due to this surgery, I would leave a 7 & 10 year old motherless.
Tomorrow, I am having my fasting blood work done, then next Monday I have my surgeon appointment. I am also starting Atkins tomorrow. But I will stay on only 20 carbs to lose the 36 pounds I need to lose before surgery. I lost 80 pounds on Atkins in the past fairly easily, so I think this is the best option for me to get the weight off. Gonna have to pick up the exercise too.
Originally I was leaning toward the lap band because the complications are lower than the bypass. Also, my mom had an open bypass 10 years ago, and she has not been an ideal patient. She went from about 350 to 140, but she has consistently had medical problems because she has not taken supplements or eaten properly. Today I came to the realization, that with over 200 pounds to lose, and the higher failure rate of the band, the bypass is the better option. Making this decision was difficult and very scary for me. I am a single mother of two young girls, and I know having the surgery will in the long term be best for them and for my health. But have a sort of messed up logic that goes like this: Most likely, in my condition I will live for, at the very minimum, 15 more years, and in 15 years, my youngest will be 22 and an adult. If there were a serious complication, resulting in death, due to this surgery, I would leave a 7 & 10 year old motherless.
Tomorrow, I am having my fasting blood work done, then next Monday I have my surgeon appointment. I am also starting Atkins tomorrow. But I will stay on only 20 carbs to lose the 36 pounds I need to lose before surgery. I lost 80 pounds on Atkins in the past fairly easily, so I think this is the best option for me to get the weight off. Gonna have to pick up the exercise too.
About Me
MI
Location
42.4
BMI
Surgery
08/19/2008
Surgery Date
Jul 10, 2003
Member Since
