semperfidad

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Well, I have just had a Lapband adjustment (16Apr07). I was at 4cc's, and now I am at 6cc's. The adjustment went very smooth... they hit the port of the first poke... I hardly even felt it! The Doc tells me I am now in the effective range of the Lapband. I can feel a huge difference at 6cc's. I can feel the band on virtually every bite I swallow. It is not a discomfort, just a reminder to be good ;-). As a result of the greater restriction, I feel full much sooner... Although I have had great success with weight loss on willpower alone (I have always been able to lose... just couldn't keep it off), I do believe that it is going to be very easy to maintain my loss with the band helping me. My energy levels are now at a point where I can do most anything I want... work in the yeard, go for a walk, work long hours.... I can go until I am ready to quit, not just until I get tired (Like before WLS). Well, gonna keep the updates short. Take care, and keep on keepin' on!!

Semper Fidelis!

I went in for my first fill on Thursday afternoon... I would like to say that it went a smooth as silk, but I am not in the habit of telling fibs.

The PA came in and informed me that she did about 90% of the fills un-assisted, and would be handling my first fill. After getting prepped and lying back in a highly uncomfortable position, and doing mini sit-ups to stretch my abs to make the port more prominant, she attempted to hit the port with the Hypo... 4 attempts later she informed me that she was going to go get my Surgeon as she was having problems locating the port access.

The surgeon came in and felt for the port and determined that I had too much fluid build up around the port to be able to accurately determine where it was. So he went in with a 'Big Bore' needle to drain the fluid. My Wifes best estimate was something in the neighborhood of 12cc's give or take a bit was drained. Then the surgeon thought he had a clear picture of where the port was... two sticks later (7 total now) he was in the port!

First he applied 6cc's and had me take a sip of cold water. It would not go down... he then pulled 1cc out (5cc's in the band) the water would go down, but very slowly... he pulled 1 more cc out (4cc in the band) and I could feel the water pause, then run through. This is were he decided to leave it.

I now have fairly significant bruising around the port area from all of the sticking, and I am a little concerned that the band may be a bit too tight... time will tell. I may have some swelling of the esophogus from the 'foreign body' that is wrapped around it being filled, if so, it will get better when the swelling subsides. If not, I may have to go in for a minor downward correction as even sipping water is highly uncomfortable... it goes down, but feels like it about gags me before it does.

It has only been 31 hours since the fill so I will give it until sometime next week before I contact them.

Just a really quick update. I checked in to Dr. John Warner Hospital yesterday morning at 6:00am. At approximately 8:00am they wheeled me in to the Operating Room. In a matter of seconds they had me off to sleepy land. For me it seemed like a blink later, officially it was 58 minutes later they woke me up in recovery... I was all finished and now the proud owner/wearer of a Lap-Band. At 9:30am they wheeled me back into my room to reunite me with my wonderful supporting Wife, Judy. Having watched others before me, I knew what my next few tasks were going to be. First prove to them I could drink water... I was surprised that even at 1 ounce increments, it was trying to make me regurgitate. After about 5 hours of sipping water, sleeoing and resting, I asked if I could go for a walk in the hallways. After we made a quick lap around the Hall's, the Nurse asked if I would be interested in being discharged and go home... It took about 1.5 nanoseconds to process that information and respond to the affirmative! So at 3:00pm we were driving away from Dr. John Warner to start my new journey.

Well, I went to Illinois Bariatric on the 17th and had my Pre-Op Consult. As I suspected I was placed immediately on a full liquid diet (14 days pre-surgury). Now I just relax an follow the plan through to the 30th, then check in to Dr. John Warner Hospital at 6:00am, with a Surgical Suite reserved for 7:30am. I probably will be home in time to watch the evening news. It won't be long now until I will have my seat on the losers bench.

Semper Fidelis

Just a quick update. I called Illinois Bariatric on Wednesday Morning, 03Jan07 at 9:00 and scheduled my Lap-Band surgery. Pre-Op consult is scheduled for 17Jan07, and Surgery for 30Jan07. It won't be long now until I am on the losers bench!

Semper Fidelis!

My first letter to my primary healthcare provider (UHC) came back requesting additional information, after this information was sent I was approved 30 days later! My secondary health provider (BCBS of Alabama) has declined. I am not going to appeal at this time, but run on my Primary Health care. I now have to wait impatiently until 03Jan07 to schedule with my surgeon as they are shut down for the Christmas holiday season. For now, I just wait and dream of lighter days to come....

Semper Fidelis!

The Psyc & Physical evaluations are complete. Had my consult with the dietician, and all paperowrk is filed with UHC for approval. Patience is NOT one of my virtues! All I can do at this time is read about other successes, and look forward to posting my own. Every nite I dream about what it is going to be like (They are most pleasent dreams) to have my life under control again. I am experiancing an almost surreal calm in my life right now since I have made the first steps towards taking control of my destiny. My work life is experiancing chaotic flux in that I am being moved from shift to shift (I am a Technical Training Instructor) to provide training. My personal life is experiencing sevear turmoil as my parents are both experiencing severe health problems. but I still have the surreal calm in that I have made the first steps towards recovery from food addiction! For now I just wait.... Work will take care of itself.... I can only offer my Parents my Moral support and Prayers, no amount of worrying is going to change the outcome of their health problems. I will try to keep this updated a little better in the future, but for now, this is where I am at.

Semper Fidelis!
Semperfidad Sr.

I had my initial consult with Dr. Sidney Rohrshieb at Illinois Bariatric in Clinton Illinois om 05Oct06. I am now scheduled for my Psychiatric Evaluation, Nutrional Evaluation, and Physical for Wednesday 25Oct06. I have already contacted my Healthcare provider, and all looks good at this point. I am hoping to be scheduled for Lap-Band surgery sometime before mid-December... Oh what a Christmas Present that would be!