Krista C.

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10 days from now and hopefully I will be a "bandit". I read on the NB message board about a lady who was at the hospital waiting and they had to cancel her surgery as there was no place in ICU for her. I would be devasted, as she was. She was told she would be rebooked in September or October. Man, I can imagine how upsetting that would be. I'm hoping that won't be my experience.

Things are going well -- I go for my weigh-in on Tuesday to ensure that I have either lost or kept the loss off. I was a little worried as their scale showed me at 250 when I was there last but my home scale was 251. Last time my homescale was 5 lbs less. But Lise, the nurse, told me not to worry and that the hospital scales were right. I just hope she didn't write down the wrong weight. See I am all paranoid now about gaining :) Wish me luck!

I've been doing pretty well following the 1200 calorie guidelines. I'm tracking all my food. There have been a couple of times when I have gone over - but not by alot and certainly not a binge or anything close. One night, it was a couple slices of bread with peanut butter. I'm pleased with my progress.

Still haven't been doing the "don't drink while you eat" -- I figure that has to come post-op so even though I know I "SHOULD" start it early, I can't do everything. 

I do intend to follow my post-op directions though. I have read so many posts about people eating earlier than prescribed and I'm not going to be one of those people. I've waited too long for this to screw it up by not following the post-op rules.

I am officially on vacation now -- off work 'til August 13th which absolutely rocks. The sun is shining and life is good. I'll have 2 weeks sick time in there from the doc's note for the surgery so my plan is to take a bunch of Friday's off. I'll also have to go back for fill(s) and to get my stitches out (Aug 14) so it will be good to have those extra days.

As Frances would say, ONWARD :)

Things seem to be so much different here in Oh Canada -- I thought I would share a couple of things that I asked about today. No need to rip it apart as it is my doctor's office's opinion and they are each entitled to one :)

- 10CC band and he puts 3CC in it to start - from Day One - so I won't be starting with an empty band. I've never heard of this at all on the board. I was very surprised.

- average patient has 3-5 fills -- they have some patients that have had no fills and one patient that has had 30 fills (she's a bit "off" though as she has it taken our for vacations and special occasions)

- Canada's Food Guide (1200) calories one month out and if you follow that and have a variety of foods, nurse says no need for vitamins / supplements 

- recommends using powdered milk as a source of protein - MUCH cheaper

- does not recommend Protein drinks - I agree with this - why drink when you can eat? (Caveat: I realize some people have trouble eating so to each their own but I wanted to see what their opinion was)

- average for women is 7-8 CC in their band

- 1 cup / meal 3 X a day and snacks (smaller) IF You are truly hungry. They said Inamed's book recommends 1/2 cup per meal but they don't feel that gives enough nutrition wise

- stop drinking 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour later. If you find you are getting hungry between meals, you may want to wait longer (e.g. an hour) until you drink
I think that's about all that I found out today that was surprising and / or different to me.

I went to my 3 week pre-op appointment today. Last time I was there (May 8) you may recall that I had indulged in too many "last suppers" and gained 5 lbs. Because of this gain (even though I was still down 10!) my surgery was postponed.

Last week (I think!) I got my new date, July 24th so today was time for me to prove that I am serious.

The hospital scales showed me down 16 lbs (!!!) at 250.  I was thrilled but a little worried as my home scales show 251 and they were 5 lbs LESS than the hospital last time. I hope the scales at the "H" are right!

What does this mean? I have 3 weeks 'til surgery and now have to follow 1200 calories for the next 3 weeks. The nurse said she would LIKE to see me lose another 5-6 lbs in that time but if not (I asked "What if I only lose 3?") I'll be ok.

I'm so happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I finally got rebooked for surgery. Praise God! I got the call this Monday past and my surgery will be one month from today, on July 24th. That gives me 5 months 'til Christmas Eve from my surgery date so I have set a goal of being down 50 lbs by Christmas. I think that's reasonable and do-able based on all that I have learned from fellow posters at OH.

I'm down about 10 lbs from the day I 'effed it up' last time and I go back to the hospital next Tuesday (July 3) to again have the cardiogram and blood tests. Apparently, they are only valid for so long. I think she said 6 weeks.

I still haven't started the "don't drink when you eat rule". My little stubborn head says "Why start something before you HAVE to?" Kinda like the 1200 calorie diet, which I will be starting after the weigh-in on July 3rd. 

I've decided that I am going to blog every single day of this journey as it gets closer and once I am banded. I don't know of any other blog that painstakingly captures every step of the journey so I think I will. I am sure there are some out there -- but I can write :) And I am witty and honest and I think it will be a good read. Heck, maybe I will publish a book and be on Oprah and be rich beyond my wildest dreams. We'll see how that goes eh?

I start vacation middle of July to middle of August and surgery is smack dab in the middle of it all. That's probably a good thing as it will give me more time to settle into a "bandster life".

I feel so much relief now that I am resheduled. I am not going to eff this up again.

Well I went to Moncton on Tuesday for the pre-op tests and I was up almost 5 lbs since the last weigh in. I actually gained that in the past week with the "last suppers". Because of this, my surgery has now been postponed. Words can't even express how disappointed and ashamed I am - especially of myself. I know this isn't "punishment" for being "bad" but I still feel that it is. I really am down on myself for this.

I thought I was an intelligent woman but somehow I misunderstood. I honestly thought you had to lose weight on the PRE OP diet (3 weeks) and that anything before that was a bonus.

Wrong.

I may get in at the end of July unless there is a cancellation in June but I'm not holding out hope. What is sad is 3 of the 4.7 gained is already gone 3 days later but I've lost my chance.

I'm so so so blue about this.

Well as you know my surgery is now one month and a couple of days away. I've been doing WW for 8-9 weeks now and have lost about 13 lbs (I think that's right).

One of the things that alot of people do before this surgery and I know I will be doing it is "the last supper". Since I have to be on the 1200 calorie diet from the 8th 'til surgery, if I am to have my "treats" the window is now.

This week, I treated myself on Thursday night when we went out with our team from work. I had 4 fried mozza sticks, 5 Corona (!!!!), kettle chips with cheese and chicken and sour cream and a dessert (Cookies'n'Cream cake). Oh yeah and a coffee with Bailey's and Kahlua. By the time I had eaten all this and got home, I was STUFFED and felt like I had been hit by a truck. I went to bed right away and felt the effects the next day as well.

I don't know if it was more food or the drinks but it was not "orgasmic" like I thought it would be. I think that is a good thing. It makes my decision even firmer in my mind.

My brother's birthday is Monday so I will enjoy his birthday dinner, whatever it may be, and birthday cake and then maybe I'll have "time" to slide one more "treat night" in.

Time's going to fly!

Well I am now one step closer. I went to Moncton on Friday which was the 2 year anniversary of Mom's death and signed the consent form. It was a freaking snowstorm but I made it there and back without incident.

I got in right at 9 but that was just to be weighed and start to wait. I waited an HOUR to see him. Man that pisses me off. How can I be the first appt of the day and STILL the doc be late. I don't get it. Anyway.

The nurse was pleased that I had lost weght since I was there in Jan. I was down 8.9 lbs. She told me that I should not be drinking with my meals now to get prepared for what's to come. She says it will be hard. I actually don't think it will be. It's not a big deal for me to have a drink with my meals. I don't think it is anyway.

The doctor told me again that this is only a tool and that one of his patients has gained back 60 lbs.  She is getting her fills but she is not following the guidelines for eating. He made it clear that this is just ONE TOOL. He says although the band is forgiving in that you can always start to follow the rules and lose, the band should not HAVE to be forgiving.

They could not give me a date yet but the next appt would be a 3 hour one to get blood tests, heart test, xray. The nurse told me to start the 1200 calorie diet now. Don't know how committed I am to that. In my little head, as long as I am losing, isn't that enough? If I could do 1200 calories "on my own", I would have done it long before now.

I have been reading all the material and I think 3 weeks is what they say for the pre-surgery diet so  I am going to keep on with WW while I wait. 

After the 3 hour appt - which is when you pay - there is one more appt with the Dr to go over the results of the tests and ensure that you have not gained weight. They haven't come right out and said it this time but in the information session, they said if you gain weight the surgery WILL be cancelled.

Here's hoping I hear from them soon :) I'd love to have my surgery in May after I get back from a week on business in Newfoundland. Here's hoping!

(I'll just put 'em in point form) - if you are not having the surgery for your health, then you are there for the wrong reason - gastric bypass works for about 18-24 months and the lapband works for about 3 years. After that time, you have to diet like anyone else - you may be ready for the surgery, but you have to be ready to make the changes required - next appt is to sign the consent form and that is when I will find out my appt date for the surgery - 3 weeks prior to the surgery, there is a 3 hour appt where you undergo blood tests, cardiogram, xray - 1 week before surgery you get weighed again as you need to lose weight prior to having the surgery - Dr B has done over 100 bypass surgeries and around 60 Lap Band - need to learn to chew, chew, chew your food. If food gets stuck, there is nothing you can do but wait it out. - 3 people have died in NB from the gastric bypass surgery (2%) - 2 were over the age of 50; nobody died on the table - pasta, bread and rice are not well-tolerated with either surgery. However, this varies from person to person and it's just a trial and error thing you need to go through - after surgery, your meals are 1 cup of food total for the rest of your life - all lap band surgeries he has done have been larascopic - you will not be hungry in your stomach; head hunger is another story - saline is used to fill the band. First fill is 7 weeks after surgery and is usually 4CC in a 10CC band. Average is 3-5 fills for their patients (I believe they have been doing the surgery since 2002 for lapband) - should take 20 minutes to half hour to eat your 1 cup of food. After half hour stop whether you are done eating or not - 45 minute surgery - all fills are done under fluoro in the radiology department with the doc and a radiologist on hand each time. You are given a barium drink at the time to ensure the fill is "good" - if you drink carbonated pop or beer, this will enlarge the pouch so it is recommended to avoid these - do not drink and eat at the same time - stop drinking 1/2 hour before eating and don't drink after for 45-60 minutes - 1-2 lbs / week is the rate for weight loss - 2-4 weeks off work (obviously I will be on the 2 week end as my work is not physical) - if you gain weight on the 3 week pre-op diet your surgery will be postponed. You should lose 6-10 lbs during those 3 weeks pre-op - most people do have to have plastic surgery when they lose all their weight. There is a LONG waiting list and it is not covered by our Medicare plan. $4000-6000 for a tummy tuck, $4000 for arms, $4000 for legs, $2000-3000 for breasts - exercise help but most people do end up needing plastic surgery - drink 1.5L of water / day post surgery but not more than 2 - instead of using expensive protein powders, add Carnation Instant Skim Milk to soup, milk, yogurt, anything. This is alot cheaper! - no psych testing done in Canada - so far in NB, no one has reached their goal weight. The most lost is 100 lbs so far with the Lap Band. The lady who talked to us had surgery in June of last year and was down 56 lbs with one fill - post op, you only have to do ONE DAY of clear liquids (used to be 2 weeks but research has shown there was no benefit to that). For the first 2 weeks after that, it is "mixed fluid" - anything that could pass through a straw although you are not to use a straw. 12 cups a day of fluids. - week 3 & 4, you can have pureed food - day 28 onward - normal eating (Canada's Food Guide) but only 1 cup / meal eaten within 30 minutes

So yesterday I was in Moncton for the long-awaited full day information session on the weight loss surgery. I had seen the doc in August and this is the next step in the journey. There were 4 patients there - one lady from Newfoundland who flew over, one lady from Dartmouth, one young (grade 12) boy from Moncton and myself from Saint John. The Newfoundland lady and I have been on the waiting list for two and 1/2 years, the Dartmouth lady about a year and the "kid" only 3 months. Stupid me asked "What's the secret to getting the fast track to only wait 3 months?" He replied that his pyschologist had referred him and advised the doctor he would die without out. Die or commit suicide, I don't know as although he was heavy, I doubt he was over 300 lbs. Anyway, I felt bad for asking -- he was quite a bit of a nutcase based on the 6 hours we spent there. But I digress

First we had 1.5 hours with his nurse who told us all about the 2 surgeries (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass which Paula and HeatherW have both had) and lap band surgery, which is the one I am going for. Then the dietician talked to us about changes to make to our diets now while we are waiting, the 3 week pre-op diet (to shrink your liver), then the post-op guidelines for eating. Next up was the psychologist to explain there are mental issues that we need to address as well and they also want to ensure we are doing the surgery for the right reasons. Finally, they had one each of a gastric bypass patient and a lap band patient to share their experiences with us and answer our questions.

I was really pleased with the entire day. It was very informative. I'll share more specifics on what I've learned as well from the sessions but wanted to let you all know what transpired. They said that all 4 of us would have our surgery most likely within 6 months. They can't give a firmer date than that. Next step is for the Doctor to call and have me come in and sign a consent form. After that, it's a 3 week pre-op admission clinic where they do a bunch of tests. followed by the 3 week pre-op diet. You HAVE to lose weight in that time or they will postpone your surgery. They would LIKE you to lose weight now. If I can stay the same from now til then, I'll be pleased. I gained 10 lbs since August when I was there last.

Cross your fingers for me that the time goes quickly or that I come up on the list sooner. Maybe I can get Pat to say I will die without it too? (That's not nice, I know)

Got Michelle at the gym to measure me tonight so I would have another comparision point besides the weight. I was absolutely mortified when I saw the numbers. My GOD.

267lbs

Upper Arm - 14 1/4
Chest - 49 1/2
Waist - 52 1/4 (can you imagine?!)
Buttocks - 66
Right Thigh - 35

She recommended cardio 3X a week - ideally for 45-60 minutes per sessions but suggested 30-45 minutes to start would be good.