I am going to have Gastirc By-Pass surgery...

[kanitter]

My daughter uses Unjury. She had the sleeve done a year ago August. She has lost 120 pounds, from a size 28 to a size 14. She feels real good where is at, but still wants to lose more. I am now wanting to have surgery. I have gone to two information classes. One was with my daughter, the other for me, this past week. I, like most, have some fears. But I have yoo-yooed so much, I feel this would be best. Another concern I have is the sagging, especially being in my 50's. I also wondered how cruising will be. DD says it can be tough at restaurants when servers keep asking if something is wrong with the food, etc. Enough rambling. This thread is very encouraging. So many have done so well. Hats off.

 

 

Tell your daughter good work.:D Face it, if you have the surgery, at our age we will have some sagging. There's no getting around it. But you can hide most of it with your clothes and if it's real bad there is always surgery. I also ask for togo containers right away in most restaurants and never have a problem. If I forget and someone asks if something is wrong I just usually say just not as hungry as I thought, then just smile. Then they go away happy. :D Good luck whatever you decide to do, at least you have someone close if you have questions. And if your daughter can't answer your questions or you just want another opinion someone from here can probably answer them for you. Have a good one,

Sue

[riddle]

Hi - I am an avid cruiser and just starting to consider lap band surgery.

 

I am about 100 lbs overweight and diabetic.

 

My one big concern is my job - I cannot afford to be off work very long. I have had 2 knee replacements and went back to work after 4 weeks for each one so I know I can cut the time off short but what is realistic?

 

Also, I do not want to tell anyone at work why I am off - I just am going to say I am having surgery that is personal. Is this realistic. I know they will probably figure it out eventually but I do not want to say ahead of time.

 

Riddle

[BillOh]

Hi - I am an avid cruiser and just starting to consider lap band surgery.

 

I am about 100 lbs overweight and diabetic.

 

My one big concern is my job - I cannot afford to be off work very long. I have had 2 knee replacements and went back to work after 4 weeks for each one so I know I can cut the time off short but what is realistic?

 

Also, I do not want to tell anyone at work why I am off - I just am going to say I am having surgery that is personal. Is this realistic. I know they will probably figure it out eventually but I do not want to say ahead of time.

 

Riddle

 

I took two weeks off per doctor's recomendation, I easily could have went back to work after about 4 days, but I enjoyed the time off.

[kanitter]

Hi - I am an avid cruiser and just starting to consider lap band surgery.

 

I am about 100 lbs overweight and diabetic.

 

My one big concern is my job - I cannot afford to be off work very long. I have had 2 knee replacements and went back to work after 4 weeks for each one so I know I can cut the time off short but what is realistic?

 

Also, I do not want to tell anyone at work why I am off - I just am going to say I am having surgery that is personal. Is this realistic. I know they will probably figure it out eventually but I do not want to say ahead of time.

 

Riddle

 

I had the lapband surgery first. I was off work for 3 days plus the weekend, so I had 5 days between the surgery and returning to work. I actually had to take off an entire week when they had to remove my lapband.:( But I was also in the hospital longer because of the antibiotic iv's. With the gastric bypass I was off 2 weeks. Like Billoh I probably could have gone back sooner, but what the heck, I had already arranged for the time off. I also did not tell most of the people I worked with why I was having surgery. There was a few that knew, but they are more of what I would call friends not just people I work with. I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised by the changes in your diabetes after surgery. I have gone from 100 units a day down to 20 units a day. :D My a1c before the surgery was 13.2 which is really bad even for a diabetic. My last a1c done at the end of sept. was 5.8. :D:D. So good luck to you, I hope everything works out as well for you. Have a good one,

Sue

[GHarkness]

I took two weeks off per doctor's reccomendation, I easily could have went back to work after about 4 days, but I enjoyed the time off.

 

I could have too, but let me explain why: as a requirement of my insurance approval, I was expected (and did) exercise daily for the 8 months previous to my surgery (and oh, how I whined and cried over that little clause in my insurance, but I did it anyway). Yes, I did lose some weight during that time, but the actual benefit was to make my recovery SO MUCH easier. I can't tell you how good I felt, and how quickly.

 

As is often the case, the hardest thing to get over was the effect of the anesthesia on my lungs. Of course I couldn't do a strenuous exercise program immediately after surgery but I could - and did - begin to walk every day almost immediately, as much as I felt I could tolerate.

 

And nearly four years later, though my exercise routine has changed, I have not had a single week since that I didn't exercise at least five days of the seven.

 

As far as telling your coworkers....I didn't tell them anything. I told my boss I was having surgery and that was IT (oh, I had to tell my insurance coordinator what type of surgery so she could arrange it with the insurance company). I work in a very large global company, and they are well up on the rules of what's acceptable to ask. There were two employees with whom I felt comfortable enough to share in confidence, but I found that people really only missed me in passing anyway. There are benefits to working for a faceless, "soulless" company. :)

[suezyq50]

My insurance company requires 6 months preop visits with my doctor to monitor losing weight. I have started that.

[BillOh]

My insurance company requires 6 months preop visits with my doctor to monitor losing weight. I have started that.

 

Wow, 6 months! I just had to take one 4 week nutritional class, which was pretty helpful. Just booked my 3rd post surgery cruise!

[deanswife1990]

I'm going thru the process of getting approved for lapband. I've done all the classes, tests and support groups now I'm just waiting to hear back from the insurance company. I just hope they don't make me wait to long. :(

[suezyq50]

I'm going thru the process of getting approved for lapband. I've done all the classes, tests and support groups now I'm just waiting to hear back from the insurance company. I just hope they don't make me wait to long. :(

The doctor's office got all the info for me. They also said being I had to go through the 6 months of doctors visits to wait for classes, tests, etc. They suggeted I start them in 3 months.

[deanswife1990]

Well, I got the email today and my insurance company has approved me for lap band surgery. Super excited. Now I'm just waiting for the scheduler to call me from the doctor's office. (waiting anxiously):p

[BillOh]

Well, I got the email today and my insurance company has approved me for lap band surgery. Super excited. Now I'm just waiting for the scheduler to call me from the doctor's office. (waiting anxiously):p

 

 

Had I waited for the scheduler, I may still be waiting. I called and was scheduled for 3 weeks later.

[deanswife1990]

Had I waited for the scheduler, I may still be waiting. I called and was scheduled for 3 weeks later.

 

I've had all my visits with the surgeon, nutritionist, exercise therapist, etc...so I've got that done. Now all I have is one more nutrition class (I have to do a two week liquid diet before and after surgery) so this class is an explanation of that. I told my DH that the surgery scheduler had until Friday at 10:00 am to call or I would be calling them. LOL

[KLYx0327]

I was banded 12/23/10, so glad I found this thread! My fiance and I are getting married on 3/12/12 on RCCI Monarch of the Seas, which as of right now will be our first cruise also. We are hoping to try a cruise this summer sometime so we can "get our feet wet" and also so that I can try traveling post-weight loss surgery!

 

Kara

[deanswife1990]

I was banded 12/23/10, so glad I found this thread! My fiance and I are getting married on 3/12/12 on RCCI Monarch of the Seas, which as of right now will be our first cruise also. We are hoping to try a cruise this summer sometime so we can "get our feet wet" and also so that I can try traveling post-weight loss surgery!

 

Kara

 

How is your weight loss going? Was it difficult retraining yourself to eat?

[BillOh]

I was banded 12/23/10, so glad I found this thread! My fiance and I are getting married on 3/12/12 on RCCI Monarch of the Seas, which as of right now will be our first cruise also. We are hoping to try a cruise this summer sometime so we can "get our feet wet" and also so that I can try traveling post-weight loss surgery!

 

Kara

 

 

 

Good luck to you, I am banded 2 years now and it was the best decision I've made in recent years. I've now cruised twice since the surgery and have my 3rd cruise booked. I'm going to shoot for <2 lbs gained on my next 7 day cruise.

[pcl_cruiser]

I have been able to schedule my surgery. it is march 1oth. i am just waiting on insurance approval. I am getting more excited.

[deanswife1990]

I waited two days for the scheduler to call and never recieved the call. So I called today and SHE IS OFF UNTIL TUESDAY. :(:(:( Be sure I will be calling her on Tuesday morning :D.

[deanswife1990]

I have been able to schedule my surgery. it is march 1oth. i am just waiting on insurance approval. I am getting more excited.

 

 

Waiting is the worst part of this entire process. I hope you hear from your insurance company soon.

[GHarkness]

Waiting is the worst part of this entire process. I hope you hear from your insurance company soon.

 

Having been through the process almost four years ago, believe me when I tell you: waiting is NOT the worst part of this entire process.

 

But please don't take that to mean that I wouldn't do it all over again. If I had to have surgery once a week for the rest of my life just to maintain the improvements in health and appearance I've had....I'd do it! But there were some (only a few, but memorable) tough, tough days.

[deanswife1990]

Having been through the process almost four years ago, believe me when I tell you: waiting is NOT the worst part of this entire process.

 

But please don't take that to mean that I wouldn't do it all over again. If I had to have surgery once a week for the rest of my life just to maintain the improvements in health and appearance I've had....I'd do it! But there were some (only a few, but memorable) tough, tough days.

 

When I referred to waiting being the worst part, I meant before the actual surgery. The process for me has involved numerous exercise appts, nutrition apps, classes, drs appts, upper gi, etc....I'm sure some of what everyone has gone thru. I know that surgery and days after will be much worse. Just thinking about waking up after anesthesia makes a little sick to my stomach. LOL

[GHarkness]

When I referred to waiting being the worst part, I meant before the actual surgery. The process for me has involved numerous exercise appts, nutrition apps, classes, drs appts, upper gi, etc....I'm sure some of what everyone has gone thru. I know that surgery and days after will be much worse. Just thinking about waking up after anesthesia makes a little sick to my stomach. LOL

 

Yeah, it took me over a year to get through it all. Some of it had to be done twice, but as a friend said to me: just consider it goal-directed behavior and keep on a-moving. That's what I did, and it was so worth it.

 

And yes, waiting is very, very hard.

[pcl_cruiser]

Ok just so you know, you guys are scaring me!!!

[deanswife1990]

I rec'd a phone call from the surgeon's office today and I got my surgery date!!!! Feb 23. YAY!!!

[dm5201]

I was lap-banded on Aug. 24. I've been a slow loser and I'm 30 pounds lighter. I'm a short person that has anchors for hips! It is a learning curve on how to eat, what to eat, how fast not to eat, and not taking that last bite. I'm glad I had it done and I would do it again. I'm not really hungry between meals and I can eat a small amount and be satisfied. Eating and drinking the same time was hard for me to deal with.

[BillOh]

I was lap-banded on Aug. 24. I've been a slow loser and I'm 30 pounds lighter. I'm a short person that has anchors for hips! It is a learning curve on how to eat, what to eat, how fast not to eat, and not taking that last bite. I'm glad I had it done and I would do it again. I'm not really hungry between meals and I can eat a small amount and be satisfied. Eating and drinking the same time was hard for me to deal with.

 

 

Well said, I assume at some point you have been "stuck" That alone is great motivation for behavior control. So far, I've only been stuck once on a cruise. It can have the appearance to someone observing you that you may be sick and you don't want to appear sick on a ship for fear of being quarantined needlessly.

 

This brings up another point. When you check in to the cruise they ask you some health related questions, including if you have vomited in the last 48 hours. My wife who had the full bypass ate too much sugar at the airport on the way to our last cruise. Her body doesn't process sugar the same way and it made her become ill and vomit. We chose to say NO to the question when asked as we knew she wasn't contagious.