My Weight Loss Surgery Journey
I became a Lap-Bandster in February of 2014. I decided after losing and re-gaining the weight I lost in 1990 and again in 2002, I felt my third attempt should be assisted. All the while praying the third time will be a charm. The journey has been full of ups and downs, but I would not trade this journey for anything!
Back in 2007 I started seeing Lap-Band commercials and ordered my information pack. I headed to a couple of support groups to gather more information. I liked all that I heard about the Lap-Band, it did not seem as intrusive as Gastric Bypass. For the Lap-Band surgery, the hospital stay was very short and I have the flexibility to have my physician fill my band as needed for more weight-loss support. I then started to investigate the cost of the surgery and found out my insurance covered very little, so for me the surgery was out of reach.
In 2011, my ex-husband started a position at a hospital, that was affiliated with Surgical Weight Loss Specialists. At his orientation, it was my future surgeon who spoke to the new hires at the hospital that day. It jogged his memory to tell me since he recalled me considering weight-loss surgery years earlier. The stars seemed to be aligning for me to resume investigating.
Fall of 2012, I went to Surgical Weight Loss Specialists for their informational meeting. I really liked the facility and Dr. Glasgow. After speaking 1 on 1 with him, I decided to start making all the necessary calls to see if our new insurance had better coverage for the procedure. Our new insurance was excellent, I just had to pay for the physiologist, who would help evaluate if I was a good candidate for weight-loss surgery.
Though out 2013, I did the "You Can Change" program to meet the insurance company's requirement. The program had me add three change factors to my life. I selected (1) eating breakfast, (2) 30 minutes of exercise 3 days a week, and (3) increasing my water intake. The program had a Life Coach call to periodically check in with you, which was fantastic and encouraging! Once I completed the "You Can Change" program and my psych elevation, Dr. Glasgow and I scheduled my surgery date.
The preparation for Lap-Band surgery was underway. It was exciting, however I was not so excited to prepare for the 10-day liquid diet, prior to the surgery. Just as my surgeon and the nutritionist warned, the first three days would be the hardest, they were 110% correct. After the three days of water, black coffee, broth and jello it was fine, they were my new norm. The liquid diet became about enjoying the cleanse process and seeing quick results on the scale. The process was to make sure your body was prepared for the surgery. I had only been in the hospital for the birth of my son and I had only been put under anesthesia for the removal of my wisdom teeth and a D&C. So, I was nervous about all things hospital! Sticking to the surgeon’s pre-surgery instructions, especially the liquid diet, were critical in helping me calm down for surgery day.
I won’t lie, surgery day was equally nerve-racking as exciting. After chatting with my surgeon, being given the anesthesia, then waking up in the recovery room, it seemed I was worried for nothing. Everything went so smoothly and now my Lap-Band was installed, YAY! My hospital stay was uneventful, I was given excellent care and follow-up, and after my son and best friend came to visit me, I relaxed and rested. I was looking forward to healing, and to truly start the weight-loss portion of this journey. After surgery, you still have a restricted diet that is very similar to the foods that you have to eat to prior to the surgery. So again, you get to enjoy the quick results you see on the scale.
Due to my profession being sedentary, I easily returned to work after seven days. Once I was healed from the procedure, in roughly 30 days, I made my first entry into myfitnesspal , a calorie counter and diet tracker. I logged in at 253 pounds, on March 18, 2013 (just fact-checked myself on the app LOL). Also, I returned to 30 minutes of exercise, 3 days a week and that started my consistent fitness journey of 6+ years.
