louisem

Hi all I was just wondering if any other Canadians had looked into getting traveler's insurance for their trip and if there were any problems with getting insurance when you are traveling for surgery. I always get insurance when I travel but I'm not sure how it works when you are traveling for a medical procedure. Anybody have any experience with it? Louise

Thanks Mindy I think Slimfast might be the problem but the one I have is fairly low carb (low protein too though). I was just telling my friend today that I think the inventor of slimfast should be shot and that I would NEVER use it again. I think I will switch it up a bit and add some egg whites (cooked) to my diet as well since I don't love protein shakes. Thanks again for the feedback Louise

Hi all I am wondering if any of you can provide tips for dealing with fatigue due to the preop diet. I am a student and my grades are really important as I am applying for grad school next year. The preop diet is causing me to have general fatigue and lack of attention which is a real problem over the next couple of weeks (finals). I'm scheduled for surgery on Dec 15 and still have about 9 pounds (from 14 to loose). Any tips on dealing with the distraction of constant hunger and fatigue? BTW I am taking vitamin suplements and fiber capsules. Thankfully fatigue won't be an issue post op as I have over 3 weeks off. Thanks Louise

Vangirl I live in the lower mainland too and I am being banded on Dec 15. I tried the stacker 2 brand and it isn't bad (available at shoppers) but you can only get it ready to drink which makes it more expensive. I also found an ice tea flavoured mix (also at shoppers)that I tried and it wasn't very appetizing. I think I am going to try cutting it with real ice tea and see how that goes. at 20 g of protein it has way more than special K2O so even cut in half it is more. I am planning a little cross border shopping expedition to look for K20 and other supliments in Bellingham. If I find any thing of interest I will let you know. Maybe if all goes well we can seen if Valleygirl wants to get together for a quick trip after Xmas. Louise

Sabrina, I am so happy for you. I was a bit concerned when you mentioned before about not being able to use "family money". I think that people show their concern for you in different ways. It's too bad that he withdrew his support as a way of showing concern about the surgery but it looks like he is coming around now Hopefully it will make your recovery easier. How are you feeling otherwise? Louise

Hi had major surgery (full laperotomy instead of laprascopy) about 10 years ago and came down with strep only a few days before hand. My Dr immediately put me on antibiotics and said that as long as I had them for 48 hours before the surgery (and of course afterwards), I would be OK. I ended up with a slight fever after the surgery which meant they wouldn't listen to my whining and let me out early but otherwise nothing else happened. I don't know what they would have done if it was elective surgery but I think you will be just fine.

The first person I discussed the surgery with was my doctor who was great, he referred me to a local surgeon, but the wait and cost was too high. I talked to my best friend and she has been really supportive, but at the same time has challenged me to make sure that I have thought this all the way through. I wasn't going to tell my parents but they have surprised me most. My mom was great. My dad was weird, he has always had a bigger problem with my weight than I do but he was only concerned about the health risks. when I explained that it was different than a gastric bypass he calmed down. I'm a Psychology student and I work as a research assistance for one of my profs. I told him to let him know I would be unavailable for a few weeks and he also expresses some concerns about the psychological aspects of the operation since you can no longer use food as a coping mechanism and loosing weight can have it's own consequences with regards to relationships and body image. The end result is he is putting me in touch with a colleague of his that specializes in this area! Overall telling people has been a really positive experience. I think this is mainly because I did my research first and was able to reassure them that I would be OK. It was nice to see everyone's concern for me. They all want to make sure I stay healthy and have the best chance at success.

Thanks for the info, I am close to the border so picking it up shouldn't be too much of an issue. I am going to try out the product available at shoppers and I will let you know.

Hi all There are lots of posts about protein water (special K?) and protein bullets but I can't locate them at any store in Canada so far. Does anyone have any experience tracking this down in Canada or do I need to order it on-line?

Hi all I am fairly new here but I thought I would share some research that I found. I have been looking at both medical and other scientific journals to investigate the effects of lap band surgery. The health benefits and risks are easy to find but there isn't as much written about the psychological effects. I had heard about some possible negative consequences like a higher risk of alcoholism and depression and wanted to make sure I was fully informed. I finally found an article that is a review of over 50 other sources. I'll leave the full article name below but here is a summary of the findings. Positive effects -in addition to the health benefits, the psychological benefits are just as strong if not stronger. Patients tested before and a year after surgery showed a large decrease in depression and and increase and quality of life and self image. - There was no evidence of people turning to drugs/alcohol at a higher rate after surgery - there was no evidence of an increase in depression after surgery Negative - occasional instances of identity crisis, new relationship demands, and unrealistic expectations regarding body image after weight loss. Some patients were not prepared for excess skin that can come with fast weight loss. Over all the psychological benefits might be considered as even stronger than the health benefits which is another reason to consider it as an option. I did find some other articles but this one was the most comprehensive This article "Psychological consequences of weight loss after bariatric surgery in morbidly obese patients: A review" was written by J.F. Kinzl from the department of psychiatry at Innsbruck Medical University, Austria. It was published in the journal Minerva Psichiatrica volume 48, issue 4, December 1, 2007.

I'll be coming in shortly after noon. I leave on the 17th too, around 1pm. We'll have to grab dinner or something Sunday night. Are you interested in shopping or just hanging by the pool?

Hi Anne, Yes I am flying in on the 14th and will be travelling on my own. This is a birthday/christmas present/investment to myself. I am sure I will see you there. Louise

Hi all I've booked my surgery for December 15th. I feel like I am jumping into this so quickly. It never occurred to me that this surgery was an option. I thought that the waits were too long the cost was too much and then I saw a notice about a lap-band information session for surgery in Washington state, then within a couple of days saw Dr. Ortiz on TV. I consulted with my Dr and spent hours on the internet and researching medical journals and within a week I had my surgery booked! I'm freaked out but determined. The lack of energy from being overweight is a real issue for me now that I am in my 30s and other complications keep creaping up. Anyway, who else is having surgery around the 15th, we can be freaked out together ;o) Louise