Surgery at CMC
Hi NH friends,
I've got my first appointment at CMC in April. I am hoping to have the procedure over the summer, although they told me it is usually about 6-8 months before you can have it done.. The thing is, I am a teacher and I'm off the whole summer -- but it would be really hard to get off a week or more during the school year.
Right now, I am planning the lapband procedure by Dr. Connie Campbell at CMC. Of course, I have not met her yet so I don't know if that's where I'll end up. My doctor told me she likes Campbell, several nurses in her office went to Campbell, and she thinks the lapband would be right for me. So we'll see.
I am 50 years old and have been overweight my whole life, obese since I had my third child. He's 16 and has never known me without all the extra weight. My youngest is 7 and I want to be able to do things with her and have her remember me skating, swimming, skiing, hiking, biking -- all the things I would love to do if I weren't 150 lbs overweight.
Annie
I've got my first appointment at CMC in April. I am hoping to have the procedure over the summer, although they told me it is usually about 6-8 months before you can have it done.. The thing is, I am a teacher and I'm off the whole summer -- but it would be really hard to get off a week or more during the school year.
Right now, I am planning the lapband procedure by Dr. Connie Campbell at CMC. Of course, I have not met her yet so I don't know if that's where I'll end up. My doctor told me she likes Campbell, several nurses in her office went to Campbell, and she thinks the lapband would be right for me. So we'll see.
I am 50 years old and have been overweight my whole life, obese since I had my third child. He's 16 and has never known me without all the extra weight. My youngest is 7 and I want to be able to do things with her and have her remember me skating, swimming, skiing, hiking, biking -- all the things I would love to do if I weren't 150 lbs overweight.
Annie
Congrats! On your first step to a new healther you! I had lapband on December 30th 2009 and have not regreted it for one moment. I feel so good and am able to do so much more than I could before! I started the process on Sept. 2nd at an informational meeting in portsmouth and met all requirments by early Dec. So you may be able to get it done sooner depends on how quickly you can get all the pre work done and on your insurance company mine approved my surgery within 10 days! If you need any help or advice feel free to ask! I am proud to be a Bander!!
Thanks for replying! I have been reading these boards and I almost think I have to stop, they are making me so nervous. I keep seeing people saying they would never get a band, that's the one procedure they would not do. My doctor says it's the one she recommends for me -- she says it's less drastic than the RNY and it's reversible if there's a medical problem. Also, she says she sees people with hair loss and other vitamin deficiency problems with the malabsorption procedures and she doesn't want that for me.
I am really scared. That's the truth. But I need do something...
I was the same way! very nervous and reading the boards a little too much.. bottom line is you have to go with how you feel and what your doctor feels. my pcp recommended the band for me and I did look into both procedures just to be sure but I felt that the band was the safest way to go at least for me anyway, for all the reasons you listed above. everyone is different as are their experiences with what ever procedure they go with. If you would like to talk further or need any more advice you may add me as a friend so we can chat through email more privately!
I think its great that you want to get your life back and you have young children its important and it is perfectly normal to be scared I was and still am sometimes but I never regretted my choice! I am so happy I went with the band and hope I have it forever because I know if I didn't I would gain all the weight back! take care and keep me posted!
I think its great that you want to get your life back and you have young children its important and it is perfectly normal to be scared I was and still am sometimes but I never regretted my choice! I am so happy I went with the band and hope I have it forever because I know if I didn't I would gain all the weight back! take care and keep me posted!
Hi Annie!
Congrats on starting a new chapter of your life. I'm not sure what you mean by "first appointment at CMC" in April but I will assume that is the first intake appointment at the Obesity Treatment Center and that you have already gone to the first presentation on the surgery options (given monthly and the first step toward making an appointment.)
You do not have to decide which surgery you want at this appointment. In fact, there will be plenty of time to decide. The first intake appointment will result in your weight loss goal and setting up monthly appointments at the OT****il you make your weight loss goal. With a few exceptions, the weight loss goals you need to meet are 5% weight loss for lapband and 8% weight loss for gastric bypass. You need to meet these weight loss goals before you can see Dr. Campbell. During that time, you will need to go to two mental health screenings (talking with a counselor to assess your readiness for this life changing procedures), you will need to attend at least two monthly pre-op support meetings, have any required medical testing done AND attend a once per week 5 week class called Lifestyle Changes. Additionally, you will meet with Dr. F, the medical director for the OTC and you will go over your options for the surgeries.
All of this must be done before meeting with Dr. Campbell. However, when you meet with her and have done all of these things, you will very likely have the surgery date scheduled....and yes, it will probably be 6 months or so before you have the surgery, given the amount of stuff that is required to get to the surgery. However, trust me, it is well worth it.
When I started the program, I was bound and determined to get the lapband. No way in h#ll was I going to do THAT (ie, gastric bypass) to myself. No. Never.
Well, never say never. The beauty of the program is the more you research the more you know what is better for you as an indivdual. As I went along, there was a nagging doubt that lapband was for me and the actual turning point in my decision to go RNY was after meeting with Dr. F.
I won't get into my reasons here, as it is individual, but I'd be more than happy to share them with you if you private mail me.
Anyway, good luck on your journey and let me know if you have questions because I have (recently) been through the program. :) Suzette
Congrats on starting a new chapter of your life. I'm not sure what you mean by "first appointment at CMC" in April but I will assume that is the first intake appointment at the Obesity Treatment Center and that you have already gone to the first presentation on the surgery options (given monthly and the first step toward making an appointment.)
You do not have to decide which surgery you want at this appointment. In fact, there will be plenty of time to decide. The first intake appointment will result in your weight loss goal and setting up monthly appointments at the OT****il you make your weight loss goal. With a few exceptions, the weight loss goals you need to meet are 5% weight loss for lapband and 8% weight loss for gastric bypass. You need to meet these weight loss goals before you can see Dr. Campbell. During that time, you will need to go to two mental health screenings (talking with a counselor to assess your readiness for this life changing procedures), you will need to attend at least two monthly pre-op support meetings, have any required medical testing done AND attend a once per week 5 week class called Lifestyle Changes. Additionally, you will meet with Dr. F, the medical director for the OTC and you will go over your options for the surgeries.
All of this must be done before meeting with Dr. Campbell. However, when you meet with her and have done all of these things, you will very likely have the surgery date scheduled....and yes, it will probably be 6 months or so before you have the surgery, given the amount of stuff that is required to get to the surgery. However, trust me, it is well worth it.
When I started the program, I was bound and determined to get the lapband. No way in h#ll was I going to do THAT (ie, gastric bypass) to myself. No. Never.
Well, never say never. The beauty of the program is the more you research the more you know what is better for you as an indivdual. As I went along, there was a nagging doubt that lapband was for me and the actual turning point in my decision to go RNY was after meeting with Dr. F.
I won't get into my reasons here, as it is individual, but I'd be more than happy to share them with you if you private mail me.
Anyway, good luck on your journey and let me know if you have questions because I have (recently) been through the program. :) Suzette
Thanks, Suzette, and yes, I've been to the monthly presentation and now I am going to the first appointment with a PA. I've also scheduled the dietician and I'll be attending the support group in April. There's a ton of stuff. I have to try to get through it so I can get the surgery over the summer; as a teacher, it's so hard to get time off during the year.
I'm undecided what procedure, if any, to have done. At this point I'm waiting and learning. I'd be glad to hear your reasons for having the RNY. I've friend requested you so you can send me a private email and tell me all about it.
How do you like the OTC? And Dr. Campbell?
Annie
I am scheduled for RNY at the CMC on April 6th and I started this process! My pcp also recommended the lapband so that was what I was going for until I went through the process and met with Dr. F. I think that the people at the OTC are great they are knowledgable, friendly and supportive and Dr. Campbell is amazing she is straigh forward and she agreed that the RNY would be the best procedure for me one of the reasons is because my BMIis 53. I wish you luck in your journey and rest assured that you are in competent hands with Dr. Campbell.
Annie,
I, too was sure I was going to have the lap band procedure up until a few months before surgery (due to many roadblocks, it took a really long time to lose my pre-op weight). I had RNY last Nov. and have felt amazing ever since. My kids, 5 & 4, love that I have so much more energy. No matter whichprocedure you decide to do, you will be so much healthier for the choice. I went to PRH in Portsmouth, but truly was given a lot of great information to help me decide which was right for me. Good luck with the process!
~Lisa
I, too was sure I was going to have the lap band procedure up until a few months before surgery (due to many roadblocks, it took a really long time to lose my pre-op weight). I had RNY last Nov. and have felt amazing ever since. My kids, 5 & 4, love that I have so much more energy. No matter whichprocedure you decide to do, you will be so much healthier for the choice. I went to PRH in Portsmouth, but truly was given a lot of great information to help me decide which was right for me. Good luck with the process!
~Lisa
Hi Annie,
Congrats on making the first steps to a new you. It is a long road ahead and the waiting part is the worst. I started my process in July 2009 and had gastric bypass March 2, 2010 through CMC with Connie Campbell. I feel great, recovery wasn't too bad, the first week was tough, but pretty smooth sailing after that. Knock on wood so far, I have not been sick or nausea to date and it has been just over 4 weeks. I joined a gym and have returned to work...although I do still have a lifting restriction (which everyone has for 6 weeks I believe). All I can say is the quicker you lose your presurgery weight, depending on which procedure you choose, the faster your surgery will happen. It took me almost 4 months to lose my 8% weight.
I know you're thinking lapband and I was too when I first started last July...after talking with many people at the support groups, the doctors & my own personal and doing personal research, I decided to change to gastric bypass. I just went to a post-op support group meeting last night and found most of the meeting was focused on the Lapband patients and the issues they were having. I'm not trying to discourage or sway your choice...just keep an open mind and really talk to everyone that has had both procedures.
Best of Luck! Jen
Congrats on making the first steps to a new you. It is a long road ahead and the waiting part is the worst. I started my process in July 2009 and had gastric bypass March 2, 2010 through CMC with Connie Campbell. I feel great, recovery wasn't too bad, the first week was tough, but pretty smooth sailing after that. Knock on wood so far, I have not been sick or nausea to date and it has been just over 4 weeks. I joined a gym and have returned to work...although I do still have a lifting restriction (which everyone has for 6 weeks I believe). All I can say is the quicker you lose your presurgery weight, depending on which procedure you choose, the faster your surgery will happen. It took me almost 4 months to lose my 8% weight.
I know you're thinking lapband and I was too when I first started last July...after talking with many people at the support groups, the doctors & my own personal and doing personal research, I decided to change to gastric bypass. I just went to a post-op support group meeting last night and found most of the meeting was focused on the Lapband patients and the issues they were having. I'm not trying to discourage or sway your choice...just keep an open mind and really talk to everyone that has had both procedures.
Best of Luck! Jen
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