April 2006-My name is Dave living in Woolwich, NJ (just minutes from Pennsylvania and minutes from Delaware). I have a wonderful wife and 2 lovely daughters and a west highland terrior dog named "Tippy". I am 38 yrs old and am a police officer 6'3" 354 pds and I am a Diabetic Type II. I take Metroformin, Actos, Glymbride and Zocor. I decided to have the Lap band surgery done. I have done alot of research on this and have heard great things about 2 differant places that do the surgery. The 1st is at the Barix Clinic in Langhorne, Pa. with Dr. Brader and the 2nd is with CHRIAS in Newark, Del. with Dr Irgau. I do not know who to go with so I schedualed both surgeons for a consultation. Dr Irgau is for June 22nd and Dr Brader is on June 26th.

May 2006- A Super Fitness Center just opened up near my house and I joined. I have been going to the gym at least 5 days a week. I do approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes on the treadmill, walking apporximately 3-4 miles and lifting weights. Even with the working out, I am only maintaining the weight. I am not seeing any weight loss.

June 1, 2006- My wife, Ann Marie, and I decided to attend a Lap Band weight loss support meeting in Delaware. I was so nervous, but decided that this is the 1st step and lets start this journey. We met the nicest people at this meeting. It was funny, because my wife is a size 6 and she was even getting into the conversation and really getting in to it. I was the only guy there getting the lap band done. The ladies were sooooo nice to me and my wife. They made us feel apart of their little Banders Family. It was a very informative, funny and nice night out. Thanks guys.....

June 2, 2006- I got a call from CHRIAS Dr Irgau's office and they stated that they could move my consultation forward to this Monday June 5th. So I said "Lets Get It On!!!!"

June 5, 2006- Had my Lap Band consultation w/ Dr Irgau. He explained in detail the Lap Band surgery and then explained the RYN surgery and compared both surgeries, good and bad. Dr Irgau said I would be perfect for the Lap Band surgery. I told him that I was looking to have the surgery anytime after the 2nd week in November, since my wife and I are going to Riveria Maya, Mexico for our anniversary. He stated that it would not be a problem. Dr Irgau and his entire staff were great. I am definetly going to go with Dr Irgau for my surgery. I have 100 % confidence in him and his staff. Also knowing that Dr Irgau has an assistant surgeon with him during his surgeries his great, whether it be Dr Wynn or Dr Peters, I am very excited and happy. So I guess this means I will be cancelling my other consultation that was schedualed later in the month with the other surgeon.

June 6, 2006- I tell ya, these Pre Op people sure do not waist anytime. Today I recieved a telephone call from Jessica, from the Cardiologost, Dr Pastore, to set up a consultation appointment. I told her that I was planning for the lap Band surgery sometime in November, so she schedualed me for September 12th. So I guess where this wonderful (or should I say onederful) journey begins!

June 8, 2006-My wife and I had plans to go to Riveria Maya, Mexico Adventura Spa Palace in November for our 5th year wedding anniversary. Well I went for my Lap Band consultation with Dr Irgau (CHRIAS) and they said that I could not gain 20 pds from the day of the consultation to surgery date. Well I know me and the summer time is alot of cook outs and I know that it could be possible done in 6 months. So my wife and I changed our vacation plans and moved it up to September. Once that was done, I got on the horn and started to make all of my pre approval appointments. I decided to have my surgery done at St Francis Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware, because it is about $800.00 cheaper than Christiana Hospital. I have a Lap Band class on June 20th at St Francis Hospital, I have an appointment with the Pulmologist Dr. Carol Guy on June 26th, I have an appointment with the Psychologist Dr John Dettwyler on June 28th and I have an appointment with the Cardiologist Dr Pastore on August 8th. I am waiting to hear back from the GI Doctors for the EGD. So to say the least, things are moving quickly and we are going forward. I do have to get a chest X Ray and some blood work done to test for my Thyroid and blood glucose HB1C (which scares me, because I know it is not going to be good, I am guessing 8.2-8.5).

June 15, 2006- Just got my call from the GI Doctor (Mid Atlantic GI)and they stated that my appointment is for July 12th and I will be sedated. That does not sound fun to me, but what the hell, it's part of this little party of mine.

June 20, 2006-I had my first Lap Band class tonight and met the Nutrionalist Linda and the Coordinator Mary Ellen. Both seem very nice and informative. They explained the changes of eating habits that need to be done for the surgery to work. It looks like it can be something that I can (will) get used to. I was weighed at the end of the class and I weigh 351.2 (down 3 pounds since June 5 initial consultation) I guess it is a start.

June 26, 2006- I had my appointment with Dr Carol Guy, the Pulmonologist. She took alook at my X Rays and the only thing that I had to blow into the machine a few times and that was it. She said that I did not need a Sleep Apnea test done and that other than being overweight, I was in gooid shape. She passed me and gave the OK for the surgery.

June 28, 2006- I had my appointment with the Pyschologist Dr John Dettwyler and that seemed very easy. He just asked a few questions and asked me about the procedure to make sure I knew what it was all about. $175.00 later and i was cleared for the surgery. I am on my way.

July 6, 2006- Tonight, I had went to another Lap Band support group meeting located in North Wilmington, Delaware on Silverside Road. As usual I met some more wonderful people (again all women, because I was the only man there). Everyone was very informative, supportive and very helpful. Even though I am in the pre op stage of the Lap Band Academy, the meetings are great to go to because, I hear everyones bitching and complaining LOL. (just kidding, I mean their expierence). I was hoping to see some of the all ready banders eating, so I can see how slow they chew and how tiny the bites are. LOL.

July 12, 2006- I went today to Wilmington Hospital to see Dr. Ruffini for my EGD procedure. I was so nervous prior to, but once I had spoke with him and he had explained the procedure and I felt comfortable again. The procedure lasted only about 5 minutes and it was over. The only worst was the thick liquid I had to drink in order to numb my throat...It tasted like the WORST cold medicine that you could ever imagine and the after taste does not go away. But everything was like a piece of cake (a very small tiny piece of cake of course).

July 16, 2006- I called St Francis to get my blood work results, which I know were going to be high. I spoke to the nutrionalist, Linda, and she told me that my HBA1C was 9.2 and that was TOO HIGH. Well, duh, I even knew that. She said that I needed to get down below a 7 or they would nopt approve the surgery. I thought to myself, if I could get it down below a 7, I would not need the surgery. She asked what kind of exercise am i doing. I told her at LEAST 1 hour and 1/2 (90 minutes) or 5 miles on the treadmill a day, at least 5 days a week. and she told me "that is not enough". I told her that i enter my age and weight and the treadmill is reading 1100 to 1150 calories burning, she said "No, way, you are only burning maybe 250-300 calories. Then I told her that for the last 3 of the 5 miles, I do it on a incline and she said that only adds a few more burning calories. So, out of curiosity, I checked on the internet, by typing in "Exercise and burning calories", and learned that I was right. So Anyway, I see my Endocronolgist and see what we can do to make my sugars drop. Wish me Luck!!!!

July 26, 2006- Well, I saw my Endocrinologist last Wednesday and he went over all of my blood work. He stated that everything was GREAT, except the HBA1C which was 8.9. My total Cholsestrial was 141. He put me on some new diabteic meds, called Byetta, which is NOT insulin, but it is taken by needle, by which you inject yourself 1/2 hour before breakfast and dinner. It is taken along with the Metformin and helps stimulate your own insulin release. Anyway, since I have been taken the Byetta, my sugars have been GREAT. They have been running between 106-140 daily. When I went to bed last night (maybe 3 hours after dinner) my sugar was 106 and when I woke this morning it was 116. So I hope this keeps up for the next couple of months so my HBA1C will get down in the low 7's and I will have this surgery approved.

August 8, 2006- I went and saw the Cardiologist Dr Pastore. He is a really cool guy. I thought to myself "If I ever have a heart problem, I will definetly see him". He said that everything looked ok, but wanted me to have a stress test before he wrote a letter of approval. He came back in and stated that someone cancelled and that I could do the stress test right then and now. I said ok, let get it over with.... Stress test was fairly easy. The worst part was the lying in this MRI type tube for 12 minutes two differant times (once before the treadmill and once after the treadmill), as the tube took pictures of my heart. I think everything went ok.

August 10, 2006- I just got a call from Misty, at CHIRAS, and she said that she did not have Dr Irgaus scheduale that far ahead, but put me in on Monday Ocotber 2, 2006 as a surgery date. After I hung up the phone, I had realized that I have a wedding on Saturday September 30, 2006 and I am supposed to be on a 2 day liquid diet. I am hoping that a 1 1/2 day liquid diet will be ok...LOL.

September 6, 2006- I got a call from Misty and said that there is a problem with B/C B/S and the surgeons at CHRIAS. She said that CHRIAS will no longer be in network with B/C B/S after September 14th and it will cost $6000.00 for the surgery. Misty said that they had an opening date fro Monday September 11th.....I said "Let's go for it".

September 7, 2006- went and met with Dr Bianchi, who does the final clearence..He said everything was a go. Later that day I met with Dr Iragau for the final consultation. Misty called me and said that B/C B/S insurance approved the surgery, after first attempt.

September 8, 2006- Went and met with the nutrionalist and pre op testing at St Francis. Everything went smoothly. My bloodwork came back with my HB1AC of 8. My final weigh in for Pre Op is 364.4 and a BMI 45.4

September 10, 2006- I have been on clear liquid diet for the past 48 hours, since my surgery is tomorrow at 12:00pm. sharp. I have been living on sugar free jello, chicken broth and crystal light ice-tea. So the next time, I am on here I will hopefully be on the losing side of things and everything went ok,..

September 13, 2006- I am home and recovering just fine.. Everything went great.. I having a alot of gas pains and I am trying to walk it off. I am trying to get my protein and liqiuds in, but I am having a hard time finding the feeling of being full, since my stomach is swollen and the gas pains.. So I am not pushing the liquids to much....

September 27,2006- I just had my 2 week post op follow up with Dr Peters. He said everything looked great and that was on the fast and right track. I weighed in at 339, which is 25 pounds.....I feel good and have alot of energy already..

October 4, 2006- I started back at the gym, just doing the treadmill, no lifting weights since it has not been 30 days yet. I am still doing 3 miles, but I am running 1/2 mile without stopping twice during the workout and walking the other 2 miles on an incline. This morning I weighed at the gym 335 pounds, which is a BMI 41.9. I am starting to feel a little hungrier. I am schedualed for a fill with Dr Irgau on November 2nd.
    November 2, 2006- I went and met with Dr Irgau today for my first fill. I finally found out that I have the Vanguard Band which holds 11 cc's. Dr Irgau put in 5 cc's and had me drink some water, which I could not....It was too much fill and too damn tight, so he took out 2 cc's, which makes me having 3 cc's in, so lets see how this thing works. Tonight I will attend the monthly Lap Band support meeting in Delaware. 
 
  November 24, 2006- I am down to 330, which is a total of 35 pounds lost, it has definetly slowed down....I took my measurements the other night and found that I had lost 2 inches off my waist, 2 inches off my chest, 2 inches off my thighs and 1 inch off my bicep, all since my surgery of 9/11/06.  I am due for a fill, but since I am leaving for Riveria Maya, Mexico in a week, I will wait on the fill, til I get back....I do not want to get sick in Mexico, so I have an appointment with Dr "I" on December 14th and then I hopefully will start to loose a little faster...  I am going to the gym 5-6 days a week and I am on the treadmill for at least 50-60 minutes, for usally a total of 3 1/2 miles..I am up to jogging a full mile without stopping, so I run a mile, walk a mile on an incline of 8 and back to running a mile and walk the last 1/2 mile for the total of 1 hour.. My blood sugars are going pretty steady, alot lower then before.....

  December 3, 2006-My wife and I leave for Riveria Maya, Mexico tomorrow morning to celebrate our 5th year anniversary....I am definetly due for a fill, but did not want one before I left for Mexico,,,I will try to watch what I eat and DRINK.....I plan to go to their gym and workout every morning, holpefully I am able to keep those plans...See you all when I get back....

   December 14, 2006- I went and saw Dr Irgau today for my 2nd fill. He added 1 cc to my 10cc Vanguard band, which makes a total of 4 cc's. I lost 4 more pounds since my first fill on 11/1/06....I am sure i had lost more, but that trip to Cancun, Mexico kind of put a damper on that...I weighed in at 334.8, So I feel lucky with the 4 pound loss....

    January 18, 2007- I went and saw Dr Irgau today and had my 3rd fill......He was going to add 1 cc, but after I told him that I still have a half decent appetite, he added 2 CC's, which makes a total of 6cc's in me....I weighed EXACTLY the same as last month 334.8, so hopefully this aggresive fill will start the ball rolling again. He wants to see me in 2 weeks, to see how the fill went. The good news is that I have cut my diabetes medication in more than 1/2 and my sugar levels have been fantastic.., well pretty good..

  January 31-2007- I went and saw Dr Irgau today and had my 4th fill.........He added 1 cc, which makes a total of 7cc's in me. I lost 7 pounds since my last visit 2 weeks ago on January 18th, which makes me 328 pounds.....Dr Irgau was very happy with the weightloss of 7 pounds in 2 weeks, which is more then average, but when I told him that I could still eat 2 hotdogs (w/out the rolls) at dinner, he decided on the fill of 1 cc. So I go and see him in a month...Take care. 

  February 6, 2007- Today I went to the gym and weighed in at 323, which is 5 pounds lost in a week....My last fill hit the right spot..Today I was able to do a 5K on the treadmill in 39 minutes, with me running the 1st 2 miles w/out stopping (1st time in my life that I ran for 2 miles without stopping)..I then walked a 1/4 mile and ran the rest of the 3.1 miles....I feel very sore, but very good....

   February 15, 2007- Today I woke up and found that I weighed in at 317 and I smiled because I weighed 319 when I met my wife 6 years ago.  I was also happy to find out that I went from Extreme Obese to just Obese...

    February 24- 2007- Today I went to the gym and ran a 5 k mile without stopping..It took 41 minutes to finish, but I was not going for time, just to finish.. When I started this journey, I could not even run a 1/4 mile and this morning 3.10 miles.  I weighed in at 312 pounds. making my BMI 39 even

    April 5, 2007- Well it sure has been awhile since my last post..Everything is going great..I am down like a total of 64 pounds...I am almost in the TWO-ZEES (under 300 pounds). This morning I weighed 301 at the gym....I have not been under 300 pounds in 20 years..I recently had blood work done and my total cholestrol was 112...The doctor was really impressed... I am still doing the 5 K mile at the gym 5 or 6 days a week...This band really made me a believer....Take care for now..

  April 9, 2007- Well today is kind of an exciting day for me....When I got home from the gym, I weighed myself and I weighed in at 299.6...I can not believe that I finally made into the 200's again..I have not been in the 200's for about 20 years or so...I will never (and don't want) to be in ONEderland, but I am in the TWOzee's....

   April 26, -2007- I went and saw Dr Iragau today for a check up...I lost a 12 pounds since my last visit March 1st..Dr Irgau said that he was very happy with my progress and that I was ahead of scheduale.  I told him that I was starting to feel more and more hungry and that I was eating bigger portions at dinner time.. I also told him that I had not lost anything in the 2 weeks and that it was really really hard not to gain..Dr Irgau asked if I wanted a "tweek" of a fill and I said "damn right"..Dr Irgau gave me a 1/2 cc fill.. I kind of lost count, but I think that this makes 7 1/2 cc's in my 10 CC Vanguard band.

 July 26, 2007-  I went and saw Dr Irgau today for a fill.  I had hit a plataue  "bigtime" for past 2-3 weeks. So Dr Irgau gace me 1 CC fill, which brought my band up to 7 1/2 cc's filled, which I thought I already had that in..., but I have lost count. The big thing is that my waist went down around 10 inches since this journey of ours began back on 9-11-06. A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were shopping and she told me to try a pair of shorts on, I looked at them and swore that they would not get past my thighs. I could not believe it, the fit great..they were a size 42, which I have not been in since like 10th grade. So I went and bought a couple of shirts size 2XL. It is the outfit that I am wearing in my photos (tan shorts and burgandy shirt).  Since thisweight loss journey began, I really did not feel proud on any of the weightloss yet, until I tried on that outfit. So hopefully, this fill will get me jump started again....take care...

 August 8, 2007- The scale started to move again....Yipee---I went to the gym and did my usual 5 K on the treadmill (walking a 10th of a mile and running the rest of the 1/4 mile and) anyway, when I got done my workout, I weighed in at 277, which gives me a BMI of 34.7 and the total weight loss of 87.4 pounds...My year anniversary is next month on September 11th, which my goal is 100 pounds in a year, so I have 12 1/2 pounds to go in exactly 34 days..I think that is quite possible.....See you in 34 days..LOL

 September 11, 2007- ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!. Well, today is 1 year since I had the Lap Band surgery....My A1C bloodwork is 6.5 and my diabetes is under control with normal sugar levels (still taking 1 pill, instead of 6 like last year). I went and saw Dr Irgau last week on the 6th and he was very happy and advised me that I am down 95 pounds and lost over 60% of my excess body weight. Dr Irgau said that he would of been happy with 60 pounds lost in a year. My total cholestriol is 121 and my blood pressure was 102/70....and most important.. I FEEL GREAT AND HEALTHY....Thanks you Dr Irgau!!!!

  September 18, 2007- Well I did it, I finally hit the 100 pound weight loss. It took me exactly 1 year and 1 week to loose the 100 pounds...I really feel great, my enegy is up and I feel that I am a healthy person now...See you later.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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About Me
Woolwich, NJ
Location
32.1
BMI
Surgery
09/11/2006
Surgery Date
Apr 17, 2006
Member Since

Friends 44

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