New River Valley/Roanoke Area?

AlisaH · 02-07-2008, 02:47 PM

Just wanted to see if there was anyone in the NRV or Roanoke area who wanted to start a new thread!

It would be great to connect with some local folks!

pmcdaniel · 02-10-2008, 11:43 AM

Hi I am due to be banded om March 10th. Go to Lucktong in Roanoke Va. I am interested to find out what it is like. I have read up on banding quiet a bit. Any helpful tips or info

AlisaH · 02-11-2008, 08:24 AM

Hello! Dr. Lucktong is also my surgeon! He is really great and the staff there is so wonderful! I would be happy to answer any questions I can as well. As for the process, things for me went really well. I had my surgery scheduled for first thing in the morning, at 8:15. By about noon I was out of surgery, out of recovery and in my room. Of course I stayed overnight, but the staff there on "10 Mountain" (that's the floor you should be on) is really great, they don't typically have overnight patients so there are lots of people around to help. I didn't get much sleep that night as they have to come in and run vitals on you every few hours, but I suppose it went as well as could have been expected. The pain wasn't too bad and they hooked me up to a morphine pump which I didn't have to use too much so that was good. The key is getting up and walking around as soon as you can, that really helped me to feel better, not to mention lessening the risk of blood clots.

I went home the next morning about 10a and just chilled on the sofa drinking water and gradually adding protein shakes served up in a little medicine cup a few times an hour. I really wasn't hungry when I got home and that made the liquids easier to deal with. Two weeks of liquids only and then I have transitioned to mushies where I still am now. I have my first band adjustment on 3/14 and so far have lost about 22 pounds and I haven't had any complications so all in all things have been great and Dr. Lucktong and his staff have been really supportive too!

Are you going to the support group meetings? Kay, the dietitian runs those and I think I am going to start attending the ones there in Roanoke!

OK, this is a long post, but please let me know if you have any questions I can answer, feel free to post here or send me a private message or email!

Weirdling · 05-14-2008, 10:33 AM

Hi! I'm just getting started with the New River Medical Center in the Christiansburg/Radford area. I haven't gone much beyond the initial group meeting and appointment with Tammy and Jill, but I'm hoping to progress during the summer. I'm already doing the diet adjustments (no caffeine! oh yay) as best as I can. If you need any encouragement, give me a hollar.

Terriann · 05-14-2008, 01:05 PM

Hey - I'm in the NRV (Floyd County) area and after a visit with my liver doc in Roanoke last year was told I have an enlarged liver and he commented that I may be a canidate for the LAP-BAND^® and would recomend me to one. I also have hight blood pressure, pre-diabetes, acid reflux, heel spurs and so on due to my weight. I'm due back in June and was suppose to have lost some weight, I did but it came back and then some. What are the first steps to start this process? I have Anthem Blue Cross insurance and have been told they are good for covering this but I need to call to make sure I guess. I'm really leaning towards the band, need to loose 150-180 lbs and do not seem to think I can do it alone nor keep it off.

Weirdling · 05-14-2008, 01:51 PM

Hi Terriann,

I called and signed up for an information meeting at the hospital that's offered on the last Wed of each month. From there, Tammy contacted me to set up an appointment to discuss the surgery options and talk w/ Jill, the nutritionist. I haven't heard back yet, but I have a few other things to take care of first, primarily a visit to ye olde gyno for a PAP smear. Yeeha. Anyway, you could probably call 540-731-2080 to sign up for the next meeting which should be May 28.

Good luck, hon.

Terriann · 05-14-2008, 02:07 PM

Hey ALISA - I noticed we are the same starting weight and I live not far from Roanoke. I'm just getting started, what were your first steps of getting the band? First doc visit ect..

Thanks Weird - Going to a meeting to get more info sounds like what I need ot do. What is discussed at the meetings and how many people are normally there?

ambailey · 05-15-2008, 03:05 PM

Hey girl my mom and I are thinking about looking into the LAP-BAND^® surgery how do we start and what Dr. do we talk to in Roanoke?

Terriann · 05-19-2008, 11:27 AM

I think you have to be recommended by your family doc or another doc. I had an enlarged liver and saw Dr. Bern at Valley Gastroenterology in Salem and he said he would recommend me to a doc in Roanoke for a possible band but I did not get a name. I go back to Bern on June 6th. I heard there is a doc at Radford too. Where are you located? I will keep you posted.

AlisaH · 05-20-2008, 10:27 AM

Hi Terriann,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you on this, I've been out of town. My first step began with my Primary Care Physician who referred me to Dr. Lucktong in Roanoke (there is also a doc in Radford who does bands now too). My PCP got me on the books with Lucktong's office and they sent me a lengthy medical and weight loss history packet to fill out and send to them. Once they have that (and checked insurance to be sure that the procedure was covered), they scheduled me for my first visit. That visit was about 4 hours and we watched a video on the procedure (and other weight loss surgeries) and then Lucktong came in and gave a presentation as well. After that we all went into private rooms (there were about 3 or 4 other potential folks there too) and Dr. Lucktong and his nurse and the Nurse Practitioner answered questions and determined what additional tests needed to be completed.

There was a good sized order for lab work that I had to do and they also thought I may have sleep apnea so I was also scheduled for a sleep study.

After all of that (and being put on a CPAP) was clear, I was scheduled for surgery. My first meeting with Dr. Lucktong was in July of 07 and I was banded Jan 08.

I've had two fills, but I am not yet at that "sweet spot" and have a 3rd fill in a few weeks, I am really looking forward to that, my weight loss has slowed, but there is some small progress.

I am also trying to keep in mind that if there is anything I can do to avoid having tons of extra skin, that's good and slower weight loss will help with that.

Anyway, my experience so far has been great! I would love to keep in contact with you!

Have a great day!
Alisa

Huggie Bear · 05-20-2008, 11:26 AM

Well hello from the NRV!!

I am in Christiansburg and am being banded on June 3rd by Dr. Bissell

I am so excited I can hardley stand myself!!

I have heard that the Dr. In Roanoke is good also but that the schedule for Dr. Bissell is alot quicker to get onto.

I have been through the whole process and Tammy (bless her heart) is just down right GREAT
I know she got tired of hearing voice mails with my name attached to them :P

But I have dealt with Dr. Bissell in the past when my hubby had to have part of his colon removed and Dr. Bessell was top notch!!

Hope to keep in contact with locals!!

If anyone is in need of a local support group meeting the ones at the hospital in radfor are the last tuesday of every month at 6:30 in the Montgomery room. I know Dr. Bissell is a stickler for ppl attending those!!

Looking forward to getting to know ya'll

Kim

BTW with my insurance I did NOT have to have a referral from a PCP I called Dr. Bissell's office and made an appointment directly with them.

I have anthem insurance

Hollins2003 · 05-20-2008, 11:35 AM

Hi Everyone! My name is Jennifer and I live right up the road (I-81) from Roanoke, in Lexington. I have been researching gastric bypass and LAP-BAND^® for the last couple of years and just recently made the decision to begin seriously pursuing the procedure. I decided to go through VCU because of their reputation and experience with LAP-BAND^®. I just recently completed all of the requirements to schedule a surgery date. Dr. Maher requires a psych eval, inital consultation, and 20 pound weight loss prior to surgery. I met all of the requirements last week and have a surgery date of June 25th with pre-op on the 17th. I am nervous and excited and hope I am making the right decision. I have been heavy my whole life and would like to be active and return to the things I used to enjoy (riding horses).

I am looking forward to meeting everyone and good luck on your journey!

Terriann · 05-20-2008, 01:56 PM

Alisa - Thanks for all the great info, that was so nice of you to share. Now that I'm ready to do the band I hate to think I have to wait another 6 months for the surgery. But I think I really need it to keep the weight off long term. I never can loose no more than 25-30 lbs before it all comes back and then some and I'm having so many health issues knocking at my door. Did Dr. Lucktong require a certain weight loss before surgery? Also, how long did you do the liquid diet? I've heard good things of him, does he just specialize in weight loss surgery?

Huggie Bear - Does Dr Bissel have allot experience in the LAP-BAND^® and is he located at Montgomery Hos? How long did it take for you to get a surgery date from your first meeting?

Sorry yall for all the ?'s I'm just in research mode to help me make a decision, so far I'm very inspired by this site.

Huggie Bear · 05-20-2008, 02:28 PM

Dr. Bissell's turnaround for the whole process right now is about 8-12 weeks and the part that varies it is the wait on insurance approval..

Things went very quickly once they got the approval.

Dr. Bissell practices at Carillion in Radford

540-731-2080 if u want to call and ask questions...
Tammy is the bariactric coordinator

AlisaH · 05-27-2008, 10:15 AM

Terriann,

Dr. Lucktong did not require any weight loss for me prior to the surgery (he did recommend it and emphasized that, but told me he wasn't requiring it for me). I believe he has made some weight loss requirements of other patients, but I don't know what the weight range was.

I didn't do any special diet until post-op. I was on the liquids for 2 weeks, moving from clear (broth, water, jello, etc..) only, to full liquids by the end of the two weeks. It gives you a great jump start, I lost 17 pounds in those two weeks!

the liquids really weren't too bad as I honestly wasn't hungry! I also drank some protein shake to be sure that I had some reasonable energy levels.

Dr. Lucktong is really great and he knows his stuff. I believe he specializes in only WLS, but I never asked. What I did ask was how many of these surgeries he has done and he told me he's been in the area about 5-6 years and has done over 300 surgeries. He's not super chatty, but has always fully answered my questions and his staff is really great too.

Have a great day!