~*~Rachel~*~

I can't take credit for this and some of you may have seen it. I got if off a post from another lap band forum website thought it very funny however good advise and rules to pledge to for us about to undergo surgery. I think I will post it on my fridge 1. Thou shalt consume thy Protein first, followed by thy veggies and fruits. If thou, then hast any room left thou shalt comusme thy carbs lastly! 2. Thou shalt take the tiniest of bites, placing thy fork and thy spoon upon thine table, that thou shalt have more time between bites to savor that which thou hast eaten, and allow thy stomach adequate time to inform thy brain of thine fullness. 3. Thou shalt chew and chew and when thou has done so, thou shalt chew some more, lest thy band rise up and smite thee,causing in thy chest great pain, and spewing forth. 4. Thou shalt drink of thy Water, copiously, consuming all that has been recommended to thee, that thou mayest be spared the pangs of hunger and dehydration, and thou shalt thus, also keep thy kidneys well flushed, that thou shalt not develop stones to aggrieve thee. 5. Thou shalt exercise in a manner that thou mayest choose, of thine own accord, providing that thou art faithful to thine execise regimen,that thou shalt not falter on thy journey to thine smaller self. 6. Thou shalt honor thy band and maintain it well, that it shalt be a steadfast friend to thee throughout thine entire life. Thou wilt,from time to time, as thou hast been told, obtain for it the fills that it needest that it may then help thee in thy hours of need, keeping it always in perfect adjustment for thine benefit. 7. Thou shalt not worry and gnash thy teeth, becoming aggrieved at those times when thy losses seemingly stop and thy weight remaineth constant, remembering then that thou tookest long to acquire thine pounds, and that thy pounds must then take time for loss. 8. Thou shalt maintain a log or dairy of thine measurements, that thou mayest truly perceive the effect of they band when thine scale doth pause in it's downward progress. 9. Thou shalt join into and participate within thy local support community, for without the input, experience and love of they fellow bandsters, thou shalt have a much more difficult time in thy journey, and when thou art well upon thy road, thou shalt then likewise assist those who followest in thine footsteps that they too might be successful in their own diminishment. 10. Thou shalt beware of thine " soft caolries syndrome", keeping always in thy mind that thou canst thus sabotage thine efforts and thine investment and lead thee then therefore into depression and guilt. As once stated "Just because thou canst, it meaneth not that thou shouldith".

So despite my miserable cold today I have to go shopping. Normally this stresses me out enough trying to grocery shop. Today I have to prepare for my preop diet. This is stressful because I will have to buy stuff for two life styles. I can not deprive my husband and just by stuff for myself. How is that going to work and stay on a budget. I know most of you out there are just like me take bills month to month and try to get by. Not to mention if we are undertaking this financially stressing surgery or at least mine has been with the co pays and requirements and not to mention my doctor is an hour away. I am going to try my best to stay within my budget of my normal shopping with the exception that I have to buy my vitamins and host a party this weekend. My preop diet is the Robard diet. It is a modified atkins diet with meal replacements. I am allowed four meal replacements a day things such as soup cold shakes a hot cocoa and granola bars that you buy at my docs office. Then with this for one meal a day I will be able to eat a meal of my choosing low fat of course mostly meats no sauce dry spices and a green salad with lettuce cucumber broccoli green onions and wishbone salad spray. I think I will be okay with the wishbone salad spray but it will be hard to do without meat sauce. I have a hard time swallowing dry meats due to a surgery I had last year on my throat removing a growth that blocked 75% of my throat. So... I will do a lot of price checking on protein shakes. I have already tried several and they about made me sick. I am going to try the protein shots or Special K protein shake. Plenty of crystal lights LOTS of bottled water. May get several diet cokes since this will be the last time I will be able to drink soda. I am looking at the Viactiv Vitamin Chocolate chews and calcium chews. I have taken the calcium ones before and they taste just like heresy so I believe that will be my drug of choice. I have already invested in a blender from walmart made by GE that is much like the magic bullet but instead only cost 15 dollars and not 60. Will need something to wear after surgery plenty of chapsticks and some gas x!!! I have read the gas pains are awful. I believe I will wait to buy my post op foods until the friday before my surgery. Hopefully I will get everything I need and make some good choices for this stuff is expensive. Just wish I could find a protein shake I could tolerate. Oh well happy shopping with a miserable cold for me!

Hi I had the same problem. My surgeon was only an hour away but by the time you spent the money for gas parking and co pays it can add up. So I went to a doc and the box that made appointments and talked to a doctor there. She became my PCP and I went to her for 6 months. My insurance also did not cover anything by obesity so I cheated the System. I became a hypochondriac each month I had a different problem each month. I got my blood pressure under control so that was at least two months getting the meds and going back to see if they worked. The next month I had problems sleeping and a ear infection and so on she may think I am a whinny thing but at least I got her to document my weight and that I was "attempting" a diet. So that is how I worked the system. Hope that gives you one idea.

Hi I had the same problem. My surgeon was only an hour away but by the time you spent the money for gas parking and co pays it can add up. So I went to a doc and the box that made appointments and talked to a doctor there. She became my PCP and I went to her for 6 months. My insurance also did not cover anything by obesity so I cheated the System. I became a hypochondriac each month I had a different problem each month. I got my blood pressure under control so that was at least two months getting the meds and going back to see if they worked. The next month I had problems sleeping and a ear infection and so on she may think I am a whinny thing but at least I got her to document my weight and that I was "attempting" a diet. So that is how I worked the system. Hope that gives you one idea.

Being band in Birmingham AL Jan. 25th start my pre op diet Jan 12th!

As this two year hike up mount Everest comes to a end, I look back and it seems like yesterday I was battling with this decision to have WLS. Questions like If I can't do it or don't have the will power to do it on my own how is this magic little tool going to help me succeed? I pray that I have prepared myself in order to under stand this is not a cure all surgery and it IS going to take effort on my part more then I probably realize. I can say it a hundred times over and over "This band is not going to cure me! I have to cure myself" sounds like I have it worked out in my mind but saying and doing are two WAY different things. I am doing everything possible research getting involved hear learning everything I can. Making meal plans for my pre op diet which I feel lucky compared to some out there getting to actually eat on my diet just sort of a atkins diet with meal replacements its called the Robard diet. Not to mention I get to skip a few days since there are technically only 12 days before my surgery and the time I started my diet. Anywhoo... With everything you have to learn and knowledge you must take in and lifestyle changes and doctors visits all these bells and whistles you must silence until you hear those sweet little words... your approved I feel as if I am twirling around in a dark room hearing voices all around me. I can not see those standing in the shadows. I often feel alone. There words of wisdom seems to over whelm me at times. And then I feel as if I am falling. Falling toward a date Jan 25th down the other side of the mountain I just climbed. What will happen when I hit the bottom I have no clue but I will fall. Anyone else feel like they are Free Falling with me?

I can only pray that my journey will take me as far as yours has you. Please share some things that work best for you. Or looking back for a about to be band person myself I would love to hear from someone who has gone above the norm and lost more then average expected weight loss

Thanks guys I look forward to reading of your successes as well. This website had become my new facebook! It really is a great way to start and continue through this journey. That is exactly what it is .... a Journey into the unknown. Each of us do not know where we are going or how successful we will be or what complications will stand in our way but through faith and support we find in our little community may we each have the courage to journey.

Until now I have always been Rachel a 27 year old married registered nurse, aka Priss (yes don't laugh) to my mother, and Nay Nay to my nephew. May of 2009 I decided to visit a lap band seminar after a life time of being over weight. I have never known anything but being over weight and all the package had to offer. There I was in the seminar and for the first time I looked around and realized right then in that room I was no longer Rachel, I was no longer a nurse, I was not affectionately nay nay. My entire existence and purpose for being in that room was I am Morbidly Obese. What was this? These two dirty little words felt like they summed up completely who I was. No longer did I feel the pride of things I had accomplished in my 27 years. Graduating high school or rather living through the pure hell of high school, finishing college, starting my career, owning my own home by the time I was 23, or marrying my husband. My weight effects every aspect of my life be it my job, my personal life, my daily activities. So great here I am.... Rachel, a 27 year old Morbidly Obese female on my journey of rediscovery, weight loss, and learning who I really am and what I am made of. Find me Jan 25th I will be Rachel... Banded...

So I am becoming LBT forum obsessed but want to know is there any other great websites? Maybe a recipe website or some blogs that people have added really neat ideas for working out or nutrition keepers. Come on share your toys with me!!

Struggling to quit smoking as well!! good luck to you and I hope you do well with it!

Thank you really really excited! I work at night as a nurse and stayed up when I should have been sleeping waiting on the phone call so now I am drinking coffee all night here at work to stay awake ugh! what will I do not being able to drink caffeine being a night shift nurse!!

Hi kim yep I have one of those and yes it does help I love the fact that you actually feel the heat. Anywhoo I have a really stressful job <Critical care nurse> and I also like you said I would quit before my surgery so yes I am trying that it is wonderful at work! I am working on it I promise!! since I got my surgery date today!!!! 1-25-11!!!!! yeah not much time to correct the before hand but maybe do better in the after. I too have been motivated by the fact that I have been unable to get pregnant and hope that a major weight loss and a healthier me will help!

no mattie that post was not directed at you

Wow so much for nonjudgmental support... Thanks to those that have just done that... however... addiction is a hard thing to conquer as everyone here knows and I don't feel that since I am struggling with this one part that I should be made felt like I have failed the entire process... Thankfully this is the first negative encounter on these boards I have ran into. Would you go around telling someone that is cheating on there pre op diet to cancel there surgery? I am ready for this change.... I am committed to the Lap band... However I am sure there are things everyone struggles with and this one is mine. It will probably not be my last but it is my present. I know you were not trying to be harsh but warn me of your experience but saying "What makes you think you are ready for this" is not the way to do it.