Bandme1

I don't even have my operation date yet, but I would totally be down! I need all the support I can get. We all need to stick together! lol

I'm typically not a person who lies, but I am telling my boss that I am getting by gallbladder removed. The recovery time is very similar for that and I don't want them to know what I am really having done. (My boss is an extremely judgmental individual.) So that's my plan... hopefully I don't *actually* have to get my gallbladder removed in the next couple years. I don't know what I would say then! lol!!

I have Kaiser in N. Cal, too. I have my first consultation on May 10th and it cannot come fast enough!! So what do I do from there? I don't have to take the 12-week class? So far, I know they weigh me, I have to lose 10%, I have to schedule all the pre-op appts. (did you have to do the swallow and the sleep apnea test?) What else? Share your wealth of knowledge with me. lol

You have a good point. I'm sure I will get tired of it happening, too. Sometimes I can be almost obnoxiously optimistic. I hope I don't have the issue too, I obviously can't possibly understand it since I am not banded yet. I didn't mean to belittle the issue, just trying to find the silver lining. I am trying to embrace every aspect of it, the positive and the negative. I will be interested to feel that "stuck" feeling. I'm sure after one time I will already be sick of it

After researching for months, I finally got my referral from my PCP to start the 12-week Kaiser seminar to get banded. I feel like I still have such a long way to go but I am so fired up. I'm like chomping at the bit to get this done already. lol. I should have gotten the referral a long time ago because I would probably be there by now, but I just wanted to make sure I was totally ready before going to my doctor about it. I'm sure a few weeks into a hardcore diet and I'm going to be thinking "Okay, this game isn't fun anymore...". Right now I haven't even started dieting yet because my first seminar appointment is May 10 and I have to lose 10% of my body weight before the surgery and they don't start my timer ticking until I have weighed in at the seminar. The first 10-20 pounds comes off the easiest and I don't want to lose 10 pounds now then show up for the seminar and find out I have to lose another 25 pounds on top of that before I can get the surgery. I feel like I'm playing a little game or something but right now I'm just trying to not gain weight until May 10. Then I take off on a diet frenzy. The sooner I lose that 10%, the sooner I can get my surgery. So my question to you guys is, how long were you fired up and totally mentally ready and did it fade for you? I'm hoping I can keep this fire lit under my ass long-term. This website has been a Godsend. I am on here several times a day... okay, who am I kidding? I practically live on this website. I feel like I can't get enough information. I am just constantly reading old posts and getting as much info as possible. I feel like at this point, I might even be able to give the people teaching the seminar some pointers. Okay, so not really, but I have been like a little Lap Band sponge, just soaking up all the tips and pointers that I can. May 10th can't come fast enough. I'm ready to get this show on the road!

I know I might be weird, but this is kind of the part that I am looking forward to. I like that eating will be just a chore. I am tired of food controlling my life. *I* should be controlling my life. I feel like overeating is an addiction to food. The hard thing is, you can't just give up food. Smokers can just quit cold turkey. We can't just not eat. This seems to be the biggest advantage to the band is it forces you to only eat out of necessity and to only eat small amounts of nutritious foods and then move along with your day. Eating is a social thing, but nothing says you can't still sit at the table with a glass of Water and enjoy the social company of those around you without eating a heaping plate full. I will definitely miss a lot of foods, but I will not miss being overweight and feeling like crap. I have not been banded yet, but I am actually practicing this already. We had a group of friends going out to eat, so I ate my healthy meal at home before we left and I just ordered a drink at the restaurant and enjoyed the company of my friends. I just told everyone that I had already eaten at home and no one thought twice about it. I know the band is different for everyone but I am so excited to have eating just become a chore. Brush my teeth, do my hair, eat, move along with my day. To me, it seems to be freedom at last from basing everything around food.

I think you will feel like the weight of the world is off your shoulders once you tell him. Especially since he is telling you how beautiful you are. He will totally be there for you. As for telling your daughters, that can come later. My mom told me she was getting gastric bypass about a month before her surgery and I was so proud of her for being so brave and taking that step to get happy and healthy. I showed up the day after her surgery with flowers and some homemade chicken broth that is quite delicious if I do say so myself Much better than the canned stuff. Anyways, I think you will be surprised by the reactions of your family. I know my mom was nervous to tell me but I was SO thrilled for her. Now, 7 years later, I am in the process of getting banded and I was just as nervous to tell her. She has been so supportive and has given me a book of recipes that helped her get through it all. It's kind of an odd thing for a mother and daughter to bond over, but oh well. You should be proud that you have the guts to finally say "Enough of this! I want to be happy, healthy and lose this weight once and for all!" You are taking control of your own life. Own it! =) You go, girl!

I also checked out her vlog and I love it! That will be really helpful. Also, I read online that Trader Joe's is actually discontinuing the peanut flour because of allergies and they are substituting it with some other type of gluten-free flour. BUT, you can still buy it online at www.netrition.com. Juuuust so you know, you can still buy it.

Oh okay. I guess I'm no help then. I tried, though. lol. If they do turn you away, you could always ask to get a fasting glucose blood test done. If your results are high enough, they might consider you? Just a suggestion.

Oh wow, hold on, lemme pump you for some information then!!! lol!! Okay, so the 2 hour informational class is just a one-time thing? From all the stuff I had read it was a 12-week class and you had to go once a week to the 2-hour class. Then, once the 12 weeks is over, you can then meet for the orientation with the surgeon. This was all just from reading online forums and such though. So you already have an appt with the surgeon? You should be good to go!

I am also with Kaiser - Northern California. I just had a meeting with my PCP today, actually, to ask for a referral to the 12-week "gastric bypass seminar" (they call it that, but it's for all WLS). From the research I have done, the minimum requirements are a BMI of 40+ or of 35 with co-morbidities. It doesn't hurt to go in and ask to get a referral to the seminar, though. The worst thing that could happen is they say no. Good luck!

Oh man, that is so encouraging! I also have PCOS and one of the biggest reasons I want to have the band and lose weight is to help with my fertility issues. I will go forever without a period then I will have it for weeks and weeks. (my last period lasted 7 months. 7 MONTHS of bleeding...) It is encouraging to see that you are already starting to go back to normal!

I was the exact same as you. I was just embarrassed. My husband and I never really talk about weight and I have just slowly ballooned since we got married. I am a very private person and I was planning on not telling him until it got a lot closer to the date. But honestly, I want to be able to come home from doctors appointments and share this with him. It is embarrassing, but you are going to be growing old together. You guys signed up for better or for worse. This is just one of the "worse" parts. I just talked to my husband last night as I am just beginning the process and I am so glad I did. He kind of looked at me funny when I first told him but I explained to him the whole reason of why I want to have it done, how I will be healthier and happier. I even threw in the fact that since I will have more self confidence, it means better times in bed... He seemed to like that. In the end, he told me that he loves me just how I am but if getting the surgery will make me happy then I should do it. If you explain to him how sensitive of an issue this is for you and tell him how important to you it is that this stays a secret, I'm sure he will understand. You should really consider letting him go on this journey with you. It might bring you closer together if he is able to help you out post-op.

I SOOOOO should have said that to the doctor. Once I've lost all my weight, I may just schedule an appointment with him just to rub it in his chubby little face! lol!! I hate when really skinny people talk about WLS like they are judging it and say "Why don't you just diet and exercise, it's not that hard..." Yeah, suck it, beanpole! You have NOOOO idea. I find it even MORE interesting when overweight people have the same reaction. We all have to be there for each other! lol. It's a cruel world out there. I have read so many articles about doctors altering their treatment plans based on their patient being overweight. One doctor was even quoted saying that she sometimes didn't even want to help the overweight patients when they were sick because she didn't think they would even follow her treatment plan because they don't like to take care of themselves. There was this great quote I read that was something along the lines of "Everyone has an addiction to something. Those who are overweight wear their addiction on the outside for all to see". It's SO true... everyone has SOMETHING that they struggle with. Smokers don't have to wear it for all to see...

Okay, well, I had my very FIRST appointment today with my PCP. Actually, he isn’t really MY PCP, I just took the first available appointment they had. I’ve only ever seen my PCP once anyway. So my goal for today was to get a referral to the “gastric bypass seminar” that is required for all patients interested in WLS with Kaiser. So, you know how when you go in for a Dr. appt. they have a nurse that takes your vitals and then asks why you are there? Well, I told her I was there to ask for a referral to the seminar to get the LapBand and she just stared at me with her mouth wide open. She said “Oh, honey, you aren’t big enough for that. You are just wasting your time.” I said, “Actually, my BMI is 43, so I qualify. I’d rather just discuss it with the Doctor.” So the doctor made me sit there and wait for 50 minutes past my appointment time. Thank God for Angry Birds on my iPhone or I would have been bored out of my mind!! So when he came in he asked me why I was there and I told him I just wanted a referral to the seminar. He just flat out said “No. Not even an option.” I asked why and he said “You are far too young.” Well, I spouted all my facts right back at him. “Actually, the required minimum age is 18 and I am 24. My BMI is 43, my fasting glucose was sky high so I am at a high risk for diabetes and my mom had gastric bypass so I have seen how hard it is and I know what it is that I am asking for.” He just stared and said “Don’t you think if this was some magic solution, I would have had it done myself? I have seen countless people get the surgery and not lose weight.” I said “Well, it’s not a magic solution. It’s a tool. You have to utilize that tool. If they didn’t eat right, follow the directions their doctors gave and exercise, then no. They probably didn’t lose their weight.” He said “Fine, I will give you the referral but I think you are being ridiculous and you are too young.” I said “Well I appreciate the referral. Isn’t it better for me to get healthy while I am still young?” He just shook his head and muttered “too young…”. So he printed out the referral and said “So will I see a different person in 6 months?”. I said “Well, I don’t think it all happens that fast, but give it a year and yes, you will see a different me.” He rolled his eyes again and said “Yeah…. Right. We’re done here. You can go.” So I’m thrilled that I have the referral but between the nurse and the doctor with a stick up his butt... it pretty much solidified my decision to NOT tell ANYONE. Jeeez… they are supposed to be medical professionals? I feel like I’m finally jumping on the LapBand train and I am hoping it takes me good places. Anyone else have experiences with rude doctors/nurses that just don't get it? I expect rude comments from people (which is why I'm not telling people) but not from medial "professionals". Sheesh...

AMEN!!! Thanks for your agreement. I am pretty firm in my decision to not tell people. I don't think it's any of their business! My mom had gastric bypass and people would constantly ask her "OMG!! How did you lose so much weight?!" and if she actually was honest with them their answer was "Oh..." in a disappointed tone, almost like they were saying "Oh.... you took the easy way". Someone even had the balls to SAY "Oh, so you took the easy way?" EASY?! What part of having surgery, exercising, limiting your food intake, going to many many dr. appointments and vomiting if you eat too much is EASY?! I've already decided. I am telling my work that I am getting my gallbladder removed (to explain the week+ off work) and any people who want to know how I lost all the weight? I'm going to tell them "portion control and exercise". It's not a lie. I am telling them all they need to know

Oh wow, congrats! That's so exciting to get to move up to mushies. I bet you were getting sick of the liquids, huh?