AMayo1

I have the same problems and issues. Sick of being reffered to as the big guy.

I was able to try a muscle milk light last week. I will check to see what else is available in a single serving.

So the first support group meeting. First I go to the wrong place. I thought it was the auditorium that they held the orientation in at Ellis Hospital. So I get there. There is a huge buffet. I thought how cruel, what a way to treat the bandsters. Then someone gives see my strange look at tells me it is a meeting for the doctor's of the hospital. I think I have the wrong night after racing over. I then get back to my car and look at the paper work. The date was right, the spot was right. OOPS what is the Ellis Health Center. I forgot they merged with St Clairs, it turns out that is where the meeting was. I get there 20 min late, but the moderator was over 45 min late. The first meeting went well a mix of newbies like me, a few long time band people. Will be going to the one in August.

A very difficult week end. As of Wednesday it was decided after discussing with my Vet that we should have my cat Seven put to sleep. She has 2 extra toes on each front paw, hence the name. Seven was never a lap cat but she always wanted to be near me, laying down next to me or above me on the back of the couch when she could still make it up there. When she would sit up on the couch she would tap my shoulder with her paw when she wanted to be petted. This past winter Seven starting missing jumps. She would miscalculate and did not have the strength to make them. I had to start picking her up. He hips became so painful that she could not step into the litter box. There was no fracture, no dislocation, just most likely severe arthritis. Combining this with several other health issues her quality of life became severely restricted. To watch your cat try and jump and fall became so sad. She was no longer the kitty that I had of even a year ago. So I tried to make her last few days as good as possible, picking her up and putting her in her favorite spots. Letting her eat as much soft food as she wanted, giving her, her favorite treats. I tried to use some of her favorite toys with her to play, but she did not play. That made me know that I made the right decision. My partner and I were in the room with her. I was petting her when she took her last breath. We stayed with her for a few minutes afterwards. I am waiting to hear when her ashes are ready. I have spot picked out to bury her ashes in one of my flower gardens. My younger cat Cooper is lost. He continues to look for her. He is sleeping in what was her favorite spot to sleep. I am trying to give him as much attention as he can tolerate. I am trying not to overwhelm him. I can tell he is in mourning for her. I know it is just a matter of time for us to get past this. I am hoping that burying her ashes will help.

awesome job

the first step would be talking with your primary care providor. He or She would need to write a letter of medical neccesity for you to have the surgery. The next step would be contacting your insurance company to see what there requirements are for the surgery, and what groups they work with. My insurance is requiring a center of excellence which Ellis hospital is. I beleive AMC is as well and I could of gone there. My primary care doctor who I have been with for 15 years thought I would do better with the program at Ellis then the one at Albany Med.

excellent entry, we can lie to everyone else, but not to ourselves.

I am going to my first lap band support group meeting tonight. I am glad that the office is seperating out band from bypass. Looking forward to meeting some people in person and hearing how they are doing. The office requires 2 meetings prior to scheduling the surgery. they offer 1 band only group, and there are 2 combined group meetings a month as well.

My sister raises chickens so I have a great source of cage free fertilized eggs. In looking at info given to me by the doctor's group they want me to start 1/2 C of egg beaters daily in about a month. I am wondering what about a combination of 1 yolk and 2-3 whites instead of egg beaters. I know weight watchers does something like that. Has anyone else used that instead of egg beaters?

So much time of the orientation was spent on bypass that I kind of felt cheated. Just happy that once a month there is the choice of only bandsters. The bypass people get there own meeting as well, then there is also 2 combined meetings a month.

I am in the preop period and asked the same question. In searching the boards for the same answer, it seems that men tend to prefer Myoplex or Muscle Milk light. I tried a chocolate Muscle Milk light yesterday for lunch. I was surprised how well it filled me up and satisfied me. I am going to try a myoplex next.

So I am now at the age my father was when he passed away, it feels a little strange. He passed from Cancer, not complications of obesity. I mark events in my life like this. When I hit 30 if felt strange. It was the age that my youngest sister passed from Cancer. Cancer is too prevalent in my family (I think even if I wanted kids, I would adopt or use a sperm donor) I guess it is my NY personalty. If Goth existed when I was in high school, I probably would of been a goth kid. I received my list of pre-op testing appointments. Boy August 10 will be a busy day. Not too mention the liquid diet or their lean and Green diet will start that day. I am thinking the lean and green diet. I am currently following a counting calories mentality for losing weight. I had my "last supper" yesterday. It was more like a last pig out on my birthday. All temptation is going to be removed from the house. Later I am going grocery shopping to get my groups approved diet food. High protein, low carb. Good bye breads and fruits. Who knew fruits were so evil. I love my fruits(no gay pun intended ) . I need to do this, I need to get my addiction under control. I need to see 52 and 62 not just 42.

In reading other post I am noting that guys are tending to lean towards the muscle milk light. Women don't seem to like it as much and use other stuff. I am joining Sam's club(we have no Costco in my area) to get deals on it there. I bought a muscle milk light yesterday and put it in the fridge. I am going to use it as my lunch today to try it out.

Are you stretching before and after you get on? You should stretch at least the quad and calf muscle. I am a big guy and I can not reach behind me to grab my ankle to stretch that way. Using my PT knowledge I modified it. I face away from the stairs. I place my foot behind me on the third stair, depending on your height you may need the 2 or 3rd. I then start to try and sit on that foot, until I feel a stretch in the quad. I hold onto the stair rail for balance. I have yet to actually sit on my foot. I would recommend a hamstring stretch too. Also are you properly hydrated, that can lead to cramps. Ellipticals are great machines, a great cardio exercise with out a lot of stress on the joints. I recommend them to most of my arthritic and back patients.

Has anyone tried PB 2 powedered peanut butter? I am intrigued by the concept of healthy peanut butter. I tried the smart balance, but the flax seed was overpowering.

Congrats, I am still pre-op but it is great reading stories like yours.

Have you thought about seeing a therapist? food is an addiction for most people in our situation. If you cannot get to the reason or the core of the problem then it is tough to work through it. Also depression is a powerful thing(I know) when my depression flairs up I tend to eat more, which in turn causes me to be more depressed which then just becomes a vicious cycle. The band is not the easy way as some critics say, It is tough. I am only on the preop period, temptation is everywhere, especially this time of year with cook outs. You can get through this, you lost the first 40 so you have shown that you can have will power, you just need to get it back. You have had the will power to not gain it back, you just need to find something that will ramp that will power up. Get the fill and get yourself back on track. Set up a goal with some sort of reward for yourself when you get there. Mine is another tattoo. I am going to start with today's paycheck and put $10 away each paycheck towards a new one. When I hit my first goal of 220 I am going to get it for myself. Your picture shows you fishing, maybe it is an expensive fishing rod that you have been wanting. Maybe it is another big fishing trip. It is always easy to concentrate on the bad things, but remember everything you already accomplished.

I have the same feelings. I know I did his to myself. But I also know that I got a double whammy with addictive personality traits from both sides of my family. I just turned to food instead of alcohol. I am at the point you were at when you posted this. I am preop. I need to drop 28 more pounds before they will schedule my surgery, And they are not counting the 15 pounds that I lost between my letter of medical necessity and my first appointment from them, but my insurance company will. Sometimes it drives me nuts. I have my psyche eval scheduled and I am awaiting to hear when my preop tests are scheduled.

I feel that way all the time, but take a look at your weight loss history. Are you like me? taking 20-50 pounds off multiple times only to put them back on and then some. I am sure if you asked most people on this board they would say the same thing. I think getting the lap band is not just about getting the weight off, it is about using it as a tool to keep the weight off. That is how I am looking at it. As they say the first step is acknowledging that you have a problem, I am a food addict and I binge on food. I need something to help me control it

If there is anyone that you should be angry at, it is the trainer that you worked with. I would be looking for a different trainer...interview them, make sure that they have your goals in mind, not what they think you should be. You are paying them good money to keep you from injuring yourself. I broke a rib once working with a trainer, they were suppose to be spotting me and they were not paying attention to what i was doing. It was the last time I worked with that trainer.

Am I the only one that is driven nuts by the contraindications in what we are suppose to do. How are sugar free drinks any different from sugar free jello, pudding, popsicles, yogurt ect. Artifical sweetners are artificial sweetners, how does it matter in which form they come in. I do not drink them all day long and I try and keep my water up. I drink a galon of liquids a day. I have one packet a day and it is only for 20 0z but I fill my nalgreen bottle all the way. Just my tirade for the day.

If you have on demand on your cable look for exercise TV. There are a lot of different videos on there, enough to do a couple of different ones to keep you from being bored. Also look at what you already have at your disposal. Do you have a wii, or a wii fit. If not check on craig's list. People are now selling them there and it would be cheaper then buying new. Also the just dance games are fun and can get you sweating.

Good luck with everything. Hopefully you do not get hit like I did yesterday. I have lost 16 pounds since I saw my primary docotor and now the bariatric group says it does not count towards the amount of weight I need to loose for them before surgery. So instead of having to loose 32 pounds I have to loose a total of 46 pounds before surgery.

Open up a line of communication. If it is not about the weight, different things can change a man's libido as he ages: medical issues, depression, stress, medication, low testosterone. I would have to say that it is unusual for a man to not want to have sex. There is a reason that viagra and similar pills are a multimillion dollar business. He should talk to his doctor about it and they should check his testosterone level.

Had my first appointment with the bariatric care center. Met a nurse, the PA who I will see most. It is the PA that does the fills. I met the surgeon briefly and my coordinator. My coordinator says that I have one of the best insurance in our area. I am tentatively scheduled for surgery on October 3. I have to undergo a gall bladder ultrasound, pulmonary test, upper GI.... the group is setting up those appointments. I have to schedule my psych appointment I will also have an appointment with the nutritionist before the surgery and be taught more about the special pre-surgery diet that I need to do for a month before the surgery. It can either be liquid of their own mean and green diet. I will also meet with the surgeon again for a more in-depth consultation. What sucks is that the 15 pounds I already lost do not count even though they are listed in my doctor's letter for the insurance company. I need to lose 30 pounds in the next 3 months. I know can do it, especially if I could lose 15 pounds in the last month.