lifeisjustbeginning2011

I don't think your goal is unrealistic. It depends on how you develop your goals. I'm currently around 310 or so, and according to my height, I should be somewhere around 150. Am I going to make it there? Who knows. The really important thing to me is to reduce the comorbidities (prediabetic, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, etc). I set by weight loss goal at 100 pounds. Once I get there, I'll decide after that how low I can go, but for me, I just want to be healthier. Just depends on you Welcome to the group - it is super important for me as well! Few people know about my surgery, which makes emotional support pretty challenging. Amy

The same thing happened to me (most of the time). I gradually said goodbye to my favorite fast foods and general crap that I ate, and the further I got, the sicker it made me feel. It was the strangest thing - I could eat 4 pieces of pizza easily, but when I got my last pizza, I could only eat 2/3. I must admit that I cried a lot when I bid them all farewell, but out with the bad and in with the good! Amy

I'm not lactose intolerant that I know of (drink milk without a problem). I plan to call the doc office first thing on Monday. Right now I'm eating an ounce or so of low fat ham/chicken every 2-3 hours and I'm ok. I still feel like I want to eat one of my fingers though! LOL

Love it!! Amy

Just ordered I'll add this info to the "samples samples samples" thread with the master list. If you haven't seen it, check it out! Thanks for the info! Amy

I'm trying some different shakes....but I feel like I could eat my own flesh!!! I'm so hungry!!

Tiiiimmmmmbbbbbbbbeeeeeerrrrrr!!!! Trim the forest. Someone's bound to see it.

Two shakes down! I can't say that I feel the slightest bit satisfied, though. I was really anxious earlier (just feeling lightheaded and hungry) and kind of feeling like I was going nuts at home. I went to Target and got a bunch of stuff for pre and post op. Finally got a scale too. I don't think there has been a minute of the entire day that I haven't thought about the surgery. The smell of freshly popped popcorn at Target nearly drove me batty though!! Torture. All worth it though. <exhale> We can do this. We CAN! Amy

Got my labs done this morning and I'm in the process of drinking my first shake. Fruit punch crystal light and my sample of strawberry kiwi Nectar protein. 24 grams of protein, no sugar or aspartame. Wow....super sweet!! Overload - reminds me of of the glucose drink for diabetes, actually! The next flavor packet I try will not be mixed with crystal light - I'll try just plain water I think. Whew, I didn't realize the first shake would be emotional. I'm sitting here in tears. LOL. Amy

I'm having my labs drawn this morning and my first shake after that. It says it can be mixed with Water, milk, crystal light, etc... I wonder if I can mix it with a fuzzy navel?!?! I'm going to be cRaBby soon! LOL! Amy

Just a word of caution - I'm self pay, had been quoted the $13,500 price, and at the last minute, was told there was a $1,000 additional fee because I had sleep apnea and would have to have the surgery at a different center (Canyon) than the one next door (Surgical Specialty). I have MILD sleep apnea. This is something that I wrote on my paperwork from the very beginning. So, the all inclusive price is not always all inclusive. I had just paid 100% of my money, and within 10 minutes, it was all given back to me when I said I would not pay $1,000 more. I selected his office because they didn't have add on fees. Very sad. I shopped around A LOT before I selected him. Be careful. I decided on another center rather than being duped into paying more. It left a very bitter taste in my mouth. I hope you have a better experience.

Cheers to final meals! And my God help me tomorrow morning when I have to dump the first little packet into the cup <gulp>. It will all be worth it! Amy

Well....I have a date!! And DAMNIT, nothing is going to change it. --------------------- JULY 1st !! --------------------------------------------- Tonight is the last "real meal" - then in order to shrink the liver enough, I have to have be on presurg diet that is exclusively the high protein shakes, nothing else. I'm glad I live alone - I don't think anyone is going to want to be around me! Amy

Hiya Shauna, I picked my goal weight because I asked the doctor how much I needed to lose to eliminate the comorbidities. The answer was 100 pounds. This isn't my ideal weight for my height, but a nice even 100 sounded good. Amy

Hi to the new people in the group! I'm pretty much done with the crying phase of the surgery falling through. I've decided to contact the doctor via email to tell him about my experience yesterday, but no matter what his response, if any, I'm not having the surgery there. I just can't get over the fact that they added a thousand bucks a week before surgery. Anyhow...moving on. Today I'm meeting with another company (True Results) to see what I think. I'm a pretty hard critic, so we'll see if they pass my test. My dad is still in town, so he'll go with me. I'm 33, but I still want my daddy around for important stuff Holding my breath.... Amy

Thank you guys so much for the support. I'm going to call True Results tomorrow as April suggested. I will at least give it a try. Trying to stay positive, but gosh, it is SO hard. I'm going to write an email to the doctor (nothing hateful), but just saying how disappointed that I was, considering that they are so upfront with pricing. Still can't believe they turned down a 13.5K self pay! Their loss.

Sad news to report Today I went to the doctor's office to pay (100%) for my surgery and to sign the final paperwork. Surgery was set for next Tuesday at 6AM. I was all prepared with my protein diet stuff, my dad was here in town to go with me for extra support, etc. And then it happened. The "All Inclusive" package turned out to be "not so inclusive." I was reading the brochure for the surgery center and noticed that it said if patients have CPAP machines to be sure to bring them on surgery day. I said outloud, "oh I'm glad I saw that, I wouldn't have thought to bring my CPAP." The care coordinator said, "Oh, you have sleep apnea?" Umm....yes. And I wrote that on the medical history...... He then went on to tell me that it would be an extra $1,000 because the surgery center might have to keep me overnight. Pardon me? I have MILD sleep apnea, I just saw the sleep doc last week. And what about the $13,500 that was "All inclusve?" I was PISSED beyond belief. I had LITERALLY just paid my entire bill. He said "well...let me see what I can do." I mean..really? I told him that I picked this center out of quite a few (I've been interviewing docs for a while) because they didn't play games and add on fees. I liked the staff, the fact that the doc conducts the support groups himself, he does the fills, etc. At that point, it didn't matter whether or not there was the extra $1,000 fee. I wasn't going to have surgery at a place that added a fee 6 days before surgery!! Especially since they pride themselves in the fact that that DO NOT add on fees. I thought that TOTALLY played on my vulnerabilities. I got a full refund of my entire surgery. Thank GOD my dad was sitting next to me, or I would have said some VERY un-teacher-like words. I sobbed the whole way home. And here I am again, at Step 1. Actually, I'm really at Step -1. I hate being a downer, but wanted to tell you guys. It took so long (mentally) to get ready for this surgery. I feel like I got slapped across the face. Actually, I think I would have preferred that. There is one funny thing here -- I went back to the bank with my cashier's check (that I had just gotten this morning) and the banker recognized me. I had to explain that I wasn't having surgery after all (with this doc at least) and told her about what I was going to have done. She was so nice and supportive (who knew?!) and wished me well. She actually got tears in her eyes! She told me, "keep your chin up, sweetie." And I replied, "All three of them." <smiling through tears> W H A T .... A ...... D A Y !!!! Amy

Does anyone have a favorite brand of scale? It sounds so silly - but I've returned two so far. The weight changed multiple times in ten minutes on both scales. I'm guessing I need to shell out some more money (rather than Walmart). I'm in Phoenix, so there are plenty of stores, I just don't know where to start. I figured you guys might know. Amy July 2011 Bandster

Hlong - welcome aboard!! Amy

Shauna, Yep - if I do next week then I will have a day or two less on the diet. Doc asked for a week or so on the shakes. But ya know what I realized tonight?? I'll be on the last day or so of my PERIOD. UGH!!! It isn't horrible or anything, but eeeeek....I'm skipping a pill tonight so maybe it will come a day early. Seriously don't want to have to deal with that, too! Amy

My doc office requires me to watch this video prior to scheduling surgery. I thought it was good to show family and friends - short, sweet and to the point. http://drsimpson.net/07_surgery_stories%20%28SS%29/Learn-about-Lap-band-surgery/Learn-about-Lap-band-surgery.htm

Thanks for the feedback. I think I'm going to go with the Withings Wifi Body Scale. Its $159 on Amazon with free shipping or they also sell it at my local Apple store for the same price (but you have to pay tax). I'm going to buy it from the Apple store since I can get it here in town. I seriously cannot believe I'm spending this kind of money on a scale! The idea of having my current weight/bmi/etc at my fingertips is really tempting. On the other hand.....do I really want it accessible all the time? Hmmmmm....choices choices!!

I saw that "Oh Yeah" stuff also - I actually saw it at the gas station in a premixed bottle (around $4). 30g of protein seems pretty good (the samples I have so far have around 25-28).

Wow --- I have a big decision to make. I found out today that the psych and nutritionist will NOT be available tomorrow (they usually meet with patients on Wednesdays). So...that means I could meet with them next Wednesday - but doc will not be operating during the week of July 4th..so it moves it back another week. Or, I can do phone confs with the psych and nutritionist immediately and have surgery next TUESDAY. Um.....yikes. I'm a teacher on summer break so I'm REALLY tempted to bite the bullet and have it next week. I'm just sitting on my duff anyway! Any thoughts? For those that have met with psych and/or nutrition already, would you want to do it over the phone or did you get more out of it in person? Thanks, Amy (biting fingernails)

Haven't seen any posts lately - anyone around?