formykids2

Thanks everyone. I feel better now knowing that it was ok for others. It may turn out to be great since I do have 5 kids at home. Thinking positive!

I am so glad you got approved!! I really hope the new rules are helpful for more people to be able to fight the battle of getting Lap band with insurance!

I got scheduled for the 13th! I am excited and nervous. I just found out that I have to stay overnight and that doesn't make me very happy, but at least I have a date!!

So at the moment I am hot under my collar. I have read a TON of posts on here and other sites, and blogs... I keep seeing this recurring theme of being told that lap band is the easy way out. I know that most if not all of you here know better, but it got me thinking. I have been doing low carb in prep for my liquid diet because I dont want the hell of the hunger and detox and withdraw all at once so for me I knew I needed a step down approach, and damn if even this is hard! I was thinking of all of the things that people say we should do instead- eat less, go to the gym, go on a "diet", etc.... So, I would like to know what makes lap band so damned easy in their eyes. Is going on weight watchers where you can eat but have to be wise about your choices and count your points easy or hard? Is low carb where you have to read every label and keep track of all carbs vs fiber and fat and cals easy or hard? Is going to the gym (especially for those who are already a decent weight and in good shape) easy or hard? Yes lap band in a way MAKES us do what we are supposed to do as far as eating less, but we still have to watch those lables,make good choices, count the protein and cals and maybe even carbs. We still have to go to the gym if we want this thing known as a tool to work for us. (I mean seriously.... a hammer doesnt drive nails unless you have a nail, someone to hold it, and to swing the hammer at the right spot right!?) So is it the preop diet that is easy?The months on end for some people to get testing and insurance to pay? The actual surgery? The post op healing? Maybe it is the giving up our favorite things because our band just can not tolerate a bite of that bagel we love so much and will excercise will power in only eating 1/4 instead of the whole thing. I know that most of you second and third what I am saying, and I guess I just needed to vent that here with people who understand. (My husband is one of those who can excercize for hours and smile about it, and also gave me the initial diet and excercize song). So i guess when people ask me what a I am doing I would reply that I am going to the gym, watching what I eat, and if they sincerely need/want to know "MY secret" to making it work I will tell them that I do those things with the help of lapband instead of saying at the beginning that I have it. Sorry for the soap box/ b*@#h session.... just needed to cool off from that steam in a safe place. Here is to us all succeeding with our "easy way out"!

UGH! I have been waiting on insurance approval and called last week to check on my package. I was told it should be ready by close of business Fri or on Monday. I called today and was told to call back FRI! UGH! Why does this take so long and why cant they give me any answers better than call back FRI? (sorry, needed to vent I guess, patience has never been my strong suit)

So I am at day 4 of pre op diet. The first few days ,while 'interesting' in trying to make my best choices and obstain from things that seemed to be SCREAMING my name, didnt seem too bad. I was able to make homemade Mac N Cheese for my family and Enchiladas for my husbands work potluck and it didnt bother me at all. Then comes today.... My kids asked for Arbys and since that is the usual reward for them behaving when we have to go out to the store or daddys work I told them sure. Now, normally I like Arbys too, but today even the smell wafting from their bags made me nauseous! When I got them seated and they were eating I wanted to steal a drink of their soda (which I do NOT normally have anyway) and then all of the sudden I thought "Holy Cow! How am I going to do this Lap Band thing if I want everything I see!". I know that I will be able to eat when banded, and I know that it is not a starvation diet but to have everything in moderation, but wow am I scared of the desire to eat and not be able to and give up on my band or live life in a state of utter grumpiness because of not having the things that I am used to. Please tell me it gets easier to give up things or at least to be happy with a bite or 2!!

I was more refering to a couple of bites of a "treat" instead of a huge portion not like as a meal. I do understand the eating protein first and veg/fruit, I am just wondering about the being able to pass on the sweeter things (or for some savory treats) and being able to have a small portion as in a bite or 2 so that you dont feel deprived of such things yet you are not giving up on your band and weight loss.

Ii have not been banded yet, but I have been practicing the small bites and chewing since I know that is going to be a hard habit to break. (I would rather break it now than later because of pain ya know?) Anyway, I have noticed that things dont taste the same after you chew them that much and some things I am totally turned off from now because of that strange taste when it has been obliterated in my mouth. Steak for one has no hold over me anymore becuase of that! I cant speak for the being stuck, but it is very weird that things change taste when you actually chew them to bits!

The timing and the holidays is EXACTLY why I want mine now! I will be healed enough to help out with the holiday preps and be able to eat with my family, just not have sizes that they do!

My papers went to insurance today!! I have never been good at waiting so nerves are on high alert right now. I will feel SO much better when I have approval and a date. Hope everyone else is doing well!

I am getting ready for my pre op and wondered if it is easier if we ease into it. I am curious if anyone has given up one meal for a shake for a couple of days and then given up another meal for another shake instead of just going cold turkey. I am not a big soda drinker so I am not worried about having to get off of things like that, just wondered if it is easier to ease into the preop diet. Im also curious, what are you all doing to get ready for surgery? What kind of things are you gathering to make post op easier?? I went looking for liquid tylenol yesterday and couldnt find any except with cold medicine in it too.

I found out that tricare has finally put the new standard in the policy manual that will allow for bmi as the criteria instead of the 100 lb or 200% that has previously been their standard! It isnt posted on the tricare websites yet (they have until mid Sept to do that) but it is on the Tricare Management Activity site in the tricare policy manual. I believe the site is http://manuals.trica...ame=TP02toc.pdf and it is in the section for surgery, and is policy 13.2. I hope people can find the information from this link but if not you can go to www.tricare.mil, click on the TMA tab, go to policy, tricare manuals, click the 2002 policy tab on the left, then under the tricareprogram manuals 2002 section click the one that refers to the policy manual. That should bring up a page that says most recent change number 145, click that section and under it you can see the whole manual at change 145 and it is in chapter 4 (surgery) and it is down at number 13.2. I hope this information can help people who are currently looking into this through tricare since it may open the door for some but could make new hurdles for others to make sure they qualify.

The new rules are finally listed on the benifits section for Tricare North (hnfs.com)! I hope they will be on tricare.mil soon!

Lol that is really sad that we can actually have that desire huh?? To be a "loser" and actually work for it! I will be a very gracious loser :-)

I am SO glad to see this group so active so quickly! I just got off the phone with the lady at my drs office that does the insurance and found out that I can start my preop diet next week! I am supposed to have only 4 shakes and fresh veggies if needed! First off I can not stand the over whelming sweet taste of these shakes and wow... 4 a day for 2 weeks??? I see lots of chasing it with water and eating veggies to cleanse my palet after drinking them! I saw EyeOnPrize posted about her children and what to tell them... I have 5 kiddos and the only one who really knows what is happening is my oldest (13). I have talked to her to help her understand what it is and why I am doing it, but all of my other kids when they have heard anything said about the surgery and asked we have told them that I am having my gallbladder out (which I am at the same time) and they seem to understand that because they have seen me have gallbladder attacks before. I hope that helps them understand since they know how painful it is to have an attack and I am trying to not have anymore! It is so exciting to know that I have read and read and read on these boards for so long and now it is actually coming up to my turn to join in over on the losers bench!

I have seen a couple of people say that they have surgery dates in Oct and I know that I have really enjoyed reading the other months groups as people went through their pre op/surgery/post op journey and I was wondering if we can go ahead and start a group for the October folks! I am really hoping to have a mid Oct surgery date and as of now only have one more weigh in to go! So how about it? Can we get a pre band Oct 2011 group started?

I have been reading everything I can all over the internet and talking to people who have the band to gain all of the information I possibly can before getting banded and I am so surprised to see the level of band bashing! Is the band really as bad as "they" say it is? I do understand that every surgery has its own risks and benefits, but when people say 'anything but the band' that worries me. I do NOT want my insides rerouted with RNY and I do need something to help with weight loss but I have lingering doubts now with all of the anit-band comments. Can some seasoned band lovers help ease the doubts?

Hi AmyRose! We both had the same idea by starting an October group! I posted one last night but hopefully we can all join in here! I am not scheduled yet, but HOPE to have my surgery mid October. I am so excited to finally be able to join a group for the month of my journey! The success and community I have seen in other groups by band month have been wonderful and we can do the same. Happy thoughts to you and 3mjordans (Michelle) during your preop diets!

Hi again Q-Tee....I just saw that "AmyRose" started an October bandsters post too so maybe we should join in there and hopefully get more people in our group!!

As a group we just support each other as our journeys are fairly close together. The whole board is a great support and I think that the previous boards by the banding month have been great in supporting people as they go through the pre op and surgery and post op especially since we do it all around the same time! Hope to see more October time frame people come out so we can all stick together! Glad to "meet" you Q-tee and I cant wait to hear more as your journey unfolds!

Just an idea, but arent quiznos subs made w lunch meat?? You could get the sandwich and take just the meat or meat and cheese off and you do not have to eat the bread.

I am still pre band, but I have to say, I am so impressed with the information on this site and the willingness of people to answer questions, share stories, and uplift people when they need a little sunshine. I also LOVE that people who have had good success post pics and show us what we are headed for even though right now may seem like a bummer be it having to do testing or the diet or waiting on pins and needles for insurance approval. You have definitely come to the right place for positive community in the "bandland".

After being banded, are we supposed to search for fat free versions or sugar free versions of things like coffee creamer and flavoring for other foods/drinks?? (I do know that a lot of people do nothing and stay with their normal things... just asking for those who have changed).

Thanks for the replys. I already only use skim milk, usually do things like laughing cow cheese and the light moz sticks so I am ok there. Just cant give up my coffee creamer. I do NOT add sugar to it, just what is already in the bottle. For the flavorings to add to things though, is it worth or not worth the sugar free versions. I dont see me using them often and I really do not like the idea of the added junk for the sugar free but didnt know if we HAVE to do it or if it is just a choice for us since unlike RNY we dont have the dumping syndrome from sugar.

Not saying it is good nutritionally because I have never looked up the cals, but my family does quinoa w a spoon of nutella mixed in or even vanilla and cinnamon! Add a dollop of whipped cream and YUMMY!