horsegirl315

Its so encouraging to see people here that have not made the band this big complicated issue...just smaller portions...can't wait for my band, and congrats on all your success!

G is also for Good.Good thing I am reading this BEFORE surgery because the amount of laughter this post caused surely would have me in "stitches" or ripping them. LOL!!

Your blogs are the best!!

Can you have chicken broth? Get the fat free kind. It's clear, has Protein, and def isn't sweet. Unjury.com also has chicken flavored Protein Powder that you can use with warm Water, or unflavored protein can be mixed in as well, as long as the liquid is below 130 degrees.

All my preop is in my signature....quiet extensive, but confirmation that I am still very healthy and ready to stay that way!! What did everyone else have to do for preop?

I agree, it should be as simple as that, and in fact that is what I went into this expecting. It would be great if it worked for me that way, my surgery is Jan 30. However, I am willing to accept the changes I may have to make as far as not being able to tolerate certain foods, and realizing when I am full (from what I hear it will just take that ONE time to over eat to teach a lesson) Another change I am willing to make is becoming more active. I am not a fan of the gym, but I love walking/running outside and am currently buliding a horse barn where I will board and care for 10 horses....needless to say I will be getting my activity levels up soon, but in a different way. The difference post band will be, I will now be able to see results from my activity because I won't be undoing it with eating. Hope I answered your question!

We all see where hard work got you...looking AMAZING!! Im ready!

after counting calories for what feels like FOREVER, not having to do so is gonna be awesome!!

cute pic, shirley!

I'm freaking out too, btw, my surgery is Jan 30. At this point, I have made myself so nervous about complications during surgery, I'll be glad to just wake up! My first surgery ever :-\

You will LOOK so AMAZING you will replace the feeling food gave you! The holidays will be about everyone telling you how great you look! : )

I would love to join the Jan bandsters group!!! I am JUST making being a Jan bandster with my date of Jan 30!

Denise, you sure are doing a lot of research today!!! Keep it coming! LOVING IT! Had I seen these stats before and been UNINFORMED, I would be scared. However, I know that success can happen with the band, as evidenced by all the forum members I have seen here have incredible success. I'm not big on statistics anyway, because, you can never be sure how someone is going into surgery. They could be thinking they can continue their ways and the band will do all the work--but I know I am going to change.

If I have learned one thing during this process, it is ASK QUESTIONS. Not saying you haven't, but I can't tell you how many appts I have been to where I have wanted to ask certain questions and didn't...only to be kicking myself later. On the other hand, I am a very quiet, laid back person and sometimes don't want to ask the "wrong" question...but I am also the type to obsess about stuff too, so in order to keep myself sane, I have learned real quick to speak up. On the note of starting to feel nervous, I agree. My surgery is Jan 30. It can be very discouraging to get so excited, and think you have a pretty good idea of what to expect, and have someone be a downer. But it have to say I can count the downers I have seen on this forum on one hand..one or two fingers, in fact. I try to focus on the positive. In the end, we will be banded. We will do our part, and we will do GREAT.

The same negative nelly we have all seen posting anti-band rants posted one woman's account of her gastric banding nightmare, but STILL had something positive to learn from it: "Sure, I could say getting the gastric band was a stupid thing to do, but why would I do that? In hindsight, I would not have done it, but that’s hindsight. Having already learned the hard lessons, it’s easy to look back and say “I shouldn’t have.” I’m where I am now as a product of my mistakes, a product of my hard life lessons, a product of my past. I’m not stupid, I’m learning. I failed so that I could succeed. I wouldn’t trade all the wading through the muck and murk for an easier path because then I wouldn’t have learned as much. Thank God for my muck, murk and mess. Thank God for my hard lessons. Now it’s time to innovate. Time to succeed." -Lisa Sargese Heres the link to the entire post, for anyone interested http://www.formerlyfluffy.com/lisa-sargese-gastric-band-nightmare/

You will do GREAT!!! Let me know how it goes, I'm going in Jan 30th!! I will pray for you : )

Thanks for your research, Denise. That Dr Phil article is very interesting! Here are a few points from it I found extremely helpful and encouraging: "men with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater — 100 plus pounds over their ideal body weight — have a 52 percent higher death rate for cancer. Women whose BMI is 40 or more have a 62 percent higher death rate." THATS FREAKIN SCARY!!!!!! Encouraging was the things that are recommended for good health: Drinking at least 64 ounces of Water daily. Limiting or avoiding processed foods. Limiting white sugar, white flour and simple carbohydrates. Consuming as many organically grown and hormone-free foods as possible. Taking a multi-Vitamin containing antioxidants, preferably one free of yeast, dyes, sugar, dairy, soy, corn or gluten. Now, we are ALL aware that these things are what helps you become (and stay) healthy. But, these are the things our band will HELP and PUSH us to do. I feel much better, I love this forum. You guys are awesome!!!

I have been so excited about my upcoming surgery (Jan 30) until I recently read about a possible long term complication: esophageal cancer. I am going through this surgery to avoid obesity-related complications, such and cancer. So imagine my surprise when I discovered this was a possible issue, as a result of continued acid reflux/GERD. My question is, does anyone know how common this is? The person I read about had no symptoms of reflux. I would like to think it would be as easy as taking a daily acid control medication, but I have heard this isn't good either. Is there anything that can be done to prevent this? How will I know its happening/or not happening? I can deal with fills and appointments, pb-ing and sliming. All this I was aware of a prepared for, but this is the first complication I have heard of that has really made me doubt this decision.

enough to kill a HORSE, huh? no pun intended, i'm sure...LOL.

Out of curiosity, what were your expectations about how the band works and what you have to do to benefit from it? You mentioned you didn't do enough research, did you go through a lot of hoops for preop? I have learned a lot that way, and a lot from these boards as well. I hope everything works out for you!

Hi Erin, sounds like you have already have committed to making some major changes. Good luck to you!

Thanks guys, this is what I have always told myself--the benefits of the band outweigh the risks. And I have been pretty good at sticking to that until i saw the cancer post. I am scared to death of cancer, I guess that fear comes from watching both of my grandfathers suffer through it. One grandfather died at 72 from bladder cancer, before I even graduated from high school, and my other grandfather also died at 72 after an 18 month battle with pancreatic cancer--probably as a direct result of him being overweight. I'm not saying I'm the only person that has ever seen someone suffer from cancer, but it has really affected me. I do trust my Dr, although I haven't actually met him yet. My appts have been with the RN and NP that work with him, who have been great. I have heard great things about him. I just turned 25 and have a lot of life ahead, I believe I am making the right decision, its just scary. I think you may be right, Corrigan, last minute jitters.

Im not banded yet, getting banded Jan 30. As of right now, I have had my period, on and off since OCTOBER 20. So if after surgery I don't have it for a few months, thats good enough for me!!

AWESOME!! When I tell you I have tried every diet and exercise program, I mean it. I think I was the only 260 pound person that completed the Insanity workout, P90X, and even have ran 5k's without losing a ton of weight, thanks to my portion sizes...which won't be a problem soon! As a word of encouragement, stick with it! You will start to notice HUGE improvements in a very short amount of time. You will be able to go longer, stronger, harder in as little as a week, and you will only get better. I am excited to get my band on Jan 30 so I can start to see some results from all my hard work!

I remember seeing you write before that you are still on clear liquids, and will be for 4 weeks, maybe ask your Dr if you can incorporate a protein shake or two a day? I know sometimes if I get too hungry I feel sick, maybe thats the problem.