ElizabethAnne

You're right; they are good. My husband bought me these for Valentine's Day because he knew how hard I was working to lose weight and didn't want to sabotage my efforts with a big box of chocolates. I ate all the packets in the box in less than 24 hours because after I ate the first package, the cravings intensified. I craved chocolate for several days after that but fortunately had none in the house.

Congratulations! Thank you so much for sharing your success! I am at the pre-op stage and stories like are encouraging and exciting. Best wishes for continued success.

GLove, You possess kind of healthy attitude toward weight management that I attempt to adopt daily. I'm an optimist by nature and am normally able to move on. Therefore, I am not sure why I feel the need to analyze this repeatedly. Maybe because problem-solving is effective in other aspects of my life, and unconsciously, I believe I can find a solution if I continue to persevere.

Mine was a lengthy but pleasant evaluation. I was told it would take about 3 hours. I first talked with the psychologist for about an hour. Although she asked several questions, she was very nice and it felt like we were simply chatting. After she finished interviewing me, she led me down the hallway to a room with computers. Next, I took an assessment on the computer (the MMPI, I think), which took about another hour. The psychologist told me I was the ideal candidate for the lap band, which increased my confidence.

My surgery is in April. At my last visit with my surgeon in January, I asked him about starting a diet the next day. He encouraged me to proceed.

To start a topic, go to “Forums” and click on “Forums Home.” Look through the forums that appear on the screen and pick the forum where you’d like to start a new topic. For example, since I have not yet had surgery, I may want to ask a question asking about why so many fills are needed initially. Therefore, I would choose to start the topic using the forum: “PRE-Operation Lap Band Surgery and Questions” To start the topic, double click on “PRE-Operation Lap Band Surgery.” Look for the black rectangular box with the words “Start New Topic.” Click on it, then type your topic in the “Topic Title” text box. When you’ve finished typing your title, place your cursor in the large text box and begin typing your topic. When you are finished, look for the black rectangular box with the words “Post New Topic.” It is located underneath the text box that you have been typing in. Click on “Post New Topic” and your topic will be posted.

To reply, scroll to the top. Look for the orange and aqua blue bars. Between them, on the right side, you will see a black rectangular box with the words "Reply to this topic." Click on it,then a text box will appear. Place your cursor in the white area of the box and begin typing your reply. When you finish, below the bottom of the text box, you will find a black rectangular box with the words "Add Reply." Click on it, and you have replied to the topic.

Congratulations---you are an inspiration!

The dietitian told me to take one multivitamin and calcium citrate with D (500 mg three times a day).

The dietitian told me 1000-1200. I questioned this because I walk at least five miles most days. She compared people to car types, saying those of us who are obese generally are very efficient fuel-burners and consequently, we do not need as much food to fuel our bodies. Lucky us.

That's great news, Deb! The time will likely pass quickly as busy as you are staying. Julie, you are absolutely right about this group! Thank you for starting it.

What a great story about the family you cared for! Thank you for sending the link. I have two cats, and both were rescued. Lucky you on owning a Rag Doll. I volunteered at a cat show a few years ago and saw one for the first time. Ever since then, I have wanted one. Maybe someday.

Denise, Thanks for your description. I am DREADING being stuck, but at least now I know what to expect.

Congratulations! That is great news!

I've been drinking chocolate Premier Nutrition High Protein Chocolate Shakes that I buy at Costco. Each serving has 30 grams of protein and 160 calories. I wouldn't say the shakes are delicious, but they are okay. The dietitian gave me the following guidelines for liquid protein supplements: At least 15 grams of protein per 8-ounce serving Less than 20 grams of Total Carbohydrate per 8-ounce serving Less than 5 grams of fat per 8-ounce serving She also said do not choose Carnation Instant Breakfast (regular), Ensure, Slim-Fast or Boost because they are too high in carbohydrates. She recommended 60 grams of protein per day for me.

I feel the same way you do. In January, as I was sitting in my surgeon's waiting area, I was analyzing how I ended up there and questioning why I couldn't do it on my own. This probably bugs me far more than it should. The most bothersome part is that while I devote a lot of time and effort to managing my weight, I have only very brief periods of success. On most days, I am able to manage all of the other aspects of my life fairly well with not nearly as much effort. Therefore, I see the band as a tool I need, and surgery is the only way I can obtain it.

Thank you for the information about hair loss and Biotin.

I'm not typically an open book, but I will share my experiences if I think I might be able to help someone. You're right, though, about it being personal, and thanks for helping me put it in perspective. We can always choose to share later.

Deb, I'm so sorry your community was hit by one of Friday's tornadoes. I feel bad for all the individuals whose lives have been affected. Watching the news and seeing the devastation reminds us of how quickly our lives can change. I love animals, too, particularly cats. I don't possess the nursing skills you do, but if I could, I'd be there helping, too.

Hi Teri, Congratulations on your weight loss! You are doing a great job! April will be here before we know it, and those are pounds you hopefully won't ever have to lose again.

Hi Anissa, I am so happy to be a part of this group, too! I understand how you feel about getting cold feet. I waited so long to get approved, and now that I am, I question whether I am doing the right thing. I think about it often. However, I always come up with the same answer. I am not having surgery to lose weight; I am having surgery to help curb my appetite, which will help me maintain a healthy weight.

You all have given me some great tips here. Thank you! I am making my shopping list.

How common does hair loss seem to be? I have thick hair and when I have done the medically-supervised fasts in the past, I never noticed the hair loss that many women did. But that's not something I want to experience either. If it's likely going to happen, I want to order some, too.

I used to worry about this, too. I hadn't really thought much about it until my surgeon passed a band around during the seminar. He probably thought doing this would help us feel more comfortable with it, but it had the opposite effect on me. I started thinking about how there isn't a lot of long-term data available about the life of the band. I worked through this fear by reminding myself I was probably going to need knee replacements and who knows what else in a few years due to my obesity causing wear and tear on my body. Like you, I've now decided my excess fat is probably more harmful than the actual band itself.

This is a good topic. I share the same fears posted here, but the most daunting is my fear of failure. Over the years, I've discovered what weight loss methods work best for me (counting calories and lots of walking), and with hard work, I can lose weight. Since meeting with my surgeon on January 3, I have become focused again and have lost around 28 pounds because I want to be as healthy as I possibly can going into surgery. With the band's help, I am fairly confident that I will be able to lose my excess weight. However, I am most worried about gaining the weight back. And now that I have a date, that's why I am agonizing about whether to tell people I am having WLS. Half-truths are not my style, yet I am reluctant to tell people; the thought of another failed attempt to manage my weight, particularly a surgical attempt, is beyond embarrassing. I've devoted a lot of thought to analyzing my fear, and in my case, it's actually baseless. The people I would tell already know about my many failures. Every single year, they have seen me working to lose weight, only to witness how rapidly I gain again once I've reached my goal. Therefore, I've decided if I fail to manage my weight with the band, I am going to try to view it as simply an attempt that didn't work for me. No big deal. I will try my hardest and if I am not successful, I will evaluate why and try to learn from the experience. At that point, I will move on and try something else. I know going into this that the band doesn't work for every individual, yet at the same time, there is also a good chance that it might be exactly what I need to help me get my obesity under control.