TheProfessor

Congratulations! I was just banded yesterday, and, like you, it was a journey of nerves, excitement, and everything in between. I've been where you are! The best thing you can do is research, research, research. Read everything you can get your hands on. Research your surgeon and make sure you are getting your consult and surgery from the best. Watch you tube videos - Dr. O'Brien's "8 Golden Rules of Lap Band" - very sound information for you there. Half the preparation is mental and emotional - getting prepared for this wonderful and enormous life change!

Hi gang, I am baffled at how to modify or delete a post. Try as I might, I cannot seem to find the way to do this! Sorry about posting this in the wrong spot - there wasn't a techno-weenie thread that I could find. Please let me know! Thanks everyone.

Well - tomorrow (Dec 18th 2014) is the day - I'm being banded! Waaaaaah!!!!!!! This last two weeks I have been on nothing but three Protein shakes a day and a bit of salad (no dressing). It's been hard but completely do-able. Only two weepy moments when I was feeling sorry for myself. First world problems, hey? I've been sleeping beautifully for the first time in ages, so my body is telling me she's happy being a wee bit lighter. I am SO READY to be a helluva lot lighter. I've lost 15 pounds these past two weeks. I can hardly believe it. Almost lost my jeans walking up Richmond Street today which sent my husband and I into a fit of giggles. He's so happy for me. I'm lucky to have a great support system. Tomorrow, 1:20 pm, the next part of the journey begins. Here we goooooo!

I told just my favourite people: Hubby and daughter (14) - both ridiculously loving and supportive, and then three others - my sister, who was all "OMG! JEALOUS!" and then two dear GFs who I used as references for my financing. I had to provide two non-family references, so those two were it! I was a little nervous telling them. No need. They were WONDERFULLY supportive. As for boss and colleagues, no way. I have told them I am going in to have laparoscopic surgery on December 18th for a para-esophegeal hiatus hernia... which is TRUE. (and it just so happens that an Allergan lap-band might just fall into the incision(s) at the same time, wrap itself around the base of my esophagus and stay put. You never know. Surgery is risky. Anything can happen. I adore my colleagues, but telling them about my surgery doesn't feel quite right. Nice thing about having the hernia repaired is that it becomes a nice excuse for the weight loss. Am I chicken? Maybe. Everything else in my life I am wide open about!

Well, it's Day 3 of my pre-surgery diet (Protein shakes and no more than 250 calories of greens per day) and I am feeling pretty darn good, considering I have had nothing substantial to eat since Wednesday, December 3rd. The amazing thing - I'm not 'that' hungry. I love that SWLC lets me eat low G.I. veggies as well as the Protein Shakes. This is helping me get through these long days. I'm not prone to headaches, but Deez416 warned me I might get one once I start the pre-op diet, and boy was she right. I've had a constant low grade headache for 2 days. Having Tylenol on hand has helped! The hardest part of this whole thing is late afternoon each day. As soon as it starts to get dark and the dinner hour approaches, I start thinking about food and having my nightly glass of wine. This is tough. Last night I roasted chicken thighs (my favourite thing in the world), made mashed potatoes and green Beans for my family for dinner. I was so overwhelmed with temptation, I had to leave the table and sit in the fireplace room with the door shut. My daughter was adorable, and apologized to me for enjoying dinner! I'm in ketosis, too - that started on Day 2. There is no better motivator for me than to see that dark pink/purple colour on the strip! Yesssss! Burning fat? Yes please. Pass me another low carb Protein shake, willya?

Lula - I am following your journey now, as you are a few steps ahead of me, and I am interested in seeing your successes and how things go for you...! I'm being banded December 18th, and it cannot get here soon enough. I'm on day 2 of fluids and salad. So far so good! Best of luck with today, tomorrow and the next... blow a kiss to Bryant Park for me (we were in NYC last year for Xmas) and know that many of us here on the forum are cheering you on! Woo hoo!

I'm now following this thread as I am at the end of day ONE of fluids and am feeling the sense of 'lack' that comes with knowing there will be no "dinner" with the family tonight. Nice to know there are others out there going through the same part of the process. We owe it to ourselves to get this done right so our surgeries can be as smooth and complication free as possible, right? Yesssssssss! (Insert chubby cheerleader-like pom-pom flourish). One day at a time. Just think - short term pain for long term... loss!

Hi Susancae! You must be getting excited! My surgery is 2 weeks ago and it cannot get here fast enough. Yahoo! I received a little list of things to bring with me to the surgery, and have also learned about a few other things that might work for you, too: Wear comfy, loose-fitting clothes to the clinic on the day of surgery Wear flat shoes (no laces) Bring slippers, warm socks, a change of undies and a housecoat Bring a pillow for the car to put across your tummy - this will help relieve the pressure of the seatbelt iPod Hope this helps...! :-)

Hi everyone, Well, it's a pretty fine day in London, Ontario, let me tell you. The snow is flying and my heart is, too! I have a sneaky feeling I'm going to sleep like a baby tonight! After a stressful ride with a Toronto WL clinic (that shall remain nameless - don't want their lawyers after me!), I have: a) Cancelled my lap-band surgery with them that was slated for December 19th, 2014 Received confirmation that my $1500 deposit would be refunded to me by their Finance department (thank God!) c) Had a deep and enjoyable consult with the delightful Dr. Cobourn from the SWLC (Surgical Weight Loss Centre) in Mississauga this afternoon d) Booked with Dr. Cobourn for banding December 18th, 2014. (yaaaaaay!) Yes, all of the above in one day. HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY! HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY! I am almost bursting with happiness and relief. HUZZAH! What a crazy ride that was! I had myself mentally and emotionally prepared for a December surgery, and now it is still happening, only this time with a fantastically reputable centre. Phewf.

Thanks MarieMarie! DAY ONE PRE-OP: It's 8:10 am, December 4th. This is the day I've been dreading/ nervously looking forward two - 2 weeks of pre-op diet starts TODAY. I am sitting in my fireplace room, and instead of coffee I am sipping a "Smart Shake". The world has not ended! The birds continue their business outside! How bad can this be? I have climbed mountains, lived without electricity or running Water for a year in Africa, home-birthed a baby with no drugs. I CAN DO THIS! (Right? Oh my god). Gahhhh!

Hearing from you all has been so, so helpful. I have a supportive husband and a great surgeon and a delightful family Doctor who cannot wait to support me in the months to come... but there's nothing like hearing from other banders. Your experience and wisdom is so appreciated. I start fluids tomorrow. I had "the last supper" tonight - and am feeling elated and joyful having just performed Messiah with Orchestra London and London Pro Musica Choir... the 3 hours of music immersion has sent me into an ecstatic place of bliss! A good set up for tomorrow's start on fluids. And so - wish me luck, hang in here with me - I'll keep you posted on how things go! And now to bed....

Congratulations, JoJoLYC! I'm a 'newbie' too - I joined the forum 2 years ago, but only now had the courage to book my surgery and start making the changes my body has been so desperately craving. My surgery is December 18th. So I'm just a few weeks ahead of you. Hey - we can keep each other posted on how we're doing! Way to go!

Woo hoo - this is all so helpful! I am so encouraged and inspired by your successes. Two weeks of fluids makes me anxious - actually had a cry last night sharing my nerves about this with my family. My eye is on the prize though - getting to my December 18th surgery date in the best shape possible. Any pre-op advice for me? I'd love to hear from you!

Hi everyone, As you may know I had introduced myself as a newbie to the forum a few weeks ago via another thread called "The date is set...December 19th...." however lawyers from the weight loss centre I had originally booked in at contacted me once some alarming information began to emerge and get respectfully discussed on the thread, and things started to get scary for me! In order to protect myself and my family from legal action, I have asked administrators to delete that thread. It appears freedom of speech is not necessarily a Canadian right, according to some legal teams. This thread will now tell my story! Here's my now modified intro that you may have read on the other thread a few weeks ago (this part the lawyers had no trouble with! lol!): Hi everyone, I've been following the forum for about 2 years; reading your stories, your successes, your challenges. After much reading and tons of research, all in secret, I made the decision to have the gastric band put in place, and I had a banding date set with a weight loss clinic in Toronto for December 19th, 2014. A few weeks after booking and paying my deposit, some warnings and red flags started to get raised about this place, causing me to dig deeper into the history and current staffing model. After calling the clinic with my concerns, I found myself engaged in a most unprofessional conversation with the Manager, and that sealed my decision to cancel my surgery. I reported the red flags on this forum, and soon after received a lovely letter from the clinic's legal team asking me to remove the posts. Yikes! Even though I had not personally posted anything slanderous, other banders had, and I was asked to remove those posts. No one wants to mess with lawyers, right? So I simply asked BariatricPal Administrators to remove the thread entirely. After cancelling with the other place, I had a wonderful consult with a clinic of excellent repute, and now have a new banding date set for December 18th, 2014 in Mississuaga, Ontario. Phewf. So...Hello! I'm nervous, I'm excited. I have a supportive husband and a gorgeous daughter in Grade 9 who thinks I'm pretty fantastic at any weight. Lucky me to have these two in my life. I'm a full time professor and in love my students and teaching. So career, relationship and family are all fantastic. My Body Story: I am currently 45 years old, 5 foot 6 inches tall, and weigh 259 lbs. I am a size 22. It's only in the past 15 years of my life I have been heavy. I was a healthy, muscular kid and teen. I was a competitive lifeguard, canoe-trip leader and camp counsellor. I was a happy size 10 in high school. I went to University and did a 4-year undergrad in Arts, also a 2-year diploma in outdoor education. I traveled and adventured across Canada, working outdoor rec contracts: river guiding, rock-climbing, caving. Although I was never an athlete, I was healthy, fit, and flexible. I fell in love and married in 1999, and in 2000 gave birth to my beautiful Stinkerbell. Up to that point, I was a size 12. Pre-pregnancy my weight was 145 lbs. Post-pregnancy I was 205 lbs. I never lost the weight, despite nursing for 9 months - only gained, gained, gained. In 2006 I decided to try my first ever diet - Atkins, and was I ever successful! I went from 205 to 160 lbs in 3 months. After 6 months at my new weight, I fatigued of the sheer volume of supplements I was taking each day (24 pills each day ranging from L-Carnitine to Potassium to Omega-3s). I had leg cramps that bordered on excruciating. I started re-introducing carbs and... WHAMMO! The weight returned overnight, and more pounds than ever before. I don't eat candy or chocolate. I rarely have chips or pop. My addiction is superb food and beautiful wines (lots of both!). My weight has been packed on due to portions (huge!) and the empty calories in Cabernet Sauvignon. Despite my weight, I still canoe trip and camp with my family. I find portages (carrying the packs and canoe across land) exhausting and painful now, where once I found it exhilarating. My breaking point occurred in August 2014 when I went to buckle my seatbelt on a flight to British Columbia, and struggled to get the buckle fastened. (It was a stress, but I did it!) I was horrified and ashamed. How the hell had I let this happen to me? The decision to be banded was made in that moment. And now.... I had a full physical with my supportive family Doctor, Rachel. Got the requisite blood work and ECG done 3 weeks ago. Now that I've committed to banding, I am in the process of getting a shopping list together to make my kitchen "pre-op ready". Deep breaths. Woo! To the experienced banders, I welcome any and all feedback, advice, tips, suggestions or "I wish I had knowns". There we go - now we're up to date! Thanks to supporters who have voiced in on the other thread over the weeks! Looking forward to sharing my journey with you. One month from now, I will be banded!

Honey - as someone who has just done that exact thing myself, I get it! We are worth it! YOU are worth it. If they dropped the ball on you that many times, imagine how hands-off they would be with your aftercare. Yikes. Maybe this time will be different... and much better! Imagine how fantastic it will be to be in competent, professional hands. I am cheering you on from Ontario!

Many thanks, LilMsDiva! The whole thread can be deleted. Its under "My LapBand Surgery Journey" and the thread is titled "The Date is Set - SLIMBAND Dec. 19, Toronto. I appreciate your time on this - sorry for the inconvenience. "The Professor"

Woo hoo, Dakota Girl! ALMOST THERE! Please keep us posted on how things go. I am excited for you... and would love to hear how it went! I'm following other "newbies" quite closely to get the idea of their experience as my surgery isn't until mid-December. I am following the stories of others who are blazing the trail before me! So much to think about, so much to learn. Best of luck and brightest blessings for an easy banding - ! Be kind to yourself tomorrow (and may you have a good sleep tonight!) WOO HOO!

Amazing information! This is SO GREAT for a newbie like me. I have watched a ton of videos on youtube, but all of them are personal stories, journeys, etc. This was so clear and helpful. Thank you, Alex! I am now going to try and find Oyster Forks!

I am in London, Ontario, and am in the same boat. There is nowhere in London that bands, so I called the Bluewater Clinic in Sarnia (the closest location), and inquired about the process. I asked very reasonable questions, like: Fees: Is financing available? What is the process like for an out-of-towner for fills, consults, etc? Could I get a ballpark fee figure, instead of driving to Sarnia for a consult, only to find I couldn't afford it? They were not forthcoming with the fees, ( this was expected) and I was treated very frostily by the woman I spoke with at Blueater, depsite the fact I was warm and respectful, and had (I feel!) very reasonable questions. It was very off-putting... Is there anyone out there from the London or Southwestern Ontario region who has had a good experience? If so, please respond and share details!