Sooverit!

Sorry Denise ...I wish I was 40 that was a typo!...I will be 50 next year!!

Thanks so much Denise. I like your idea of hot chocolate at night...anything hot dims my hunger! Good idea...I know tea is the hot drink of choice for the nutritionist I've seen ..but I just can't get the urge to make tea when I barely like it. It's true D about us gaining at this age even from eating the same amount as we did or even less. It would take nothing short of a miracle for me to lose weight this time....at age 40. I just did it too often Ithink....my weight is only going in one direction! Thanks Denise for you support!

May: I was wondering about this. My follow up care/fill center says it's mandatory to have a Fluoro after 6 weeks post op before the fill! I think it's another way to get another hefty fee. I am not cynical but I do think the health care system is a bit corrupt when it comes to $. I want to out right refuse...I don't think there's anything they can do except not fill me and I can go to my regular doc for that but of course I would lose the 3 free fills I have coming. You can never get complacent! .

Now what I understand is that all the estrogen stored in the adipose tissue when you are obeses make menopause much worse. When we lose weight there will be a temporary adjustment in your level but when it levels as you loose weight I think it will be easier.

Hi Treina: Congrulations on being cancer free! Wow eight grand kids at 51! I feel like a turtle I am almost 50 and still have a 11 yr old and an 20 yr old. I'm doing this for my youngest especially since we don't have a large extended family and she needs me around for a long time to come.

First of all stop thinking about negative scenarios as this does nothing but make you nervous and lowers your body's defenses. The fact that this is done laproscopically and on an outpatient basis (mine is anyway) should show yuo it's not a "major" operation. You'll be fine...think about being healthy and fit by the summer!

Thank you so much Gently, your recovery is truly an inspiration and the way you work the band into your life if remarkable. Keep up the good work! Kudos M

Are there any low BMIers who looked at themselves in the mirror pre op and thought ...gee I'm not fat... I'm just a little over weight....what am I doing? Am I just applying over kill like I do with everything else in my life? Am I punishing myself for gaining weight in middle age? Was everyone right that told me I don't need to get the lap band just go on weight watchers? Yikes!!!!What will I do when I'm bored and watching TV? Will I yell at my kids and husband? Will I lose my mind??? __________________

I am a big talker especially recently since I am scheduled for LB surgery in 4 days Dec. 2! I just can't believe it's really going to happen. I've been wanted this procedure for over 3 years and have been on this site for as long as that! I had two questions for anyone who cares to share their wisdom and experience: 1. Is it easier to battle head hunger when you do feel full? I would think it is ...I rarely feel full now that I am pre banded ....I know the head hunger I think that is the hunger I ONLY experience but know it's easier to battle if I'm not hungry. If this makes any sense? 2. Any low BMI ers who looked at themselves in the mirror pre op and though ...gee I'm not fat... I'm just a little over weight....what am I doing? Am I just applying over kill like I do with everything else in my life? Am punishing myself for gaining weight in middle age? Was everyone right that told me I don't need to get the lap band just go on weight watchers? Yikes!!!!What will I do when I'm bored and watching TV? Will I yell at my kids and husband? Will I lose my mind???

That's too bad...my psych eval was almost an hour. I loved her ..she gave me a ton of good advice ..much more than the "nutritionist". I want to hire her as my life coach! I do want to see her again...hoping she doesn't charge me $250 an hr. againe THO!@

Hey Mr. Mike: I just noticed your surgeon too! He's a busy man...I will have my surgery done in Bronxville. Are you having yours done in Ridgewood? My father's sister lived in Ridgewood NJ ....we went there when I was very young...I LOVED her house ...an old victorian with a huge wrap around porch and a huge yard. They would put the playpens out there ....everything.... We were supposed to move there but ended up staying in Queens. Gosh it feellike a life time ago (an it was ) when I think about those days. Keep me posted on how you are doing? How was thanksgiving? My after care people at the Obesity Center in Long Island are super easy going and aren't too strict with the pre op diet. They have me on mushies 1 day after surgery too! I'm part of a lower BMI study so this may be the reason. It was only a matter of time before I'd grow out of that study. I have been gaining weight every month since age 45. Pls keep me possted......all the best to you MIKE!! Congrats on your decision!!

Hi Gently: I see you were just banded! Congratulations! Can you please tell me what it is like when you are post op? I was thinking, always hoping for the best, that I won't really feel like eating post op. Especially because of the swelling and the shrinking of the stomach!? Is this not the case? When did you start to get your hunger back? I am terrible at following rules actually....hope I am doing the right thing. I don't want to call my after care people yet, because the secy. always over reacts to everything and I'm afraid she will cause me anxiety. Thank you for your level headed advice !

Oh and don't forget as important as a low fat diet is now ....drinking at least 64 oz of water if recommended to flush out liver! Drink water constantly now!

It is very different for every surgeon. From what I have researched here on this site, it looks like weighing less going on an operating table is always a good thing. I think that in the case of bariatric surgery doctors know people esp. us are going to cheat so the stricter the rules the less one is going to cheat. My surgeon said that in the thousands of LB surgeries he's done he only came across one person with a liver too big and she was only a 40 BMI. Better to err on the side of caution tho!

Thank you K this is good sound advice. I will certainly try to lower my intake as you to under 1000 a day.

Oh forgot to mention I had an emergency appendectomy when I was 30 and I think after much research that this procedure should be much easier than your appendectomy! I'm hoping ....also easier than a C-section!

Good for you sometimes we think we are super woman and we hit a brick wall...I know I did and the wall gets harder the older we get. I'm a few years older than you and hit it the other day after running around all morning than going for a heart stress test!~! Good choice...good luck to you! Happy Thanksgiving...

Sorry I can't help....I'm in a pinch too....Need some wisdom and no finger pointing please. I am worried....I have had one stressful week....after weeks of daily docs and testing they uncovered Hypertension and pre diabetes. This immediately made me want to quit the 5 or so cigarettes I was having daily. This in turn upped my hunger and this today is Thanksgiving!!...I cooked for the family! My docs said I could eat but keep it low fat. Ha. ..does pumkin pie count as a veggie? Mashed potatoes with gravey? Oh boy I messed up. I know I have to call tomorrow I have 4 days to "shrink" my liver. Wonder if my body is up for some speed shrinking! wish me luck. Can't find anyone who said they cheated on Pre op. like this..here ________________

Need some wisdom and no finger pointing please. I am worried....I have had one stressful week....after weeks of daily docs and testing they uncovered Hypertension and pre diabetes. This immediately made me want to quit the 5 or so cigarettes I was having daily. This in turn upped my hunger and this today is Thanksgiving!!...I cooked for the family! My docs said I could eat but keep it low fat. Ha. ..does pumkin pie count as a veggie? Mashed potatoes with gravey? Oh boy I messed up. I know I have to call tomorrow I have 4 days to "shrink" my liver. Wonder if my body is up for some speed shrinking! wish me luck. Can't find anyone who said they cheated on Pre op. like this..here

It seems easier for me to quit smoking than quitting solids. I decided on my own to quit smoking 4 days ago when a cardiologist doing my clearance for surgery found Hypertension...I am due for LB surgery on Tuesday. My regular doc told me my anesthesiologist will thank me for quitting as she said anesthesia works quicker and better with smoke free lungs? My cardiologist said I should clear out my lungs before surgery. I think they know we are not the type to easily scare.

I am partaking in a lower BMI study so I was not given very strick pre op instructions. I was told I can eat on Thanksgiving today (my surgery scheduled for 12/2/08) just not high fat...more veggies....ha ha I've been trying to stick to the all optifast but have been eating a lot today. I'm sure the pie I ate was high fat. I think it is a good idea to get the stomach used to smaller meals tho and to shrink. I felt great on the Optifast for a few days. Today my stomach is all bloated again. Hopefully the next 4 days I can stay on the Optifast and get my stomach smaller again...just so it won't be a totaly shock. This is really gonna be a change for me....I am a huge eater!

Also I just went on their site and I don't even see anything about the 6 month supervised diet nonsense. Wondering if they still need that?

I was turned down 3x by CIGNA because I had a BMI of 37 without the comobidities they accept. As of last week I have developed Hypertension and I am taking meds for it. My surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday. Just wondering if they would re consider now? I already paid out of pocket in full....what timing . Well I will call them first thing and let everyone know. they are tough bstarts

December 2nd here! Today is going to be tough ...i'm on the liquid diet on thanksgiving day!! I quit smoking as of 4 days ago....we gonna see what I'm made of today!! The worse part is over with the smoking.....I think it's all a mind game...and I can win that war...but the eating ...that's another story. Thanks to everyone on this site for the support you give, Mar

Wow...you are a fast loser! Way to go. I don't use the scale because it just get's me discouraged. I felt like I was losing weight though as my stomach was shrinking. I've quit smoking and I am smoke free 4 days now but that is torture if you can't eat either. So while I was make the pumpkin pie I got stressed and ate the batter....yikes I think it was a preview of what may happen if you do it while you have the band. No vomiting as I'm not a vomiter but pain...after my stomach shrank so much. I've seen every doctors under the sun in the past few weeks. I'm on a low BMI study so maybe that's why? Anyway I'm learning that the medical community likes to err of the side of caution for sure. I'm not going to sweat over eating too much right now....I think it's more important I have smoke free lungs. I do enjoy the shakes and not too tired of them so I'll go back for the next couple of days....5 more days! Have a happy thanksgiving