Sooverit!

Thank you for your honesty and great replies! Your really know how to touch on the heart of the matter. You could write a book about this Lap Band thing and I would buy it~! I love how you described the "automatron" -sp? aspect when you sit infront of the TV. When we got our "Plasma" TV w/Tivo I gained 20 lbs. and I never even care too much for TV before. I would come home from work super stressed on certain days and like a robot sit in front of the TV and graze, gorge what ever you wanna call it for hours! YOu put it so perfectly when you said the lap band will stop an eating catastrophy! Thanks for the great reads! Best to you on your wonderful w/l success!

Hi Dani: I see you've had your proceedure done with Dr. Fielding. Your weight loss is impressive...way to go! I am hoping to have my surgery performed by Dr. Ren at NYU. Were you happy with your treatment there? I have heard only good things but was just checking. I used to live in the city but I am now commuting from Long Island. I was wondering where one would go in an immergency if you lived far from your surgeon's office?

Geez I hope they don't think I'm too crazy to get this proceedure~! :rolleyes Can anyone tell me if they ask any of those trick questions like "Why should people in glass houses not throw stones"? I hope they don't make me feel like a "caveman!" I am curilous to see how they handle this. I am guessing they ask questions as to how realistic our expectations are about this proceedure. I feel at this point I don't have too many anymore. Any weight loss and no more gaining would make me very happy!

This is what I want to hear Harleygirl! I love that you can eat what every you want just less of it~especially healthy stuff like a good salad! Good for you...I bet you had a somewhat "iron stomach" to being with? I know I did up until about a year or so ago. I could eat ANYTHING at anytime. I just don't want to get this and be stuck only eating foods that go down easily ...like puried meat...ehh gads...

Zen Girl: Have you tried eating only protein or cutting down on carbs. When I do the Atkins diet I couldn't care less about sweets. If there not in the house it's harder to eat them too. If I buy sweets for the "kids" ...I end up eating more than they do. I must not bring anything sweet in the house except for yogart. Can you eat fat freee yogart on the band? Can you eat fat free sugar free pudding? I notice esp. at this age I crave sugar more esp. around that time in the month. Doesn't the band help with bindge eating....I'm a bidnger too and I thought you just couldn't eat that much???

Jwl: I was wondering too were the questions given to you on paper or did the Psy ask you in person? Was it timed? I better get my sleep if there's going to be a big test tomorrow!

Kat, It was great to hear about your wonderful success with the band. It truly is ironic that your proceedure did benefit your insurance company even though they never paid for it~! I know much of cholesterol is genetics receiving but I did notice that as I lost weight a few years back, excercised and cut out sweets my cholesterol dropped 25 pts. BB - I will never know if it was from the exercise alone. Kat I do plan to look into Bioidentical Hormones as soon as this is all done.

Congratulations on finally getting a date for your surgery! From what Dr. Ren tells us her husband, Dr. Fielding is the best and she refers him all her patients that may be complicated in anyway - only meaning he can handle it all. I had a ruptured appendix in 1989 and a C-section in 1997 and the dr. told me I had tons of scar tissue so I may have to have Dr. Fielding as well. Keep us posted. You must be excited?

You know BB lately I've been thinking the huge health benefits of lowering my cholesterol and lowering my chances of sleep apnia and at least a doz other things that will improve when I stop overeating is worth it even without weight loss. Of course if insurance covers it, it is more so worth it!:rain:we are suddenly getting a real bad rain storm here and my son and hub and golfing!! :cry

Kelly: You were banded on my birthday the day I turned 48, it's great to hear your great weight loss! BB: The doctor at my seminar, Doc. Dr. Ren who is amoung a handful of doc's nationwide, who were the first to perform the operations during the FDA trials in Europe, said the band was first used only 13 years ago...I thought it was longer than that? What she actually said was that "Older woman (what ever that meant and wish I could have asked her to define "older") who were post menopausal did not lose weight as often but did gain the healthy benefits.

You girls R O C K!! What great stats! You've all made my day. I just can't hear enough of these stories from ya all ...It's just really great to hear about people being brave, taking the bull by the horns, doing something about a problem and not only turning around your life but saving it too! I am thinking positive now and hoping to post mine by December 07 ...I will be banded and down 50 lbs! Best to everyone!

this is too cute pat

Hey Josie: Howz Texas treating ya? We are lifetime NYers but almost had to move to TX for my husb's business. I thought it was a fun place except for the heat, but I bet with the weight off it's much more tolerable. Thanks so much for the great info regarding Dr. Ren! It really makes me feel confident she is the right choice. They charge alot out of pocket though - 26,000 now. I don't have the co-morbidities my insurance company wants...yet, so I don't know if I can afford this proceedure. It's killing me because the "food demons" as you so rightly called them are winning finally....they've been tormenting me my entire life ....not they are in charge! :-(

Congratulations Jeannie...how great to hear your progress...I love hearing how happy you are with your 14 lb. weight loss! I read some posts and people complain because they've only lost 50 lbs. in a year! What the? us unbanded say to ourselves. I'm sitting here just happy I didn't gain weight today which I probably did and living in the grey area where I am not covered by insurance but surely can't affort 26,000 my doc charges and thinking if I could lose 14 lbs I'd feel like amillion bucks too!@ way to go!! ! good for you!

Thanks for the great thread recommendation CAthy~! Awesome...beach you've given me new hope and Jack...well jack yur too funny and I mean that in the "you made me laugh this morning way and thank you!" ;=0 You men you get all the breaks..

Hi Maria: Best to you at the next two steps of your journey. Please keep us posted. I'm making my appt. today for phych eval. I thought the seminar was very informative and actually shocking at times when they showed on the screen the country chart and the increase in obesity in each state in the last 25 years!! It's amazing, and I felt completely sure that I want this after going. I clearly understood the dozens of reason why we all became obese...it was really fasinating actually. Thank goodness for this technology!!

I can hear Marge Simpson saying....Jack's back woowee.... A quick question for anyone please.... Is it true that when the proper restriction is met you will not feel hungry. The surgeon tonight compared it to a permanently implanted Phen/Fen...but healthier ofcourse...

I am a 36/37 BMI not banded yet still hoping to get covered by CIGNA. I am also 48 yrs old....hope I lose some lbs. through all this! ...heck even if I just gain health benefits that woud be a positive thing!

What do you tell your kids?? I feel right now that I don't want to tell her but she will know especially when I'm in the liquid stage. My sweet daughter is slightly overweight and bigger than the other girls but deals with it and is a very happy well adjusted kid. We try to restrict her junk food eating and encourage exercise. She knows I am unhappy being overweight but always feels she needs to tell me I'm perfect just the way I am and I am not fat! I am very worried about the message I am giving her when I get this procedure done and when I complain as well. She is vulnerable now to the "girls have to be skinny" syndrome..it starts as early as 3rd grade and sooner. ..should I wait till she's older? Do I have the time? I am fearful for my life here as my sister my same age died from sleep apnea and heart problem due to obesity last year. I am only a 36 BMI and at the age of 48 I know the scale is only headed upward no matter what I do on my own..

Thank you DL that is a great idea about giving her an allowance. A walk is a great idea at night! My husband and I obesess over health and healthy foods and talk to her about it often. She just eats alot and always wants something sweet. She's picky too and won't eat protein b fast etc. It's hard esp. when I can't control my own eating. I wish she didn't have this problem more than I do my own but we all do it really is genetic

Hi Susan: Yes, my daughter is taller than the other girls also. I am glad to hear your daughter handled it so well and is getting in shape this summer. Wow what's your secret now that mine is getting older I see that she can sit at a computer for hours and likes to cozy up and read. She is in a few camps but doesn't get too much exercise in the summer. I think I can also tell my daughter about my fears related to her aunt. Thank you for the reply!

Hi Maria & Linn: I am a few steps behind you Marie I have an appt. this Thursday for an introductory seminar. It's good to have a referral of a good doc like Dr. Fielding thank you girls! I live a bit closer to the city so I think I will drive in :)/ I just wanted to use that smily! This should be interesting. Did the NYU staff referr you to a nutritionist as well? I heard CIGNA needed you to see one as well as psych evaluation. Do they help you with all the step? I'm hoping. thanks Joan

Sorry I think I wasn't writing too clearly this morning~ I said that this was my 100th attempt in the past 10 yrs. to lose the 80 lbs. I gained with my last preganancy. Too many #s! :-):nervous

When I was flat on my back for 3 days from back pain because I overdid it again with exercise trying this time to lose this weight forever....one more time. When I falled this last attempt (#100) at weight loss with Atkins diet. Since I've gained 80 lbs. with my last preganacy I've tried for 10 yrs. to take the weight off. I am tired of the same cycle...lose 15 gain 20 ....you all know the deal. I find myself hiding in shame lately and worrying about my health too much.

This sounds scary, I am cranky enough going through menopause. I am glad I read this though so I can plan to be under low stress for that month! I don't want to tell my 10 yr old daughter I am having this procedure, she is slightly overweight and I'm not sure what this message will send her...that she's no good at that weight? I am doing this for health reasons but how do I explain to her. I worry she will know because of this. Darn don't want to be cranky to her either.