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Me too Krystal... would love to hear how you're getting on now??? I really hope that you are doing well

Hi There are lots of lower BMI bandsters around... I was banded June 1st 2007 with a BMI 31... first time I saw doctor I was 34 however :-) Check out this thread for all the info you'll ever need... http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/lower-bmi-bandsters-26697/ Good luck

Hi Donna I was banded June 1st (a week ago)... today is the first day that (touch wood) I've had no gas pain in my left shoulder... Yee Ha!!! I don't think that anything helps, you just have to live through it knowing that it will go away soon... I did found that if I drank my liquids too quickly I would have a severe attack almost immediatley... so remember to sip slowly :-) Good luck and hang in there!

Hi Suzzie I know exactly what you mean... the 2 "down days" I had were spurred by that! I really felt like I wanted to eat but although your head says "I want food" your body is saying you can't eat... and I don't mean that you know that you shouldn't eat something (willpower has nothing to do with it), I actually couldn't physically pick anything up and put it in my mouth because you can feel that there is just nowhere for it to go! For 2 days I felt angry and very depressed about that, I just couldn't get my head around it and didn't want to accept that I couldn't eat... it was like a personal battle being waged against myself, but on the third day I was tired and I just accepted it and stopped fighting what my body was telling me and know I find that feeling very empowering! I am now concentrating on really tasting, smelling and enjoying everything (and it's only thin liquids) that goes into my mouth... "quality not quantity" is my new mantra, hopefully I can use that to my advantage when I do feel hungry (head hungry that is) and I can try and stay good! I know that doesn't make much sense, it is hard to explain but I hope that soon you will be able to see for yourself what I mean :-).

Hi Toni, Lisa and all other Junies Sorry about the lack of correspondence... we moved to a new internet provider last Wednesday and for one reason or another have only managed to get connected today! Surgery was all good... went in at 10.00am and was back on the ward by 1.30pm. Wasn't allowed to drink all that day but managed to get through it with mouth swab things! Saturday was ice chips, Water and last thing I was allowed an Optifast which all went down well (slowly but fine!). I had a definite case of the blues on the Sunday and Monday which was unexpected and unwelcome but luckily it was short lived and now I feel great ... I can sleep on both sides and stomach which is a huge relief so actually sleeping really well. I don't feel hungry at all but am looking forward to being able to have something a little more substantial than soup! I can't wait to get back into the excercise! All and all I am loving bandland and feel like the possibilities are endless but sooooo attainable. Good luck to all being banded today and for those already done I hope that you are feeling good :clap2:

Hi Great to read everyones posts... we are quite a number now so that's great!! Toni... v.pleased that you are staying with us, you will be our No.1!! Lisa... Congrats with your pre-op, that is so amazing and I am sooooo jealous (in a good way!) at your 12lb loss in 6 days... I am onto day 7 and have only lost 5.5lbs. :clap2: As for the treadmill... I love mine, it is a good one which I think makes a lot of difference. I also do a lot of road walking with a good friend of mine but I love the treadmill in the winter or on rainy days or when Dani can't make it... I can also run on the treadmill (to embarrassed to run in public) so I can get fitter in the privacy of my own home (trust me... me running is not a pretty sight but I love it!). I put MTV or juice on the TV and do 70 minutes... the time passes really quickly! Ja9va... You just reminded me that I have romantic weekend away with hubby at the end of June so may have to turn that 6 week post-op without wine into 4 weeks!!! I have to admit that the pre-op diet is OK... for all of you about to start hang in there because it really does get easier after day 3. Cheers

Hi everybody I am soooo excited... firstly, I've just read all the new posts from overnight and they have got me buzzing... you Junies are an awesome bunch :-). Second, it is Monday morning in NZ and I am onto single digit days until surgery... 9 DAYS TO GO!!!! Finally, I lost the 1kg I needed to lose to be in onederland, as of this morning I am 199lbs!!!!! Janine... great info, thanks... I am pleased about the wine, a couple of glasses when I go out will be great! I have given up whilst on the pre-op and don't plan to have any until at least 6 weeks post-op because of the calories :-) Toni... excellent ideas too... I think that having support from others in same boat is sooo inspirational and a great way to keep focused. I am so pleased to have found this site as not many at home know about the surgery. Pre-op is going OK, excercies is going great... keep up the good work everyone... WOOHOOO!!!!!!

Hi again!!! Toni, my pre-op diet is 3 optifast meal replacements a day (either protein shake/soup/mousse or protein bar) for 2 weeks. You can also have up to 2 cups of leafy green veges a day (so stirfry or salad). I thought that it was really tough but reading about the poor people who can only have clear liquids I feel quite lucky really!!! Starting the excercise programme is difficult for some reason but it really is addictive and it stops you thinking about food when doing the pre-op!!! I find that it is much easier to go on the treadmill first thing in the morning and to pump up Juice TV/MTV as it helps to keep you going! I also find that walking with a friend who is fitter than you is a good way to keep motivated and keep trying to be faster! After reading many of the posts here I have also learned that if you excercise the weight comes off a lot quicker and since my husband and I have a romantic weekend booked for the end of June I am very keen to loose as much as possible before then :-) Heather, I too love food (I also love alcohol... socially of course), I eat when I'm happy, sad, indifferent... my favourite thing in the whole world is having dinner and drinks with friends so I often wonder why I'm doing this and if I'll be able to cope! But honestly as much as I love those things, I hate being fat more. I literally haven't been out in six months because I'm soooo uncomfortable in my own skin... I just keep thinking about how much I also love clothes, makeup, jewellery, shoes... and generally getting dressed up and feeling good about myself... bring it on!!!! One of my other bad habits is diet coke... never thought that I could give it up in a million years... haven't touched one for 4 days so feeling very empowered!!! Small steps, one at a time.... heee heee!!!

Hi lianna Nice to see someone who is so close to reaching goal on the lower BMI thread, well done your are very inspriring!! I am being banded on June 1st, I was 222lbs at my heaviest and am currently 201lbs (hopefully in onederland by the end of the week). My goal weight is 150lbs and I am 170cms tall... many people have said to me that this goal weight is too low but I thought when I decided on it that I was being reasonable... you've done it so how do feel about your goal weight... are you sticking to it??? Cheers

Thanks Heather... the calendar is perfect :clap2: 11 days to go... woohoo!!! On day 4 of the pre-op and it is still hard but I am struggling through it... (rant) unfortunatley I haven't lost any weight!!! I am kind off upset about this as I feel like I'm eating nothing and excercising heaps and should be being rewarded on the scales... I know the pre-op is about liver shrinkage but most people seem to loose heaps on the pre-op and I want to be one of them :cry OK, sorry feel better now for getting that off my chest... I need to learn some patience! Have a great day everyone. Accountability: Pre-op diet going well and just finished 8km walk around block with friend... loving the exercise!!

Hey Hottytoddy I am in Christchurch, New Zealand... the time here at the moment is 5.15pm on Sunday night. I think that we are the first country in the world to cross the date line hence why we seem to always be so much ahead of everywhere else!!! We also use kgs instead of lbs to measure weight... 91.9kgs is equivalent to 202lbs (the factor is 2.2)... I am hoping to be in onederland (lbs) this week (1kg to loose)!!!! I will be spending 2 days in hospital so won't be able to post before you go in unfortunately but will look forward to catching up afterwards:D Thanks Insubordination for the pre-op advice... hopefully Lisa H and I (and everyone else required to do a pre-op) will feel better soon!! I read a post in another area where a girl was opened up but couldn't have the band placed because she hadn't followed the pre-op diet... that's good inspiration if nothing else! Good luck with your insurance, although it would be nice if you were another june bandster :clap2: Welcome to everyone else... I guess now is a better time to say have a great Sunday!!!

Hi everyone To tell or not to tell... that is the question... I wasn't going to tell anyone except my husband but I ended up telling 2 close friends, my sister and my parents. The friends are great although a little jealous too! Sister is also great about it and mother was soooo jealous that she has decided to have one too... she will be banded 27/08/07. My main concern about telling people is that I am a lower BMI bandster... and I can't handle the judgement by others who think that I should be able to loose 30kg on my own with diet and excercise. The truth is that I can loose the weight on my own, I've done it 4 times before but I can't seem to keep it off and it is getting harder and harder to loose every time. I am miserable being big, and I feel like this is the solution... take away the hunger and I will eat the right food, follow all the bandster rules, excercise and hopefully loose that 30kgs for the last time. :clap2: Hottytoddy... can't wait to compare surgery notes!! I have been nervous but am back on track and impatient for it to be done NOW... roll on June 1st!!! Toni... I don't go very fast on the treadmill!! I try and do 10mins fastwalking and 5mins running for 4 cycles then 10 mins slow walking as a warmdown... it nearly kills me and only burns 250 calories... really makes you look at what you put in your mouth and the amount of work it takes to burn it off!!! Accountability: 70mins on treadmill and sticking to pre-op Optifast diet (except for 1 coffee this morning :paranoid ) Well, I am off to walk the dogs... hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday.

Hi Lisa Yes, I believe that caffeine free coffee is allowed... I will get some I think as I had such a bad headache today that I had to have a coffee... it was sooooo goood and I was sooooo bad!! The pre-op is difficult, I agree... I have to cook for my 2 young children and by dinner time it's like hell for me! I hope that it gets easier but if not at least it's only two weeks... although my surgeon would like me to do it for a further 4 weeks post-op too. Was good with excercise today... 70 mins on treadmill :-) Hope everyone else has a great weekend

Hey Lisa I started the pre-op Optifast diet today... so far the only thing that I am missing is coffee! I did buy some green tea with lemon to help with the "hot drink" cravings and it is really nice so hopefyully that'll do the trick. Am just about to start todays exercise (treadmill) and then plan on having a chocolate shake at about 4.00pm then I may just have to go to bed!!!! I think that the first 3 days will be the worst... however I've heard that you can loose as much as 7kgs in the 2 weeks if you really stick to it... I know that everyone is different but wouldn't that be awesome :-) K

Hi everyone Had my final appointment with surgeon today... he said "well done" on weight loss so far, start your pre-op diet tomorrow, no food after midnight on the 31st, here are hospital forms you need to fillout and see you in theatre!!! So, no more blood test or any other of any kind... all seems very straight forward... this is a good thing :-) Well, I'd better go visit the treadmill... hope everyone else has a great day. Cheers

Hey musicalmomma, my fingers and toes are crossed that you will be OK and surgery will proceed as expected... I'm pleased that all other tests went well. I will be in hospital for 2 nights... have to be at hospital at 7.00am on Friday 1st then surgery is scheduled for 10am... I can leave at lunchtime Sunday. Thanks Lucy... must be an insurance requirement after all... got a bit worried there for a minute :-) Had a good day eating and excercise today until..... mother came over with bottle of sparkling wine and said "here's to the last time you can have this!!!!" Not sure if that's excellent support or just kinda wrong!!! Anyway... feel good at the moment :-)

Hi everyone I have my final appointment tomorrow with surgeon before big day on June 1st... am kind of worried about all these pre-op tests that everyone seems to have to do??? I had some bloodwork done a couple of months ago and that's it... I wonder if the surgeon is going to spring all this other testing on me tomorrow? Or maybe it's an insurance reqirement (I'm self pay)? Offically start pre-op diet Friday but have been trying to make better choices with food etc for the last couple of months and think like a bandster (chew, chew, chew :hungry: ). Have had varying results but aren't going to beat myself up over it... hopefully the band will make it a bit easier! Accountability: Just finsihed 60mins on the treadmill of brisk walking at 6.6km/hr with 3 5 minute bursts of running at 8.5km/hr... I am stuffed! Hope everyone else has a great day

Hi My BMI is 32 also. I talked extensively to my husband, doctor, surgeon and dietician before committing to the surgery and all of us agreed that it was the best solution to my years of diet hell. Good luck with your decision :-)

Hi nvalicia Try following this link in the General discussions area: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=33199 I too am being banded on June 1st... not long now, I bet you're as excited as me and the rest of the Junies :-) Look forward to chatting!!

Musicalmomma I am also being banded June 1!!! I am 36yrs mother of 2 and just can't wait to get the show on the road... although am a little nervous too! I also have been trying to cut back to prepare for the required 14 day liquid diet... Optifast is my docs/dieticians choice of liquid. I have been having an Optifast Protein shake for Breakfast, an Optifast bar for lunch and then a healthy low carb meal for dinner... I lost quite a lot of weight in the first 2 weeks but it seems to have come to a halt... hopefully the full on liquid diet will shake things up again!!

I don't have to attend any classes/therapy. It's a fairly new procedure in the city I come from so I don't think they've set anything up like that yet. I am in constant contact with the nurse and dietician which has been most informative, and some of the previous bandsters get together for a coffee occassionally which is great.

Hi Lynette When I got my date it was 8.5 weeks until the surgery and I thought it was ages to wait... but it has actually been going very quickly... you'll be banded before you know it! My official pre-op diet starts in 2 weeks but I have been trying to be good since I got my date... I must admit though I've had a few relapses into old eating habits... must try harder this week!! Great to meet some more June bandsters :-)

Hi lo2us! Another June bandster... how exciting! Do you have to do a pre-op diet? I am getting a little nervous... still mostly excited but I must say the time seems to be flying by and I'm sure the next 4 weeks will whizz by too... my date is June 1st :clap2:

Hi everyone Just thought I'd bump this up to see if any other June Bandsters are out there yet?? We have a 2 month waiting list (at least) after everything is approved where I come from in New Zealand... maybe other parts of the world are quicker at getting there surgeries done?? Cheers KT

Hi Johanna and everybody else :-) My surgery is booked for June 1st... still seems like ages away but from what I've read here it will be worth the wait! I started on my pre-op diet 2 weeks ago today and man it's been hard! I kind of wish that I hadn't started it so far out but there's no turning back now. I sometimes think I started it as I feel a bit guilty for getting the surgery in the first place and want to lose as much as possible before the big day! Look forward to reading how everyone is getting on