smilin_apple

That's right !!!

That's right!!! It is up to you it is YOUR choice not theirs!!! They won't be the one who has to live with it the rest of their lives. They won't have to deal with sicknesses, and possible issues with the Bypass. I don't like to promote one over the other (surgery that is) to anyone but if you were comfortable with the LapBand to begin with, until the dietician started trying to change your mind then you should definitely remember that. It is quite possible to make you question your choice; because when I spoke to people and they said similar things to me it almost swayed my decision also. It think it is just becuase it is such a life changing thing no matter which one we choose that we are scared that we will make the wrong choice. Just go with your original instincts and know that you have people who care around you and that along the way we will be cheering you on, never be embarrassed or ashamed for anything you do "We are HUMAN" and no matter what we make mistakes it is the lessons we learn from those mistakes that matter the most not the mistake itself. April

Believe me I have thought the same thing SO MANY times. But I always rememeber some of the negatives with the Bypass surgery. My favs to remember are nutrition defeciencies, vitamin defeciencies, hair loss due to lack of the vitamin asorbtion and Dumping Syndrome from eating any thing with sugar in it. That was just to name a few! And through all the research I have done it has shown that after 3-5 years LapBand and Bypass patients end at around the same total weight loss. Bypass might lose quicker in the beginning but they slow down at some point and LapBand might lose slower in the beginning but it speeds up slightly as time goes on and the band gets tightened with fills. Another good thing to remember is no rearranging of you insides that always makes me feel better. Just keep your head up and know that we are all here for you whenever you need to talk. Hey I think I just reassured myself about getting the band done and not the Bypass...haha!!! :whoo:

As for the line "Don't lose too much" I know that one very well. I have been friends with someone for 6 years almost 7 years and when we met it was right after my husband and I had split up (we had been together for 9 years) so the intentions was to date him but after 3 years of hanging out offand on I decided I realy REALLY wanst into him enough to be with him. Well he still tries to see me every once in a while and whne I told him that I was doing this surgery he git all butt hurt and sad becuase he says he loves my body the way it is and doesn't want me to lose any weight. Well I told him that I HAD to do this for myself and it didn't matter what he thought..lol. We are still friends..kinda... but I feel differently about himknowing he doesn't back me all the way with this upcoming surgery.

Thank you I could use the encouragemen. I will be try with everything I have to get down enough in weight before then for he surgeon. Make sure you only copy and Paste everything between the brackets that say... sometimes there are other words inside the url and you dont want those either. Just start with any bracket or words after that. Make sure you don't include the ending url either.Then on the very last page before you close it down there will be website link you can click on...click onit an save it to your favorites or copy and paste it. This will be the link you click on to update your ticker with your weight loss. I t will ask you for the PIN number you gave when you went through the first time and the date and current weight. This will update your ticker.

Thank you soooo much.... I needed to hear that! I am not loosing as fast as I want to right now but I will take it. Well I will be at the meeting every 4th Saturday of the month at Point West so when you start going we can meet there. I think you will be put through really fast for the surgery. I am going to ask to be on the waiting list so I can try to get in if there are any cancellations. Hopefully I can have mine done by November/December. Have a great day! Talk to you later. April

I haven't but I have always wanted to try it out. I have decided to wait until about a year after my surgery or at least when I have lost 100lbs. I think it will help my confidence and help break some of my shyness. Have you tried it ShannonRT

Congrats on your surgery leemoe49, I hope I will be getting mine soon. I just have to stop letting these road blocks get me down and back into my old habits so much. I feel discourage because I still have 31 lbs to lose before my surgeon will do the surgery (even though I have already lost 25). I also get discouraged because I know that my hospital is so booked up that more than likely I won't be able to get in to have it until November, unless they have a cancellation. I will find out more set in stone info when I return for a follow up with the surgeon on Sept.4th. Once again congrats...its stories like yours that make me realize it IS possible!

BigHarleyGuy - I will check that out thanks! This question is for anyone - Did you lose any weight prior to the surgery while on the liquid diet?

That is true..huh. But I do know some people that were having the surgery within 5 months of starting the program and that would let them fall in the time frame. Also the tests didn't matter to them if it was before diet or after, cause to them the diet is only to lose weight to show an effort to them that you are committed to this as well as shrink your liver and there are not really testing for those things. Also back when they implemented the Whole program and made up all rules the scheduling time was only a few weeks to maybe a month out...even when I started it in November they were scheduling only about 5 weeks out from your weight approval with the surgeon. By the way the final decision on weight loss or not is up to the surgeon you have . Dr. Stiles might say yea or nay but the surgeon can override.

Thanks for the info... No my doctor doesn't ask for a pre-op liquid diet they just ask us to lose a certain amount of weight prior to surgery. That is why I want to do the liquid diet to lose the weight I need to and to shrink my liver. I will definately look for higher protein drinks and lower carb items Thanks again!

That is possible...One girl that started in the same group as me was a lot smaller than I am, they only asked her to lose like 15 lbs. and she had her surgery in June. So on average it does take at least 5 months to go through the program but upwards 1 year depending on the person and how much they want you to lose. I know every one is different depending on where they carry the weight in their bodies. Also keep in mind that the test have to be done within 6 months of your surgery so if you don't get in for 7 months they will make you redo all your EKG, Chest X-Ray and Blood work. I am getting closer and I am hoping the surgeon clears me to schedule the surgery when I meet with him in 2 weeks. If he does I am going to ask to be on a waiting list for any cancellations. This way I might be able to have my surgery sooner since they are so booked out. The only downfall to the waitlist is if they have a cancellation they could ask me to come in as soon as the next day for surgery so it could be totally last minute!

iluvlongnecks - I have been going through the program at the same hospital since November 2006. when I strated it was for bypass but when they started LapBand in January I changed it. They do try to do at least two - three appts. in on day but just to warn you I had orientation on 11/14/06 went back on 11/26/06 for psyhciatric eval/nutritionists one on one appt. Then in January to see Dr. Stiles, then March 23rd to see Dr. Alami (my surgeon). And then a couple of other times to do Lifestyle 2, 3, 4. Since then I had to go back in April and May for the follow up classes until I reach my desired weight for the surgeon. I lucked out to go to Point West Kaiser in June and July and now this month in a week for my current class. I have been cleared to have the surgery for all since March, but I had to lose a total of 56 lbs. so far have lost 25 lbs...but am going back for follow up w/ Dr. Alami on September 4th. Hopefully I will be where the doc wants me by then about 10-16 lbs more (he said he wanted me to be withing 10-15 lbs. of my goal at my follow up so he can at least schedule the surgery in advance). As far as the fills go they did mention possibly bringing a Bariatric clinic up this way at least for fills, but no funding for it yet. If you have any questions just ask...by the way I live in Sacramento.

Hi all... I am starting another liquid diet on Sunday to try and lose about 10-16 lbs. in 2 weeks and 2 days...hope I can do it. Anyone on this thread have any suggestions?

They have 44 carbs and 10g of protein. I didn't think abour the Atkins...I guess I could try that again, I struggled with every diet I ever did, and that was one of them.

Whosyadaddy - Congrats on all the laps you did, I don't know if I could do that less than 2 weeks out from surgery. I had 2 sugeries 2 years ago only 1 1/2 months apart. First was back surgery - herniated disc - BOY was that AWFUL!!! Then on 4th of July I was admitted for Gallstones. I had surgery 3 days later, during this whole time my back wound ended up getting infected and it had trouble healing closed. So for three months I had an open wound on my back that prevented me from moving very easily, and it took about 3 weeks before I felt better from the Laproscopic Gallbladder surgery...I started having back problems again about a year or so ago. So now I am on all kinds of daily strong pain meds just to get through my day. So I can only imagine how I will feel after another surgery hopefully it will all be pretty smooth. One thing I remember very vivdly about the Laproscopic Gallbladder surgery is the gas pains (from the Gas the blow you up with) afterwards OUCH!!! That was worse than the surgery itself and it lasted for 4 days!

WOW Denise822, Double congrats to your daughter!!! I myself want to lose this weight mostly for health but also to one day have more children, which is really difficult and a strain on anyone's body at my weight. My daughter turns 13 on December 30th, so I am really ready to have another child. But I have to get married again first...haha! Well congrats to you too! And I hope you enjoy every moment with your grand-baby when he/she is born.

Actually I purchased a case of Kirkland Weightloss Chocolate shakes from costco a couple of weeks ago and have only used about 1/2 of them. They are suppossed to be just like a SlimFast calorie for calorie and mineral for mineral. I LOVE them... I tried drinking one for Breakfast every day, then doing one glass of V8 juice in the early afternoon, then one Creamy chicken Soup at Hand in the afternoon. In the evening I would have Chicken Breast and veggies but I didn't really lose but I think it was too high in sodium from the Soup. Do you have another example suggesstion for a whole days worth of meals?

Where do you go for your meetings...currently I am taking them in Sacramento but I went to much of them in SSF. I saw the surgeon origionally on March 23rd this year. He told me to come back when I get within 10-15 lbs of 360 lbs. Right now I am 391 so I have 16 lbs to go but since they are scheduling so far in advance I scheduled mine a couple of weeks ago, they had me scheduled on Sept. 27th but I found a cancellation for Sept. 4th so I took it in hopes to be more motivated to lose the last 16 lbs before I see him. Who do you have? I have Dr.Alami in SSF. I like him a lot but we will see how much I still like him on Sept. 4th haha!

Well my surgeon doesn't put us on a pre-op liquid diet...but he puts us on a regular 1200 cal a day diet, unless we struggle with that too much like I did they wanted to put me on Optifast too but through my hopspital it would still cost me $700 for a one month plan. There was no way I could come up with that. So I have been getting advice from others on what they did pre-op. I am starting one on Sunday, since I heard that the first three days or so you feel tired or weak, I figure it's better to do it on my days off of work. (Sun - Tues) My goal is to lose 10-16 lbs by September 3rd :help: I hope all works out ok.

Thanks! I will try this one out. It's good to hear that it does get easier. I know that the first few days it is the hardest. I am going to start on Sunday since I have off Sunday, Monday,Tuesday and don't go back until afternoon on Wednesday. I am hoping I will have my energy back by then.

Hi all... I am from Sac and in preparation to be banded in South San Francisco in the next 2-3 months at Kaiser. I look forward to chatting with people from my area that are in similar situations.

Dog attack??? What happened? It wasn't bad was it?

Hey all hope all is well! JC - I am still praying for you, no matter what you are going to be great! Chrispygal - You look GREAT! You should be so proud of yourself! Sugar1 - Welcome, I am going through a divorce myself. Have been seperated originally since 2001 we tried to get bacjk together to work it out one year later but that only lasted 9 months, until I left again. We first got together when I was in high school and he is 7 years older than I am. I had our daughter when I was 17 and we got married when I was 21. We seperated when I was 24. So I myself didn't know anything about dating either, so I knida know where you are coming from. I am 30 now and am actually looking to settle down again, I would love to get married and have more children someday, especially since my baby is almost 13 now :cry. Keep your head up, we are all here for support! Manatee - I agree with Chrispygal - Meet up for lunch, or after work coffee or drinks. That is light and you can conversate. As for me - I am HAPPY and NERVOUS! I got a call today that my surgeon had a cancellation and is able to see me on September 4th instead of September 27th to reevaluate me to see if I have lost enough weight to schedule me for the surgery. I started on November 14th at 416 lbs. as of today at the doctors office I am down to 391 lbs. I have to lose at least 10-16 more lbs before September 4th (that is why I am nervous) and then I might have to lose another 15 lbs. before the surgery. :omg:

Welcome Whosyadaddy! I have been a diet soda addict myself for the last 3 years, that is hard for me to give up myself but I am down to about 3 a week now max. I have been drinking alot of water lately and that is not so bad. Every once in a while I get a craving for something with flavor so I get a crystal light for my water bottle and I only have about 7 or 8 a week. I myself was 416 when I had my orientation weigh in on November 14th,2006. As of today I am 391lbs at the doctor's office. I have to lose about 31 more lbs before I can have my surgery. Shelli16415 - I want to try the liquid diet you started how much of each thing are you suppossed to have each day and what is your total calorie intake suppossed to be? I just found out today that my surgeons office had a cancellation and he will be able to see me sooner. I was scheduled to go on September 27th and now I am going to see him on September 4th. So I have to try and lose 10-15 lbs before I see him. That way he can schedule the surgery, hopefully in October or sooner. :whoo: