heyhon63

there is no expectations as far as weight goes. What they really are wanting to do is to weed out the people who are looking for a quick fix. Someone who is will to stick to a diet for six months isn't looking for the quick fix.

Hey Toots:eyebrows: Didn't think I forgot did you! How is the quit smoking going. I hope you really did quit. I am here if you need some support. It is a hard journey the second hardest thing I have ever done. The hardest is loosing weight. I use to say that smoking was the hardest., until I realized that I hadn't yet lost my weight LOL Let me know how it is going.

FSC I seen your post on the before and after and you look so good! You are an Inspiration to me. Your before pick is very much how I look know. I plan on having a TT done when it is all said and done. I don't need any implants these bad boys are too big as is maybe a good lift to put them back up were they once were. LOL You look great girl Stiches and all!!:clap2:

I hear ya ghostbuster. I am self employed but I will have to tell my clients something. I am just going to tell them I am having surgery and it is private and hopefully they will respect that. I have one that is more of a friend and I told her and she is very very supportive. But I am picking and choosing who I tell. I don't think it will bother me, once it is done. But I just don't want to hear everyone input on it. I don't need to hear if you think I can do it on my own or not. Or just start walking or do this or do that. I have done my research and this is my fat ol body and this is what I think is best for me. So I haven't told many people not even all of my brothers and sisters or my wonderful in laws and I do mean that. LOL Only my one sister (who is the one who open the door on this whole thing), my hubby of course, my son (who I heard crap from about it, so he now is out of the loop and I won't talk to him about it anymore) and my best friend of 20 yrs. Thats all. Once weight comes off I may or may not tell them. I really think this is a personal choice and I don't need to tell the whole world my wieght issues. Plain and simple : )

I haven't been on is a few weeks, been busy. But just wanted to share that I went to nutrionist yesterday. Just made me more pumped up. She told me that she wanted me to make my appointment to see the surgion. I hadn't done it yet because I still have to finish my 6 mths diet and therpist. But she was so impressed with how well informed I am and I how I have all my ducks in a row, she said to make it. She works hand in hand with the sergion. So I see him next Friday.:whoo:I have to and did give the credit to this wonderful board and all the help and answers I get from on here. Thank you Thank you!

Yaaa Toots I am so proud of you! I know it is scary but you can do this!! I have not set a date yet. I am still working on my 6 mths diet. I can't wait!! I am scared too. But just think how great we will feel, and we will be in much better shape and to full of energy to think about food or smokes!

I haven't had mine done yet but mine said NO smoking. You can do this. It is very scary to think about not smoking, but you are taking this step (the band) to improve your health. Smoking does so many bad things to you...take this step also to improve your health. You will be surprised how much better you feel. It kind of scares me to think of some of the things I will miss or the things I won't be able to have as often or as much when I get banded. But I know it will be sooo worth it. Please quit for you and your heart!! You can come here for all the support you need!

Hi all Just wanted to put my two cents in here. I have been an ex smoker since 2001. I made a promise to my son by the time he started middle school I would give it a whole hearted effort. I tried zyban. Was on that for two days, and had heart pelpatations and I ended up having a panic attack. I thought nope not for me. So I replaced my smokes with hard candy (little sweet tart hearts coated in a candy like shell). They were sugery but not high in fat. I bought them by the bulk and for the first two week went through bags. I carried them everywhere I went. After the first two weeks it became easier. The cravings were still there, but It just became easier after two weeks. I guess that is how long your body needs to get through the withdrawls, I don't know. I ended up not needing the candy as much. About two months I was off for the candy. Maybe little longer, but I didn't have to have it in my mouth constantly. Oh also I changed my habits that drew me to have that smoke. Like after dinner, instead of lighting up, I got up right away and started cleaning dinner up. I just changed my routine. Now some people thought I was being silly for eatting all that candy. They said you are going to gain so much weight. I didn't gain any (from quit smoking anyways:)) I guess because I kept busy. But I figure I am already fat the smokes are going to kill me, the fat I will worry about later. Good Luck

:oWow really sorry for all the errors in my above response.

The first thing I did was go to the LapBand website LAP-BAND® - Home That is were I started. Just register and look around on there. There is a place to put your zip and it will tell you Dr and seminar in your area. Next I call my insurance company, to make sure that covered. She gave me a brief discription of what I would need. She is the one who told me to call my PCP. The Dr. I will be seeing has a webpage so I got alot of info from there too. I went to see my PCP and then went to the seminar. I just go my questioner from my sergion today. I guest that is differnt for each sergion, because I heard on here some had to fill out a questioner before the seminar, I didn't. Also at the seminar is were I got the info for the dieticain and theripst. But my pcp dr has me on a deit. So the dieticain is just to help prepare me for life with the band. Just take it one day at a time. Before you know it you are well on your way. Two weeks ago I had 101 question, even after I went to see my pcp. The big helper for me was the seminar. Check out that website! Good Luck

Great suggestion! that is the first I heard that one. It makes sence. If something isn't going agree with you and you've eatten most of your food before you realize it, it too late. Thank YOU :clap2:

Hi Kelder, Welcom!! I haven't been banded yet, I am a little a head of you. The first thing I did was call my ins company. I don't know if you out paying out of pocket or ins. But that was actully the second thing I did. The first was to go to the Lap Band website and register. There I found alot of info and located the Dr.s in my area and from there I pick my Dr., then I call my ins company. On the web site is a place were you can find the nearest Seminar (which my dr and most I think insist you go) I did that last Wednesday Oh yea start your supervised diet!!! It is all over whelming to me on somedays, but I just take one step at a time and check it of the list when done. This is a great board, I learned most of my info from here. Infact at the seminar when people were asking questions I was answering in my head,because I already knew them from spending hours on here. Take care Good luck and hope to talk to you soon

Ok I have a question that I might be sorry I asked. In the above link of list of things you may need post op, as you scroll down and look at other peopls in put...there is toliet tongs!!!! DO I DARE ASK???:nervous:eek:

I use to be on the fence too, until I came to this site. The other one I used alot of complaining and just a real downer. But here there is a good mix and for the people who are having question and troubles there is alot of positive feed back, support and help. I try and learn from the problems others are having. Like I know now after I get banded and get put on solids, I will chew and chew and chew. Because I don't want my food to get stuck. I would have learned that the hardway. There is a posting on here somewhere about the importants of following all the rules the DR gives you. I printed it out! From what I have seen banding is a postive thing. I don't know personaly yet, but I have not had one person tell me they wish they HADN'T done it. But ultimately you have to do what is best for you!! Good Luck!

I just went to my seminar last Wednesday. One thing that Dr. Singh said about Lapband vs bypass is that Lapband is a much slower process. Now I haven't been banded yet, so I can't tell my personal weightloss, but I picked banded over bypass for a few reasons. One it isn't as invasive and becasue it is a slower weight loss. I have no health issues. Yes I would love to snap my fingers and have my weight gone. But my hope with the band and the slower weightloss is tha I will have the chance to really break my old ways and that I will have a chance to tone up as I am loosing weight so I won't have as much hang.

Wow Roxanne that is incredible! St. agnis offer support groups too, they highly recommend you attend them before and after. I am so excited, hearing from others, like yourself really makes me look foward. Thank you so much for the support. Hi Tex, I am not real sure on my6 month diet will work. Because I have doing WW which my DR suggested. But I that was before I decided on the lapband. So I don't know exactly what she has been writing in my chart because we were doing this because I needed to loose weight and I had tried every thing else. But I do go and see her every month. My weight loss has been so slow and that is why I decided to use the lapband. So when I go back to my next pcp appt. in sept, I will find out exactly what is what. I will keep you posted and you keep me posted:whoo:

Hi all I join yesterday made my mind up last week to get banded. I have to get a referal from my MD. I know that won't be a problem, because she suggested bypass last year but I wouldn't even think about it. I am need to loose a 110- 120 lbs. I already talked to my insurance company and they told me some of the stuff I will need to do. So hopefully it will all go quickly. I am so excited. I have never had anything like this done. The only time I have been in the hospital is to have my son. I was in and out in 24 hrs I had it in the back of my mind maybe 5 days down and that would be it. Now after reading everything. I will plan for longer and if it is sooner good for me. I have my dr appt Friday....STEP 1

Thanks to the both of you! I went to the seminar last night. Got alot of info, some I already knew from this board:biggrin1: The Cordinator had bypass done 8 yr ago so she knew all the heart achs and ups and downs. The Dr. was so funny, nice guy. Got alot of my questions answered. I don't feel quite so confused on many things. I guess my next step is to call the Dr and they will send out my packet and I have to see a therapist and a dietician. :bounce:

Yep I went to the seminar last night. Very got alot of info and Once I call the dr. they will send me a packet to fill out.

LOL That's funny about the egg. I bet it was the best egg in the world!! Thanks for you answers and your support!! I agree with you on the board. I have been given more info then any were else! Alot of support and Care too, its great!

I have a few question on nutritionists and therapist. I know some may have differnt answers but any info would be good. I haven't set an appointment to see my sergion yet because it states right on his website that I shouldn't even call until I have completed five steps he has listed. 1. making sure you meet the criteria (check) 2. call ins co. to check coverage (check) 3. make sure sergion uses my ins or be willing to pay out of pocket (check) 4. dieticaian and psychologist (not check) 5. fill out all forms and organize (working on) so you see the only thing I haven't really wrapped my brain around is the nutritionists and therapist. Is the therapist the one that has you fill out the questioners and do you just go to the nutritionist to chat so she knows that you understand the way you should be eatting and that is just a tool on your weight lost. Because the nutritionts charges $125 I can do that Once but I don't think I can afford that for the next 6 months. Same with the therapy. Can anyone tell their experience. I have Cigna if that helps. Thank you all

Thanks Jack, that is what I was hoping. My insurance cover alot of things but nutritionists is not one of them. So did you have to keep up with the dietician or just until they felt like you understood what you were doing?

I had heard the same thing about cigna. My Dr. is so behind me. And the same with you she has talked to me for 5 yrs about my weight. And she is the one that really pushed me to do weight watchers. So that is what I have been doing. I wasn't doing it as a part of the band. This was before I even thought about the band. The band just came up maybe two months ago by my sister. So I looked into it. So I am not real sure how detailed her records are on me. When I go back I will talk to her more about it. But she didn't seem to concern about having to be on a Supervised diet for 6 mths as a big deal. So I am hoping that means she has the info. Did you talk to Cigna to find out exactly what you needed. Or did your Dr? This is the part that is confusing me. I really don't know who to go to. I keep track of all my food in a note book (because I count points) so I am hoping that will be helpful. That also keeps track of my exercise because when I exercise I get to add pts back. So I have kept a detail record. Keeping my fingers cross.

Wow congrat! Maybe you can help me a little here. I have alot of question and no answers. I registered for the seminar for this wed. (very excited) but i have read some people talking about a questionar before the seminar. Did you have to do that or have you heard of it? Also did you use a nutritionists or your regular Dr. Mine has have me on W.W. and I am hoping that this will count. I am so excited! I even look forward to the stages of the food. I know it sounds silly and I am sure I will regret saying that, but that ok LOL

by the way congrats on your 15 lbs. I so can't wait:whoo: