iluvlongnecks

I haven't been on here for some time now, but thought because I got my surgery date yesterday that I should get back on here and talk to you all incase I need some support and advice. You all are a great support group and I need to be in touch. I'm getting banded on April 21st.:tt2: Now that I have a date, I think I'm a little nervous.:frown: Is that normal? I've wanted this for so long and have jumped through the hoops that have been required to get it ....now I'm having thoughts of ....am I doing the right thing? I woke up this morning at 4 am and couldn't shut my head off to go back to sleep, just thinking about all this. Don't get me wrong...I'm doing it! Just want to know if what I'm feeeling is a bit normal. GOSH! I can't believe it's going to happen this month! Looking forward to being among all you bandsters.:thumbup:

Oh I'm going to go through with it and I look forward to being healthier and maybe getting off the stupid CPAP machine. I hate that thing, but I have to sleep with it because of my sever sleep apnea. I know my husband love me to sleep next to me with that God awful mask on every night. I'm feeling a bit better this morning after just writing earlier and will start to go out and purchase what I need for after the surgery. I think I was just a little nervous as I went to see the surgeon yesterday and wasn't thinking that I'd get a surgery date, just put on the surgery waiting list......no waiting, just got it! Wasn't expecting that at all! Congrats! on your April 10th surgery date.

My sleep study was the oddest thing because they made me stay up all night and then had me come in to do it in the morning. I had the hardest time trying to stay awake all night and finally dozed off for alittle while sitting up on the couch. By the time I got there at 7am to do the study I was so tired that I had no problem going to sleep and never woke up till they woke me up at 3:00 that afternoon. It was the weirdest thing. They hooked up all those wires to me and left me on a bed and the next thing I knew I was out.

Hi everyone it's been a while since I've been on this site and I kinda got off track from all the waiting to hear back from SF about my next appointment. I lost the 20lbs that they wanted me to lose and evn lost a coupke more, but then the holidays came and I gained 3 back. I have managed to maintain that lost so far. I finally got my next appointment for Feb 25th and have another one on March 13th.....I guess this is the beginning of many appts. of encouragement to get myself back on track with the diet and walking.....I've been a slacker and can't seem to get motivated again. I'm hoping that my appt will get me in the lapband mode again .

It's been a couple months since I've been on here and posted anything. Let me first say that I went to my orientation on 9/11 in SF and was told that it would be another 16 weeks till I got my next appt. and they told everyone in the room that we had to lose 20 lbs.....I lost the 20 lbs in 12 weeks, but now that I've been going through the holidays and with all the sweets that go with it, I think I've gained about 3-4 lbs YIKS! I was doing a lot of walking and have slacked off of that too with all the colder weather we've had and my knees starting to bother me. It will 16 weeks on Jan 11th and I have not recieved any word in regards to my next appt.....so I'm thinking that I should give thema call here pretty soon and look into whats going on in regards to that. I surely don't want them to forget about me. I'm not in such a rush as I was before due to the fact that my family just learned that my step-mother, who I am close to has cancer and will not have long to live. My husband and I are moving my parents in with us, as we have in-law quarters. Moving them here to Sacramento from Oregon will make it easier for all of us kids to help take care of her. She is the one person who totally supported my decision to go through with getting the lap band and now she won't be here to see it happen and to see me lose the weight that I so want to lose.

I am just getting started with this whole process, but made the decision to have the lap band due to the same reason you are discribing. My BMI is 39 and I have sever sleep apnea along with the other health issue's that go with being over weight. I researched:ranger: this procedure for over a year before I made up my mind that it was what I wanted to help me keep the weight off once and for all. This web site is great and you'll get all the answers to any questions you may have and lots of support :nervous

Vicky, I been keeping up the walking!! but cheated a little bit on the diet this last weekend. I figure I'll be okay since I still have 13 weeks till they schedule my next appt. I can already feel the difference in my pants, I'm able to wear a couple pair of jeans that I couldn't wear before because they were to tight and uncomfortable. Hope your doing well,

I'm pretty proud of myself this week, I have walked 3 miles every day this week so far and plan to do it again tomorrow. I also weighed myself and I'm hopeing my scale is correct and if it is, then I have lost 11 lbs in 2 weeks. :whoo: I've been really working hard at this, so when you see that it's working, it feels really good.....no it feels great! I wore a pair of pants that I out grew over the summer this week and they are no longer skin tight and unbreathable.:nervous My co-worker is also seeing Dr Alami, she is seeing him on Oct 2nd. She's keeping her fingers crossed that he gives her the thumbs up for surgery. They wanted her to lose 30 lbs and she's lost 27. She was leaning towards the Gastric Bypass, but decided this last weekend that she wants the band. I told her about this website and it helped her make up her mind. This website is wonderful, I love it! Happy to hear that your past your plateau and I think it did help to change your eating time. I try to eat around 5 and then I go for a walk. I've been walking after every meal :hungry:....I want to burn off those calories that I just took in, if you know what mean.

Hey Vicky, Did you set up the bowflex and get started on the routine you were wanting to start? You gotta set your mind to doing it! I've been walking 3 miles every day so far and plan to keep it up. I have to attend a retirement party on Sat. and I'm nervous about that, as I don't want to be to tempted to eat some of the munchies that I'm sure that will be there. Their serving dinner there, so I'll just have to make good choices when making my plate and keep the amounts small.:hungry: I hope they have a lot of salad dishes and a veggie tray.

I arrive to work about 50 min early and work at a school, so I walk the track before school starts and then do it on my 15 min break and then again on my lunch break. I eat my lunch with the kids, so that leaves my 1/2 hour lunch break for walking. I use to sit on the computer during that time, but not any more.....it's walk, walk, walk. I've also been walking around my neighborhood and the tread mill at home....well, I've used the tread mill twice! Well, gotta go and walk before school starts! :heh:

One week into doing this pre-op diet hasn't been all that bad. I've been walking alot. Did 3 miles yesterday and want to try and make a habit to walk after each meal if I can. If my next appt isn't till another,... what 14 weeks, I think I'll be able to be down the 20 lbs that they told all of us to drop. BOY! ....do I have a long wait till that next appt comes up. I just want to lose the 20 lbs ASAP and then maintain that till I go to my appts in 14 weeks......I really don't know why they sent me the letter to have all my lab work done before I'd even gone to the orientation, then tell us then it would be 16 weeks before our next appt. CRAZY HUH?.......Oh well...if I have to do all the lab work,EKG and Xrays again....I have to do it again! Whatever it takes right?

Kaiser in San Francisco started doing the lapband in Feb. I just went to my oreination on Tuesday and now have a 16 week wait till I get my next appt. It's going to be a long process, but I can wait. Starting the pre-op diet on Monday to lose 20lbs......have 16 wks to do tho.

Oh......sorry I forgot.....CONGRATS on your 50. You go girl!!!!!

Good question! How do others reward themselves. My family usually goes out to dinner also, but if it's going to be a reward for me than I'd like some ideas too. Look forward to hearing everyones suggestions.......presents do sound good tho!

Welcome EdieT, This site is very helpful and can answer alot questions. Everyone on it is very supportive. I too am just getting started. I have completed all the requested lab work and tests and now will be going to my orientation on Tues. From what I understand I'll will have other appts to follow before I actually see the surgeon. I tried Weight watchers and other diets too, only to gain it back and then some.....I researched WLS for over a year and finally took the step to get it started by going to my pcp. I feel that I have made a good choice in getting the LB and after finding this site it only confirmed my decision was the right one. There are alot of good people out here in Bandster Land as you will learn.

Okay everybody......starting this Tues., you ALL will have a good reason to remember 9/11. Myself will be just starting my journey with going to SF for my orientation on 9/11. I can't wait till I'm at the point your at and on my way to being thinner and healthier. My thoughts will be with all of you on Tuesday......happy thoughts! :whoo: :bounce: :clap2: :nervous

Tazz and Sharon2u, Congrats to starting your journey on Mon and Tues. Your both very lucky to be finally to this point....I'm just getting started with a orientation on Tues. 9/11. I've done all my lab work, chest x-ray and the EKG....now for the oreintation.

Having the support of your wife is a good thing. I'm happy that my hubby is supporting me and going with me on the first part of my journey this Tues. to the orientation. Keep us all informed .......congrats!! You lucky dog you!

April, I found where I got that list from...go to: Lap band FAQs and References and then you see the sticky post-op checklist-Things to have before surgery. Again, I hope this helps. I will be waiting for the day that I can go out and start buying the things I'll need for after my surgery.

April, Here is a list of things to get before surgery that I had found on one of the threads awhile back and had jotted it down in a journal for future use.... heating pad flexable ice packs liquid tylenol (adult strength) chewable or liquid gas-x books & movies squishy pillow for car ride sports bra, no underwire for few days Protein shakes flavored Water broth sugarfree popsicles sugarfree gum (ask dr) sugarfree breathmints (ask dr.) Ask pre-op for pain meds- so you can order ahead of time. Can order liguid at Walgreens but takes 3 days Hope this may be of some help, if I come across anything else I'll let you know.

I bet your going to be sitting on pins and needles waiting for them to call with the date. It's gotta be comforting to just know that the surgeon has given the go head and your just waiting for them to call to set up the date......your there girlfriend, it's right around the corner now. I go for my orientation on Tuesday and thats just a start for me, but you give me hope that I need to be patient and it will come soon enough. I wonder with my BMI (37-38) being smaller if their going to put me on a pre-op diet or not. Have you started buying things to prepare for after the surgery? I saw somewhere on another thread a list that someone put together of the things to get before having surgery. Have you seen this?

SWEET! Congratulations on your surgery date! :whoo: Your almost there and then you'll truly be on your way to a new you. I can't wait till I'm at that point of having a actual surgery date. It must be a wonderful feeling to know that it's really going to happen. I can only image the excitment you felt driving all the way home. I'm very happy for you! :biggrin1: :bounce: :clap2:

I have one week till I go for my orientation....finally!!!!:clap2: This will be the beginning to my journey and hopefully a start to being banded. I'm just wondering how long it will be before they can get me in for my psyc. eval. :eek: From what I'm reading here, it may be awhile! Well this week should go by fast since it's only a 4 day work week and maybe then I'll get an idea of when my psyc. eval. will be. My husband plans to go with me to the orientation and from what I read in the letter is that space may be limited and he may not be able to go into the orientation with me.....did any of you take some one with you and were they able to go in with you? I haven't told him that theres a possiablity that he won't be able to...he's been so supportive I hate to tell him. :kiss

Sorry April It's taken me so long to respond back to you. With school just starting and all I've been really busy. It sounds as tho I'll be making a few more trips down to SF after my orientatrion, but thats okay! We do what we gotta do to get what we want. Hows the weight loss coming along? Your follow up date is coming up, I hope you get good news and that sounds like a good idea about asking about being put on a cancellation list. I'm sure their are those who reschedule for a later date. Good luck with that and keep me informed.

I guess I am one of the lucky ones because I have not had ANY negativity from anyone. My co-workers are supporting me and my family has been great. It was one of my daughters who pushed me to see if I was a candidate.....and shes now is thinking of giving the lapband a try after she has another baby.