nanajo

One more suggestion Hotwire .com. We needed to get tickets from Austin Baltimore for a funeral a couple of weeks ago and tired several of the different discount websites, like Priceline and Expedia and they were running about $430 for roudn trip. We got one on Hotwire for $244.

Hi, Time2bandme. I was banded on Wednesday am too. I am also having trouble getting the minimum amount of fluids down, but just sipping all the time. I find it hard to swallow, whether it is just water, or somethign else. Just about the time the fluid goes down, my esophagus tigthens up and it feels like I have an air bubble. But it goes down and I just keep sipping. This may also be partly due to a large hiatal hernia repair that they also had to do. I am just trying to get a little in at a time and try to have some of the things that I sip have some nutritional value to them, like I had one protein drink yesterday and this morning had an Instant Breakfast made with low fat milk. The rest has been the usual water , jello and popsicles. Of course it depends on what your doc said to have during this stage. It took me 30 minutes to drink 8 oz, but it seems to be working. This morning when I woke up, I knew, before I got out of bed, that I was a little better today. We are healing and it takes time. Just hang in there. MJ

Thanks for agreat post. It was interesting and bought up a couple of questions I am going to ask my surgeon.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about how I will need to replace food in my life. I am going to need to explore some new avenues to replace my stuffing my face all day. I get up in the morning and think about what food my day holds. I have some interests I have never delved into, and that is one thing I have thought of. My routine has been to come home from work, lie down exhausted and eat the restof the evening. Now I need to walk and then fill my life with new things. It is not like I believe that I will never enjoy food again, but my life can't revolve around it. Does anyone identify with this, and what have you thought of to replace the obession with food. My surgery date is April 23. Yipppeee.

Today the surgeon's office called and gave me the big date. April 23rd. I am both excited and a little scared. But I have been preparing for two months, doing lots of journaling, even writing some poems about my feelings. Not that I am a poet, but the ones I have seem to express things I have been trying to say. Hubby is very supportive, but I know he is tired of my talking about the band. I am glad I have you and my journal. I am espcailly looking for things that will replace stuffing my face while reading book. What do you all do to replace eatng in your life?

I am preband and getting my date tomorrow. I have been working for a few months on ways that I can cope with Head Hunger, trying to find ways to replace my reading/eating activity with other things. One of them is journaling. Right now I am focusing on the reasons that I want to do this. I have also written some poetry and I found that the few I have done exactly express what I want to say on the subject at hand. And they are things I have always needed to say. Of course one person's poetry is another person's garbage. so I am not so sure anyone else would read get the same thing that I meant in my writing. Anyway it has great meaning to me and an outlet for my heart. I was wondering if anyone else is using journaling or wiritng to help them in their journey.

My husband and children gave me a wonderful surprise and bought a ticket for me to fly to Chicago to see my grandson for Easter. It is going to be a very short trip, but I am excited about seeing him. I will be flying tomorrow and returning Sunday evening. On both of those days I have to walk down the aisle of the plane with my 262 lbs and try to sit in the 17 inch wide seat. I will ask one of the employees for a seat belt extension, and the response can vary from very gracious to obviously annoyed. Once I was going to take off and land without a seatbelt because I did not want to ask again When drinks or refreshments are served I will say no , because I can't pull my tray all the way down. If there is someone next to me, I will scrunch up into a ball,and ride for over two hours, trying to take up as little space as possible. Tonight I am sitting her really anxious about the flights. I have never gone on United and hope they are not one of the ones that make you buy twoi seats. My pre-ops are next Wednesday and I was thinking that this will be the last time I go through this. What makes it worthwhile is a certain little two year old boy who is waiting for me.

Thaks, losingjusme. A blog is something I might try. I have never done one, but I think I would enjoy it. I am a writer at heart and it is nice to be taking time to do it.

I really appreciate everyone's comments about sagging skin. I worry about it all the time and I am soon to be banded. No date, but I have had my pre-ops and will get a date on April 8. I too will probably not be able to pay for it myself and my insurance does not do cosmetic surgery, unless it is medically nesessary. I am 61, and know from exeprience that I will look llike deflated balloon that has been blown up for a long time with too much air. It has been one thing that has been discouraging when I lost weight before. It really is our health that counts. I applaud the people who ae getting it, don't get me wrong, but for me, health has to be enough and isn't that the most important thing? Congratulations to everyone!!!

My thoughts for anyone who tells you they know a horror story about someone's experience with the Band: I know LOTS of people with horror stories due to carrying an extra hundred pounds on their bodies.

Thanks Missy. I do love that boy!

Thank you Sharon for the encouragement. I know I am going to be working very hard on this new life, which I call The Fight of My Life. After a cd that I have. The first song ends with " I am READY for the Fight of My Life."

I wrote earlier that I was waiting for the process to even begin, but when it started, it went fast. I saw the surgeon, and the next day they sent it to Tricare, and it was approved by the next morning! I have my pre-op next week and surgery will be sometime in mid April. I am working things out with my job, so I asked to wait that long. One thing that the surgeon said was a little disappointing. He said that many people over 50, and I am 61, lose less weight than others. He kept giving examples like. " You are not as active as a 20 year old." Well, duh!! He said 40% of my goal would be considered success.. But in my mind I am going for the gold, and the heck with that 20 year old. My main fear is that I will play all the games with myself that I have played before with food. It is almost unreal that I am having this surgery, and I consider it a blessing. I plan to use this blessing, but still there is that side of myself that I don't quite trust yet. I went to a support group at a hospital last Thursday, and got some good information. Then we broke up into groups, Lap Band and Bypass. Since I was a new person, they answered a lot of questions, but the LEADER of the group, said "You can cheat too, by eating ice cream." :confused2: Well that is not what I needed to hear. I guess it takes all kinds. Mary Jo

Ordinarily Tricare does not pay for PS of any kind, but might if it is medically necessary. Has anyone gotten them to pay for anything? This is really silly to ask right now because I have not even been banded now, but the loose skin when I have lost weight in the past has always been so demoralizing to me.

I just got approved by Tricare. I saw the surgeon on March 4th at Southwest Bariatrics and they submitted it to Tricare yesterday. Last night I checked Humana South and it was approved.

I had my first visit with the surgeon Tuesday and I was very surprised when the nurse told me that I would not be on a liquid diet for the two weeks pre-op, but on a low carb diet. I have not gotten the details yet, but I thought everyone did a liquid diet. I am using Southwest Bariatirc in Austin. Has anyone else just had a low carb diet? I was both dreading it and hoping it woud jumpstart my weight loss. Guess I could do it anyway, but I was just curious whether anyone has done the low carb before surgery.

Mindy, Would it be okay for me to come if I have not been banded yet? I am waiting for my appoitment at Southwest Bariatric on March 4. It has seemed like forever, but I am on my way.

I am 61 and live in Austin, Texas. I am waiting for Southwest Bariatrics to get the news that Tricare is now paying for the lap band. Their Patient Advocate said that they had heard it, but have not received anything official, so they will not see me until they get the information. I am doing a lot of reserch on lap banding because I am fairly new to the idea. I thought about gastric bypass, but it was just too scary. I am really interestied in reading posts on this thread becuase I AM 61 and have several serious health problems.

I have an insulin pump, which has given me excellent control, but I take a hefty dose of insulin. I heard tonight that my endo will have to help with the pump and I will have top work very closely with her, which makes sense. I am just wondering how that is from anyone who has done it.

Wow, Serenissima, you have come a long way. Congratulations!! I have loved the pump, because my A1C is 5.5. But my insilin resistance is so high, that I have a 24 hour basal rate of 3.5 units per hour ( 24 hrs a day), plus 15-25 units when I eat. The problem with using that much insulin is that it encourages your body to store fat right around the middle. Thanks for the encouragement. I have my first visit with the surgeon on March 4. Tricare has already approved the Lap Band, so I am on my way. Scary but very exciting as well. I am 61, so I appreciate a comment from someone my age. Mary Jo

After being sooooo excited that Tricare would pay for the LB, I am having a tremendous problem getting the woman who does referrals in my PCM's office to send the doggone referral to Tricare. I call Tricare every day, and then call her. I asked for the referral on January 25. and the PCM totally approves. I talked to her today and she said that Tricare had sent her something, but she had not had time to look at it. Funny thing: two days ago, I asked for a routine referral to my Cardiologist and Endocrinologist. They are already approved! Tricare absolutely swears nothing had been sent on the LB. Today I called the Bariatric surgeon's office and asked their patient advocate to call the PCM. Hopefully it will have some effect. Anyway, I made an appoinment with my PCM for Monday and I am going to figure out what is going on. Mary Jo :thumbup:

I just got approved today and I can tell you I am so excited. Having a lap will be great. My grandson, who is two, went to sit on my lap at Thanksgiving and he couldn't find place to sit. He got down and gave me this little confused smile, but it made a big impression on me.

I live in Austin and I am definitely interested in meeting other people who are on the Journey with me. I shoudl get a date in the next week or so. I will keep watching this thread.

think it should definitely be your decision. I'm friendly, but not real close to anyone in my office, mostly because I am so very busy. I had decided to keep my LB a secret, But today I thought about it and thought "what do I have to be ashamed of?" I am sure there are those who have already judged me for weighing 264 at 5'2", not that they knew the actual numbers. So if I am taking this very brave step, I decided I'm not hiding it like a dirty little secret. I am doing it for me.I told the other case manager today and I educated her on the various phases of recovery etc. And for those whom I choose to tell, I will educate them too. When I told my case manager, she said that she realized it was a huge step and she applauded courage and determination. Of course it remains a very individual thing, not only based on your work environment , but on how you feel about disclosure. It is definitely your right to choose.

Opps posted to the wrong thread.