giveyouthemoon

Hey Beth! Yeah, you hit on my number one scaredy point. I'm going in on Thursday, just TWO days away and I'm really worried about the anesthesia. Like DtDtKty I'm pretty sensitive to meds so I worry about this. I did have anesthesia once in high school and all went well then, so I'm holding hope that this will be the same. For now I'm just concentrating on how important this whole process is. Also, as for the testing...think of it this way....this is setting a baseline for you so that when you are banded you'll be able to know how far you've come!! The testing is not that bad, yeah a bit of a pain in the heiney, but not terrible. Just get it done! Look as it as necessary steps to get you where you want to be. Welcome to the boards!!!!!!!

Oh....well that's an idea. I guess I'm already so worried about how much I put in my mouth that you're right, this may be the issue. Good advice DtDtKty! lol, so simple and yet tough for me to grasp. I'm really getting revved up about my surgery on Thursday!!

Holy crap! I only have one day Clear Liquids only before my surgery! I think I may abuse someone on that day! The Protein shake lasted well with me and maybe if I go home after work and do another (I do half the serving size when I have one) and maybe I can endure. The soup didn't last long in me at all so I'm a little frantic this afternoon. Like La Madame, my surgeon ONLY required one day liquids, but I want to be in this mode going into surgery so it's not having to adapt AND deal with post-op. Okay, thanks for saying that...I think I needed to hear it put in that perspective!!!

Thanks La Madam! WOWOWOW great success, you are seven pounds from goal. LOOK AT YOU!!!!!! Huge congrats on that!!

Coffee is actually REALLY hard on the ol' tummy....VERY acidic. I gave it up a while ago and am surprised that doctors are saying it's okay. It's really hard on the tum plus caffeine.

Yeah, that is what I was looking at but it ends back in March 2004 and no updates since. Wonder what is going on with her lately?

I saw a photo of Carnie Wilson in last week's People mag and she just had a baby. It was a terrible picture but it showed she has gained quite a bit of weight back (not all), but then again, it is post baby weight so perhaps she'll lose that back soon enough. She JUST barely had her baby. I was looking for Ann Wilson info just last night (funny this topic came up) and found no updates past March of 2004 where she had lost 50 lbs.

I've heard several people mention a heating pad. I don't know what it's for but I'm going to get one this weekend. Does it feel good on the port site? Or just help general achyness? How specifically are you using it? Thanks for the good wishes for my surgery! I appreciate. You sound like you are doing SO well. How goes the liquids only? I think right now that would make me nutty but I'm thinking post surgery it may not be so bad since the ol' tummy needs time to heal.

Hey Keri....my surgery is Thursday (23rd) so I'm both excited and scared! Just six days until I get my band. Your story helped me! Thanks for speaking up. I'm worried how I'll do but I feel better hearing you say it went really easy. THANK YOU!! And congrats on your band!!!!

As asked my doctor specifically if I had to diet before surgery and he said no (I have a BMI of 47). They wanted me to "try" to lose weight and not to gain weight but it wasn't a limiting factor. I think it depends a lot on the surgeon and the health of the patient. I'm a very healthy fat person so that may have played a factor in this.

I talked it over with my regular doctor first to see what options I had that would be covered under insurance. Also to see if she had any big issues or concerns. She didn't know much about the Lap Band so I did a ton of research, then found a local surgeon and went there next.

How long ago was your surgery. If it was recent, like the past two weeks, it could be your body still getting rid of the anesthesia. My doctor said it can make you sleepy for up to two weeks after. If it's not that, then what does your blood sugar look like? Maybe you are having big dips in your blood sugar and that is making you sleepy? Does it get better if you eat something?

My heart breaks for you in this time of your loss. I know sweet Jake is in a good place where there is lots of open space to run and lots of bones to chew. Take good care of yourself as you get through this rough time.

Here's my thread on the pre-surgery shopping list....http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7338&highlight=shopping I'm excited for you!!! Post all the details, I'm excited to hear!! I'm a June Bandster too. Date set for June 23. Freaking out because I called my Dr's office today to make sure they have everything from me they need. They said I needed an letter from my primary Dr saying I'm cleared for surgery. They didn't tell me about needing that before. So now I'm FREAKING out. My Dr is on vacation and I've left a message for her backup.....but HOLY CRAP. Two weeks out is NOT the time to discover new requirements. I'm a wreck. Going to be out of town starting Thursday and so time is slim. Having to BREATHE here.....I must affirm that the backup doc will read my file and send the letter and ALL WILL BE WELL. (help me not feel like weeping!)

I would say that banding would be a lot safer for her than RNY because of the time it takes older folks to heal. I think even a band would be rough due to long healing times. I think really a doctor would have to assess the situation given her circumstances and make that choice.

I use Kaiser and they won't do lap band. They will only do a RNY. You have to have a BMI over 50 and two comorbidities (high bp, diabetes, chronic back pain, etc). My BMI was a measly 47 and I ONLY have high bp....so I'm doing self pay because Kaiser is woefully behind the times.

Wow!! What amazing progress. I'm looking closely at newly banded folks (just two weeks until I get mine!!) to see their progress! Wowowowowow! Congrats and keep going you amazing bandster!!

Okay all, I've been studiously looking at all the threads here and trying to pull out all the things it looks like I should stock up and have in house to get ready for my surgery in just about three weeks (very excited). Here's my list so far, anything to add? I'd love to hear from everyone... popsicles (any recommended brands. Should I go sugar free?) crystal light Jello (sugar free?) gatorade ensure chicken/beef/veggie broths (any good brands? should I get low sodium?) Protein powder for shakes frozen fruits for Protein Shakes Soups (tomato? Other good flavors I should consider?) liquid tylenol liquid gasx heating pad Thanks in advance for any other thoughts. I feel a little lost leading up to this so I want to be ready.

Oh my GOODNESS I'm SO HAPPY to hear that someone else has this problem!! I also cannot tolerate chromium. Remember when chromium piccolinate was THE diet supplement. That stuff made me INSANE. I have to be SUPER careful about any Vitamins or other supplements. Also have problems with most Protein Shakes. Can't tolerate caffeine...or ginsing...or kola nut....or most anything that is supposed to give energy. All the diet pills out there aren't just appetite suppression, they also all have some "boost" component that makes me NUTSO. Wow, glad to hear of another like me! Hey DeLarla, may I ask you a question? Since it seems like you are sensitive to over the counter stuff like I am, how did you handle the anesthesia in the surgery? I've never had any surgery at all and I'm a bit worried since I'm so oversensitive to medications.

Oh, while shopping today I rememberd something else. That stuff for scars, to help them heal better. I got the Curel brand. My cupboards are now STUFFED with liquids (all the stuff in my list above) along with some early mushies like pudding and instant mashed taters. It was a workout getting all of that upstairs!! lol!! I'm pretty well stocked up now. I had to get it done this weekend as I'll be traveling the next two weeks then go right into surgery. Buying all my stuff made me SO happy! It makes it real to me. I also mailed off my check to the surgeon on Friday so this is REALLY GOING TO HAPPEN!! Oh, and I got all my labwork back and sent over so I think I'm good to go. Can hardly wait now. Anything else I'm forgetting? I bow to the experts who have gone before me!! And as always very much appreciate everyone's help and support.

Sue...you mean me? Cook?? Lol, just kidding. It's a great idea and the old addage that homemade is better is always true. I don't mind the Imagine chicken broth, I've had it in the past (had a terrible stomach virus and it was all I could keep down). Maybe I could get one of my pals to cook up a chicken and give me the broth. I suspect it tasted so much better because the drippings had a little fat in it. The canned stuff ususally skims all that off. A little fat in the broth isn't a bad thing a'tall.

I am a recovering bulimic. I fully admitted it to my doctor who will be doing my band surgery and he still ok'd me. In fact, quitting purging but not able to quit binging led to massive weight gain. I now have much more control over that demon. I don't binge like I used to but I still tend to overeat. LOTS AND LOTS of obese women are bulimic. It's not only skinny girls. For me, my history of bulimia will make the band that much harder. It's going to test the bounds of this demon that lives inside of me. But the greatest part I'm looking forward to is something I read on a blog page for a person who had been banded....they said that having the band made them for the first time that they were in control of food, not the other way around. The only proven method for overcoming an eating disorder is therapy. I'm here to testify that therapy works but it takes a lot of effort from the bulimic to make it happen. There are a LOT of psychological issues behind an eating disorder. And ED is NOT only about food....it's about SO MUCH more. Food is just a symptom. So as you said in the very first post....maybe this is for a reason. Maybe it's time to face up to some issues before getting banded. Big hugs to you. You are welcome to PM me if you have any more questions.

Sweetie, if I may ask...why was your mom so upset? What were her reasons? I guess I'm a bit surprised that she'd be upset like that and not happy that this is the most amazing thing you can do for yourself. What you are doing is such a life affirming, positive thing! I'm so sorry that this was so hard on you. Don't doubt yourself or your choices. Be strong. This is but one of the many bumps in your amazing road ahead. You believing in yourself first and foremost will carry you through any storm.

Well my Dr spent a lot of time in my consultation about how the band is a tool. It's not a means to an end. It's not "I get the band then eat whatever I want and lose weight." The band takes work and by work I mean eating right for your body and exercising. The band is a tool that helps in that regard by helping you to feel fuller faster. The band can't do all the work, it won't. So no, you don't have to be on Atkins for the rest of your life, but yeah you do take a look at your balance of proteins, fats and carbs and make good choices. It seems the "sample day" listed, toast for breakfast, bologny sandwich is a lot of refined carbs, a lot of nitrates in the meat which causes problems as well. It seems just a couple tweaks and maybe a fill would get you to where you want to be.

Did I read this right? You've lost 67 lbs in two months???? Holy crap!!! Great for you!! What a difference that has to make!!