hope36ca

Hey the first step is admitting it... Congrats... Its a hard thing but its way better than denial, thats the enemy (at least it is for me). It's a new day and a new beginning. Pick yourself up, dust your self off and go for it. You can do it! Learn from it and forget about it, don't dwell on it, don't let yourself beat yourself up. We can be our worst critics. We all have bumps. This is a journey and its just a twist in the road. Have a great new day!

As insecure as my DH is, he is still quite helpful and supportive. He noticed on eBay that there is a medic alert bracelet available specifically for those with lapbands. There was no mention of actually being affiliated with the Medic-Alert organization. Does anyone have any additional info or thoughts on the matter?

Hi How are you doing after your fill? I'm doing okay. I got 2 c.c.s. I do feel restriction. I couldn't even finish my protein shake this morning. And a little food is really filling me up. Hope things went well with you. Did you book your next fill yet? I want to get mine in 2 weeks I want to be good and restricted for Christmas. Any way it was good meeting you. Good Luck and keep in touch. Hope

Hi Guys. I'm not able to attend the lunch. I'm really disappointed. I could you the support right now. This is my Ministers last day and they asked me to sing at 1:00 so there is just no way I can do it. I would really like to meet sometime in the future if you are meeting again. I connect with a woman in Belleville and one inPeterbrough and they would both love to join yous for lunch. please let me know when your doing this again. Hope

How long did your throat bother you. Mine still does. Its driving me crazy?

Hi I was banded October 12 and I guess I'm very lucky. I have had no nausea, no pain, haven't taken one pain pill, no gas (lots of farts) but not the gas pain that I've heard about. My incisions are all good no pain, no bruising. I've slept on my stomach the other night and have slept on my side since the night I got home. The night I got home from the clinic I cleaned the fridge. The worst thing that has happened is my throat is very very sore from the tubes. If it wasn't for that I would think that nothing has happened to me. I can drink fine just started full fluids and that is going well. I must say though I am experiencing quite a bit of hiccups not sure if this is normal or not, not to fun especially with a sore throat. I do feel great:). I am so happy right now. I'm looking forward to mushies soon, not that I'm hungry, I just think after 3 weeks of liquid diet and then these weeks of fluids my craving is to chew and taste food more than anything else. Any way just wanted to share that I've had a great experience so far. Wishing all those coming up next to have the same. See you on the band side! Remember to think positive and keep focused... Hope

Good Morning I was baned yesterday by Dr Yau at the TLBC. I was in and out before I knew it. No pain when I woke up. Just felt like I had done one to many sit ups. No nausea and today no gas pains or anything. I'm full of energy. I was on the pre-op diet for three weeks and lost 22 pounds. I drank the Protein shakes from the center and man they are good ( my husband and kids kept trying to have one) they were that good, no hunger pains or anything. I stuck to those three times a day instead of food I found it easier. I did have little turkey on Thanksgiving and it was my birthday the next day so I had a sip of wine. but other than that I didn't have any problems. I was actually full of energy. I think getting off the carbs was good for me. So here I'm on the band side. I had a marvelous experience. Everyone was so professional and personable. I had no problems. No pain no gas pains ( lots of farts today but better out than in they say) no nausea. I felt like I had unspent energy so last night I cleaned the fridge out. Today I'm just starting the clear fluids. I can't believe how good I feel. One thing that Id like to pass on that I found really helpful is Just before they put you out, think of something really nice like a place you went on vacation or some wonderful experience. Someone recommended it to me and it works well. I woke up full of peace and happiness, I've had 5 surgeries in my life and have always had a horrible time waking up from the anesthesia this time it was great so I though I'd pass it on. There is nothing to be nervous or scared about the hardest part was making the decision which you've done. Now the journey begins and it will be a marvelous one, one where you will find the person you were meant to be , never to be afraid to walk into a room cause you'll be the biggest or in a restaurant and hope they don't offer you a booth and best of all...This is a long journey but everyday through the hard days and the easy ones you can have perfect peace in knowing that you have made a good choice and you are one step closer to reaching you goal, you will be heathlier and happier knowing that you are a work in progress. Good luck and think good thoughts. Hope

Good evening one and all. I was banded at 8:30 this morning. I was out of the clinic by 11:30. No pain, no gas. I felt great. Just felt like I'd done one to many sit ups. I've slept pretty much all day after a 2 hour ride home. I am now awake and feeling really good , don't much like sleeping anymore. Just wanted to share for anyone coming up. I was told by the nurse that just before they put you out think of happy and pleasant thoughts and that it helps you wake up easier from the anesthesia. And it really did. I've had 5 surgeries before and this time was the easiest and best time waking up from it. There was peace and happiness, so please give it a try. We'll see how things go tomorrow. Thanks for the good thoughts and encouragement from one and all. Hope:whoo:

Thanks :clap2:Holly for the update and all your hard work, it is greatly appreciated. Tomorrow is my surgery. I'm excited and scared,I'm sure just as everyone is when it finally comes time...I have to thank all you guys who post. This website has become a regular routine for me. I feel like I know so many of you. I want people to know how much I appreciate when people open up and share. I don't think any post can be to small or ask a silly or stupid question. This forum has helped me so much in the last month and I'm so glad there are regular posts by so many of you. Together we can get through this. Thanks again for all the sharing and caring. :confused: May God Bless you all ....and I'll see you on the band side! Hope

Hi Well I'm 2 weeks pre-op and I feel pretty darn good. I'm down 20lbs :clap2:and I feel really good. I was a little grumpy:mad: on Thursday night but I got over it. I'm very excited about Friday coming up. I'm doing a big Thanksgiving meal as I have 6 children and they are all coming home plus my parents so that should be interesting. Then Tuesday is my birthday. I think I am giving my self the best present ever, my life . Question :help:is it normal to think look I'm losing weight do I really need to do this?I find myself thinking this, but in the same time I haven't been able to do it so far so why do I think I could do it now. Also i keep thinking what if I'm the one person this doesn't work on? Is it normal to have these last few thoughts??? Any way I'm looking forward to meeting you all on the 28th. Happy Thanksgiving:hungry: everyone!

Well, it will good to meet you. Where abouts do you live? I'm in Frankford. Hope

I would love to join you if I'm not imposing, I don't know any of you . I guess you will be able to pick me out as I am still very big. I should be able to have something on the menu, perhaps soup. I will be there for sure with bells on (maybe thats how you will recognize me...lol)Thanks for the invite. See you there! Hope

Hi Guys I'm new to the forum. I'm to get banded Oct 12 at TLBC. I live in the Trenton area which isn't far from Port Hope and wondering if any of you are close to Trenton. I would love to connect with people that have been banded for the support system. I'm on the dreaded 3 week pre-op diet right now. I would love to be involved in a luncheon sometime when I'm back on food. Let me know. Thanks Hope

Hi Tracey I do live in Ontario, in Belleville. I did a lot of research and I started out contacting the TLBC, and then I found the one in Mississauga and contacted them. The main deciding factor for me was I was introduced to a few people who have had the band for 5 and 7 years and have maintained goal for many years who still goes for fills and unfills to help them maintain their weight. TLBC have unlimited fills and refills where the other has a five year and then you pay. I figure I've paid enough and that this is a life time journey for me. I am only 43 and hope to have a long life, so I am sure it will be a forever thing to keep under control. The one girl I met just went on a cruise a few weeks ago and has no fill since she hit goal, but put on 10 pounds so she came right back got a fill and is dealing with right away. That is living smart and being in control. I've met Dr. Yau and others at the clinic and it was just right for me. I felt confident with Dr. Yau's ability and his plain simple truth. He was very personable which is unusual for a surgeon. Those were the reasons I went that way. I've not heard any thing bad about the other clinic in fact lots of good, it just felt better to me. I hope that helps. Good Luck!!! Hope

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I too hhave been feeling this from my husband. I'm do to be banded in two weeks and I can tell he is feeling insecure. I tell him every day that I love him and need him and this will be for both of us. I've even used the old "babe just think of the great sex we can have when I'm all bendy and flexible ...lol. I know it's something we are just going to have to walk through daily. It will be a life change for me and him. Is there a support group here for spouses of banders??? Hope

I'm getting my surgery Oct 12. I started on my pre-op diet yesterday . I have to go on a three week diet because my BMI is over 40. I am so anxious. I can't hardly wait. I'm like a kid waiting for Santa...lol

I have a surgery date of Oct 12 at TLBC in Toronto. I start my three week pre-op today. I am actually excited about starting it (if you can imagine lol) just because it's one step closer to me becoming the person I KNOW I CAN BE. I have struggled with my weight for many years and have lost hundreds of pounds only to gain them back. Losing weight is generally not a problem it's keeping it off that I just can't seem to do. I started dieting after my first child, I think I was 160 after I had him, then lost it only to gain it back plus more... and so the story goes same old same old....now here I sit at 335 with a BMI of 56 because of all the dieting I've done. This has been a very emotion journey just coming to this decision to get the band. When I first heard about it I wouldn't even consider it because I thought it would be a cop out, the easy way... I felt like a failure just thinking about it. But with the many stories I have read and the few people I have connected with I started realizing that this is no cop out or magic wand that it is a tool, one of many I will need to be successful. Not to mention all the support I have read about on this forum. I started feeling there was hope for me and that I could do this. I have a new attitude and am saying "I think I can I think I can, I know I can I know I can...." I know this is the first day of the rest of my life and for the first time in a long time I am looking forward to it. I am not naive ... I know there are many struggles ahead of me, I hope I can count on some support like I have seen here, thats the one thing I can say through all my dieting is that I've never had someone in my corner cheering me on. And boy do I need that. There is not much self esteem left here in this body...and I am my own worst enemy. So please when I need a kick in the pants please feel free to do it (lovingly). Well I must go and enjoy my 6oz of yogurt, the first of many. Thanks to all who post regularly and share their struggles and successes. I hope this to be the first of many... Signed NOT SO HOPELESS ANY MORE!

Hi Karen Where are you having your surgery? I'm in Toronto with Dr. Yau. I am so excited and ready. I can't wait to get through this. I've been pretty hopeless (no pun intended) for the last 2 years. I lost 100 pounds then had my best friend die suddenly, a friend committed suicide, and two relatives & two of my cats die all with in 3-4 weeks . I curled up in a depression and went to bed for three months . Imagine to my surprise after the three months that I gain about 60 pounds then I was in a motorcycle accident and couldn't walk for a while there goes another 60 pounds. I kept trying to will myself and talk myself back into diets only to discover I just didn't have it in me. I couldn't afford to diet cause I couldn't afford to gain it back. When I heard about the band I did more research and talked to a few people I finally got my hope back.... So now that I'm ready to go I just want to go... I know patience is a virtue but I'm so tired of living in this over sized shell. Anyway (sorry for the ramble...lol )I can't wait to get started. I hope you are looking forward to this next step also. We will have to stay in touch and encourage each other. Good Luck! Hope(ful):-)

Congrats on the band. I'm glad to hear things have gone well. I'm getting mine Oct 12 and looking forward to it. Its good to hear your doing well.

Hi I'm Hope I get my band on Oct 12. If you would like to add me to the roll call