MollyBrown

Maryland Bandsters.... Let's talk about some things we need to do in the coming year. Obviously focusing on health and weight loss will be on the top of our New Years Resolutions (if we should even refer to them as such). What are some of the things you are going to do in the New Year to be successful in weight loss and the other things you plan to do in 2008?

Hey there Brandi... I am doing well. I sure wish I had performed better this month in the weight loss category, but I need to not dwell on it and move on. We have a couple more holiday events coming up, but my husband and I are trying to eat healthfully in between those times. Within the next 10 days we will have our wedding anniversary, my birthday, New Years Eve and Day, and a big family thing at our house on 01/05. How have the holidays been for you?

Hey Maryland Bandsters! I have been off the site for a couple weeks. Back to work, then a two week class which required me to go to the office in the evenings. And of course with all of that, stress, not doing exactly the right thing, basically ensuring that I stall in my weight loss. Excuse the language, but shit, I was hoping to keep up the momentum, damn holiday Cookies. Anyway, I need to get back on track and being on this site and hearing about others journey will help me. Some NVS's in the last two weeks though, I have found that I am down from a 24-26 pant to a 22 that fits a little loosely until half way through the day and then it looks like I have a load in my pants. (Sorry for the language and graphic description, I don't know what has come over me today, frustration I guess). Back to the NVS's, I started wearing a pedometer, which would make a nice Christmas gift if you all don't have one, I have been able to get to 6000 or more steps, my goal is to get to 10,000 steps soon. And, I am having a hard time finding old clothes to fit even after only losing 25lbs. I have also discovered a few things: 1) the more Protein the better, 2) if you introduce bad carbs (white flour and sugar) you look puffier then if you don't eat them even if you don't gain weight from eating them, 3) I love bad carbs and I REALLY REALLY REALLY need to figure this out. I have an appointment with Dr. Singh on January 7th. I thought I would try to put off getting a fill but now I think I am going to want one then if possible. Having restriction like you do in the first two weeks after surgery REALLY, REALLY, REALLY does address the physical hunger, and even though I am having head hunger for the holiday temptation foods, I do find I have physical hunger too.

I have BCBS Federal Basic. I called to ask if they covered the lapband and the fills. I got the codes from my surgeon's office before I called. BCBS Federal said they could not tell me 100% on the phone that they would approve it, but if I was 100 lbs or more overweight with a BMI over 40, or if I was substantially overweight with one or more co morbidities, then it was likely they would pay for it. Also, BCBS Federal did not require the 6 month supervised diet or psych eval. The person told me to work through my surgeon's office. My surgeon's office gives everyone a packet, they want statements from all of your doctor's to support that your weight is causing you an issue. My PCP wrote a letter, my cardiologist (I don't have a heart problem but there is VERY strong heredity issues and my weight makes me a target), I was pre-diabetic, pre-hypertensive, and just starting to get high cholesterol, mild sleep apnea, back problems and just starting to get foot and knee problems. I went to each of these doctors throughout the past year to be evaluated. They all wrote letters and faxed them to my surgeon ASAP. My surgeon's office submitted and within 4 days I received approval. I was freaked, I thought it would take so much time. I owed the surgeon $100, and the hospital $100. Good luck...

My Doctor also thought bypass was a better option for me given my BMI, and being 120lbs overweight. He did not try to push me towards bypass but he did make me feel a little stupid for selecting it. My doctor doesn't really give me the warm and fuzzies anyway, but a lot of his patients really seem to love him...

We all go through this. Here is my post when I got my surgery date: Seriously Thinking About Backing Out I am totally freaking out... I have been thinking about this for two years. When I finally decided to do it, after much reading and research, my insurance changes and I am able to get approved in less then a month. I am scheduled to have surgery 11/09 and have the time to take off from work (although I really need to be there because things are crazy). I guess I did not expect things to go so easily, and I should feel ashamed of myself when there are so many self-pays or people with difficult insurances who are absolutely sure this is the right thing for them. I feel that I have not had enough time to say good-bye to food. I know it really isn't a true good bye, but it could be if my body does not acclimate to the band like some others on this forum. I actually think I could live without cake the rest of my life, but the thought of never eating asparagus or broccoli or steak again, I am not sure if I can live with that. What in the hell am I doing? Am I undermining my long term health if I back out? The idea of the surgery is freaking me out, the idea of not eating a normal diet for 6 weeks freaks me out. And ironically it sounds like when the band does not work, it makes eating those foods that got me here so much easier than eating the truly healthy foods that I like but eat to much of…Lord help me figure this thing out... Now- I am 4 weeks post op. It is and had been hard, and we will always be battling this curse of weight, but now I have some backup in helping me manage it better. You have to make the decision for yourself, not for your son and not for your husband, but for you. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

I have found a food journal to be very helpful. Even though I thought I was eating less, when I added in the cheats I have had recently (chocolate), I realized the calories are adding up. You are doing very well though, don't get discouraged. There are a couple of us out there who have been banded for two months or less, and having lost 15 or more pounds in less than two months is really great especially without a lot of restriction.

I have stalled this week myself, but I know exactly what it is. I am eating things I shouldn't. I am not eating things that fall outside of the puree/soft phase (because that is where I am right now), but chocolate melts in your mouth and goes down like liquid, petit fores melt in your mouth and once chewed are like puree. I know exactly what my problem is, I have little restriction, I eat to fast, take bigger bites then I should, eat a bit more than I should when I am actually eating, and I have binged a bit on chocolate. I do feel hungry and I am having a hard time figuring out the head hunger thing, so I am cheating. But I am being honest with myself, I know what I am doing wrong and I know what I need to do to get it right. This may sound offensive, and I truly don't want to offend anyone, but if you really look deep into your mind and your behavior, you know why you are not losing weight or possibly gaining. Just because we can fit the food, doesn't mean we should eat it. I can't blame my stall on anyone or anything (the band), I am making the decisions here, I am sticking stuff in my face and I am not making myself move (work-out, walk, burn calories). It is my fault.... Sorry if this hurts anyones feelings.... :speechles

O yeah, some NSV, my pants were 24-26, I am now wearing some of my 22's. My shirts were 3X's and tight, I am able to wear some of my 2X's with comfort. And all of my 3X's are lose. I used to put a pillow under my shirts for a minute or two to stretch them out so they would not be so form fitting. Haven't had to do that in a while now. My face looks really thin compared to the balloon face I had a year ago. Last year at this time I weighed 308, I am 263 now. So things are moving...

I have lost 22lbs since being banded on 11/09/07. I hit four weeks post-op yesterday. That includes the pre-diet, but somehow I gained 8 of my 9lbs back right after surgery (that was depressing to see-never step on the scale after surgery). Anyway, I have stalled a little the last two weeks. This week I lost 1 lb and the week before 2 lbs. But it is positive movement of weight. Now I just have to get positive movement of all of my weight. I am not exercising yet. I have no energy or stamina. Yeah, it is an excuse, I really need someone to kick me in the ass to get me moving. Okay everyone, get your s-kickers on and give me hell...

Don't sweat this, answer honestly. If you have educated yourself regarding this decision, you understand your part of making the band work, you understand your obligation for the pre and post op diet, etc... you will be fine. Regarding Slim Fast, I have seen where some folks use it, but some have concerns of the high sugar content.

Hey Sarah. I have had the procedure. If you have any specific questions, I am sure anyone on this thread who have been banded for a couple of months would be a wealth of info and willing to answer your questions. You can send a private message or post it here and I am sure you will get a ton of responses. I have been banded for nearly a month (banded 11/09/07). I have lost 21.5lbs so far to include the pre-op diet. I sort of feel that I should have lost more than this, but it is not uncommon for folks to gain weight in the first couple of weeks of being banded. I gained 7 of the 9lbs I had lost after surgery, that was disappointing but it came back off pretty quickly. I think the pre-op diet really helps you figure out the liquid phase prior to it being an absolute necessity. Even if your doctor does not require that you do a pre-op diet, many folks believe that is it very beneficial because you have to figure out the Protein sources you will be practically living on in the beginning. Also, once you master liquids in the first two weeks, it makes weeks two through four post-op easier because you know what to expect. My surgery went well, but I have problems with anesthesia so I was pretty quisey for a good time after surgery. The first three days were rough for me, but on the fourth day post op I could move without a lot of pain. I took three week off of work. Realistically I could have gone back after about 5 days, but I had the time and hate my job so it was an easy decision. I will write more later. I have to go and figure out what clothes I will wear to work tomorrow.

I chose the lapband for the reasons transformer stated plus I was really afraid of the mal-absorption issue that comes with bypass. I don't want to worry about getting enough nutrients, losing hair, etc... Also, I need food to live, I need to learn to have a healthier relationship with food. I felt the band would help me with this more effectively than bypass.

Kim, I read your entire journal. Thanks so much for keeping it and putting it out there for us to read. I really found it helpful. Your pictures are amazing, and yes, Wow on the dress. I pray I can make this band work for me, inside I am a little afraid because I have failed so many times before. The one thing I was hoping the band would do for me is to minimize the importance of food in my life. I think that idea is probably unrealistic. It sounds like a life long balancing act. What is your strategy when you get to your goal?

Tina, Wow, 69 lbs... That is great. When did you start feeling like you wanted to work out? I truly don't feel like I have the energy. Today I did some painting in my house (2 ceilings) and I am wiped out, and sore all over. I am amazed at my lack of stamina... I do belong to a gym at work. I will start going when I go back to work. You and Kim are definite inspirations to me, you've both done so well. Any words of wisdom for me/us on this thread?

Hey Marylander's & Maryland Transplants: Sorry I started this post and then disappeared for a few days. I have been working around the house and trying to work the band. Hopefully more Marylander's will sign on. Do any of you go to a support group? If so, where and what is the schedule of meetings.

Did I read on a post in this forum about a book about Head Hunger? If so, could someone send me the title and author? Thanks...

I am required to provide a food journal to my surgeons office. And if you don't produce one, they will not give you a fill. They recommended the FitDay.com website to use as a daily food journal. I have used it but find it to be pretty crappy, not a lot of preloaded foods, or the search engine stinks because it is not finding anything I put in. Or of course there is user error, but I don't think that is it. Anyway, is there a really good diet tracking software that you all use out there that I could get a referral on?

I think 20 years ago I had issues. Volatile family life when I was young (parents split, mom tried to shoot my dad, ya know, nothing really big :cry). Then once my dad left, my mom was devastated and at 13 I had to take care of her. When I got older, I started finding men who needed to be fixed (drinkers), who needed to be taken care of. Thankfully, I went to counseling 20 years ago to figure that stuff out and to understand those issues. For the last 10 years I have had a great marriage with a wonderfully flawed man, who does not drink, has a good job, is funny, my best friend, and although he cannot fix the car or hang dry-wall, is one of the smartest, kindest, and most interesting people I have ever met. I don't try to fix him, nor does he try to fix me, rather we support each other. I have a great kid (who is actually my niece but that is another long story). Life is pretty awesome except for my weight. So, certainly part of the reason I have had weight issues my whole life come from the under-pinings of a volatile childhood and a family (not husband) who to this day needs me to take care of them in some form or another. But part of it is genetics and learned behaviors from those who should have been teaching us the right way to eat, exercise, live... The real question your friend should have said to you is, what are those behaviors that have contributed to your weight gain and how can you un-learn or modify those behaviors. So tell your friend you probably only need to see a dietitian instead of a shrink...

Glad I could be of help.... And great luck to you...

:omg: I too was a good pre-op dieter... I found these amazing ISOPURE's with 40g of Protein. I sipped on it throughout the day. I thought the Alpine Punch tasted somewhat like SF Jello that had not been jelled yet. I got the Pinapple, Orange and banana ones too. Well, since they helped so much, and I could at least tolerate them I thought, I will stock up. Well, I can't stand the friggin things now.... I bought 4 cases... I am still gagging them down because I like them better then any powder I have found yet. The protein does really help with the hunger. When I use the ISOPURE only, the day's temptations do not have as much impact. But when I change it up with Muscle Milk Lite (RTD) that has milk and carbs, I feel hungry sooner.

Mainegirl, I am a Maine girl too... Although I live in Maryland now, my heart has always remained in Maine... I was banded on 11/09/07. My stats are below. I think I am around 20lbs down. Good luck with your surgery. This is a great site to get information and prepare yourself.

I am so interested in this topic. I don't have any dreams of grandeur about how I will look 100 lbs from today. I am 44, and have been overweight the majority of my life. I was thinking I would like to have a TT and boob-lift. Even then, I know I will not be smoking hot or probably even someone who looks okay in a bathing suit. I know I will want the skin removed because I don't want flappy skin when I am trying to play tennis or go bike riding. There is one element of the self-image thing I know about myself. I am a woman and I can pick almost anything apart. I scrutinize everything (mostly mentally) so closely about everyone, but especially myself. I know I am difficult to live with because of this, but I think a lot of women are acutely aware of not only how they look but also how everyone else looks, does, acts, says, etc........ My poor daughter and husband... Anyway, a 55 year old woman I work with got a boob job just because she wanted to feel better about herself. She went to her friends doctor, and said, you did my friends boobs and they are pretty, I want you to do that to me. He said, I can only make them bigger, I can't guarantee that I can make them pretty because they look the way they look... I guess the morale of the story is, in our instance, our bodies will be smaller but not necessarily pretty because they look like they look... Thankfully we are all beautiful within and that will outshine our flappy skin and/or saggy boobs...

Lonestar, It depends upon who your insurance company is. Also, do you have any co-morbidities? For some BCBS insurances, you can be below the 40BMI but if you have at least two co-morbidities (diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, pre-hypertension, sleep apnea, and some others...) you can still be approved. You should call your physician, get the procedure codes for the lapband and the fills, call your insurance company and talk to them about it. I did that and they told me what the requirements were. I have BCBS Federal and their guidance was what I stated above. Let us know what happens...

Lillysmom, I too got really freaked out once I was approved and had a surgery date. It happened so quickly once I actually started the process. The link to my freak out is below, I really appreciated the input I received so instead of repeating it in your thread, I thought I would just give you the link. Hope it is helpful: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/seriously-thinking-about-backing-out-44063/