steph_co

I vote for the hernia repair lie. It very well could be possible when you have your surgery and they'll be messing with that part of your stomach, anyway. I had to use the hernia lie.

I wore my hair long for quite awhile. I grew it out from 2002-2008 with trims every once in awhile. I'd sometimes get layers or framed around the face. I ended up wearing it in a ponytail all the time. So at the end of January I chopped it off. It's very similar to Storm from X-Men: The Last Stand. I would post a pic of myself, but I can't for personal security reasons. Just know that it does look very similar to Storm, but I wear my bangs off my forehead. I had some light and dark blond streaks put in, too. It's great because my hair is not very thick to begin with and this gives it some depth. I LOVE that my hair has style.

I have noticed an increase in my drive. It seems to increase as I lose more lbs. I do think that a part of it is confidence, but I know for sure that part of it is physical. DH is happy about it.

I LOVE that feeling of "something is finally working!" You're doing fantastic! Keep up the good work.

FireDust - I got banded at 27...I just turned 28. It's great to be able to nip this in the bud now while (IMO) it's a little bit easier to lose the weight. My goal is to lose 103 lbs total. I started at 233. I'm almost halfway there! This band has been the best decision I have made in my life. I love that the weight goes and STAYS off even when I have an "off" day. You can do this! We're all well on our way to a healthier life!

I like the Daily Plate. :thumbup:

That's awesome, Jacqui! Best of wishes to him - I'm sure he'll do fantastic with you by his side!

I haven't dealt with insurance a lot. I was self-pay for this surgery. But based on a lot of what I've read on here, it sounds like the first application to insurance is almost always denied. They will find any reason under the sun to deny a claim. Keep appealing. And appealing and appealing. I wish you good luck. You may want to read up in the Insurance forum on the main index - you'll probably find threads just like this one. :thumbup:

Depends on if you are self-pay or using insurance. I was self-pay. I dallied around with the idea of this surgery for a couple years. In October I got serious and went to a seminar. A couple weeks after that, I had my first appointment (Oct 18). At that appointment, I was scheduled for surgery November 15th. So it all went pretty quick for me. Which is good because I have this instant-gratification problem.

These kind of studies annoy me, too. I am more satisfied with less of a treat that has Splenda than I am with plain outright sugar. I can pound away easily a cup of something with refined sugar without a problem. With a Splenda pudding, for instance, I'm satisfied with that one little cup. I don't know - maybe it's a head thing. But I do not agree that ALL artificial sweeteners are the same. Aspartame, on the other hand. THAT stuff is awful for me. If I consume anything that has it in it, I have the WORST drop in blood sugar and I feel like I'm starving to death. I can believe that study when it relates to Aspartame. But I also feel that each artificial sweetener is going to affect each person differently. For me, Splenda is a God-send.

Geneen Roth books are good (Feeding the Hungry Heart is hers). I also did start reading a book called "I Can Make You Thin," but I'm kind of stalled on that. I have a bit of an attention span problem. LOL But the author of that book is actually starting a series based on that book. I think it's going to be on TLC or Discovery or something like that. Should be coming up in March.

When I was right around where you are post-op, I had hunger pangs from hell. I'd be ending my night at work and driving home and get the loud gurgle and very hard cramp of my stomach. It was because I had ended my eating for the day about 4 hours prior and my body was hungry. I have no idea why they hurt more after banded. Maybe it's the pulling on the band when the stomach contracts? I have no idea.

Whew. I took a 3-hour trip home from my surgery...only 170 miles. I don't think I'd chance 1700 miles. 170 wasn't bad at all. I got out every hour to walk. I really doubt I would have felt up to being on a vacation anyway right after surgery until about 10 days post-op. Before then I felt weak, tired, and achy. I did go back to work at 4 days post-op, but that definitely wasn't for "pleasure." I would have been miserable on a vacation. If it's 7 days or more after your surgery, then you may be okay for the roadtrip, but I would highly recommend you stop about every 2 hours to get out and let yourself walk and stretch your legs. Healthy people should do that anyway, but how many do? But I agree that asking your doctor would be the best route.

This is SO true. I had a heavy friend that ran a marathon and was in excellent health. I then had a stick-thin friend (possibly, maybe, just barely into the "normal" category rather than underweight) that had the worst problems with cholesterol and blood pressure. I was in the severely obese category (35-39 BMI) and had no problems with my heart. My BP was stellar. Interesting how the health profession can jump to conclusions so easily when it comes to weight. YES, there is a greater propensity for health problems with added weight, but that isn't ALWAYS going to be the case. I've been lucky to not have any doctor comment on my weight. It probably would have been a Death Match at that point. LOL LH - How stressful about the call into the nurse! I experienced severe bleeding with my miscarriage that scared me - I know how that can be. I am REALLY glad to hear that they got the nurse to call you back. It's crazy to have to go through that kind of stress when you're already stressed enough with the physical problem. I hope you get to have a calm, relaxing weekend.

I was a skinny kid. I started gaining weight when I hit Jr High and found a la carte dining in the cafeteria, vending machines, and I started getting rides home from the bus from older friends (it was a mile from the bus stop to home). I gained weight actually pretty slowly. Took about 4 years before I got onto my first diet...the summer before my senior year of HS and I got onto Atkins and lost about 40 lbs (no idea...I didn't weigh at the beginning). Looked awesome, slowly gained the weight back over the school year. Yo-yoed my way on up the scale from there. Thank God that's all over.

Capina - There seems to be a big difference between doctors as to what diet they put their patients on. I haven't heard a concrete answer yet as to why that is. I was on a 3-day pre-op clear liquid diet and that's it. Regardless of what you read on here, follow what your doctor recommends 100% because your doctor is going to be the one accountable for you...not anyone on this board.

Gees, LH...I'm sorry to hear that. Another operation...but you're right that would be the least of evils. LOL - I'd be thinking the same thing about the weight. haha...keep up the positive thinking.

You can find doctors in your area through the Lapband website. That's how I found mine when I was first investigating. Then you can call around to ask questions about price and such. My doctor was Dr Brown in Denver, CO. I paid $10,850 at the time, but his price is now down to $9,900. That includes 3 months of fills post-op.

Thanks for that great response, Amanda. Your comment about the belly button cracked me up. Very true. Thanks.

I also wondered for a couple of days afterwards WTH I had done to myself. I was in pain and that's all my mind could focus on. But I kept telling myself it would pass (which it did!) and I was on my way to some great weight loss (which I am!). Just hang in there. It'll get better!

Well, if screaming on the inside while they're wheeling me into the OR room counts as freaking out, then count me in. LOL I so bad wanted to just say, "Nevermind! I change my mind! I don't want it that bad!" I knew I wouldn't be able to live with myself the next day if I did that, though. So I bit the bullet and went through with it. Best choice I ever made.

I've heard this concern a lot. From shoveling snow to just turning too fast seems to cause it. Since the port is sewn into muscle, it's definitely going to take longer to heal. I'm 3 months post-op and still occasionally feel like I have a stitch in my side (haha...pun not intended) where the port is. There's no way to know if you've torn a stitch until you go in for a fill and they are able (or not) to insert the needle into your port. Just take it easy.

I haven't read all the response, so perhaps this has already been mentioned. Yes, losing weight without the band is possible. But keeping it off is another matter altogether. So your friends/family have seen you lose weight before and they've seen you put it back on. Wouldn't they like to see you keep it off this time? That's the whole point of losing the weight. And beyond about a 35 BMI to lose weight is more difficult and next to impossible to keep off. I have dieted before. I've lost weight. I want to say the most I've lost on my own was 40 lbs and that was back in HS. Since then I've yo-yoed my way up the scale. With the band, I've not only lost more in one weight-loss endeavor than ever before, but when I've slipped in my eating habits, it hasn't been near as bad as it has been in the past. I know that this time will be for good and it is certainly a relief.

Banded 11/15/07. I have 6.5cc in a 10cc band. Have lost 45 lbs so far. Only a 3-day pre-op clear liquid diet that I lost 3 of those lbs on. So 42 lbs is post-op.

I was just under 37 BMI when I got banded. I realized after 10 years that there was no way for me to maintain weight loss or even to get down to a decent weight on my own. I could give in to the surgery and get healthy, or I could keep worrying about not being "heavy enough" and I'd get there eventually. Better to do it now before you get heavier. Best decision I've ever made.