Time to love me

Lil Angel I'm sending prayers your way! I hope you are able to go ahead with your surgery without any delay. Good luck and let us know how things work out.

Tropicana, In my first post I was talking about the bon fire I had and the people there were saying how WLS was the easy way out, basically made me feel like a piece of fat lard all night with the constant battering of fat people and WLS. (Did they not notice that there was only one fat person there? ME!) Anyhow, In my opinion, you have every right to think it's the easy way out or that it is not the easy way. I feel the band does make it easier for someone to lose weight, it's a tool not a miracle. At the same time, it's not the easy way out because you have to do the work to lose the weight. You still have to make better food choices and you still have to eat in smaller portions. This is hard for a lot of people, if it wasn't then we wouldn't have such a struggle to lose weight. What I'm trying to get at is that it doesn't matter if it is the easy way out or not. You still will be healthier once you lose the weight. So go to weight watchers, do the atkins, hop on south beach or just get the band. In the end, you lose weight. I just feel that the chances of re-gaining the weight on the lapband are far less than going on the diets I've mentioned. I don't know about anyone else, but I've tried all those diets more than once and lost many pounds but always gained it back and then some. This time, when I lose the weight from the band, I'll keep it off. So don't be so down on the fact that you feel it's the easy way out. WHO CARES! People can say that it's the easy way to go, but in the end it doesn't matter because you are helping yourself become a better/healthier you.

The doctor I'm using for surgery also told me that diet soda would be okay 8-12 months after the surgery, if I was able to tolerate it. He said that the first 18-24 months are the most important because you will most likely lose the most weight with in that time and soda isn't the ideal drink when you're trying to lose weight.

I went to my first lapband info. meeting tonight & I'd have to say that I was not happy about going. I am 5'6 & weigh 235. Through out my life I've always felt like I don't look good or I'm not put together.. because I am fat. (I'm sure that I'm not alone on this one). I have to be honest & say, The people were nice, I had fun & learned so much. I won't feel uncomfortable going again. I was amazed by the stories people told about their experience. Some bandsters could eat steak, pork & drink soda with out issues, but had problems eating chicken. Others could only eat chicken & not steak, pork or drink soda. It was all over the place. No two people had the same effect. The dr. & nutritionist made it quite clear that some people can eat anything & everything without a problem, While others can't eat things that went down easy pre-band. It depends on your body & how it wants to work with the band, from what the dr. said. I'm curious to see how I will react. Anyhow, the one thing that came up the most with the older bandsters was that they still froth if they eat too quickly, some thought this would subside in time, but it hasn't. One of the big topics of the night was why do some people have to lose 20 lbs. & others 50. We were told that 2 people could be the same weight & height. One apple shape, the other a pear. The apple shape would most likely have to lose 15 lbs more than the pear shaped, due to the extra fat in the belly area. WL helps shrink the liver, it's easier for the Dr. to operate. What I didn't know was when we get the eval. the Dr. checks your belly (the squishier, the better)to see how much room you have to move your insides,aside, while operating. This is also the difference of how many lbs we need to lose prior to WLS. I was told by many people that their Dr. had them lose 20% of their excess weight. This proves, once again, that every dr. has different rules/reasons. I like my dr. he told me 15 lbs is all I need before WLS. :cheeky (inspirations)We met a man who weighed 580 lbs. He had to lose 200 lbs before the Dr. would operate. At the time, Doc. said RNY was his only choice. It was then he decided that it wasn't. On the 4th of July he went on a Protein liquid diet, under the care of a Dr., & lost all the weight required. He is now banded & down to 320 lbs. I also met 7 bandsters who lost 60 plus lbs. & kept it off for 2 or more years. I was wondering why, compared to me & others, that there were lots of "tiny" people at this meeting. It inspires me to see that people still go to meetings, even after their success. That's the way it should be, in my opinion. *I added the pre-surgery WL topic because it comes up often on the boards. Thanks for letting me share this with you!

OH and one last thing. I met a older man (78)who had a gastric bypass in the 70's. I had no idea they did that surgery then. Anyway, he was there to tell people that it is not the route to go. He said he wishes he had the choice of a lapband back then and he went on to explain all the problems he has because of the bypass. Just an interesting night, I guess.

1 Cup of cut up Sweet potatoe Cal 147 Fat 0 Carbs 34 Prot. 2 1 Tbl sp. of Fat free margerine Cal 5 Fat 0 Carbs 0 Prot. 0 2 Tbl sp. of Marshmallows Cal 40 Fat 0 Carbs 10 Prot. 0 Splenda to make sweet Cal. 0 Fat 0 Carbs 0 Prot. 0 ____________________________________ ttl. Cal. 192 Fat 0 Carbs 44 Prot. 2 Mash the potatoes, margerine and splenda and then put the marshmallows on top and bake until golden brown. You can use a sugar free marshmallow to cut the calories and then add more to the recipe, of course. I just couldn't find the info. on it. Also, I have used this recipe without the margerine and it was still good, but I like it better with some type of margerine, even if it's 1/2 of a tbl sp. You can even toss some walnuts on top. This is a huge cut back for me. I'm not banded yet, but I've tried to cut back on my bad eating habits. My old recipe was mashed sweet potatoes, butter and brown sugar mixed with a layer of marshmallows, caramel and walnuts on top. BOY what a difference. You asked for the healthy recipe so, this was the healthiest I can make it, for me anyway.

Leah, I have not checked, but you might want to look in the insurance threads. You may find your type of insurance and any of your questions already answered. If that doesn't work you can always post a new thread in the insurance section or look it up in the search box. Good luck, I hope everything works out for you. It's great that your not discouraged, it can happen so early and often once you start the process. Take Care

when I am banded and able to eat a reg. diet I think, until I feel comfortable eating in public, I may just do take out. You can always order a kids meal (take out) with out the 12 year old. This will also give me a chance to see what foods I will or will not be able to eat in different restaurants. (like the post on the McDonalds french fries verse other restaurants) Thank Goodness I'm not a fast food type of girl. My doctor also hands out those pre-printed cards. I bet they will come in handy at some point.

Hi Everyone, First of all, bling baby.. Very nice post, very encouraging and so true. It's sad to say that there are many ignorant people in this world, what ever happened to saying a kind word or just smiling at someone you've never met or seen in your life. This world seems to be full of a little bit of this (kindness) and too much of that (ignorance). I'm so glad that I'm keeping my decision to be banded between my husband & myself. Everyone has been so helpful to me, in many ways. It's great that the people here vary on the opinion to keep it to themselves, yet still respect each others thoughts & choices. Keep the thoughts coming, I'm learning so much from you all. I love hearing your stories and how you're dealing with the decision to keep it to yourself or let the world know.

Robyn, I'm so sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time beating this problem, you have stopped before, you can do it again. You should be very proud of yourself for noticing that it's getting out of control and it's time to get help. Also be proud for standing up and fighting such a hard addiction, It's not easy to admit when we have faults or a problem. You are clearly doing the right thing for you and your family. You can't take care of your family if you can't take care of yourself, meaning, staying drug free and keeping healthy. You mention that you have a husband with 2 small children, and it's going to be hard being away from them for five days. Those five days that you will be away are meant for you to concentrate on you, this will buy you many more days of your life because you will be getting rid of this addiction, an addiction that could become drastic if you don't take care of it now. Five days away from your family verse a lifetime is well worth it. I know this might be hard to do but my brother had an addiction to vicodin so he went into a rehab to help himself. What he did before he went in was called the Dr. who prescribed the med. and told him he had formed an addiction and that he was getting help for it. So when he goes to the Dr. for a pain issue, the doctor never even mentions pain meds. as an option. He already knows my brother has had a problem in the past and prescribes a non addictive med. The Pharmacist also knows. (My Mom and I went to my brothers house and cleaned out all the medication that he can't take anymore, so he wouldn't see anything that could tempt him). Keep your chin up! My support, strength, thoughts & prayers go out to you and your family. This is going to be a life changing thing for you, just like the band. You can do it! Be strong and you'll pull through this just fine. Please let us know when you are home safely, use these boards as a support system. You know you'll have tons of it

Kat, I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience, I hope your next visit is 110% better. I have to tell you that when I went for my meeting with the Dr.'s team they, too, pushed the RNY more than the band. I asked why the RNY was talked about more than the band through out the day, we were told it was preferred by the doctors (maybe the Dr's get paid more to do them). At the same time, we were told that it was OUR choice and we would be respected for it. The only time the Dr's team would try to convince you to get the RNY over the band is when they feel, medically, that it is the best choice for you. The team meets and discusses your BMI, medical history and everything else that is done in the day long appts. and then figures out what is best for you. BUT you still make the final decision. Believe it or not there are many medical issues that could make you an unlikely candidate for the band, so you would have to have the RNY. I'd have to look them up again, but I was shocked to see so many things listed. I also asked the Dr. the same question you did. What if I lost a lot of weight, will the insurance company still approve it? The answer is yes. What happens is the doctor submits the paper work with your old weight and BMI on it and then notes that you need to lose 15 pounds before surgery (in my case) to help shrink the liver. I hope this helps you relax a little bit and not worry so much before you next appt. Good luck and Take Care

Nickie, It was your post that I was looking for. I knew I replied to a post pertaining to this issue and I could not find it. I'm glad you linked it. I hope things are going better for you!

WOW! I'm so glad to hear that there are many others who feel the same way I do. It took me a while to start this thread because I was unsure if I was going to be battered with WHY BE ASHAMED or WHY HIDE! I came to the conclusion that everyone has opinions and I'd love to hear any and all of them (neg. & pos.) No one is right or wrong about what they chose to do or who they chose to tell. I'm glad to see that there are many others who stated that it's tough Cookies if anyone had issues with the decision to have the band, good for you. I'm happy to know that you have the support that you need. As many stated, I guess I'm not willing to deal with all the negative comments. Like.. Why aren't you losing more weight & You took the easy way out. I also didn't want to be watched as I ate or have people commenting on what I ate. I'm sorry to see that others experience the same type of ignorance that I have. It just makes me sad that some people can just be mean to FAT people. It's amazing how when you are fat, people, most of the time, ignore you or make fun of you. We can only stay strong and stand by what we feel was a good decision for ourselves. I have not been banded yet, but I am 100% confident in my decision to keep this between my husband and myself. I plan on going to a lot of support groups now and after my surgery. If I meet someone who will be banded or if they are considering RNY, I will then tell that person about my experience and I will share my story. Just not with my friends or family. I have all the support in the world from the man I married and from the wonderful group of friends I have talked with on LBT. Thank you.. KEEP ALL YOUR OPINIONS AND THOUGHTS COMING! I'M VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT BEING A CLOSET BANDSTER OR A SHOUT AT THE WORLD BANDSTER. :Bunny Thank you for all the advice and answers. I'm making a list of what I can say or use as my excuses. You ladies/guys are the best!

I guess as everyone has said.. "Every Doctor is different". I am a huge diet soda drinker as well. I asked my Dr. & the nutritionist about the No No of never drinking soda again & I was actually surprised at the answer. I was told that for the first 18-24 months soda is not allowed for a few reasons & one of them was because the first 18-24 months after surgery are the most important for weight loss, this is the time when you will most likely lose the most amount of weight. With the carbonation, you can feel bloated or full and it could come back up on you and at the same time it could stretch your pouch (the Dr. said it's not a proven fact, as of yet). The Nutritionist stated that "IF" my body allowed me to have the soda that I should keep it to a max. of 1 a day and try to stir the bubbles out as much as possible. She would not recommend it to me, but she has had many patients that have had soda without incident. The Dr. said that the best answers of how it feels and what it can do would come from the people who are already banded. He said to listen to their experiences. Some may have an issue and some may not. His thoughts were that he can almost guarantee me that the ones who had the most problems were the one under 2 years with the band. Like I said, every doctor is different. I'm not saying mine is right at all. I just wish there were one set of guide lines/rules. I guess the true answer to this question will come after research is done. We'll see if erosion occurs, if it really does stretch the pouch and so on. Just my 2 cents

You are hilarious! I was laughing so loud that my 11 yr. old came in the computer room and said "MOM! Some people have to get up for school in the morning, can you please settle down"? OOPS! Bad Mommy, bad. I'm sorry to hear about your nipple situation. That must of been painful. Maybe we can start calling you Nickedmybooby instead of Bobalooey? ~just kidding around~ Once again, thanks for the best laugh it made my night.

Thoughts and prayers are being sent your way. I hope that it is nothing serious and you get better very soon. Keep us posted!

NESSTG, That is exactly what my nutritionist told me to do, eat fruit after every meal to quench my thirst. I have not been banded yet, but I've already started to see the nutritionist that I'll be using after the band. She is getting me ready for my post diet journey. While meeting with her, she also told me that I can drink all the way up to 15 min. before I eat and then wait only an 1/2 hr to 45 min. after I eat. So I guess every doctor is different. It's so funny.. There should be set guidelines. I know what I need to do is different than others. I don't have to do the pre surgery diet, but I need to stay on fluids for ten days and then I enter mushie stage. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU ALL!

Every single one of you are beautiful! I'm sure I don't need to tell you this, but you should be so proud of what you all have accomplished. It's so amazing that when you look at some of the pictures, most have a very sad or depressed look on the before pic. and then on the after pic. it's all smiles. Keep up the good work! I look forward to posting my pictures when I am blessed with the band. I find out my date on Nov. 2nd.

Hi Lynn, I hope everything went good for you! I said a prayer for you. Let us know when you get back and you are feeling okay and tell us about your experience. A new journey has begun for you and I wish you nothing but luck. Take care

I went to the Lahey Clinic for my eval, In Burlington, MA. They are asking that I lose 20 pounds before surgery. I won't have to do the pre-op liquid diet though. Best of luck!

Good luck on Monday, Lynn!!! I'll be thinking of you!

Brenda, Thank you for your encouraging message. I am waiting for an approval to be sent out as we speak. I hope that this will be as easy as it was for you and Lynn. I'll let you know how I made out. I can't imagine that it will take too long for the Doctor to get all the paper work to send along to BCBS. Thanks Again!

Estela~ ********Prayers to both of you******** Your Mother has been through a lot, I'm so sorry to hear that things are not getting better for her.

Thanks Lynn, I just sent a P.M to you! You have given me some great info.

Nickie, Please be proud of what loss you have had with out feeling like you did something bad. Don't let others make you feel ashamed or embarassed of your accomplishments. It doesn't matter if you had lost 10 or 5 pounds.. you still lost and that is all that matters. People, sometimes, can be ignorant. I am in the process of getting the band and I've chose to only tell my husband. We had a get together over Labor day weekend and I was going to tell a few close family members and two friends, but as I finally found the courage to tell them, after talking about weight loss, someone started a conversation about the lap band and the by pass surgeries and nothing but negative things came out of peoples mouths. I was floored that people who I knew all my life could speak the words that came from their mouths. Of course they were thin all their lives and never dealt with weight issues. They were stating that it was shallow of someone to go that path to look good, it's the easy way out and how unhealthy rapid weight loss is. I quickly jumped to defense and said it was not easy for people to do this and told them how much people had to change their lives to have the band. Not to mention, isn't any type of weight loss a road to being healthy? How can that be shallow? After that I had to shut my mouth because I didn't want to get the band and lose the weight fast and have them all bombard me with "You got the band, didn't you?" So bottom line for me is, I guess sometimes you need to keep things to yourself and your husband/wife. Best wishes to you, Nickie! :Bunny