Shamrockgirl60

Well looks like it went pretty smoothly for everyone. I am getting banded on August 7th at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA. I have to stay overnight they like to keep band patients on night for everyone and home the next day. I now am looking forward to it. Thanks again for all the uplifting stories.

Well still pre-op and looking for low calorie and fat Snacks. For now and after I made this recipe up for Mom when she was alive she was on a diet and Type II diabetic also 1 package chocolate Fudge (Jello) sugar free pudding 1 cup skim milk 1 8 oz. tub of Sugar Free Cool Whip Make putting with milk. Whip with wire wisk till very thick Fold in with spartula cool whip to your desired chocolate color. I usually put about half of the container in the pudding and save the rest. Put in 1/2 cup little bowls, cover with clear plasitc wrap and put in fridge for an hour or two Then enjoy with dollop of the left over Cool Whip on top. Instant Mock Chocolate Mousse You can use any flavor of pudding if you wish, strawberry is nice also You can freeze it and it makes a nice mock ice cream although a tad grainy

Well last night I did very well. I did some adjusting to the mask and the head bands and it was a bit more comfortable. I slept from midnight to 7 am. I then took the mask out and ended up falling asleep for another hours sans mask LOL. I am up and have a lot more energy today. I will keep trying and do better. It's not here and have the AC on blast so it's comfortable for sleeping tonight. Good luck everyone

Great inspiration seeing all the pounds lost here. I am so looking forward to my banding. By changing eating habits now it won't be as hard after the banding. I will not totally deprive myself of anything, unless it makes me sick. A bite or two won't hurt. Luckily I can tolerate splenda well. Have used it for years but then again I also abused suger, which I don't now. I need to get into control of what I eat. The pre-op diet I am on. Low carb high Protein and veggies does help. A sugar free Popsicle and fudgsicle is such a treat now. I also love Dannon's Plus 0 yogurt. I have it for Breakfast. I think adding Protein powder to that would be good for breakfast. Now what was your favorite Protein shakes? I want to get the right ones. I hope they give me more instructions on what to eat before and after surgery.

Liz, thanks for all the information, I am taking it one day at a time. I love the doctors at Lahey. My therapist was Luanne Baker and she's terrific. My shrink is Dr. Kawicki. Maybe you can have Dr. Kantor since he is in the clinic for weight loss. I also take meds for my mild depression and anxiety. They do help a lot with every day stuff. I went into therapy 3 years ago to deal with some family stuff...mostly my Mom, and my taking care of her. She has since died. Therapy works wonders along with medications now. You will feel so much better soon. Good luck. Hope to see you at those Tues. meetings. Pati

As far as I know all the visits and tests will be covered under my Insurance. If it relates to the successful surgery it will most likely be covered. Check with the doctor though.

I do love sweets and have been learning not to eat them. Since I am type II diabetes I had to learn that first. I make due with some sugar free fat free stuff. And I love yogurt. If I can have just one small thing a day I am fine. Just has to be fat free, sugar free and after I have all my required protein and veggies for the day. I think it will be easier with the lapband . But want also to hear from any other sweet lovers.

Thanks for the info...and also to you liz. I got my call from Lahey with all the information for pre-op. I am having Dr. Brams do the surgery. So Pam will most probably be the NP who I see. I am so excited and can't wait to have this done. Had my last meeting today with Dr. Kantor he is terrific. I will be going to the monthly support group again thanks fro the info

LOL I call it my "CRAP" machine have only had it for a month and hate it so much. I am also a bit claustrophobic and it bothers me. I will get a new mask in 3 months and will go for the newest one that is very small nose only. I do feel better when I get 5-6 hours with it on. I usually wake up at 5:00 to P and then take it off and go back to sleep for an hour of nice...no mask sleep. LOL I take two pills a day for my Type 2 Diabetes and hope to go off them too. My main questions will be what drink to use since I have to have no sugar. I do drink Glucerna, not too great but OK I may have to add plain Protein powder to it and put in blender with ice. Or make my own shake with powder and skim milk and splenda and flavorings.

Glad to find this forum for Diabetics I am type II. And I take two of those horse pills a day. I hope to end up off them totally, I am not insulin dependent but do have hypothyrodism and take meds for that. Hope I am off a lot of pills by the end of this. I will be banded on August 7th. Can't wait

I just got my surgery appointments...I have to get lung x-ray and EKG (it's been a year since I had all my big tests) And blood test too. Meeting with the surgeon and nurses and pre-op all set. Can't wait till I have it done. The x-ray and EKG are normal before any surgery.

I had both tests and now have my CPAP machine, one reason to do the lap band is to get off that machine asap. I have had it a month and am having a hard time getting used to it. I have allergies and do take meds but sometimes my nose is still stuffy. If I am still on it in three months I will get the newer smaller nose mask. I am really trying but end up at around 5 am, waking up to go potty and taking it off...and going back to sleep for a hew hours more. I told my PCP and he said that this is not unusual and if I have a bad allergy night I can skip the mask for that night. I do notice that I am not as tired during the day and I am not napping in the afternoon, and that is good.

I called today to get information on my Lap Band meetings. The May meetings are full...and I signed up for June. I don't mind postponing. I am losing the pre-op weight so far 3 lbs. out of 12. More is better they said. I also sent for a adult tricycle. Very cute. I have some balance problems due to my eyesight and that is safer. I also sent for a helmet. It will arrive in a few days. Also my husband had his physical and an echo cardiogram. It showed that his mitral valve has gotten worse. They have been watching it for years. It's something he was born with. He and I are seeing a heart doctor on April 30th. Meanwhile daughter's baby is due anytime in the next 3 weeks. Talk about stress. I would prefer to get him through the surgery which is the most probable scenario. Get him home and recovering then I will go for my surgery. I am dong OK with the stress. Totally NOT stress eating. I am using Glucerna shakes and bars and eating two small meals a day. So I will take off as much weight as I can before the surgery, start riding the bike daily to relieve stress. Wish me and hubby and daughter good thoughts please. We are not telling her anything about her Dad until we see the doctor. I don't want her stressed with the baby due so soon. I am determined to do this...and I will my nurse practitioner is very very supportive. She wants me to call her if I get upset or stressed out over any of this.

My surgery is scheduled for August 7th. Gives hubby a few weeks to recover. Can't wait for it.

Got a call on Monday, I got my surgery date for August 7th and am so happy. Can't wait. Good luck to all. I am so very happy with Lahey Clinics program and the people running it. All are very supportive and very nice.

Great news, I am having my surgery on Aug. 7th. I could have had it a few weeks earlier but my husband is having a heart valve replaced on July 14th and I want him on the road to recovery before my surgery. Good luck

Hi thanks for replying...now who is Pam and how can I get in touch with her? I got my surgery date.....Aug. 7th 2008 and am excited.

Hi, my BMI is 39 and I got my surgery date for August 7th (hooray), BCBS will most likely approve and I will hear from them in a week. Just 4 lbs. to lose before surgery. I may try to lose a tad more if I can. I also have Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. With 2 co-morbidities that should do the trick. My husband is having heart surgery on July 14th, so this will be 3 weeks later. He should be able to drive by then I hope, otherwise my daughter can drive me to the hospital and home. I am so excited......I just hope all goes well with hubby and me

I was just searching the site for anyone who was banded at Lahey. I am in the final preparations for my surgery. I love the program and it's so very thorough and it may take a month longer than some it's very very supportive. Everyone is so nice and not judgmental at all. I finish my 4 week course on controlling your eating habits and the psychological reasons why we overeat with Dr.Lyle Kantor and he's wonderful. It's actually been fun for me to go there. All the nurses and nutritionists are very supportive too. I get my surgery date in the next week or so. I lost most of my pre-op weight. I know that I am in good hands. I'm glad to see someone here from there who had the surgery and was pleased.

That sounds like your PCP is just anti-lap band or bypass. I would request another talk with him if he won't do it. I would tell him OK but I am requesting a new PCP and why. He may change his mind. It just sounds like he may be mean spirited, or I wonder if he's maybe a tad overweight himself? Also how old is he? Older doctors seem to be prejudiced against bariatric surgery and want conventional diets. I changed PCP's a few years ago, she was a witch. Her main phrase was "We must lose weight" "We must quit smoking" she was all of 30 years old or so and weighted maybe 105 soaking wet. She totally p###ed me off. So I didn't lose weight or quit smoking..for spite. When I changed to my husbands PCP he was supportive, not judgmental, and I did quit smoking, tried various new weight loss programs under him, most worked for a short period of time, would lose then re-gain the weight. When I suggested Lap Band he was very very enthusiastic and OKed me immediately. I did have to have his letter to the Lap Band clinic to get it done. My insurance BC BS only needs the Lap Band surgeon to OK it. Good luck. Hope you get it fixed soon. take care Pati

My daughter had a beautiful healthy girl on May 16th, she was 7 lbs 12 oz. and 22 inches long. It's now June, and I will get my date for surgery this coming week, I had to lose a total of 6 lbs. before surgery date, and 6 lbs before the surgery. Lost a total of 8 lbs. so 4 to go. I suspect sometime mid or late August. Hubby has ho coronary artery disease which is great, so just the valve replaced. His date for surgery is July 14th. Our septic system went kaput and now getting bids on a replacement system. Hope to have it in before hubby's surgery. Well keep on trucking everyone and good luck. I do like the program at Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA I completed my classes so all that's left is the pre-op visit with the surgeon and one more meeting class on what to expect.

Hi, when they did your blood testing did they do a test for your thyroid. All women over 30 should have it I think. One of the reasons other than loving food LOL that I did gain so much weight in one year was my thyroid function went kaput. I am now on pills and am nicely regulated and can lose weight now and not gain when on a diet which is what happened for a number of years till I changed health plans and doctors. It should be a standard test for lap banding. And after it too.

Do most people go on a liquid diet right before the surgery?

Hi looking for other Lahey banders. I am going there now and got my required weight loss, so they will schedule my surgery, and I get the date next week. Very excited. I do like Lahey's program and the different meetings and they are very thorough in preparing you for the surgery. I don't know who my surgeon will be. Who did you have? Do you still go to the support meetings? I am so looking forward to having this done. Hey I forgot how to add the "ticker" to my posts? How do I do it?

Hey haven't posted in a while, lots of stuf going on. My granddaughter was born May 16th and she's healthy and quite the cutie pie. Hubby is having heart surgery on July 14th, he has to have his mitral valve replaced. Good news no underlying CHD. His arteries are clear as a bell...this is the guy who loves his steaks and mashed potatoes LOL. Also our septic system failed. So we need a new one. Getting bids and engineer drawing up the plans. MA has very very strict rules now. called Title 5. That's a nice piece of change we can't afford. And my good news.....ta da, I lost 8 lbs and they are scheduling my surgery next week I get the date, will have to go for August so that hubby has 4 weeks to heal from his surgery. I just watch what I eat Have fat free yogurt for my Snacks and do "mindftul" eating , I have completed 3 of the 4 week meetings with the shrink and others going for the lapband on eating triggers and proper eating techniques. It's been very helpful. I have one other meeting to go too after I see the surgeon and then ....it will be operation time. I have to lose 4 more lbs by the surgery. I eat 3 small meals a day, with one snack. For a total of 1400 or so calories and do 20 minutes of exercise per day. I hope to continue this after the sugery when I recover. Good luck and hope your surgery goes well. Pati