JoannMarie

You are all great! Thanks so much for your support. I will keep you posted - hopefully later this week...

Janet, recently a nutritionist told me that you need 10 calories per day per pound to maintain your weight. In other words - to maintain your weight at 140, you should average about 1400 calories a day. This explains why you are still losing slowly - you are actually eating a little less than 1400 many days. The article you read offering you 2400 calories to maintain your weight would mean you would soon weigh 240 pounds. I think I know why many of us have not been able to lose weight reading labels. Most labels are set up to equate the average person's necessary calorie intake to be 2000 calories/day. That is great if you are a 6'3" man! But a woman of 5'2" will weigh 200 pounds and have a BMI of approx 42. My nutritionist friend said she had many women call her - "I just can't understand why I'm not losing weight - I only eat about 2000 calories a day." ???go figure??? Then there is this fat chic - and probably many others - who know better and still weight 240 pounds. (but not for long...)

Thanks to everyone for your support! I am looking forward to this week and hope to have a date in the next few days! Margie, you are very creative. I'll be looking to you for more ideas during the full liquid stage. That shrimp/tomato soup thing should be pretty darned good... I'm so encouraged knowing all of you are doing this and are successful! I have read all the dietary information till I am blue in the face, and can recite most of it. However - I KNOW reading and reciting the information in no way compares to LIVING with it! I love seeing creative people make lemonade out of lemons, and you all are doing just that! (SF of course)

Hello to all, I heard from the bariatric coordinator yesterday afternoon. Apparently I have been cleared for surgery, and my chart is on its way to the scheduler for a DATE! I should hear from her early next week. After all these months of waiting it still seems like she was talking to someone else - one of those "out of body" experiences - haha. I am hoping for an early date, of course, but am left a little bit nervous...

Phyl, are you and DH headed south? Gosh, that time of year again... It's been so warm in Kansas City area this fall, it's hard to believe it is almost October. Take care and have a good safe trip. I had a call from the bariatric coordinator yesterday afternoon. I've been cleared for surgery and my chart was headed for the scheduler. I should hear from her early next week about a surgery date. After all these months it seems a little surreal. I'm hoping for an early date, of course, but the reality of it has brought on a bit of nervousness.

Mia, you are certainly not annoying to me! I'm out here trying to get all the information I can, and I appreciate hearing from all of you. From what I understand about the whole process, each of us has to find the dietary plan that works for us within the lapband guidelines. Considering that each person has likes, dislikes, issues with carbs or protein, etc., I find it helpful to hear lots of ideas about how successful bandsters work all these things out. Janet keeps telling us this is a lifestyle change, and only you can decide what your new lifestyle is going to be. As Tim Gunn says, "make it work!"

Thank you for your encouragement, Janet. I really appreciate all your help. I heard from the coordinator this afternoon. My case was presented to the board this morning and apparently they think I am a good candidate for surgery. My chart was headed for the scheduler this afternoon and she will coordinate with the hospital, anesthesiologist, etc. and call me with a date. I should hear early next week. You can bet you will hear from me! (Probably will actually HEAR me in Indio, CA!) My second sleep study is tomorrow night. There was some question about medicare covering it since my apnea is so mild, but it was straightened out and I will be snoozing in the sleep lab. Anything to get this thing done!

Wow Janet! A Jedi Warrior?? This is putting a lot of pressure on me. Now I will have to perform. (guess I have to anyway...) My board review was scheduled for this morning. The coordinator promised to call me this afternoon with the outcome. I'm waiting.

Hi Mia - it sounds to me like you have answered your own question... Janet does not seem to be around right now, but she would tell you - "weigh once a week" always on the same day. If you can't stand the suspense and decide to weigh in between the weekly dates, you can't count that mid-week weigh-in. Weight fluctuates so much from day-to-day. Sometimes the body just has to catch up with itself. Nine pounds in a month is great. I believe Janet would tell you to keep doing what you've been doing and be kind to yourself. You deserve it. Joann says you are doing great!!

I can't go this month. I volunteered to provide refreshments for my quilt guild this month. I will plan for either the SM group or the northland group in October. I really don't want to give up my 4th Thurs - have been in this quilt guild for about 10 years! Have fun and learn a lot!

I did have to take this test. I don't know if it is a new rule or an old one, but it was required as part of my psychologist evaluation. It took about an hour. :redface:

Darn it Lori - you can't get away with anything! :redface:

JB -- Congratulations!!! Overweight!! That is great news. You are a ROCK STAR!!

Oh, Marilyn, what good news. God is indeed in control and hears our prayers. All of us are blessed with this news because it give us just another opportunity to praise and thank Him. I hope the news continues to be positive, and you can be banded soon.

Charlene, I've had my consultation with the surgeon on Sept. 3rd. Because of my advanced age (my term - teehee) - their age limit is 65. She has to present my case before their board (the other surgeons in the practice) on the 4th Fri of the month, Sept 26. That should be a formality since I don't have other serious health problems. Shortly after that I should have a date scheduled. The coordinator said they are scheduling 4-6 weeks out, so I am planning for late October/early November. I'm not excited or nervous right now - reserving that for when I actually know something. I really can't wait to join the banded people!

Charlene, it is so good to hear from you. You and all the folks on the Gulf coast have been in our prayers. It is good to hear you did not have significant damage, but the pictures of the devastation are simply terrible. I hope you are able to get your power back and everyone can begin to put their lives together again soon. God bless...

I'm so glad to hear this worked out for you. You should not have had to go through all this, but you did a great job. Congratulations. And - congratulations on your weight loss. You are doing great!

It's good to hear from you, Jill. I think we are all concerned about Charlene - have not heard a word from her since before Ike, and she was evacuating. Here in KC area we had lots of rain from tropical storm Lowell (from southwest) and the next day lots of rain from remnants of Ike. There has been a lot of flooding around here, but at least here in western Missouri we did not have the high sustained winds you had east of us. The crops of many of the farmers around here have been flooded out for the 3rd time this year, obviously this time it is too late to replant yet again. It has been a crazy weather year.

Hi Pegg, Welcome to this thread. You will find a lot of support and encouragement here, and on other threads as well. I can help with one of your questions. As of early 2007 Medicare (and the supplements) pay for bariatric surgery. However, they do require that you go to a "Center of Excellence" for your surgery. Be sure to check with the surgeon where you are attending your seminar to make sure they are certified as a center of excellence. If you go to the Medicare website they list the centers by state. Search under bariatric surgery and look for facilities. The website is huge and not the easiest to navigate, but keep at it and you will find it. Good luck as you begin your journey.

Welcome, Morph. It's a tough decision whether and whom to tell about this surgery. On one hand, it really isn't anyone else's business but yours. On the other, I know we all hope our friends will be supportive of our decisions. There is one thing I have learned from all the posters on LBTalk - this is not easy and it is not a quick fix. If you decide to tell others it is an opportunity to educate them about what lapbanding is really all about. I hope you receive the support and prayers you deserve from everyone you decide to tell. I know you will receive a lot of support from the others on this thread and other threads on this site. God bless you and guide you,

Phyl, I love your story. You are a rock star! God bless you and your husband both. I know from earlier stories you are celebrating 40+ years of marriage (was it 43?). I know it is slow for you, but you have your act together and you know that it's the long haul that's important. God bless,

Marilyn, you have been in my thoughts all day today. I hope you are doing okay. Has the PET scan been done? You are in my prayers.

Lori - diamond studs! Do I hear the sound of another reward for your weight loss? Let's see - you got the Coach at 50, was it? The great thing about these rewards is YOU WON'T GET TOO SMALL FOR THEM! In fact, as you lose more weight, won't the diamonds look larger??? Great idea - I'm putting this on my list, too... I sure get good ideas from this group of smart, stylish women! p.s. none of you should worry about retirement being the end of your life. It's great! You are getting yourselves into position to have fun in your retirement - new experiences, travel without a seat belt extension, time to learn new things, play with your adult kids and maybe a grandchild or two, do stuff for YOU and enjoy that new body of yours.

Oh Lori! What a great day! You have to be so happy with what is going on with you today. I am so excited for you! I can't wait!!