JoannMarie

Indio - that is great news. You have been in my thoughts, really glad to hear you are okay. Sounds like you had fun in MN, and lots of new tiny clothes to wear. What fun!

Dianne, I love the new picture. You look really cute! It's so good to hear you are doing well. Banding agrees with you! Long, I wish you would be more outspoken with your feelings about the lapband. tee-hee. Here's to 50 pounds - bet you will be there plus a little bit more THIS WEEK! You are all doing so well. I can't wait for my turn...

Karen, tomorrow is YOUR day! I will be thinking of you tomorrow and will have you in my prayers. I wish for you a safe surgery and a speedy recovery.

PJ, best of luck tomorrow as you begin your new life! I hope you will feel like getting back to us with a rundown soon. I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. Orea, it's great to hear from you again. I've been checking periodically to hear how you are doing. Surgery go okay? Aftermath okay? Surviving the liquids okay? We've missed your wisdom and humor. Glad you are back. Long - it's early in the week, but I will wish you best of luck on the gall bladder surgery now and later, too. I'm glad your favorite doc is on board for this - it gives you a lot of confidence. I'm sure he will take good care of you.

Hang in there, Jeanette! I am really looking forward to meeting you, Lisa, and everyone else at the meeting later this month. At this point I don't have a date set (not even for my surgeon consultation), and waiting is a bummer. I want to come and meet everyone now so I have that requirement taken care of - and will have that extra support of local people as I go along. Congratulations on your new swimsuit! The thought of shopping for a swimsuit right now sends shivers of dread up and down my spine. I hope to have more courage about that issue as I approach the kind of weight loss you have. You are giving me something to look forward to and that makes my wait easier. See you soon!

Thank you, Lisa. I don't know about wise... I have a few years on you and Jeanette -- maybe that has "wised me up" a little (but just a little...). I am just amazed at the accomplishments of so many people on LBTalk. You are all inspiring to me. I am looking forward to meeting all of you at the next meeting.

Jeanette, I am in process for surgery at SMMC this fall (I hope!), and will be attending the support group in August. I've been lurking for week or so on this thread - I hope that is okay with all of you - but I figured that would be a good way to start getting acquainted. (kinda one-sided though) I took the liberty of looking at your profile - and the picture of you and your handsome fiance. I hope while you are with your family you will keep one thing in mind. You have lost 110 pounds. You are only 40 pounds from your goal. You are a beautiful young woman AND YOU HAVE LOST 110 POUNDS! That is an amazing accomplishment and you can be very proud of yourself. I am sure no one at your cousin's wedding (incl your cousin!) can hold a candle to that. Go to the wedding, look beautiful, feel great, smile, and have fun. That is the choice you can make that you will not regret, and it won't cost you so much as a calorie!

Thank you, Doddie. You are an inspiration! I am so glad to hear about all your victories.

Good luck, Karen! Your date is coming up soon and you are on your way. I like your statement, "I will keep on track, because I must keep on track." That pretty much says it, doesn't it? :thumbdown:

Hi Young, I am mid-process and have not had to do a 6 month medically supervised diet. However, I do have history of a 5 month liquid diet 2 years ago that was medically supervised. I think one of their guidelines includes documentation that you have tried dieting with no long-term success. Have you been to a seminar yet? In this area prospective patients are required by the bariatric practices to attend a seminar to get basic information about WLS. You would have a chance to ask your questions there, and get the real scoop. Just be sure you are going to a Center of Excellence, or Medicare will not cover it. In my note above I included a web address for the Medicare site that lists the Centers of Excellence in each state. Also check to make sure your surgeon accepts Medicare assignment as Sharon160 said.

Dianne, welcome back! You sure didn't stay away very long. I'm so glad it went well for you. You are right - you had more than just a few prayers headed your way. Let us know how it goes with the medications you have to take. I've got a couple of supplements that are rather large and have some concerns about them. Esp the fish oil - DH keeps threatening cod liver oil. ugh. He thinks he is so funny. Rest easy, Dianne, and heal. OREA! You are up next and you are in our prayers for your surgery tomorrow. You have such a great attitude and you are so ready for this. I hope you will be back on-line quickly and letting us know how everything goes. We'll be checking... Best of luck to both of you!

Cathy, the Realize band is one of my options and I have to make a decision soon. I checked out the website and the journaling/tracking options appear to be extensive. They listed some study results that indicated fewer problems and slightly better weight loss than the other options. It did not state number of patients in the study, length of study, etc., so I take those results with a grain of salt. Your experience with the tracking system sounds like it might be worthwhile. Are you happy with their band and web assistance? My surgeon says it's up to me - she does not advise one over the other. She feels some of her patients are not as computer savvy as others, and one of the main benefits of Realize is the website assistance. Did your surgeon recommend the Realize? What are your thoughts? Thanks for your help.

Considering that we are embarking on a new life, maybe the sippy cup with cartoon characters is appropriate for us... Miss Piggy would be fun for me... In her most glamourous gown and tiara... or riding costume with crop... hmmm

Barb, I'm so glad to hear you are feeling better this morning. You are going to be fine! From what I have gleaned from all the experienced people I have read about on this site, there are a lot of ups and downs associated with this particular lifestyle change -- but then what can I expect from a lifestyle change?? Be tough! I am moving along in this Quest. All the paperwork is in, met w/psych, nutrition classes complete, scheduling a sleep study, and have an apptmnt set with the surgeon for Sept. 3. The surgeon's coordinator told me I should have my band "in the fall". I'm pushing for early fall. DH and I have a trip to South Korea coming up around Christmas to visit our daughter and her family who are there with the USArmy. I would really like to be settled in to this program well before we go. Long flights and different food choices concern me - I would like to have a routine established by then. (not to mention lose a few pounds to make the whole trip easier!) Thank you for your kind words. Let's do keep in touch with each other. I will be anxious to hear how you are doing.

Dianne, I don't know if you are still on here (probably trying to get a good night's sleep!) but I have been thinking of you all day and you will definitely be in my thoughts tomorrow. I pray you will have a successful LB day, and an easy recovery. You are on your way! God Bless!

Barb, Please read back through this thread and listen to the messages from the people who have responded to Cindy. I have not yet been banded, and can only imagine how hard it is for you right now. My heart goes out to you and I pray you will be able to get past these fears of failure. You have many years before you and you have plenty of time to accomplish your goals. Everyone is different - different metabolism, different life experiences, different strengths and weaknesses. Try not to compare yourself with others - your experiences will be your own, and you will be successful. There are threads available that offer mentoring by other bandsters - go to the main page and find the main thread. Then look for one titled "Available LapBand Buddy/I'm here to help..." That has been a very active thread for new bandsters (and those in-waiting like me) as well as those who are struggling with different issues. IndioGirl is the mentor on that thread, and it would be good if you read back through the postings so she does not have to repeat those suggestions she has made several times. Also --- YOU have lost 33 pounds in under a month. THAT is something to celebrate! Good for you... Good luck to you.

Hi Debsta, Welcome to the fifties group. Technically I don't belong here - passed up the fifties a few years ago - but people are kind enough to let me hang around. It truly is a very supportive group of people and I enjoy hearing from them every day. As far as a support group in your area, you might go back several threads to the Lap-Band Support Groups thread. In there you will find a section for local groups based on the state they live in. You will find a thread for Louisiana, and may find a LBTalk group that can help you find what you are looking for. Does your surgeon's office have a group affiliated with them? Many of them do. You might have to dig a little, but what's new? Many of us have had to do that just to find the surgeon that works out best for us. Meanwhile, we are always here... Good luck.

Oh... I thought only mechanics were allowed to use that one. and maybe orthopedic surgeons... (oops. I'm the one who will be needing knee surgery. I should be more careful. No offense)

LONG!! You never told us you were a medical professional!!:tt2:

Doohickey... Ladies, I'm pretty sure you have to be a medical professional to use that term.

Two years ago I did a program similar to Medifast or Optifast. Lost 40 pounds in 20 weeks. I actually kept most of it off for about a year, then it began to creep up again. I will be thrilled to lose at the rate you are losing - and this time will have the band to help me keep it off as long as I follow the rules. It will be much easier to follow the rules with the band. You are doing great!:tt2:

MaryD, I would also like to hear from those patients. I have a combination of these two maladies and often can't tell if the pain today is from the osteoarthritis or the fibromyalgia... I know LB and weight loss will help the arthritis, and hope it will be effective with the fibro, too.

Pangea, Be sure to ask the bariatric facility you have been working with if they are a Center of Excellence - in order to have Medicare coverage, they have to have that designation. If they are not a COE, Medicare website has a page that helps you find a COE in your area. I'm probably telling you something you already know - apologize if that is the case - but it's easy to spend a lot of time talking to people at facilities that aren't covered. One of the facilities I spent some time with is a COE, but they are newly accredited, and have not yet received a billing number from MC. I would love to go there - very impressed with them - but my first contact with them was in early March and they still have not received their final okay. I'm not waiting when there are other options in the area. Good luck in your search!

I wish I wasn't waiting! I'm ready to go NOW! However --- I'm a Medicare patient - which is not a bad thing at all, because they do recognize the value of WLS and cover the surgeries. You have to use a "Center of Excellence", also not bad because they are well regulated, but it can slow the process. I have found a couple COE's in this area and have been working with them to get this done. I have been to seminars, completed all the paperwork, PCP referral, medical records, psych evaluation, nutrition, etc. I have to get a sleep study done - should be able to get that scheduled early next week - and have a surgeon consultation appointment for Sept. 3. I am hoping I will get a date set for surgery soon after that appointment. Bariatric coordinator told me I should be on the schedule by mid-fall. I sure hope so. Meanwhile, I am living vicariously through all of you at LBT!!:thumbup:

Looks like we have at least 2 going in for their big days this week - Dianne on Monday and Orea on Wednesday. If I am forgetting anyone else I apologize - memory, you know. It's an exciting week for you and I am just a teensy bit envious right now. I'll be happy when all my waiting is over. However, I know I'll be nervous, too. You just don't make a life change like this without some concern. I congratulate you both - and all the rest of the bandpeople around here. You are great!