vucarre

Thank you all for your responses. I am not going to lie about it. I just dont want to talk about it at this point. I do plan on dealing with the shame of it all. I have always been embarrased by my weight. And, having done a partial 12 step program, I know the shame often keeps me in the vicious cycle of overeating and self loathing. So, I do plan on addressing this issue in a big way after the surgery. A friend of mine is a photojournalist and she wants to document my surgery and subsequent weight loss and possibly sell the feature to a national or international South African magazine, which means it may end up in a US mag as well. We are just waiting to find out what, if any, of the surgery, the doctor is willing to let her film. So, we shall see!!!! Again, thanks and best wishes to all of you and I will keep you posted.

Having moved over seas, I have new friends here. I consider them good friends but they dont know about my life long battle w/ my weight. I dont want to tell them about the lapband until sometime after surgery. It is not a "none of your biz thing." I just dont want to go into detail at this point. I needto tell them I am having a procedure. Because I will miss karate for 2 weeks & will need help with school pic up. What do I say if they pry?

<br /><br /><br /> Thanks for responding. I have no intention of lying about the surgery. I just dont want to say what it is at this point. I plan to tell them I am having a procedure. One friend will probably ask what type of surgery. I just want to just say I am having a procedure without going into detail at this point. But, they are my friends and I have not intention of lying. If she presses, I will just tell her I dont want to talk about it now. Sometime after the surgery, I will feel more comfortable telling people. Again, thanks!!!! Vu

Yes, this helps alot! Thank you!!!

Lapband sched May 19. And, I have a few questions: 1) In general, how difficult is it to take pills? I have a few things I have to take that do not come in liquid/chewable form. How do you handle swallowing meds during recovery and after? 2) After the healing process, how does the band feel? Or can you feel it? 3) How long before you got your first fill? Thanks in advance!!! 4) After surgery, how long before you felt well enough to start exercising moderately? 5) Has anyone had mild-to moderate acid reflux that is controlled with meds before the band? And, how is the acid reflux after the band? Is it better or worse? 6)I have seen on a lot of posts that after the band, there is less hunger. I actually am never hungry because I typically eat before I get hungry. So, after the band, are you not thinking about food or does the lasting feeling of fullness really diminish the hunger? Are you chomping at the bit for the next meal, or do you kind of forget about eating until all of a sudden you realize you need to eat? 7Because eating is so tied to my emotions, and once I am no longer living to eat, I just wonder if I will pic up other compulsive behavior? Have any of you started doing other destructive things to replace the emotional salve of eating.) Thanks a bunch!!!

You may want to try making stock/broth yourself. Make a large batch and freeze in single serving sizes. You can find a million recipes online. Stay away from any recipes to use bouillon or granules.

Thank you for all your suggestions. These are really helpful.

Wow, this is really good. Thank you!!!!

Thank you guys so much for answer my slew of questions. I am feel even better about things knowing I have such a great support group here!!! Thanks and enjoy the rest to the weekend!!!

Wow, thanks DC!!! Great answers!!!

Congratulations!!! Best wishes and keep us posted!! Hugz

Hello! I'm getting my band May 19. Excited but a little nervous. It surreal. I have waited so long, two years as I was trying other approaches, though, I really just wanted the band. Now, it is here and it is like wow. It is really starting to sink in. I need go back and start re reading all the notes and advice I have been collect from everyone who has gone before me. It cannot come son enough!!! Vu!!!

I am thrilled my husband has finally decided to support me on this. I am very excited and nervous. My surgery is scheduled for May 19th. I will be getting the Swedish band here in South Africa. Since, I will be living here for the next several years, I thought it would be best to have it done here. I cannot wait to get this done. My BMI is 34 and I have co morbidities. I have gained the last 20 pounds pretty rapidly and though I have been this weight before, this time I am feeling the strain of carry so much extra weight. My back is killing me, I can barely do the moves in my karate class or hold positions, my feet hurt and I cannot bare to look at myself in the mirror. I dont even want to take a before picture. I am so uncomfortable. I cannot figure out how to do the ticker. Can someone point me to instructions on how to do that? Thanks!!! Vu

Oh I am SO happy to hear that!!!! What changed his mind? It helps so much (mentally) to have your spouse's support! I never heard of the Swedish Band-what is it? Good Luck to you and please continue to keep us posted!! _____________________ I had trouble with the ticker thing too - but you need to copy and paste the entire box. If the first box doesn't work then try copying and pasting the second option. Oh, btw, NJG, did you tell your husband yet? How did it go? Oh, and the Swedish band is just one the main 3 band brands. I think outside the states the swedish band is more widely known. I think it was actually one of the first bands.

I think I got my ticker to work. Yes, that is what I did, I tried the 2nd option and that seemed to work. For the last month everytime I brought it up he would just get annoyed and acting as if I was crazy for even thinking about doing it. Then he asked a friend of ours who is in the medical profession what he thought about it, whose wife is also considering it. He basically said, "it is not so much a question of if they get, it is more of when." That's what the friend said he told my husband. My husband and I had not been able to discuss it because of hectic schedules or my daughter being around. So, he asked me to send him an email telling him why I wanted the surgery. Initially, I thought, I am not your secretary I am not sending a memo. Then I thought you know, what, I want the surgery so I will send the memo if that is what it will take. So, I just poured my heart about how tired I am of killing myself on diets and lose weight only to gain it back with a vengeance. This has been going on since I was in 3rd grade. I am 47 and I dont want to spend the rest of my life doing this. My mother died of cancer at 60. If, I only have 13 years left, I want to spend it at 135 pounds. That seemed to have cinched it. So, I paid my $1000 deposit today. Surgery is the 19th. Ok, on to the next hurdle. We moved to S. Africa almost 3 years ago. My friend who is also considering the band lives her also and we are college friends and since we have moved here, our husbands have bonded as well. I also have a few really good friends I have made here. But, I have only known them since I have been here and i am not sure I want to tell them. The reason being, I know they will both say, you dont need that. I know that is what they will say. But, they dont know my full weight history. They do not know of my life long struggle. I dont want to go into all of that. I want to put all that behind me. But, we take karate together and I will miss two weeks of classes. So, I will need to tell them, I am have a procedure. One for sure will ask me what? So, I need a way to just say a non invasive procedure that will cause me to miss 4 classes. It is a smallish thing. I will tell them eventually.

Thanks for the instructions. I think I did it. But, I cannot see, just the script. Should I be able to see my tracker? I am not sure what my husbands actual reason's for not wanting me to get the surgery. He was citing safety. But, I suspect there is more to it than that. Though, I am not sure what it is. But, as long as he agreed. After the surgery, I will try to explore what the real issues are/were. Thank you for the support!!! Vu

Yes, the hard part is being vulnerable. Having to admit that I cannot do it alone and having to say those words to someone is really hard. Out of respect, having to ask for permission/support from one's spouse can be daunting especially when the spouse has no idea what it is like being a compulsive eater and food addict who needs surgical intervention. But, this is just one small step to get us where we need to be. Good luck!!!

Sadly, I have nothing to offer you NJG. I am in the same boat as you. I have a tentative appointment for the surgery here in South Africa May 19th. (It is much easier to get an appointment here as there are so fewer bariatric surgeries and insurance does not cover it at all. So, there is no red tape. It only costs about $10,000 here.) My husband still has not consented. I will be so angry if I lose that slot. I have wanted this surgery for 2 years. He convinced me not to get the surgery two years ago and I did manage to lose half the weight I needed to lose. Then I gained it back. Then, I lost half the weight a second time last year and have of course gained it back and then some. I am tired of this weight roller coaster and I want to get the surgery. But, he gets annoyed every time I bring it up. He knows I have this tentative date scheduled. I am really annoyed. He let is 15 year old daughter get a breast reduction, which I didnt agree with at that age, but I did not give an opinion as it was really none of my business. But, I really don't understand. First, he said he was concerned about the safety and that I could die. But, I think that is bs. When his 15 year old decided she wanted surgery it was scheduled the next week. He didnt even bother to check to see if our insurance would cover it before hand, that's how fast it was. They of course denied the claim saying she needed to lose weight. By then she had already had the surgery and we had already paid for it. When I brought his up, after I told him how much safer it is than other forms of bariatric surgery, though there are risks with every surgery --- especially one as invasive as breast reduction. Then he changed his tune to I will have a foreign object in my body. Now, he is saying, 'after you lose the weight, then what?' I guess he is trying to say after you lose the weight, he doesnt think I will be happy. We have little time to talk about it at length recently because he has been working so much. He wanted to go with me to see the doctor but then he cancelled because of work. He is working of a few really big projects so he is at work until well after I go to sleep and he leaves at 6:30 a.m. to drop my daughter at school on his way to work so we dont get a chance to really talk about it. I just really dont know what to do. I dont want to say. I am having the surgery with or without your support. I really dont want to do that. But, it seems like my only choice. Any advice?

My BMI is only 32 at this point. I was at 35 two years ago. My husband talked me out of the surgery and I went to Duke Weight Loss center for 2 months and I managed to lose 30 pounds. I kept if off for about a year, but never reaching my goal of losing 60 pounds. Lasy year 2010, I started CEAHOW (which is like overeaters anonymous) and again, lost 30 pounds but never reaching my goal. I want to have the surgery now because I know this disease is progressive and I really dont want to wait until my bmi is 35 again. I would like to avoid the problems I have at that weight, which are lower back pain, and slight incontinence along with the problems I currently have, which are, high blood pressure and acid reflux. My insurance will not cover it so I am going to pay myself. Here in South Africa, it is only about $10,000. So, I am hoping I am not the only one in this boat!!

Hello, I tried to vu your pics, but it seems the link is no longer available. Can you repost. I am really your blog and would luv to see the pics. Thanks!

My BMI is only 32 at this point. I was at 35 two years ago. My husband talked me out of the surgery and I went to Duke Weight Loss center for 2 months and I managed to lose 30 pounds. I kept if off for about a year, but never reaching my goal of losing 60 pounds. Lasy year 2010, I started CEAHOW (which is like overeaters anonymous) and again, lost 30 pounds but never reaching my goal. I want to have the surgery now because I know this disease is progressive and I really dont want to wait until my bmi is 35 again. I would like to avoid the problems I have at that weight, which are lower back pain, and slight incontinence along with the problems I currently have, which are, high blood pressure and acid reflux. My insurance will not cover it so I am going to pay myself. Here in South Africa, it is only about $10,000. So, I am hoping I am not the only one in this boat!!

My BMI is only 32 at this point. I was at 35 two years ago. My husband talked me out of the surgery and I went to Duke Weight Loss center for 2 months and I managed to lose 30 pounds. I kept if off for about a year, but never reaching my goal of losing 60 pounds. Lasy year 2010, I started CEAHOW (which is like overeaters anonymous) and again, lost 30 pounds but never reaching my goal. I want to have the surgery now because I know this disease is progressive and I really dont want to wait until my bmi is 35 again. I would like to avoid the problems I have at that weight, which are lower back pain, and slight incontinence along with the problems I currently have, which are, high blood pressure and acid reflux. My insurance will not cover it so I am going to pay myself. Here in South Africa, it is only about $10,000. So, I am hoping I am not the only one in this boat!!