nana811

Have faith, the pounds will drop. Keep hydrated and keep nourished. Remember this is a tool and it does take time.

First, I did like you attend a seminar. Next I made an appointment with the surgeon. After that initial meeting, he said I was a canidate. Yeah!!. Next thing is 6 months (continuously, with no breaks) of medically supervised diet. That meant I had to see my doctor every month for 6 months and tell him I was on a diet and exercising. They document your weight and that's it. Then after I needed a Psychological Evaluation. After that I needed to see a Dietician/Nutritionist. Then I was complete. Next step was to tell my surgeon I completed the 6 months. My insurance requested 5years of medical history with weight documentation and list co-morbidities. Once my surgeon received all that which took about a month, they submit to my insurance and it took 5 days for the first denial then 2 days after my appeal I was APPROVED!!!. I have been on Optifast since 2/19. Preop testing took avout an hour, which included bloodwork, EKG, & Chest Xray. I see the surgeon on 3/3 for my preop visit and on TUESDAY< MY LIFE WILL BE BETTER. All in all it took almost 1 year. Only because I had a break of the 6mons of visits, which I didn't know I did until I completed the first 6 visits and they advised me that on month 5 the doctor didn't write that I was there for weight management. SOOOOOO, I had to start my 6 months all over again....it was a bummer, but look at me now. Hope this helps you. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR JOURNEY!!!!

I don't know about you, but I AM STARVING IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. Especially when I come home from work and I have TO COOK FOR MY FAMILY....It's challenging, to say the least. But I haven't really cheated, just maybe put my finger in the sauce I'm cooking to see if it tastes good, and gosh darnit IT DOES!!!. KEEP DOING WHAT YOUR ARE DOING. YOU'LL LOOSE WEIGHT. BE PATIENT.

I didn't have to spend a day. It was a regular Dr appt with my PCP it took maybe 1hour total. Bloodwork, EKG & Chest Xray, that's it. Painless. On Monday I see the surgeon for a preop visit, I take a anti nasuea pill the night before that he prescribed and nothing to eat or drink after 12am. Surgery is tentatively scheduled for 1:45pm. Good Luck!

I was put on Optifast since 2/19, and I am scheduled for March 4th. The day before nothing after midnight. I get tired of Optifast, so I also drink slimfast for dinner every night. It helps!!! Doctors usually require some preop diet, to shrink your liver so they don't have to touch it during surgery, which is a plus for me.... Good luck!

March 4th for me TOO!!! I am in St. Pete at Palms of Pasadena with Dr. Rehnke. Good Luck!!

My Tour De Foodies ended on Feb 18, the day before Optifast began. "The world seems lighter now....lol"

Wow, there is quite a few of us. I am scheduled for Tuesday March 4th. I have been on Optifast since Feb 19. I too miss chewing and texture. These shakes taste nasty even with vanilla flavoring. I also take a slimfast at night as my dinner. Last night a I bought an ATKINS brand one and I had this morning for Breakfast, it tasted like Mocha coffee, not bad but strange after taste. I keep thinking the same thing, this will not be forever, this will not be forever, but the dayssss aarrreee sooooo looonnngggg!!!! especially at night. BUt I take it one day at a time. As a previous poster mentioned, my doctor also is using the REALIZE band on me. I super excited..... I didn't know it's prefilled. I have my preop visit with him on Monday, so I will definitely ask. I do know that I am on a clear liquid diet for 2weeks after the surgery. I am so happy for these boards. Everyone here offers so much support. Thank you ALL!!!

COUNTINGTHE DAYS: I am also from Bradenton. Can you tell me when the support groups are in Manatee Memorial? Can anyone attend? I see you chose Dr. Bunch, I heard good things from him. I was going to Dr. Este, but he or HIS OFFICE said I didn't qualify, without even seeing me. So I went elsewhere and that's how I ended up with Dr. Rehnke in St. Pete. He is a great man and understands me. I am schedule for next tuesday, I am so nervous and yet so happy and yet scared. I know this is a good thing. How are you doing?

Congrats!!! on your date. My date is also on March 3. I have been on Optifast & Slimfast since 2/19. THis is to shrink your liver. Stay on track. You can do it....... Then after surgery I am 2 weeks clear liquids, then mushy stage. Just follow your Dr's instructions, he knows best.

I started on Optifast on Tuesday Feb 19. On Saturday I had a migrane and on Sunday. This morning at 2am I woke up in pain, but luckily no migrane, just a bad headache, which really I don't think I ever have. Today I feel like someone punched me in the head. I already took two more tylenols this AM. My surgery is on next tuesday, and I am super excited. Do you think it's the optifast? I live in Florida and the weather has been cooky lately, cool, hot, muggy rainy, do you think the weather? HELP ME!!! I want to feel better. I can't even say that I have headach because I'm hungry, because when I have the headache's I'm not necessarily hungry at the time. I must admit yesterday night was a big struggle as I was starving. But I had a "Slimfast Easy to Digest, Lactaid free" and a sugar free Jello. I did not cheat. I just feel crummy and I'm at work and all I want to do is put my head on a pillow and close my eyes. Thanks for hearing me.......ttfn...

Thank God, I feel better today......no headache so far. Feel refreshed. Don't know if it was food withdrawals, but I felt awful. Thanks for all your support. March 3, 2008 I have a date with Destiny. LOSERVILLE, here I come!!!

My doctor tells me to get vitamins called: VITA BAND CHEWABLE VITAMINS FROM "BARIATRIC ADVANTAGE". These run about $40.00 for 180ct. Has anyone found them cheaper? Did you take them? Do you need them? How were they to swallow? Did they upset your stomach? Curious, and I want to know in advance before paying for them.

How many Flintstones do you take a day? How many times a day?

FRESCA: I cook very fast and I make sure to have a shake right before i cook. It smells so good, but I haven tried anyting since Tuesday. I was even offered a yogurt parfait from McDs and I said NO. I have stuck with the Optifast, little Water, Slimfast at night, sugarfree Jello, & sugarfree candies since Tuesday. It's been a challenge, but I get over each battle a little stronger. I told my daughter of 19, that she might have to cooking soon. I think I'm pretty strong, but yesterday's dinner smelled soooo goooodd!!!. Then they eat in front of me. I just don't look and focus on the tv. I have to do this until March 3. Then Clear liquids.....yummy...lol...... I know there is a light at the end of this tunnel. I JUST KEEP THINKING, BY THE TIME SUMMER COMES, I SHOULD BE ABOUT 30LBS LIGHTER OR MORE. THAT'S GREAT...... GOOD LUCK FRESCA!!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

I am SOOOO EXCITTED. AND PETRIFIED ALL AT ONCE. I got insurance approval (CIGNA/HMO). My out of pocket will be $1000.00, well worth it. i have to say I love these boards. You give me such inspiration. I am on day 2 of Optifast. I have to stay on it until Band date. I am so hungry right now, but reading these boards keep my mind off of it. Wish me luck!!

Well, I am taking it day by day, hour by hour. I can honestly say yesterday was a NO CHEATING DAY. I made it thru. Today, has started well so far. My problem is at night after I get home from work. I have to make dinner for the family and I'm ok during that, I drink alot of Water or suck on some sugarless candy. But when 7pm-8pm hits, it's like the for food FLOODGATES OPEN......it so hard. I did buy the sugarless coffee syrup, vanilla flavor, don't really taste the difference, but I use it and close my eyes when I drink the shake. I try to drink it without breathing and fast. If I smell it, it makes me want to puke. But I know this is temporary. That is what I keep telling myself and I weighed myself this morning and I have lost 5lbs. Can you believe it..... This motivates me and listening to ya'll keeps me going. C'mon Future Bandee's TOGETHER WE UNITE. WE WILL DRINK OUR Optifast, SUCK ON SUGARLESS CANDY, HAVE A SUGARLESS Jello, DRINK WATER AND LOVE IT. THIS IS FOR OUR FUTURE HEALTH!!!!!

Thanks god for these boards. I am on day 2 of Optifast. I just chug it I CAN'T SMELL IT, or else,....yuck,.,. I am also doing at night 1 slimfast, which tastes better. My band date is 3/4/08 and I have to optifast till then I need all your support.....

He is wonderfull, patient and always smiling. I highly recommend to anyone in my area. He works out of "The Palms of Pasedena Hospital" in St. Pete Fl. Love to hear if there are any other Rehnke patients out there.