JILLMC

Hi everyone, I had my first visit with Dr. Spivak on 11.30.05. I had a few problems with insurance but that is supposed to be straightened out now. I should be approved any day now and I hope to have surgery the last week of October. I am very excited and scared at the same time. I have been reading posts off and on since last November so I feel like I know most of you. I haven't posted very often but I plan to be regular from now on. I look forward to getting to know all of you!

I am not yet banded but I've seen the following suggestions to prevent hair loss: Get in all your Protein Use Nioxin hair products Use a protein spray for your hair I already use Nioxin because I have thin hair and I also use a protein spray so I hope that will help because I have very fine, thin hair and not much of it. I definitely can't afford to lose any hair. Good luck!

I am so sorry this happened. I hope you recover quickly. I wish you the best of luck with the remainder of your journey.

I had my upper GI this morning and it wasn't too bad although I have some pretty bad gas pains now. Is this similar to the gas pains I hear people talk about after lap-band surgery or are they worse? Thanks!!

Hi everyone! I don't have my surgery scheduled but I am hoping for October 25. I sent the piece of info to the insurance company today so I be able to schedule next week. I had an upper GI today and that is all the pre-op testing I needed. I look forward to getting to know all of you through this journey!

Keep in mind that medical expenses are subject to a 7.5% floor limitation meaning that you only get a deduction for medical expenses greater than 7.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income.

Congrats! You are doing such a great job with your band. Thanks so much for sharing. I'm not yet banded and it is stories like yours that let me know that I am making the right decision.

Way to go Mini Me!!!! That is great! That is truly the way we are suppossed to eat. All we need is a little bit. That is a great accomplishment.

I'm so sorry your sister-in-law is not being supportive. Do what is best for you and don't discuss it with her if you don't want to. You don't need that right before surgery. You've done the research and only you can make that decision. I have a friend that immediately said that a friend of hers knows a lady that died from the band, which I found out is not true. She had a band but died from lung cancer. She later apologized and said she would be supportive. I told her that I had decided not to discuss the band with her at all but that now I would give it a try again but if she says anything negative that will be it. This was not an easy decision for me and I'm sure it wasn't for you either so please don't listen to her negative comments. :nervous

Take vitamin C and get some Airborne at the drug store. I sure hope it goes away quickly.

I love Dr. Spivak. I haven't had surgery yet but I've been to see him twice. He is very nice and I have never read anything negative about him on the board. His office staff is very helpful. I'm sure if you call they will answer your questions.

Congrats! That is very exciting. I am hoping to schedule mine on 10/18 or 10/25. I know what you mean about being excited and scared!!!!!!!!!!:clap2: Good luck!!!!

I plan to follow Weight Watchers after I am banded. I love the point system and it is easy to track food that way. I will follow their 8 healthy guidelines and I feel that with the band I will be able to be successful.

I'm not banded yet but I will not give up my caffeine. I know I will have to give up Diet Coke and that really hurts. I LOVE Diet Coke. I just started drinking coffee 10 months ago and I am really glad I did. I've heard something hot in the morning helps with the band. I love iced tea so I will be drinking that in place of Diet Coke.

I was thin growing up until high school and even then I was only 15 - 20 pounds overweight. Losing weight was easy then but my mother wanted to help me so I started taking diet pills. I lost weight and got down to 105 pounds before I graduated. I looked great. I am 5'1" so that was a great weight. Who knew those pills would screw up my metabolism so badly. When I went to college I gained the freshman 15 which I think was actually 25. My father died suddenly when I was 19 and that is when I really started gaining weight. My mother constantly hounded me about my weight and so did my sister and boyfriend. I got to where I would eat before I went to eat with them so I could eat small portions in front of them. When I moved back in with my mother I would hide food. By then I was 150 pounds. I would kill to be 150 pounds again. I would hide food in my room because I was always chastised when I ate in front of people. I did lose weight with Nutra System and many other programs but every time I ate a little too much I was chastised and then I would literally eat too much just to prove that I WAS IN CONTROL of my life. I've been on a dieting roller coaster for all of my adult life and now I am 220 pounds. I now want to eat less but now I can't control my eating. I wake up thinking about dinner. I eat Breakfast and immediately think about lunch. After lunch I think about what I can pick up on my way home. After 9 months of considering the band I actually am eating less. I will treat my band with respect. I am a healthy person and I am good at following doctors orders. I will not risk hurting my band or myself by overeating. I love healthy foods so that part won't be hard. I have already decided that my band will be in control. I've never been confident about weight loss before but this time is different. This is very drastic and I will do it. Thank you all so much for sharing so much about yourself. I actually found myself crying because I realize I am not alone. Our stories are all very different buy yet we are the same. I haven't thought about how I got here in a long time and it really helped.

I am not yet banded but it is the thought that too much food will hurt my band that I am counting on to keep me in line during the time that I don't have enough restriction. I know that is easier said than done but I sure hope it helps. Good luck!!!!!!! Jill:D

I have my 2nd appointment on Sept 7 and I am very excited. My insurance used to require 6 months under a medically supervised WL plan but they no longer require that so I hope I can have surgery by the end of October. Good to all of us!!!

I have RLS and I take Requip. It is also for Parkinson's but it really helps. There are commercials out for it because it is the only FDA approved drug for RLS. I can't live without it.

Most stores go up to at least 24. I shop at Foley's and Dilliard's in the Women's department. They have most of the good name brand clothes such as Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne and others.