MaidMarion

congratulations! Thank you so much for taking the time to post. Not only did you have surgery but you accomplished so much on top of surgery! You are a regular wonder woman.....and you gave the people shopping in Target something to talk about. Glad things went so well. That is always the nicest stories to read....although personally I don't know if I could have dug so deep for that sample!

My doctor has me on Wellbutrin to help with cravings. It does seem to be helping but then it really isn't a diet pill.

certainly not crazy. I have lost about 35 lbs since March just thinking about having the band. I know I will lose more when I start low carbing it. I always have to think about eating when I cut way back on the carbs......they are just so horrible to make me want to eat everything in sight. I think it is great you are able to make those changes....your mind is in a good place

Good luck everyone! I know we are all ready to do this and the wait seems endless sometimes but it is really just around the corner.

Me me me me!!!! Finally I got a date. Not until 7-14 but I had to work it around my schedule and my surgeons schedule. I am so happy to finally have a date. What a great date!! 7-7+7! hope it is a lucky one. Good luck to everyone in July. We all deserve to find our freedom and independence!

I asked my doctor last week which aspect of the diet shrinks your liver. It is the low carb aspect that does the shrinking. weirdly it is referred to as a fatty liver but it is carbs that cause that fat. Look for low carb shakes and start an Atkins type of dieting earlier. I am going with Atkins for a month and then 2 weeks liquid. My doctor requires 1 week low carb of 2 shakes a day and a sensible dinner and then one week full liquids.

Ohhh that is so sweet of you! I wish I had someone so supportive. My thought would be to come up with things to do that don't involve being around too much eating the first couple of days. Just things to keep his mind off it. Is he on a full liquid diet? How long? Every doctor seems to have a different approach to the diet before hand. He is lucky because men are better about giving up carbs than most women seem to be and it is the reduction in carbs that shrinks the liver.....oddly enough referred to as fatty liver???! Don't know how you are with the grill but I would think it would be nice if he is on the 2 shakes one meal thing if someone would come over and grill me some nice chicken and veggie kebobs for a meal. But the most supportive thing may be you just being there and being supportive.

What I understand is it is not unusual to go off blood pressure medications after lap band surgery. Usually fairly quickly so don't be surprised if you will no longer have to take it. Until Monday avoid getting up suddenly!!

what I understand is with individual insurance you have to reach a certain weight and maintain it for two to three years before most of them will take you on. Blue Cross is one of those that requires a weight standard for at least 2 years to prove it works with you. Individual insurance is a nightmare. It is one of the reasons I am paying for my surgery out of pocket in hopes that a couple of years from this summer I can get individual insurance that won't cost me $300 a month and actually covers something. Mine barring hospitalization of something not elective might cover something otherwise I am just paying a lot of money for nothing best I can tell. May I ask why you are going to individual coverage? Is it for short term or long term?

I was so excited to get surgery after I attended a seminar in early March. I have now secured financing, had my first meeting with the surgeon, my psyche evaluation, an all day behavior modification class, I am due to go to exercise and rehab on the 13th, and a final meeting with my surgeon later this month only to find out he is taking off for a 10 day vacation which will push all surgeries back for up to a month! Okay I would be fine with this but my main job is as a petsitter. My busiest season is of course summer. I also work in a private school cafeteria which gets out of school a full 3 weeks before local public school. I was hoping to have surgery in those 3 weeks. Doesn't look like it will happen and now due to prior commitments I fear I am going to have to wait until late July at this point. I am just so sad and frustrated. I really wanted to be totally healed and on a more full diet before my birthday. I don't know I am just so bummed. I had asked a month ago how long it would take from that point to have surgery and I was told around Memorial day. Sadly that doesn't seem the case. If I hadn't tied up $600 with this doctor I might go somewhere else. I am sorry I know I shouldn't be whining over this but money is tight and losing more business for me is going to be bad, I just don't know what to do. Maybe it is just PMS.....that is late anyway.

Actually Mary T is who I talked to. She was the one who gave me the date of around Memorial day 6 weeks ago which would have been perfect. I guess I will just have to buckle down and do my best until then....hopefully I won't have too many dogs to take care of. Horrible thing is I am creeped out by one house that I am doing this weekend and then in late June. The guy had MRSA about 3 months ago. That is something I don't want!! I guess I will let Dr. Edwards know when I go in I have been dieting and just go ahead and start my liquid diet on Monday next week just in case he has a cancellation. To add insult to injury a friend called last night and was talking up mini gastric bypass which was on 20/20 or 60 minutes or something like that. I think I just need a vacation. Too bad my sinus infection and bronchitis didn't feel like a vacation because at this point I would be well vacationed. Thanks everyone I just really needed to vent. I was just stressing about it.

Wow I am so sorry. I can not imagine what I would do if my surgeon didn't take cash. My insurance is a joke except the 300 a month I pay for it so I knew they wouldn't touch my surgery. Where do you live in MI? Hate to research someplace too far away from you.

May I ask a question of both of you......were you on liquids before surgery? Just curious because if you had say a two week liquid before and a 4 week after I can certainly see why you would cheat. That is a long time. Even so it will take a while to retrain the way you look at food and deal with food. From what I have read after surgery you are either hungry or totally not hungry. There doesn't seem to be much middle ground. I think also while your body heals it might crave more too.

Way to go Ms. Shaunni on your weight loss! Nice to know those fills aren't as bad as those of us who haven't had one yet make them. You are doing GREAT! hope I am able to do as well.

Check out the amount of sodium in your soup. What I understand is you will be more susceptible to water weight gain in the month following surgery while you are healing than normal. Also of course there are those monthly fluctuations too. It will come back off.....probably a big drop quickly.

I think they could have problems!! How many people have they planned to have at the revolt??

Hey I think everyone is nervous. It is surgery and you are starting down a new path in life with major changes coming your way. Totally normal. As far as the diet goes....some doctors do them some do not. I read a book about a woman who was having gastric bypass who went out and ate Ruth Chris steak the night before!! I can not imagine.....paying for Ruth Chris much less eating one before I was going to have surgery. Apprehension is normal, if you weren't the least bit apprehensive I think that would be odd. Good luck! I am sure you will do great.....keep us all posted.

Oh I would go. I have relatives there I could visit too. Tell me it would be sometime during a cooler time than blazing Texas summer?? I suppose that might work best for some people?? Maybe you are just thinking ahead of time. Personally I would love to go.....after my surgery.

I can not imagine! I went to the behavior modification class from 8 to 4 here but they catered in low fat low carb high protein lunch of cheese enchiladas and salad plus a dessert. We also had breaks where they provided teas, water, protein bars, and protein shakes. I don't think anyone was hungry. I honestly think that is horrible there is no lunch. Surely there is at some point.

wow I haven't read your whole post yet but I am very impressed with how long you could do the liquid diet before surgery! Way to go you have great discipline!! I am worried about 2 weeks for me.

some surgeons seem to be okay with it while others would only let you have decaf which kinda ruins the point of coffee for me.

A lot of people can't stand it when their friends make changes be it getting married, losing weight, starting work whatever. It is just weird I guess and they will get used to it. I think it is awesome you are able to do the raw food thing. I have always heard it was super healthy and NO I had NO CLUE sprouted lentils were so high in protein. Do you sprout your own? or buy them at a health food or whole foods store? I don't think I have ever seen them but then I am in the Midwest so new things freak us out...LOL j/k

Yep it seems to be different depending on the doctor just like some close the openings with staples some with stitches some with nothing and some make you liquid diet 2 weeks pre some a week some not at all. I think it is whatever your surgeon is used to more than anything. Mine is a no fill for 6 weeks to allow for total healing, nothing to close the wounds, 2 week liquid diet kinda guy

I was recently at a seminar with people in different stages of their banding. One woman had had to take 5 insulin shots a day and she said 3 days after her banding she was totally off all the shots! Now I am sure that isn't the usual but I was mighty impressed by that. I have heard similar stories about HBP. Too bad mine is from PCOS so I doubt it will go down but I am hopefully since one of those drugs is not going to fit and it can't be broken. Good luck to you and your hubby too.

so cool you get Cinco de Mayo as your surgery date! yep both are clear. Not sure about the red dye I know it is a problem with colonoscopy but since they aren't actually looking inside but probably better to be safe than sorry and stick to lighter colors tonight. good luck in the morning!!!