JudyAnticola

Linda, I also have eaten just the cheese off a slice of pizza. Hope this helps.

Support meeting was good, it only meets once a month though, 3rd Wednesday of the month. Nikki, Loraine, Christa and I went. I am going for a dexamethasone supression test tomorrow. That is what they have you do when your urinary cortisol is high. It is to rule out a possibility of a tumor. I am pretty sure it is not a tumor making me fat, I am pretty sure I ate all of that food. Will let you know the results next week when they come in. I will see you Saturday, Nicki and Loraine said they will be there also.

For the beginning it is just because it is a source of carbs that you can not eat bread. Post band I think you can eat some, but at the support meeting last night people basicaly told me that bagels and soft white bread is out, I guess it gets stuck. By the way, whole grain (not whole wheat) breads can be eaten on phase II SB. I was thinking about the fair and one thing I ate recently was fried vegetables, now I know it was not the best, but the breading was lite and it was better than pizza probably. I also read in SB that if you want candy, do chocolate covered strawberries, so you do not get much chocolate--I did that recently at a fair, and try to make it dark chocolate. Take care.

No, they were not old posts, as far as I understand it you have to maintain the weight loss until surgery, and the week before surgery is Phase 1 again. If you lose the 5% and maintain it until surgery that should be ok, as long as you dont gain it before surgery. I am confused as to who wants the 5% insurance or Kaleida. Will you ask that at your meeting and let us know? It is not easy to get an answer to that question.

So bloom, give us the scoop!! Did you lose? What did they say? What happened?

I eat hot dogs without the roll, sausage, basically, no carbs. I just came from the support meeting. It was post band, pre band and support people. Maybe 15 people or so.

I have an abnormal urinary cortisol. Anyone have that problem? What the hell does that mean? I hope it does not mean that I have to go to Mexico!

I dont think I will go to the surpport group just because I want to garden. I will go to the park on Saturday if you are going though. Have you talked to Loraine at all? I have not been able to reach her. I think she is seeing Hoffman Monday morning, so maybe you will see her. Then on Tuesday--hooray-Brubear and Rainwi--have their big day!! It is so cool. I am going to bed early I think! Take care.

A clinical trial would be the way to go! No co-pay! What does the sleeve do, probably the same thing? I do not think they do the sleeve here.

CHAMPVA covers it as well, but I have not heard of it being done at the hospitals. At this point it is not being done in Buffalo, NY. What VA would you be going to?

Bloom, I received the results, testing was May 30. I called for the results because for some reason they had not made it to my Weight Loss Center file, now I will have a copy to bring with me. I am sure they would have called you if you did not mentally qualify. You have my approval!

Received Psych evaluation today. I am chubby but not a psycho! Thank God! (at least not a psycho that day, LOL!)

I think I will see what carbs I can have in Phase 2, because I am napping a lot. You need carbs for energy so I will add some in. It may be why I am so crabby too. I bought a mango tonight, I just hope it is in Phase 2!!

Thanks, yes, I will be there Saturday. I just went to Jazzercize and feel much better. I am being ridiculous with the complaining. I think I am just nervous about it. I have a hard time thinking about being cut, so I just keep thinking about it. I try to tell myself I could just diet, but I know that it will not work for me. For now I need to focus on SB and forget the rest. I think I may have dropped 3 pounds or so. I am not eating carbs, but still need to refine what I am eating. Thankfully the carb craving is almost gone. Even in the crabby mood I am in I have not eaten Cookies or anything. Thanks for being there to help!

Good job! My insurance does not require the weight loss, but the clinic wants me to lose it anyway. I guess we will see how it goes, I have really realized that I am such a bitch without carbs. Sure hope that passes (so do my friends and co-workers, LOL)! You did so well pre-surgery, you will probably do terrific after!

They would probably change it, but on the other hand, maybe you have not been as bad as you think! I am going on July 1 and at this point I have maybe lost 3 pounds. I have to add in more vegetables, I feel like all this meat and cheese is so unhealthy. I have to keep rereading the book to remind myself what else to eat. It just seems like it would make more sense to have the surgery and then diet with the help of the band. This type of dieting I have done my whole life, and obviously, it did not work. I will keep trying I guess. I had a cake here for my nephew last night and boy did I want a bite, but I resisted. I had to give it away though because after they all left I would have probably sat with a fork and eaten it all. I kind of wish it were here now, LOL! When do you anticipate surgery?

Did you lose as much as they wanted or were they flexible as long as you lost some? Other than Val I have not heard from anyone else that they lost the full 5%. You must be so excited!!!

Funny thing, it did not rain at the park! Val was the only one there at the juicery, so she headed to the Komen Breast Cancer walk and I met her there and we did the Walk for Breast Cancer, it was 5K. It was fun. It was held at the Delaware Park Casino. Usually you can get a feel for who is coming from this web site prior to Saturday. I am not sure if I am going or not. I love meeting up with the group, but I am very frustrated with the process and am thinking I should back off from the web site and the group for a while, it seems to add to my frustration to talk about it non-stop but to not know when it is going to happen. Check here Thursday or Friday and I will post if I am coming and so will Val.

Great news, good luck! Any idea why they wait until the last minute for insurance approval? It must be stressful. My insurance does not require pre-approval, but I think most do. It must be terrible to anticipate that you might not get approved, or is there some communication with the insurance company so that you know you are probably approved? I think Brubear is having her surgery on June 23 as well. Maybe you will meet in the recovery process! Let us know how it went.

The crowd at the park is getting small, for anyone new check around before you go so that you are sure someone is there to walk with you (of course you can always walk on your own as well).

Bloomerific--what is the date of your Appointment with Hoffman in August?

Do you think you will be able to keep the weight off until surgery?

Maybe they can fix it for you. Has it always been that way or did it happen after other surgery or childbirth or something? Does it cause you a lot of trouble, do you have to live on fiber?

Val, I am not sure I would want someone to do that (colonoscopy) who did not have a ton of experience! It just seems like it would take a lot of skill. Well, I dont have to worry for another five years now anyway!

My PCP did not fill out the form but wrote a letter with all of the information in the letter. Not sure why she did not fill out the form and chose to dictate a letter, but as long as it works. She did sign the physical fitness approval.