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Hi, I am looking for some other losers who would like to get together. I could sure use some company on this journey. Anne

Sorry, the above question was for Rockbandster and I see now it has already been answered. I also want to add I am very pleased with my band. Fast is not as important to me as permanent. Anne

Just curious, are you a laparoscopic surgeon? I had one of the top surgeons in the US and left the decision up to him based on my medical history and what he saw as my medical needs. He chose the Realize Band although he also uses the other brands and certainly has no personal agenda to push.

I was banded on June 10 and have all of the above issues. The only one which has not gotten better is the gout. That got worse due to the massive amounts of Protein I was taking. I cut back to 60g a day and have had no further issues. I no longer have to take insulin, byetta, cholesterol medicine, liver medication or synthroid and I only use my bipap about twice a week. I have lost 30lbs since the surgery and a total of 97 since I was diagnosed with the diabetes in Dec. I still take lasix and BP medication but am ready to come off the BP one as my BP sometimes dips a little low. I just don't want to be too hasty. I have gone from 14 pills and 3 injections a day to 4 pills and no injections. My bipap was set at 17/14 and I have been using it for over 6 years. I get another sleep test next month for my dr to evaluate how much it needs to be decreased or if I can even totally do away with it. I have had no problems with the acid reflux but do follow the dietary restrictions very closely. I eat almost everything I want but stay away from the "bad carbs". The lapband had been a true lifesaver for me - it has reinforced my ability to deal with the diabetes and other co-morbidities of my soon to be gone obesity. Oh, I started out at 306 in Nov07, was down to 239 the day of my surgery and am at 209 as of this morning.:thumbdown::thumbup::thumbup:

Oh yes, I sure do! And sometimes I feel like I must be made of unsweetened Jello now because I eat so much of it. Like you, I love good food. I really miss my dark chocolate and hot fresh bread but when it gets too bad, I will allow myself 1 bite and then spend extra time on the bicycle. BTW I hate exercising too but I know I have to do it. I have a very strict doctor who says no Pasta, bread, high carb foods, etc. In other words, all the things I love. But I think what keeps me going is the amazement in people's eyes who have not seen me for a while and did not know I was losing weight. I think I will always have the urges and cravings but the rewards are becoming too rich to give in to them. I am very selfish about this - I am doing it for me so I am determined to do it right. Hang in there - pm me if you ever just want to "talk". I sure don't have all the answers but I don't mind sharing what I have learned (a lot of it the hard way LOL). Anne

I would not dream of blasting you. In fact, I went through the same fears and regrets (and still do sometimes even 3 months after the surgery). If you are ready to do this, you will know. For me, the advantages were much more overwhelming than the food. Do I regret not being able to go to champagne brunch? Absolutely! This coming Christmas will be the first one in over 35 years that we have not had champagne in our special Waterford stems while we opened gifts. But I am sure we will come up with a new tradition which can probably incorporate the Waterford as well. And I love, love love being able to buy clothes other than at Lane Bryant or Catherine's. I went into Coldwater Creek yesterday and when the salesladies found out how much weight I had lost, they treated me like a doll to dress. It was so much fun! I found that I was buying my clothes too large - trust me! That was a better feeling than even my favorite champagne brunch. I guess what I am trying to say is trust your instincts. You know if you are ready - if you aren't then take your time and don't rush into it. Anne:thumbup:

I would not dream of blasting you. In fact, I went through the same fears and regrets (and still do sometimes even 3 months after the surgery). If you are ready to do this, you will know. For me, the advantages were much more overwhelming than the food. Do I regret not being able to go to champagne brunch? Absolutely! This coming Christmas will be the first one in over 35 years that we have not had champagne in our special Waterford stems while we opened gifts. But I am sure we will come up with a new tradition which can probably incorporate the Waterford as well. And I love, love love being able to buy clothes other than at Lane Bryant or Catherine's. I went into Coldwater Creek yesterday and when the salesladies found out how much weight I had lost, they treated me like a doll to dress. It was so much fun! I found that I was buying my clothes too large - trust me! That was a better feeling than even my favorite champagne brunch. I guess what I am trying to say is trust your instincts. You know if you are ready - if you aren't then take your time and don't rush into it. Anne:thumbup:

Yes, I attend the monthly meetings but a lot of the people are not in the actual Orlando area and I was hoping I could meet some more locals and we could get together other than once a month. Anne

Yes, I had it in June. And I can highly recommend Dr. Kim at Celebration. I am 62 ( can't believe I just admitted that). It is good to know there is someone in the area - I was starting to feel very lonely. Anne

I have Tricare Standard South and they had to authorize the overnight stay - otherwise it would have been straight outpatient. My doctor required an overnight stay because of severe sleep apnes. Anne

I was banded on 6/10/08. I am on a bipap which I expect to go away very soon. My blood pressure was extremely high but I expect to be off the medication by the first of Aug. Some of my other issues were high cholesterol and high lipids. I am totally off the medication for both but the biggest thing is the insulin once a day and byetta twice a day. I have not had to take any shots since the day of my surgery. My A1C is down to 5.2 from 11.5. I cannot believe how good I feel. I love my band. Anne

I LOVE food and that has not changed since I started this weight loss journey. I enjoy nice restaurants and that has not changed either. What has changed is the way I eat. I tell the server right up front that I am on a very strict diet and to please bring me a small plate with my food. When he or she does that, I take the amount I am allowed and ask that the rest of it be boxed up. Then I sit back and savor my meal and enjoy talking with my husband. I don't feel deprived and we both are still able to enjoy most of our favorite restaurants. You can do this - and it is worth every bit of the effort it takes.

It is not the sugar - it is the carbonation. I miss my sparkling Water with lime but I am committed to making this work! Anne

My surgeon says it is for life. If you go back to "normal" eating you run the risk of regaining weight.

Kathleen, I lost 72lbs from Dec to June using the diabetic diet. It works - I still have about 85 to go and the lapband is what is going to help me "go all the way". It is amazing the difference the weight loss makes. My knees don't hurt when I walk and the arthritis in my back is not nearly as bad. I am really looking forward to the April "09 cruise and I told my DH that I am expecting to stay up past 9:00 and I want to dance and walk the deck at night. I want to watch sunrises and sunsets at sea. There are so many things I want to enjoy again now that I don't have to use a cane or sit down every 5 minutes. I knew the lapband was right for me when I attended my first seminar in April. I am so excited for you because I know exactly how you are feeling. Anne

Hi Kathleen, Sounds like you wrote my lifestory except I am turning 62 instead of 72. I had my lapband done 6/10/08 and feel great. I say do it and enjoy life. We have a cruise coming up in Nov and a 2 week one next April. Our last cruise was Feb of this year and I spent most of my time by myself on the ship because I just could not walk! I had already started losing weight prior to the surgery because I was diagnosed with diabetes at the first of the year. Keep us posted on how things go for you. Anne

I am a Type 2 Diabetic and I always carry the glucose tablets with me. Since they melt in your melt there should be no problem with them dissolving. Check with your dr and see what he says. Anne

I would like to know what they put in them - with only 1 carb and 0 sugar it is impossible for them to be using real fruit. I wonder if they give a list of ingredients anywhere. Anne

"Better" is an understatement! I have energy and my sense of humor is back. Some people do not recognize me when they see me on the street. I still have a long way to go but when I get discouraged I just look at how far I have come. I used to have to take 14 pills a day and 3 shots - I am down to 6 pills and no shots. and I am hoping in the next couple of weeks that it will only be 2 pills a day. Anne

Well, that did not take long. WLS Lifestyles A Leading Source For Weight Loss Success

There is a WLS magazine which I found but I did not mark the site. I will see if I can find it again. It looked great with recipes, stories, tips and everything imaginable for "us". Anne

You will still have diabetes but it will go into remission as you lose weight. I had my band on 6/10 and have not had to use my lantus or byetta since then. My blood sugar is staying stable without them. But I had lost over 70 lbs prior to the surgery and have taken off another 15 since then. My endocrinologist stresses to me that once you are a diabetic you are always a diabetic. As for the cpap, I am on a bipap but I need to go for a sleep study to lower the pressures. It is one step at a time and sometimes they really seem like baby steps. Congratulations and hang in there. Anne

I have just started shopping on Ebay. I have been continuing to wear my 2X's but really need to move into 1X or 0X. Anne

I was banded on 6/10 and I had that happen also. If it is not much and does not continue I would not worry about it. Also is it bright red or brownish? Bright red would make me head for the nearest ER. Anne

Where do you live? Dr. Kim in Orlando has recently left US Bariatric and is practicing with Florida Hospital Celebration. Your cost share should be considerably lower. He did my band and he is excellent. I just wish I could have waited for him to be on his own since I then would not have had to put out $5500 up front and be reimbursed for less than half. Anne