househuntress

I'll be banded this Monday April 9th. My Doctor's sheet on what to do and not do is...soak in a tub only take showers. Well.......I don't have a shower. AND how hard is it to get up out of a tub after surgery? When I took a bath this morning..I tried to determine what muscles I was using. Yep mostly stomach muscles. Hopefully some of you can tell me what you did. I'm a 54 year old soon to be bandster!:clap2:

TerriDoodle...I enjoy all of your posts don't stop posting. You are about week ahead of me in banding. The Sugar Free syrups can be found at Wal-mart. I get the SF vanilla and SF caramel they have others and it just depends if your Wal-mart is in a big city or not.

Thank you Wasa, AnotherMe and Karenb. I feel much better after reading your posts and a good nights sleep. Karenb..you're freaking awesome, such strength!!

I saw the surgeon for the first time today; Dr. Richard Carter in Arlington, Texas. His office staff were very nice and friendly. Dr. Carter made me feel very comfortable..he took time to answer every question and then waited to see if I could think of anything else. I feel he will be a very competent surgeon. (April 9th-Monday) I was so excited to finally get to meet him and ask my questions that the scared part went away for a while. UNTIL...I left the office! I thought I was going to just have the jitters! I thought WHAT in the HECK am I doing? I wanted to just run a way. I can't explain all the emotions that just bubbled up and overwhelmed me for a while. I've thought about it all day and go between don't do it and yes I HAVE to do it. I feel like I'm just NUTS right now.:omg: There's a million things to remember and when I look at the rest of my life I panic. you can't eat this, you can't sip that. But I NEED to be healthier and I WANT to be healtier. Is this normal or am I just wonkers? :) I'm Soooo afraid of failing. Doing all this and NOT losing weight or only a little weight...ohh my I couldn't take that.:help:

WOW..this thread goes fast!! That's great.:clap2: To all that are now home recouping and those that are being banded my prayers for you. I saw the surgeon yesterday. Dr. Richard Carter in Arlington, Texas. He and his whole staff were very friendly, professional and caring. I got all the information for my Monday April 9th banding. Once I left his office I almost just passed out from fear!! The *WHAT AM I DOING!!!* thing. All day long I had the jitters and now after a nights sleep I'm still scared but still on my journey to be banded. I guess it was just information overload and what will be my life without food for the rest of my life. My surgery will be done as an out patient. After I wake and they do a barium swallow I will go to a hotel a block away and spend the first night. I don't see the Doctor in the morning if I'm doing fine..we just go home. My husband is so loving and supportive. (he didn't want me to have this at first but now is onboard with **whatever I think I do to do**):kiss2: I've bought everything on the list that I think I might need, keeping it in the truck of my car (two hour drive for surgery). I've had two C-Sections and a gallbladder surgery in the past so I'm hoping this is a piece of cake compared to them. My Doctor sells a protein power called Amaze RX. They had some to taste at the clinic and the Vanilla and Strawberry taste much better than the SlimFast, etc. It comes in a hugh containter and contains 17grams for two scoops of protein, 2grams of sugar. He requires one of these every morning (or something equal to the protein) forever. Only breakfast though since he wants his patients to eat REAL protein 2 weeks out. Good LUCK to All!

I've got a 2 hr drive to see the surgeon today. Everyone cross your fingers that all the tests are o.k. and I can keep my April 9th surgery date. :kiss

I have a DATE..April 9th! The day after Easter..how appropriate for a new beginning! Now to get the lab/x-ray/ekg done and have everything come out fine. I'll be in the BAND by Tuesday.:clap2:

I have a long list of things I WANT to do when I loose weight. Things I've done when I was thinner or younger..which is about the same time. Since I've been over weight since I was 9. I want to go swimming and not have to hide under a T-shirt. Ride in amusement rides with my grandsons. Walk for long distances without getting out of breath or my knees hurting. I have many more to list but I'll let you all take it from here. What have you accomplished or want to accomplish?:clap2:

Just found this thread. I'll be banded on Monday April 9th! I'm at work and can't read everything here yet but Kuddo's to those that have been banded and those coming into the band. Good Vibes{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ for a safe and uneventful surgery to those being banded today and the weeks to come.

You're in inspiration to all of us!!:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

O.k. I'm trying to put a ticker in my signature. I'm really computer challenged.

I'm trying to figure out where do I find and how do I add a weight ticker? I've searched the forum with an overwhelming number of posts but no *how to*

Can anyone tell me what pre-op tests they had to have, what type of pre-op diet... if you have high blood pressure etc. and what doctor did the banding? Calling today for my appointment...but I want to make sure I've got the right Doctor for me.

I think the last time I was here was Dec. 06. Posted and emailed trying to figure out if I did or didn't want the surgery. I guess I'm like everyone and WANT the surgery but am afraid of life AFTER SURGERY. Tried weight watchers for the 100th time and failed AGAIN. THEN..one of my best friends snuck off to Houston and had gastric segmentation!! Didn't tell any of the girlfriends about it. Made me think that here I am just spinning my wheels and getting fatter, older and more unhealthy. I get excited when I come here and read what you people have lost and how your life is better and healthier..until I read about all the problems and I get scared again. This time...I'm going to stick it out, listen and read everything I can and give myself two weeks to make an appointment to see the doctor. (I'm self pay so I'm sure the surgery will be quick once I make the final appointment. I'm in the DFW Texas area, so I would love to hear from anyone that's had the surgery in that area. Thanks to all,

After the band is my life I guess. My life now revolves around family, friends and business. All with eating. We eat out for birthdays, holidays, business, everything! I guess I don't know how to just sit and not eat. Because all I know is being HUNGRY for food and not feeling full. I've been overweight since I was 9 years old. I've lost and gained about a 1000 lbs and always added to the weight..being a failure in keeping the weight off.:think THAT's what scares me, paying 16K and failing. Having the surgery, going through all of this and failing!! I Want this so bad!! I want the hunger to go away! I don't know if I've explained it correctly but I'm trying to put in words how I've felt all these years. I WANT to be a healthy person, not someone that ACTS old because of my weight. Knees hurting, high blood pressure, just YUK feeling.:angry I want to swim, fit into amusement rides, ride horses again. Play wtih my child and feel as young as I truly think I am.

I buy and sell houses. Hunt..for houses. Househuntress.

I've read and read this site. Some have a preop diet some do not. Some have weeks on eating nothing but drinking Protein drinks, others do not. I understand what they are saying about shrinking the liver..but..it takes more than a week to shrink the liver. So my question is this: What Doctors have NO preop diet? I'm in DFW area. What lapbander had No preop diet and did you have problems/do wonderful...any advice? I have this week (the week between Christmas and NewYears to check out seminars/doctors/etc while I'm off work. I've read now for a year and finally gotten to the point of taking the first step in making an appointment. I am self-pay and have money in hand. So...if I FOUND a good Doctor that didn't have a long preop maybe everything would work out quickly. I know of one girl that was self-pay and had the surgery in 4 days from seeing the doctor.

I've been reading for over a YEAR!!! I've been to one seminar and think I know the questions and answers by heart. I don't know why I can't pick up the phone and commit to having the surgery!! :faint: Just the same type of failure I guess as all the other failed attempts at weight loss. I have enjoyed reading the November and December bandsters posts. What finally helped make your decision. I'm self-pay so I guess that's a BIG thing, since I feel that I'm taking a LOT of money from our joint account. We both work very hard to make a living and 16K...well that's a LOT. I keep thinking I can do it on my own and keep failing. I just tried weight watchers AGAIN for the 100th time and didn't stay on program for a week. Soooo. I'm afraid of having surgery and not being able to stay on *the program* :cry Thanks for listening and hopfully you can give me a *clue*

I admire everyone of you for taking that step in overcoming what was holding you back. I also want to be healthy and live longer. My knees hurt every day. I've injured them from volleyball and other sports in high school and college but the weight is taking it's toll after all these years. I groan when I get up..I don't care how old I am...I NEVER want to sound or act OLD!! Each post and feed back from all of you wonderful people get me closer to making my decision. I truly know what it will be..it's just making that final call!

Hi Mark, Thanks for the reply. I'll check out the Doctor. That is WAY below anything I've found in the Texas area. I bet people are standing in line for him if he's good and offers that much of a discount!

Is there anyone out there that has been banded at this age or older? I'm in pretty good condition considering I'm fat. I've always rebounded from surgery and such but my question is; am I just crazy for wanting to be banded at this age. I've been overweight since I was 9 years old. My husband isn't really FOR the banded but not aganist me doing what I want. He thinks everything will change. I guess he's afraid of the unknow..but so am I. Food has been a BIG part of my life and his life since I've been fat the whole marriage of 35 years, which has been a good marriage. I wouldn't change anything other than wanting a LONG life and more engery. Wanting to be slim to run and play with my grandboys that are now 4 and 18 months. Anyone?:help:

Thanks to all, you give me hope!!

Hello All, Tony Little (yea, the guy aggravates me too :girl_hug: ) has a new scale that gives the weight, Body Mass AND hydration! I saw it on hsn.com or qvc.com, can't remember which. I think it was around $59.00. Still trying to make the decision, Househuntress

Hello All, I'm still trying to decide about the band each day I'm getting closer to deciding to have the surgery! My husband who is the right weight and has been all his life married me fat...I wish I weighed that now! He always tells me he supports me at anything I choose and he always has except for some reason he thinks that if I loose weight I'll run amuck or something. GEEEZ!! I never have before and won't! Aftern 35 years of marriage you would think he would KNOW this. How did the band change your partner? Better worse? I do know that many times when very overweight people lose a lot of weight their marriage crumbles. What is your take on the situation?

Hello everyone, I've been researching the lapband for over a year. :help: The money is a big deterent because I will be self-pay. I would like to *talk* to someone that's had the band for at least two years. If they are in the DFW, Texas area that would be wonderful. I'm also worried about the surgeon I may pick and would like some feed back from those that have had surgery in Ft. Worth. I've read these boards and have gotten many of the questions answered but of course like others I'm afraid of failing AGAIN. I've been overweight since I was 9 years old. I keep trying to loose weight but after a while I fail..seems I'm HUNGRY. Now most of the doctors say that I can't feel hungry and it's just something else but folks I'm here to tell you that I'm HUNGRY. The only time I feel full is after a big meal...but my *fullness* doesn't last that long. That's why I thought this might be the tool for me. I live in a very small town about 65 from a city and 100 miles from a city that has a lapband surgeon. You can email me and I will call you so there won't be any charges. Thank you for your help. dhuntress5@nospamhotmail.com ***take out the no spam part before emailing***