Band_Groupie

Great lesson! I was just telling my NUT today that I've been trying to eat smaller amounts and then wait to see if I'm hungry for more (pre-band) and I'm amazed how often I'm not. I'll start the mindful eating now! -BG

Michelle, Hope all went well...and take the time you need to recover. We'll still be here in Bandlandia (or Nobandyetville in my case). Best Wishes! -BG

Not a blob-master, now you're a BLOG-master! Glad you're doing so well! Keep it up! -BG

Do what your doc says...just had my NUT appointment today and no, I do not need a lot of protein in Phase I (just a little from skim milk), she said you have plenty of stores of nutrients in your body for a few weeks. She doesn't expect me to meet the full protein requirement until 5-6 weeks out. I don't ever HAVE to drink a protein shake, ever. LOL (sound), yep I've heard lots mention that...usually described as 'gurgling'. -BG

I'm trying these! I love cauliflower and turnips both, and we eat so many potatoes now I'll need alternatives (DH nickname is Mr. Potato Head he loves anything potato...darn his skinny ass!). Thanks! -BG

Hey Skinny (love your ID), just wanted to say welcome to LBT and if you weren't nervous, you wouldn't be normal. Glad to hear you're finally putting yourself first! You deserve this! -BG

Thanks gals...yep thin, healthy, and wrinkly is better than one foot in the grave with plump skin (and a plumper butt). Can you tell I'm also in denial about turning the big one this year (never had a birthday bother me before)...I'm easing into it so by the time April rolls around I'll finally be able to say it (5 - 0), loud and proud. I plan to grow old with style (think about all the new clothes we're going to HAVE to buy!)...now Lena, does that firming cream come in gallon tubs? -BG

OK, I’m not a particularly vain person. My primary objective in getting the Lap Band is truly for getting healthy. No, I don’t like what I look like fat, but if I had the health and energy that I did when I was thin and I knew it would stay that way, I’m not positive I’d be doing this. I might catch some flack for this, but after looking at million before and after pictures, I’ve gotten a little scared. I’m not talking here on LBT, as I really haven’t looked at all that many pics here yet, but on OH, where they are easy to scan through and are on every page…most people look great, fabulous even…some you wouldn’t even know them if they were standing next to their former selves, and so many of them have new hairstyles and sexy clothes, you can tell how this has changed them inside as well. But then there is a group of people, all older, yeah, they’re thin, but they look SO MUCH OLDER! OK, I’ve reasoned this out…maybe it took them years to lose the weight and they ARE older now. Or maybe they’re all RnY patients that lost so fast that their hair thinned and losing so fast was hard on their bodies (no offense RnY’rs, this was just my silly mind talking)…see I’d been reasoning out why I won’t look like that because I’ll be losing slowly with the Lap Band. OK, maybe I’m vainer than I thought, otherwise why would I be ‘reasoning out’ any of this. But then I saw this story on the ‘Today Show’ yesterday. A study on identical twins and factors for aging…and guess what the conclusion was for weight?! If you’re over 40 don’t lose too much weight or you’ll look older, or as they put it ‘Gain a pound, Lose a Wrinkle’ (so the opposite is true as well). No, they don’t want people to gain weight to look younger, it’s just a conclusion of the study that for people over 40, the extra fat fills out our wrinkles. Remember, I'm turning 49 7/8 this year, and I’ve always been told I look younger than my age (OK, maybe that’s something people tell you when you’re fat…like you have a nice smile), but I really don’t have any wrinkles other than a few crows feet when I smile. So time to get real about how I’m going to look thin again...yes, I already knew I won’t be going back to that 130# blushing bride…get real…that was 26 years ago…so what is my face going to look like deflated…Like an old deflated balloon? Now ontop of all those other LB diet things (like head hunger/emotions) I have to get real about I've now got to get myself prepared for sudden wrinkles! Fabulous.:scared2: Here’s the segment if you’re interested: Today Show Video Player

Good for you! ...and welcome to LBT! -BG

Biker- Good luck tomorrow and I'm sure everything will go smoothly. Loved the night before story! Let us know how you're doing when you're home. -BG

Hey Patty! Don't forget to join the January '09 Group (Look under the Forum for the Groups, Year, month) as you'll find others in the same stage you are now so they'll know what you're going through. Welcome to LBT! There might be a 60+ group also.

Interesting...I'd always heard that by the time you get thirsty your body is already dehydrated which isn't good.

Christy...thanks for reminding me! I get reactions to band-aids and surgical tape. They-docs always think it's the latex on the tape (I don't have a latex allergy) so they've used the paper tape on me, but I've come to find out that it's actually the adhesive on these tapes that I'm allergic to. I didn't even think about steri-strips being used on the incisions, so I'll have ask my surgeon about this...THANKS (you saved me some itchy red blistery moments...hope yours is better soon!) -BG

Glad you're doing so well! Walk, walk, walk...then walk some more. Hope the gas pain is better soon. "tingles me"...coool!

Wild dreams are normal before a surgery (I won't share the scary ones I had before my hysterectomy LOL). Just remind yourself that it's your subconscious getting rid of all those scary feelings so that during the day you can be as strong and confident as you are! What is that saying...You can't be brave if you're not also scared (or something like that)... You'll do great!! -BG

You probably won't be able to get a clear answer to this out of the insurance co., but you can try. I'd suggest two things...talk to the insurance expert/billing person at your surgeon's office as they deal with your insurance company requirements all the time (I've gotten the best info. about my insurance from this person...mine said "If you fall below the 35 BMI then you won't need the surgery." They can't legally tell you not to lose weight, but if you ask the right questions they'll 'tell you'.). You can also do a post (put the city/state and insurance co. name in your title) on the insurance forum here and you'll get replies from others who have the same. It's so different even within the same co. I am not allowed to fall below the minimum 35 BMI before approval, and also I should not lose much weight (5-10# ttl...I'm expected not to succeed at loss), but others here are expected to lose like 10% of their body weight and some are allowed to fall below the 35 or 40 BMI thresholds (I have BCBS also, but the requirements are different even within my same state of PA). Good luck (and make sure you're well above your threshold for the consult as they'll weigh you).

I had my 4th monthly weigh-in (just 2 more to go!). I was talking to the Nurse at my PCP’s office about the SB game and how we should have ALL had a 2 hour delay this morning to recover (like the Pittsburgh schools did)…yep, she was tired too (we were chatting like old friends about how tired we were). I was a little worried about weighing in after the Football Game watching Feastival, so I wore my lightest clothing and shoes (the problem is I’m not a good strategist…scheduling a weigh in the morning after a party, need I say more?). OK, again I screwed myself…my light clothing worked too well…the Nurse weighed me and I lost 4 pounds. My PCP's CRNP came in and I told her that at my surgeon’s consult I also met with their insurance lady and apparently my insurance is easy to work with and all the extra information and educational stuff we were collecting (you know personal letters, etc.) is needed for everyone else EXCEPT me/my insurance (wish I’d known that BEFORE we started the extra work…sigh, oh well). So we’re now doing just simplified forms with a few check marks and fill in’s…easy-peasy and she insists the insurance company will approve me within 72 hours if we just send these forms…OK, I’m trusting you know best. Now I want you all as witnesses in case I get denied for not collecting enough information…because I WILL be ranting if that happens. My PCP visit ended with her ordering new x-rays for my shoulder problems and she upped my hypertension meds. as my bottom number is still over 90…apparently not ideal.

Ahh Wendy...

I found an old post on another site entitiled “What Song Relates to your WLS Journey” and it got me thinking. There were some great answers. Music is such a part of my life that this answer was easy for me. I keep hearing this song and thinking of this pre-op journey I've started and where it might take me (my post-op journey song might be different). Many of the lines in this, and even individual words in this speak to me; “fork” (no, not the kind for eating…get your mind off the food porn), “time”, "test”, “lesson”, “unpredictable”, “photographs”, "health". And I can only hope “it was worth all the while”. I hope this gets you thinking about songs that mean something to your journey. If you have one, share it with me. Music and lyrics Click YouTube - green day time of your life(lyrics)

I found an old post on another site entitiled “What Song Relates to your WLS Journey” and it got me thinking. There were some great answers. Music is such a part of my life that this answer was easy for me. I keep hearing this song and thinking of this pre-op journey I've started and where it might take me (my post-op journey song might be different). Many of the lines in this, and even individual words in this speak to me; “fork” (no, not the kind for eating…get your mind off the food porn), “time”, "test”, “lesson”, “unpredictable”, “photographs”, "health". And I can only hope “it was worth all the while”. I hope this gets you thinking about songs that mean something to your journey. If you have one, share it with me. Music and lyrics Click YouTube - green day time of your life(lyrics)

This morning I started Physical Therapy for the first time ever….all I have to say is WHY OH WHY HAVE YOU PEOPLE BEEN HIDING THIS FROM ME (Mr.SA included!)??!! ….and really, why haven’t my past Dr’s ever ordered this for me before?? I’ve had osteoarthritis in my lower back for 10 years now and I’m in constant (albeit minor) pain, but it also rears it’s ugly head about once a month where I’m laying on a heating pad and popping pain relievers. Six years ago I pulled a bunch of muscles (trapezius?) in my upper left back and down my left elbow (lifting a couch…no, I’m not stupid, I was just lifting one end at a time to move it so I could clean). Since then I’ve had constant numbness and tingling in my left hand and occasional flare ups and muscle spasms…I just figured I’d pinched a nerve and was probably going to need shoulder surgery some day. Well let me tell you…Physical Therapy was great…electric stimulation (yes I got SHOCKED), hot pads (I almost fell asleep it was so nice), then some evaluation/range of motion and some exercising. One machine had Atari like games on it were you had to push the sliding board you’re laying on up and down so that the blocks on the screen don’t hit your block…GENIUS…they should have these in every gym class at schools...my boys would love it. It ended with more evaluation that felt more like leg stretches and a neck massage (yes, I’d noticed that lump of muscle between my shoulder and neck...I just thought I was turning into a hunchback…apparently I had a huge ‘knot’ of tight muscle). (Hunchback/Quasimodo rings bells in gym while other guys pull weights.) by Mort Gerberg My results were that my osteoarthritis in my lower back can be helped by core strengthening, and I do have slight scoliosis and pretty pronounced lordosis (that swayback thing I thought I had) from compensating for my lower back problems...so I'm pretty much shaped like the letter Q. Now I do have some minor problems with my shoulder, but the main issue is with my neck…HUH? who would have known?! So if we can loosen up the muscles that have tightened around the neck and upper spine it should eleviate the pressure on the spine there, which is where the nerves come out of the spine and go down my left arm. Do you have all that…there’s going to be a test. Actually, I just wanted to write it down so I remember…bottom line is, no shoulder surgery and hopefully I can get this all better through PT. I know you people in the PT Club have just been keeping this a secret so you can get in to your PT more easily, well, book your appointments now…the word is out baby…I’ve just joined the club…I’m a card carrying member now…and I’m a blabbermouth about things I like!

LOL...funny, but not, I so get you! You need a new MD! I have a new PCP now, one that will actually send me to specialists (and supports me). Old PCP-When I pulled my upper back/shoulder I remember crawling in tears to the car three times in one week because they wouldn't give me new meds unless I came in...I was bedridden for a week (I wasn't in bed that long for my hysterectomy!) and they didn't send me to a PT. They said I needed to lose weight. Today I actually told the PT about the LB surgery, and asked about how weight loss would improve my problems. She actually downplayed my weight CAUSING this, but she did say excess weight can add to the issues and less weight on the spaces between my spine will help with this some.

'Random silliness' is my middle name! But seriously, that was very well said! You are a wise woman. As you pointed out, who we are changes with each experience we have, but we never lose who we were before. -BG

That's great! I've been thinking I'm going to draw a big "X" on my skin with a sharpie after the first fill...I don't get how some people go through 4-5 fills and their 'filler' still has trouble finding it and sticks them many times...that would get old fast!

Maybe SAFETY-glass slippers..Ha! Thanks! Don't think I won't be buying them too...oooo! Remember...One shoe can change your life!