musicfrommyheart

Oh my gosh, Sherry you look wonderful! I know it's been a difficult journey, but you look amazing. Congratulations on everything so far :thumbup:. -music

Thanks Sherry! For some reason, I can never see people's photo albums when I click on their profiles. I can only see them if I follow a link or if I look in the huge before and after forums. I wonder if I'm doing something wrong, I couldn't see your pics. At any rate, thanks for your response. I, too, feel really comfortable with BIDMC so far. -music

Hey SherryW, Just wanted to wish you a happy new year . I hope that you are healing well and feeling better. Sherry, do you have any before and after pics? I tried to look at an old thread to see the link that you'd posted a long time ago, but so many other people had posted since then, I couldn't find yours. -music

Hey Singin , I know what you mean about BWH. I worked there for many years. I did find the staff in the weight loss clinic weren't as nice as BIDMC, but that could've just been one bad experience and not the whole team. So far, BIDMC seems to have a great post-op process. In one info session, a large group of post-ops came in at the end and spent a lot of time just talking about their experiences (they meet often right in the area where the info sessions are held) and answering questions. It was great to pick their brains and hear about everything from their decisions to have the bypass, or the lap band to excess skin and how they dealt with cosmetic surgery. I agree with you about choosing the Band over GBP. I for one, just would prefer to have all of my organs in one piece. I do think it's a great surgery and it works well for people. But I have a hard enough time electing to have surgery on my body at all, let alone to have irreversible surgery. I am hopeful that, with the band and the BIDMC team, I can help conquer my weight issues without having GB surgery. Some of my friends who have the sleeve or the bypass feel the exact opposite. They feel like it wasn't UNTIL they had GB surgery, that they started feeling like things turned around for them, so *shrug* it truly is a personal decision. I like the Lap Bands slow weight loss. I like hoping that the slow weight loss will help me not have to deal with so much excess skin. I looked at my puffy stomach and tried to imagine all the fat gone, but the skin still left. That was a hard thing to picture, lol. Oh, and one more thing! Yes, they do provide you with a nutritionist. In fact, the same day next Tuesday, when I have the echo and meet with the medical doctor, I have to meet with a nutritionist. I've had to log my eating for four days into a form that I will present and go over with her so that we can make an eating plan for me to help me lose the ten pounds (or more, hopefully) before surgery. Lately, too, I've been wondering which size band the surgeon might recommend for me. I wonder how they choose which size to put into a person? I know that BIDMC uses different sizes for different people, so I'm curious about that... -music

Hey Singing in the rain, Was your meeting over at Brigham & Women's? Wow, the 20% does sound like a lot! At 280, if I had to lose 20% before having the surgery, that would be 56 pounds for me. At BIDMC, they say that you have to lose at least 10 pounds. That seems more reasonable to expect from patients who are really starting from rock bottom. While I do agree that being a part of their weight loss program can help you reach, if not exceed, your goals, I want to be sure that I'm involved in a program that sets small, manageable goals that help me feel like I'm making significant progress. (and that's just my two cents on that subject, lol.) These days, I'm celebrating, I have logged my food intake for the last five days (small goal #1 met :thumbup:) and I've also started a journal. I've noticed how much of my thought process is so centered around how I feel physically. While others are focused outward, on life, or on the next social engagement, I spend so much time mapping out events based on my physical pain. For instance, the walk from my house to the bus takes so much energy. Or, the pain in my ankles at the end of the night. Deciding where to sleep to minimize my back pain (the couch wins every time, even though I have a brand new bed. aaargh!) On Tuesday, I go to BIDMC to get an echocardiogram, meet the medical doctor, and the nutritionist. I've been looking for scar pictures from people. I'm concerned about the healing process after surgery, since it doesn't look like I'll have much down time, unless I postpone the surgery until the summer time, which I just can't bear to do. So, those are some of the things on my mind. How about you? Did attending that info session give you any kind of thoughts on the pros and cons of the surgery? -music

I agree, I've noticed that everyone has their own set of challenges in the whole "band experience". But, overall the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I feel really encouraged, knowing that so many people have had the same procedure done. I cannot wait to get this done, I am really excited :wink_smile:. -music

Hey Singingintherain! Wow, am I glad to run into someone who is just starting the process like me :tt2:. Welcome! I, too, have been investigating the whole idea of weight loss surgery for a year, trying not to have it. But I am so glad that I have made the decision to go ahead with it. I have been to two info sessions at BIDMC and I really enjoyed the staff and the surgeons there. I for one can't say anything about the hospital stay. But when I filled out my paperwork and went in for my first visit (labs, etc) they told me that I could request having a private room post surgery for an additional $175. I thought that was a great option, since I wasn't sure how I'd feel after surgery and whether I'd want to stay with someone else. So....just a thought for you. I plan on going to the next few info sessions. If you ever want to meet up and talk, pm me here. I'd love to connect with someone who is also at the beginning stages of this process. Best of luck to you! -music

Wow, JP & Miranda I think about this very thing sooo much. I remember, the times when I dieted and got down to about 180. I felt so good and knew that I looked much better. i kept thinking "why didn't I stay there?" "what made me gain the weight back"? I know, for me, my weight has always been a security blanket. My protection from everything external that I couldn't control. food became a gift I gave myself, especially because I was always taking care of others. I'm undertaking this process because lately I've noticed a severe disconnect between my food and my body. I never eat because I'm hungry. Sometimes, I'll even notice that I've eaten something unhealthy without even noticing that I've eaten it. For instance, a day will go by while I'm at work and I've had Cookies, chips, soda, a bad lunch. At the end of the day, I have had to really struggle to think "wait, what did I eat today? when was that?" People say that your weight gain just sort of "sneaks up on you". I know that it doesn't sneak up on me, it's more like when I start to gain weight, I know that in the past, I start doing stuff like Tabithan mentioned a while ago. I stop signing into whatever site that helps me (for me it was sparkpeople.com). I stay far away from the gym and wear clothes to try to hide it. Now, when I think about this new process of getting banded, I know that I'm deciding to do this because I don't want to hide from myself anymore. Does that make sense? Even the fact that you came on here, Miranda, and spoke about your feelings is such a huge step. It's so hard to speak aloud the fears that you whisper only to yourself. My struggle to give up my weight. To actually "see" myself without my security blanket. That's absolutely emotional. I hope that I can find a group of people to talk to. Like I can talk here. Again I say, if anyone's in Massachusetts and wants to meet, I'm open. Good luck with your pre-op diet, Miranda. I start tomorrow and I'm nervous, too :confused:. -music

hey Tabithan, thanks SO much for the words of encouragement. Knowing how your experience went really helps me to not be so scared. Especially knowing about the nausea and the post surgery diet stuff is really helpful. I'm keeping a running document on what to ask the doctor and the people at BIDMC so I will add the "port site" question to that list. Thank you again. Hope everyone's New Years' Eve went well! -music

Wow, Tabithan, congratulations! Did you see my earlier post, asking you some questions about post surgery? I haven't received many responses from people about scarring, etc. Whatever feedback you can offer, I'd really appreciate it. -music

Hey JP Welcome! I have a question for you, were you banded at BIDMC? Or somewhere else. Congratulations on your weight loss so far! -music

Hey Tabithan, I'm doing pretty well. I, too, have had quite a disastrous holiday. It's really hard to watch what you're eating when you're the cook. I have my very first appointment at Beth Israel this Friday. I am marking that day as the first day of the rest of my life. The other night, I was SO nervous. I couldn't sleep, thinking about the surgery, how scary it is, what I will feel like, the scars. I was so wound up. But then I began to think about how much better I will feel. I thought about this forum, and how encouraged I have been, just from reading everyone's words and experiences. How did you feel the first few weeks? How are your scars now? There have been some postings about hair loss, too. Have you experienced any of that? -music

Hey Tabithan! Good luck, girl ... -music

Hey JBReal, I just wanted to send you a hello. I haven't had my surgery yet, but already I've started to subscribe to this thread in the hopes that I can start to learn a little bit more about myself and my eating habits BEFORE I'm on the band. But, even having not had the surgery, I can completely relate to you. I can only imagine what kind of frustration you must be feeling. I wonder if your doctor might need to do your fill with a barium swallow and under an x-ray? Perhaps you're being over filled or something, but your doctor should help walk you through this. You shouldn't feel alone. Also, I wonder if, when you're in the support group, you can ask other people if they've had the same issues with the acid reflux. Maybe you'll find that some of them are still struggling just like you, they just don't have the nerve to mention it. Are you in Boston? or in Massachusetts? I am hoping to find someone to meet with and work on this process together. I can already see, from reading the posts on this site, how helpful it is to have people in your corner. And I must say, I totally was encouraged to read you saying that you are posting now because you want to avoid failing your band. Already you've lost 40 pounds! It has been at least two years since I've lost a pound at all, so congratulations! I can only imagine what 40 pounds off my ankles would feel like :hurray:... So, thanks for that post.....It encouraged me....I'm sending you a virtual hug. Hang in there.... -music

Thanks for the tough talk, Tabithan. You're right, I can keep a piece of paper around and log what I eat (even when I'm tasting food to cook). I'll try to make it as accurate as I can. Wow, satiated for 3-4 hours, I can't remember the last time I felt that way! That sounds great. I am SO looking forward to my first meeting on January 2nd. I really hope I'm able to get a surgery date soon. Ok, one more question for you. The surgery scars? Are they that bad? I was thinking today about the slits that they make in your stomach. When they heal, can you see the lines in your stomach permanently, or do they fade? And what about the port scar, did yours heal well? -music

Hey Tabithan! Yeah, I'm going to try to write everything down, but I might not mark everything down for tomorrow, lol. I'll take one day of reprieve, for Christmas. Not ot mention, I have a lot of cooking to do tonight *sigh*. *Crossing my fingers* How are you today? Are you still feeling a good amount of restriction? -music

Hey Teresa, Merry Christmas to you, too! How are you? I just had my sleep study last night! Wow, talk about fast moving, I love making Dr's appointments during the holidays. Everytime someone cancels, I get an opening :thumbup:! Then the weight loss clinic just called me and they had an opening two weeks early, so I get to have a visit on January 2nd! I hope all is well with you :eek: Take care and happy holidays... -music

Wow all of these goals sound really good :thumbup:. Today I met my goal of logging all of my foods. I went out to lunch with a girlfriend. When i came home and added it all up, I had eaten 2,500 calories for the day!!! I shouldn't be surprised, it wasn't a healthy lunch at all. I'm still glad that I've made it home and remembered to log in all my food. So, here's to small victories *raisin my hot cocoa* lol :eek: -music

hey Tabithan, et al, :thumbup: My goals for December (or rather, January, since December's almost gone, lol) -Document everything I eat on sparkpeople.com -Take more Iron (my doc says I'm anemic and I DO NOT want that to be a rejecting factor for my surgery) -Exercise 2-3 times per week (it's a realistic start) -Drink more water

Thanks Tabithan! I am so excited. Well I don't have my surgery date, originally I had been scheduled for a first visit on January 12th, but they just called me with a cancellation, so I go in on January 2nd, I'm SOOOO excited :thumbup:. Last night I had a sleep study done, so I'm hoping that I don't have sleep apnea, but we'll see. -music

Wow, I just wanted to reply to "Doc"'s comments! (I know, i'm a little late, but) First of all, thank you for taking the time to write out this response. I agree wholeheartedly with you. I can remember the time I fasted on the Master Cleanse (something I definitely do not recommend) I began to look around and see how much time out of the day I was bombarded with images specifically designed to make me overeat. Since I consider myself a food addict, it was a huge awakening for me! The idea that yes, 90% of what is available in the grocery store does so much harm to your body, and that healthier foods are 4 and 5xs more expensive than unhealthy foods is really outrageous. I'm glad I happened to scroll up and read this post. Thank You! -music