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It's 10:53 p.m. and I just got home from work! Whew, long day! I am very happy with the great suggestions I am seeing here! LilAmy, The Jimmy Dean D'lights sound delicious! I will look for it my next trip to the grocery store. I will also check out "Eat This, Not That". Vickyd, I too am okay with cheese ... as long as I don't overdo it. I like the deli meat spread with laughing cow idea. Okay CheckYes .... on your recommendation I just might get the courage to try a Quorn product.. Thanks everyone for all the wonderful ideas! ~Fran

Rachel, Soy nuggets??? hmmmmm ... I don't know about that ... LOL I do make my Protein shakes with soy milk (although my "health crazy" friends are brow beating me into "almond milk" even after I told them that I don't like the taste... LOL) but soy nuggets?? Have you tasted them? Are they good? Stateofzen, I will definitely stop at the store for some turkey peperoni. It sounds perfect. I am at this moment at work after a CRAZY DAY that has not ended (and I pray it does not repeat tomorrow) and I am trying to eat the other half of the Lean Cuisine lasagna w/meat sauce. I could not eat the whole thing at lunch and after 2 bites now, I think I am done. This is insane. I am so glad that I see my therapist this weekend! Honk, I am not a BIG hummus fan, but I like it from time to time. It will definitely be on my list of things to eat in a pinch durint this OT schedule. The sugar snap peas sound like a great choice for something crunchy when I need it. Thanks to everyone. ~fran

Thanks gMommy. I can't do the greek yogurt ... lactose intolerant. But I can do a little string cheese ... maybe once a day. The chicken strips are good idea too. I need to buy some garbanzo beans ... I had forgotten all about them ... I love them in a salad. Great ideas, thanks! ~Fran

There is also a section on this forum called "...surgeons and hospitals". There you will read first hand what people think of Dr. Liu. ~F

My PCP referred me to Dr. Liu when I asked about LB surgery. I went to his office and fell in love with everyone there. Dr. Liu was great and his staff was fantastic. I even had the chance to sit down with another doc in his office who had been banded! She was also great and gave me tons of info. UNFORTUNATELY, it turned out they were not a provider on my insurance so Dr. Liu did not end up being my surgeon. I was so bummed when I learned that he would not be doing my surgery. I do get evites for his support group, but I haven't attended one yet due to scheduling conflicts. I have met a couple of his patients and they rave about him too. Good luck! ~Fran

I have arthritis in my knees, spinal stenosis (arthritis of the spine), and had back surgery in 2004. I was banded in June 2009. I now walk 3 miles every morning. Couldn't do that before banding and weight loss. I love my band! ~Fran

I would like to suggest that before you actually "stock up" on one particular Protein drink/powder, you sample a few different brands to find out which one you like best. I have read posts about people stocking up on a certain drink that was recommended to them by their doc/nut/or someone else and they couldn't drink it because they hated the taste. ~Fran

"If hungry isn't the problem, then eating isn't the solution." Rachel, I absolutely love this!!! I am putting it on my wall (at my desk - I won't actually write on the walls LOL) right this minute. Thanks. ~Fran

You haven't had a BM in a month AND you have severe heart burn, and you haven't seen a doctor??? You must have an incredibly HIGH tolerance for pain. I am sorry you are going through this, please see your doctor asap.

Ok skinny, take a deep breath and let it out slowly ... all is not lost. Do you REALLY want to know why you are gaining? Are you logging your food on "fitday.com" or something similar. There are people on this board that swear by this site. Here's the thing, we have spent our lives doing things that contributed to our obesity and we are experts at gaining weight. We are not, however, experts at losing weight and keeping it off. So, now we need to try something different because this time we want to get a different result -- that being losing weight AND keeping it off. Part of the something different will be not stressing yourself out, because it only hurts your cause. You CAN and WILL lose weight. . Try the "fitday.com" type sites so that you can see in black and white what is going on and do some research on walking for weight loss so that you can make your walks more effective. If you are exercising and dieting there has to be a reason you are gaining weight. So, before you throw in the towel, you need to find out what the problem is and how you can correct it. You are going to be a GREAT bandster. You will lose weight. This is NOT going to be the "end of you". Figure out why you are not losing and change what you can. You'll be all right, really you will ... just breathe. ~Fran

I definitely am an emotional eater -- well, not as much as I was before lapband and therapy -- but I still get "caught up" from time to time. I can say that even as an emotional eater I have been able to lose weight with the help of my band. ~Fran

Perhaps you can give your doc's office a call to see if they will allow you full liquids sooner than planned. I've seen it happen here many times. And, while you have them on the phone you can ask about the pain you are experiencing. Take care. I hope you feel better soon. ~Fran

Welcome Jada, and congratulations on beginning your journey to better health and a longer life expectancy. Before lapband I was (still am, they say it doesn't go away LOL) a type 2 diabetic. Within 3 months of lapband surgery I was off my meds. YAY! I agree with Kay, you are smart doing this while you are young. I had lapband surgery when I was 53 and I am truly happy with the results. I say this even though I am a "slow" loser. I am down to a size 14 bottom/16 top ... I started at a size 26 -- and I am still losing. I am down to 1 blood pressure med and I walk 3 miles every morning -- I had back surgery in 2004. All these things were made possible by my band. PTL! Please be sure to research WLS thoroughly. Knowledge is power, and that is so very true in this instance. You will hear so many different stories -- good and bad. You will need to sift through the info and make your own decision. This forum of chock full of information that will help you ... and some will even scare you; but take it all with a grain of salt and back up the info you get with research. The anecdotal info on this forum can be very inspirational and helpful ... with many cautionary tales. So, be brave, ask questions and read, read, read! All the best to you on your journey! ~Fran

That's the plan! LOL One day, that "fat lady" is going to be gone for good!

Ok, so I hopped out of bed at 5 a.m. this morning, got to the park by 5:30. Power walked 3 miles (not so power for a few laps -- talking to a fellow walker), got home, did my morning ritual and dressed for work. I was happy and singing and playing music all the while. Well, I put my gray slacks on with a purple top and a gray sweater, gray shoes ... nice combination ... silver jewelry ... everything was going fine. Then I looked in the mirror! There standing before me was the dreaded "fat lady"! She said "you look like you're gaining weight ... aren't these pants fitting a little snug?" I told her to shut up and finish getting ready for work ... but then I got to thinking ... do these pants look as good today as they did when I wore them 2 weeks ago? hmmmmm All of a sudden I am obsessing about whether I have gained weight or not; but I dare not get on the scale ... no, getting on the scale could derail my whole day if I saw weight gain. Geeeez I wish there was a "band" for the brain! The truth is, just like 2 weeks ago, I could actually wear a size smaller in these slacks. But have decided that as long as they are not falling down I will not buy anything new for a while. I tend to turn into a shopping maniac, and since I am trying to get my youngest off to school in Missouri in a couple of months ... all the shopping has to be for him.

Congratulations! You are doing great! I have had the same problem with eggs. As a rule I don't eat food for Breakfast, just a Protein Shake. I get pretty dehydrated overnight so eating in the morning is a problem ... can't get food to stay down. Every now and again I test the waters ... it's usually because I have a taste for eggs. But as always, the eggs won't stay down! Although I have stopped trying to eat eggs in the morning ... I'm sure I will try again in a few months when I am craving eggs again. Again congrats! All the best to you on your journey. ~fran

Well it certainly does sound like he prefers gastric bypass. I would recommend that you continue doing reseach and then decide for yourself -- not because your doc prefers GB. There are soooo many people here on the lapbandtalk forum that lost their weight "fast". And, even though I am not one of them, I know that it can be done. I think the chief thing about the "diet and exercise" part is that if you change your diet and make some form of exercise a part of your life you will keep the weight off. You cannot maintain the loss of a large amount of weight without changing your diet and, if you want your body to "look good" you're going to want to exercise to tone all that loss or else you're going to look like a bag of skin. Now, that said .. as an older person, without plastic surgery I will likely have some excess skin that I can't exercise/tone away. But, you are young and may still have much elasticity left in your skin. You just might be able to pull this off -- without plastic surgery. And finally, I just was not ready to have my stomach rearranged when I didn't have to. I can absolutely get the same results with lapband, and yes, it may take longer; but I actually believe the old adage that says "the longer it takes to take the weight off, the longer it will stay off". But that's just me. The decision is yours and I wish you the best with whatever you decide. Either way, there will be a healthier happier you in the end. ~Fran

"Always keep your goal in mind. Not the one the doctor has set for you but the one you have for yourself. None of us went under the knife just to have something to do. Remember your commitment to getting to a healthier and thinner lifestyle. Revel in the sense of accomplishment you feel when you see the inches and weight come off. Bask in the compliments from friends and family as they see the changes in you. And don't allow anyone to sabatoge you with negativity and doubt. And when you have a bad eating day, brush it off and start over the next day. There is no magical eating formula for the band. You just have to find what works for you and stick with it." Wow! dlynn said a mouthful, and all of it true. LOL on the "None of us went under the knife just to have something to do." Tooo funny. Kelli, if you are in fact a food addict (as many of us are -- that would be me) you might consider therapy as others have, myself included. I started seeing an obesity specialist 8 months before my surgery. It helped a lot ... I still see her, but mostly to keep the other stresses in my life from taking me back down "the road to 'food is the solution to all my problems'. There are other avenues as well if therapy is not for you. Perhaps OA, or self help books, tapes, etc. Whatever you need to get you through this because YOU CAN DO THIS ... really you can. It is my fevent belief that you will lose the weight when you are willing to do WHATEVER it takes. But, it must a program (whether it's your food plan or your exercise plan) that fits your life. Doctors can hand out a diet to all 50 or 100 of his patients ... but are they all alike? Absolutely NOT. So, it is up to you to take from him what will work in your life and modify the parts that don't fit quite as well. We are banded now and we have real chance at changing our lives for the better and forever more. But it means taking that first step, then the second, then the third, etc. Remember, you are not in a race with anyone to lose weight. You can take as long as you want to lose it, or you can sit down, make a plan, and lose it in "x" months. This is all up to you. It is your journey. All the best to you. YOU CAN DO THIS! ~Fran

My boy will be a Jr at MO S&T in Rolla, MO. It will be a big change for him as he was born and raise in L. A. Good luck and God bless us both. I am going to miss him like crazy!

Wooo Hooo! You look fantastic! Can't wait to be a size 10/12 ... on my way (14/16 now). Congratulations on both the weight loss and getting your life back. I know the feeling. My youngest is going to school in Missouri in August and his older sis will leave for grad school in 2012 (fingers crossed ). It's a great feeling to be able to concentrate on yourself, isn't it? And it's true ... life DOES begin at 50+. Enjoy!!! ~Fran

Thanks. I find it is so important to see the glass half full instead of half empty -- especially during "bandster hell" and/or plateaus. It's a journey and we are here to support, uplift ...and sometimes pull each other's "coattail" (old saying ... like me "old" ). ~Fran

I totally agree with Checkyes, and would like to add: You say: "I thought I would be thrilled but now I am afraid I am making the wrong decision and I will be one of the banders who does not loose any weight." Or perhaps you "will be one of the banders who DOES lose all your weight." You say: "I think I understand all the things that need to be done to make me successful, but what if I can't do it???" But what if you CAN DO IT??? Goodness, what a scary thought, huh? You say: "I read a lot of the posts under struggling lap banders and I could totally be one of them too." Did you read any posts under "success stories", bet you could be one of them too. You say: "Part of me is like if I keep doing what I am doing now I will keep getting the same results and lap band is my attempt to do something different but what if really I need to change something else?" You're right, what you're doing now will get you the same results (all us bandsters have been there). And, if you don't follow through with your decision to get the lapband how will you know if the band wasn't THE thing? This is TOTALLY your decision and, since you have a surgery date, it appears that you HAVE made a decision. If you make a clear decision that this is just not what you want to do, well, that's okay too ... but to torture youself with "what if's" and "iffa woulda coulda shoulda's" seems counter productive. Remember, the band is reversible or, you can decide not to have it filled and it will (likely) be as if you don't have a band. I think that's what I like most about the band ... it does not have to be permanent. There are a number of people on this forum that have had their bands removed. You might want to read about them for perspective. Stress before surgery is not good, so try to relax a bit. Continue to research, you still have time to change your mind ... but do it from a place of knowledge -- not fear. I wish you the best on your journey ... whatever you choose to do. ~Fran

I have BCBS of California (aka Anthem BCBS, gets confusing). If you visit the website, which for me is "Empireblue.com", click on the "enter" button and then type "weight loss surgery" in the search box, you will find BCBS's policy for WLS. It will tell you everything expected of you. Once I completed my 6 month supervised diet and the necessary tests, etc. I think it took a week or two ... but I did have to "bug" them to make sure they stayed on the case. Hope this helps. If you can't find the info on the website let me know. I have a pdf copy that I would be happy to send to you. ~Fran

You know, I may not like to admit it, but life in Cali can be very different from other states -- the farther east you go. I have family and friends in other states and yes, you are right Cali is different -- from politics, to style (or the lack there of sometimes LOL), to cults (that Harold Camping guy is located in the Bay Area), to the environment (businesses are running away screaming from all the regulations), etc. I also know that it is easy for us the think that "our" life in the A-A community is "typical" of the A-A community everywhere. And, no I did not get the impression that you do not have friends of other cultures. I was just trying to suggest that no matter what culture or whether they are relatives or not, sometimes they have to give us what our family members cannot, for whatever reason. Don't get me wrong, I get it that it would be nice to have the support of family, and I am sorry you don't have it -- yet. Hey, somebody has to be the "trailblazer" why not you? Once they see your great success with lapband they will be in awe! I am excited for you "my sistah" and look forward to hearing about your journey to better health and ... a longer list of clothing stores to shop in! LOL It's 5:30 a.m. -- time to get out of here and get to the park. Have a fabulous day! ~Fran

This is a really good post because people that are in the early stages will know what to look for when they decide to get lapband. What they should also know is that not all doctors have a non professional fee and if you choose the "right" surgeon (or maybe it's the hospital) you don'thave to pay the anesthesiologist separately. I remember, after having problems finding a surgeon/surgical center/hospital that would accept BCBS (BBCBS doesn't pay them much so they will refuse to do the surgery - even if they have a contract with BCBS) I was being super careful so I didn't find myself with hidden costs. I called the benefits dept at my job to ask about the anesthesiologist, telling them that is was ridiculous for the insurance to ok the surgery and put the responsibility on me to make sure the anesthesiologist was "in-network" - I was HOT! My benefits dept. said they would call me right back. They did. They said "don't worry about a thing your anesthisia is all inclusive". I did not pay a penny for my surgery. We have to be so careful about which practice we choose, some offices will gouge us given the chance. Thanks again for this thread.I am sorry you had to go through this but the info you are sharing is invaluable to people starting out. All the best to you on your journey. ~Fran