Loving-It

My nutritionist said it's totally normal to do that and you should! Enjoy yourself and have that "last supper"!! :clap2:

I was very, very, VERY fortunate! I have Carefirst BlueCross and they approved me right away...they approved me within a month and a half. I met all their criteria and didn't have to postpone. I was very blessed.

It makes perfect sense. It's bad enough when you aren't banded and people just find out you are on a diet. Always watching you, policing you. I totally understand. :eek: I think the barium swallow is worth some bragging rights as well. I did the swallow, they took the pictures and got nada. I had to do it again, and the second time the barium was warm. *gag* :tired Then when I had my mental assessment they decided I was depressed. Nice to explain a lot of my emotional issues but what a nice label! LOL! :fish: Now I'm a bigger mess than I thought I was! Heh-heh! They want to reassess me after I've lost some weight and see if that perks my mood. I'm sure all of us, or most of us, are suffering from depression which totally doesn't help the emotional eating side of it all. I'm really thankful for the assessment as it's made me much more aware of moods and such.

There is another message board that I frequent (recipes) and the topics always flow to regular chit-chat. I learned about the lapband from one of the members telling her story. There are also a few others who have had gastric. They get trounced about having taken the easy way out, and there is nothing easy about either procedure. But I, like you, have told a very select few. I haven't even told my brother mainly because I don't want his wife and her family to know. It is very personal to me and really nobody else's business. Only two people at my work know, my manager and the owner. Only two of my friends know. The weight issue is my own to deal with and I don't want to receive unsolicited advice about anything. I've got my mother to help me, my two friends, one of whom had gastric. She is truly my best friend. She is the only one in my world who truly knows what it is like to exist in this body. I am so tired of trying to explain it to others. If you don't live it you just don't get it. *sigh* Sorry I rambled. Just wanted to let you know that keeping it to yourself is absolutely your right and you do need to do what is right for you. :eek:

A very, very, very soft shirt to wear over your incisions, soft bra too. I agree with the pillow too. Maybe even a throw blanket. On my drive home, which was almost an hour and a half, I had the blanket on my lap to be between me and the seatbelt. It was a lifesaver. I know you are on a plane but I'm sure you'll have to wear a seatbelt a little bit, and then for the car ride home. I agree about the slip on shoes too, comfy socks. I also brought along some astringent and cotton balls so I could freshen up my face. hair clips or something to put it up, unless you have short hair. Note about the Jello though, I could have it pre-op but not post. I don't know if your doctor is different but you might not want to bring too much! :eek: Much luck to you!! You are on your way!! :clap2:

Hi, I'm Mari, just turned 34YO last week. :fish: I'm a single mother of an 11YO daughter. Just had my band put on June 9th at Reston Hospital in Reston, VA. I am a Project Manager for an exhibit house and love lots of things. :eek: So HOWDY!! :clap2:

Hi Mary Ann, I'm new! My banding was on June 9th as well. :eek: How are things going for you? :biggrin1:

:hug: Thanks so much!! :fish:

I am a Project Manager for an Exhibit House. I handle tradeshow arrangments for our clients. I love it. :biggrin1:

For my pre-op sugar free popsicles and sugar free Jello were lifesavers. I drank the Slim Fast low carb and Atkin's shakes. I had to have four a day to meet the Protein requirements that were set for me pre-op and that worked for me. I was always having something which was nice. It helped take the edge off of not being able to munch on something. I also was allowed cream of mushroom Soup, mainly Campbell's Soup At Hand. They also have blended vegetable medley. I didn't have a hard time with the pre-op. Post-op is a different story. I don't think my stomach is that swollen from the banding either. The first two weeks (which is up tomorrow!) I could have it if I could drink it through a straw. Still having the shakes, pureed Soups, broths, just as long as it goes up the straw. I'm pretty sick of soup. LOL! Tomorrow I get to move up and have "foods that you don't need teeth to eat". oatmeal, cream of wheat, I can have chicken salad, ham salad, egg salad, turkey salad, tuna salad, but I have to puree them into a paste. A poached egg broken open. My doctor told me that during this phase most of his patients tend to lose about 3 lbs or even gain 3 lbs, so I'm planning on being careful. Still doing the shakes for sure. I do this phase for two weeks. The main thing during the liquid phase that made it easier was I kept telling myself, "this isn't forever". It's just temporary. I crossed off the days on the calendar as a countdown. Time has flown by. I can't believe it's been two weeks since my procedure already.

Hi! This is my very first post in your forum. I just had my lapband procedure on June 9th, 2006. Today was my first post-op visit. When I started my BMI was 51.2. I am 5'9" and my starting weight was 347. I found out today that I am down 15 lbs which is amazing to me! :-) My mini goal at this point is to get below 300. Once I make that goal I will set another one for myself.