Veggestyle

I have begun to practice the liquid diet. I already know that it is going to be very very difficult and I want to start preparing myself in hopes that it wont be such a horrible shock to my body (even though it will be good for it!) I have begun replacing one meal with a Target version of slimfast and be very very watchful of what I do eat b/c that is what I am going to always have to do. I just weighed myself yesterday and I weigh about 273 depending on the time of day, and I took this weight in the morning, which I have heard is the best time to do so. Tomorrow I am going with my boyfriend for the the final consultation with the surgeon. I am looking forward to having my boyfriend, Joe, be able to meet the surgeon. Wish me luck! :peace:

Hello Chicago Friends! I am getting closer and closer to my surgery date! check out my ticker that I just figured out how to add! I hope that everyone is doing well! I start my pre-op liquid diet in just a few weeks! I am already starting to "practice."

I personally have to do a ten day liquid day and personally in a way I am looking forward to the challenge...but ask me how I feel about it after a few days in...I hear that the average person loses about 20 pounds while doing the liquid diet. I guess that it is important to do this so your liver shrinks in order to make the surgery more successful.

Hey Laurba, I have the same scheduled surgery date as you do! Good luck with everything!

Target makes a great generic slim fast that has 10 grams of protein and it is rather delicious and inexpensive!

Thank you for the words of encouragement! I really appreciate it!

123, just testing my ticker

That sounds like a great idea!

Dear FullofGrace, I am really scared too, especially since my family doesnt fully support this decision (mostly b/c they are scared)...interesting...I have generalized anxiety disorder and I am trying my best to be calm about this, since my surgery date is still about a month away I am not freaking out too bad...yet. I would definitely talk to a doc. about getting meds. if you feel it would help!

Hello All! My band date is November 20th! I am currently around 275 lbs, but I will be weighing myself soon since I havent weighed myself in about a month. My goal weight would be around 150. I am so excited, nervous...I can't believe the date is almost here. I was really excited to see this post, it makes it even more real! I live in IL and will be having my band done by a local surgeon who has been doing the surgery for a few years now with very little to no complications!

Hello and Welcome! I am still pre-band, but just for about a month longer until my surgery. This board is so so helpful and has been a guiding light during the decision making process and there-on. I have found basically everything I needed to know about the band with addition to medical documental type information. I hope that you find on here what you need. At this point I cannot tell you the pros/cons b/c I am not banded, but I will tell you that I cannot wait to start my new life!

Jodie...what is your myspace address??

I finally know when my surgery date is: November 20th!!! I will be having a hiatal hernia removed as well. I definitely plan to report back here and let you all know how it goes! I hope everyone is doing well! :bounce:

Hello All, I am so happy that it is fall. Fall is such a beautiful time of the year, especially here in Chicago with all of the leaves changing and the weather getting cooler. I am going to be changing pretty soon too...after much hard work and red tape...my surgery date is set for November 20th. Please celebrate with me b/c not many people in my life are supporting me right now! Thank you all for everything!

As of now, my surgery is scheduled for November 20th, the Monday before Thanksgiving. I really hope that the surgeon can stick with this date b/c it will really really work out well with my and my boyfriend's school and work schedule. I find it hard to believe that it is just over a month away...I have done so much work to get to this point and now I am facing the 10 day liquid diet... I am not sure what I am actually feeling at this point...when I think about it, for the most part I am excited and anxious...honestly I think that I am trying to bury any other negative thoughts at this time b/c it would be so easy to get scared. I am changing my life and that is such a wonderful, yet nervewracking process to go through. I feel that few people in my life actually understand...in ways I think they are nervous too about me being different, I have been overweight my entire life and I do belive that it has helped define (or limit) who I am today...

As of now, my surgery is scheduled for November 20th, the Monday before Thanksgiving. I really hope that the surgeon can stick with this date b/c it will really really work out well with my and my boyfriend's school and work schedule. I find it hard to believe that it is just over a month away...I have done so much work to get to this point and now I am facing the 10 day liquid diet... I am not sure what I am actually feeling at this point...when I think about it, for the most part I am excited and anxious...honestly I think that I am trying to bury any other negative thoughts at this time b/c it would be so easy to get scared. I am changing my life and that is such a wonderful, yet nervewracking process to go through. I feel that few people in my life actually understand...in ways I think they are nervous too about me being different, I have been overweight my entire life and I do belive that it has helped define (or limit) who I am today...

That is a great question!!! I would love to know the answser to that one too!!!

Thank you so much! I feel that I am doing the right thing for myself too, I just wish that my family understood that better. I can't wait to announce my date either, I know that it will be sometime in November!

I have finally jumped through all of the hoops that the insurance company has placed before me...I am approved for surgery and will be confirming a surgery date in the next few days! I have my final consultation with the surgeon and my pre-op lab work coming up in the next week. I can hardly believe that i have come this far. I have been having very realistic dreams of what it will feel like to have the band inside me and what it will be like to live with the band and be around others. I really hope this is the right decision for me. I really dont have my entire family's support and that makes me nervous. Today my mom said to me "why cant you just diet...you know you are going to be in pain..." and so on...:straight Wish me luck!

I have finally jumped through all of the hoops that the insurance company has placed before me...I am approved for surgery and will be confirming a surgery date in the next few days! I have my final consultation with the surgeon and my pre-op lab work coming up in the next week. I can hardly believe that i have come this far. I have been having very realistic dreams of what it will feel like to have the band inside me and what it will be like to live with the band and be around others. I really hope this is the right decision for me. I really dont have my entire family's support and that makes me nervous. Today my mom said to me "why cant you just diet...you know you are going to be in pain..." and so on...:straight Wish me luck!

Hello! I am curious about others' experiences in regards to what role your general doctor played in you getting banded and the whole insurance struggle. In my case, my insurance company and the bariatric program at the hospital need about 5-10 years of medical records showing my weight struggles, which i doubt is uncommon. I called up my doctor and explained to her about the surgery, and then talked to their medical records person about sending the needed info. to the insurance company. They called the insurance for me and found out the specific info. they needed. I told the medical records lady all the personal info. she needed to send off to the insurance company and all seemed to be going smoothly. Then a few hours later, i got a call back from the doctor's office saying that my doctor needed to speak to me before she could write the letter to the insurance company, they did not specify exactly why..... Well, with that all being explained I am wondering what you all think of this, and what was your general doctor's role in your band journey???? Thank you!!!! :Banane56:

...wait that sounds bad! My general doctor hardly new anything about the lapband and she never had a patient that had WLS. I was nervous about talking with her too, especially since she had little experience with the subject. However, I think since I was prepared with information and knowledge to share with her, she really understood the surgery better and why I was so interested in having it. The visit I had with her was a few months ago, and now my surgery date is about a month away and she has given me all of the support that I needed from her! Good luck!

I am so happy that the journal function is up and running again! For about the past month I have been playing the insurance "battle." I found out today that I have been approved for the surgery! My next step now is to make the final appt. with the surgeon. I am excited, nervous...I have dreams about what it feels like to have the band inside me. A lady that I work with had the surgery back in May and she actually let me feel her port. To be honest, I was kind of freaked out by how "well" I could feel it...But she looks great, already has lost nearly 60 lbs. Well...moving on..update soon!

I am so happy that the journal function is up and running again! For about the past month I have been playing the insurance "battle." I found out today that I have been approved for the surgery! My next step now is to make the final appt. with the surgeon. I am excited, nervous...I have dreams about what it feels like to have the band inside me. A lady that I work with had the surgery back in May and she actually let me feel her port. To be honest, I was kind of freaked out by how "well" I could feel it...But she looks great, already has lost nearly 60 lbs. Well...moving on..update soon!

Yeah, thank you! The journal is such a helpful resource to have! :confused: